New Year, New Blog

As you prepare for a new year, you want to clean out the old and usher in the new! This blog will now be ending and my other blog will be taking the reins! To see the new works I'm starting in the new year, including a children's book with my illustrations, news of give-aways, and a series of 10-12 large pieces that will lead to some adult coloring pages FREE for you, then you must go to this link https://rachelhollandart.wordpress.com 

Black Foals

Sold

This year will hold lots of new images, but this is one of the "old" ones, so out with the old and in with the new!

Remember to add my new blog to your inbox by subscribing to it once you go to the link. 

Thank you for your interest and I pray you'll be inspired not only by my art, but also the devotional thoughts that will accompany them. I want to glorify the Supreme Creator through my creations.

All work has copyright by the artist.

Starting anew!

Some things grab our hearts and won't let go. The impetus behind my new series has been growing for some time. As the leaves changed colors, as we traveled cross-country, my mind wandered and the inspiration for this Silhouette Series was born. It's really a bit of selfishness, too. I'm doing this series purely to get my creativity flowing. I'll be trying new things and having fun. Oh, I intend on doing a LOT with this theme this year, so it will grow and morph as the year progresses. I am looking forward to the journey, the creative path, and the excitement stirred within me. As you, the viewer see this, please comment below on anything that strikes you and I'll take it into consideration. You are helping stir the creative juices. There will be surprises along the way, so add this blog to your email to get updated in a timely fashion. Two of the series are painted, so they will show up this month. Have you ever been so driven to complete a project, that it seemed all else just faded out of your mind? Creativity is like that!

Dueling Stallions

Dueling Stallions

Each stands alone 

9x12x2" wooden box

Work in progress

These two stallions are struggling, yet not on the same dimension. I'm getting the layout set before I paint them. I'll lay in some color with acrylic, maybe overlaying it with oils later. They're starting out realistic, but I have a feeling they're going to tear into one another and get abstract before it's over. Looking forward to playing with color!

Recovering a Sense of Identity

The following is a direct quote from the book The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron.
"There is a recognizable ebb and flow to the process of recovering our creative selves. As we gain strength, we will some of the attacks of self-doubt. This is normal, and we can deal with these stronger attacks when we see them as a symptoms of recovery. Your artist, like a small child, is happiest when feeling a sense of security. We could wonder and worry about our arrogance instead of being humble enough to ask help to move through our fear. We could fantasize about art instead of doing the work. By not asking the Great Creator's help with our creativity, and by not seeing the Great Creator's hand in our creativity, we could proceed to righteously ignore our creativity and never have to take the risks of fulfilling it. Your blocked friends may still be indulging in all these comforting self-delusions." (pgs. 41-43)

These portions only provide a glimpse into the deep inner, spiritual connection working through our blocks can do for us as people, as artists, and as creative individuals. These words remind me of Romans 12:3 which says, "For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith."

A few last words from the book: "More than anything else, creative recovery is an exercise in open-mindedness. Attention is a way to connect and survive. Survival lies in sanity, and sanity lies in paying attention. The reward for attention is always healing."

Rules of the Road
In order to be an artist, I must:
     1. Show up at the page (or canvas). Use the page (canvas) to rest, to dream, to try.
     2. Fill the well by caring for my artist.
     3. Set small and gentle goals and meet them.
     4. Pray for guidance, courage, and humility.
     5. Remember that it is far harder and more painful to be a blocked artist than it is to do the work.
     6. Be alert, always, for the presence of the Great Creator leading and helping my artist.
     7. Choose companions who encourage me to do the work, not just talk about doing the work or why I am not doing the work.
     8. Remember that the Great Creator loves creativity.
     9. Remember that it is my job to do the work, not judge the work.
     10. Place this sin in my workplace: Great Creator, I will take care of the quantity. You take care of the quality.

Recovering a Sense of Safety

We must confront our negative beliefs. Have you ever said these things to yourself?
1. Everyone will hate me.
2. I will hurt my friends and family.
3. I will go crazy.
4. I will abandon my friends and family.
5. I can't spell.
6. I don't have good enough ideas.
7. It will upset my mother and /or father.
8. I will have to be alone.
9. I will have only one good piece of work in me.
10. It's too late. If I haven't become a fully functioning artist yet, I never will.

When we expel the negative, we must replace it with positive affirmations.
1. I am a channel for God's creativity, and my work comes to good.
2. My dreams come from God and God has the power to accomplish them.
3. As I create and listen, I will be led.
4. Creativity is the Creator's will for me.
5. My creativity heals myself and others.
6. I am allowed to nurture my artist.
7. Through the use of a few simple tools, my creativity will flourish.
8. Through the use of my creativity, I serve God.
9. My creativity always leads me to truth and love.
10. My creativity leads me to forgiveness and self-forgiveness.
11. There is a divine plan of goodness for me.
12. There is a divine plan of goodness for my work.
13. As I listen to the creator within, I am led.
14. As I listen to my creativity I am led to my Creator.
15. I am willing to create.
16. I am willing to learn to let myself create.
17. I am willing to let God create through me.
18. I am willing to be of service through my creativity.
19. I am willing to experience my creative energy.
20. I am willing to use my creative talents.

Putting these things into practice can be difficult, but are essential to growing into the creator you were meant to become. Keep writing your morning pages (3 free-flow writing) and keep your weekly artist date in order to give yourself priority. As you begin to confront the negative, you will be able to replace it with positive. It will get easier.

Contract Time

Presidents' Day 2013

24x12 Acrylic 

$225

Contracts may not stir up good vibes, but to really see something through to the end, we often do better when we bind ourselves into a contract.

CONTRACT

I, ___________, understand that I am undertaking an intensive, guided encounter with my own creativity. I commit myself to the twelve-week duration of the course. I, ___________, commit to weekly reading, daily morning pages, a weekly artist day, and the fulfillment of each week's tasks. 

I, __________, further understand that this course will raise issues and emotions for me to deal with. I, ____________, commit myself to excellent self-care--adequate sleep, diet, exercise, and pampering--for the duration of the course. 

_________________________

(signature)

______________________

(date)

Now, not to scare you off, but this is for your betterment. I think we will all see some great improvement in our inner child artist as we go through the next few weeks together. See previous posts for more information.

www.rachelhollandart.com

Creativity Continues

So, you're struggling on whether or not to grow your creative spirit... Here are a few more questions answered for you to dwell on during your week. I will be directing you through a series of exercises using The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron. She has been inspirational in helping so many artists (writers, directors, painters, sculptors, etc.) find their drive again. Even if you're not an "artist" you will still find these exercises inspiring to help you be more creative in your own life.

Q: One of the central themes of The Artist Way is the link between creativity and spirituality. How are they connected?
A: Creativity is a spiritual force. Because creation is always an act of faith, and faith is a spiritual issue, so is creativity. As we strive for our highest selves, our spiritual selves, we cannot help but be more aware, more proactive, and more creative.

Q: Tell me more about the two central exercises in the book--the morning pages and the artist dates.
A: The morning pages are three pages of stream-of-consciousness longhand morning writing. You should think of them not as "art" but as an active form of meditation for Westerners. In the morning pages we declare to the world--and ourselves--what we like, what we dislike what we wish, what we hope, what we regret, and what we plan.
      By contrast, the artist dates are times for receptivity, pre-planned solitary hours of pleasurable activity aimed at nurturing the creative consciousness. Used together, these tools build, in effect, a radio set. The morning pages notify and clarity--they send signals into the verdant void; and the solitude of the artist dates allows for the answer to be received.
      The morning pages and the artist dates must be experienced in order to be explained, just as reading a book about jogging is not the same as putting on your Nikes and heading out to the running tract. Map is not territory, and without reference points from within your own experience, you cannot extrapolate what the morning pages and artist dates can do for you.

Work in Progress

Let's hit the running track now with your morning pages and artist dates, once a week, if possible. If you write each morning just what you're thinking, how you feel, what you're stressed about, etc., eventually you will reach inward deeper and reveal some hidden truths within you that are buried. I look forward to the journey together. This is a personal journey, but we'll share some, too. I plan on holding a Paint-Out with women in my area in March, so let me know if you're up to the challenge! Don't worry, I'll walk you through each step of the painting and you'll walk away with a "masterpiece."

You have to be signed up to receive my email newsletter to get these updates and be added to the list for drawings of my artwork once a month! Happy Presidents Day!