"Perfectionism is self-abuse of the highest order." -Anne Wilson Schaef
An interesting discussion has been on-going in my Facebook group Mind.Body.Soul. It started out with this quote...
Our theme for July has been Freedom...freeing ourselves from addictions, negative self-talk, etc. When I posted this the other day I didn't realize how much it would resonate with so many of you.
I am a people pleaser...no doubt about that. I try to please my kids, my husband, my Mom, my friends, complete strangers...you get the idea. I never want to step on anyone's toes or make them feel bad...even though I can be shriveling up and dying inside. From most of the comments it seems like many of you feel the same way.
One comment in particular broke my heart..."I can never create beautiful art so why try?"
Ugh...this crushes me. I mean this one comment makes me soooooo sad.
AS a child I LOVED to create!! I colored everyday. It made me so happy!! I looked forward to art class in school and even though I wasn't very good at drawing...I loved the paint and getting messy part! All that changed one day in 8th grade though. Our lesson was to draw a self-portrait. This made me so nervous...I knew drawing just wasn't my thing...but I gave it my best shot, even adding details of my heart shaped locket I wore nearly everyday. And then....it happened. My art teacher was walking around the room, assessing our work. Nervously I showed her my drawing. She looked at it, eyes squinting, mouth turned down she spoke five words I that would live with me for the next 35 years...."YOU ARE NOT AN ARTIST!"
Then she walked off.
That one comment convinced me that I was not creative.
It would be over 30 years before I attempted any kind of creating again.
"Inside you there's an artist you don't know about...Say YES quickly, if you know, if you've known it from before the beginning of the universe." -Jalai Ud-Din Rumi
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One of my early pages...I have learned so much since then! |
My journey to art journaling and mixed-media art began about 6 years ago. Prior to that I was a scrapbooker and LOVED the creative outlet it gave me. Scrapbooking helped me realize that art took on many forms.
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A Brave Art piece from nearly 5 years ago |
The more I collaged images and words and put paint on paper the more I knew I had found something I really loved!
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An early piece using a notecard and a butterfly punch
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Quickly my journals were filling up and I was selling my canvas's in local craft fairs.
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Still a favorite journal page of mine |
I found the BRILLIANT Melody Ross during my scrapbooking days and was OVERJOYED when she began
Brave Girls Club. It was her class "Soul Restoration" that really spoke to my heart and made me realize that maybe...just maybe I was an artist.
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A page from a Brave Girl's Class I took |
Through her soul-searching classes and amazing mixed-media techniques I began experimenting with texture and paint like never before...
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Another BGC inspired page |
A WHOLE NEW world had opened up for me!!!
"Perhaps loving something is the only starting place there is for making your life your own." -Alice Koller
Art has saved me.
Art journaling has made me realize that I AM an artist.
YOU are an artist.
WE are ALL artists.
The more you create...the more creative you become...there is not a truer statement out there! It's by trial and error my art has ME written all over!
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A recent page...one of my faves! |
When I finally just let go and put what speaks to me on my pages...ME shines through every single time.
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a page from my faith journal |
I discovered early on that vintage images spoke to me. I use "my girls" on almost every piece of art I create!
I ADORE them!!
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A canvas from ArtBeach 2014 |
I used to compare my art to EVERYONE. Social media can be such a blessing but also such a curse! With everyone posting their work...it's easy for us to compare ourselves to one another.
Please STOP THAT!
Comparing does nothing but damage our hearts...our spirits.
BE YOU!
Experiment with paint and stencils and glue and images and words.
What speaks to you may not be what inspires me....
and that's ok!
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I love using old maps and quotes in my work |
Surround yourself with your favorite colors, quotes, magazine clippings, art...whatever inspires YOU. Take 10 minutes a day to create. Even if all you are doing is looking at a favorite art blog or magazine...all those things add up and will help you on your artistic journey.
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Houses and hearts show up in my art a lot, too:) |
"Just trust yourself, then you will know how to live." -Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe
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My favorite canvas |
I encourage you to CREATE! Stop making excuses. Stop telling yourself that you can't create beautiful things. Take TODAY, make a list of all the whispers in your
Heart.
Listen to them.
Your Heart knows the TRUTH.
Make something beautiful just for YOU.
Here are some of my favorite places to gather inspiration...
Brave Girls Club
Art Journaling Magazine
Kelly Rae Roberts
Dina Wakely
LOVE these books!!
Art Journal Courage
Art Journal Freedom
Art Saves
Brave Intuitive Painting