1.16.2012

Tending to the Pilot Light: New Year's Visual Reinforcement/Reminders/Validation/2012 Journey Map....

Hello! During Tending to the Pilot Light this last week, we continued with our New Year 2012 Process projects.  We completed a worksheet about our hopes, plans, wishes, for the future and created 2 and 3 dimensional art pieces related to the results.  Thanks to Susannah Conway for the worksheet.  Titled "Unravelling the Year Ahead" it asks questions like, What is your Word for 2012, Imagine yourself at the end of the year, what are you proud of? and What is your secret wish?

I created a quick example of one way to visually interpret/display the results of New Year thinking to give the class some ideas:

















I had not completed the worksheet at that time.  According to one of my students, I unconsciously placed some of the categories in the same locations surrounding a central theme as some Feng Shui models... I'll have to find out more about this and study the universal-ness of visual displays of life energy.



Here are some of the pieces my lovely students made during the week:

The first one is displayed over four pictures to reveal all the hidden layers.....










































The second piece is a hanging, two-sided visual - letting fate and natural air drafts determine which side is revealed at any given moment:





Here are a few more....




The piece above is a three dimensional box with opening window frame and functioning curtains!

Here is the final version of the above project:







































Here are few newly completed projects:




And here is what I created AFTER filling out the worksheet...








There were several pieces "in progress", taken home with promises to bring back the finished project for photos!

This was an interesting project because it brought up lots of reactions for people... ranging from resistance, acceptance, inspiration, fears, blank-mind...overwhelmed, hope....

I feel like whatever got stirred up, the mixture it made.... makes us richer.  I would personally rather not have "Mindfulness" be my word for the year... It is much easier to space out and indulge in non-choices.. letting my time, my decisions, my actions be ruled by desires, i.e., yummy cookie vs. do I really want to feel that residue during yoga? or.. I'm kinda tired.. I'd rather watch a good BBC detective series than take care of filing or laundry or the zillions of things that call out to me on a daily basis.  However, having just a teensy bit of clarity and a view over the top of that moment can reveal that YEAH, it's a drag to be in the moment and take care of SHTUFF right then, but wow, afterwards, doesn't the place look great, isn't it nice to NOT hear all those chores chiming in to be heard and done? Isn't it easier to turn towards my creative and productive and happy self when not dragged down by all the things I avoid "taking care of".  I will answer with a resounding Yeppers!

I'll leave you with this one adage that proves helpful every time I bother to remember it....

Action is the Antidote

Happy New Year

Next week we will be re-visiting Intention Candles... here are some photos from our last session:





The week after next, January 24th and 26th, we will be doing a project straight out of Cloth Paper Scissors:





































On Friday the 27th of January, I will be the featured artist at the Phoenix Gallery during Final Fridays.... Come by and say hi... they always have great snacks!  Also, say the magic words "Bostons in a suitcase" and you may choose a free mini-print reproduction postcard of some of my work.

And after that.... VALENTINES!! Saturday and Sunday, February 4th and 5th - Family Friendly Open house 10-6 both days - come to my place and make some valentines for your loved ones!  Home made scones, coffee, tea and hot chocolate will be served all day.

Be sure to check in at my two ongoing pages on this blog: A dress a day in 2012: as of this typing, I've been faithful to the endeavor with 16 dresses drawn and published, and the Urban Sketchers Midwest project with fewer sketches but perhaps more variety.

Take care and keep out of harm's way until we see each other again.
Liza

1 comment:

  1. Wow! Very inspirational stuff! Thanks for your comment and the email as well...really appreciate your kindness.
    You are so busy! Take care,
    Angela

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for the note!

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