“Spring:
a lovely reminder of how beautiful change can be.”
Setting out on a different journey this year is just not as simple as I planned. Becoming a full time artist after years of meeting deadlines answering to customers, working around contractors, and having a pretty set schedule is just hard. Now it’s just me and no schedule. Oh yea, we still have laundry to do, Bill asking for lunch, kids coming home, and the art gets shoved aside again and again. Days go by and there is no body of work to show. Painting has always been a luxury for me. So, I tell myself (that little voice inside us that needs to shut up). “You can’t paint during the day, all day.” “ Are you nuts you should be working, this isn’t work.” “Have you been to the food store, cleaned up the house, fixed a gourmet meal,” and on and on… I then put down my paint brush, find a small distracting job and get off course. The ADD doesn’t help either. What I need to be doing is putting my art first. I won’t ever ignore my family, they truly are first for me. But ,I can schedule time for art and stick to it. Give myself permission to explore this new stage in life. And yes it’s ok for me to read a art book in the middle of the day, take a hour walk outside, kayak up river to sketch and just do what feels good. After all I am an artist !
Whats working for me
Mediating in the morning, this is my secret weapon to calm my mind. Setting intentions at this time turns into a type of daily schedule which helps me reach my goals. I have been using the Insight App on my phone. This App is free and has lots of great features for meditation.
A calendar, I am currently using arc notebook system you can customize it to your needs with all kinds of to do list, daily list, monthly, and more. Its available at Staples but amazon also has it. Being able to set up a list each night for the next day has really improved my production.
Starting my day with art first thing. I used to have my two cups of coffee and scroll aimlessly through Facebook in the morning. Now I make coffee the night before and go to the studio with my cup in my PJ’s . I might sketch, read a art book or plan a painting. Its a pretty special time, sets my day in the right direction. I find myself getting up earlier just to enjoy this time.
A gratitude journal, each day I list at least three things I am grateful for. I sometimes put them on my daily calendar page, or maybe in my journal. This gives me a feeling of fullness and happiness, sets my mood to accomplish all things.
A proper North facing window, This was my Birthday gift and what a difference it makes. I now have to live up to this great light. It really feels like an artist studio. I am blessed with the studio I have but I do stalk Rebecca Rebouche she is a artist that has a tree house in the woods outside New Orleans. Rebecca lives in the tree house Monday through Thursday by herself just to paint. She even has her food and supplies delivered weekly. Hmmm, maybe Bill would not mind me moving into the studio, I’ll come back on the weekends. Anyway I feel like I’m in a tree house with my new window.
I even have a view of the river.
Funny but I love putting on clogs and a linen apron to set the mood
I am remembering to take it slow, take time for me. Rushing is a thing of the past and I find my creativity level grows when I savor time. Yep, beautiful changes and a beautiful life.
