Do you ever see a drawing, painting, (some peice of art) that you just FELL INTO?
Let’s go fly a kite, Up to the highest hights!
Mary Poppins
Maja Lindberg is a Swedish artist with a whimsical flair. I just want to fall into a beautiful picture. Her amazing illustrations make me want to BE in the picture. I think She’s my new favorite artist, though she’s not “New” per se. She’s been around a long time.
Her pictures make me dream. I feel inspired. I want to be wisked away on a sea swept cliff. Be lost in a field of poppies. Run through a field with the wind in my hair.
Not sure where everyone is with the holidays this year, but I’ve been struggling.
Two Fun Day were: December 3, The Annual Lamplight Stroll in Milford, CT with a great friend. This same friend brought the Holiday Spirit to my house today (December19).
God Bless good friends. They invite you to fun things and their excitement is so infectious, it rubs off and you get out of your way despite yourself!
I was so not in the mood to socialize… but I made myself go. The Lamplight Stroll night was so fun!
Shops were open late, the Town Green was lit up like a magical wonderland, with vendors hocking homemade wares. There were Carolers and sleigh rides (we did not partake). We were FREEZING! And we were LAUGHING!
We stopped in at a local restaurant for appetizers and dessert. We talked for hours. I stayed out WAAAY past my usual bedtime 😉. It was the most fun I’ve had with a friend in over a year.
Today’s fun: Gingerbread cookies, tea, a fire, painting rocks (painting!), Christmas music and hot cocoa.
My friend has been painting rocks for several years. Her rocks (pictures below) are spectacular! She is so talented with the tiny details!
My Friend’s Rock Painting Masterpieces
So this is probably only the second time I’ve tried painting rocks. I decided to let go of expectations and just have fun with it.. no comparing myself to my friend and her superior skills. Just FUN!
My results are below. I’m pretty proud of my efforts.
My painted Materpeices
Most important, we were RELAXED. We had FUN, we LAUGHED. We SANG along to Christmas songs. We sipped Hot Cocoa by the fire and gushed compliments on 16 for her cocoa-making skills.
Christmas time at home
I feel happy and relaxed. That’s not something I’ve felt often of late. I want to wallow in it. Roll around and cover myself with this happy, content feeling and ride it straight through the New Year!
Flipping through favorite pictures on my phone and came across this.
Zentangle by Angelic Westfall (Me) circa 8-2019
I drew this. This beautiful zentangle piece came from ME. The same me who’s been feeling like I’m failing at everything this week.
Just one of many reminders that just because I’m struggling right now, doesn’t mean it’s forever.
I will be this version of me, actually, a BETTER version of ME again. AFTER I walk through this uncomfortable, sometimes painful, challenging time I’m in right now.
I will create beautiful things.
I will be happy.
I will be in a better place. Once I have learned the lessons needed to get through NOW.
So… this past week my time-management skills and work-life balance were a little (a lot) off kilter.
I “glanced” at my Make Art Everyday book, everyday… but I was so brain tired and emotionally drained that I did NOTHING.
Saturday came and work had slowed some, I’d processed some emotional upheaval, and 15 had a BFF over. Suddenly, I found myself at loose ends with a wandering mind and restless hands. Voila!! Time for some ART PROMPTS.
So I didn’t make art everyday, but I still made ART!
Make Art Everyday:Week 6
Lesson for me (always): progress not perfection.
Did I follow My Plan perfectly? No.
Did I stumble and procrastinate? Yes.
Did I get it done? Yes.
Life is messy. Some days my “Best” is not so great. Some days my “Best” is Awesome! … and some days I just show up and make it to bedtime without creating a bigger mess.
Those really “messy” days are full of pain and “shoulds” and “I’ll never be good enough”…. and THOSE are the days I have to work really hard to love myself, so I can make it to my productive, awesome days.
This week had more messy days than usual, but I got in my Awesome on Saturday and made it up to myself with Art ❤️.
It’s been a year since I’ve been able to take art classes at Briah Lucky Studio inNew Haven, CT.
I’ve really missed it and struggled to make time for art at home in the midst of working from home. SO… this was my therapist’s solution:
Make Art Every Day by Katie Vernon
I have recently found that I need strong structure to make time for myself and things that are important to me. Otherwise, WORK and Exhaustion take over my life 😖.
“Steal Like an Artist” by At Home in Love, is a great read… All about how what we know, build on, and create come from information inspired by the past.
The article gives a great list, accompanied by amazing quotes, that show how we can grow in our art and experience by acknowledging where our inspiration comes from.
from the article: Steal Like An Artist
How many of us truly realize what the greats before us have taught us? Where these seemingly “random” thoughts or ideas (inspiration) originated from what we: have heard, seen, read, experienced in our past?
My favorite: from the BIBLE… “There is nothing new under the sun” Ecclesiastes 1:9
If you take the time to read… I would love your thoughts!
Empowerment.Vitality.Evolution. 