{new work} with Happinez...

It’s been a while since I’ve updated my published work here on the journal. There has been so much going on in the world and in our own personal lives - not just mine, everyone’s, everywhere. I won’t get into it, I need a break, we all need a break. So I’ve set myself the task to update this journal space with the work I’ve done with Happinez these past 6 months, and then I am aiming to get back into online journalling, with the hope to get a rhythm and flow with writing and sharing.

This visual story was special - I know I probably say that for all of them! And it’s true, they are all special, but I’ll explain what made this one special for me…

These photographs were featured in the Happinez Astrology edition, and the brief was to create and photograph six ideas that readers could make astrology-inspired objects. I shot it back in June 2021, so I had the beautiful soft Australian winter sunlight to play with. The reason this particular visual story is special is because it features so many of my friend’s incredible creations.

I commissioned Kaspia to make three of the ideas and I love what she made! I also shot two of the photographs at her house. Above, she is modelling the zodiac sign talisman necklaces she made - her beauty knows no bounds. And below, she made this gorgeous hand-stitched moon & stars embroidery hoop which nestled so well on the shelf in her sunroom…

I wanted to make this visual story dreamy. I loved playing around with the light and layers.

It’s such a pleasure to be able to work with the creation’s my friends make. This unique drinking vessel is made by Nat, using clay from the land she calls home, on Moorang Moobar Country, nestled into Wollumbin National Park. I added the stars inside the tea cup to symbolise the magic of drinking tea under the stars. But I also loved the idea of creating a constellation in the base of a tea cup - would any claymakers out there like to create this idea? If so let me know!

I am holding the cup - and taking the photograph - yep I like to make work challenging sometimes. It’s mostly because I come up with the idea and no one else is around so I have to figure out how to do it with what I have. It’s also a good reason to paint my nails gold.

The stunning top I am wearing? This is made by textile designer Joanne Broederlow. I urge you to check out her offerings, they are incredible, I’ve got a growing collection of her wearable art and I love using her textile creations for my photographs.

I created these zodiac rocks by borrowing some of the amazing fallen rocks on the beach of Broken Head near where we live. The colours of the rocks are amazing - rich red, yellow and orange. I used gold leaf to create the zodiac signs, and photographed them on my studio floor, with dried grass and water splashes to create different textures. After the photoshoot, Laly and I carried the rocks back to the beach and placed them around for beachcombers to discover. I wondered who might spot the gold shimmer and wished upon the stars for the discoveries to create some magic in their day.

Kaspia made these gorgeous little matchstick boxes with tiny copper moons and vintage gold velvet. Can we not reimagine matches this way, dipped in copper-coloured posphorous sulfide?

The shimmery fabric I’ve had in my textile stash for as long as I can remember - I think it was in mum’s collection, maybe she had an idea for it, I wonder what, I’ll never know.

And the last photograph in the story is this one above - creating a journal for your planetary learnings. I was so happy to be able to showcase Sam Mackie’s gift to me, her hand-bound Everyday Alchemy book which I absolutely cherish. Have a look here for more of her book creations and you can see her photographs here. I added a golden moon bookmark - I made it by wrapping some gold foil from my snack-time chocolate bars (yes I save all the gold foil and have a big pile of it for projects!) around a cardboard disc, then attaching some gold thread to it, and a pink stone pendant. The background is Jo’s hand-dyed velvet garment, the same as the one I’m wearing in the previous photograph - dreamy.

The gold moon you may have noticed, is my symbol - I use it everywhere. In my next book, you’ll find out what it means to me.

I hope you enjoyed this visual story and the stories behind the visuals! As always it was so much fun to create. Thank you to all the makers who I featured, you’re all amazing and I love that we can all inspire each other in our creativity, it’s truly what makes the world go around!

With love,

Pia

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Let the alchemy begin...

"Hope and fear cannot occupy the same space. Invite one to stay." Maya Angelou

Dear Wild Hearts,

Twelve years ago I embarked on my first online, global collective art project, inviting readers of my blog  - enhance the everyday - to submit photographs of wandering hearts found in their homes and environment. It was called My Heart Wanders: Finding subtle hearts in unexpected places. The intention of the project was to encourage us all to be more present, to connect with the nature around us no matter where we lived, and to connect with our hearts: the intuitive part of us that often gets forgotten about, lost and can go unheard for years.

One of my favourites from the original project, by Nadia Q. Dole learn more from the original project here.

For months I had submissions pouring into my inbox and shared as many as I could keep up with on my blog, there was incredible beauty in the work I received from so many places in the world – not only did it turn out to connect us with the hidden magic wherever we happened to live, it connected us to each other. We met people we would never have known about, had our hearts not found this way to communicate through this project.
 
And there was one more outcome that I had not anticipated  - not only did this project become an integral part of my own creative career but it was a catalyst for many others too. In 2011 My Heart Wanders became a beautiful photographic book about my own personal journey of following my heart, and over the years since I have received emails from people all over the world letting me know my book has touched their hearts in a way they didn’t know was possible, and launched them into transforming their lives, turning their dreams into their reality.
 
This is the Everyday Alchemy that I love.  

Subtle hearts everywhere in my work - always look for it in my photographs, there may be one in there for you to find.

Not only is the heart central to all that I create, colour has always been a huge part of my career, my life’s work, my offerings and service in the world. My love and connection to the colours in nature are what ignite my creativity everyday.

Without the power of colour, I would not be able to do what I do.



Colour, particularly in abundance, has the power to create radical transformations in our lives. In my photography and visual storytelling, I use colours to evoke certain emotions, and in my mentoring, I assign certain colours to clients for a period of time as a way of connecting them to their intuitive centres to transform their everyday lives into the one they’ve been dreaming about...

My heart takes me to places I dream about and I let it.

For the past two months, my heart has been beckoning me to extend this colour wisdom to you and with you, starting with one of the most powerful colours that exist as a way to assist us in the shift we are collectively going through at the moment. 

Are you ready for another adventure together? 

Today, in the darkness of the new moon, I invite you all to embark on this journey to transform our everyday by invoking the power of the colour  GOLD.

Gold is known as the master healer. It opens us to truth & transformation. It strengthens us in all areas of our lives and releases fear, making space for hope to grow. Using social media, we are going to flood our feeds with the power of gold...

Found: elf wings, hidden in plain sight, on the forest floor.
find out more here

This is not so much about the gold mined out of the earth - unless its been beautifully crafted by your own hands or that of an artisan you love - but the gold in our everyday lives: gold in nature, gold in light, gold in the food we make, and gold in what we make with our hands. 

There are many layers to this, which I will explain in my instagram posts over the weeks to come, but mostly its about healing, transforming, and authentic connection. This is an opportunity to become visible, to anchor ourselves into the earth & ether as the waves around us ebb & flow; to share our own light and to share each others light through intentional re-sharing whatever we resonate with and brings us joy. By flooding our feeds with the power of the colour gold we will be creating an alchemical process within ourselves and with the world around us. Just like we once looked for hearts in our everyday made by light and shadows and with our own hands, now we search together for the gold in our everyday. It's subtle and it's simple, like the heart shapes, but it's powerful. 
 

So how will we do this? 

• Using instagram and facebook, we will use the hashtag #everydayalchemyingold (that's: Everyday Alchemy In Gold) every time we post an image that has gorgeous golden hues. I'll start posting lots of my own photographs as well as those of others so you can see the effect of the images coming together in the feed. 

• Re-share or repost any and all images you love - whatever sparks that sense of joy in you, no matter how subtle (we want to build on this within us and create it in others) so that other people can see who we are inspired by, and it will create the colour flood - the more involved the more powerful the alchemy. To start with you can re-share my images as they come up, and then you'll start to see others come through and you will start to see the gold in your own images to share... 

• Take photographs of gold in your life, particularly focussed on nature and food and all things made by hand. Are you an interior designer? Post images of gold things you love. Are you a jeweller? You know what do to. Artist? Cook? Nature lover? Share your photographs on social media and use the hashtag #everydayalchemyingold

• Follow the hashtag #everydayalchemyingold on instagram if you have an instagram account so that you will start to see other peoples golden images come through on your feed and benefit from the collective energy. 

• If you don't have an instagram account but want to join in with your own images and/or colour knowledge, send them to me in an email, and any images I intuit as having an energetic impact I'll share on my instagram account with your permission, and I'll be including your name and any links you wish to send people to so they can find out more about you and what you create. 

Let's immerse ourselves in each other's knowledge and wisdom of the colour gold, what we already know and what we learn along the way - share what you know, what you've read, what you've experienced (you might even start having dreams in gold, if so let us know!), and always credit where you've got your information because it helps others to find out more too.  Make an effort to find the original source and give gratitude by crediting. It’s a simple, important step in how we can all benefit from this collective transformation. This is about sharing your own work –stepping into your own light – and equally sharing others.
 
So, let the alchemy begin!  We will start with gold because gold is the ultimate alchemical process and we are going to make it our own, transforming it from what it has represented in the past to what it truly symbolises now and for the future. Let’s flood our feeds with gold & immerse ourselves in the healing power of this incredible energy. So that no matter what is happening in our lives, what healing processes we are needing to go through physically, mentally, or emotionally over the next coming months, you can use your eyes to breathe in the healing of this colour, anytime you need. For those who are aware of the ancient Buddhist meditation of Tonglen, this in a way is an expression of that practice using the power of visual storytelling.  I'll move us onto the next colour when I get the calling to, but for now, it's all about gold. I cannot wait to see what you post and I am so eager to share your incredible world with others. 

Please know that you are always welcome to share my images on social media as long as there is a link to me so people know where to find me. So to get you started, you can scroll through my website and find any gold images you like, save them on your device and post them onto your social media feeds with the hashtag. I have also begun a pinterest board for us titled Everyday Alchemy in Gold that we can have a look at for inspiration and repost on social media any of the links we love, and also tag me in your finds so I can add them to the board too. Invite your friends to join us, and don't hesitate to email me if you have any questions or suggestions, ideas or thoughts! 
 

Until next time, dear Hearts, may this new moon reveal what needs to be revealed, and heal what needs to be healed...

With love,
Pia xx

{new work} Do you know the wisdom of the gnomes & elves?

In the latest edition of Happi Kids, looking into the wisdom of the knomes, imp, elves and other creatures of nature. what can we learn?

Elf wings, hidden in plain sight.

I loved shooting this story. It was challenging but absolutely delightful, I was lost in this world while creating it. So much fun.

Lost treasure, found in tiny boxes.

Fairy circle, found under a tree deep in the forest.

Have you found any tiny bells and feathers? Sweet gifts from the gnomes.

I’ll be posting behind the scenes and directors notes in the Wandering Hearts Collective for you in coming days.

xx

Publication: Happi Kids
Published: March 2020
Photography & Styling: Pia Jane Bijkerk

new work: unique symbols of friendship for happi kids...

wax drawing with watercolour as message: give someone a secret message that they have to discover by painting over the top of it: A beautiful version of those secret message pens that children have.

Loved creating this collection of photographs for the Autumn edition of Happi Kids which is well and truly out now in The Netherlands! The story is all about ways of expressing friendship and love. I’ve captioned each image so you can learn more about the ideas in the visual storytelling. I love how conceptual this is, and how the focus is once again not on purchasing things but creating things - making something from ‘nothing’, truly alchemical in process, it’s what I love doing! Aside from the backdrops and a few little props, everything in each image are from objects and foliage around my home. Each tells a story within a story.

a new take on the family tree - select a beautiful branch and add photos as well as significant textiles and objects that tell stories. It can be added to over time to create a stunning feature in your child’s room.

I especially loved creating this photograph, because the three women in the polaroids are my grandmother (top left), my mother (middle left) and me with my mother in the bottom polaroid. My grandmother died earlier this year, and my mother passed away four years ago. Creating this tree was a beautiful way to reflect on the gift of life and how I now share that with my daughter. I added the emu feathers as the emu is a significant symbol for my daughter, and there is a piece of indigo-dyed textile made by my dear friend Nat. Messages, memories and stories can be written on pieces of card and hung over time to create layers of meaning.

The Native Indian symbol of friendship which you can paint in red as the colour of connection, love, and strength on each other’s hand.

The friendship necklace - find a little bottle and fill it with tiny treasures and a miniature note telling your friend what you love about her. Attach a piece of string and gift it to her any day of the week. Or you could make each other one as a gift for Christmas. My wonderful stylist assistant and model in the above images is my daughter Laly, standing in the dappled sunlight in our back garden.

Friendship code stones - do you and your friend live in the same neighbourhood, and walk the same streets but go to different schools? Gather a bunch of stones and create your own symbols for each letter of the alphabet, making sure to double or triple up on more common letters. Or create symbols for special words. Be sure to memorise the code or write out the symbols together. Leave the pile of stones in a safe place you both walk past often so that on your way to school or to the park, you can leave each other a message. Ask a question and then find out what they will answer! It’s a beautiful way to connect.

I absolutely loved making these friendship code stones! It’s the best idea, I can imagine kids loving doing this. It would be such a fun thing to do with your own child or grandchild - a collection of coded stones that you can create messages for them to find in places in the garden.

Keys to a special place - this idea got me thinking about the different spaces that could be shared - a treehouse, a beach shack, a creative space. And then I realised that’s what my studio is - a place I share with creative friends who come and stay, it’s truly is a wonderful way to connect!

I really wanted a compass for this photograph, as a way of symbolising direction to each other. I could not find one anywhere on short notice and it was driving me crazy. I sat for a moment of quiet, thinking about the present moment, which lead to me thinking about my family. I wondered how Laly was enjoying her day out with her friend Mya and Mya’s Aunty Tash, who lovingly takes the girls out on fun adventures together. I thought about their day out on this particular day, as Tash had taken them to the Maritime Museum. I wondered what they might be doing, and if they were on one of the ships, or were they looking in the shop? Then it dawned on me: they are at the Maritime Museum!! Surely there are compasses there! I called Tash to ask and when she got to the shop., they took a photo for me - there were over 3 dozen beautiful, old style compasses to choose from! I couldn’t believe my luck, I would never have thought of the Maritime Museum if the girls were not there at that very moment. So Tash helped me choose the one I wanted for the shoot and Laly brought it back with her. What a successful prop scout! A big thank you to Tash for her input on this photograph, the compass is the star of the shot. The piece of textile is from my friend Nat, who comes to stay in the studio whenever she’s in Sydney. And I realised this is what I have with her, this special bond of sharing my creative space with her.

With love,

Pia xx