Saturday, October 20, 2012

Embrace the Rain

A few blog posts and conversations met up with me in the rain yesterday.  I know -- that seems like a mis-typed sentence -- but bear with me.

Yesterday it poured here in New Jersey.  I was happy for the rain.  Then I have no dilemma about whether to do work in the garden or be in my studio.  The choice is clear!

While waiting for inspiration to strike, I checked in with Paint Party Friday -- and found these two posts and images, with were in such synchronicity with my day:

I LOVE this art journal page by Debbie in Seattle at Art Life Now:
The colors perfectly say rainy day, gloomy mood, stay inside. The expression perfectly says -- back off, beware -- I'm cranky!  And the way Debbie did the journaling -- sort of like a ransom note, perfectly suits the image and feel .  I like the way Debbie just embraced how she was feeling, and celebrated it.





This evocative image is from Tammie Lee at Beauty Flows.
In Tammie's blog post, she shares a beautiful poem about how sadness is a part of life, and it's important to accept the tears, as well as the laughter.


Both of these posts made me think about not just accepting, but embracing all of life's ups and downs, highs and lows.  Without the lows, are we able to appreciate the highs?  Maybe Eve bit into the apple in the Garden of Eden because life was so perfect, it got boring.  I know I've had the experience of going somewhere on vacation that seems perfect.  But after a while, it's a little too hot, or too windy, or the sand gets into my bathing suit, or the ice melts too fast in my gin and tonic, and before you know it, there's something to complain about.  We humans must need the bad times to really appreciate the good times.  

Thinking about this reminded me of a conversation I had with Judy Shea this week. 
I was sharing my exciting news about StencilGirl, and she told me she had been approached to teach an online class but was worried about saying yes to the offer.  Judy is warm, supportive and oh-so talented.  I have no doubt that she will be an amazing teacher.  But she had doubts.  I told her that as long as I don't think I'm going to hurt anyone, my philosophy in life is to say "Yes I can," and figure out the details later.  (Thanks mom and dad, for instilling this confidence in me.)  I'm happy to say that after our conversation, Judy emailed me that she had accepted the offer.  I'm excited to be her first student!  Just check out her blog post with a step by step tutorial about image transfers.

After all of the blog visiting and ruminating, I decided to embrace my rainy day. 
I pulled out a lot of neutral ephemera - pages from an old dictionary, paper and this fun little garland from the "Yours Truly" collection by Glitz, which looked like rain drops to me.  I NEVER use neutrals, and decided to do this in part because of the current prompt for Fall Fearless & Fly.

 I randomly ripped and glued down the paper onto my art journal:
And knocked it all back with gesso:
 I scraped on some Raw Umber and Titanium Buff fluid acrylics, and stenciled in some diamonds:
Added some tree trunks from a Metro Arts stamp, foliage using vibrantly inky paper towels I saved from ART is You, some washi tape, a hand-made stencil, doodling, and voila.  The scallop border across the top is also from the Glitz collection.  
Thank you for visiting! If you are so moved, please leave a comment.  I read and love every single one.  Hearing from you means the world to me.

What are you embracing today?

36 comments:

  1. What a gorgeous page!! Funny, my art yesterday was all about "embracing". Embracing the crap that sometimes comes out when you sit down to create. No matter what I tried, it all just fell short of anything pleasing to look at. Eventually, I just said "I'm going to embrace the crap!". If nothing else, it's teaching me what I don't like. =)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Im so glad you did! And share it. So often we are our worst critics.

      Delete
  2. Beautiful journal page, Jessica! Thanks so much for featuring my page here, too. I'm one of those people who thinks we should embrace all feelings, and that it is not always necessary to feel cheerful. There's a lot of beauty and wisdom to be found in all of our feelings.

    ReplyDelete
  3. What an empowering page! And the background is absolutely gorgeous.
    Rinda

    ReplyDelete
  4. I love how this page came together. There is nothing quite like torn dictionary pages to make a good beginning on a journal page.

    And I love the result - perfect for a rainy day,

    xoxo

    ReplyDelete
  5. Feeling better and making art even though it's sunny out right now! Love your page process and the woman so opening embracing life! Thanks for the thoughtful words....and share of some other artists to visit. xox

    ReplyDelete
  6. Jessica..First, your post always hold so much meaning. Second, Debbie and Tami's pages are lovely and third.. THANK YOU for giving me a shout out. I guess if I had any doubts of teaching, I don't anymore. Thanks for all your inspiration. and p.s. I LOVE the rain and I do embrace it when it's at my doorstep.

    ReplyDelete
  7. hello,

    such a wonderful post, i love your art, that gal really does look as though she is embracing the rain and loving it.

    thank you for letting my post touch you and for sharing it here.

    lovely weekend to you.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Totally captures the girls passion for rain and that umbrella and background makes the setting very real. Beautiful work!

    Annabelle m ^._.^m ~^..^~

    ReplyDelete
  9. Terrific post Jessica and loving your artwork, that is such a fab page. Happy PPF, Annette x

    ReplyDelete
  10. Oh, Jessica, I have to tell you how beautiful this post is, how much it meant to me, how I FELT it...and how wonderful it is to have met you here in blogland. You are sensitive, and I like that! Your art is gorgeous! It poured here today, so I played and played...inside, in my favorite space...decision made. I will be coming back to reread this post. Thank you, kath

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much Kathy. That means a lot to me.

      Delete
  11. This is another beautiful art, more beautiful when you embraced gloomy day and made the best of the 'now' moment AND you enjoyed doing it! All in all, it's the good thoughts made it all shiny & happy :). LOVE LOVE the diamonds rain drops, gorgeous blue color. The shredded papers are pretty overlay and LOVE the girl in the rain :). I'm smiling now :).

    ReplyDelete
  12. Thanks for sharing your process. Love your work - it's a lovely piece.

    ReplyDelete
  13. fabulous, i really love those strings of circles. x

    ReplyDelete
  14. I loved Debbies art and quote too!! We have to embrace the rain here in Vancouver. It's part of what we do!! Awesome artwork as always!! Thanks for sharing your process!!

    Hugs Giggles

    ReplyDelete
  15. Funny that Dear Son and I were CAUGHT in the rain yesterday, trying to walk the dog BEFORE it might come down. It was a little hard to embrace it though, as we were a little unnerved by the thunder and lightening! We got home safely, and all we suffered was that odor of a wet stinky dog! (0; Love your art journal page! I am particularly drawn to, and inspired by, the trees and their various patterns! Pretty AND fun, they look to me! Hope you're enjoying a wonderful weekend! ~tina

    ReplyDelete
  16. Hi Jessica! I am embracing my family time today!!!! I love Sundays! Just want you to know how much I really like your embrace the rain page. It's just fabulous!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Hi Jessica... I love this spread about embracing rain! It´s gorgeous ..we have to embrace life... it´s sometimes rainy and sometimes sunny!

    That´s perfect for us!

    hugs!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Great post ans I absolutely love, love, love the journal pages! Thanks so much for sharing :0)

    ReplyDelete
  19. What a fabulous page... not only the art, but also the story behind it. You are a great motivator, Jessica. I love your approach too on just say yes if it's not hurting anyone. Off to see what Judy's been up to...

    ReplyDelete
  20. What a powerful post..very meaningful and inspiring..and your art is gorgeous and deeply poetic! And love the other artists you spotlighted..wonderful!
    Beautiful post!
    Victoria

    ReplyDelete
  21. Such a positive and inspiring post! Great to hear about your friend and her teaching offer...and your advice to her. It is also nice that you used the work of other PPF peopl e in your post. What a good idea! Your images reflect your positive and strong attitiude I think.Interesting seeing the processes too.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Love this, Jessica! I was enjoying the rain the other day here in OH (I believe we sent it to you :o), and I was thinking to myself, "Autumn is not knowing when to come in out of the rain."

    ReplyDelete
  23. Lovely page! Thank you for sharing your inspiration quest and thoughts. I am touched.

    ReplyDelete
  24. That is a great philosophy but it can be hard for some to accept it. Your journal page is magnificent!

    ReplyDelete
  25. This post so resonated with me Jessica. I'd be the one like your friend Judy Shea. So glad she's going for it! That along with your words (smart parents!)help people like me who sometimes just need an extra little push. Thank you. I happen to LOVE rainy days so I can art all day-your page is gorgeous-and I especially love the girl and the umbrella in silhouette form!!!

    ReplyDelete
  26. What a great way to journal! I love how you put it all together. As I read your blog it has been raining here all morning, although I am happy the rain is here because it has been a hot summer, I am sad and don't want to stray from under my blanket. So I am reading your blog and others that are linked from Blazer designs. I love yours. It really is freeing to accept the rain. Thanks for sharing :)
    Chandra

    ReplyDelete
  27. Absolutely beautiful page and inspiring message.I can agree with you that sometimes in life, we need bad things to acknowledge the good things.Nice way to look at it and your journal piece clearly expresses your thoughts!

    Lovely

    Duaa

    ReplyDelete
  28. What an extraordinary and very lovely rainy piece you've made! so fascinating! yes, I do think like you, when it's raining I have no excuses to walk out, and can sit and paint and draw.. :))
    and the earth also need the rain..

    So nice that you show how you made the piece from start to end, I love your background! :)

    and I also love tammie's piece of paint and debbie also! :)

    ReplyDelete
  29. Such a beautiful page, and so nice to read where it came from. Your art journal must be full of little wisdoms like this! I would sure like to look through it.

    ReplyDelete
  30. I love the face turned up to receive the rain. So beautiful.Thank you for sharing your process and your inspirations.

    ReplyDelete
  31. I really love your page and story. Very nice. Thanks for all the inspiration! Saw this on Fall, Fearless and Fly challenge at Artists in Blogland.

    ReplyDelete
  32. Thank you, Jessica for the step-by-step and inspiration behind your wonderful page. I am visiting from FF&F and wanted to also thank you for the challenges. Have a good week.

    ReplyDelete
  33. it's great reading about the inspiration behind this piece and seeing how it all came together!

    ReplyDelete
  34. Beautiful! It was great to see how it all came together. The result is amazing!

    ReplyDelete

If you are entering a GIVEAWAY, please add your email address in the event we need to contact you.

To avoid SPAM, please write it like this:

jessicasporndesigns (at) gmail (dot) com

Thank You!