Travelings #7, Orange38/100 in 100 Creative Challenge, 7/8/09
Golden Fluid Acrylic on Linen Finish Paper, 2.5"x3.5" ACEO
Here I'm starting to explore a little. My son dumped my orange paint on the floor. Yes. Yes he did. I salvaged as much as possible and cleaned up the floor and sent him to his room, and then I got to thinking about why the paintings were always dark blue. Sure, it's dawn, but why always dark blue?
And I thought about switching them up, instead of blue with white and orange lights, I thought why not make the whole painting orange. I thought of making the whole thing a kind of negative, but this is what turned out.
Traveling #6, Fireworks37/100 in 100 creative challenge
Acrylic on Linen Finish paper ACEO, 7/7/09
This one was inspired because my son watched the fireworks from his bedroom window, behind the avocado tree. I know I didn't get this one right. The proportions in my head were too far off of the proportions of what I was working with. Spacious vs enclosed. And the fireworks take away from that feeling of movement. Plus, isn't that spark going to set the field on fire?
Anyway. 100 paintings in 100 days and you're going have some duds. That's okay. Crap. I'm still behind. I've got to stop taking these lazy breaks. (Oh, I don't want to paint today, I'm too tired!)
I actually have been thinking about what it takes to keep the movement going forward in life. I'm pretty sure that it's not flying that keeps you moving.
I think it's grounding.
I'm trying to figure out how to ground myself so that I can fly. I think I might need to take better care of the mundane things, things like housekeeping and mail. It's kind of tough for me, because I've always lived in a world of thought and speculation and creating.
Maintaining our spaces and our bodies, that's grounding. Maintaining our relationships. Maintaining the order of our world.
The only thing I can think of to get this grounding going is to start keeping my lists again, to dos and did dones. I should take up yoga again, but I don't know how I'm going to get here, (no yoga) to there (yoga). I might have to wait until I move to do that.
Anyone have any suggestions for grounding, so all this movement doesn't unbalance the journey?
I have two grounding exercises for you. The first is you get on the floor. Sit in whatever way is comfortable. Put your hands down on the floor. Imagine all that energy inside of you pouring down through your hands unto the ground back into the earth. To use it for fresh energy.
ReplyDeleteAnother way is to is to stand up with your legs apart. Imagine this time the energy around you going down into your legs through the soles of the feet back into the earth. You do this a couple of times, you feel more connected and at peace.
Hey there, long time, no comment! Your work looks great. Do you know about the Flylady? She has this amazing system of teaching you step by step how to build daily routines for housekeeping and whatever else you want to do. Its cheesy, but she literally changed my life a few years ago. Check it at www.flylady.net and sign up for her emails. Its free! :) Besides, don't be so hard on yourself. Babysteps are ok. You're never behind. You just are where you are. Just do the next thing.
ReplyDeleteI do not see any duds. Never have. I love your pieces. Looking at them from outside, without the inner critic's interference, I see each one as a beautiful life of its own.
ReplyDeleteFunny you should ask about grounding... Molly gave some suggestions in her post here
I too love your work. You are an inspiration to a lot of us. Even though I am waaaay behind in the 100 in 100 I am honouring it in principle!
ReplyDeleteGrounding I'm not too sure on. I get the "not today I am just too tired" or "too much to do", but I find now that when I don't take time to create I am feeling like something is missing. This week I even got up at midnight one night and created - the art cards were the result!
I guess we really find our own rhythm and work through our own cycles.
Rowena, the simplest thing I can suggest is to just stop. STOP where ever you are, whatever you are doing, and breathe. In through your nose, as much as you can hold. Let it out through your lips, and don't care how your lips might flap!! If you need to close your eyes to stop the inflow of visual stimulation, do so. EXCEPT when driving or walking a tightrope, or when your child is about to do something that defies laws of science and common sense.
ReplyDeleteStop. Breathe. Just breathe. (Hey, sounds like a song title :))
Forgot . . I love love love the oraange. Rising day. Hope. LIfe.
ReplyDelete