My Virtual Art Launch Part 2

Hi Guys…I completed the Virtual Launch and these are the videos after I cleaned them up. This is part 2 and it also has a bit of local entertainment, an interview and the start of the tour. Hope you like them.

PODCAST:The Art of Listening

Listen to the most recent episode of my podcast: The Art of Listening https://anchor.fm/gail-francis/episodes/The-Art-of-Listening-e9m6ip

Podcast: Termination: A Difficult Decision

Listen to the most recent episode of my podcast: Gafra's Free Talk Ep.7: Termination: The Difficult Decision https://anchor.fm/gail-francis/episodes/Gafras-Free-Talk-Ep-7-Termination-The-Difficult-Decision-e8vkj7

PODCAST: Communication Issues

Listen to the most recent episode of my podcast: Gafra's Free Talk Ep.6: Communication Issues https://anchor.fm/gail-francis/episodes/Gafras-Free-Talk-Ep-6-Communication-Issues-e8uvti

A Virtual Art Launch with a Difference

Hi guys......I did it, I had my Virtual Art Exhibition Launch this Sunday and it went great. I didn't write for the past few weeks because it was crazy busy here due to the organising of this Launch, but it's finished and I'm sharing it in parts with you and it will also allow you to see a bit of my culture as there is some entertainment mixed in with it. Hope you enjoy it and share your comments: Simply click the video below for Part 1:

And don't forget to go visit my art shop either at www.gafra.org or my Etsy Shop by clicking the button below:

Avoiding Social Media is similar to Avoiding Technology in the Workplace

Listen to the most recent episode of my podcast: Avoiding Social Media is similar to avoiding Technology in the Workplace https://anchor.fm/gail-francis/episodes/Avoiding-Social-Media-is-similar-to-avoiding-Technology-in-the-Workplace-egb7hs

Enjoy and on an aside if you need PRINTABLE PLANNERS click HERE

5 Things I Would Like To Change About My Industry - Coaching

Hi guys...when I say my industry I mean Coaching. As you know I am an Executive coach and I work with a variety of different companies from Banks, to Retail Stores, to Government offices, to Oil Companies, Insurance Companies and more, but there are certain things I would change based on how coaches and coaching is viewed and these are as follows:

5 THINGS I WOULD CHANGE

1. Development is one of the first areas to go when a company is trying to cut costs. I've seen this every time that this is the time to spend on development as you are now doing more with less of your human resources so they need to be working at their optimum skill level as well as be able to handle the stress and streamline their abilities. But we find that the opposite happens. Companies cut down on training and development when they decide to cut costs. Big mistake.

2. Don't jump from one vendor to the next - companies tend to start with one development coaching company or consultant then as their revenue drops they move to the less expensive vendors. This can end up causing the company to spend more because the less expensive vendor doesn't do as much as is required to make the necessary behaviour change required in the person so it's like placing a bandaid on a chop wound. It is an extreme temporary solution that comes to naught quickly and then the company has to return to the quality vendor and asking for a discount because of the money lost in using the first vendor. Stick with one vendor who is spreading the right jargon and type of development that your company requires and which you see works. If you want to use the less expensive vendor then use then for a certain stage of a person's development or for entry level development.

3. Value t your local development Coaches as they are just as and sometimes more experienced than an international consultant who may talk the talk but don't deliver after charging you a pound and a crown. We also understand our culture and as such we know how to guide and manoeuvre to get our people to convert or change their behaviour as per the needs of the Company and the individual

I WANT AN ARTIST PRINTABLE PLANNER

4. Understand the amount of work and emotional drain it takes to coach and develop a person - Coaching is an amazing process but you must have the ability to build trust with individuals quickly, you must be able to keep peoples' confidence and you must be able to be sensitive to others while at the same time understanding and showing empathy, being a great listener and having the ability to not take things personally and not being judgemental. So clients must understand that our time is just as valuable as any other employee and not be disregarding us so that when sessions are scheduled, don't take it for granted and show some consideration and let the coach know of any changes that may occur. On another note I must say that all coaches must have some way of cleansing them \selves emotionally of the negative energy they encounter everyday as they work to help others.

5. All Coaches not attempt to steal the intellectual property of each other. There are some who will ask for a proposal on your process then not give you the job but take your process and do it themselves internally in the organisation as if they came up with the idea. Fortunately that can't happen with us as we take copy right very seriously and even if a company copies our process they don't have us doing the coaching with our years of experience and understanding of how the process works.

I love what I do, I love helping others discover their potential and achieve their goals, but as i mentioned it is an exhausting process and i use Art as my way of cleansing my energy and lifting off the negative or draining energy that can occur depending on the person you're working with. There are some who give you more energy and there are many who drain you of energy in your drive to help them and do your job.

So guys....these are what I would change and although they don't sound too serious to you they can be quite challenging and cause some issues sometimes.

Love you guys,

Regards,

Gafra (Gail)

When Learning About Art

Hi Guys…..I want to share the confusion I went through when I first got into painting. I just painted t enjoy and experience what t was like to paint. Then as I learned the different rules that go with painting I realized it wasn’t as easy as I thought. I love to learn so I understood the rules quickly but I couldn’t seem to find out my style. I knew I could easily copy most pieces done by others but I eventually wanted to be able to recognize my style or my “voice” as Tara Leaver talks about.

I have recently begun to recognize my style and maybe even my voice. I have a minimalistic abstract style when it comes to acrylic abstracts. With watercolours I seem to be slightly detailed but fairly loose. I love painting road scenes, old historical houses, and simple scenes as are familiar to Trinidad. It took 6-8 years of painting and  trying different  techniques to reach this point.

I want you to be open to learning or finding different outlets to learn the different techniques needed to be good or even a great artist. There are downloadable E-books that can help you and I have read many as is this one called “Real Art Lessons, Downloadable E-books By Artist Delmus Phelps. He shows you step-by-step using techniques of old that makes painting easy. He allows and teaches you to be able to make realistic paintings if that is the style you want. If that is not want you’re looking to learn and you want to do portraits then another way is via Benneclli’s Popular Art Lessons on how to paint portraits or do calligraphy.

 GET YOUR FREE ARTIST LOOK-BOOK HERE

The other mediums I’ve tried are pastels, charcoals, pen & Ink with watercolours. Once you understand the different rules for the basics of paining then you can transfer what you learn using any medium that calls to you or brings out a level of emotion from you. Another medium is Pastels and they can be quite freeing. As with the different available methods to learn you can learn about pastels through Pastel Piainting Secrets which is a Guide to Painting with Pastels. You can CLICK HERE to learn more. Art has this power over the artist. We have an inner need to let out something inside of us and although we’re not sure what it is that needs to be free we do know that there is a driving need to try whatever we can to get to the core of the internal energy that allows us to release it.

So lets talk all about the different aspects and definitions of Art. Th characteristics of art is how an artist creates emotion in their artwork. This includes shape, line, value, colour, space, size, smell, etc... properties can be described as how sensory properties are organized to create unity, balance, imbalance, movement, dominance, etc. There are also elements to art, these are:

These elements are:

·       Line.

·       Color.

·       Shape.

·       Form.

·       Value.

·       Space.

·       Texture.

The seven elements in art are colour, form, line, shape, space, texture, and value. The ten common principles of art are balance, emphasis, harmony, movement, pattern, proportion, repetition, rhythm, unity, and variety. It is how the Elements of Art and Design - line, shape, colour, value, texture, form, and space - are organized or composed according to the Principles of Art and Design to give the painting structure and convey feeling. The elements of art are sort of like atoms in that both serve as building blocks. You know that atoms combine and form other things. ... Carbon etc, in art you have got line, shape, form, space, texture, value and colour and they combine to form artistic scenes, abstracts etc via different mediums. This is when you start to develop your style.

In the visual arts, style is a "...distinctive manner which permits the grouping of works into related categories" or "...any distinctive, and therefore recognisable, way in which an act is performed or an artefact made or ought to be performed and made".

Often, these types are misrepresented or more often, misunderstood. Whether the work is three dimensional sculpture or two dimensional, it will still fall under one these three main types. These types are representational, abstract, or non-objective.

Art Styles

·       Fine Art By Movement.

·       Contemporary.

·       Pop Art.

·       Abstract Expressionism.

·       Cubism.

·       Art Deco.

·       Art Nouveau.

·       Post-Impressionism.

Then you begin to realise the importance of composition. What is composition? In the visual arts, composition is the placement or arrangement of visual elements or 'ingredients' in a work of art, as distinct from the subject. It can also be thought of as the organization of the elements of art according to the principles of art. OK. That’s the dictionary type definition. Composition is the placement of shapes and the use of colour, lines …all the elements to draw the viewers attention and keep their attention. The composition is what grabs the viewer.

Other important aspects of Art are as follows:

 The most necessary skills for a fine artist:

1.    Realistic drawing. ...

2.    Constructive drawing. ...

3.    Ability to draw from life. ...

4.    Drawing from memory and imagination. ...

5.    Knowledge of art materials and their skilful use. ...

6.    Knowledge of the rules of perspective. ...

7.    Knowledge of golden proportions. ...

8.    Composition skills.

The Five Basic Skills of Drawing

·       The Perception of Edges.

·       The Perception of Spaces.

·       The Perception of Relationships.

·       The Perception of Light & Shadow.

·       The Perception of the Whole or Gestalt.

Once you’ve reached a certain level in your art skills , part of that process is keeping a scrap book or artists sketchbook where you experiment with ideas and collect drawings of your environment. Top artists have often used their sketchbooks to explore themes and make compositional studies until they find the right idea and subject for a larger painting on canvas. Keeping up a sketchbook is a great way to keep your drawing skills sharp. Maintaining that skill is important since sketching out ideas is a major part of your design process. ... It also comes in handy when you're trying to communicate ideas to others.

Regards,

GAIL (GAFRA)

Get your FREE PLANNER or ARTIST LOOK-BOOK .

Get a copy of this great Poetry E-book written by my husband, published by me.

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PODCAST: Look for The Positives In Life

Hi guys....I wrote this and did this podcast just after Carnival in Trinidad and before the whole Covid situation, but I felt it could be helpful to some of us and so I decided to share it. I hope it helps someone.

“So Carnival is over and I was just lying in bed and these thoughts came to me and I decided to share them with you. Things are challenging right now in our economy but its bad all over the world, so it's based on how you deal with the difficulties. Hope you listen and it helps you in some way.”

Listen to the most recent episode of my podcast: Look for the Positives in Life https://anchor.fm/gail-francis/episodes/Look-for-the-Positives-in-Life-eb6ic4

What Tools, Software, and Equipment I Use On-The-Go

Hi Guys.... just wanted to share a little about my everyday runnings and what I use on the go and in general. As you know today’s workforce is on the move, but staying productive while traveling can be challenge. How do you get work done on-the-go? Do you have a list of your favourite mobile apps? Have you used any cloud-based blogging tools or other Online Business Tools  that could be highlighted ? What kind of laptop do I prefer? I want to share my experience and ask you my readers for your recommendations on what you use that is extremely helpful to you.

**This post contains affiliate links, meaning I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you for products you purchase via this website. I may make a small commission but it allows me to continue this blog, so thank you.**

GET AN AWESOME DAILY PLANNER FREEBIE as thanks for visiting my site

I am addicted to youtube and whereas I used to find traffic, which we experience daily, a real drudgery. I now kinda look forward to traffic because i use that time to listen to a youtube video or Podcast. So my Samsung J7 Prime phone is my TV and Radio all in one. The apps I have on my phone are my Squarespace app to check my website as well as the Wordpress app to write my blogs wherever I want to.

Kindle is my favourite reading App and I tend to buy books that grab my attention based on the area I'm researching. At work or when I need to scan a document without having to wait until I get back to the office especially if I can't take the document with me then I use my favourite scanning App CamScanner. I have the Etsy App as well to monitor my Etsy Shops. For my Podcasts I use the Anchor App. Again it's very easy to use and it shares my Podcast to other platforms.

I recently added the Tik Tok App but I don't use it as much as I should to show off my Art. I use Instagram on my phone or Laptop to post my new art pieces. I use a MacBook Pro laptop and macs are the best. I've loved converting from the PC to Macs twenty something years now and I converted my husband as well because he kept crashing laptops because of the amount of pages he had up and as he was about to buy another PC I told him to get a Mac because they don't crash and they are much more resilient and so said so done and he hasn't moved from the Mac since.

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So my phone, macbook Pro laptop, are the key electronics I live on. I like to write so my planner is where I do all of my scheduling, daily and weekly. I love Bullet Journalling which I started 2 years ago, when I discovered them on Pinterest. I have about 3 bullet journals that I'm using all at the same time now and I really enjoy filling them out as it allows me to be creative in my planning. Some of the other software I use and most are on my phone and mac are:

• Whatsapp

• Gmail

• Youtube

• Kindle

• CamScanner

• Squarespace App

• Wordpress App

• Sound-Cloud

• Instagram

• Etsy

• Paypal

• Anchor

• Udemy App - To go through my courses

• Duolingo App - to learn Spanish

• Scrabble Game - to play

• LinkedIn - to monitor my personal and business page

• Fossil App - to monitor my Fossil Watch and see my step rate and sleep count etc.

• Amino

• Legend

• Tik Tok

• LinkedIn

• Microsoft Suite - Word, Excel and Powerpoint

For my Blog and all the other Sites I run, I use the following online tools, such as:

• Tailwind - to schedule my Pinterest posts

• Placeit.net - to design my tee designs, tee smock up and intro videos for youtube and my sites

• Canva - to design all my thumbnails, forms, printables and more

• Teespring - to post my tees for sale

• Teechip - to post more tees for sale

• Mailchimp - to design my landing pages, for email marketing and storage for all who subscribe to my list

• Pinterest - for research, info and ideas

• Youtube - to lear about anything I don't understand.

• Redbubble, Zazzle and Society 6 - to sell my artwork on products

Most recently based on my Executive coaching business I've been using Zoom a lot more because many f my clients although they live on the other side of the island I tend to go to their offices, but the traffic these past few years has been horrific so I use Zoom to coach my clients in St. Lucia so why not use it here in Trinidad. So next week I'm doing some of y Coaching interviews with the participants and their managers via Zoom. That cuts down the time as I don't have to spend two hours in traffic. I can't wait, i can therefore do reports with the extra time. YIPPEE!!!!

GET YOUR ARTWORK FOR YOUR WALLS RIGHT HERE. BUY NOW

Well guys.....that's it for now, those a just a few of the apps and online tools I use daily, some of them might help you, check them out. i didn't go into detail with them but like I said I use them every day.

Love you guys and stay safe

Regards,

Gafra (Gail)

Tips for Staying Sane While Working At Home

Hi Guys....we're all dealing with the craziness and uncertainty of this situation with COVID-19 and what the future brings. And on top of the bigger anxieties, we have the issues of working from home, with kids and adjusting to this new way of life. We aren't eve sure how long this is expected to last but we have to go on and we have to keep the family, companies and country going.

I've worked from home for years so I'm used to it but most people aren't and my clients find it strange, and even uncomfortable. As you know I am a Business coach so I hear daily how they're adjusting. So I hope these tips will be helpful to those of you who are new to remote work. 

No, you shouldn’t stay in your pajamas all day. And yes, it’s hard to stay focused. Here are a few tips that will help you a bit, when working from home:

1.Attitude is Everything

First and foremost your attitude to this entire situation is what will get you through it, as well as your family, because you're the lead in this. You could allow yourself to drown in fear and worry or get past that and move on to dealing with what is at hand. So take stock, look at the small mercies, gratitude is everything, you're alive and so are your loved ones, how do you keep it that way and how do you organise things so that everything can run smoothly. Stop, think, note what is needed and what changes can help with certain issues, for e.g you're working at home now, so where do you set up. Where is your space? The kids are home where is their homework and play zone? Do you have to develop a schedule for them and more? put answers to those questions but with an attitude of strength, positivity and for the kids....a fun, yet serious, calm and cool mindset. Kids adopt the attitudes of their parents.

2. Have a Designated Work Space

Whether its the corner of your bedroom or the kitchen or the side room, make sure that everyone understands that it your work area and that once you're there you shouldn't be disturbed. If you doing a lot of Online meetings then you need to find a space where the light is good, your internet connection is strong, you have a desk or table with enough space to hold all your documents and everything else you may want. Taking Zoom calls can be challenging if you don’t have a quiet place. Try to ensure that there is minimal visual distractions ( although I know you have to deal with the kids but that's another aspect we will address).

3. Create A Schedule

To be able to handle new, unexpected situations that also involve your kids, you must have some sort of plan. Have a schedule that allows everyone to get into a routine. Routine is the key and that means getting everyone into a new routine due to the new situation. An example is that your schedule could now be that:

• you wake up early as usual,

• you make breakfast, bathe, organise you plan workwise to achieve that day (including any online zoom meetings scheduled, specifically, making a list of the tasks you need to complete in order to meet your goals for the day),

• the kids wake up at a reasonable time,

• the kids have breakfast,

• The kids either do their school work or they do some chores or they have play time.

You have to decide how this schedule for your routine will flow. This will change chaos into order. But make sure to take breaks and to take lunch rather than eating as you work.

I WANT TO SEE ART

4. Dress for Work (if necessary)

I have clients who encounter the problem that family members, because you're home, now feel that you're available to help them with chores or to cook or help with the kids....to play with them or help them do their work. One way of letting them know that you're still working, but it's just that you're home, is to dress for work or go into a room that you can close the door, or lock the door. Definitely don't stay in your pajamas...and if you have low energy, take a bath and change into decent clothes. It's especially important that you get dressed in the morning in clothes that are comfortable, but would pass as ‘professional-ish' for your Zoom call.

5. Embrace the Technology

Technology is now our friend and our saviour. There were many who were afraid of technology or demonised it and now it saves our sanity and that is what it's all about. Embrace the use of the technology. This is your opportunity to learn more about it and use it for you and your family's benefit to ease the distress and to ease the fear. Some of us should avoid listening too often to the news (can build fear), stay abreast, but use the technology such as:

a. Zoom, loom - for meetings and to talk to whoever you want to

b. Whatsapp - for free calls and face time

c. facebook, Twitter, Instagram - to stay connected

d. Udemy, Skillshare etc - to do courses online to keep the mind vibrant

e. The SelfControl app for Mac. Blocks time-wasting websites for a specified duration.

f. Google calendar. You and your husband can have a shared calendar of calls, demos, interviews, and general ‘I need the house to be quiet' time.

g. Pinterest

h. Youtube

All of these platforms can let us learn as we stay indoors, do a course, or do exercises via youtube videos etc.

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6. Managing your Kids

If you have kids, this can make it particularly tricky because you will have no time when the kids are up, to get your work done. Here are a few suggestions for juggling childcare and work:

• Segment your parenting time with your working time. Multi-tasking does NOT work with kids, especially young children who should not be left unsupervised and/or cannot adequately entertain themselves. Don’t fool yourself into thinking that you can do both. Provide dedicated, quality time to each obligation separately.

• Be patient with yourself and your kid. Working with kids is hard. The best you can do is set everyone's expectations—both for your coworkers and your kids. It helps when you explain to your kids what you're working on and give them a small tasks to help. Let them shredded papers or sort out office supplies. Or give them some craft or puzzles or a book or something to do

• Start work when your kids are still sleeping.

• Have a strict schedule of work for them, especially as most of the schools are sending assignments for the kids to complete for when school reopens. The first few days of quarantine were total chaos and I'm sure it still, may not have settled down, but better late than never. Once you've implement the strict schedule, with absolutely no negotiation (kids will try to get their way), things will go much more smoothly. You can relax the schedule a bit in the future, but right now structure will help your kids feel more secure.

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7.Manage your Pets

Pet’s can offer companionship when working from home, but they can also be distracting. The pets can be very helpful as a distraction for the kids...let them feed them or bathe them etc and Pets help take away the tensions from humans, but if they want to be loving while you're doing work , or they're a distraction then you'll have to place them somewhere else.

8. Break the Routine Sometime

Make sure to take breaks, eat on time, spend time with the kids (place that in the routine/schedule). Go outside! At the end of a work-from-home day, make sure to go outside for a bit, even if it's just a short walk or to run a quick errand (grocery or pharmacy only). This is very helpful, and if you don't have a designated space for an office but you're working from your sofa, take a moment to walk around the neighbourhood, that helps you to close your workday and deal with your personal life. Another helpful activity is sitting in your garden for a little while.

Go outside. It’s dead simple and amazingly powerful. Either by yourself or with your spouse (if he/she happens to be at home) and take a 30-minute walk. The fresh air, natural light, and mental disconnect from all things electronic/media do WONDERS for your focus, energy, and productivity. Also make sure to get the kids outside. There are also lots of exercises on Youtube and my husband and I do one every day or every other day. We either do a Kettlebell exercise, Yoga or Pilates, you choose.

Breaks are very important, so take regular breaks to stretch, see the sky, hear the birds get some light on your face. Play with the kids and the pets, play games together, call family who maybe abroad, give your brain a break from working too much so you don't get burnt out.

9. Set Your Work Parameters

Working from home becomes difficult when your team members, managers and whoever you work with believe they can contact you whenever and whatever time they find convenient to them. That has to be stopped in it's tracks immediately. Set parameters, make sure everyone, your boss included understands that you're not working beyond a certain time. This allows life to have a separation so it doesn't get intertwined and you're working all day and night and the kids don't follow a routine and there is chaos in the house.

Don't worry, things will settle down and then working from home won't be so bad, you might even like it. I love working from home, I don't have to deal with the traffic, I can take a break and do something for the home, I can watch a movie, then go back to work. I get a lot done when I work from home. I love working from home so this period is fine by me, it can be manageable by you. Try using some of the tips I listed above, hope they help you.

Regards,

Gafra (Gail)

PODCAST: When You Feel Like Something Is Missing in Your Life

Hi guys...lay pondering life as I relaxed in bed this morning and this is what I was thinking about, just wanted to share:

Listen to the most recent episode of my podcast: When You Feel Something is Missing In Your Life https://anchor.fm/gail-francis/episodes/When-You-Feel-Something-is-Missing-In-Your-Life-eapoof