Happy Monday!! Its a new day, a new week with no mistakes in it...yet! So lets rejoice! ... Well, maybe another cup of tea first. How was your weekend? Mine was a lesson in being still with less doing and more being. After injuring my ankle last week and being forced to stay in bed, I never realized how hard that was for me. But it gave me time to ponder, journal, read and work on more small paintings. When is the last time you took time out from laundry, dishes, work, errands, school, kids activities, just to ponder and dream? It seems like a forgotten and almost forbidden task. Its hard. I realized how much pressure I feel to be busy, to always be on the go. For me, the temptation is to stay busy and disconnected from my heart, from my art , from my family... the things that really matter. So I began thinking about you, my dear community of friends. I know so many of you are creative people who nurture your art , and your hearts. How do you do it? What helps you "stop and smell the roses" of life?
I would love to hear and see what inspires your life art .... So please leave me a comment with your favorite quote/motto and some images at the Gathering Spriggs Flickr group so we can share, encourage and inspire each other! :) Then I will pick 5 images per week to share with you here ... on this new weekly post.. Gathering Inspiration. (all of the above images came from this group and inspired some of my art work this weekend)
images: simply hue, me (heather spriggs thompson) , twiggs in lisbon, and laura evans
Maybe it is just me getting older, but I have found that the thing that inspires me the most is letting go and not worrying about what anyone else will think. Creating becomes a sacred act between myself and whatever is before me and what I create is not nearly as important as simply creating for my own satisfaction.
Posted by: Traveling Mama | July 26, 2010 at 07:58 AM
That is so truuee, Traveling Mama!! Thanks for reminding me of such wisdom. Its so hard to get to that place. a sacred place. Its so easy for me to get suckered into trying to make art for something, or someone that I often lose sight of that very sacred act of creating for me, my heart, my soul.
Posted by: Heather | July 26, 2010 at 11:01 AM
It is not easy to balance all things. Having a full-time job, husband, house and creative business can be overwhelming. The important thing for me is to try my best to not get overwhelmed because I shut down when that happens. I just try to take it one small sweet step at a time and really, really try to make my creative life a priority.
Posted by: Stephanie | July 26, 2010 at 12:08 PM
sorry about your ankle but i can totally relate to the frustration that comes from not being able to do things ... when i had surgery last year i figured 2 whole days of work was the perfect time to get stuff done around the house. Unfortunately i didn't take into account the part where i wouldn't be able to stand up for longer than 5 minutes! But sometimes it's necessary ... & it sounds like you made the most of it!
thank you for including my balloons ... love the camera series, so pretty!
Posted by: laura evans | July 26, 2010 at 12:52 PM
I'm so very new to thinking of myself as an artist. It's still an uncomfortable space to be in.
Regarding taking time to dream...until quite recently (when I finally figured out what work was calling to me), I've been a sky-high dreamer and a horrible do-er. For the first time, I'm working hard on turning my dreams into reality. I'm working all the time, but I'm filled with ideas and dying to implement them.
All of this to say, what a great new series.
Posted by: Brigitte | July 26, 2010 at 04:27 PM
Oh nice, I love this new series :)
It's hard for me as well, to just stop and not do anything that is work or errand related... can't just be still (maybe for 5 minutes...) Yoga helps though. As for a quote I live by:
"Life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - Helen Keller
Posted by: Tali Schiffer | July 26, 2010 at 05:10 PM
Brigitte,
Im so excited that you are trusting your heart to take a plunge into pursuing your passion. Here is something I was thinking of writing to you but I couldn't have said this better:
http://www.threebysea.com/three_by_sea/2010/7/26/51-you-are-creative-really.html
Cheers!
Posted by: Heather | July 26, 2010 at 08:16 PM
Oh my God, you featured my collection! I'm so happy!! I didn't have a clue about this! What an honour! I'm sooo thrilled you wouldn't guess! :) Thank you so much for featuring along with these talents like yourself, Vicki and Laura! Concerning inspiration I find that in those days when I feel in peace in my mind and heart... I can wander alone in Lisbon (which i love!) with no clocks ticking whatsoever... inspiration comes to me! I found that Traveling Mama was so right when she wrote that! Thank you! xoxo, Twiggs
Posted by: twiggs | July 27, 2010 at 05:17 PM
Yeah...you made me think. I don't remember the last day I just took time for me...to dream. My life is so busy and stressful lately...
Posted by: Home Fairies | July 27, 2010 at 06:01 PM