January 10, 2013

December 31, 2012

~ 366 days in a row of doing process art ~

Today is the end of my commitment to a daily process art practice, and it feels great. I’m glad I did it, and I’m glad it’s over! Here’s what I learned from it:

1. I like doing some kind of art every day. It’s good to get out of my left brain and into my right brain regularly, particularly because I spend a lot of my time doing writing and editing.
2. I love color and especially watercolor-looking color. I like the lack of boundaries—again, a nice balance with many other aspects of my life.
3. I don’t like the blogging nearly as much as doing art. I don’t like writing about trivial stuff (though I often have), and I’m rarely inclined to share my more profound thoughts with the entire world in the absence of a better context (such as a book).
4. I think all my art “means” something on some level—either as symbols or as ways to work out physical or energetic things. I never think any of my art is a waste, even if it only took five minutes or the subject matter appears to be trivial. And it’s always a destresser, regardless of any other energetic benefits.
5. I know how to keep my word. (Actually, I already knew that about myself, but that doesn’t exempt me from continuing to keep my word.)

I’ve been waiting until I finished this process art year before doing certain other things in an effort to manage my time well. As for what I’m planning to do next, the top things on my list are:

1. qigong
2. reading more
3. learning animal communication
4. finishing my book about my dad
5. pine needle basketry
6. modern quilting
7. learning to play Celtic mandolin
8. spending more time at home on fitness stuff
9. photography
10. cultivating spaciousness

I’m sure I’ll be posting more here, though not every day and not necessarily process art. Please stay tuned . . .

Finally, in honor of this being the last day of the year and the last day of my daily practice, here’s a list of all the countries of visitors to this blog. Thanks for visiting, everyone! Special thanks to Sandra from the UK, who’s been a super-regular visitor and whom I intend to meet in person someday!

North America: Canada, Mexico, United States

South America: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Peru, Uruguay

Europe: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Denmark, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom

Asia: China, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, Yemen

Africa: Algeria, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania

Australia/Oceania: Australia, New Zealand

P.S. Thanks also to Nathan at Pocket Studios for fantastic help with WordPress. If you need help with a WordPress website, he’s the best!

December 30, 2012

I must be getting ready to celebrate. Just one more day of daily process art to fulfill my commitment. I’m not going to do any meaningful reflection on any of that today. Tomorrow seems like the right day for that—along with saying goodbye to some 2012 things that I’m releasing and giving thanks for some good stuff that came into my life this year. On New Year’s Day, Charlie and I are going to set intentions for the new year and pick Angel Cards, Osho Zen Tarot cards, and Animal Spirits Knowledge Cards for the next year of our journey.

When I first envisioned this year of doing process art every day, I told a friend about it, and he felt inspired to have some kind of daily practice for 2012, too. (He chose qigong.) Then he told a bunch of friends, and they got all excited about it. We were going to email each other during the year to share our discoveries and keep each other motivated. I never heard from any of the group besides my friend. It’ll be interesting to hear how everyone’s year went. Even if I don’t hear from the group members directly, I expect that I’ll hear about everyone from my friend. I would have enjoyed touching base with the group once a month during the year, but it didn’t work out that way. Group efforts seem challenging these days—everyone is so busy.

December 29, 2012

I had a thought today about a possible thing to do with this blog in 2013, which is to do something related to art every day—such as process art, a photo, or some basketry or quilting. I’m really excited about quilting today because I bought a quilting book that arrived yesterday, and I spent some time this morning looking through it. The book is Strip-Pieced Watercolor Magic: A Faster, New Approach to Creating 30 Watercolor Quilts by Deanna Spingola. I’m not really into the floral fabrics she uses in the book, but the technique is really cool nonetheless. It’s done with strip piecing, which I’m familiar with. I spent a bunch of time this morning researching sewing machines and imagining making all sorts of stuff. I’m going to go to a quilting store just to look at fabric and books sometime. It’s not something I’m going to do really soon, but it’s definitely on my radar—along with basketry and qigong and working on my book about my dad.

December 28, 2012

I’m in a lot of pain today, so I’m going to keep this brief. My chiropractor did some really intense work on me this morning to “unglue” some muscles in my shoulder. I have no doubt that it’s really beneficial, but/and I’m really sore and am distracted by the discomfort. I’m going to take it easy this evening and go to bed early. I’ve been experiencing some “backlash” ever since starting private Pilates sessions several months ago—not because it’s not good for me but rather because it’s bringing to the surface my blocks to moving freely and being strong in my body. I know I just need to keep hanging in there with the process. I think some of what I’m working through is residue from having done too-intense weight training in the early 2000s. I was being trained by two people who both had body-building mentality, which wasn’t at all what my body needs. I’m grateful to finally be working with someone who has the mindset and skills (and wisdom) to help me get stronger without hurting myself.

December 27, 2012

I started drawing some fan coral out of the blue. Then I went to find a link for it and read on Wikipedia that it’s a sessile colonial cnidarian. Don’t you love it? How many people in the world would put those three words in the same sentence?

I had a good Pilates session this morning and got some great homework that I’m sure is going to help me strengthen the muscles associated with posture. I’m continually delighted by how much I love Pilates.

I’m going to sign off and read a bit before bed.

Only four more days . . .

December 26, 2012

I really like this drawing/painting. Tonight I feel the way it looks.

The countdown is really on. Just five more days after today of daily process art, and then who knows what will happen. I find myself saying things to people about what I’m going to do in the new year, and what I really mean is what I’m going to do after I’m not doing this daily practice any longer—like starting to learn Celtic mandolin and doing qigong. And maybe (radical concept) spending an hour some days doing recreational reading. There’s always so much to do. I’m going to do some thinking about how to make my life more spacious. I’m going to start with my closet. :)

December 25, 2012

I’ve drawn lots of shapes like these over the course of the past several months, and until today I didn’t know what they meant. At least this one is people or other similar energies. They don’t have faces or more defined shapes because that’s not the focus of their appearance. (Call me crazy . . . no problem.)

Someone on Facebook posted the following, which Charlie shared with me and which I’ll pass along:

Merry Christmas! And happy birthday also to Krishna, Odin, Dionysus, Mithra, Horus, Dido, Sir Isaac Newton, Rod Serling, Annie Lennox, Humphrey Bogart, Cab Calloway, Barbara Mandrell, Jimmy Buffett, and Sissy Spacek!

I worked today and didn’t celebrate at all (Christmas not being a holiday I celebrate). I didn’t celebrate winter solstice, either, even though it is a holiday I traditionally celebrate. I was in a bad mood, plus Charlie left our medicine wheel out in the rain, and the paper parts of it got ruined. I was bummin’. We’ll probably repair it with fabric for next year.

Just a few more days til my year of doing process art is finished. I’m thinking about ways to mark the completion. Stay tuned . . .

December 24, 2012

I can’t think of a thing to say, so I’ll keep this brief. I did a lot of researching and writing yesterday and today, and my left brain is tired.

Yesterday I happened upon the Before I Die Project. Pretty cool.

Before I die, I want to go with Charlie to Alaska and Hawaii.
Before I die, I want to communicate with animals.
Before I die, I want to enjoy vibrant health.

More to come . . .

December 23, 2012

Charlie and I watched The Descendants tonight (for the second time). I really like the movie, and it brings up some stuff about my dad’s coma before his death. It’s been almost 22 years, and sometimes it still feels like yesterday. One of my goals for 2013 is to finish the book I’ve been writing about my dad. I haven’t touched it in several years, but it’s time.

I’ve been up since 1:30 a.m., so I’m going to take a shower and get into bed.