The Artist's Way - Week 12

RECOVERING A SENSE OF FAITH

Week Twelve has arrived!!!! It's hard to believe that I've been working through this journey for the past three months.........and it's been quite a journey at that.

In this last chapter, Julia reminds us that creativity requires faith and that we need to trust our own inner guidance. We must surrender ourselves to the creative process and not try to control it. We need to allow time for ideas to hatch rather than force them because forcing them will only lead to blocks.

Julia points out that when we feel blocked in one creative area, our inner guidance will lead us to be creative in another area. I found this definitely applied to my current situation where, lately, I seem to be drawn to knitting and crochet instead of painting. I need to trust that this is happening for a reason and it's possible that my inner artist just needs a vacation at this time. I am so appreciative of all the support and encouragement that I received from my wonderful readers when I expressed my frustrations. Thank you! This brings me to another point Julia makes and that is to move silently among those who doubt our creative capabilities and to voice our creative plans, or concerns, only among our allies. My blogger friends have certainly been wonderful allies during this phase of my creative journey.

In one of the tasks this week, Julia asked that we select a God/Source/Creator/Universe jar in which we can place our fears, worries, hopes, dreams, etc. When something concerns us, or we want something to manifest in our life, we simply place it in our Source jar and we can then remind ourselves that God/Source has got our back so we need not worry or fuss any more about it.

Anywhoo, for my birthday earlier this year, Aaron made me this beautiful Wish jar and I have decided to use it to hold/release all my dreams, wishes, and troubles. It's perfect!

I now continue my creative journey with a renewal of my commitment to doing my Morning Pages (which I love) daily and to try and do better at taking myself on weekly Artist Dates (I've been pretty dismal on that score). I would like to congratulate my fellow bloggers who also participated in The Artist's Way course and I wish them well on their continuing journeys. It's been a pleasure to work through the course with them by my side.

Love, light and peace

The Artist's Way - Week 11 & check in

RECOVERING A SENSE OF AUTONOMY


ACCEPTANCE

Julia points out that being true to our inner artist often results in work that sells - but not always. The mistake we often make as artists is to value our work on its commercial capability rather than its true creative essence. Art is a personal and spiritual experience. It's part of who we are. We draw on our inner artist to encourage a piece to come forth and this is what we should be giving value to, not judging it by whether or not it has market value. We need to validate the wonderful and amazing artists that we are. The need to create comes from a yearning deep within and this is where the true value and honour lies. It's important to surround ourselves with people who understand this and support us. If our goal is only to make money, then we have basically sold our inner artist over to commercialism and we lose sight of the true value in our work. We need to create what we are drawn to create...simple as that.

SUCCESS
Creativity is a spiritual practise.
It is not a business; though it may generate business.

We often get lost in the money-making side of things. When we find the success we have been hoping for, we are then faced with....now what? We start to feel the pressure to stay at the top or to keep producing better and better work. Stress quickly follows and before we know it, we're blocked creatives. (To clarify - This certainly isn't meaning that we shouldn't sell our work or strive for success in our art but, during the process, we shouldn't lose sight of our true creative soul.)

THE ZEN OF SPORTS

This category is what best suits me, I think, as Julia speaks of blocked creatives who think of all the things they want to do but don't. Yep, that's me.

To move past this type of creative block, we need to move out of our head and into our work. Creativity needs action so we must learn the art of doing.

To kick start our bodies, Julia recommends a daily 20 minute walk. Inspiration is everywhere. We often hear of people referring to Zen moments while they are exercising which essentially is tapping into their well of creativity and connecting with their souls. Successful people will often say their best ideas or solutions came to them while in their 'Zen' moments.

To keep the body in good health is a duty;
Otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear.
---Buddha

BUILDING YOUR ARTIST'S ALTAR

Morning pages are a meditation...a practise that brings us closer to our creativity and Higher Self. It helps the process even more if we devise rituals to help keep us spiritually centred. Julia suggests creating an artist's altar in a special room or corner for this very purpose. We can fill our altar with things that make us happy.....things that hold special meaning for us. We can create small, self-devised rituals that are good for our soul.

Part of the wall behind my studio altar

Think dance, music, scent, shells, rock, texture, beautiful pictures.....make it a sensory experience.

part of my studio altar

Okay, my artist's altar needs some dressing up but this is the way it has been for about a year now. This altar is in my studio and I like the idea of burning incense and listening to music while I paint. I'm in the process of making an altar in my bedroom too. I do have a small visual one in my bedroom but I'd like to make it more of a working focus in my daily rituals.

By developing a ritual, we are honouring our inner artist and helping to maintain focus on the creative being within.

WEEK ELEVEN CHECK-IN

How many days this week did I do my morning pages? All bar one.
Did I take myself on an artist's date this week? No. This is clearly one area throughout the course that I have sadly been lacking in. Obviously, I need to address this more fully.
Did I experience any synchronicity? I don't think so.
Were there any other issues significant to my recovery? As pointed out previously, the area that keeps resurfacing for me throughout this course has been to stop thinking about what I want to create and just DO it!

WOW! I can hardly believe next week will be the last week of The Artist's Way course! Now that I'm feeling so much better after my bout with asthma, chest infection and migraines over the past five weeks, I'm looking forward to implementing a lot of the tools I have learned through the course.

Love, light and peace

The Artist's Way - Week 10 & check in

RECOVERING A SENSE OF SELF-PROTECTION

This week was all about recognising the toxic patterns we hang on to as a way to avoid moving forward and taking risks with our creativity.

Some of these toxins may present themselves in various ways such as eating habits, alcohol, emotional pain, sex, and work. Sometimes, people hold on to these to the point of abuse and it becomes a toxic situation causing creative blocks.

As with most of the chapters in The Artist's Way, I feel it's all to do with our fear of taking risks so we hang onto the familiar in what we perceive as safe and supposedly secure territory. As we move forward through the healing process, we are able to recognise the toxins/blocks for what they are and we realise that we can put our creative energies to better use.

In one of the tasks this week, Julia asked us to make a list of things we love - Happiness Touchstones. We then post the list somewhere to remind us that these are our own personal touchstones. A reminder that we can take time out to love and nurture ourselves. We ARE deserving creative beings.

My Happiness Touchstones -
(though I know there will be more that come to mind later)

My kids
My parents
My dog, Cody
My friends

Painting
Knitting
Sewing
Crochet
Crafting

Reading books
Just kicking back and relaxing
Meditation
Scented candles
Incense
Gemstones

Small, smooth river stones
Clouds
Moon
Smell of rain
Bottle trees
Cacti/succulents

Wolves
Birds
Whales
Dolphins
Animals, in general

Hippy/Bohemian style
Gypsy style skirts
Wrap-around Skirts
Flannelette PJs
Long, dangling earrings
Large hoop earrings
Beaded jewellery
Silver jewellery

Thongs (footwear)
Sandals

My tattoo

My Canon IXUS 80 camera
My computer

Long country drives
Walking in nature
Walks on the beach
Collecting shells
Eating fish and chips by the sea
Browsing markets for handmade wares
Browsing book shops
Browsing art supply shops

Frangipanis (Plumeria)
Roses
Lavender
Daffodils

Blues, greens, and purple colour combos
I also like orange, pink and red colour combos

Watching DVDs/movies
Listening to music
Blogging and reading other blogs

Green tea
Curry and rice (Indian or Thai)
Fried rice
Mashed potatoes
Fried Mushrooms in garlic cream sauce
Roast vegetables
Salad wraps
Fresh fruit
Fresh baked bread
Home-made apple pie
Devonshire Tea (scones with jam and whipped cream)
Bartlett's sherbet fountains
Peanut brittle
Dark Chocolate
Home-made marshmallow squares coated with toasted coconut
Fruitcake
Red Rock Deli sea salt potato chips
Samboy Barbecue potato chips

Miniature boxes
Tiny notebooks
Sun catchers


CHECK-IN FOR WEEK TEN

Did I do my morning pages? I missed a couple of days...was still battling sickness.

Did I go on my artist date? See above.

Did I experience any synchronicity? None.

Any issues significant to my creative recovery? I really need to create a better time management plan. I spend too much time at the computer and also watching DVDs.

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WOW! Just two more weeks until the end of The Artist's Way course! I'm proud of myself for hanging in there despite battling sickness for the past four weeks. The good news is that I'm feeling much better as far as my chest infection goes.....the antibiotics finally kicked in. YAY! The bad news is that I've had migraines for the past two days. I just can't seem to win a trick lately. I'm staying positive though and I actually took some steps towards getting back to the studio. I made up fresh stay-wet palettes and refreshed the water jars a couple of days ago....and today, I cut up some blank mantra/affirmation cards as I plan on finishing the deck I started painting earlier this year. I've had an idea for another painting floating around in my head for a few weeks now so I hope to get some rough sketches drawn up for that soon too. Baby steps.........

Love, light and peace

The Artist's Way - Week 9 & check in

RECOVERING A SENSE OF COMPASSION

I had a terrible Artist's Way week health-wise and, while I did read the chapter and do some of the tasks, I didn't get to process the information as much as I would have liked. For week 9, Julia gave us permission to READ the morning pages we have been writing since the beginning of the course. We were to highlight any insights, note areas where action is needed, and note any repetition. I am yet to explore my morning pages but I'll report on my findings next week.

This past week, we were to delve into our inner blocks, not external ones.

• Fear of putting ourselves out there.


• Being too hard on ourselves to the point where we lose our enthusiasm.


• Making up excuses not to progress further on our creative journey because we experience a hurdle. Julia calls them Creative U-turns.

Then Julia discusses how to break through the blocks that are stopping us from moving forward.

One of the tasks was to visualise and write about our goal already being accomplished but to write about it in the present tense. My dilemma is that I don't think I have a goal. I can't decide which direction or style of art I truly want to pursue. I'm reminded of that saying - Jack of all trades, Master of none. Is not having a set goal really such a bad thing at my age? I feel content and happy to just paint for my own joy and not necessarily because I want to sell my art. Of course, the latter would be nice as it would supplement my meagre income but then....I'm back at square one.....what to paint? Realistic animals, motivational/spiritual, Goddess art, mixed media abstract????? I just can't make up my confused, little mind!!! Geez, I can get so frustrated with myself at times! It's not like I'm setting off to climb Mount Everest. Somebody....ANYBODY....please do my a favour and just hit me upside the head, will you?!

I guess my main focus is about living joyfully in each moment of each day rather than pressuring myself to make choices or achieve goals. I much prefer the relaxed attitude of - I'll get there when I get there. I'm truly happy to just plod along and see where I end up so it's hard for me when books talk about choosing goals and aiming for them.

Since doing The Artist's Way twice before, I can see that I've changed my whole mind-set. Back then, my goal had been to teach art and I achieved that, though it wasn't what I expected. I found myself feeling totally drained of creative energy after giving my all to my students and wound up with no time for my own art. I quit teaching numerous students and now, I continue to teach one student, once a week, which seems to fit in much better with my more relaxed approach. Maybe my goal in processing The Artist's Way this time around is more about enjoying my creative life without pressure. I like the sound of that!

CHECK IN FOR WEEK NINE

Did I do my morning pages? For the first time, I missed days of doing my morning pages....FIVE days, in fact. No excuse except to say I felt miserable and totally drained.

Did I go on my artist date? See above.

Did I experience any synchronicity? None.

Any issues significant to my creative recovery? Perhaps the realisation that I'm happy where I'm at.

Next week, we discuss recovering a sense of self-protection.

I'll get the boxing gloves ready.

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photo courtesy of jamie ridler

After a few weeks of ill health due to asthma and subsequent chest infection, I've decided to lighten some of my load and, sadly, The Joy Diet will be one of the casualties. I must admit that the Creativity week did bring me to the realisation that the book was not for me as it was beginning to touch on areas I have already dealt with and released via help from other books I've read over the past couple of years. I certainly don't want to re-hash it all again so, while I'm no longer following the Joy Diet process, I do wish all my fellow Joy Dieters a joyful journey as they continue on their way without me.

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On another note, I'm happy to report that I'm feeling a lot better today after being on the antibiotics for the past two days. I'm no longer feeling miserable....a little drained and weak but that will get better too. YAY! Hopefully, I'll get into the studio over the coming days.

love, light and peace

the artist's way - week eight & check-in

I went to the doctor on Tuesday and was diagnosed with bronchial asthma.....not good for me but that would explain why it felt like I was carrying a brick around inside my chest for the past week. That dust storm three weeks ago was the cause and now I have a stronger preventer inhaler to use twice a day, as well as, a reliever puffer to use at four hourly intervals. As yet, I'm not feeling too much relief but we did have another dust storm yesterday which didn't help matters. I'll go back to the doctor if I'm not noticing a huge improvement by the weekend. Thank you all so much for the well wishes!

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THE ARTIST'S WAY - WEEK EIGHT

Recovering a sense of Strength

As I've been pretty sick with the bronchial asthma, I didn't do too much on the physical side of the tasks but I did focus on the theory.

In this chapter, Julia talks of how artists can be deeply wounded by harsh criticism. Constructive criticism is fine because it helps our creative growth but criticism that is harsh and has no real foundation can be crippling. Teachers and mentors can often be the main culprits as they will put a blanket judgement over our creative efforts without bothering to acknowledge the creative potential that is there. We must learn to move through this painful time by acknowledging it. The trick is to convert the emotional pain into energy. We must reach for and focus on what we want. When hit by loss, we must ask "What next?" not "Why me?".

Man can learn nothing except by going from the known to the unknown ~
Claude Bernard

When one avenue of creativity is blocked, find another. The key to recovery is to take action.

Saying we are too old to attempt something creative is a cop out. It's an evasive tactic to avoid facing our fear. This also occurs at the other end of the scale....young people will say that they will do something creative when they retire. Again, it is a fear-based excuse.

Julia makes a good point that creativity occurs in the moment and that, in that moment, we are timeless. Our fear, not time, is what truly holds us back. The journey of a thousand miles begins with with just one step. By focusing on the doing in each 'now' moment, we live the adventure, whereas focusing only on the end result can often feel like it is out of our reach.

It can help to break a goal down into smaller steps and just focus on doing those steps one at a time and eventually we will reach the goal. Even the simplest of actions is taking a step in the right direction.

I didn't realise I was creatively talented until I was well into my late thirties and that realisation came by total accident. I must say that, since I took up art, I have had nothing but support and encouragement from my family and friends so I don't think I can blame criticism for any creative blocks I may be dealing with.

I turned 50 this year and, while I am happy with my achievements to date, there is so much I want to try artistically. As I've noted in previous posts, my desire to try out different art forms often leaves me feeling confused about which one to focus on, thereby, never taking that first step forward. From this chapter, I have re-learned that, instead of procrastinating over what direction I want to take, I should just do something in line with my art...anything, even something small! It's a whole lot better than wasting time procrastinating which only leads to me doing nothing anyway....such a waste of time!

I can take the small steps first.....I can refill the dirty water jars with fresh water, I can prepare some fresh stay-wet palettes, I can put a coat of gesso on a canvas, I can tidy up my art space, I can do some sketching or doodling, etc.....all those small actions are part of the bigger picture. I can make a committment to take one small creative action daily and live the adventure instead of just thinking about it.

One of the exercises was to choose a colour and describe ourselves as that colour -
I am blue! Cool, calming, peaceful and spiritual though, like the ocean, I have many moods. I can be soft like a dawn sky or vibrant and strong like a stormy sea. My deepest blue is my portal to the spiritual realms where I connect with my soul.

WEEK EIGHT - CHECK IN

Did I do my morning pages? Every day except one due to being so sick.

Did I go on my artist date? I'm counting our country drive as an artist date because, even though others were with me, I did go exploring on my own and it was fun and refreshing.

Did I experience any synchronicity? I found it interesting that The Joy Diet topic for this same week was about taking one creative action daily. This is where I should hit myself over the head and say.....read the signs, girl! Read the signs!

Any issues significant to my creative recovery? The realisation that I need to just do.....take the small steps instead of procrastinating and wasting time.

Silly me - In this post, I mistakingly thanked one of our Artist Way members for sending me an unsigned postcard as one of our assignments from week six of The Artist's Way. I didn't realise at the time that the postcard, in fact, came from Ricë Freeman-Zachary advertising her latest book - Creative Time and Space - which looks like a fabulous book I might add. The neat timing of receiving a postcard on creating time and space didn't escape my attention. Yet another sign that perhaps I am on the right track?

Anywhoo, my apologies and sincerest thanks goes out to debra as I DID receive your lovely postcard in the mail today! It was a lovely surprise!

love, light and peace

the artist's way - week seven & check-in

THE ARTIST'S WAY - WEEK SEVEN & CHECK-IN



this week was all about recovering a sense of connection

julia talks of having the right attitude for creativity and how our receptive skills are just as important as our active skills.

LISTENING

the universe is helping us but we need to be receptive. a lot of accomplished artists will comment about how a successful idea just came to them in a dream or a thought on the wind. intuitive art is a great example of listening to the voice within and going with the flow.
i'm learning to listen to the voice within.

PERFECTIONISM

perfectionism can be a huge block because, quite often, a perfectionist is so focused on 'getting it right' that they lose the spontenaity and passion required to truly give life to a piece. i really need to sit up and take notice of this one because one of my biggest faults is being a perfectionist. i think this is part of the reason i have found myself drawn to mixed media, free-style, and abstract type art lately.....it's an inner attempt to release the ball and chain of perfectionism that has been holding me back. last week, i went through a period of frustration relating to my creativity until i stopped trying to force the painting to happen. i took a step back and got a totally different image in my mind and i went for it....funnily enough, the painting is now flowing much better and i'm enjoying the process.

RISK

the unlived life is not worth living

our fears often hold us back from living more adventurous and joyful lives but, by taking the small steps of living joyfully in each moment, we open ourselves up to creative energy. instead of judging and comparing our creative attempts, we would delight in the process of doing. i am learning to go with the flow and enjoy each moment.

JEALOUSY

jealousy can also be another drawback as it takes us away from our own path of creativity. i don't see myself as a jealous person, however, i do wish i could be as good as some of the artists i admire. i definitely don't begrudge them their talents and i am genuinely happy for them and supportive of their success.

all in all, this week was a great reminder that i need to just let things flow and the connection to my creativity will happen more freely. i'm still not 100% health-wise so i didn't get too many of the tasks done but i will definitely re-visit them later.

WEEK SEVEN CHECK-IN

did i do my morning pages each day? yes and they did reveal some important insights that i had been struggling with creatively.

did i go on an artist date? no but i am definitely going to try and make more of an effort. i think it's a matter of making time.

any synchronicity? not this week.

any other issues significant to my recovery? the realisation that i need to just relax and not force outcomes when it comes to my creative endeavours.

last but not least, i would like to say a huge thank you to the artist way member who sent me a postcard for week six. you didn't sign the card so i don't know who to thank by name but it was a lovely surprise!

love, light and peace

monday's photo-a-week & artist's way week six check-in

MONDAY PHOTO A WEEK

i really don't have a lot to offer this week, sorry. the dust storm played havoc with my health and i ended up battling a severe dose of blocked sinuses which had me feeling pretty much miserable all week. the only highlight was when the kids and i went out to a family dinner in celebration of reece's 21st birthday on sunday night. i didn't even get pics.

i snapped the picture below at aaron's school this morning -

australian bottlebrush tree
click on image to enlarge

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THE ARTIST'S WAY - WEEK SIX & CHECK-IN

this week was all about recovering a sense of abundance. i have to admit that, due to being out of sorts with my sinuses, i found it diffucult to put my all into this chapter and subsequent tasks. i didn't do them all but i did try.

i have my postcard ready to post.
i found five rocks which act as reminders of my creative consciousness....i have placed them in a small pouch to carry with me.

julia also asks what gives us true joy? the answer is different for everyone and it can be the littlest of things, such as, enjoying a bowl of raspberries which was an example given by julia. i think, for me, it would be spending time with my kids, a trip to the beach, or listening to a variety of music while i am painting.

WEEK SIX CHECK-IN

did i do my morning pages each day? yes, though my heart wasn't really in it because of feeling so miserable.

did i go on an artist date? no. i have found that artist dates have been my biggest hurdle each time i have done this course. is this saying that i'm not letting my inner artist explore and have fun?

any synchronicity? i wish.

any other issues significant to my recovery? i don't think so.

hopefully, i will have more to offer in week seven

love, light and peace

dust storm....the artist's way - week five & check in

yesterday, we had an incredible dust storm, something of which i've never seen here in south east queensland for as long as i can remember. the news said it hasn't happened in forty five years. even as we breathed we could feel the dust being inhaled so it wasn't a surprise that i woke up this morning feeling quite congested in my chest and had to use my preventer inhaler. i'm not a chronic asthmatic but i am prone to an asthmatic chest/cough under certain conditions. today everything, including the cars, is covered in a film of red dust which is basically made up of iron ore. mother nature graciously brought it to us on the gusty westerly winds all the way from the northern territory which is pretty much desert country. anywhoo, there will be a big clean-up this coming weekend when the local councils will lift water bans to allow residents to wash cars and clean down their homes etc.

the view from my front entrance around midday yesterday
click on image to enlarge

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THE ARTIST'S WAY - WEEK FIVE & CHECK-IN

recovering a sense of possibility

i actually found this week quite easy as julia speaks of the power of the universe and having faith and trust that the universe will find the quickest and best route to answer our dreams if we would only allow it to happen.

being a devotee of the abraham-hicks teachings, i believe wholeheartedly that we create our own reality. yes, a lot of times we will question the negative things happening around us not realising that, by placing focus on those negative areas, we only draw more of the same into our reality. things go wrong and, because they are not as we would want them to be, we say the universe does not provide and it's just a load of crap. we don't realise that those negative happenings are usually due to resistance we have had in some form or another and negative thoughts then block our dream path and only serve to attract more negative situations into our life.

the universe is all about law of attraction and it doesn't distinguish between negative or positive thoughts. what we think about, we bring about. if we think negative, we will definitely get more of the same and likewise for positive thinking....hence the reason that we often find positives starting to occur in our lives when, suddenly, something negative will arise. it's not easy to create a prosperous life by remaining fully focused on the positive aspects. we are only human after all and we often beat the drum of NOT having the prosperous and happpy life we so deeply wish for....but in beating that negative drum we are actually keeping our reality in the 'lack of' mode. i'll be the first to say that it sure takes a lot of faith and trust to just leave it all up to the universe to provide. it's very hard to avoid any negative thoughts when we have been conditioned by society to think in a certain way and it requires re-programming our mind-set. the more we focus on the positive by reaching for better feeling thoughts when faced with negative circumstances, the more we will start to see positive situations coming into our lives.

eckhart tolle speaks of the power of now....living each 'now' moment in a positive way. i believe this is a great method to keep our mind from focusing on negatives, either from our past or from worrying about what might happen. it's not always easy but we have the power to re-condition our thinking. we just have to put the request out there and leave it up to the universe to find the shortest and easiest route and then pay heed to the opportunities that the universe throws our way. so often, we are blinded to those opportunities because we are so set that it must happen in the way we expect rather than accepting that the universe knows better.

i must say that i'm not really sure what answering julia cameron's tasks will really achieve but i am holding faith that julia has her reasons. i guess, if anything, her questions do help to either generate some enthusiasm for the possibilities or the answers help us to see where our past or current creative blocks are. as i have done this course twice before, i looked back on my previous answers to some of the tasks, particularly those which related to my future hopes and dreams....to my surprise, about 40% of them did become a reality for me.

a couple of my answered tasks for week five-

if i were twenty and had money i would.....

1. help animals


2. travel frequently


3. go on a trek


4. photograph animals in the wild


5. be a prolific artist

if i were sixty-five and had money i would....

1. own my own home near the sea


2. own and run a craft/spiritual retreat


3. go on pleasure drives frequently


4. travel around australia in a campervan


5. be an accomplished artist

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WEEK FIVE CHECK-IN

did i do my morning pages each day? Yes. i LOVE my morning pages!
did i go on an artist date this week? NO! another crazy week filled up with other issues so no time for my artist date. self-sabotage?????
any synchronicity? i don't think so....if there was, i was blind to it.
any issues significant to my recovery? not really though i'm very much aware that i need to get into a routine of creativity.

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today, i would like to give some blog love to james oh. his blog uplifts me every time i visit it and, in this link, james shares some ideas on how to cope with getting older. his post was just what i needed to read today. thanks, james ~

love, light and peace

the artist's way - week four - check in

THE ARTIST'S WAY - WEEK FOUR

the drama, stress, and pain over the past week (see previous post) was actually well timed because it all effectively stopped me from reading blogs or books all week.....and week four was where julia cameron asked that we deprive ourselves of reading for the week. the reasoning behind 'reading deprivation' is that it gives us a vacant space to fill. suddenly we start taking more notice of the voice within and our own art and creativity start to break through. julia states that some artists find this to be a frightening and emotional stage though i have to say i have never felt that at this stage of the book. in the past i have found this stage to be quite enlightening as, instead of reading, i have found myself playing in my studio more. this time around was a little different though as i didn't have time on my hands to read and the 'space' was filled with stressful situations, not playful ones. though, there were good moments too, i guess.

snippets from my artist's way week -

five hobbies i think would be fun to do

1. sculpting


2. photography


3. making jewellery


4. origami


5. gemcutter - someone who cuts and polishes gemstones

how has your artists way journey been this week - week 4? it's been a whirlwind of drama and stress which were unrelated to my art or creative journey.

did you write about your self when you are 80 years old? i wrote about myself at 80 and also at the age of 8. we were asked to write a letter from our 80 year old self to ourselves in the here and now. we were asked to do the same from our 8 year old self. i quite enjoyed this task.

did you complete any of the set tasks at the end of the chapter? i did most of the tasks in this chapter apart from writing my own artist's prayer and extending an artist date.

if so, would you like to share or discuss? one of the tasks was to open my wardrobe and dispose of one low-self-worth outfit. i removed all the jeans and clothes that make me feel uncomfortable and, already today, i bought a few better feeling clothes to replace them. i feel so much better within myself already!

how are the morning pages going? i am happy to report that i completed my morning pages each morning despite the aches and pains. i was feeling drained and tired on a few mornings so i kinda rushed through the pages without any thought.....they will make an interesting read later in the course but, for now, we are not allowed to read over what we have written. once again, i wrote three affirmations out, five times each, at the end of each morning pages and i truly feel like these helped to keep me more focused.

did you 'give up' reading at all? yes, surprisingly! though, as mentioned above, i was very busy dealing with other stuff so didn't get any time to read anyways.

did i go on my artist's date? sort of.....i went to buy new lavender plants for my front entrance and i found this to be a very pleasant experience. i've always enjoyed browsing through plant nurseries and it certainly helped me de-stress from the run-in with michelle's crazy property manager.

on to WEEK FIVE....

love, light and peace

the artist's way - week three - check in

RECOVERING A SENSE OF POWER

this week covered the topics of anger, synchronicity, shame, and dealing with criticism which all play important roles in recovering our sense of power.

anger is a red flag telling us that a situation needs our attention. it lets us know when a situation just isn't right.

synchronicity is a universal response to a prayer/thought/request and we need to be open to receiving it.

shame is a controlling device that often cripples us emotionally and creatively. we have the power to break free.

criticism, if given in a constructive way, can be very helpful to our creative growth. whereas, criticism aimed to belittle, ridicule or shame is very damaging. julia gave us some useful tools to handle both types. for the constructive criticism, we can take notes and use it as a guide for future endeavours. for the harmful criticism, we can write a letter to the critic and defend our work but not mail the letter or we can see the criticism for what it is, choose to ignore it, and just keep on creating.

we were given an exercise to help weed out areas of our past that may have caused creative blocks.

1. my favourite childhood toy was my doll, bess.


2. my favourite childhood game was playing phantom agents with my brothers and sisters.


3. my favourite childhood movie was basically any movie that starred, shirley temple.


4. i don't do it much but i enjoy sitting at the beach and taking in the magnificent view of the sea.


5. if i could lighten up a little, i'd let myself go without makeup now and again.


6. if it weren't too late, i'd be more active at marketing my art.


7. my favourite musical instrument is the Native American flute.


8. the amount of money i spend on treating myself to entertainment each month varies month to month. entertainment for me is going to the movies...easy pleased.


9. if i weren't so stingy with my artist, i'd buy her a...... (to be honest, i don't think i'm stingy when it comes to my art. art supplies always win out over clothes, etc.)


10. taking time out for myself is lying on my bed reading a good book.


11. i'm afraid that if i start dreaming and those dreams come to fruition that i will be pushed outside of my comfort zone and fail.


12. i secretly enjoy reading....... well, geez, how boring am i?! no secret reading here.


13. if i had the perfect childhood i'd have grown up to be a woman brimming with self-confidence and a bubbly, fun personality.


14. if it didn't sound so crazy, i'd make a......(i was stumped on this one)....told you i'm boring.


15. my parents think artists are talented and creative. they are always singing my praises, bless their hearts.


16. my source/god thinks artists are perfect just the way they are.


17. what makes me feel weird about this recovery is that....(i don't really feel weird about it....anything that can open me up more creatively is something i get excited about).


18. learning to trust myself is something i'm getting better at.


19. my most cheer-me-up music is......funnily, i don't turn to music to cheer me up....usually i will watch some comedy movies/series....love watching the TV series, friends!


20. my favourite way to dress is long, flowing dresses/skirts and camisole tops.

A FEW OF THE OTHER TASKS WE WERE GIVEN

describe our childhood room
i can't remember my childhood room. for the life of me, i don't remember too much about my childhood at all. it's all quite vague in some areas but i answered where i could.

five traits i liked in myself as a child
loving, happy, giving, compassionate and imaginative

five favourite foods as a child
golden circle pineapple juice, fried rice, curry and rice, sausage rolls, jam and cream doughnuts.

five people i wish i had met but who are dead
princess diana, mahatma gandhi, joseph campbell, beatrix potter, sister teresa

WEEK THREE - CHECK IN

morning pages - yes, i did my morning pages daily. no real breakthroughs there though i am enjoying writing out three affirmations, five times each, at the end of my morning pages.

artist date - nope! i'm afraid the week was way too busy with helping michelle and alex move house. mind you, michelle and i have been on a few outings together which involved buying some art supplies so maybe i can count that?

synchronicity - i don't think anything happened that would fit into this area though i've been so busy, i may not have noticed anyway.

issues - no issues for me this week. i've been pretty much on a high with my daughter, michelle, moving closer.

and that about sums up my artist's way week

to read more from other artist's way members you can click the picture link at the beginning of this post.

love, light and peace

the artist's way - week two & check-in

WEEK TWO - RECOVERING A SENSE OF IDENTITY

this week, julia cameron helps us to recognise that which can interfere with our sense of identity and, in doing so, we can take a step towards recovering it.

OUR OWN SKEPTICISM - we often say that we are our own worst enemy and, in my case, that definitely rings true. i'm always doubting myself and my abilities. who do i think i am even considering that i am an artist? i'm just kidding myself. i'm a fraud! and so the onslaught continues but i am trying harder to give myself a more solid foundation....one where i can truly believe in myself. daily affirmations do help and being present in each moment helps me to focus where it's important.

EXTERNAL INFLUENCE - influence from those around us often plays a part in how we view ourselves too. their opinions, needs, and interests sometimes become entangled in our own identity to the point where we lose ourselves along the way without even realising it. then there are the crazymakers, or toxic people. they are the ones who don't respect our needs, goals, or interests. the ones who will phone you, or just show up, despite the fact that you had already informed them that you would be busy working on something. these crazymakers love drama, usually all about them, and they aren't happy unless they involve you too. more often than not, we don't have the strength to say NO as we are more afraid of hurting them rather than pointing out that they are not respecting our needs. i have had people just like this in my life but, thankfully, i let them go for the sake of my own wellbeing.

FOCUS - julia cameron also talks about paying attention to the now. if you are regular readers, you will know that i'm a huge fan of the power of now concept. moment by moment, we make our way through life and, by being aware and fully present in each of those moments, we can make our lives so much richer. by connecting and feeling a sense of acceptance, peace, and joy in each present moment, we are able to release any burdens we are carrying and heal any pain. julia cameron's example speaks of when she heard the news of her mother's death. she sat on a hill behind her house and focused on a beautiful snowy moon rising behind the trees. it was a healing experience and now, when she thinks of her mother's death, she remembers, with tenderness, that same moon which helped her to cope with the pain of loss. since i've been focusing more in the now moments over the past two years, i can honestly say my life has become more calm, peaceful, and joyful even in the midst of chaotic times. i do lapse at times....i am human after all but, because i am more aware now, i pull myself back into gear much faster than i used to. i am paying more attention to the details.

WEEK TWO CHECK-IN

i did my morning pages faithfully each day.

i actually managed to do my artist's date which involved a simple trip to a couple of local secondhand shops to browse for goodies that i might use in my art. while i was a little disappointed in the limited amount of wares, i thoroughly enjoyed the date with my artist self.

i managed to do all the tasks one of which was listing 20 things i enjoy doing -

1. quality time with my kids


2. painting


3. crafting


4. walking


5. going to the beach


6. collecting shells


7. relaxing with a good book


8. watching movies at home or at the cinema


9. playing with cody, my dog


10. visiting family and friends


11. listening to music


12. browsing book/art/craft stores


13. knitting


14. long, country drives


15. meditating


16. collecting shells


17. playing games with my parents and the kids


18. playing bejeweled and moraff's morejong on the computer


19. eating a nice meal out


20. picnics


21. blogging

in week one, we were asked to list five imaginary lives which i didn't list on my blog last week but, seeing as how julia asked us to add five more imaginary lives this week, i thought i'd list all ten today.

1. running a shelter for homeless animals


2. vet


3. park ranger


4. managing a bed and breakfast in the coastal hinterland


5. nature photographer


6. aromatherapist


7. spiritual teacher


8. yoga instructor


9. interior decorator


10. feng shui consultant

the artist's way journey this time around is confirming that i am on track though it will be interesting to see what unfolds as i progress further into the book.

feel free to read what other artist's way participants have to share at this link.

love, light and peace

photo-a-week and the artist's way check-in

HI everyone!

yes, i'm still here...

it's been so crazy this past week! appointments, celebrations, distractions - good and bad. plus i was barely at the computer all week due to being knocked back to almost dial-up speeds on the internet for four whole days!!! this was all due to my darling sons going a little crazy this past month with downloads thereby putting us over our monthly download limit. i was not a happy girl being without my daily blog fixes. it was sheer torture for me but now i'm looking forward to catching up with everyone's blogs over the coming days.

the timing worked out well though because i received a custom order last week and, with no internet to tempt me away from the studio, i was able to devote some precious time to working on the order which is almost finished. i have yet to paint the writing on the scroll but, when finished, this wooden plaque will be gifted to a dear, sweet lady for her 80th birthday.

work in progress
click on any image to enlarge

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MONDAY PHOTO-A-WEEK (late again, sorry)

my mum and dad celebrated their 54th wedding anniversary on august 20th so bradley and i decided to take them out to lunch. michelle and alex, plus my brother and his wife, were also able to come along and we all enjoyed a lovely lunch and afternoon together!

here is a pic i took of the family group


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THE ARTIST'S WAY - WEEK ONE



RECOVERING A SENSE OF SAFETY

this week, julia cameron asked us to explore some of the monsters from our past. monsters who have effected the way we view ourselves as creative beings. a hurtful or tactless statement from someone, whether it be a stranger, teacher, family member, or even a friend, can seriously wound our inner artist to the point where we can feel crippled creatively.

i can still remember one example in my own life quite vividly. i had proudly shown a friend my very first art piece that i had painted in a class and she responded with fits of laughter. she smugly stated that i had wasted $10 on learning how to colour-in. of course, there was so much more i had learned in my first lesson.....working with acrylic paint and brush control being two of the main things. this friend continued to laugh and make fun of me and her words made me feel so small. i bravely held back the tears and told her that i didn't need that type of friendship in my life. while that incident stayed with me, i chose to focus on the enjoyment i felt when i was painting and, over time, art has become a huge part of my life. have you recognised similar patterns in your own creative journey?

then, julia asked that we remember the champions of our creative self-worth. another school mum, also a friend, was the champion who taught me the basic folk art techniques all those years ago. raya, if you're reading this - THANK YOU! your encouragement and praise meant so much to me and you helped me to believe in my creative abilities to the point where i was able to continue painting and learning from art books when you left the area.

my family have also been champions of my artistic adventures and i'm so grateful for their support.

i discovered the world of blogs over the past couple of years and i have since been blessed with even more champions and i am deeply grateful to each and every one of you. yes, you know who you are. THANK YOU!

THE ARTIST'S WAY - week one check-in

yes, i did write in my morning pages each morning for the past week.

but, no, i didn't get a chance to schedule in my artist's date with having so much on my plate. it was a VERY busy week!

were there any issues that may be significant to my recovery? YES! as mentioned above, i received a custom order a week ago but the client needed it finished and ready within two weeks. as i'm generally so busy in my life outside of art, i normally require at least four weeks to allow myself time to create the design, paint the design, varnish the finished piece, and then allow some time for the piece to cure before wrapping. as the client is a friend of the family i told her i would try to finish it in time. anyways, i had nothing but drama from the get-go....the painting process just wasn't working out and i was panicking big-time! i started from scratch at least three times until i was finally comfortable enough with how it was looking. during the whole process, i was very derogatory to myself and my capabilities as an artist, so i'm wondering if my own name should be added to the list of monsters who diminish my creativity?

feel free to read what other artist's way participants have to share at this link.


love, light and peace

THE ARTIST'S WAY & another sketch

last week my blog friend, robyn, mentioned that she was going to work her way through the book, the artist's way written by julia cameron, for the second time and invited readers to join her. i only read her post a few days ago and decided instantly that i would like to participate. i bought my copy of the artist's way back in 2002 and, since then, i have worked through this book two times fully and have re-read the book for a third time. i am so excited to be working through this old favourite once again. if you would like to join us, robyn has set up a blog here specifically for our artist's way group. you can go to robyn's profile page where you will find her email address. just let robyn know that you would like to join us and she will then add you to our list of participants.

the artist's way is basically laid out over a twelve week course which you commit to following in the introduction chapter. it's all about discovering and recovering your creative self. if you are feeling blocked, feel like you have lost direction, or just want to encourage your creative self to be more prominent in your life, THIS is the book for you.

robyn can correct me if i'm wrong but we will be starting off the first week on wednesday, august 12th. (see update below) don't let that put you off though.....i remember when i participated in the soul coaching journey last november, i came across jamie ridler's book blogging group by total chance, only a few days before they were about to start the soul coaching book. the desire to participate was strong so i raced out the next day, bought the book, and threw myself into the course over a 30 day period. it was full-on, involved daily blogging, and i had an absolute ball! i met so many wonderful women some of whom i still keep in touch with via their blogs. IT WAS SO MUCH FUN!

UPDATE - as we've had some newcomers sign up for the artist's way group, robyn has postponed the start date until wednesday, august 19th. this will give everyone time to get a copy of the book and read through the introduction chapters in time for next wednesday's start. there is still time to join us. i'm sooooooooo looking forward to it!

with the artist's way, it will only involve posting once a week for the weekly check-in. we will be reading each weekly chapter, writing our morning pages privately, going on an artist's date once a week, and doing some of the weekly tasks that julia cameron lists for us. at the end of each week, we can blog about our week on our own blogs and/or our artist's way blog. it's not too late to come along and share the journey with us.

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another everyday matters sketch notched up on the weekend
graphite & micron pigma pen in A5 sketchbook
click on image to enlarge

love, light and peace