Hu - More!

Because humor is such an essential life ingredient! I really love what John Cleese had to say during a talk on Creativity, in which he points out that humor is one of the main ingredients in the creative process:

"And now, the last factor, the fifth: humor.
Well, I happen to think the main evolutionary significance of humor is that it gets us from the closed mode to the open mode quicker than anything else.
I think we all know that laughter brings relaxation, and that humor makes us playful, yet how many times important discussions been held where really original and creative ideas were desperately needed to solve important problems, but where humor was taboo because the subject being discussed was {air quotes} "so serious"?
This attitude seems to me to stem from a very basic misunderstanding of the difference between 'serious' and 'solemn'.
Now I suggest to you that a group of us could be sitting around after dinner, discussing matters that were extremely serious like the education of our children, or our marriages, or the meaning of life (and I'm not talking about the film), and we could be laughing, and that would not make what we were discussing one bit less serious.
Solemnity, on the other hand… I don't know what it's for. I mean, what is the point of it? The two most beautiful memorial services that I've ever attended both had a lot of humor, and it somehow freed us all, and made the services inspiring and cathartic.
But solemnity? It serves pomposity, and the self-important always know with some level of their consciousness that their egotism is going to be punctured by humor -- that's why they see it as a threat. And so {they} dishonestly pretend that their deficiency makes their views more substantial, when it only makes them feel bigger.
{John blows "raspberries" with his tongue.}
No, humor is an essential part of spontaneity, an essential part of playfulness, an essential part of the creativity that we need to solve problems, no matter how 'serious' they may be.
So when you set up a space/time oasis, giggle all you want. (25:39)
And there, ladies and gentlemen, are the five factors which you can arrange to make your lives more creative:
Space, time, time, confidence, and Lord Jeffrey Archer."

© 2014 Slowly The Eggs aka Maria Papadimitriou

Prayer

There is an incredibly beautiful prayer, that Robert Holden shares in his fabulous book 'Loveability', I often come back to during times of self doubt and confusion. It is a prayer by a Benedictine nun named Macrina Wiederkehr:

'O God, help me to believe the truth about myself
no matter how beautiful it is! Amen'

This is an illustration inspired by it.

'Life Drawing' Poem

In 2003, while at art college, during life drawing classes, I would sometimes look at the model and the set up and write a poem instead of draw. For some reason this 'life drawing' poem I wrote that year drew my attention this morning...

'Don't die with your music still in you' !

'Don't die with your music still in you' - I love this quote by Dr Wayne Dyer and was inspired to make an illustration expressing it. It means that you don't allow yourself to live any life other than the one you were born to live! May we all remember , remember, remember this... :-)

'Don't die with your music still in you' © 2014 Slowly The Eggs aka Maria Papadimitriou

Summer Solstice 2014!

It was Summer Solstice a couple of days ago and I made a collage to celebrate the light! Summer Solstice is the mark of the first day of summer. On the day of the Summer Solstice the Sun appears to stand still in the sky. The Sun graced us with his presence and warmth for an extraordinary length of time on this day and it's the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. At the Summer Solstice, we're reminded of the light in our lives, that Mother Earth sustains. The Sun's rays allow Mother Earth to continue to do so. Everyone feels noticeably more vibrant in the summer months thanks to the extra rays of Sun beaming on us. Life is "in our face" at the Summer Solstice. Enjoy with gratitude!

'Summer Solstice' © 2014 Slowly The Eggs aka Maria Papadimitriou

June Friday the 13th Sagittarius Full Moon!

It was a gorgeous Full Moon in Sagittarius last night, Friday the 13th... and my birthday! You can read Rebekah Shaman's lovely Lunascope for this Full Moon here.

'Sagittarius Full Moon' © 2014 Slowly The Eggs aka Maria Papadimitriou

Osho quote: 'Take life easily...'

I love this Osho quote... 'Take life easily, lovingly, playfully, non seriously. Seriousness is a disease, the greatest disease of the soul, and playfulness the greatest health' - Osho

'Take life easily, lovingly, playfully, non seriously' © 2014 Slowly The Eggs aka Maria Papadimitriou

Flower Power - Inspired by Seth Newman

Recently I was inspired to make a collage capturing how I feel sometimes after a Bioenergetics session with a bit of dancing on top :-) For a few months now I have been attending classes by a great teacher, Seth Newman, during which we do a series of Bioenergetics exercises designed to gently release trauma stored in the body. I have come to strongly believe, especially recently, that the way to 'freedom' is through our bodies and I love such methods which alchemically help one to grow via movement rather than thought :-) To find out more about dates and locations of upcoming classes you can join URUBU (You Are You Be You) - an umbrella under which Seth organises a variety of fabulously life enhancing events, including dances and sound healing meditations - on Meet Up here and 'Like' Urubu's Facebook Page. Follow @U_R_U_B_U on Twitter.

'Flower Power' © 2014 Slowly The Eggs aka Maria Papadimitriou

Scorpio Full Moon 2014 - Inspired by Rebekah Shaman

Recently I have been following Rebekah Shaman's beautifully written and insightful Lunascopes. During the previous Full Moon in Scorpio (we are now under the influence of a Gemini Moon!) I was inspired to do this illustration :-) Rebekah says: 'This Scorpio full moon is the most passionate, sensual and illuminating moon of the year. It is under this moon that Buddha's birth, enlightenment, and death are celebrated. Take some time out over this moon to be with yourself to strengthen your commitment to your path.' You can read her full Scorpio New Moon Lunascope here. You can also read her current Gemini New Moon Lunascope here.

'Full Moon in Scorpio' © 2014 Slowly The Eggs aka Maria Papadimitriou

London Fashion Week A/W 2014 Fashion Illustrations for Amelia's Magazine

True, this is being posted quite a bit after the event... but here I wanted to share a group of fashion illustrations I did for Amelia's Magazine during London Fashion Week A/W 2014.

© 2014 Slowly The Eggs aka Maria Papadimitriou - read Amelia Gregory's Hiroko Nakajima A/W 2014 review here.

© 2014 Slowly The Eggs aka Maria Papadimitriou - read Amelia Gregory's Min Wu A/W 2014 review here.

© 2014 Slowly The Eggs aka Maria Papadimitriou - read Amelia Gregory's George Styler A/W 2014 review here.

© 2014 Slowly The Eggs aka Maria Papadimitriou - read Amelia Gregory's Xiao Li A/W 2014 review here.

© 2014 Slowly The Eggs aka Maria Papadimitriou - read Amelia Gregory's Yifang Wan A/W 2014 review here.

Fashion Illustration for Simon Ekrelius A/W 2014 interview in Amelia's Magazine

I really love the Simon Ekrelius A/W 2014 Collection, titled Monochrome and inspired by iconic model Lee Miller! This is a fashion illustration I did for the Simon Ekrelius A/W 2014 interview in Amelia's Magazine.

© 2014 Simon Ekrelius A/W 2014 by Slowly The Eggs aka Maria Papadimitriou

Roxanne Farahmand - Fashion East Menswear Installations: London Collections: Men A/W 2014

A fashion illustration for Fashion East Menswear Installations: London Collections: Men A/W 2014 Presentation Review in Amelia's Magazine, written by Matt Bramford.

© 2014 Roxanne Farahmand A/W 2014 by Maria Papadimitriou aka Slowly The Eggs

Plastic Seconds 'Shamaness' shoot illustrated for Cent Magazine

I was asked by Cent Magazine to create illustrations for the 'Shamaness' shoot I styled recently with a LOT of my Plastic Seconds jewellery - the result followed the magazine's JUXTAPOSED theme for November and you can see it published here!

'Shamaness'
Illustrated by Slowly The Eggs
Photography: Nyla Sammons Photography
Styling/Set Design/Props: Maria Papadimitriou
Jewellery: Plastic Seconds
Make Up: Babs Forman Hair & Make-Up Artist
Model: Hannah Pressman