Sunday, January 20, 2013

Live the Life You Imagined


I had lots and lots of beautifully colored pages from playing with my gelli plate and the stencils I designed for Stencil Girl.  Inspired by this tutorial by Felicia Borges,  I cut them into strips and squares and rectangles and started arranging them in ways that pleased me...


I saw an urban skyline with sky scrapers...


Just like the city, it grew bigger and bigger until it was 11 x 14"...


I outlined buildings, adjusted and deepened the colors with a mixture of fluid acrylics and glazing medium, and added gems and glass bead gel to make the city sparkle ...

I hung stars and a moon in the sky with silver threads...


All the while, I thought about how much I love New York City, where I went to high school and college, and where Times Square, the Upper West Side and Greenwich Village were my playgrounds.  I thought about my amazing life: three distinctly different careers as a singer/dancer/actress, then lawyer, then artist/yoga teacher; one difficult marriage and painful divorce, but then a wonderful second marriage and two loving and lovely daughters;  good health and a rich supportive community of neighbors, friends and family.  As a child, did I plan the life I lead now?  No.  But I imagined a life full of creativity and love.  So I wouldn't change a thing.  Each experience, the happy and sad, the joyous and the difficult, was a vital part of the path that led me to the life I have - full of creativity and love -- just like I imagined. 


You don't have to live the life you've planned.  But live the life you've imagined!


How do you live the life you've imagined?

Linking to Make it on Monday, Creative Everyday, Inspire Me MondayMonday Mantras, and Mandarin Orange Monday.

PS:  Do you ever get stuck and need some great journaling prompts?  I wish I'd known about this post when I was writing yesterday about what's Rocking My World.  Aimee of Artsyville has made available FOR FREE her 21 prompts from 21 Secrets 2012.  Thank you Aimee!!

PPS:  Maybe feeling happy with life is "going around..."  Check out this post and video from Jennibelle Studios -- complete with cool dance moves!

Thank you for visiting! I read and treasure every comment and will answer any questions as quickly as I can.

48 comments:

  1. What a lovely post! I am adoring how you turned your bits and pieces into a fabulous work. Off to check out your recommendations.

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  2. Oh My...I feel like I just watched you build a city! I could see it forming as you added each photo. That was amazing. Love how you tied the metal tag into the scene.

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  3. Jessica this is a wonderful entry and such an inspiring piece. Thanks for sharing it! Saw the bright colours on MIM and had to take a closer look - so delighted that I did. You rock!
    Stamping Shanni

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  4. Hi Jessica

    Your piece is positively amazing and your post is so inspiring. I love the way this came to live as your told your story.

    Thank you for sharing with us at Make It Monday this week.

    Michelle :o)

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  5. lucky you and your work reflects your thoughts

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  6. We Built This City by Starship just kept running through my head as you built your city! I love where you started all the way through to where you stopped!

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  7. Hello Your project is Fantastic. Visited from MIM. Faye

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  8. Fantastic piece.. I saw these on MIM..Loz

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  9. These are all awesome.
    I saw you on MIM. I would
    Love to have you visit.
    This is so sweet.
    DIANA L.
    http://dianamlarson.blogspot.com

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  10. Ps I just became a new follower love your blog.

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  11. NO JOKE HERE! When I saw the first couple of photos I though "That would make a wonderful city scape." And bam, there is was, but even better than I could imagine! Gorgeous! SO PINNING!!!

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  12. You are an artist!

    Hopping from Mandarin Orange Monday.
    Bow and Arrow
    Have a great week ahead.

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  13. Oh Jessica - you never fail to inspire me! This is stunning! The colors, and the drawing - all of it! And I adore how you added the pen nib to the tower! Thanks for the tutorial link - I'm off to check it out!

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  14. Brilliant I love how you built up the background with collage papers.

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  15. This is just BRILLIANT Jessica! Love it!

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  16. Inspiring work. I don't usually like city scapes but yours is an exception.

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  17. I'm so happy to have found your blog! I often look back at my life and realise that the things I always wanted, a loving family and to remain creative have become the two most important things so I've achieved exactly what I imagined!
    I love the way you've arranged the pieces of collage and then brought it all together with your drawing. I'm going to enjoy the links you've shared too, thankyou!xx

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  19. What a GREAT post! So much fun for us that a Gelli printing plate was part of making such a beautiful print :) Thanks for sharing the process!
    Nancy Kelley
    Gelli Arts

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  20. This is a wonderful piece of art work, so full of life and soul!

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  21. Wow...this is so lovely...the color and how you created it...just made my heart sing!

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  22. Wow! Amazing work. Loved to see how it grew into such a work of art :-)

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  23. This piece is so beautiful, Jessica. And your story just adds to the experience. So glad you took the time to share.

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  24. My turn.... What can I say.. I want to go here.. here, in this page and explore what is in this city. I think this is MY FAVORITE pages of yours. The colors, the buildings,the sky. I do believe that what we've gone through in life is what makes us who we are. As Kelly Clarkson says in her song, "Stronger".. "what doesn't kill us makes us stronger.... ".

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  25. Thank you for sharing your journey!! Love this city!! Breath taking!

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  26. This is beautiful! Thank you for sharing the steps. Saw it on MIM!

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  27. This is amazing - I love this little glimpse into your process and the inspirational quote that goes with it is just the icing on the cake.

    Thanks so much for linking up!

    Sarah @ A Cat-Like Curiosity

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  28. Fabulous! Love the quote and the way your piece grew! Such an inspiration! Chris

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  29. omg Jessica... love this post and your painting is absolutely STUNNING!! So much fun to see the progression at every stage and the final result. omg. i love it. So much energy and happiness there. Wishing you a wonderful 2013. xox

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  30. This is so amazing and your Chrysler building just shones put in the scene!!!! Have to check out that tutorial.....xox

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  31. This is pretty darn AMAZING!!!!! What a creative way to use all the pieces and as usual your meaning behind it so beautiful. Please remind Carolyn and I to tell you a story about the Live the Life you Imagined charm when we see you :)

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  32. Such a vibrant and beautiful celebration of your interesting life. I like their colour, complexity and the layers. Thank you for sharing on Mandarin Orange Monday:)

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  33. Absolutely stunning. A little masterpiece of art. Saw this on MIM and had to come over for a closer look. Hugs Desíre {Doing Life - my personal blog}

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  34. Very eclectic card. I like the colors. They all look so pretty. I saw it on MIM.

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  35. The fun colors immediately catch your eye and then all the detail begins to soak in. I love your city scene and appreciate the photos showing how you made it. You are such a talented lady!

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  36. Stunning colours! Wow! Astounding attention to detail...I'm in awe. No wonder it caught my eye on MIM #124. Thanks for your sweet comments on my blog.
    xxx Asha
    Sunny Summer Crafts

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  37. Wow, those are NICE! It makes me want to investigate the use of stencils, too! I'm going to pop over to that link and take a look. :)

    I'm new here - and found you while searching for other aspiring artists who blog about their work. I need the support!

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  38. It looks like you had such free flowing energy while making this fun piece... I love how it grew!

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  39. This is such a stunning piece of art. Love the bright colors. Thank you so much for joining us at Make It Monday this week... :)

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  40. Fabulous piece- I had to pop over from MIM- the colors- awesome!

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  41. Very cool page, I love how you built the city scape, awesome!!!!

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  42. I absolutely love this, Jessica. You really put your own stamp on the process, too. You are such an inspiration! It is so bizarre to me that I am getting this post now at the end of May when you posted it in January!!

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  43. I just found your blog and love your work! I featured this project on my blog today...
    http://thoughtfulcreations.wordpress.com/2013/12/18/holiday-gift-ideas-10-11-pretty-baskets-and-pretty-stationary/
    I am a new follower!
    -Allison

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