Blessed am I....

Last week I had the most wonderful afternoon....A little while back I had won a drawing that artist Lisa Kaus was having on her blog.  Some of you already know that I love this artist...her way with color and texture, the use of old and new together, and the feel of whimsy she has in all of her pieces...I just LOVE!

Well, we live just a couple miles from each other and so we decided to meet for lunch so she could deliver my prize!  We sat in the cutest little cafe and talked, and shared...it was wonderful.  Then I followed her to her home...It was so fun to see how she decorated and to see her artwork in person.  I met her son and her two cats :)  Then, for the coolest part....a tour of her studio!!!!!!  Ohhhhhhh,  the eye candy was everywhere, and the inspiration filled me to the rim!

Yes, I am blessed...I so love meeting other artists, especially ones that I am such a fan of.  If you havent seen her work yet, you must take a peek...it will make you smile for sure!  Here are a few of the fun things I won in her drawing...She has been picked up by licensing companies that are producing lots of new products with her artwork-what an inspiration she is for me!

Thank you sweet Lisa!  I love everything you create! Oh, and I also love your curls...dont ever cut them off again-they are YOU and they are fabulous!  Thank you for making the world a happier place!

progress...

A little more progress today.....

Started a new painting...

I started a new painting last night.  Here are the beginnings of it....

wishing....

Wishing for the time to speed up...wishing for the wounds to heal...wishing for inner peace...wishing to feel whole again.   Day by day, breath by breath, wish by wish...

Transition

Okay...now its really finished-haha  I added some Asian rice paper here and there...can you find it?

With Intention....

With Intention....
23 x 18 1/2
acrylic

Sweet Siren Boutique....

I'm so proud to have some of my originals hanging in this very cool boutique!  Sweet Siren Boutique has some of the cutest clothes and jewelry and I'm so happy to be a part of it!

intention....

Everything with intention....everything with intention

Jeanne Oliver-E Course....

JEANNE OLIVER-CREATIVELY MADE: Jeanne Oliver is this lovely, caring, creative soul, that has followed her heart and created an incredible life for herself and her family.  She is pure inspiration, and I'm very proud to call her a friend. Now, she  is hosting her very first e-course, and I'm positive it will be worth every second spent on it, delving into our souls, and creating along with her.  When she asked me to contribute with a video interview, I felt so honored!  I am proud to be a part of this introduction to Jeannes new class.  I hope you will take a peek because Jeanne is one of those special people  that touches things and they become gold. I am thrilled to be a part of something so magical, and among the company of so many talented women.  Hope to see you there!!!!!

The course is four weeks long, and there are multiple how to videos that you can access at your own pace… Jeanne has also created a private Facebook group for class participants so we can encourage and support one another on this journey. It’s the perfect way to start the new year…

Jeanne Oliver-E-course: CREATIVELY MADE Hope to see some of you there. Happy 2012!

Tired....

Another day to move forward....to work on my soul.  Everyday is that day.

Today pieces of me are scattered here and there...

Wanting so much to hold on to this sweet sweeet hope, but so afraid to ....the fear makes me want to cry.  

How to trust and protect at the same time?????   How to hold on and let go at the same time?????  How?

Just tired.....

a cool story....

I just read this story and wanted to share it here....

A Cherokee elder was teaching his grandchildren about life. He said to them, “A fight is going on inside me… it is a terrible fight between two wolves. One wolf represents fear, anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, hatefulness, and lies. The other stands for joy, peace, love, hope, humbleness, kindness, friendship, generosity, faith, and truth. This same fight is going on inside of you, and inside every other person, too.” The children thought about it for a minute. Then one child asked his grandfather, “Which wolf will win?” The Cherokee elder replied… “The one you feed.”

Hmmmmmm....

Hmmmmmm.....my little Cooper looks like he's up to something sneaky......

Oh how this little face makes me laugh!

My word for 2012...

My word for 2012 is going to be....Grace.
I wish to go through lifes changes, with grace and dignity, with an open mind and heart.  God....please bless me with grace in all that I go through this year.

A Thousand Years....

I can't get this beautiful song out of my mind....It makes me want to cry everytime I hear it...

A THOUSAND YEARS....

Transformation

TRANSFORMATION
20 x 20
Acrylic

Finished....

Well, I think I'm finished with this one-but I don't know what to call it.....Hmmmmmmm?????

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!  Here's wishing you a wonderful 2012, full of love and peace and joyfull moments that fill your heart!   Love from me and my littlest Love....

A perfect quote...

I read this quote this morning, and thought is was so perfect....Happy New Year everyone!  God Bless us all....

"May your coming year be filled with magic and dreams and good madness. I hope you read some fine books and kiss someone who thinks you're wonderful, and don't forget to make some art - write or draw or build or sing or live as only you can. May your coming year be a wonderful thing in which you dream both dangerously and outrageously.I hope you'll make something that didn't exist before you made it, that you will be loved and you will be liked and you will have people to love and to like in return. And most importantly, because I think there should be more kindness and more wisdom in the world right now - I hope that you will, when you need to be, be wise and that you will always be kind. And I hope that somewhere in the next year you surprise yourself" ~ Neil Gaiman

Almost finished....

Well this one is getting there...it's almost finished...but not quite yet....

A beautiful quote....

A beautiful quote I will hang on to....
‎"And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom." {Anais Nin}

3:09 am

Falling....3:09am

Falling, but gently...
Floating, weightlessly, like a feather...
Gently drifting back and forth like a leaf dropping from a tree...
Peacefully, like there is no gravity....
Calmly, enjoying each new sensation....
Slowly, with no concept of time or space...
Sweet and Lovingly,  with a pure heart...
Innocently, with an open mind...
Letting go...and trusting...and falling....

Its coming along....

Some more progress....

Some progress....

I've been working on this for a couple of hours now....Here's what it looks like now....

Beginning another painting....

Well, today was a better day...I joined the gym.  I even worked out!  AND...I started another painting....

I know if I keep taking the positive steps, even if I feel like I'm faking it, things will begin to get better.  That is my plan... I will just keep taking steps...one after the other :)

Yesterday...

Yesterday was a very dark day for me.  I'm trying to go with the flow...feeling sad, when it hits me and feeling happy when those days come.  I've been busy building my family unit for the last 22 years.  I've been busy growing up and being a Mother and a wife.  It has been my identity for 22 years...

Now I am lost....I dont know where I belong anymore.  I am still a Mother, that will always be a huge part of my identity...but there needs to be more.  I have faith that I will find where I belong, but in the mean time I feel like I am in limbo.  I feel lost and am not quite sure what to do with myself.  I have moments of pitch black darkness, that hit me like a wave.  They make me wish to be done with this life on earth.  They make me wish for my heart to stop beating.  They make me wish that I could just float away, back to home...But I know that is not possible.  My children need me, and I would never leave them.  I know we have so many wonderful moments in our future...I'm holding on to those moments with every breath I take.

I'm writing all of this, so that I may release it from my heart.  I know it is dark and ugly, but it is the truth...the very simple truth.  Today I will get dressed.  Today I will sign up for a membership at 24 hour fitness.  Today I will take a positive step forward.  Today I will let my sadness sit, while I put myself on auto pilot and do what I know I must do to get better.  Today I will push through the dark, and find the light anyways...

ESCAPE

Well, I think its all finished.   I'm calling this piece ESCAPE
Hope you like....it's a bit different for me, but I'm happy with how it turned out.

Escape
Acrylic
18 x 24

A beautiful quote....

Just wanted to share this beautiful quote....
"Saying yes, opening up, and loving:  these are the keys that will unlock the prison door."

Arnaud Desjardins

still working on it....

more changes, not sure about the drops....its fun for me to keep moving with this one-I have no clue how it will turn out.  :)

still changing....

It keeps morphing....

still progressing....

a little more....

A little more progress....

the beginnings of a new painting....

Started a new painting last night.....

my thoughts....

Who knew life could be so complicated?  I have faith that the darkest times are when our souls  have the most opportunities to grow.  I do believe that  pain and struggles lead us to peace and enlightenment.  Logically, I know these facts to be true,  but it is so hard when things feel off.  It's like time slows down, and the pain is felt longer...why must it hurt so much to grow?  Why is it so hard to hold on to the hope, when it is dark?  How is it that the darkness can make everything feel so unfamiliar?  How is it that the most simple, human need...to feel loved, can be such a difficult thing to attain?

These are some of my thoughts for today, as I try to make sense of my current situation.  These are some of my questions, as I try to hold on to faith and hope.

One step forward....

Hi friends....
I've been gone for a bit...not gone physically, but gone emotionally.  I'm still a little "gone" right now, but I'm taking a step forward.  I havent really painted in over a month.  That can't be good.  Creating is therapy for me...it always has been and I know it will be this time too.  Last night I decided to turn my dining room into my art studio.  I thought that for me, right now, it would be best to put what is most healthy for me, right in front of me...does that make sense????   I need my painting to be a part of my everyday life again...I've missed it so much, in so many ways.

Here is my little sanctuary...here is where I plan to do much of my healing...here is where I plan to feel peace :)

When I started my blog...it was to be my diary of my art and my life.  I am an open person, and to me it felt good to share my story-the good and the bad...but recently I have stopped sharing.  I have been struggling inside.  I have been worrying more about others interpreting my words...but you know what?  My blog is mine and my words and feelings are mine.  I believe in sharing our stories with each other.  I believe that only good can come from sharing the truth.  My hope in sharing my story is that it may help one person get through something that they may be going through, by not feeling so alone in this world.  So today I am promising myself that I will begin again.  I will let my feelings flow out of me and into my blog.  I will live my truth, and let my heart feel free again.    Today I am making one big step forward, and tomorrow I will make another.  This I promise myself.

Happy Holidays

Happy Holidays friends.  Wishing you all peace and joy this holiday season!  Love, Kelly