Thankful Sunday

This week I am thankful for:

The summer hols! Time to slow down a little and find the odd moment to relax.

My wedding anniversary. I had a rare meal out at a cosy local pub with my husband to celebrate our 4th wedding anniversary. I can’t believe it is already four years ago since that very special day.

The Sketchbook Project. My lovely blogger friend Lis recommended this project and as quick as a flash I had to sign up; what an opportunity! Basically thousands of sketchbooks are available to artists world wide, to fill based on themes determined by the creators of the project. These journals will then tour America as part of an exhibition before finding permanent homes at the Brooklyn Art Library. I love the idea of my artwork reaching out into the world. I have also opted for a digitalised copy, which will be a part of the Sketchbook Project website. I am so excited! Click on the icon for more information.

Art Journal Love Letters. I have read so many wonderful reviews of this course that I simply couldn’t resist this either. It promises such inspiration as well as looking at art journaling techniques. I really do like the idea of making my journaling more creative, linking my everyday life to the art I produce. Looks like I will be enjoying a very creative summer indeed! I am an e -course addict and most proud of the fact :) My life has become so much richer through participating in such projects, not only is my creativity blossoming but so is my self belief.

The August Break Lovely Susannah Conway has created an August photography project. The Idea is to let photographs do the talking on the blogs of anyone who wishes to join her in for the month of August. A photo a day, using a camera of choice, no theme, no restriction, just simply recording life mindfully. Sounds wonderful doesn’t it?

Artful Blogging. This blogging magazine is absolutely gorgeous. I am drinking in the beautiful photography, inspiring stories and amazingly creative ideas. I bought mine from http://www.rainbowsilks.co.uk/

My new EMAG role in September. I am feeling most inspired about my new EMAG role (Ethnic Minority Achievement Grant), working with children, who have English as an additional language. I am in the middle of transforming an unloved space at school into a stimulating language room and am discovering some amazing resource websites such as.:

http://www.little-linguist.co.uk/

http://www.primaryclassroomresources.co.uk/

http://www.autismbuddy.com

I am hoping my printer is up to the challenge of creating all these wonderful resources:)

Storyteller

I am a collector of stories, listening actively, intensily, collecting rich gems in my story bag.

I am a collector of stories, absorbing the wisdom of the written word, surrounding myself with pages and pages, woven together in endless spirals of imagination.

I am a collector of stories, finding inspiration in the awe inspiring creations of others.

I am a colllector of stories, capturing moments through a lense, moments which encapsulate more than the brightest, shining word can convey.

I am a collector of stories,observing the communities around me mindfully.

I am a collector of stories, finding such beauty in the ordinary, finding nourishment in the detail.

I am a collector of stories, respecting my elders, tapping into ancient wisdom,still crackling with intensity, with spirit.

I am a collector of stories, a part of epic natural cycles, of the goddess web of life.

I am a collector of stories, hearing my heart beat out its own mysteries.

I am a collector of stories, I am becoming a storyteller.

Thankful Sunday

My wonderful friend Mel (http://memyselfandotherthings.wordpress.com) writes something called a Thankful Friday blog post each week to tell the bloggerverse of the people, objects and experiences, which enrich her life. I love this idea very much as sometimes I become so immersed in the every day trials and tribulations of life that I forget to be mindful, to live purposely and to drink in all the good that I have. I also like seeing the idea of writing weekly as a ritual, a regular time to reflect and search for positivity. So here it goes, this week...

I am thankful for my veg patch for it is slowly but surely coming to life! I have had the pleasure of harvesting my first set of radishes and felt such a strong sense of achievement . I love sniffing my tomato plants, my beans have decided that they do want to thrive, my lettuces are actually starting to take form and I have many salad onions to use this weekend.

I am thankful for surviving a hectic working week and for having a really lovely time at my head teacher’s retirement party. She looked so beautiful and really appreciated the efforts of her staff. I am going to make her a card this weekend, in which I will incorporate the below image of myself. Not only is she an amazing head to work for but she was also the first teacher I had when I first came over to England. Therefore I am also grateful for the many happy memories I have of her.

I am thankful for finding this beautiful book of photography:

I feel so inspired by the whole project of two blogger friends, Maria Alexandra Vettese and Stephanie Congdon Barnes, creating together with such spirit and connectedness.

Take a look at their website http://3191ayearofmornings.com/mornings/

I am thankful and just a little proud of what I have achieved in Susannah Conway’s Unravelling course 'Living in my World’. It has been a rich, spiritual, creative journey. in the process of which my photography skills have blossomed.

Please take a look at her website, she is an awesome writer and photographer as well as being an incredibly honest, compassionate and wise soul.

http://www.susannahconway.com/

I am thankful for small comforts and for realising that it is often these small moments of feeling warm and protected that are medicine for the soul. The shot is of my cuddly tortoise Mimi, my good luck charm, who has accompanied me since birth. She knows me inside out and nourishes me with those soft, tatty paws and her deep, understanding eyes.

Last of all I am thankful for having the courage to save a fledgling bird from my cats. Quite often I cannot face these situations as the suffering of the bird or mouse in question is too much for me to take. This weekend I put the need of the sweet little bird first.

I am...

Lis’s weekly reflections seem to work in unison with my thought processes. Who am I? is a question currently very close to my heart. Some of the statements below I believe, others I am writing to make them true. I have been thinking really intensely about rewriting the stories that form my life, in order to give them more positive,more dynamic endings and thus, the following simple statements are part of this quest:

Who am I?

I am a creative explorer, a magpie collecting sparkling tools for her nest.

I am an observer, noting detail, seeing the extraordinary in the ordinary.

I am a teacher, infusing others with spirit and knowledge.

I am a warm hearted giver, sharing my heart and soul without limits.

I am a peace seeker, welcoming calm and forgiveness into the fibres of my being.

I am a listener, soaking up stories deep within.

I am an energy discoverer, glowing, singing, dancing with the wind.

I am a questioner, always hungry to learn and understand.

I am a writer, pouring out words to make sense of my world.

I am a truth speaker, unearthing my voice, giving it light.

I am a supporter, I am roots, I am a rock.

I am a nature lover, fiercely protective, a part of an awe inspiring web.

I am a business adventurer, offering a unique service to the world.

I am a nourisher, my ingredients rich and seasoned with love.

I am a labourer, putting every ounce of my being into this lifetime.

I am a work in progress.

I am this life.

The last sentence links in with a piece of art I created at the weekend. I explored what I imagine my inner sage/wise woman would look :

She is confident with a powerful lion's mane, the colour of nature is evident in her wings. The triquetra embellished on her wings is a symbol of wisdom of the stages of life as well as the connection of mind, body and spirit. She has stars in her hair for she knows that she aims for them in everything she does, they also stand for the sparkle of imagination. The moon and sun on her cheeks remind her that she is a valuable part of a greater picture. She wears a heart as love is her core and she has her arms stretched wide to welcome and nurture. I found the quote in Hand Wash Cold by Karen Maezen Miller (http://www.karenmaezenmiller.com), which I strongly recommend reading, as she is one of the wisest women I have come across.

Growth

This week Lis asks:

Organic growth - what would that look like for you?

The older I become the more interested I become in nurturing myself. The more I nurture the artist, photographer and writer inside, the longer and more complex the adventures seems to become. I used to simply see an end product that I would plow into full steam ahead, sometimes this would work if I was lucky, but other times I would find myself lacking, the end result feeling forced and certainly not as rich nor as wonderful as I imagined it to be. I expected it all to appear like that magic beanstalk!

When it comes to myself I am by nature an impatient person, always wanting everything done instantly and indeed perfectly. I have such high expectations of myself, that I think I should have all those tools I need to instantly create that amazing piece of artwork, to take the stunning shot that leaves others in awe, to write that book/poem/essay that will be treasured for years to come. I am learning that I am human, that whilst creativity comes naturally to me, I have to take the time to gather the tools I need to express myself. Like a mantra I need to repeat to myself that talents needs time and energy to grow and that this also involves being wholly committed and managing to be mindful in my learning process. I am creating a small vegetable patch for the first time this year, and those tiny seeds that I started with are teaching me exactly this lesson. I didn’t know what I was doing at first, I had to research and construct something which dovetailed with my daily life and my needs. It is a work in progress and I have to keep adding to my knowledge. I make mistakes and not everything is as successful as I would wish, but I am creating something slowly, mindfully, I am nurturing a skill to enrich my life and creating something which deeply reflects a part of myself.

The funny thing is that with others, and certainly with the children I teach, I consider myself in having that ability to nurture; I give them time, patience, safety to grow; I infuse them with the knowledge and skills they need to blossom. I never expect perfection, only to tease out the best the child has within them and to support them wholeheartedly in their adventures into adulthood.

On my creative journey I often compare myself to the amazing work and skills of others. I then sometimes feel unworthy, my own efforts lacking in comparison. That inner critic steps in and whispers that maybe I shouldn’t try at all as it will never be as beautiful/interesting/inspiring as the work of those I admire so greatly. This leads to then asking myself if I am charlatan. I am learning to listen to this voice in a different light. Having taken several creative e courses in the last months I can see a shift in my perspective at times; I am beginning to see that by gathering the work and knowledge of others I can inspire my own, magical creative process. Collecting the beauty and wisdom of others has such an important purpose - to help me find that unique style within myself, for each artist/writer is indeed unique. What I have inside is deep, personal and part of me, what I have to offer is unique. By exploring the work of others I am exploring my own creativity, nurturing it, learning to express myself. This exploration is a long, sometimes frustrating, sometimes heavenly journey. The riches lie in this adventure and not always in the result that I push myself so hard for. I must grasp that intention to nurture, which I apply in my teaching role, to now teach that creative goddess within.

“Life is a journey, not a destination.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Dandelions

As my grandmother knows of my love for gardening, she recently sent me a rather wonderful piece of poetry with a dandelion as its subject ( it is by Helmut Herberg and called Psalm einer Pusteblume). I am only going to summarize its main points, as the original is in German and I really wanted to finish this post today. I had never considered how many lessons we can learn from this humble yet amazing flower.

The poem begins with a listing of all the characteristics a dandelion doesn’t have: It doesn’t have the delicate scent of the rose, nor does it bear fruit. It isn’t beautiful, therefore it isn’t used in bouquets, isn’t admired and given pride of place in florists, isn’t used as a muse in poetry, isn’t used in a romantic love song. Instead it is classified as a weed, it isn’t protected and indeed is sought out to be removed. However, we should think twice because:

A dandelion is not ashamed of itself and doesn’t feel insignificant just because others cannot see its true beauty straight away.

A dandelion doesn’t let itself be fenced in nor controlled, indeed it is able to live everywhere, as itself, speaking its own truth. It is therefore never short of a real home.

A dandelion is loved and acknowledged by children, they love to blow it seeds on further adventures.

A dandelion searches for closeness, to children and to animals, it never feels lonely and unwanted.

A dandelion is, if you look closely, a tiny sun, full of light, colour and warmth.

A dandelion nourishes freely, giving to all creatures who seek it, it never discriminates.

A dandelion heals, its humble nature holds such medicine inside.

A dandelion has strong roots, it isn’t easily removed for its roots run deep.

A dandelion has such a strong connection to nature, it doesn’t survive in artificial circumstances but thrives on the four elements.

A dandelion welcomes change, it undergoes such awe inspiring transformation. It can let go of the past as well as the present. It doesn't’ resist, instead it welcomes its new life.

A dandelion has patience, it undergoes transformation slowly, guided by the sun, showing such trust.

A dandelion welcomes the wind, even though it is a wind of change and uncertainty. A dandelion therefore has faith in the good.

And so, a dandelion is a symbol of such happiness if we only look closely and take the time to ponder.

Art Saves

I have the most wonderful blogger friend called Lis, though we have never met I do consider her to be a kindred spirit, for when she writes, paints or takes photographs it is like she is speaking for my soul also. Every week she poses a weekly reflection question for herself and I have been meaning to join her since the beginning of the year. Whilst I silently reflect each week, reading her thoughtful, intelligent insights,this week I am going to put myself out there and join in.

This week’s question is more of a statement:

Art Saves.

For me this statement is true on so many levels so here is what creativity means to me:

Childhood Creativity

In my childhood art was something, which I felt so intrinsically belonged to me that I could escape into it during the tough times and show my joy in the good times; when I was in my art zone I felt really good about myself, safe, bright and full of colour. I remember drawing happily for hours on end whilst visiting my grandparents, creating lively happy pieces, reflecting the joyful me. This creativity was completely nurtured by my aunt, who took me to my many requested museums, showed me art colonies and bought me that first vital art book on Renoir, which I poured over hours on end, stunned by the light and sheer beauty. The art of others has always fed my imagination as far back as I remember, even the small me dreamt, was inspired to aim high, aspired to be the most creative human being I could be through the art that I saw.On the flip side I also remember retreating with my creative tools to escape not so great times back at home, where art gave me my wings to fly away, to imagine myself in a better place. I only wish I had kept some of my early creations, as that child needed her art to be seen.

Although I really wanted to blend in with my peers as an overweight, intelligent child in an inner city primary school, when it came to art it felt good to be me and I liked people to see my creations. Art allowed me, the introvert teenager, to express myself even further. When in doubt there was a pencil and sketch pad in my hand. I wasn’t very sure of myself as a teenager; I was the listener, the people watcher (even more so than I am now) but when I was creating I felt I had a voice; being creative was the time when I was willing to put myself out there, when I took the risk to want to be understood.

Adult Creativity

As an adult art has given me the gift of being able to see the beauty in the world and to be a part of that beauty. As well as this it has given me the opportunity tosee/understand other human beings’ perspectives on life. It is so important to see and feel the beauty in life, on a larger scale but also in the every day small moments, for I believe we are in danger, through the daily media, of only digesting the troubles of the world, of being swallowed by the darker side of human nature as well being led to ignore the magnificence of the natural world around us. For me art is beauty, light, colour, texture, mother nature, the every day moments of creative, of love: art is a way to connect to the world and to live life to its full potential. Be it looking through a lens of a camera or swirling paint on a page, art has taught me to celebrate. When I look at someone else’s creative interpretation it opens whole new worlds of thought processes and delights in my mind; this makes me grow as a person,; I am able to see the magical diversity of the world and also to feel united with my fellow creators. Through digesting the art of others I can try to understand them also and isn’t understanding a concept that should be nurtured in this modern world?

Also when I am being the artist within, it is a way of understanding myself, getting to know myself, a time to spend precious time with myself. Art can be something deeply personal, and I think that if we can understand and like ourselves we can serve our families, our friends and our communities so much more.

Art has been my adventure as an adult. When I create now, I create to celebrate myself and the world. Through my art I wish to be understood, through the creativity of others I wish to understand.