Faces of me, Part I

I am juggling multiple art projects from 21 Secrets. It is a great joy to have this muse of creative energy resting upon my shoulders. Just as important, I am inspired to actually make frequent posts due to the encouragement of 3 warm loving friends. Two, live far from me and send their love via electronic hugs, and one lives near enough that I can stalk, and beg attention for my ramblings. I am blessed!
Phase one of Barbar Nigg's 3 part Self-Portrait Journal project is exploration of the question, "Who Am I?" I remembered making art to this question years ago, below in a previous post, but another crack at it, as I am in a different emotional space, couldn't hurt. It is a good question as any to explore more than once in a lifetime since we are constantly evolving and transforming, hopefully, for better. Each encounter, whether a great triumphant, or a fall from a pedestal of our making, or someone else's design, allows us to become the better person we long to be, if we are willing to look into the depths of our own eyes and find the truth in the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Procrastination: One step forward find your muse

It has, obviously, been sometime since my last post. I have been working on a few things. Unfortunately, most of my ideas circulate in my thoughts, and are hesitant to come to life. Most of the time I want to create something so wonderful, amazing, and insightful that will touch someone's heart, but I know the truth. It's all CRAP. Like trying to invent the wheel, everything has been done, so why bother? As part of the art therapy training, we discuss the significance of the individual process. The uniqueness we bring to art making is influenced by the subtleties of our character, by our individual experiences in this world, and by the people in our lives. I try to remember, not everyone will like, or care about what I have to share, but perhaps there is someone who may find joy and pleasure in my little contribution.

My muse for getting over the hump of procrastination is a great creative group I joined,  21 Secrets "an art journal playground." There are 21 amazing artists instructing through this online workshop. This group supports, and encourages you to experiment with materials and processes moving beyond your comfort zone. As I move back and forth through the 21 workshops, sampling the banquet of creative delights, I will post various phases of my creative process. Hopefully, you will be motivated to experiment with your own creativity.

3 Little Words: Farming what I've previously written makes me feel like I need to write more often. This project revealed feelings of frustration (typical), exhilaration (at finally doing something), and peace (achieving a goal). When I let go of control, and just put pen (or paint) to paper, it felt like I accomplished something. It didn't matter "the what," it just mattered that I freed up space in my head dumping some incessant thoughts. Paper can be a safe container for the cacophonous emotional noise vibrating within ones soul, leaving room for melodic samba rhythms.

Here are two more experiments turning 3 little words into something more colorful. Cheers!

ATWB International Postcard Exchange

I finally finished my postcards for the ATWB International Postcard Exchange. I worked in spurts always keeping my art materials close at hand in my tote. I would doodle in coffee shops, at friend's homes, at the beach, hanging out in the costume shop at Venice Theater, any place I felt inspired. 

Participating in the exchange was a thrill, making me feeling like I had a purpose in creating art to share. It was even more fun to see these little canvas that arrived in my mailbox. Something definitely more desirable than the usual, bills or junk.

During training for art therapy we always discussed the importance of taking time to create our own art as a part of self-care, and a deign of our understanding of this creative and emotional process. It is so important to practice what we preach instead of putting it on the back burner waiting for a "better time" to engage in our own self-exploration. It is so simple to carry a few basics in ones purse or bag and capture an emotional impression while you waiting for a next appointment, sitting in a doctor's office, or taking a breather at a park. It felt good having colored pencils and paper at the ready to capture the feelings I experienced as my thoughts wandered. I am looking forward to what happens next as I get involved in the creative activities of Dirty Footprints Studio's 21 Secrets workshop.

Seeds of Love

Seeds of Love

Last week I met with my art expression group. I asked the group to consider a gift of peace. In the form of a mandala,  as an antithesis to so much dis-ease and unrest that people are suffering throughout the world, the group created their ideas of peace.

Group members did a fabulous job sharing their images and ideas. Since this is a new group, and a first time for me running an art therapy group at church, I decided not to use any of the participants work in this post and respect their privacy.

This piece of art was the only one I created in our third session. I felt comfortable to engage, and wanted to contribute my desires for peace in the processing discussion.

The yellow heart occupying the center is the love of Spirit rooted and growing strong. The heart sends off shoots into the world for more seeds of love to take root and grow, and so on.

I remember a supervisor always telling me, "You may not see the affects of your therapy on the client, but you are planting seeds that may be the impetus for change in the future." Hopefully, our positive thoughts in that moment will translate into a ripple effect touching more lives than just the few in the room. Here's to peace.