December Art Play and Words of Wisdom for 2019

This is my art mat beneath a window on the floor in the corner of my dining room. It's not pretty. It's a mess. I love it here.

If you follow me on Instagram @bookwormanista (and if you don't, you should: instagram.com/bookwormanista), then you already know that I had a lot of fun playing on my art mat in the month of December. I took the month off from writing, as a recovery period after winning Nanowrimo2018 and finishing the first draft of a new novel. I tend to let things go in December. I didn't so much succumb to the insanity as I did when the kids were younger, but things are crazy and there is much ado, so I just try to roll with it. Rolling with it meant decompressing on my art mat and discovering a new process for myself. Which was super cool.

A few months back I took a one day art class with a local artist whose art I admire. It was supposed to be a group class but others cancelled last minute and it ended up being just the two of us. Which turned out to be great. I learned a lot and came home with a large, 22x30, piece of art I'd created on this lovely, thick paper. The piece, still taped to the cardboard "worktop" I'd used at the class, sat leaning against the wall in my workspace (aka the dining room) doing nothing. Until December.

I pulled it out and started painting over it in small sections. I realized that essentially what I had created in that rainy Saturday art class many months ago, was a background...a first layer. I had covered the white space-- like the first draft of a novel-- and now I needed to revise and edit that first layer into art. Not gallery wall art, but little pieces of inspiration...little nuggets that spoke to my heart. 

Each time I sat down at the 22x30 sheet of "first draft," I decided what I wanted to paint and then I'd search the large sheet for just the right spot. I'd paint, and then I'd tear that little section off of the larger sheet. Each piece I painted in one day. Usually in less than an hour. A little half hour window of time, placed delicately between other things, for creation and play.

Create. Rest. Repeat. Until all I had left were a couple of small scraps...that I will likely paint on this week. 

I loved this process so much that I just ordered two, 22x30 sheets of the same thick, luxurious paper so I can again create first draft backgrounds and then parse them into little painted feelings. 

So here they are...my feelings from December:

The first one I painted was inspired by a piece by Lori Portka. She does amazing, inspirational, soothing art. This one was my Christmas wish....Make a wish 4 peace. And it's one of my favorites that I created. This is the one that inspired me to keep going. 

This one was inspired by an illustration I saw...somewhere. It's a mini, country winter painting. Go where your heart takes you...for me, in December, my heart has always taken me home.

This one is another favorite. It was inspired by a children's illustration I saw on Instagram. It's a different, more rudimentary, childish style and I loved painting this way. This one said to me, Always take the scenic route.

A cute little snowman. 'Tis the season, and all that. This is super simple and rather childish and literal, but it's a reminder to me to remember to play. Especially during the kids' winter break from school, when I need to put aside my to dos from time to time and just play...with them and on my own. This is what art is for me...playtime.

This was inspired by a photo of my niece during her semester abroad. I have the pleasure of watching both of my nieces do things I never did when I was their age-- being brave explorers of the world and themselves. It's fun to be on the sidelines of their lives, cheering them on. Be fearless, independent and original...that's what I think of when I think of my niece. What's funny about this painting is that I redid the face about a hundred times and never got it quite right. I never knew, until I painted this, that my niece looks like Joni Mitchell. At least when I paint her she does. (I've looked at love from both sides now...favorite Joni Mitchell song, now running through my head.)

This was inspired by a photo of my other niece. Somehow I managed to capture her enough in this that I can recognize her in it, but it doesn't come close to showing how beautiful she is. She inspires me. She is somehow full of joy even though she also struggles with her own stuff. And this pic just said to me: be you, bravely. P.S. She's hugging a giant giraffe pillow.

We got a holiday post card from something banal, like, our insurance company, with this cozy picture of a mug and cookie and I just liked it. It made me think of warm cookies in the winter and how important it is to fall in love with as many things as possible...all the things...big and little. Just. Fall. In. Love.

I llama u. My daughter is in love with llamas and alpacas right now and I saw this photo of three alpacas with Santa hats on and had to paint it...thinking of her, of course. My kids remind me to have an open heart...these stinkin' cute alpacas make me think of that, too.

I saw this gorgeous photo of a little A-frame cabin nestled in the woods with twinkle lights strung from the house to the trees. Seeing a home cuddled by nature this way reminded me that we must live gently upon this earth.

I actually did the owl in January, but, whatever. It was inspired by a book cover. I don't even know what the book was, but I liked it's gilded cover. Plus I love owls. The message was inspired by the new year: Choose to shine. 

The last one wasn't done on my art mat or on the paper I used for all of the others. This one was done in my art book on New Year's Eve while hanging out with my family in Florida. It's a pensive deer. Thoughtful. Graceful. And a bit skittish. Kinda like me closing out the old year and entering into the new one.

So there you have it. December Art Play. What I lack in ability I make up for in love. When you look back over all of these simple, little paintings I hope you see what went into all of them...peace. That is what their creation brought me...tiny spaces of peace. It is such a gift. So I close out 2018 and step into 2019 in this floaty place of peace...and play...and inspiration.

Your words of wisdom as you step into 2019:

make a wish. go where your heart takes you. always take the scenic route. remember to play. be fearless, independent and original. be you, bravely. fall in love with as many things as possible. have an open heart. live gently upon this earth. choose to shine.

Until next time, find your play space and play, play, play.

Namaste.