Entries Tagged as: art
Fire Underneath
August 26th, 2010, Comments (6)
I've been feeling a little fire-less this summer, but lately, I'm starting to feel an inner-fire kindling away beneath the surface. Sort of like in this painting that is all reds and oranges underneath, even though the top is all in blues. At the joining of sky and land, you can see a bit of the red poking through.
This weekend I'm heading north into the mountains for a wedding. Since it's a drive, we'll be staying at a B&B and I plan to soak up the sights and soak myself in the big bathtub in our room, the perfect place to start pondering next month's theme, which I'll be announcing soon!
Playing with Fire
August 20th, 2010, Comments (13)
With the fire theme in mind, I had the inspiration to play with some red yarn on paper. I really didn't have a plan in mind, just wanted to play. I used some matte medium to hold the swirls and curls in place. After it dried, I thought I saw a few different images in it, which I brought out in paint until this tree emerged. Fun!
I enjoyed doing it although, I did not like the way the yarn felt on my fingers when coated in matte medium. Ick!
Hope you all have a magnificent weekend!
Checkity Check It Out
August 18th, 2010, Comments (10)
Yesterday, I got a copy of Four Word Self Help, Patti Digh's new book. I got an early copy because I have a piece of art in it, along with many other wonderful artists from around the world. You can find my piece, "Let Others In" on page 3. What a beautiful little book this is!
I also wanted to share Jess Larsen's website. She has started offering doula services in the Northern New Jersey area. I'm a big believer in what she does and was thrilled to have some of my work, including Spring Thaw (above), featured on her site. You can learn more about what she does as a doula here.
Fire and Water
August 12th, 2010, Comments (14)
I'm a total water person. I'm soothed by the sounds of water, blue is my favorite color, and my sign is Cancer (a water sign), so it's an interesting challenge to focus on fire this month. As I was working on the piece above, a play between reds and blues, I received my weekly horoscope email from Rob Brezsny, which reads:
CANCER (June 21-July 22): Here's a thought from the Cancerian
philosopher Gaston Bachelard: "He who listens to the singing of the
stream cannot be expected to understand the one who hears the singing
of the flame: They do not speak the same language." While I mostly agree
with that poetic formulation, I think you're about to be a temporary
exception to the rule. Normally you are acutely attuned to the singing of
the stream; your skill at reading its nuances are supreme among the
zodiac. But I expect that in the coming days, you will not only have the
power to appreciate the song of the fire; you'll even be able to empathize
with and understand people who are entranced by the song of the fire.
How perfect is that?
When I read the horoscope, there was just blue below and red above. After reading it, I drew in the tree which intertwines the two. Are you resistant to firey natures? How do you bridge the gap?
Can’t start a fire without a Spark…
August 3rd, 2010, Comments (17)
I woke up with that line in my head, part of a Bruce Springsteen song. How true! And what a fitting way to start the month of Fire, talking about what sparks our imagination, what fires us up creatively, the ways small and large that we move from idea to creation.
Just the way that I woke up with this song in my head is a good example of where my ideas come from. The hypnagogic state, that fuzzy land between sleep and being awake, where the mind is more open and ideas often come fast and furious. I love to keep some paper and pens on my nightstand so that I can jot them down while half asleep, because sometimes I will remember the ideas and other times, they slip away as I'm waking up.
Bits of song, dream images, short phrases, little bits of shadow, and memory will often be the spark behind an idea that leads to a creation. A spark is just the starting point. It won't always develop the way it first began, just like a fire won't always spread the way you expect. I like that bit of surprise that happens as an idea transitions from spark to form. But it's also just interesting to see where ideas come from. Sometimes the most unexpected places, like the shape of a leaf or the color combination on a billboard. And sometimes ideas seem to come out of nowhere.
Where do your sparks of inspiration come from?
Pay special attention this month, catch them as they come like the girl in "Catching Stars" above, and see which sparks become full fires!
Tree of Life
July 20th, 2010, Comments (16)
Here's what the layers painting became, a tree of life, drawn with ink over the layers of paint.
Last night the hubster and I watched an installment of Through the Wormhole, a program on the Science Channel, narrated by Morgan Freeman. The program was all about how life began on earth and it was fascinating. Life is truly miraculous. In the program, they talked about the tree of life and how all living things on earth are connected. After awhile, it all starts to blow your mind!
Layers
July 14th, 2010, Comments (14)
Life has many layers, does it not? I thought of this as I played today, making layer after layer of paint. I was thinking of water and sky as I worked. I've had different ideas of where this piece is going as I worked, but at the moment, I'm not sure, so I'm going to let it sit in this layered water-sky state for a bit.
A Poem to Inspire
July 8th, 2010, Comments (15)
In Blackwater Woods
are turning
their own bodies
into pillars
are giving off the rich
fragrance of cinnamon
and fulfillment,
of cattails
are bursting and floating away over
the blue shoulders
and every pond,
no matter what its
name is, is
Every year
everything
I have ever learned
leads back to this: the fires
and the black river of loss
whose other side
whose meaning
none of us will ever know.
To live in this world
to do three things:
to love what is mortal;
to hold it
your own life depends on it;
and, when the time comes to let it go,
to let it go.
Uncovering Bliss When it’s Hard to Find
June 10th, 2010, Comments (42)
I recently experienced a loss in my family. The timing of it coinciding with my choice of theme for this month, bliss, seemed painfully ironic. At first I wasn't sure how I was going to keep up with posting about it. I thought about bringing in guest posters or just taking a break. But I think I chose the theme for a reason. Finding bliss isn't just important when you're feeling great, it's good to find when you're feeling low too.
Here are some ways I uncover bliss in my life when it's a bit hard to see.
Allow yourself to be sad: This might seem counter-productive, but it's not. Allowing yourself to feel sad, when you're sad, makes room for the joy to come in.
Listen in: Take the time to listen in to what you want and need. Move towards those things that make you smile and bring you joy. Be gentle with yourself.
Small steps: Sometimes, many times, it's the little things that make a difference. A walk in the woods, watching birds outside, playing with your pets, or silly knock-knock jokes can be the way in.
Call in support: Spend time with friends or loved ones that make you feel good. I find spending time with little kids is especially helpful. Getting a hug from a 2 year old is the best!
Treat yourself: I'm not much into shopping therapy, but sometimes a pretty purple pen, a new sketchbook, a haircut, a new pair of shoes, or bouquet of your favorite flowers can put some pep back into your step.
Make a list of gratitude: Noticing at least one little thing you're grateful for each day can be a big help in spotting those blissful moments when they seem hard to find.
What are some of the ways you find joy in your life when things are tough?
Little Pockets of Bliss
June 3rd, 2010, Comments (20)
Sometimes, the simplest way to grow the joy around you is to notice all the little bits of bliss around you. Try this: Take out a piece of paper or your sketchbook and number 1 - 20. Then list 20 little things that make you happy. They could be teeny tiny things like rasberry jam on toasted english muffins or the peony that just bloomed in your backyard. Or they could be larger things like your daughter or your beloved pet. Write the first twenty things that come to your mind. Bonus points for bringing your list up to 50! or 100!
It could also be an ongoing list, like a grocery list that you keep adding to as you think of things. You might keep a little piece of paper folded in your wallet that you can add to or keep your list in a moleskine notebook that travels in your purse. I love the idea of having a list of bliss tucked in your pocket!
Just noticing the little things that bring you joy, tends to bring even more joy in. So start listing! Maybe even start a small list in the comments of 5 things!
Here's five of mine for today: silly songs from the hubster to wake me up the morning, a flower petaled sidewalk, Emma the cat snoozing in the window seat, clean sheets, cold lemonade.
