From Darkness to Light

Everybody's talkin at me
I don't hear a word they're sayin,
Only the echoes of my mind...

If you don't remember the movie (Midnight Cowboy), maybe you've heard the song.

This song echoed in my head this week, as I navigated various conflicts where I seemed to be the person in the middle.  Both sides were coming at me to vent, look for reassurance, and support.   And at some point, I just didn't want to hear it any more. 

I took to my studio.  I had a canvas already prepped with book pages, and used a black pastel crayon to draw angry faces.

 I started painting, trying not to think about a finished product, just pouring my feelings out in paint:

I doodled around the painting with white paint and a thin brush, rotating the canvas as I went.  I splattered paint.  I painted with my fingers and with the edge of a credit card.  I just played and had messy fun.  My mood began to lighten.

Inspired by the work of Corrine Gilman, I added some pieces of corrugated cardboard I had wripped from a box.  After stepping away and giving the painting a new look, I saw the horizontally placed cardboard as an arm and hand, protecting me and keeping the angry voices at bay.  This made me happy.

With the strength of this protective "arm," I was able to banish some of the angry faces into the background.  I felt that I was on a journey from the depths of winter to the warmth of spring.  In gratitude, I added little wooden Prima flowers on the protective "arm," and let a tulip and dahlia bloom where an angry face had been.  Leaves appeared and turned the angry arm/hand on the right side of the canvas into a nourishing tree.

As I journeyed from winter to spring, and my mood went from darkness to light, so did the expressions in my faces.  Amazing how "randomly" placing some corrugated cardboard completely changed my mood and this piece!

The finished painting: 

The writing says: "find peace in the darkness and holiness in it all."

http://pinterest.com/pin/199143614745242569/

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I had intended to do a post today about decoupaging plastic easter eggs with gelli prints on newspaper, but unfortunately the stomach bug that's been going around interfered with my plans...  So here's the link that inspired me -- maybe I'll get to it, or maybe you will!

Linking to all my favorite Monday blog hops: Creative Everyday, Inspire Me Monday, Monday Mantras, Make it on Mondays, Mandarin Orange Monday, and to the challenges at Pin and Tack, Spark Your Creativity (where I was thrilled to be highlighted for their February challenge), Anything But a Card (Spring), and  Eclectic Paperie (corrugated cardboard).

A warm welcome to all the new people following this blog.  I really appreciate it!   

Please check back on Thursday for a stencil test drive featuring the doors and windows stencil, and the art of Carolyn Dube, Corrine Gilman, Maria McGuire and Judy Shea!  Of course, there will be a giveaway!

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