HOW I FOUND MYSELF IN MY ART

I thought I would try to actually write something today instead of just "posting." Its been over 6 months since I've posted anything (except for yesterday) I took some time off this year from my online art to find myself creatively and I think I found what was missing in my creative life.

Over the past year I have been teaching an art class to a room full of 11 year olds and during that time as I was teaching the girls art journaling, calligraphy, lettering, watercolor, glittering and sketching what makes them happy and inspires them, I realized that I loved all of these things and have not done any of them for years.

I have been designing digital stamps for 5 years and I have loved every minute of creating those designs and still do, but I was craving color and creating something more. So for the last few months I have had an outlet for my creativity besides the art class. I have been creating paintings and donating them to the Orange County Magnificat Women's Prayer Breakfast raffle every three months.

I am a part of this ministry and it has been a huge blessing to me in more ways than one. I have grown so much in my faith because of it and because of all the inspiring women in it. They are such prayer warriors. And I have started a new "Faith" portfolio thanks to all my "donations."

I've taken all of these watercolor, ink and colored pencil designs and have mounted them on wood and paint the wood, embellish the painting with glitter and crystals and am so happy creating these pieces. Actually, happy isnt the right word, deliriously happy is more like it. It feels amazing to create a physical product that I can hold in my hands.

This has been such a joyful part of my life over the past few months which has been crazy to say the least; my car has broken down 3 times, my Mom has been in and out of the hospital and ER off and on since July and the heat this summer in CA has been so oppressive that all I can do after my dogwalks is come home, turn the a/c on and work on my art. It has saved me from going insane this summer. Just me and Jesus, creating together, love it.

Anyway, the time away from blogging, Facebook and my Etsy shop has done me alot of good I think. Here is a bit of what I have been painting this year...