Inspired: Its a Beautiful Life!

Hello World! This is my dining room wall…well, minus the writing. I don’t have graffiti on my wall although now that I look at it, it could work! I wrote the word “beautiful” with black gouache on paper, scanned it and made a Photoshop “brush” with it. The turquoise paint isn’t quite this in-your-face on the wall.

I’ve recently been looking at many different ways of making art; digital, painting, mixed media, collage etc, and feeling drawn to so many of them…to the point where I’m not sure what my own style is, or do I even have a style? What I'm increasingly drawn to is a more graphic style of art with typography, and a mixed media focus (lol…that narrows it down a lot!) Perhaps even adding some digital to the mix. I’ve been mulling all of this over and working in my art journal helps me to work out different ideas. Some work, others don’t!

Wandering, But Not Lost

mixed media; tissue paper, local navigational chart, pen, liquid eraser

and...I’m also back to writing. I started writing a book last year on a topic that's been percolating in the back of my head for quite some time but I was too busy with other things…like pulling my life together!…to go much past the first few chapters. It feels good to be moving ahead with it now and the inspiration is flowing. (hint…it’s about using the creative process of art journaling to make sense of life---step-by-step...with a reflective, inner focus )

...and the website design course that I’m taking is keeping me really busy too. The classes are 4 hours a week and I usually need to take at least that much time again to go over it all and put what I’ve learned into practice.

...and I’m still walking four to five days a week. The only drawback with this is that now that I’m walking for exercise, it’s hard to build up a head of steam if I’m stopping to take pictures along the way…and I miss it! I’m now dreaming of this walk…maybe next year?

The full moon last night was AMAZING! I was outside admiring it until the evening chill had me scurrying back indoors. ...and speaking of cold and chilly weather…winter and I have finally made peace with each other this year.

I found a raw and resilient beauty in winter, which is something I've never seen or appreciated before and in fact, something I've never really wanted to see before. I could never get past the grey dreariness of winter. It’s true that what you resist, persists and to enjoy winter I’ve found it necessary to look at it without incessantly wishing it were spring. Winter is cold and bare and blowing and wet but it’s also restorative and nourishing and exposes a spare and sparse kind of beauty that’s hidden in the other seasons.

So winter…now that you’re almost ready to move on, I thank you for your gift. I’ll never dread you or fear you again. You’ve shown me that a time of rest and fallow builds strong, deep roots that are ready to reach for new growth…and spring.

Wishing you all a sense of wonder at the newness that’s pressing at the world right now…new growth emerging in so many, many ways. (The general consensus for this years “energy” seems to be to "hold on to our hats" with much newness and change blowing in!).

Have a lovely weekend dear friends,

4 Comments

Oh my, kate, how exciting about your book--it sounds wonderful! The web design class, looking for your style, walking, growing, enjoying life through this winter of ours...it just sounds perfectly splendid! This is such an upbeat post. Tonight, I am a bit dreary and tired and it was great to read. Peace, blessings, joy, xoO

Posted by: olivia | 03/09/2012 at 08:12 PM

I'm so happy to hear about the book...you are such a beautiful writer. Keep us apprised please because I would love a copy.

As the blog loaded I thought how serene and spring like it felt here...how wonderful that you LIVE in this color!

I just made a new journal, I find so much of what I finally land on comes directly from the journal...and thank you! for the congrats! I truly was over the top with this one.

x..x

Posted by: Stephanie | 03/10/2012 at 03:48 PM