Keep creating! I'll keep posting while looking forward to a healthier world in 2021.
Susie
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Rejoice! and Let it Happen
Here are two pages from my journal this month. I've begun to separate the time I take to journal and the time I take to reflect, honor and connect my journal page to what's happening in my life. It could be a silver lining to this pandemic/stay at home/stay healthy year. I feel myself shifting into a slower pace in my life and while that sounds enticing and wonderful, it's still a challenge for me. I'm kind of a "jump in head-first, learn to swim later" kind of gal so the thought of slowing down makes me a bit nervous.
When I look at these pages though, and take the time to connect them to my life I can see from the left hand spread that connections with others and celebrating things together is what I want and will continue to work toward. On the right hand spread, I can see that letting go and letting things happen is something I want to continue. Specifically, I know I was trying to sketch a scallop shell on the top. The scale was wrong, my tool was too big and it didn't really look like a shell. Once I let go of trying to control how the outcome I ended up with a very unique pattern I really like.
Soon, we'll be in a new year and hopefully many lessons will have been learned about our lives and how we live them. I'll keep showing up in my studio and learning my lessons. Art has been and continues to be a very thoughtful and impactful journey.
Susie
As I usually do this time of year, I begin to wind down and reflect on the past year before I wind up for the next year! This was a year filled with challenges that bumped up against my comfortable daily routines and forced me to reconcile with different parts of myself. I had to draw lines in the sand and re-establish boundaries. I went within myself on many occasions to "feel" for my next move rather than rely on the opinions and ideas of others.
One routine that's been a steady constant for me is creating art. Whether it's on the canvas or in my art journal, I create to sustain a healthy relationship with myself. It's been that way for a long time now and I always love this form of expression.
I want to thank you, yes you! for checking in on me, for reading my blog, for viewing my art. All of that encourages me. I am looking forward to another year of creating and sharing my art. I will continue creating online art journaling workshops, I will continue painting and exhibiting (and selling) my paintings, I will continue asking myself the hard questions and I will continue showing up for the answers that come.
I hope you do the same.
love,
Susie
Here's a journal page I recently finished. There's always a lesson for me in there.
