Baring My Heart - Using Art to Heal

Have you noticed that I've been re-posting a bit lately?  It's because things have been going on in my life that are hard to deal with.  No, I'm not talking about the political situation in the USA, although that IS very hard to deal with.  I'm talking about family, and illness, and sadness.

Wishes and Dreams of Love and Empathy

I've been candid about my struggles with depression.  But in late February, my younger daughter went through a very difficult time after several months of struggling with depression herself.  She's doing much better, and learning every day how to live with the intensity of her feelings.  But it hasn't been easy.  (She gave me permission to write a bit about it.)

Salad of Feelings With All Eyes Upon You

So it's been hard to write this blog, while feeling that there is a big part of my life that I can't share.  I am not going to go into all the details, because that wouldn't be fair to our family.  But I know that many of you also have experience with intense feelings, sadness, depression and anxiety.  And it is always good to know that we are not alone.

Deaths in the Desert

Speaking of not being alone, I have been doing a lot of art and activism around immigration and anti-Muslim sentiment.  Here I am at a recent demonstration and press conference at Newark Airport, the day after the most recent travel ban was struck down.

In fact, my lesson for Wanderlust 2017 uses that as an inspiration. I was inspired by this Georgia O-Keefe quote:

to create a mixed media canvas using shapes and color to express things I have no words for. Click here to visit Everything Art, and I'll see you in the classroom.

Here is a beautiful video about one aspect of immigration.  I hope it moves you as much as it moved me.



Thanks for meeting me here. Wrapping you all in a big hug.  xoxox

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Your comments make me so happy and let me know you were here. I read and treasure every comment and will happily answer any questions as soon as I can.

Create Your Own Art Journal Pages Inspired by Love

"Love yourself. It is important to stay positive because beauty comes from the inside out." 

Jenn Proske  

Maybe I'm waxing nostalgic, but I came across one of my older posts and, even after so much time has passed, this post couldn't be more true.  Over the coming weeks, watch for my throwback posts where we'll revisit some of my favorites to inspire us today.

Lately, a particular girl has been popping up in my art journaling....

She was seen "Longing for Love" in this post:  

http://jessicasporn.blogspot.com/2014/03/art-journal-page-longing-for-love.html

"Making a Wish:"

http://jessicasporn.blogspot.com/2014/03/make-wish.html

and Finding Calm:

http://jessicasporn.blogspot.com/2014/03/one-little-word-calm-and-dream-tutorial.html

She's definitely been searching, doing a lot of thinking and exploring both her inner and outer worlds.   She took quite a journey in my most recent art journal page.  It started out with gesso over Terri Stegmiller's Curvy Stems stencil in my altered book journal.  For a while I thought this page would be about this goose, which was the photo over which I gessoed!

Even after I wiped green and yellow fluid acrylics over it, I still though it might be about the goose.  But then, I came home from a wonderful yoga class and post yoga tea and chat with Marcie Wallace, feeling so open to receiving the love in the universe, and so able to radiate that love right back out.  (Yoga can do that to you!)

So I quickly sketched this:

Then stencils came into play.  I used Six Point Starry Night to add stars to the sky, and Judy's Trees to add foliage to the earth.  I painted in a big yellow moon.

 

I used Michelle Ward's Circle Rays stencil to show the energy coming out of her heart.  (I mixed Zinc White fluid acrylic and aztec gold mica powder to make the rays very sheer.)  I wanted hearts coming to, and going from, her heart, and I had left on my table some motifs from my Flowers, Pomegranates and Leaves  project from Stencil Girl's newest release, which I posted about here.   (No scrap left behind!)

Some journaling..."I will open my arms wide and collect all the love the universe has to offer me and hug it into my heart and then offer it right back."

I hope you have a beautiful week and that this inspires you to love YOU and see yourself the way your loved ones see you.

Your comments make me so happy and let me know you were here. I read and treasure every comment and will happily answer any questions as soon as I can.

         Visit Stencil Girl Products and RubberMoon Stamps to see all my designs!

If you haven't already - please connect with me here:

InLinkz.com

Your comments make me so happy and let me know you were here. I read and treasure every comment and will happily answer any questions as soon as I can.

How Journaling My Anxiety Put ME in Control

As I am on vacation, this is a repost of an older post that resonated with a lot of people. I hope it still does.

How Journaling My Anxiety Put ME in Control

I have talked before about my sporadic bouts of anxiety and depression.  Many of you experience that too, and have left me the kindest words.  

Since the start of 2016, I have felt overwhelmed by the many obligations I have - and the ones I put on myself.  

The other night, I had lists of my many "to dos" swirling in my head. I had the image of myself slumping down the wall in a long hallway with doors.  Behind each door was an area of my life calling to me.  My inability to prioritize, to eliminate, to say no, threatened to engulf me under the weight of letting people down, not fulfilling expectations.  I quickly sketched it out, writing down, on each of the doors, a list of the things that were "calling" for me.   After I did this, I was able to fall asleep.

When I woke up, I immediately took to painting my page.  The first thing I did was CLOSE THOSE DOORS!  I even stenciled hands on them to hold them shut, and one to stroke my head.  When I was nearly done, I gave the hallway stenciled windows to the outside, to light, sky and fresh air.  I can prioritize, say no, pause and take some deep breaths.  I am in control!

Here's a fast forward video of me painting this page, from start to finish.

 

You can also watch "Journaling My Anxiety" on YouTube here.

Creating this page helped me regain control of my feelings and thoughts.

Do you have a journaling or other practice that helps you with your inner demons?  Please share!

         Visit Stencil Girl Products and RubberMoon Stamps to see all my designs!

If you haven't already - please connect with me here:

InLinkz.com

Your comments make me so happy and let me know you were here. I read and treasure every comment and will happily answer any questions as soon as I can.

Thank You!