DO You Wanna Play??? Is Art is a scary Word?

Lets Play.  Lets do art for arts sake!  Lets forget the rules and explore where we can go with play.

If Art seems scary because you forgot how to play then  its time to break out the box and see what's inside.   Its through play that we find new things and those things that seemed scary slowly fade away.  So take off your thinking cap and just explore with your hands what you have forgotten.

I hope that we have all played at some point in our lives before the teachers, parent or other serious beings  voice encamped your brain and you no longer could PLAY!   Fear not if you feel you never got to play not all is lost and it is most definitely never too late, maybe a bit more awkward or a bit fumbly, but not too late and I guarantee once you take off your but "I Should Hat" you will enjoy playing.  

Begin by opening your arms wide and leap into play with not expectations.  We are not creating for someone, or creating something even though it might end up for someone or a really cool something.  The purpose is just to explore and play.  

Some rules to play 

1.   MORE THAN ONE SHEET OF PAPER  is allowed and highly recommended, if any of you had teachers and art projects were scarcity was involved time to let it go!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Art for art sake is not a place to be scarce.

2.  MAKE MANY MISTAKES  this is a place to make so-called mistakes and make them into something new, see were they can take you, and if you must call them mistakes listen to what the mistakes are telling you about your self and  your play.  maybe your "I should hat is still on"  There is always a place to learn

3.  Take breaks  make sure you walk away from you play and come back and revisit if and look at it from a different view

4. Have fun!

5.  Open your heart!  It never lies.  THis is why opening your arms wide helps it opens the center the heart charkra.  Could be why hugs feel so good.  We open and then embrace or massage the center the heart.  

More to follow

Me and My Girl

Me and my girl, my love, my light, my inspiration for being a better person, artist and my gosh so much more, but then there are those moments when you just have to walk away as a parent and collect yourself for a moment.

When my girl was little I bought my first two huge blank and at the time intimidating canvases. Well I guess, she decided to make my work a bit easier. She was by no means afraid of the large blank canvas and was excited to get on with the art. She got a hold of a pencil and drew all over my second canvas, my art mommy...see.

Yes, Mom was not too happy. They were my canvases. Mine! Well, after I cooled down I looked at the beautiful lines she had so innocently created, I could not paint over them and so they sat on the white canvas for some time actually a few years until I decided what to do.

I know that many would call the lines scribble but I saw the art and beauty in the simple drawings. The primitive beginnings of my girl's lines. I decided to honor my daughters attempt to create her own first large scale canvas even though it was not planned to be hers.

The lines sat alone on the large canvas with no color forgotten in a pile of other artwork until my son began Kindergarten. The kids often see me paint and are always asking when we can paint together, so the idea was born. Since my kids are close in age it had been rare to get that one on one girl time and so I decided we could paint together. We decided to make her canvas a joint effort since after all it was my canvas and so we sat down one beautiful day and created this canvas together. We chose colors we both enjoy and had a fun time, we were both in the moment together. It was special because it is usually the three of us and Mary got mom all to herself with a huge canvas to prove that we spent quality time together. We had just enough time to finish and then before you new it was time to pick Jack up. What a wonderful memory for the two of us and a cool piece of art to display that has lots of meaning for the two of us girlie's.
I am so grateful to have my daughters first attempts of people preserved on a canvas. Those primitive lines, that freedom that many try to capture as artist, but are not free enough to do so. The beauty in the untrained art is something many artists take years to acquire. As an artist it is so pleasing to see freedom and uninhibited lines in the work of those who create from a knowing place.

I hope you all get a chance to create art that is you, dig deep and find the place that lives inside each of us, that place that has something to say or share. Don't try to make a finished project, just give yourself the freedom to explore the canvas as you would a newfound town in a foreign country. Explore! Choose new colors, lines and shapes. Try not to expect it to be anything familiar, but do take the time to enjoy it as it is and for what it is. If you have small children and are afraid of the mess I challenge you let go of it and just paint. Painting is not supposed to be clean. Creativity can be very messy. Explore and let go!

Happy Creating!
Happy Painting!

"All Hearts" My first Canvas and attempt at Acrylic Paint

September 5, 2008

 

"All Hearts" is a painting that is very personal to me on many levels of which I won't go into great detail.  

We all have times in our lives where things are not going as planned and we seem stuck, so why not paint a huge heart to help move the blockage and create something new, that's exactly what I did and I hung it in a place that would greet my family and me every day.  It served as a reminder for me each time I passed and helped me open and learn.   

This heart was born out of one of my late night inspirational meditations around the healing and growth, in which my family needed and so I included them in it as well.  My heart painting has been predominately displayed in our home since I painted many years ago when the kids were still in preschool.  

Hearts are personal on many levels to my family and me.  My own dad often bought sweet jewelry out of hearts or red jewels for my mother throughout their relationship and when I met Michael, we somehow began our own tradition, which included jewelry with hearts and red stones.  Michael has purchased me many things that have symbolic red and white jewels, and or a tiny heart display and often circles representing the constant change we go through and the union we have created our circle of our commitment to each other.  My first wedding ring has two tiny ruby hearts on both sides.  The first ring Michael ever bought me was circle of teeny diamond chips and a row of tiny red jewel that intercepted it.  Nothing big in value but deep in meaning for the both of us.  

Writing this got me on a thought wave about the importance of creativity and how it can be a catalyst of change in ones life.  I was looking up the meaning of creativity and pulled up a few definitions.  I find it amusing that Art and many Art forms are deemed extra curricular still today.  I just think it is such an outdated view of what Art is and can do. Here are a few definitions of the meaning creative and creating.  Think about the skill that they can teach. We are not talking about filling in bubbles here or busy work even though Art is often categorized as not a necessity.  Art has the power to do so much and even if we take it for just extra curricular activity and not see its full value of creating citizens whom can think, what about citizens whom can feel good about something that they take pride in and enjoy.  Well, here are the few definitions.  Think about them and think about were they can be useful.

A few definitions of creative:

-- having the ability or power to create; "a creative imagination"

-- promoting construction or creation; "creative work"

 creating:  having the ability or power to create: "a creative  imagination"

creating:  action of the verb to create

-- can the student create new product or point of view?

assemble, construct, create, design, develop, formulate, write    

-- generating new ideas, products, or ways of viewing things (designing, constructing, planning, producing, inventing)

So back to my canvas, "All Hearts," which is the real title of the painting. 

This is a canvas, my first canvas that I did not plan on purchasing, it was actually purchased while I was on a shopping spree for the Coop nursery school my kids attended.  I came home with two huge intimidating blank canvases.   Late one night, (I do a lot of 11 p.m. or latter inspiration paintings) I asked my husband what should I paint and he said paint me a big heart, so I did and this was the result.    

It was not only healing it was truly creating a new and better pathway for the things in my life that were stuck.  Painting it helped me open and grow in ways I would only explain to my most intimate friends, but I do want to share this with you because the act of painting and or attempting Art the art form many school budgets have cut, and people belittle as being a craft or hobby has the ability in its pure form to be full of unbelievable teachable moments.  

The definition of creative is everything one needs to be super successful, and yet it is so under funded and undervalued.  The old saying, "Teach a man to fish..."   "Well I say teach them Art".  Teach the kids to think, explore, make many mistakes, correct them, rework, fail, yes fail and learn from the failures, and then go back and redesign.  Do Art. Create.... not the kind that you fill in the lines, although that has its purpose for assessment and such, I mean create.  Give permission to brainstorm and who cares what it is or looks like, permission to make one thousand mistakes and move beyond the mistakes.  Permission to open your arms wide and just let go.  This doesn't happen everyday.

"All Hearts" is about being open and letting go of the outdated and being wide open for hurt, pain and whatever awaits.  Letting the love and creative force in. 

I want everyone to feel as though they can paint their own heart or even tell your story and have someone paint it for you to display in your home.  I would gladly make a commissioned one especially for you if you choose, but I would hope that if painting is not your thing that you find a place to create your own Art.  It doesn't matter if it's Physical Art, theater, music, dance etc.  Find something that you do and enjoy the process and see were it takes you.

Open your heart to your Art!

What's your favorite color????

 Oh to be a kid again!  NO Way!  

Those simple questions like:  "What's your favorite Color?" were humiliating for the terribly shy, overly polite and artistic kid that I was.   

My response to "What's your favorite Color?" was always the rainbow.  If I really wanted to try to conform, I would break it down to two or three colors but even that felt awkward, it wasn't my truth.  Well as I grew I became aware that others really did only have one favorite color and this cause inner turmoil for the rainbow girl.  

Now as a mother and art educator I am quickly to say its OK to love all the colors...I do, but today maybe we can pick the color your most drawn too or in the mood for on a given day.  I give each and everyone that OK to love the rainbow.  I DO.... and it shows in my work.  I still find it hard to express the exact color I want.  Color is not an easy thing and should you find it difficult to tell what your favorite color is well that's because you are smart and realize color changes and even a simple color like white has thousands and thousands of hues.  I also believe we change and our colors we are drawn to change depending on were we are at in our lives.  

Does anyone else feel this way about color? Do you think about color?  Are you drawn to certain colors?  Color is such a personal thing.  

I once bought an blanket from Ikea that was a beautiful red and it had a modern design with black circles...well I normally love this hue but when I got it home and put it in the room it was supposed to live in it make me feel very uncomfortable.  The modern black circles became target rings and it was very bothersome, it by the way went back to the store in a very prompt fashion.  So, there you have it color depends on so much: light, mood, space, experience, individual and so on. We all experience it differently!

I would love to hear about your views and experience with the wonderful world of color. By the way, I am no longer embarrassed about my color choices and they change often.  

Happy Rainbow!!

 

Enter Dog to the Family Mix

September 4, 2008

Well, we have an unexpected  new member to add to the family mix.  Michael and I were just saying the day before while speaking in the garden, I miss having little something at our feet and bammoo.  I was thinking maybe a garden cat or tiny something but I guess there was a tiny little rescue waiting for us in the wings.  

  The very next day I got a phone call that a sweet dog need a home and or would be returned to the shelter within two hours.  Well, watch out for what you wish for or at least wish good!!   I certainly have something at my feet and I mean all day and night if I would let him. 

 Our new friend is now named Pumpkin!  For Joy P, (he's our cutey Pie).  He is a medium sized Pom that has been shaved.  I actually really love his hair cut and might give him one each summer to stay cool, clean and in our big yard foxtail and critter free.

 Last christmas the only thing the kids really wanted was a dog, but we just weren't ready for the responsiblility and being tied down to a dog.  Thinking we would get a puppy and a big golden or chocolate lab I dreaded the thought of the puppy stage.  We decided to wait until Jack was in third grade since that was so far away and yes a week after her starts here is the doggie dropped from the serindipitous skys above.  

Well, it was a great surprise for us all and a perfect fit for our first pup.  We are enjoying our pumpkin thoroughly.  He is very mild mannered and perfectly trained, so we actually somehow skirted around all the training issues and when we are ready for the big guy for the back we will be prepared.

Its funny how quick these little guys get under your skin....or in my case under foot!--smile

My Wooden Box

September 3, 2008

My Wooden Paint Box

It all started when I rediscovered a lost friend from my childhood... my wooden paint box. Sometime back in the early 1990's my mother brought my old wooden paint box to my apartment, which was full of simple watercolors and brushes.  Opening the box flooded my memories of very happy times between us two. Images of me doing my butterfly press paintings and lining them us for art shows for my family flooded my memories. Those were happy free times.  

Oh, to have only been told back then it would be OK to be an artist when you grow up!  I keep that box for a while and one evening after a beautiful drive up the Northern Coast of California with images in my head and from photos I sat down one late evening and began my journey.  I did not know that the my mind and soul were ripe and full with images that I had been collecting in my head for years, and I could not have known were it would take me then, but I did know that I felt high as a kite and all time was lost in the process.  It was as if I left my body and went for a fantastic far reaching Journey.  The feeling and experience has never left me.  

My heart was awakened with Pure Bliss and Joy and that is why I create now.  I create because I must.  My art is meditation.  I often create without looking, letting the brush and paint take its own journey, and it is a combination of feelings needing to be poured onto the paper or lately linen canvas.  

I think everyone should go out and get a wooden paint box; there is something so real and tangible about a real wooden paint box.  My own box, my own paint and art supplies.  

I have to confess that, I rarely use my paint box these days and have gave way to the plastic variety when doing water, but I still adore my simple wooden paint box and think everyone should own one.  

I give you permission to go out and buy a box and I hope you begin your painting journey.  Hopefully you will discover a long forgotten part of yourself that you were not able to full express or a part of you that simply gave way to more so called "Important" things in life.  

We all have something to say that can be displayed in a full array of color, and or other artistic means so go out and find it soon.  I would love to hear about your play.

Have a great day!  

 

FLOWER ON THE SIDE

September 3, 2008 

About Me...

When I was a kid I spent hours drawing and doodling on the side of my schoolwork.  I would so often look out the classroom window and watch the seasons change.  It excited me to watch the ever-changing world outside.  

My love of nature blossomed, funny not once did someone mention that maybe an artists path is for you back then.... how different it could have been with a little encouragement and nurture.   I remember art taking me away from the pain and monotony of learning.  Growing up during a time when not all children's art work was not displayed and respected, and when the skills of art were not taught in the classroom was frustrating for those whose spirits were alive with creativity.   I never could stay in those darn lines!  One sheet of paper and filling in the tiny blanks never did it for me.

My early doodling on the side of my schoolwork, and the day dreaming out the window was the early beginnings of my intense need to express my artistic heart. I remember catching myself doodling that same little flower, that little flower was a sign that spoke volumes and saved me from the boredom of the rigid teaching style of the time.  Being so very shy and overly polite I spent most of my days learning by observation rarely questioning a thing.  My tiny flower on the side was my soft landing space back then.  

As far as I can recollect being creative has always been important to me.  Art, Nature and love of flowers has always been an essential part of my life and who I am as a soul on this big blue marble.

My artist box has been a collection of pieces and inspiration for years.  One might call the collections piles, as I once may had, but I now recognize them and see them as potential and future inspiration for unseen creations to come.  My time has come!

The desire to create was so strong that it often got me into trouble back then, but   funny as it might seem, my attempt now as an adult to fill the wholes that were created as a child by not paying attention in school while I was so busy doodling has lead me right to wear my heart has always wanted to be...an Artist!

My time is now and I am collecting up the courage to raise not one, but both my hands in my life classroom and say I am an Artist! Hurray!  

My biggest hopes are to inspire and guide many whom have gone astray from their own artistic journey.   I wish to lift the lids off those whose own schooling shut their creative lids tightly and to help keep those open of the young children before their own are shut by rigid rules of school.  I have been counseling both my own children since the beginning that there is a place for both freedom and confirmation in our lives and we don't need to give up an essential part of ourselves to be good students and citizens of the world.  We all have a voice and a place that fits somewhere.  

This is an exciting time to be growing up in and I believe we are in a time were creativity can only open doors and that we can all benefit from the creative experience of each other.  The world will need people who can adapt, change and problem solve all of which art can teach these essential tools.  

I welcome you to join me on my Journey and hope to hear about yours.

Namaste'

Flowers Flowers Everywhere!

September 2, 2008

I have decided to start my first blog and plan to share with you some of my thoughts and dreams about Flowers, Nature and Art.  

I have been extremely passionate about all three as far back as I can remember.  Most of what I view on life revolves around the appreciation and joy that these things bring to me and I hope to give you a glimpse into my passion.   

My journey began far before I entered school just a little one... at my mother's side watching her tend to and love her own garden.  She wasn't a teacher in the "show me sense", but I learned by watching and helping where I could, and thus began my passion and first deep love of the outdoors and nature in my own backyard.  After spending hours upon hours in my backyard world with my mother, my appreciation grew out of my free play.  She had a great love for her garden and I played not far from her side creating my own imaginary worlds.  The value of those free uninterrupted hours of play cannot be weighed or a price could not afford what they have meant to me in my life.  At 40-ish I can now see the benefit of my unstructured mornings, days and often late evenings of constant play.

I invite you to enjoy and learn more about what makes me... me.  I hope that you can see the joy and value in the simplicity.  It is often not the greatest that brings the greatest joys!

Enjoy!