The Diversity of Creativity

Today seems to be about finding myself--yet again.

As most of you know my creative projects veer off in many directions. It could be art journals or mixed media, it could be poetry or short stories, or it could revert to novel writing. My desires seem to shift from day to day and sometimes from minute to minute. Today I am torn between each of these endeavors and the urge to return to fiction--novel or short stories is strong.

Part of the reason I feel so torn I suppose is that the blank page or a white canvas does not intimidate me. Rather it inspires me as I feel it holds, in its vast blankness, a world of possibilities. Once a few words are written, or some color laid down limitations automatically arise. Though things may change in the creation of the story or painting there is already a directed commitment. 

I want to learn how to accept that I am a divergent creative person and I will never settle into any one form but that always brings up a lack of focus that makes me uncomfortable. If I can become comfortable with that I will be okay.

But in looking at my various forms of creative expression I have noticed something. While my fiction tends to lean toward the dark side of life and people my art seems to be all about happiness.

This art journal layout says it all. While my writing tries to expose the problems in life and show how my characters overcome it, my art wants to shout to the world that there is beauty all around us. 

I am the kind of person who stops to smell the roses, pauses to watch a sunset or sunrise as its colors change from second to second, or stills to hear the songs of birds in the morning. I want my art and poetry to show all the beauty in the world and encourage others to stop in the middle of their hurried lives to witness it all.

My new publications

http://www.amazon.com/TALES-OUR-LIVES-Award-Winning-WomensMemoirs-com-ebook/dp/B0181MCKD8/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1452354626&sr=1-1&keywords=tales+of+our+lives

Hello all!

Please go to the above link to find 2 e-books edited by the fabulous Matilda Butler. These collections hold the heartfelt stories of women who have travelled miraculous journeys and overcome obstacles to create warm and rewarding lives for themselves. Matilda is a wonderful guide along the journey of memoir writing.

I've worked with Matilda in various venues over the years and her guidance and suggestions in honing the two stories of mine that appear in this collection did much to turn ragged drafts in workable revisions and finally into gems of stories that share my past and speak to the success of my present life.

I invite you to read and share my stories as well as the stories of the other women who opened their hearts and souls to expose the tender sprouts that grow into lives well lived.

Please enjoy!

Art Journal Fun

So while Frank and I are delving into this exciting business venture I still will find time to art journal. Journaling is a way to express the feelings in my soul but writing my 3 pages every morning wasn't enough anymore. I needed to add art to the mix. More and more I am finding that art is my preferred expressive mode. So in between researching esty information and other online selling sites I finished the layout I started last week.

These art journal layouts won't be something I can sell but it's a way to practice techniques and mediums that I can use in mixed media pieces.

the seet aromas

set senses spinning

thoughts awaken

nudging creative muses

to share what they know

A Marriage of Poetry and Art

So today it seems the title of this blog is particularly appropriate. As Frank and I sat on the couch, sipping coffee and absorbing the bright sunshine we came up with a plan. True we have been brewing this idea for a long while but with the help of some outside inspiration and the time I now have since I've retired it's time to put our plan into action.

Marriage is the key word here. I've been working toward a style of marrying my art with my poems. Frank and I, of course, are married. And we are looking for a way to create an online business that marries my poetry with his art. We are also looking for venues from which to sell all the pieces of art that are accumulating in our little apartment in order to create space for more inspired art and poetry to flow.

So we are toasting to our new adventure!

It will take some time to figure this all out. To create a bigger online presence. Expand this blog and post more frequently. And to establish an etsy shop as well as finding other places to sell our work.

While we work at the business end we will continue to create art.

Frank will paint more scenes from photos we have taken.

I am creating a notebook of his paintings and writing poems to pair with them in order to make an art and poetry book.

This is a very exciting adventure. We hope you will follow along as we keep you updated on our progress.

Wish us luck and please comment with any advice or suggestions! We will need much help along the way!

A POETIC NEW YEAR

As Christmas slides away I begin to ponder the coming new year. Hard to believe it will be 2016 in just a few days. Just the start of a new year and a fresh new sequence of 365 days ahead can prompt a string of creative ideas that I know I can barely keep up with. Despite being retired it seems I am extremely busy.

I look forward to the coming year because of my retirement and because Christmas was rather depressing as none of our family was around to enjoy. So we look forward to a couple of trips to see family in the coming year. We also look forward to time for creating art. Yesterday I played around with this art journal page.

artists create from emotional truth

Using gelatos for the background and decorative napkins for the flowers as well as a Donna Downey stencil I played around with a color scheme I've always liked.

I like the saying--artists create from emotional truth--because it seems that when I am creating art I am expressing my creative truth. I am most "me" when writing poetry or playing in my art journal and this year I hope to focus more on trying to combine those two creative avenues. I want to add more of my on poems to my art and develop a particular artistic style that is unique to me and recognizable as my work.

I've signed up for a few online art classes and some poetry classes. I also need to create art for the poems I have and start submitting my manuscript. 

I am very excited about the coming year, the freedom from a full time job and a chance to direct my creative ambitions in a more focused way.

I hope you all have a creative and inspiring 2016!

PEACE ON EARTH

In this holiday season I see a lot of dichotomous images and sounds. Shoppers scurrying from store to store lugging tote bags laden with festive gifts. Store windows are festooned with bright lights and tinsel. Children are singing carols and making lists; checking them twice. There is an atmosphere of joy and gaiety in the air. And yet . . .

It's hard to feel gay what with all the death and destruction spreading throughout the world. Mass shootings, homeless men and women hunkered against buildings along New York City streets while those around them, dressed in the latest haute couture, race from Broadway theatre to exclusive restaurants to dine, while others go hungry. 

I'm not meaning to bring everyone down, I'm simply saying let's make the most of this season. Share what you have and be grateful for the little things. It doesn't matter how well you eat-but that you eat. You don't need a mansion--just a roof over your head and some heat. You don't need designer clothes--just something warm and some shoes for your feet. And let's never forget those who don't even have that and perhaps share a little from your own overflowing bags.

Yes, let's be joyous and merry. But let's not forget. 

And so my wish for everyone this season, and always, is peace on earth and that you all have family around you and good health. 

Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

SING YOUR OWN SONG

The mocking bird is a very aggressive and territorial bird. He protects his nest from other birds and from people and is vigilant--or vigilante--when there are eggs in the nest or when he is teaching his young to fly.

Around 3:00 am in the summer months when the bedroom windows are opened I can hear him singing. You can pick out his repertoire of bird calls, usually in the same order each time he puffs up his feathered chest and begins to sing.

But the mocking bird is a thief as well as an aggressive protector. He doesn't have a song of his own, but mimicks the songs of other birds producing a melody copied from robins, blue jays, sparrows and wrens.

I say don't be a mocking bird. You need to create your own song and sing it as loudly as you can. Don't follow the crowd, or the fads, or most popular social group. Don't do what others do. Create your own song and your own destiny. Create your own life. 

Be you!!! Do what you love!!! Love who you are!!!