Saturday, January 23, 2016
Thursday, December 3, 2015
Gallery of my latest paintings
I wanted to create a place where you all can see some of the paintings that I have done. Some of them are available for sale.
Please comment if any of them are speaking to you -- or if you want to talk with me about your own painting ideas.
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| Dragonfly -- NOT FOR SALE |
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| Happiness is a Beach |
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| Leaf |
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| Ocean Starry Night |
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| Flamingo Rocks |
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| Peaceful Elephant -- NO LONGER AVAILABLE FOR SALE |
Sunday, August 9, 2015
My Story of Meeting the Artist That Is Me
This just might be the most daunting task of my Creatively Fit Coaching Certification! Telling my story makes it a little personal, you know? Well, it's a fear I need to face, so here goes....
A few years ago, I worked for a man who appreciated my logical mind but wanted me to tap into my creative side. He suggested that I look for some right-brain exercises online, since I already did daily logic puzzles for my left-brain. As any book nerd would, I Googled left-brain exercises. One of the books/websites that came back in the results was The Artist Within by Whitney Freya. The book is subtitled A Guide to Becoming Creatively Fit. The first thing I noticed is that the author lived in Nashville (where I had lived for 8 years). I ordered the book immediately, and while I was waiting for it to arrive, I clicked around the website and found out she had a Creative Fitness Center. Sounded perfect to me:)
Once the book arrived, I absolutely devoured it! I love the concepts of facing life as a blank canvas, being both the art and the artist, and creating what I want in the art that is my life. The book includes creative exercises of all kinds. I played with paper and pen, pastels, and even junk from my junk drawer and pictures from magazines. It was a lot of fun, and it made me happy.
Here are the some of those first exercises:
As you all have already heard me say many times, my daddy instilled in me the truth that happiness is a choice. "Playing" at being an artist makes that choice a lot easier for me. Then, something really awesome happened. I read Chapter 4, entitled Abstract Canvas: It Can't Hurt To Try. I discovered the joy of painting with acrylics! When I paint, my left-brain just checks out. It just doesn't make any sense to spend that time painting, with no plan for a finished product. If I don't like what shows up, no problem. I just paint over it. My husband and boys were very encouraging (and still are), and my daddy loved the idea that I was being creative. I wish he'd seen more of my paintings before he passed away, but I know he can see them now. I know some artists paint a darker side, but every painting I've done is full of happy colors and subjects. They bring me joy, and I truly believe that joy spills off the canvas and into the rest of my life.
Since then, I've developed a daily painting practice. Just like we exercise our body, my daily painting practice exercises my right-brain. My day is always better when I paint. Now, I'm sharing that daily painting practice with others. I truly believe that everyone can benefit from painting, especially when they apply what they learn to the rest of their life.
Wanna join me on this journey? Comment below. I'd love to take you with me. The next Vision Quest - the Creatively Fit Program begins September 11.
A few years ago, I worked for a man who appreciated my logical mind but wanted me to tap into my creative side. He suggested that I look for some right-brain exercises online, since I already did daily logic puzzles for my left-brain. As any book nerd would, I Googled left-brain exercises. One of the books/websites that came back in the results was The Artist Within by Whitney Freya. The book is subtitled A Guide to Becoming Creatively Fit. The first thing I noticed is that the author lived in Nashville (where I had lived for 8 years). I ordered the book immediately, and while I was waiting for it to arrive, I clicked around the website and found out she had a Creative Fitness Center. Sounded perfect to me:)
Once the book arrived, I absolutely devoured it! I love the concepts of facing life as a blank canvas, being both the art and the artist, and creating what I want in the art that is my life. The book includes creative exercises of all kinds. I played with paper and pen, pastels, and even junk from my junk drawer and pictures from magazines. It was a lot of fun, and it made me happy.
Here are the some of those first exercises:
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| Music Scribble Drawing |
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| Torn Paper Tree |
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| Torn Paper Abstract |
As you all have already heard me say many times, my daddy instilled in me the truth that happiness is a choice. "Playing" at being an artist makes that choice a lot easier for me. Then, something really awesome happened. I read Chapter 4, entitled Abstract Canvas: It Can't Hurt To Try. I discovered the joy of painting with acrylics! When I paint, my left-brain just checks out. It just doesn't make any sense to spend that time painting, with no plan for a finished product. If I don't like what shows up, no problem. I just paint over it. My husband and boys were very encouraging (and still are), and my daddy loved the idea that I was being creative. I wish he'd seen more of my paintings before he passed away, but I know he can see them now. I know some artists paint a darker side, but every painting I've done is full of happy colors and subjects. They bring me joy, and I truly believe that joy spills off the canvas and into the rest of my life.
Since then, I've developed a daily painting practice. Just like we exercise our body, my daily painting practice exercises my right-brain. My day is always better when I paint. Now, I'm sharing that daily painting practice with others. I truly believe that everyone can benefit from painting, especially when they apply what they learn to the rest of their life.
Wanna join me on this journey? Comment below. I'd love to take you with me. The next Vision Quest - the Creatively Fit Program begins September 11.
Vision Quest is the invitation to deep dive with your Creatively Fit Coach (me) into the depths of your life’s potential, the infinite well of all that you have to share from within your heART’s deepest desires.
Are you ready to deep dive?
Sunday, July 26, 2015
Enjoy the Journey
Those of you who have been following my journey to become a Certified Creatively Fit Coach know that I've incorporated a daily painting practice into my life. This month has been a challenge on that front. With a 10-day, much needed vacation in the middle of July, I missed painting on those days (although I had a TREMENDOUS time anyway!!). To top that off, this month all of us in the program are painting 10 paintings -- one on top of the other! On one hand, that's great. Paintings become more interesting with every layer. It's very easy to paint over an image that isn't my favorite. In fact, when an image is not my favorite, I know that I'll like the next one better.
On the other hand, I really like some of the paintings. It's hard to let go of the "product" when I really like it. So, I'm focusing on the process, instead of the product. It really doesn't matter that I'm painting over an image that speaks to me. The next layer will also speak to me. Here are a few images of my own Painting 10k:
This is part of our Vision Quest, where we're learning to have a "canvasation" -- a conversation with the canvas. This is a great exercise to take the time to listen to your right-brain -- the intuitive side of your intelligence. I've learned that when something starts appearing out the blue, I need to pay attention to it. I cannot tell you how many dragonflies I've seen this month! They aren't all that common here in Northern Virginia, but I've seen them anyway. The dragonfly almost always represents change or transformation. It's a really amazing insect that can fly in six different directions and with a lot less effort than other insects. The image above is my "harmonious dragonfly", and I love this one so much, I haven't yet been able to bring myself to paint over it:). Right now, it's on the wall in my art studio/office, right above a sign I bought on vacation that says "This is my happy place". For those of you who have been following my posts, you will understand when I say that my daddy is still with me!!
My certification will be complete on September 11, and on that same day, I'm going to begin helping a couple of folks begin their own Vision Quest, centered around this painting practice I keep talking about. If this sounds like something you'd like to do, or you just want some additional information, please comment on the blog or send me a message. Or, if you're ready to sign-up (and get a big discount!), you can do that by clicking here.
You want to create change, to invest in what you know is POSSIBLE for you, and to open up and expand the way you feel about your life. Vision Quest is your next open door. Your Creatively Fit Coach (that will be me) is here to hold you accountable, tailor the experience to your needs and love you through the process.
Tuesday, June 23, 2015
Painting Made Easy -- Layer 2 of CCFC
As I mentioned in my last post, I'm going through the process to become a Certified Creatively Fit coach, under the direction of Whitney Freya. Right now, I'm working through a program called Painting Made Easy, and I LOVE IT!!!!
Anyone can paint. Don't believe me? Try it yourself. Whitney's method of painting in layers is terrific, and it will definitely get you over the fear of the blank canvas. Even more importantly, it will get you over that "life fear" you have.
Layer 1 is about eliminating that white canvas. We used the blank canvas to experiment with mixing colors and shades using only red, yellow, blue, and white paint. It is absolutely amazing how many shades you can create using only these primary colors. I don't ever need to buy any other colors. I will, of course, but I don't have to:).
After that white canvas is gone, we move on to Layer 2, where we outline the subject of our painting -- taking the outline all the way to the edge of the canvas. This, I must admit, is where I faced my biggest challenge. I just could NOT decide what I wanted to paint! There are so many choices out there. It's funny how that "fear of deciding" relates to my life. I've been talking about starting a business with a friend for years, and we never seem to take the plunge to actually do it. While I will not say we've started that business, I will tell you that after working through the second layer and (FINALLY) outlining a butterfly, I have started researching my latest idea. (More to come on that front in a future post.) Anyway, the outline is all done in a single color. That brings unity to the canvas that draws people into the picture.
With the outline in place, we begin Layer 3, where we fill in all the different areas created by the outline. Remember all those colors we mixed in Layer 1? Now, we get to use them again -- in a slightly more organized fashion. Those outlines lead the way. This is why it's so important to take your outline all the way to the edge of the canvas: It creates those different areas to fill in.
Finally, we get to Layer 4. Here we put finishing touches on the picture. This includes using many of the colors we've mixed already, adding different shades of those desired colors, repeating the colors in more than one area, and adding some of those shades to areas that are a different color. All this brings harmony to the painting, which with my musical past, is KEY.
What I've been able to do with Painting Made Easy is develop a DAILY painting practice. That's right. Just like exercising, eating right, or doing yoga every day, painting is a practice that can relieve stress, get you to exercise your right-brain (the creative side), and best of all, point out areas in your life outside the canvas that may need some attention. For me, the form of the needed attention was made really clear -- WHILE I WAS PAINTING!
This is one practice I fully intend to continue, long after this certification process is over. I feel so much better when I paint every day.
Wanna try but that fear of the canvas is holding you back -- or you just don't know if you want to invest in paints, brushes, and canvases? Give me a call, I'll share mine!!
Until next time, remember…Happiness is a Choice. Choose More!
Anyone can paint. Don't believe me? Try it yourself. Whitney's method of painting in layers is terrific, and it will definitely get you over the fear of the blank canvas. Even more importantly, it will get you over that "life fear" you have.
Layer 1 is about eliminating that white canvas. We used the blank canvas to experiment with mixing colors and shades using only red, yellow, blue, and white paint. It is absolutely amazing how many shades you can create using only these primary colors. I don't ever need to buy any other colors. I will, of course, but I don't have to:).
After that white canvas is gone, we move on to Layer 2, where we outline the subject of our painting -- taking the outline all the way to the edge of the canvas. This, I must admit, is where I faced my biggest challenge. I just could NOT decide what I wanted to paint! There are so many choices out there. It's funny how that "fear of deciding" relates to my life. I've been talking about starting a business with a friend for years, and we never seem to take the plunge to actually do it. While I will not say we've started that business, I will tell you that after working through the second layer and (FINALLY) outlining a butterfly, I have started researching my latest idea. (More to come on that front in a future post.) Anyway, the outline is all done in a single color. That brings unity to the canvas that draws people into the picture.
With the outline in place, we begin Layer 3, where we fill in all the different areas created by the outline. Remember all those colors we mixed in Layer 1? Now, we get to use them again -- in a slightly more organized fashion. Those outlines lead the way. This is why it's so important to take your outline all the way to the edge of the canvas: It creates those different areas to fill in.
Finally, we get to Layer 4. Here we put finishing touches on the picture. This includes using many of the colors we've mixed already, adding different shades of those desired colors, repeating the colors in more than one area, and adding some of those shades to areas that are a different color. All this brings harmony to the painting, which with my musical past, is KEY.
What I've been able to do with Painting Made Easy is develop a DAILY painting practice. That's right. Just like exercising, eating right, or doing yoga every day, painting is a practice that can relieve stress, get you to exercise your right-brain (the creative side), and best of all, point out areas in your life outside the canvas that may need some attention. For me, the form of the needed attention was made really clear -- WHILE I WAS PAINTING!
This is one practice I fully intend to continue, long after this certification process is over. I feel so much better when I paint every day.
Wanna try but that fear of the canvas is holding you back -- or you just don't know if you want to invest in paints, brushes, and canvases? Give me a call, I'll share mine!!
Until next time, remember…Happiness is a Choice. Choose More!
Saturday, May 23, 2015
Meet Your Artist Within - Layer 1 of CCFC
My journey to Meet My Artist Within started several years ago, when I happened upon Whitney Freya's book while looking for right-brain thinking exercises. Whitney's book was a game changer, and I don't even know if I would've picked it up, if her bio hadn't indicated she had lived in Nashville -- as I had for 8 years some time ago. Boy, am I glad I found this book!!
I'm currently becoming a Certified Creatively Fit Coach, so I can help others understand that "your are the artist of your life". As part of the certification process, I get to go through the Meet Your Artist Within program again. The great part is that I'm learning even more this time around, and I get to compare the learnings this time to the ones from the original time. I actually get to see how this right-brain shift has changed my outlook.
Meet Your Artist Within utilizes creative activities to exercise your right brain (the creative hemisphere). Understanding the different purposes of my left and right brains has reminded me that I choose how I respond to any situation. In other words….Happiness is a Choice!
This was my father's mantra. I lost him about a year ago, and ever since then, I've received signs to remind me to make that choice to be happy. My daddy is still with me!!
If you've ever "just known" something was right or wrong for you, this is your right brain talking to you. LISTEN!! The painting below is one I did of a triple spiral. This is a symbol that means a lot to me. It represents intuition, but it also can represent the Trinity, the mind-body-spirit connection, and the birth-death-afterlife (the spiral of life).
Painting's not your thing? No worries. You can try your hand at scribble drawing. Here is one of mine:
I'm currently becoming a Certified Creatively Fit Coach, so I can help others understand that "your are the artist of your life". As part of the certification process, I get to go through the Meet Your Artist Within program again. The great part is that I'm learning even more this time around, and I get to compare the learnings this time to the ones from the original time. I actually get to see how this right-brain shift has changed my outlook.
Meet Your Artist Within utilizes creative activities to exercise your right brain (the creative hemisphere). Understanding the different purposes of my left and right brains has reminded me that I choose how I respond to any situation. In other words….Happiness is a Choice!
This was my father's mantra. I lost him about a year ago, and ever since then, I've received signs to remind me to make that choice to be happy. My daddy is still with me!!
If you've ever "just known" something was right or wrong for you, this is your right brain talking to you. LISTEN!! The painting below is one I did of a triple spiral. This is a symbol that means a lot to me. It represents intuition, but it also can represent the Trinity, the mind-body-spirit connection, and the birth-death-afterlife (the spiral of life).
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| Triple Spiral |
Painting's not your thing? No worries. You can try your hand at scribble drawing. Here is one of mine:
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| Owl scribble drawing |
How fun is this?? Everyone loves to color!
After a few minutes of painting, coloring, or some other creative effort, your logical brain will begin to quiet -- it's just not logical for you to be doing these activities. That will allow you (as it did me) to choose how you respond to life, to see the bigger picture, and to remember that we're all in this together. What a gift!!
Until next time -- choose happiness!
Karen
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