Blessings in the New Year!

The Monkey has been wiggling its tail these last few weeks, getting ready to jump aside for the Rooster! It's cold and clear here in the Pacific NW, and a great time to clean up and rearrange my Atelier! This article offers some tips and inspiration.

Much of clean-up time is simply getting out the broom, dust pan, garbage and recycling cans and applying some elbow grease, LOL! Stuff does pile up, at least in my studio, so next comes reorganizing what's there. (I like the suggestion by one artist to tidy the studio daily, .... or "not at all!" Since creativity often generates a certain amount of stuff!

I continue to work in acrylics, so have my paint containers pretty well organized: one oz in a chipboard container, 4 oz in containers on a higher shelf. Stencils and interference paint are housed in two smaller lidded containers. Then there are my Smashbook and Art journals (shelves), brushes (containers in a cleaning caddy), spritz bottles, rags (T-shirt squares). And in our Intentional Creativity tradition, I have a area set as an altar, with fresh flowers, a candle, crystals, incense and things to represent the elements.

Before the dethug

I currently have the brushes and other supplies both on a small rolling cart and a table. I'm thinking of switching shelves from another room with the table, to have more room for painting, and for storage on shelves. There's also an armoire which houses my laptop and some of the supplies. 
This year I will journey with Shiloh Sophia in Red Madonna, following the Sacred Path. I am honored to be one of the Hearth Tenders in the online Red Tent, holding space and honoring the other travelers. Shiloh filmed a little video recently of the art supplies we commonly use for these classes.

I'm partway through the "elbow geese" portion, always the most daunting! I hope to share the"after" view next week! 

Happy Paint Party Friday!!

Musings on the Muse

Happy 2015!
I was tickled to see that my November post was featured in PPF!!  Fitting, as it was about my show at Walnut City WineWorks as the 'featured artist!' THANK YOU for all your sweet comments!! & I LOVE the pic chosen - She Stands between the Worlds!

As I step into the whirlwind of creativity - I'm enrolled in Shiloh Sophia's 'Legend' course (6 months online), have applied for CoW teacher training (Color of Woman) AND am in her year long Red Madonna community .... I reflect on last year, & all the painting I did.

It all began with that workshop to paint my Muse with my friend Elisabeth back in February. ... who knew what a treasure trove that would unlock?! Shiloh says she feels the voice of the Muse of creativity is the voice of the Critic transformed! The Critic voice comes out when our creativity is stifled .... if you think of it, children create naturally & joyfully! 

Sisterhood of the Red Thread

I care for my preschool age grandkids 2 mornings a week, & they LOVE gluing or painting! They don't think about how purple looks next to brown, pink, orange! They might observe that all the colours make brownish swish, or show me their monster, but they just create! & then go on to something else! What happens when we create like that? 

Elisabeth's Magic Paintbrush

I love Shiloh's image of returning power to the Muse, and that transformation of the critic. When that voice of comparison begins to nag (who do you think you are, wasting all that time / money / supplies? ) turn it around! Ask 'hmm, would you like ribbons in your hair, or maybe stars?' .... & always offer her .... chocolate!! 

Pick up your magic paintbrush, & begin!!

How is the Muse whispering to YOU this year? 

Posting in Paint Party Friday

New Year Altar Collage

2009 begins.
I spent NY eve doing a wee altar collage (on the inside of a small box, so it stands up on its own) & then at a NY party with a group of friends.

Sacred space calls, pearls, a red heart bottle, a small buddha, an archway, whispers of presence as we dance into the next phase.

Soon my youngest grand daughter turns four, the wheel turns, life dances on.

New Year Visioning

I'm invited to a party this PM, sharing time & goodies with friends who will play games. At times I enjoy games, but those times are rare, & dependant on the company & the game!
Apples to Apples & Balderdash are fun, as are Domino games. 

Peggity (a 50s varient of 'Go') I adore, & as a teen was a 'Peggity Shark.' My dyslexia makes Scrabble unbearable, so I don't usually participate in that. The Transformation 'Game' is a delight, but my friends usually say it's too 'serious, . . 

So I'll be bringing collage supplies as my 'back up plan' - one of my favorite New Year's Eve activities is doing a treasure map or vision board! I have made these occasionally - the first was at New Years with friends ~ 12 years ago. One couple thought they wanted to adopt a child, but hadn't begun the process. They EACH put a photo of an oriental child on their boards, & within the next two years, adopted their son, then a few years later their daughter!
Another friend wanted to take her husband to the red rocks in Arizona, & that was the 'one thing' on her delightful board that hadn't manifested yet. (within a year, they went!)

Earlier in the month I made a 'dream board' on the New Moon. I'll be intrigued to see what images come at this hinge between the years, what images I'll choose for seeding the future. The word that came for 2009 is PRESENCE, so whatever I'm drawn to will support that intention.
For tomorrow, Tori mentioned a blessing jar suggested over on Robyn's Blog - & I had to check it out! Sweet ritual: "Sweep, Smudge & Blessing Jar" Lots of choices for the contents of the jar! & one of my galfriends gave me a sweet little ceramic jar for blessing words - think I'll use that!

Blessings upon the New Year!