Deep Thought

Cre8Tiva is in deep discernment this beautiful Monday morning. Many things are swirling in my mind because today's decisions will have a big impact on my life in the next year and beyond. This is when Muse Sensible Sandra comes. She is deep, very deep. She thinks long and studies every possibility thoroughly. And then she prays and waits for an answer.

What type of decision maker are you? Impetuous - you act quickly without regard to consequences? Controller - you are a studied and rational person? Procrastinator - you delay the decision making process so long that the universe makes a decision for you? Rational - you are capable of reflecting correct and valid reasoning, sensible. Or are you a combination of these?

Today's aMUSEment - Let's look at a process for discernment I learned from The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola Get paper and pencil and write across the top of the page a decision you are trying make. Draw 4 lines from top to bottom of page. 1st column label For Doing It. 2nd column label Against Doing it. 3rd column label For Not Doing It. 4th Against Not Doing It. This gives you a lot to think about.

Example: Should I eat an apple?
1st - tastes good, healthy, keeps doctor away
2nd - not really hungry, may be grainy
3rd - don't need it, will save calories
4th - it might go to waste

The 3rd and 4th columns are always difficult for me, but they usually bring the most clarity to the issue. You get better at it the more you do it.

For a major life decision I take this a step further. I visualize myself as an old woman sitting on my front porch in a rocker. I really try to get into the place and feel the sensations - the smells, the sights, the noises, etc. from that porch. When I am ready and really present, from this vantage point of aged wisdom, I ask myself how I feel about this decision. I usually get the answer I need.
I hope this helps you as much as it does me.

There are many resources for The Spiritual Exercises on the Internet. Some of my favorite are:
An audio retreat consucted by Fr. Larry Gillick, SJ at Creighton University
The Spiritual Exercises in Pictures for visual people
Spiritual Exercises for the Days of the Week simple miditations to live in a more spiritually-conscious way

U Be Creative Today!

At Prayer in the Flow of Creation

Some of you have asked about my process for creation of the Muses. I draw with graphite on heavy watercolor paper. Lots of texture. I then scan into PhotoShop CS2 and layer with a background I have painted. Here are the original sketch and the CCA- Computer Created Art.


At Prayer Muse is very spiritual and centered. She is called upon to bring me to my center prayerfully. As most of you know I consider all art is prayer. Music, dance, visual art, writing, poetry, graphic design, etc. - all is prayer to me. I also feel that when I am lost in the flow, I am closest to God and absolutely in the moment, fully present in my life and in the universe. This is a deeply blessed time and my best work usually comes from these periods.

What is creative flow? Wikipedia defines creative flow as, ‘the mental state of operation in which the person is fully immersed in what he or she is doing, characterized by a feeling of energized focus, full involvement, and success in the process of the activity. A Zen-like state of total oneness with the activity.." You have at some time become so completely absorbed in a task that the world fades away, time flies, and your creativity flows freely. You experienced that magical, mystical space known as flow!! Ahhhhhhhh....

So, how do you get in the flow state where consciousness ceases to be and true art is happening?

Today's aMUSEment - I have a way to initiate and sustain creative periods because I have paid attention to the times they occured. Here is my process:

1. Set an intention - I am going to (write a short story, finish a
   painting, learn a dance) today.
2. Make an environment conducive to creativity. Soft music, a whirling fan, deep breathing, slow rhythmic movement, all work for me.
3. Make sure that you are not interrupted or distracted. Turn off phone, put a Do Not Disturb sign on door, wear earphones or earplugs.
4. Have all tools and materials ready and know how to use
   them.
5. Resolve to let go of self-judgement. Don't be afraid to fail.
6. Play. Play. Play.
7. Practice. Prctice. Prctice. The most important step!

Thank God when you realize you have been there.

A good article on flow is Mark McGuinness' Poetry in Practice: Creative Flow

U BE Creative Today!

Hiding Behind Muse

Bashful Muse hides away most of the time. She stands back and lets others shine. She is quiet, very quiet! But she is not calm!

Today's aMUSEment - What do you hide behind? Do you hide behind excuses, doubts, worries? Do you hide behind your spouse or your parents? Do you hide behind the walls of your house or invisible walls you have built around yourself? Sit quietly for a few minutes and take some deep breaths. Center yourself. When you are calm, ask yourself what your hide behind? When you feel like it, write what you hide behind.
U Be Creative Today!

Of Two Minds Muse

Duette is always Of Two Minds. She can see both sides of the story. She is the most fickle of muses because she can be swayed to another side with a good argument. You would not want her on a jury or maybe you would. She is also fair to a fault. This makes her a strong devil's advocate but a terrible decision maker. If she ever does make a decision she can second guess herself again and again. Do you have trouble making up your mind about your art? Does it affect your creativity? Do you spend hours dwelling on the piece, trying to make it perfect? Perfection thwarts creativity and success. Do you have the perfection virus?

Today's aMUSEment - We are going to work on an anti-perfection virus protection. Do you know that some people are so afraid of not being perfect they actually never start doing something they love? The postpone that one thing that could fill their life with creativity and joy. I am going to tell you my best secret - you don't have to have a beginning to start. Some people wait until they have the perfect beginning before they start. This is stinkin' thinkin' and it prevents you from having a lot of fun. Set the timer for 6 minutes. Get your journal or paper and pen and start to write about the happiest day in your life. How old were you? What were you doing? How did you feel? Who were you with? Where were you? Just put the pen to paper and write as fast as you can. Don't edit as you go even if it seems silly. Don't lift the pen from the paper. Just keep writing until the timer rings. Then read over your musings. Somewhere in there is the beginning line. This can be applied to art - just make a mark on the surface. Music - just write the tune you are hearing or the words you want to Say. Dance - just start to move or sway. Poetry - write a line you want to use. Just start and the beginning will come.

You don't have to be great to start, but you do have to start to be great.
U Be Creative Today!

Avrille

Avrille is my thoughtful muse. She sends cards for every occasion, brings cookies at Christmas, washes the dishes after you invite her to dinner, brings chicken soup when you have a cold, listens for hours when you are hurting. She always knows how to make you feel good and appreciated. I love to be around her.

Today's aMUSEment - Do you have a thoughtful muse? Do you know how to take care of yourself the way Avrille takes care of me? Let's make a list of things you can do to take care of yourself. Set the timer for 5 minutes and write 10 things you could do to take better care of yourself. Some(I have way more than 10) of mine are:

1. Walk on the beach or in the woods
2. Deep breath when I am stressed
3. Call a good friend
4. Lay in the grass in the backyard and looking at the clouds or stars
5. Say a prayer of thanksgiving for all my blessings
6. Go to an art gallery
7. Have a tea party for one with linen napkins, silver and china wearing white gloves and a hat
8. Write a letter longhand and mail it
9. Hug someone who needs it until they let go (maybe myself)
10. Brush the dog or cat

Now make a commitment to yourself to do at least one of these things each week.

U Be Creative Today!

Follow Your Whimsey Muse

This Muse leads me to follow my Whimsey to unexpected places. She is fanciful and capricious, always ready to journey to new frontiers during our play days. I call them play days because she encourages me to get in the studio and play.

Today's aMUSEment - Today is Play Day! Go into your studio and play with one new material, or tool, or idea. I know that you have something in there that you have been putting off using or saving for 'someday.' Drag it out. Go for it. See what you can create.

U Be Creative Today!

Chanteuse

Chanteuse is always singing. She was born to fill the world with joyful noise. Music completes her and is as necessary as breathing to her. Her voice is deep and sultry like a mist that hangs over a marsh on a hot summer morning.

Today's aMUSEment - Get out that favorite CD or, if you have it, that old record and put it on the player. You know the one I am talking about, the one you know every word of every song. OK!!! TURN IT AS LOUD AS YOU WANT AND SING AT THE TOP OF YOUR LUNGS for as long as you want. It will free your mind to create, I promise!

U Be Creative Today!

PS - Happy Birthday Meredith!!

Patricia - I Mean Business Muse

Patricia is the I Mean Business Muse. She is serious about everything in her life and often your life also. She doesn't put up with much nonsense and does not suffer fools lightly. You want her near when things are out of control because she will always be in control.

Today's aMUSEment- Get down to business. Do you want to make a business of your art? Do you want your creativity to manifest an income or more income? Take a sheet of paper and number it 1-25. Set a timer for 10 minutes. Take three deep breaths and set an intention to create ideas. Brainstorm 25 ways you can make money with your artwork. Write everything that comes to mind. Don't edit as you go - just write. Even the things that seem wild and crazy or total nonsense. The first few should come easily, the next few with more thought, and the last few will be very difficult. Now put the paper aside and go create something we will return to the list another day.

U Be Creative Today!

The Musettes

The Warholesque Musettes are fanciful and bright. They are a stretch for me, not for Cre8Tiva though. How do you stretch yourself?

Today's aMUSEment - Pick three colors you would never use. (For me they would be in the brown family because brown is not a color - right? Don't tell UPS that I have an aversion to brown please!!) Or three colors you think don't match. You can use paint, markers, colors cut from a magazine, paint chips, anything you have that is the right color will do. Find a piece of paper and begin to scribble on it, or make paint blobs, or drop cutouts on the page. Don't think about it too much because this is a 15 minute exercise. When you are pleased with the look, tear it apart. in 15 pieces. Put them in a bag or container. Now pick pieces from the container and glue them starting at the bottom right corner of another sheet of paper. Work up to the top corner then come back down beside those. Keep going until the sheet is covered. How does it look? You can use this as a background for a painting or journal on it or cut it in strips for collage. Sign and date the back always.

U Be Creative Today!!

Lift Me Up Muse

You can tell by the drawing that Elevata has been "uplifted" more than once. She is bright and upbeat and always smiling. She will be forever youthful (even if it costs every penny she has). Elevata fills the room with joy and positive energy when she enters. She is always moving.

Today's aMUSEment - It is time to do some creative movement. Put on some uplifting music - Reggae, Gospel, the Rocky theme, march music - whatever does the trick. Get your body movin'!! That's right. Stand up and move to the beat. Swing your arms. Circle the room. Sway or shimmy. Clap you hands. Kick you feet. (Please don't hurt yourself though!) Just move for 10 minutes.

U Be Creative Today!

Believe

The Muse Belief knows with certainty who she is and what she is capable of accomplishing. We go to her whenever we need a good dose of motivation because she believes in us too. Do you have that deep knowing about yourself? What do you believe that is limiting your creativity?  Can you be the creator that is inside you?

Today's aMUSEment - Get a piece of paper and some colored markers. We are going to write eight things that you think or say about yourself that are limiting you from creativity. Make an artsy journal page out of this. Write in the center of the page My Limiting Beliefs in bold letters. Then take a different color for each belief and write it out. Turn the paper. Write or print. Make some doodles while you think. I will jump start your list -
1) I am not as talented as _____;
2) I can't do that!;
3) Nobody would pay money for my creations.

Throughout the day be thoughtful about how and why you limit yourself.

U Be Creative Today!

Go Within Muse - Today's aMUSEment

This muse is something different with a different look and feel. The Go Within Muse represents looking deep inside yourself for inspiration and creation. Look closely and you will see the face within the figure. She is the muse we call upon when you have to do some soul searching about your creativity.

Go Within is the poster girl for the launch of our exciting new program called Today's aMUSEment. It will be a daily suggestion to spark your creativity. Sometimes it will be an action step, sometimes a meditation. Come back every day and join in Today's aMUSEment. I plan to update the aMUSEments before I go to bed each night so early birds can have them. I hope people will come often to get a creativity kick-start. Spread the word to anyone you know - artist, writers, craftsmen, poets, journalers, craftspeople, dancers, musicians - all creative souls are invited to partake. I only ask that you pass it along!!!

Today's aMUSEment - take 10 minutes before you begin to create today to meditate about the piece you are working on. If you sit quietly a new idea will usually appear. At minimum it sets the mood for creativity to flow.

U Be Creative Today

101 Faces

We are so excited we had to write another post today!!!I just found another artist who is creating a series of faces in 2007 - LAURALINES. She will make a series of 101 paintings/drawings of faces using different mediums. Her blog will be my first link in the aMUSEments at right!!!Her faces are beautiful, well wrought and colorful. They capture the mood of the person. Please enjoy her site. Her talent inspires me!!

Peaceful Muse

Cre8Tiva needs peacefulness today. News and journalists take their toll on her fragile creative spirit. We are disturbed by the way the media handles news. Where does theory end and truth begin? Supposing and pointing fingers and trying to make good people villains is unproductive. Is there not enough trauma in the facts? Why do we need to opinionate every tragedy? I cry for a time when I can form my own opinion without the bombardment of talking heads littering minds with slurry. It clouds my mind and injures my spirit.

Peace Be With You Today!

Suffering Muse

Faces of slain children are starting to be shown today. Yesterday they had lives and loves and people who love them dearly. Today they are absent from our human world. What madness, what suffering. This muse comes to us when we are suffering greatly in body or spirit. Today is such a day for many.

The Twin Muses

The Twins come to play when Cre8Tiva feels of two minds. This duality is good at times because we are blessed with many thoughts and not so good in the times we feel fractured. They are always up for a brainstorming session. I am of two minds today because of the sadness of the events at Virginia Tech. I want to help. I want to scream. I want to console. I can only pray and pray and pray.

Muse Serenita

Muse Serenita is adapted from college self-portrait. The lips are a little puffed, but the eyes are mine. Serenita is contemplative and serene at peace with life at an early age. She calms the ever-frenzied Cre8Tiva. Everyone loves to spend time with her because she makes you feel acknowledged because she really listens to you.

U Be Creative Today!

Passionatta

Muse Passionatta (pa-sh&n-'o-t& - Pas-sion-aaaaaa-ta) is the consumate drama queen! She does everything to excess. She speaks like Gretta Garbo and uses the word Darling to end every sentence. She is the go to muse for sultry Darling.

U Be Creative Today!

She's All That

Muse Victoria is perfect for Friday the 13th!!! She is not afraid to attempt anything. She is a good companion for Cre8Tiva for she encourages and challenges her. She is a ballroom dancer and interior designer. She does all things with verve and great flair. She is loud and aggressive and not afraid to ask for exactly what she wants, yet you can't help but be charmed by her passion.

U Be Creative Today!

Happy Birthday Mike & Matt

The twins then
Matt (l) Mike about 3


Mike & Matt first day of school



Rebecca & Sons - Matthew, Chip, Mike Today


Rebecca & Children - Matthew, Casey, Mike & Chip (Can't leave Casey out)
See the March 31 post to meet the family!!!

Do It Afraid

Beneficent is a deeply thoughtful muse. I am still struggling with deep thoughts and trying to find some discernment about the future. Which way should I go? What am I to do with the rest of my life? Am I on the right path? I can question myself to death!!! I can research myself to death!!! Sometimes you just have to step out afraid and do something new without knowing the outcome.

U Be Creative Today!!

Great Gobs of Confusion

Muse Perplexity is always confused. This is a very confusing time for me. I am reinventing myself and going through many changes. My artwork is also going through manic changes. My family says the faces are scary. I don't mean them to be scary and I don't see that in them. Do you?

U Be Creative Today!!

Decisions Muse

Muse Deci helps me in times of decision making. She works through discernment methodically and with extra care. Was at the doctor's this morning. I will have some decisions to make in the future.

U Be Creative Today!!

May a heart full of blessings be yours this Easter!!!

1 Corinthians 15:57

But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Revelation 5:12

Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!

Christ is Alive

Muse Renha

Renha is very aloof. The original is 8" X 8". I have so many to share with you because this is my year of the Muse. I will be drawing one Muse per day this year. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. I draw late at night after I go to bed. I only have my journal, a graphite pencil, a stump and eraser. I allow the Muse to take shape on her own. Let me know what you think.

U Be Creative Today!!!

Good Friday

I will spend today walking with Jesus The Way of the Cross.

Mita's Memories

Mita (3-24 Muse) is more of a sprite than anything, very pixyish. Her eyes express so much. I thought I would match her with momories.

April Fool Muse

Here is The April Fool Muse. I love the background. This is a Computer Collage Artwork (CCA). I scan my original artwork, which is black and white, then I scan a background that I have painted using Golden Artist Colors mediums and acrylics. The two are then merged and manipulated in PhotoShop until I am satisfied. I love to use my computer to create new artworks from my original artwork.

After each piece is digitized, I use the artwork many ways. I use the heads or part of the heads in The Lost and Found assemblages and collages (see works on The Lost and Found April 3). With original drawings and original computer drawings the possibilities are endless.

I can make prints or limited edition artwork. I can manipulate and combine many originals to create unlimited new works. I might add text or other musings to these before I have them printed and framed. Cre8Tiva takes us on may journeys through creativity. You never know where we will be next.

U Be Creative Today!!!

The Lost and Found

The Lost and Found is the my line of assemblage art made from found objects. I stumble (sometimes literally) across things on my sojourns into the world outside my studio. Rocks, pieces of paper, anything shiny or rusted, metal bits, wood and feathers - anything that catches my eye. Eventually it will find a place in my art or in the ever evolving vignettes that overburden the places I call home.


Above is an assemblage from The Lost and Found called Dream Awhile. Found objects were combined with eyes from one of my paintings and some clay tiles.



My new obsession is faux raku clay mosaic tiles. I combine them with found objects to create this series called Inspirito.

Two pieces from The Lost and Found called Faces of Places Gone. They are an homage to places I have visited that touched my life in a special way and remain a loving memory.

Meditation Music is another piece from The Lost and Found. It combines a lost piece of music, a mosaic tile piece, and one of my drawings.Below is Soul Journey a textural painting with tile embellishment.

As you can see there is a theme of faces in my artwork. I love to draw faces - real and from my imagination. A face or piece of a face finds its way into all my artwork. Even when I did murals, I always painted a face somewhere in the scene. My clients were challenged to find it. It was a way to add Cre8Tiva's special imprint to everything.

I see faces everywhere. Sometime I will share some of the pictures of faces that are not intended to be faces.

U Be Creative Today!!!

P.S. Happy Birthday Daddy

My Little Corner of Creativity

Hold Conversations with Paint

The above is the center spread of a 2003 book I call "Golden Book" because it is completely done with Golden Artist Colors products. It is a sample book for my Between the Covers workshop.

It was a long weekend. I shared my newest artwork with my daughter. She was not too enthusiastic. I am learning to get my support from God and myself. That is all that really matters anyway.

YEAH...I have artwork on this site. I am still working out ideas and sifting through years of work deciding what to use. I am dabbling at the moment trying to find a place for myself. I have been a muralist and decorative painter (walls, furniture, etc.) for 30 some years. Changing to small canvases has been a challenge for me.

Why the change? Short version - I broke my back and, as a result, I can no longer climb ladders and scaffolding. So I have been reinventing me for the past few years. It has been a fantastic journey into myself and my abilities. Cre8Tiva is the best part of this renewal process.