July Reflections

The month of July can be summed up in two main ingredients, Fear and Inspiration.

I attended a mixed media art workshop called Contemplative Practices in Art with Lisa Pressman & Sue Stover. This workshop was hosted at the Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, NY. It is a beautiful place! And the workshop, the setting, the people were all so inspiring. And I had so much fear during the 7+ hour drive to get to and from my destination.

Flower offering at the Sanctuary, Omega

We made offerings to the garden. And below you can see one of my offerings to this tree. This ritual felt very alive and nourishing to me - it was separate from all the usual systems that humans and artists participate in, systems of Capitalism, Consumerism, and yes, even a Gallery system. This artwork was an exchange between me and this tree and it doesn’t matter if anyone else notices it.

Offering to the tree

Here are some things I made during the workshop having to do with layering, adding/subtracting, burning, scraping, coloring, rolling, dripping, wrapping, sewing.

Artwork I made during the workshop

I took a lot of pictures on our last morning as we did a walk through of everyone’s work. Here are Sue and Lisa looking at Kim’s collage work.

Lisa & Sue look at Kim’s work on the last morning

I recently read something about Fear that I have returned to several times.

Fear is not the problem your Everyday Mind thinks it is. The problem arises in what you tell yourself about fear: that it is not a good thing to experience, and that you must eradicate or control it. Meanwhile, your focus then becomes fear rather than Unconditional support. It is wise to listen to all your feelings, including fear. And, there is a vast difference between listening to fear and thinking you need to act in response to it. Remember that infinite and unconditional love always exists.

- Sheila Reynolds

June Reflections

June is my Birthday month and I was definitely feeling into my Cancerian energies around my birthday as I said goodbye to last year and hello to a new one. I welcomed in the summer season by having lunch in the park on my birthday, feeling the grass and the sun, and a little fawn ran by me.
I have to admit that the heaviness of the news this week and the SCOTUS decision to overturn Roe settled into my body. I felt a heaviness in my body and a brain fog in my mind that lingered for several days. It’s only now starting to lift.

Earlier this week, I guest facilitated an arrival practice for the 2022 Mindfulness Facilitator Certification cohort via Zoom. We spent some time looking at this painting below by Leonora Carrington titled ‘And Then We Saw the Daughter of the Minotaur.’

Leonora Carrington, And then We Saw the Daughter of the Minotaur, 1953

Things in my art studio continue to move towards mixed media. I’m making objects out of acrylic skin and air dry clay, and thinking about adding in some mesh to shape the clay. I’ve also been playing with spray paint finishes and thinking about ways to make small sculptures that incorporate all of these elements together. Below is a view of my work table. I tend to make lots of piles of things and work on top of a pile!

Closing journal prompt for the week:

What areas in your life do you feel you are thriving? What areas in your life do you feel you are surviving? And does this feel like a spectrum where some items exist in both places?

May Reflections

This month I’m excited to share my newest work on my website called staying in the flow. I’ve been thinking about what it feels like when I reach the creative flow state and I feel that this work embodies that feeling. Moving through a repeating cycle of processes that include painting, drawing, cutting, shaping three dimensional objects that make up the parts of my work.

A few videos and books that inspired me this month:
I’ve found pleasure in watching the youtube channels: Nowness: In Residence and Honeyjubu.
I enjoy watching Honeyjubu cooking Korean food with all wooden cooking implements and beautiful cutting boards. There is something very soothing about watching her make steamed rice.
And Nowness: In Residence is a series of short home tours. I love having a peek into unique homes and gardens.

This month I enjoyed reading Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg because I’ve been practicing more creative writing. When I arrived at the end of this book, I was sad to finish reading it.

On June 3 I begin facilitating Meditation and Craft at Contemporary Craft and I was delighted to answer some questions for the Contemporary Craft blog about mindfulness and art. The article can be found right here.

I was also delighted to have a piece included in the Pittsburgh Paints Initiative, a project of First Lady of Pittsburgh Mrs. Michelle Gainey. My piece, Soft Bridges, is on display in Mayor Gainey’s office to celebrate Jewish American Heritage this month. In addition, my Cascades collages exhibit at the Swissvale Library is extended until June 30.

This month one of my journal prompts was, “what happened this week that you’d like to remember in 10 years?” The answers have surprised me.

April Reflections

“Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.”

— Lao Tzu

My April reflections are tinged with a bit of sadness as I’ve encountered a range of wins and disappointments throughout April. Isn’t that life?!

Creative Journaling

I joined a creative journaling group at the library and it has been a wonderful experience to share and listen as part of the group. I loved writing stories and poems as a much younger version of myself and opening up to that part of myself again feels healing. I’ve been journaling throughout the pandemic and since joining the group I started writing stories and poems responding to my artwork. I’m not ready to share my writing yet but I am thinking about making a zine to go along with a future art exhibit. Also, my Cascades collages are on view at the library through the end of May so I’ve been able to visit them.

Disappointments and delayed gratification

I’ve been keenly aware this month of delayed gratification. It’s been a good reminder for me to take notice of what habits and thought patterns aren’t helping me and consciously release them. This is a daily practice just like meditating, yoga, making art.

Finishing new work and continuing to make work

I happened to finish up the beginnings of a new body of artwork as the month was coming to a close and it felt like a good transition of both finishing and beginning. I find myself drawing lots of imagery that I cut out to use for collage, painting acrylic skins that I cut up and form into flowers, and shaping creative paperclay into shell shapes and flowers. There is some repetition and overlap in each of these processes that feels exciting. I’m more now to go with the flow of creating in cycles and what I have on hand is what is meant to be used. I combine these elements together in ways that make me feel slightly uncomfortable - like someone is going to come in and tell me that’s wrong! - and I take that as sign that I must continue in this direction.

Leap into the void and letting go

Themes of uncertainty, trust, and letting go are ever present in the studio and in life. I’m constantly reminded that the only certainty in life is uncertainty and I’m trying to be more ok with that. It’s out of my control anyway. In May one of my daily goals is to ask the Universe to take care of something I’m worried about so that I can release the worry altogether and redirect that energy to other things.

Here are some journal prompts to close:

What is one thing you feel grateful for?
What is one thing that makes you feel proud of yourself?
What is one thing you would like to accomplish today?

March Reflections

Ink on paper sketch, March 2020

Reflecting back to March 2020 - this ink on paper sketch made during that first week of the pandemic stay at home time is filled with chaos and the unknown.

Flash forward to March 2022:

I’m excited for Springtime and here are some shows I’ve watched on Netflix that have entertained and inspired me this month:

1. Shtisel is an Israeli TV series about a Jewish Orthodox family in an orthodox neighborhood. I am particularly fond of the son, Akiva Shtisel, who has the soul of an artist and is trying to navigate the world of his Jewish responsibilities and skeptical family while trying to be an exhibiting, working artist. I can relate to Kive’s trials and tribulations as an artist!

2. My Octopus Teacher is a beautiful documentary about a filmmaker who spends a year diving into the underwater kelp forest of False Bay on the coast of South Africa where he meets a female octopus who enchants him.

3. Emily in Paris - Yes, we binged watched this show this month and Emily’s clothing color palette got me very excited for Springtime and some brightly colorful clothing updates!

4. Better Things - season 4 is unfolding weekly on Hulu. I really enjoy watching Pamela Adlon as Sam Fox. She also creates, writes, directs, etc this program and it’s clear she put a lot of heart and soul into it. I loved last week’s episode with the guest feng shui expert. Also, Sam/Pam loves figurative artwork! Artwork hangs salon style in the stairwell of their TV house. It’s a focal point throughout the show.

   
   In general I’m learning new things about myself and I often have this thought that the older I get, the more I learn, the less I know.

   I’ll end with a journal prompt:
   What is inspiring you about Springtime?
   What is one thing you’re grateful for?
   What is one thing that you are proud of about yourself?