"It’s important to realise that Nature takes time and as a part of it we should slow down and nurture our connections with one another"

Blandine is a thoughtful fine-artist living in Croydon with boyfriend Paul.

Expert in macrobiotics and deeply conscious about nature and food, she shared with us her domestic rituals and how she spent her time at home.

3 steps morning routine

When I get up, I do yoga exercises that I mix with traditional Chinese medicine practice to stimulate my organs and open up my meridians.

I then eat breakfast, usually a miso soup with vegetables and beans - it keeps me balanced.

I must say I listen to podcasts a lot. My favourite ones at the moment are Here is the thing and Fresh Air - I love Terry Gross’s interviews!

Swiss cheese plant spot

3 steps evening routine

I start cooking straight away when I get home. I love looking up Nicky Clinch’s website for cool macrobiotic inspiration.

Cooking, eating and cleaning the kitchen is a whole ritualised process. It takes me a long time after which, if it’s still early, I sometimes watch a series - Amazon’s Transparent is the last one I’ve genuinely enjoyed.

I also often write in my diary. It’s a mix of to-do lists, sketches, ideas - I call it diary but actually it’s a bit more like a notebook!

Preparing yummy oven-grilled pumpkins wedges

Top 3 creative moments at home

I make little sculptures with wool, feathers, scoubidou, shower puffs - I love those! -, fabrics, pins… They become temporary, soft objects that I move around.

From time to time I bring home some material from the studio - when it’s not too bulky. We’re soon moving out to a bigger place and I’m looking forward to having a studio in the garden, it will be much easier to dip in and out of my working space!

I take inspiration from my environment, and I always carry around a sketchbook where I draw or put down ideas that will later find their way into my paintings. 

The bathroom's aquatic environment

Top 3 relaxing moments at home

I browse a lot on Instagram. You discover one person’s post about another person, and you find yourself down the insta rabbit hole very quickly!

To discover other artists’ work I read Artsy and I listen to Art for Your Ears podcast - it’s a must.

We live in a world where we’re fooled to believe that things are instantaneous, but I think it’s important to realise that Nature takes time and as a part of it we should slow down and nurture our connections with one another. Volunteering - which I do once a month at Concord Institute - is great for that.

The cook's ammunition!

Secret life hack

I repurpose objects. For example I wear a South African duster as a necklace, it has beautiful red feathers and I love it! 

Most treasured possession

My wedding ring that belonged to my late mother-in-law.

Culture vulture - Blandine’s current recommandations:

Last book:

Corrag (2010) by Susan Fletcher - the eye-opening story of a Scottish witch in the Middle Ages.

Last movie:

Captain Fantastic (2016) by Matt Ross - I relish the fact that it questioned the usual way we see things and took me out of my confort zone.

Last recipe:

Kale, pumpkin, sweat potatoes and noodles, with a lemony peanut dressing. Yum! 

Last playlist:

I listen less and less to music, but on Saturday morning we put the Spotify lounge playlist on.

Favorite Insta accounts:

Julia Benz @benzpainting and Heather Day @heatherdayart, contemporary artists from Germany and San Francisco. I’m inspired to see how they go about doing things, they seem at the forefront of what’s happening in today’s world. Last night I watched one of Heather Day’s live where she toured her latest exhibition - San Francisco to London in a click!