Pastel~ing, Anyone???

Couple of weeks ago I decided to do a painting for our freshly remodeled master bedroom, so I bought a 4'x2' piece of wood at Home Depot and set out to work.... I can only remember the numerous stages of development that my painting has traveled so far thanks to my camera..... as it continued to changed backgrounds, more and more mediums were added and last night I felt that it was time for the oil pastels to join in the Fun....

I pulled out an old box of 69 oil pastel colors and begun to work them into the surface of my painting. To me, pastels, and oil ones in particular, are the most therapeutic medium I've ever experimented with..... here's a little list that is intended to pay a small tribute to the Awesomeness of this Divine Medium:

Unlike paint of any kind, pastels give a very intimate connection to the medium and through it a more direct and closer contact with an artwork.... no more clumsy attempts to manipulate the paint with a brush or a palette knife ~ thanks to this 'physical~ness' of pastels in the process of art making I can be more present, observant, aware of how images come to life right through my hands.... it's very beautiful in a quiet tangible way, in fact I feel very grateful for being a channel for creativity flowing through me thanks to this up-close and personal Pastel~ing experience....

I feel that using the word 'pastel' as a verb, for example: Do you Pastel? or in a progressive mode: Pastel~Ing emphasis the PROCESS versus just denoting an object.... which seems so boring and uninspiring, don't you think?

Another Awesome attribute of pastels is its inherent forgiving nature.... I can deposit numerous layers of color and shapes over the surface, covering a previous imagery with a new one while in the process creating a fabulous texture and depth.... If I could recommend only one thing to use for engaging one's 'blocked' creative flow, Pastels would be my Creative Rx of choice..... what else could offer more flexibility and fun to your precious Creative Self? Most of us carry within ourselves many fond memories of oil crayons from our childhoods ~ pastels can be seen as a more 'adult' version of crayola and build a fast rapport with our inner youngster, perhaps by soothing down some of creative anxiety for a moment.....?

Oil pastels exude a bit of smell and ALWAYS leave colorful mementos of their presence on our hands, clothing and anything we come in contact with on our way to wash our hands..... By engaging more than one of our senses while exploring pastels, we step back into our bodies and leave our 'heads' and critical voices behind for a moment. What a relief.

Here's my suggested prescription for one dose of Creative Nurturing: get a box of pastels (oil ones would be ideal) with at least 10-12 colors inside, or purchase single pastels separately at a hobby or art supplies store ( it'd be more expensive than purchasing a pre-packed set, yet on the other hand YOU will decide which colors your Creative Self will indulge in...). Next pull out a rather sturdy piece of paper, ideally a Big, Big one ~ for additional fun either pre-paint it with a water color paint or purchase a dark color paper background. Using a dark background with lighter pastels' color palette and/or iridescent ones will add some Magic to your artwork.... Lastly, put your favorite music on, grab a pastel color that you feel the most attracted to and begin moving your hand across the surface.....

I'd love to hear about your Adventures in Pastel~Ing!

Below you can see some snapshots from my painting's journey so far....

... to be continued....

Re-Claiming Authentic Yearnings...

Ohm Nama Shivaya

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Colored Pencil on Cardboard

~ Writing that mantra in Sanskrit and English helped me find my center~

I've been pondering the subject of Authentic Yearnings as they relate to creative self-expression and life in general.... There's always a loud mental noise going on in our minds and only in moments of stillness, when the agendas of all outside demands get suspended, even for a brief instance, can become aware of something deeper that we'd like to express forth in our lives. Perhaps that's what the term 'Growing Up by Growing Down' really articulates - how much of our conscious attention and focused effort we can muster to identify and THEN follow Our Truth.... what Truly matters to US, because after all, We, OURSELVES, are the only persons we will ever be fully accountable to ~ for our lives' tapestry comprised of events, encounters, and expressions..... How do we choose to experience ourselves in time that each one of us has left here.....

I'm writing these words as much to you, Dear Reader, as to my Self.... I've come to realize that we can never relax into a comfortable oblivion of assuming that since we'd made some head way on our Authentic Yearnings, we'll continue to follow our Hearts from now on ~ I wish that was the case.... ? Or maybe not. Our Authentic Yearnings change as we change, as we move through periods of transitions, enter the next stage of our psycho-emotional development, or simply make a switch from a strawberry ice cream flavor to a rich, decadent buttery pecan..... So, too, we must go back within and check if our Authentic Yearnings from a year ago STILL are Authentic, or perhaps, unbeknownst to us had turned into 'musts' that we continue to impose upon our battered souls unaware that our once Authentic Yearnings had transformed into 'Authentic Replicas' ~ that's the expression used by sellers of 'Authentic' Rolex Replicas...

My feeling is that in this global period of transition where each one of us is immersed either first hand, or through a circle of the people close to us, in financial~economic worries ~ being able to even identify our Authentic Yearnings seems like a true Mission Impossible.... So, how do we begin to find our footing in the chaos that touches us internally, externally, or both??? How do we sooth our petrified inner youngster and find refuge and healing in creative self-expression? Even for a moment. Just for today.

I don't have 'the' answer for You. You hold it within, and that's the best answer and the only one that will work for You. I can only share my, often hesitant steps, on my own path ~ hoping that my story will encourage you to keep on going, or perhaps finding your path again. Anew. Carrying a flashlight of hope in one hand while moving to the rhythm of your heart beat with remnants of courage in the other.... one foot in front of the other...... walking on. Why? Because there's no other alternative if you want to live Your Life as Your Self. Of course that's Your decision to make in the first place.

Storms and any extreme weather conditions carry in their own definition a very valuable for us characteristic, namely they are Transitory.... sooner of later it WILL stop pouring, the violent winds WILL subside and the Sun WILL come out again. In the meantime, while I'm waiting for the winds of outer turmoil to settle down, I pray more than ever before in my life, I feel attracted to explore iconography of different religions of the world and to incorporate it into my own artworks.... I read spiritual literature and try to stay present in the NOW as much as I can.... while driving, writing, artmaking, or in the company of others.... I find free-hand writing ( at least three pages ~ AKA Morning Pages) very healing and centering, though recently I do them at different times of the day.... Spending time in nature or just going for a short walk around a neighborhood is a very powerful remedy for a so called 'inner confusion' ~ I feel that by walking I am actually walking In-Ward toward my inner Self ~ the answers always come and provide me with a much needed solace.... just for today, just for an hour.....

How do you re-connect to your Authentic Yearnings? How do you stay centered on your Path as it winds and meanders?

Finding The Path Back.... Within

My company left last night and I feel quiet disoriented emotionally and spiritually in so many ways..... Creatively I've started two new paintings (one mentioned in the last post) and a new piece for my bedroom. Yet for the time being I'm trying to find my way back within, pass this eerie 'spiritual stalling'.... As much as I don't want to admit it, forcing my Self back into the preconceived routine can only prolong this creative disorientation.

I'm praying for guidance and I go back to the creative-spiritual feast of free-hand writing and connecting to my Spiritual Hot Line by reading at random through Julia Cameron's books that I'd amassed throughout the years..... but for the time being I feel that I'm running on empty and each word reminds me more of a struggle than the usual gentle flow....

I'll check back in before the end of the week. In the meantime, much Creative Blessings to all of You...