Creating a Life I love Through Art
After a bunch more hours and hundreds of new lines,.. I am finished! I really enjoyed making this piece. In hindsight there were probably much quicker ways to get the same results but that’s okay! Trial and error, right? I’m liking the contracting colors but it’d be fun to put into Photoshop and change everything up. Hmmm!!
Every 3 months or so me and my hubby sit down to have a ‘check in.’ We usually chat about what is going on mentally and emotionally in our lives. But instead of it just being a bitch sess, we each take a turn discussing where we are and where we would like to be. We ask each other questions about how we feel, and which relationships in our lives need a little extra work. It’s our time to fully connect with each other like the best friends that we are.
On Tuesday, we both knew we needed a check in. It’s been a very emotionally full year so far, and we were both craving connection.
However. Instead of sitting on the couch in the darkened family room like we usually do for our deep chat, my man suggested we sit at the beach and watch the sun go down while we talk.
Ah!!
This is one of the (many many) reasons that I love him so much. He knows just what will excite me and just what will spice up our everyday.
We stopped and bought some delicious Whole Foods salads, poured wine into a thermos, and headed out to the beach.
Oh my gosh I can’t tell you how amazing it was to be curled up in our beach chairs side by side gazing out at the ocean and sharing our feelings. Ahhhh!!!!
It was such a great reminder that life does go fast. There is always something more to handle or feel or take care of. But if we want to not just survive it, but ENJOY it, we need to celebrate all the small parts. We could have just stayed home, had a nice chat and watched a show, but instead we transformed our entire week. This will probably be remembered as one of my favorite evenings ever with my man.
So one of the things I’m super fascinated with is microscopic photos of cells. Ahhhh!! I want to paint them!! I’ve seen some amazingly detailed pictures of flower and plant cells and have been planning on creating something that is inspired by that. Though I still may do that, I stumbled upon something sooooooooooooooooooooo freakin cool.
I loved Neuropsychology and Molecular Biology and at one time thought maybe I’d become a college professor to teach this stuff. I was so unbelievable fascinated! Well….. I happen to come across photos of oxytocin, and adrenaline under a microscope. Ahhhh!
And! Human body cells,… like heart, skin, and embryos! Oh my gosh I can barely breathe, I’m so excited. What if I created pieces based on these??? Wow. Finding similarities between the microscopic photos so they create a sort of story or message,.. like the heart cells interwoven with oxytocin… Or heart, skin and brain.
Ahhhh! I just needed to get this out there. My heart is beating so fast. ahhah!!
Okay okay I’ll post when I have something.
xo
I was browsing through Pinterest this morning, when I came across this gem. Her work is so mystical and astronomical. I especially enjoy the ‘future dreams’ work.
Check it out: http://www.georgiepaint.com/process-2016
https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/georginavinsun/
Oh and even Jealous Curator loves her work!
http://www.thejealouscurator.com/blog/2013/06/04/im-jealous-of-georgina-vinsun/
Love her use of color! I feel like I’m soaring among the stars. SO amazing!
What if everything has the potential to work out if we stop focusing so hard on it?
I have sort of a funny example:
I’ve always disliked my arms. They were never the shape I wanted.
Through the years I started paying more and more attention to them until it became a total obsession.I was constantly thinking about them, and noticing other people’s arms that I was envious of.
Looking back, I can also see that my fixation caused me to assume that EVERYONE ELSE was also aware of my arms.
What is wrong with me?
Oh my gosh I look so horrible!
My arms are so noticeable and disgusting!
I found weight classes with the determination of getting them THE WAY I WANT THEM. I pushed myself to make this happen, but nothing seemed to be working!
The ARMS had become this HUGE problem.
I worked out even harder.
But still nothing happened.
About 4 months ago, I was peering at them, grabbing the areas I felt should be different, and I thought of something. If my arms suddenly WERE exactly what I wanted, how would my life be different?
Would I still do the same things?
Would I still have the same people in my life?
Would the same things still make me happy and sad and excited?
Yes. Of course, the answer was yes.
So…
Who cares?
I mean really, what if my arms are just the latest obsession that is keeping me from totally accepting myself, but they are fine? What if they are fine just the way they are. Can I love myself exactly as this, if they never do change?
I decided that yes, I can and I stopped thinking about them. I started sending them love when I saw them in the mirror, and being grateful they were getting so strong from all my weight exercises.
I stopped noticing the size.
The other day I was in the middle of my brutal yoga class and I happened to glimpse at my arms in the mirror. I realized that they were starting to take the shape I had always wanted. But I hadn’t even noticed!
As I examined them more closely that evening, I realized something else. It’s great they are toning up, it really is. And yet I don’t care nearly as much as I thought. Their size, their shape isn’t what determines my happiness.
So I was wondering, is this how it is in all areas of life? If we are super focused on something, and running in circles demanding it to BE DIFFERENT, do things suddenly change? After all that grueling work?
Or if we build up some sort of ideal into this fantasy that will make our LIVES BETTER AND MORE ENJOYABLE AND HAPPIER, is that ever true?
This was a great epiphany, because I’m involved in some heavy life stuff right now. Maybe instead of running in circles SEARCHING FOR THE ANSWER, I can surrender to what is, and LOVE who and what I am and who and what everyone else is that I am involved with.
Maybe this can create the space for miracles to occur.
There is so much emotionally going on for me right now, I don’t even know how to begin this post. I’m not in the mood to complain or explain the story over and over again. And yet I have a very strong desire to connect, to feel loved and that everything will be okay.
I was realizing a moment ago how fitting it is at this time in my life when I am deciding to fully embrace myself artistically, there is also an interesting life crescendo happening.
All I can say is,
THANK GAWD I am creating art.Â
Thank god that it had become a priority BEFORE all these changes began happening, and all the feelings and the stress.
I had no clue that at just the moment when I was deciding just be an artist, that my soul and my heart would actually need it more than anything.
So I’m checking in on all of you. It seems like life is really rocky for a lot of people now, full of so many changes and waves and tears and explosions, and pain. Maybe some of us know that it will lead to growth, (which is what I believe) but regardless, it seems to be very hard.
I’m sending you all love that you have your solace. That you have a place you can go where you can feel your feelings, where your heart can be open and full and alive and you are able to remember what a gift you truly are.
I was chilling on my Pinterest the other day, and came across this incredible artist. I LOVE how visceral and alive and vast her work is, and yet so delicate. It seems to encompass the entire universe. Ah! So so beautiful! I love that her work is also a meditation for her. Yes!! So wonderful.
Check her out when you get a sec.
I assisted in this incredible course over the weekend that has changed my life. Every time I do it, every time I’m spending my days surrounded with such strength and love, it changes me in huge ways.
One of the things that we did during the weekend was create I AMÂ statements. I’d done them before, but it’s always a good reminder to keep them up.
The bottom line is this: Whatever we are or are not is our decision, not anyone else’s. So if we want to be seen a certain way, we can be, if we want to feel a certain way, we can. I used to think ‘I’m just not a confident person,’ or ‘I can’t stand up for myself, I wasn’t born that way.’ I can see now, that that is not a belief I want to continue. I can BEÂ whatever I want to BE.
Anyway, here’s how to create these amazing I AM statements:
Here is my current list:
I am vibrant
I am confident
I am authentic
I am nurturing
I am trusting
I am passionate
This fresh list I will say out loud 100 times a day. Whenever I’ve gotten into the groove of doing my I AM messages, I feel myself growing and changing right before my eyes. Creating a new list every 2-3 months keeps me constantly becoming a better version of myself.
I use this as just another tool to keep myself feeling good as long as possible. Without tools, it’s so easy for me to feel unsupported and anxious. Ugh! I’d rather feel empowered and focused and full of joy.
Anyway, it’s a fun little game that will instantly bring a feeling of peace and yummy goodness. Try it if you’d like! If you do, I’d love to see how they go!
Have a wonderful Monday! xo
So I get really excited with newness. I love the replenishing wave of a fresh passion, it’s so invigorating. But I’ve realized through the years that I’ve had a tendency to NOT FINISH what I start because of this. I love the first bursts of creativity, but it tends to wane for some reason. I’ve realized that maybe it’s because I haven’t known how to end what I’m currently working on, or just dislike feeling stuck with any part of it. All valid reasons, but having a bunch of unfinished art work sitting around isn’t going to work for me anymore.
Lately when I get a burst of a new idea, I jot it down quickly in my art journal, relishing the moment I get to try it out, but not giving in to the temptation.
However. I could. Not. Stop. Thinking about this one. I was having these vivid daydreams of sitting on the floor surrounded with liquid ink and tiny black pens and just allowing whatever my fingers decided to create, to come forth.
So, I stopped what I was doing and started this. Sometimes you just have to follow the passion. Ah! Loving working on this!!
The only thing is that I was so excited to start that I didn’t properly prepare the watercolor paper. So the paper rippled, and now needs to have some books stacked on top to straighten it out. Next time I have gotta take a deep breath,..
and take my time!
Does anyone have any great suggestions for 140lbs. hot press watercolor paper? I’ve heard putting it in the bathtub for awhile works well…. Love some advice!
Sunshine and Cerulean 