going within

Late last night I decided to paint. I have been feeling under the weather lately so I like to use painting as a therapeutic tool. Here is my latest work called Ostara (Spring). It is on a 12 x 24 canvas, which is a great size. It started off kind of dark and then blossomed into light. The eggs represent new ideas and ventures.


Today I also painted a necklace rack. It could also be used to hang keys or whatever you wish.



I also have plans to write a new book. I will have more on that later. Before I start, I need to make sure I can commit to it.

finally

On Monday night I completed illustrating the book. All 16 pages are done along with a cover. Now I have to tamper with the scanner and get all of the images scanned. I started to last night and got pretty frustrated. I guess I am just excited and wanted everything to happen yesterday. True wisdom is knowing when to push on & also knowing when to put something down before it makes you crazy.

Today is a gorgeous day. In Phoenix, you really have to appreciate the 2 weeks of Spring you get before the heats hit and then there is no turning back. It's been a long winter, metaphorically speaking. The economic conditions seem to be getting worse and my heart goes out to those who are struggling. I have been looking for a job for a very long time and I am trying to not give up hope.

Welcoming in the Ox...

Today is Chinese New Year! Gong Hei Fat Choy! In all of my optimism I know deep down there is ton of hard work ahead. I think the key is strength in numbers...no one can get anything accomplished in a vacuum. In this first new moon of the year, what seeds do you wish to plant?

This past weekend was wonderful. I completed one more page of my children's book last night. On Saturday, I serendipitously stumbled upon a Ki (also known as chi) Energy Healing session. It was pretty amazing because the Ki-Master was able to pinpoint where my energy was low. My intuitive hunch that I had some issues with my solar plexus was correct! I'd like to get more sessions in the future. The only take 10-15 minutes and they utilize acupressure & sound to purify the energy channels in the body, so the principles are very similar to acupuncture. The website is: http://www.kienergyhealing.com/

I also came across a book called Shaman which is a collection of Susan Seddon Boulet's paintings. Her artwork is heavily influenced by Native American Spirituality and mythology. Most of her paintings are ethereal and mysterious. They transport you into the "dream". I deeply admire her work.

Within a couple of weeks, I will be updating my website with some information on the Life Coaching Services I am offering. If you would like to schedule a session or just get some more information now, please email or call me. All of my information is on the "contact" page of my website.

gratitude

I just wanted to take a moment to express my gratitude for this past weekend. Thanks to all of the beautiful souls I met at SWIHA~ you have changed my life in some form. It was an amazing experience and over the next few days, I would really like to process it. It has reaffirmed that life coaching is the right path for me and I am honored to start serving humanity with my new level of awareness.

it's all about the process...

I am nearing the completion of my children's book. Almost 13 of the 16 pages are done. It's been a very long process and it's alot more work than I imagined. I decided to go back over the older illustrations and add more detail...so the preview you see on my website is not the end result. My heart and soul is in the book now after many late night hours of working at it.

Here is a page in progress:


I've heard many times artists saying, "It's all about the process." Now I understand. When you are working on a large, long term project, inner growth is occurring. I have to battle waves of self-doubt, exhaustion and frustration with wanting perfection. I'm a self-taught artist, so as I am going along I realize that nothing is perfect. I've never taken any formal fine art classes so I am learning a great deal along the way. The book has definitely served as inspiration for future projects. For now, my goal is produce the best quality work that I can in this moment for people to enjoy. So realistically, it looks like sometime in the spring the book will be out.

priorities

I am excited that it's the start of a new year. However, I have been forced to take a look at my long to-do list and rearrange a few things. Recently I have developed a problem with my right eye. It's very painful and I am seeing an opthamologist soon because the optometrist could not figure out what was wrong with it. All of my projects have been on hold but once all my health issues are cleared up, I'm going to move forward with full force.

In the meantime, I've been working on my environment and getting the house in order. I'm trying to create a better work space so I can do my illustrating without my children getting their grubby little mits on my artwork. ;-) Once all the clutter is gone, I know I will have peace of mind. I am extremely sensitive to disorganization (must be that Virgo cusp!) so I seek perfection in my surroundings. I've been using feng shui for a couple of years now and it definitely works. It's all about setting clear intentions, not so much getting everything in the "right corner". I'd like to work on a "dream board" to help me focus on my largest priorities for 2009. It's going to be a very productive and happy year, but the doctor appointments must be tended to first.

hope

I can not believe that we are soon to be coming upon the end of 2008. In retrospect, this past year was difficult however full of many beautiful moments. I was able to nurture some old friendships. The time I have spent with my daughters has been so valuable. I did suffer a painful bout of post-partum depression but I did not come out of it empty handed. I realized I had a lot of healing to do on all levels and I spent much of the year mending my heart and soul. Now I am more complete and have more to offer others. I decided to become a life coach and will be working on my courses over the next few months. It's very exciting because I have thought about doing this for a long time!

It's been rather chilly and rainy which definitely evokes contemplation. I love the moment when everything is quiet and I can wrap myself in a warm blanket.

Here is a rainbow I caught outside of my house several weeks ago (we've been blessed with rain a few times this month):


I am truly looking forward to 2009. A new president will take office and usher in a wave of change by those who are very aware and want to do good for this earth and the people in it. Lately I've been inspired by flowers, particularly sunflowers. Flowers remind us that even in dark times, inevitably spring will come again.


I hope for everyone that 2009 is a year of progress, peace, completion and abundance. Merry Yuletide!