Allowing the Creativity of Joy Part I

It's so hard to believe that it's been over a year since I posted to this blog! I have been focusing so much of my time on story telling to engage people in active living advocacy. I apologize to all of you who have been kind enough to stop by and haven't found anything fresh to you. If you're curious you can find what I've been writing about on my other site www.womenonbikessocal.org.

For a few months now a little voice has been quietly whispering in my ear "it's time to draw and paint again." At first I brushed the voice aside with impatience scolding, "Do you know the time that will take? I don't have time for that now, I have plently of creative outlets going on here already!"

Considering that I've written quite a bit about "Allowing Our Permission Slip from God" one would think that I would listen very carefully to such voices. Alas no, I was in my "busy" mode, my "I need to keep working hard because my current income project will end in a couple of months and I need to find my next big paying project!" I had decided that I want to learn video editing both because I really want to learn to create great videos, but also because that voice of fear keeps telling me to learn new skills to be viable in today's challenging job market.

Fortunately while on this busy-ness spree I decided I also need to get inspired and clear and turned to two of my favorite Life/Creativity/Spirituality/Getting Real coaches Martha Beck and Danielle LaPorte to do so. I signed up for one of Martha's terrific teleseminars, and purchased Danielle's "The Fire Starter Sessions" to listen to on my computer.

And guess what both ladies asked me to do? Get quiet, and still, and listen to that little voice I'd been trying to shush. There within I would find my treasure, my joy, my true passion and my next divine right project.

I knew this before they told me but only so far.

For someone who has been so artistic her entire life, I have not allowed my artistic side to step forward front and center fully for myself as an adult. I have always always combined my creativity and artistry with ways to promote the ideas and skills of others so I could feel it was a smart business strategy.

I'm not sorry I've done this, it's been a wonderful adventure that continues until today, but I am sorry that I haven't also allowed my artistry to be fully allowed and developed just because. I am sad I didn't think there was room, space, place and time for both.

Happily the little voice came back and this time began adding images. For some reason my creative self is rather obsessed with red poppies of Spain and has been for a few years now. I have never been to Spain, but I found images of the flowers on stock photo sites (like the image above) and have used them as my computer screen saver. My friend the photographer Allan Crawford and his wife Laura travel frequently to Spain and he has taken some gorgeous images of them.

I love the incredible deep rich vibrancy of their color. I love that such a bountiful bloom lives on top of such a thin, fragile and long stem. As I write this I have an "aha moment" that perhaps I'll be able to put into words in the future, but right is too fresh and raw to put into words right now.

My first test painting on board - unfortunately my camera did not take the best image.

So far this year I have done one small poppy inspired painting as a test to see how I like working on board instead of paper (I LOVE it), and today I will start on the second painting in this series. I've also created a Valentine/Bicycle illustration to make my own Valentine's cards that I'm very excited about.

Once I began painting again my dreams (which have always been elaborate) took on a new beauty and richness that at times is achingly beautiful. In one dream I was walking through an art exhibit of the likes I have next seen in my life. An exhibit where the walls were carved wood sculptures of reclining women that were so gorgeous and sexy and intricate and mysterious I have no idea how they could be recreated in reality.

And every moment of creating these new paintings have been a joy. I can't wait to hear what the little voice tells me to draw and paint next.