Friday, May 30, 2014

Be Still

I have been seeing a lot of posts on blogs that I follow lately regarding "artists block!"  Although I don't necessarily call myself an artist, I have been experiencing that a lot lately with my art journals.  I have several that I switch around working in so that I don't get into a slump, per say, but even with that, I just get a block and just don't know where to go from there.

When I thought on that, I was reminded of a verse of scripture from God's Word in Psalm 46:10 where He reminds us to be still and know He is God!  In this fast paced world, we jet from task to task, place to place and even moment to moment!  We so want to preoccupy our minds that I truly believe there comes a point that we "bottom out," just like our "artists block" moments.  Our desire is to be truly creative, and even more so when we observe another's creativity, that we push and demand so much from ourselves to the point of "the block."  Sometimes there is a need to just be still and let the ability of creativity come to the surface out of a rhythm of grace rather than through a forced forethought.

That's what happened when I did this journal page.  What started out as a slump, moved into something God was able to minister to me as I allowed Him speak to my heart.  God so wants to bless us and work in and through us for His good pleasure and purpose but we tend to get in His way with our every day faced paced living.  When all along if we would just stop and be still and hear His still small voice, His blessings would abound!  God doesn't always work in BIG dramatic revelations or manifestations, like what we want to come out on an art journal page for the world to see, but often through divine silence is where He does His best work in and through us!!!  This is what they call an "unforced rhythm of grace!"
This particular page took me quite awhile to do with all the doodling and tangling, but I had such a peace as I did it knowing that I had allowed God to minister His heart for me!  I encourage you today, when you get in that journaling slump, open your heart WIDE to God's unforced rhythms of grace!!

Thursday, May 22, 2014

Been a Long Time!

It has been quite some time since I posted anything.  Mainly because I can't figure out how to make this blog do what I want it to do!!  Yikes!  Some say, "Oh well, just Google it!"  Well I have and I get nowhere!!  I can't seem to find the answers to my questions on this "actual" blog Q&A or on Google!  So I will just have to give it another stab at posting and just continue my search!  By all means, if there is someone in the blogger world that is a whiz at this and is willing to answer questions, leave a comment!!! 

So since last August, my apparent last posting, I've gotten older, my children and husband have gotten older and life has moved on in spite of it all!  I have been delving into new venues of art to which I am in love!  I have a new found love of mixed media art and have been loving playing with all kinds of mixed media and looking forward to learning more of what's out there!

My favorite thing to do right now is mixed media art journaling, but I do love doing canvas as well.  I still like my nature journaling, which happens to be water color, but I have put it on the back burner at the moment to try out all the fabulous other art techniques out there!  Trouble with it all is that... it's ADDICTIVE!!  I want EVERY art product out there and for obvious pocketbook reasons, that can't be done!  Some my theory is a "little" here and "little" there...LOL!!!  This all adds up to another problem.....I'm running out of storage room!!!!!  LOL!!  So I was thinking....a little art "she cave" out back would be nice, don't you think?  Well, I've thrown the hints out there....time will tell.

I want to display some of my things on this blog and we will just see how it all goes!  Time will tell if I get the hang of it all, but until then, I will just pretend I know what I am doing and post pix!  I have a Google+ account so some of these pix will be redundant from earlier postings there, but I have to start somewhere right? 


 My art journals reflect my love for my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ and how I want to give glory to Him for all He is in and through my life!  I make no apologies therein for we are supposed to reflect Him in all we do and say and we are called to lead others to Him!  If I lead one by my expression through my art, I will have glorified Him!

I hope you enjoy!
Peace and Blessings