Chakra Box

I had a dream of a box filled with gemstones.

I had started this box quite awhile ago and the original idea had a black rock in the middle. At the time I was wondering how to remove the obstacle of moving from the lower chakras to the upper ones. It was mostly the idea of looking to my heart more often rather than thinking - to get out of my head and not worry so much. Rather, looking to how to live in the moment be true to one's heart. I had wires jumping over the rock.... but I decided to go back to the box and just look at it all as a whole and remove the obstacle, the block and instead replaced it with the keys that create a path to the heart.

From earth: being grounded to the sky: sipping the necter of love and wisdom.

To create balance and harmony within all the energy centers of the body. Be whole and one.

A good message

The Universe sent me this message today.... (some of you are getting this as well :-) but today, this really speaks to me:

Don't be afraid. You needn't slay the beast nor scale the entire mountain. That's not how it's done. You only need to move through today, Doreen. Think of the distance you've already covered. Focus on your strengths. Let each new step remind you of your freedom. Let every breath you take remind you of your power. Seek out friends and guides; they're anxious to help. You're not alone. You're understood. This road has been walked before. Dance life's dance, just a few steps at a time, and in the wink of an eye you will wonder to yourself, "What beast, what mountain? Was I having a dream?"
Love you,
The Universe

Thank You Universe :-)
Loving You as well,
Doreen

Where Have I been????

I have finished teaching a 20, actually 21 week class with a group of preschoolers. Fun work. More like play. At the end, we celebrate the week of the child (more like a month) with an exhibit of their art and photos of them in the process of creating. I'll be hanging the show Wednesday and the reception is Sunday.

Although it's fun and I love working with these kids, it's time consuming and took me a lot longer to put it together than I had anticipated. But it's done. With the help of the Rec guys, the boards were brought over to the building and now to hang it. Today is court day, so I won't go anywhere near there...........

There are 35 boards... the above is a sample of work. Recycled cd's, photos and quotes. They paint, collage, work with modeling materials... all sorts of stuff that they probably wouldn't normally use. Very rewarding program.
As for myself....... I've done a little here and there, sneaking it in during art class on Tuesday nights. Working on another assemblage and a painting.
I have a bit of a breather today and I just might be able to have some art time for myself.

Be

For class, we are working on assemblages. I took some time to play with this myself and came up with this one. Influenced by A New Earth, the time I am most likely to be able to just be, without the worried mind, is when I am creating. It's afterwards though, when the ego comes into play...

oops, forgot to take the rest of that paper off.

Altered roses

Transition to Spring

So quieting to the mind - painting mandalas. centering. focusing.
As I was painting, the purple swirls reminded me of the symbols for aries and yet at the same time, as waves. Waves going in opposite directions, like the fish of pisces swimming in opposite directions. Remembering the past and moving towards the future. Using our history to move us forward. But the little sprout is in the now. Being present.

Complements 101

For Tuesday's class, we are having a lesson in complementary colors. Here's an example that I played around with. It's painted on a piece of matboard.

Preparing for Flight

Painting on collaged paper on mat board. About transformation...........

It may still change a bit, but I'm letting it sit for awhile and moving on to something bigger and more spontaneous. A sharper photo is on the other blog.

Flowers for Me :-)

I've been missing in action here for awhile... lots going on. Art patiently waiting for me to work on.. various works in stages.

Today my wonderful husband brought me some flowers for an early birthday present.

Having flowers in the home in the winter really perks one up... and brought some inspiration. Camera in hand, I took some photos which may be turned into paintings.

Keyword - New

What have I been doing lately? Sharing.
Creating with kids. It was clay week. I used it with every class I had and it seems to have been what we all needed. From abstract pieces to creative creatures in a cage - model magic to plasticine- it was all good.........

And we are usually rewarded at the end of class with beautiful sunsets. With my own art, I've been all over the place - painting, collage, assemblage, furniture and preparing for my new venture teaching in a new studio with older students. Scary and exciting at the same time. It is all good. It's all growth. Youth Art Month preparations, Exhibit of the Young Child prep as well and now a new possibility of a juried art show. Ideas are streaming through my mind and it is ready to explode with all these possibilities...... new beginnings.

Art is good for the Soul!

It was a joy to watch these kids create. some were so absorbed in the process of creating. Others mixed and remixed all the colors until they ended up with brown clay, while some kept the colors seperate and clean. Some were simple, some very full and colorful and other's created an airplane or space ship and played with it.
I love all the swirley colors.....
Liking those beads!

Day 2- creative all day long :-)

Today was a pretty creative day. I began the day with the children's center. We worked with clay - model magic - and primary colors so they could mix new colors. What was kind of nice was how a few kids came in with a bit of a "mood" and watched how it changed. Art is magic.
Art is healing.
Yesterday as I was reading, an image came to me for a painting. I pulled out a canvas, 20 x20 from under the bed and did a quick sketch on it.
Ripped out some more images for my next collage as well. Not only that, but I pulled out an assemblage that I started a while back. It got buried behind a bunch on stuff and I unearthed it today... I brought it to the forefront of the large table to work on.
This made my day today.... One of the kids said he wished I were his teacher and would stay all day long and not go home. Sweet, huh? I told him that I would be back. Nothing in the world like a smiling, happy kid enjoying himself and creating. I'll have to upload the pictures and post some.

Begin Again - Intentions '08

Beginning another year of art. I've decided to begin with a series of collages. These are Intention collages. Today, it is focused on my spiritual intentions of the new year. Practice yoga everyday and challenge myself to grow and expand in my practice. Find more time to go within and listen to that "voice", the one that speaks from my heart and knows all the answers. Keep focusing on my connection to Spirit and when I am being true to myself, I can be and share the truth of my authentic self with you. This is the Self that contributes to the World, a piece of the puzzle, that if I did not share with you and you did not share with others, would create a gap, and the puzzle would miss a valuable piece.

Always return to center. The center within - the heart.

Speak with kindness and good intention and find the sacred in everything.

Triangle Texture Trees

Hope your Christmas is shiny, sparkley, soft, and full of peace and love and joy!

We finished up our portrait dolls today, or most of them anyway. Then moved on to making collages of themselves.
When I turned around at the end of class, this is what I saw! Love the sunsets here at this time of year.

Who are you?

We've been playing around with self portrait dolls in class. Being that it's the holiday, a lot of the kids are making themselves as a Santa or even a reindeer. One wanted to be a rock star. Three of the kids created a Hannukah theme and then some just wanted to be themselves.
They're fun to do. Taking a bit of time as well. Some taking 3 classes to do them which is fine by me.
I want to do one myself.......
For some reason, my own art took a little vacation.
New moon intention: Get back in there and do something adventurous. Something new. Take a risk.
I just picked up Jane Ann Wynn's book, Altered Curiosities. I'll be teaching assemblages and shrines along with altered photographs and collage on canvas at the new studio at Masterpiece Framing. I'm getting really excited about these new classes - older kids, too. Something new for me.
On the path................

Natures Painting

As I was sitting with the kids in art class, I looked up and said, OMG!!!

Time out! and I ran to get my camera.

We have these gorgeous sunsets looking out from this room. I usually wait until this time of the year when they get a chance to see some and then do our sunset paintings.

Kataro kept saying, "like my painting, like my painting"... oh yeah, he is so ready for the next one.

This one was a beaut!

Lately, my art has consisted mostly of photography. I do have some paintings in progress though.

Process

Photographs that will end up altered and on canvas.
I did some painting over the weekend.
Found an old photo, colored it and collaged it onto a small canvas with modeling paste, and glass beads.
Still working on it.
This time around, doing the daily art, I'm working on several pieces and experimenting more.
I came across the box of 6x6's I did last year as my daily devotion to art and looking at them again actually inspired me. I did mostly pen and ink as well as altered photography. My canvases are actually getting smaller. The most recent is 5x5.... far cry from murals!

Bella Luna

I found the x-tra zoom on my camera. sshheeesh. I only had it for a year!
hey, better late than never.
As I was coming home from my mom's, I spotted the moon rise and chase after it until I drove downtown and watched it over the "vacant" lot that hopefull will someday be a park.
I love the moon when it comes up over the horizon, big a full.
I forgot it was cold out and it really brought my energy up. Glorious, beautiful Luna!
I would so love to have a camera that would shoot it like a telescope, to really see it up close. I'd also like a camera that would take extremely close up pictures. I may see if I can get a lens for this.
Now to go alter some photos.

Magical Lands

playing around with a photo of trees from the zoo and added some magic to it.
Thankful for the computer and camera... such wonderful toys.
Thankful for the imagination and all we are capable of.

I'm experimenting with adding a signature......
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!


how cool is that!

altered photos

I didn't get any art done yesterday.
This morning I went right into the art room and played a little with these photos.
I am really loving the Peerless Watercolors, but I may try something new on the next one.
Working on a painting/collage and finishing up on the tiles.

still painting..............

More fruit.
Still working on this as well as some other art projects.
Altering photos.
Painting on canvas.
Painting a chair.
But today, it was the fruit. Inside on a very rainy day.
Bliss: painting and listening to music.
Life is good :-)

A little Magic

There is so much going on this week and I'm trying to jam it all in along with some creative time for me.
I'm piecing it in here and there, along with necessary stuff, like laundry.
I took Angela Cartwright's new book, Mixed Emulsions, with me to the laundromat and it really inspired me to go back into my photos and take another look at them.
This is from the zoo. I turned it into a black and white, printed it on glossy paper and then colored it with Peerless Watercolors.
As I'm coloring it, I'm seeing all kinds of things I would not have noticed, a little magical kingdom that I am thinking of "pulling" out of this picture... or even creating a new painting from it. Endless possibilites!
I'm still painting tiles. And I'm still playing around painting a chair.
My morning had a wonderful turn-around to it as I learned I won a print from Cre8tiva which you can see here.
I had a wonderful class working with clay (always seems to calm them) and then an evening creating, playing, experimenting...

New Moon - Communicate!

I did a little bit more on the tiles... these are really taking me awhile. Need to focus and get these done. Still needs more work.......
Then I found another old canvas. I was on a round canvas kick for awhile. Most likely for mandalas and I started one, but never finished it. I kept some of the center and then just added to it today.
I did this after the New Moon.
As part of my new moon intention, which is a continuation of last month's, is to keep painting. On top of that, my intention is to exhibit.
This new moon is in my 3rd house. House of communication and it is my intention to communicate through my art. Put it out there! ( being in Scorpio, some of that deep stuff within I'm sure will come to the surface as well..).
The Art Everyday group is right in synch with this..

Creative day 7 Nest Painting

I added a few more touches. The yellow feather for the bird in the dream.

This morning some thoughts on this painting were about the continuation of life, birth and death, the cycle of life.
The nest symbolic of this being round, the egg a symbol of new life and yet appearing as a full moon, symbolizing it's completion. Beginnings and Endings.
The water also represents the journey. I am not comfortable with water. Here is where fear lies. Fear of death, the unknown, that which is hidden from us. Death, grief, shedding the tears to help us release the pain.

In order for newness, the birth of something, to come into our life, we need to make room for it. No more water can come into a full cup.
I am learning how to release and let go in order to bring in that which will bring me joy, self-awareness, experiences for spiritual fulfillment. Growth.
I'm keeping a little room open for newness to enter.

Nest Egg

I painted the nest last night and painted the inside today. It went in a different direction than the first idea I had, which is more often the case than not.
Where it will continue to go, I'm not sure...
Part of it came from a strange dream. I was outside my mother's house in the back on the stairs, pre-deck days. I watched a bird cleaning out her nest. A yellow and black bird, she would shake the nest and then pour water out of it.
I watched my grandmother walk by quietly, putting her finger to her lips as if to say, ssshh, don't say anything. But I did. I told my mother and brother, "I saw grandma, I really did see her"
Nice to have a visit in your dream, don't ya think :-)

Creative day 6

Sorry, no photo yet... I did do a little more on the collage with the kids yesterday, but my real creative time was last night.
I chose to use the round canvas, which I recycled. So much easier to obliterate something that turned out to the least of my expectations. I still find the blank white canvas a bit intimidating and it actually is silly because I can paint right over it if I don't like it. Anyway, I like where this canvas is going, where my mind is heading....

Although my day is broken up today, hopefully I can put in some good creative time before yoga class and then afterwards.
I love that this came in my mailbox today from the Daily Om. If you are an Aquarian, this is just a bit of the horoscope for today:
You also may be ready to stretch yourself beyond your current limits. Another possibility is that you are tired of hiding and are ready to share yourself and your gifts with the world. You were given the skills and talents that you have so you could share them with others and make the world a better place.
and right after I did the heart meditation (on other blog)... love it :-)

Monday's creativity with a class

Mondays are one of my busier days, not leaving a lot of time for "me" art. What I did to resolve that was to sit down with the kids and do art with them. This class is mellow enough to do it. We did collages. In between classes, I cleaned out some papers in the closet and found some great paper and magazines for our collages. I kept the theme to houses. It was fun finding things that were unusual to be a roof or window or door and it got them excited every time I found something "different". It was a great class. I didn't get to finish it, but today we are doing the same project, so I'll work on it some more

day 4 prep and sketch

No images to show. Sketched an idea for another painting. Base-coated one round canvas and a gallery wrapped 8x8 canvas. Used my coupon to get another canvas at Micheals (not their store brand). The gallery wrapped ones are interesting in that it can stand on its own and I have an idea to use the back, (a niche) as well.
Tomorrow's another day.. for now I relax and read, keeping that sketchbook nearby.

Harvest Moon

Part of yesterday's wonderful day of painting... I added the butterflies and then called it a night.
This was a canvas that I was playing around with months ago, applying modeling paste and tar gel to it. It was then painted with lumiere paints, copper, gold, purple, blue... I had some foamcore pieces that also had modeling paste, but on a whim I painted over the whole canvas.

I was inspired by a dream I had. I may have written about it before, but instead of digging for it, here it is: I was looking into my bedroom from the art room. I saw a large tent-like cocoon that was filled with small black cocoons which transformed into butterflies. I went over to close the window so they wouldn't get cold and then into the kitchen to get fruit for them to eat.

I started to do some heart meditations, visiting my heart, each chamber recording whatever images came up.

It's about the harvest moon, what we harvest from our heart and how it transforms us. The heart is only halfway seen because it is still in the transformative stage, entering shyly into this new world. Be Brave my heart!

I like that the texture of the tar gel comes through in this spiraling, cocoon-like shape. Sometimes we must go through turmoil in order to reach the other side, to come out of our cocoon is pure faith. Faith in knowing that the Universe holds better things for us if we just allow it...

Flying with the Condor- Day 3

There's a lot to this painting... a lot of meaning for me personally. I spent this wonderful time in Peru this past spring with a friend of mine. I realized after returning that there is much more that I would like to see, Lake Titicaca being one of them.
She represents the Condor.
I am the tree. I use the image of a tree a lot.
I want to fly. I like flying. To see the earth from another perspective, above, makes me in awe of our amazing planet. So much to see. So much beauty!
In my spiritual life, I seek balance. I can be a bit too "flighty" and I'll chalk that up to having a predominance of Air signs and am very much in my head because of it. I do have some earth though, moon and rising sign and a Taurus husband. Very earthy. He keeps me rooted, maybe he would like me to be more rooted :-)
The painting is about transformation. How can I be rooted and still be true to myself and fly?
Probably no accident that I chose two panels here. The duality of life, trying to maintain balance. Keeping one foot rooted, while ready to take flight with new wings.
Bringing balance by listening to my heart more and not so much in my head.
Tomorrow I start another process of going through the chakras beginning with the root chakra. More on that later.
I need to refine it a bit and who knows if anything will be added, but I know one thing: Don't buy cheap canvas from Michaels anymore.

Day 2- a sketch

I had such a full day of work yesterday, that it wasn't until 9:00 when I was able to do anything creative for myself. I was watching a travel program on Easter Island and when they mentioned some similarities of stonework with Cusco, I was planted!
I did go get my sketchbook and played with an idea for the next step in my painting. I had an idea while doing this. I need a model and why not use the tv... there were some nice native bodies on this show :-)
Today I'll have the day for me... explore the inner depths of my being through art!
Image later.........

Creative Every day starts today

I was thinking of trying to get the Daily Devotion group started up, but I found this blog, Creative Every Day and joined up with them to help keep me motivated. I makes me feel as though I'm accountable.
Today as I was washing up after class and the strongest feeling of painting again, being in a studio and exhibiting came over me. This is what I want.
I love the classes and all I do, but it's time for me to get back into my own self-expression through painting. These canvases have been collecting dust long enough.
Just keep painting. And today I did.

Back to Creating

I painted today. Started a new canvas even though the other one isn't finished.

Actually I started two 8x10's. Sky with a bit of land. A mountaintop. I've got this urge to do some collaging but whenever I start painting it takes on a life of it's own and just wants to go somewhere else, so I let it.

My intention is to get back to painting or creating something everyday.

Yesterday on my walk I found this tree that was mostly changed. There are so many green trees still. Usually by Halloween all the leaves are down, let alone changed. Not yet though. Still very warm weather. Still getting figs and tomatoes as well. Oh life is good :-)

I'm not complaining!