Letting it go

"Letting it go"

mixed media 

on 16" x 20" wrapped canvas

Most of my paintings are autobiographical.  They tell the story of where I am or what I'm thinking at the time I'm painting them.  But the wonderful thing about art is that anyone else who sees it can see something completely different in it.  And what that person sees is absolutely correct, too, for them.

I've been thinking a lot recently about how important it is to let go of things that hold you back.  Things that no longer serve the purpose of moving you forward so you can live your best life.  Old ideas that no longer apply.  Negative feelings and those self-limiting words you tell yourself.  Words others tell you.  Words of fear and doubt.  Things like that.  You get the idea.

“All the art of living 

lies in a fine mingling of letting go 

and holding on.” 

 ~ Henry Ellis

It finally feels like Spring here today, so I'm going to spend as much time as I can outside.  This is my favorite time of the year, and I'm eager to get some new things planted in the garden.  Color!  I need color!  :)

Exhilaration

 detail of work in progress

Working on this background today felt more exhilarating to me than any other painting I've ever started before.  It was absolutely effortless, like it came up from somewhere deep inside me.  

Something is definitely changing in the way I'm approaching art.  I could feel it earlier this year already, but back then I had no idea I'd be where I am today.  I have no idea where I'll end up, but I'm really enjoying this new feeling that anything is possible!

This morning I was gathering together a few of my favorite quotes by Georgia O'Keeffe, and I think they may have inspired my color selections a bit today.

Her quotes express so well some of the thoughts and feelings I have sometimes.

“I can't live where I want to, 

I can't go where I want to go, 

I can't do what I want to, 

I can't even say what I want to. 

I decided I was a very stupid fool 

not to at least paint as I wanted to.

 I found that I could say things 

with color and shapes 

that I couldn't say any other way-- 

things I had no words for.”

― Georgia O'Keeffe

 “I said to myself, 

I have things in my head 

that are not like what anyone has taught me - 

shapes and ideas so near to me - 

so natural to my way of being 

and thinking 

that it hasn't occurred to me to put them down. 

I decided to start anew, 

to strip away what I had been taught.”

― Georgia O'Keeffe

“I think it's so foolish for people to want to be happy. 

 Happy is so momentary--

you're happy for an instant 

and then you start thinking again. 

 Interest is the most important thing in life; 

happiness is temporary, 

but interest is continuous.”

― Georgia O'Keeffe

“Whether you succeed or not is irrelevant, 

there is no such thing. 

Making your unknown known is the important thing.”

― Georgia O'Keeffe

I'll be back soon.  I'm off to see if I can make my unknown known.

Attention is love

Spring is taking her time this year, but here and there the grass is finally turning green.  Lake Michigan was showing off some beautiful pale greens and blues yesterday, which made the gray, gloomy day seem much less gray.  I love how the lake looks different every day.

The trees are still very bare, but it won't be long before the tender green leaves begin to emerge in profusion.  This is the time of year I look forward to smelling the mud after the rain, to hearing the robins and goldfinches that have returned for another year, and to seeing the first delicate green tips of plants push themselves up out of the warming ground.

I'm still focusing on living a more "zen" and contented life.  Accepting whatever the day brings my way has reduced my stress level considerably.  I feel better than I have in years!

"When you live in complete acceptance of what is,

 that is the end of all drama in your life."

~ Eckhart Tolle

found on Tumblr

This morning I found a profoundly simple statement on the sidebar of a wonderful blog post I was reading:

"Attention is love"

I believe this, and live this, with all my heart.  It's why I've spent so much of my life focused on my family, my children.  

This video, which was also part of that blog post on karenmaezenmiller.com, also touched me this morning.  If you've ever tried to balance motherhood and a creative passion, it will speak to you, too, I'm sure.

The only regret I have about the last 20 years is that I took so long to decide that I would actually *make art*.  I spent so much time *thinking* about wanting to make art before I actually did something about it.  In the greater scheme of things, it's a very small and unimportant regret, though.  The future is what matters now.

Also over this past weekend, I've finally done what I said I'd never do.  I joined Pinterest! The idea of keeping the many beautiful images that I love in neat little categories that I can choose, all in one place, finally won me over.  I've just started my hunting and gathering there, and it won't replace Tumblr for me, but it does make me happy right now.   Here's a link to what I've pinned so far:  
http://pinterest.com/angelarecada/

Wishing you all a good week, wherever you are, and whatever you're doing!
xo

A Song of the Universe

detail

Since I'm self-taught, any art I create is mostly a result of trial and error.  I get bored doing the same thing over and over, so I like to try new things often.  Some things I try work out quite well, some things don't.  But it is what it is, and the results still tell a story.  Even if it's the story of how I struggled with creating what I've made.  

 detail, side

Overall, I'm pretty happy with some of the details of this painting.  The textures are very touchable, and that always makes me happy.

detail

While I was painting this, I was contemplating how everything in the Universe is made of energy, and how energy never dies.  It simply changes form.  

Everything that exists is simply a new expression of everything there ever was.  How amazing is that? The Universe is one endless symphony, and each and every bit of creation is a little Song of the Universe.  I love that idea!

"A Song of the Universe"

mixed media

on 12" x 12" wrapped canvas

The dreary, cold, windy weather in these parts has me struggling with the blues.  I think that may have something to do with all the blue in my last few paintings.  I don't know.   But I do love the color blue!  And green.  My eyes crave blue skies and anything green.  Anything!  But outside everything is still only shades of gray.  

As a result, I haven't had many words to share lately. Even on Facebook I seem to post more hearts and smiley faces as comments than anything else. But I feel the words slowly thawing out inside me again.  I've heard a few birds sing in the last few days, and I've been scouring the internet for images of art that make my eyes sing, so things are looking up.  

Having a tumblr blog makes my eyes and soul very, very happy.  Here's a link to my tumblr, which has links to many, many more tumblr blogs:  http://angelarecada.tumblr.com/

One more bit of news!  I was recently incredibly honored to be included as a guest artist in the first issue of a new online magazine called "Meditate Like a Girl" edited by the fabulous Jan Lundy.  You can check out my wee little article here.

:) 

Thanks for stopping by!  If you can manage to gather a few words together for a comment, I'd really LOVE to hear from you!  Remember, each and every one of you is a beautiful Song of the Universe.

xoxoxo

S.L.O.W. art

“Let the slowest part of you set the pace.”

~ Saida Desilets

detail of work-in-progress

I'm finally learning not to become so stressed when I'm doing something other than what I want to be doing.  It's so much easier that way.

I finally realized that my sometimes slow pace (especially when it comes to making art) is actually the perfect pace for me.  I also found this link, which speaks to exactly that idea:
http://wellspringswomensprogram.com/2012/02/the-rhythm-of-the-feminine/

This quote from that link especially struck a chord with me:

"My own work was much slower, 

at about the rate of a relaxed heartbeat."

~ Linnette Dooley

That sounds so right to me!  After spending so many years in the fast-paced hustle and bustle of my own schooling, my corporate career, and raising a family, finally being able to set my own pace seems like such a gift.

 detail of textile work-in-progress

This textile piece is a perfect example of how I'm still learning to find my own way and my own pace.  I first blogged about this last summer (see  http://angelarecada.blogspot.com/2012/08/glimpses.html).

The piece started as seams from discarded jeans which were attached to a red shop rag, which I was beginning to stitch on.  After a short while, the lines of the seams seemed to keep me from going further with the piece.  Then, last week, I finally realized this piece needs to be part of a larger piece.  So, after much searching, I found what was left of the jeans I had used for the seams.  After tearing them into strips, I've pinned them together to create a background.  I suddenly don't feel trapped by the lines of the seams anymore.  Now I'm looking forward to many hours of hand-stitching the strips together before I begin embroidering the entire thing.

This time spent hand-stitching will be very meditative for me, I know. And that's just what I'm looking for!

I think I've come up with the perfect philosophy for how I wish to spend my life now, and how I want to create.  Whether I'm painting, stitching, cooking, folding laundry, or doing the dishes.  Whatever I do.

I will allow my

Senses   to

Linger

Or

Wander

as they wish.

Why fight it?  We live in a world filled with amazing senses to experience. And that is how I find my greatest inspiration and productivity.  I find it when being fully aware.  I find it when focusing on truly being completely where I am, when I am there.

"It is important from time to time 

to slow down, 

to go away by yourself, 

and simply be."
~ Eileen Caddy

Sophia's Dream

"Sophia's Dream"

acrylic, oil pastel, graphite, polymer clay, wings

on 16" x 20" wrapped canvas

"Sophia's Dream" turned out to be much more colorful than I thought, but I guess happy dreams should be full of color.  (The colors of the painting are not actually this bright, though.  I tried and tried, but I couldn't get the colors right in the photos.  The actual colors are warmer and a bit more muted.)

detail

Sophia insisted on having a sweet little face.  No matter what I did, there it was.  The name "Sophia" means wise or wisdom, so I guess she knows best.

detail

The little polymer clay piece I had made a few years ago found the perfect spot.

detail

I'm still in love with that Liquitex Super Heavy Gesso for adding those touchable swirls of texture.

For sealing the oil pastel on this painting, I used a light application of golden soft gel medium matte again.

Here's Sophia, next to "She, Emerging."

It makes me happy just to look at them!

I haven't dreamed about flying for a very long time, and I know why.  But I think dreams of flying might finally be just around the corner for me again.

How about you?  Do you ever dream of flying?

“Life is like a box of crayons. 

Most people are the 8 color boxes, 

but what you're really looking for are the 64 color boxes

with the sharpeners on the back. 

I fancy myself to be a 64 color box, 

though I've got a few missing. 

 It's okay though, 

because I've got some more vibrant colors 

like periwinkle 

at my disposal. 

I have a bit of a problem though 

in that I can only meet the 8 color boxes. 

Does anyone else have that problem? 

I mean there are so many different colors of life, 

of feeling, 

of articulation. 

So when I meet someone who's an 8 color type...

I'm like, 

hey girl, 

Magenta! 

and she's like, 

oh, 

you mean purple! 

and she goes off on her purple thing, 

and I'm like, 

no I want Magenta!”
~ John Mayer *

* I never thought I'd be quoting John Mayer, but if it fits, it fits.  :)

Art as meditation

Finding this a few days ago

has shown me the way.

And now my new painting is slowly beginning to take its final shape. 

detail, still a work in progress :)

I've realized that I paint so slowly because each painting I create is a form of meditation for me.  A slow, deep journey into unknown parts of myself.  The paintings I've been doing for the last few months are very, very healing for me.

My most recent painting, "She, Emerging", sits for now beneath the first painting I had anything to do with.  My father painted this ship when I was 3, and I was allowed to paint a tiny bit on the bottom right corner.  I'll never forget the wonderful feeling that painting those first few strokes gave me.  But having an artist father was both a blessing and a curse.  I didn't throw myself into art the way I truly wanted to until just recently, when I finally I rid myself of years of negative "stuff".

"She, Emerging"

"She, Emerging" truly represents me, emerging.  Finally.  It's been a long time, and it's just the right time.

It's funny how things happen, and people cross your path, at just the right time.

Yesterday, I found the most amazing documentary online, and I thought some of you might be interested in watching it, too.  It's a bit long, 83 minutes, but it's something I could watch again and again.  There is so much wisdom in this film.  It's about an amazing woman, Marion Woodman, who reminds me a great deal of Joseph Campbell, whose work I'm studying right now, too.

She's the kind of woman I'd like to be someday, the kind of woman I'd like to listen to and talk with for hours and hours.  Here's the link to the documentary:

http://www.cultureunplugged.com/documentary/watch-online/play/7972/Dancing-in-the-Flames

and a link to a site about the documentary:

http://dancingintheflames.com/Marion_Woodman/HOME.html

I hope you enjoy it, too.  Let me know if you watch it, OK?



My apologies for not being around to comment and interact with everyone as much as I'd like to.  I'm so wrapped up in LIFE right now, learning new things and developing *my* own art, that time is short sometimes.  But I'll stop by whenever I can.

I promise!

Love and hugs,
xoxoxo