All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;

The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.
From the ashes a fire shall be woken,
A light from the shadows shall spring;
Renewed shall be blade that was broken,
The crownless again shall be king.
JRR Tolkein
The Lord of the Rings

Good Friday

Friday, April 10th, 2009

I am putting no expectations on myself today……to work……….to go………..to act. Today I just want to be. Lord come. I understand my story being a small subplot of the bigger story…………..The story of life … The story of Christ….God’s redeeming Sacrifice. Lord Come. The depth of the significance of my contribution is entirely dependent on HIM……..as is my joy. my peace, my salvation, my healing, my growth. …….. Lord Come. I really have no say in the future but only the comfort that H E is in control and H E will be there. And H E is here. Lord Come. This life, this story………….played out in day in day out seemingly insignificant dramas that bring conflict to my mundane hours, is mine only if I take it up. I choose not to today. I only desire one thing………in this moment.....

.............H I M….Lord Come.

Busy Day

C.S. Lewis wrote:
"God designed the human machine to run on Himself. He Himself is the fuel our spirits were designed to burn... That is why it is just no good asking God to make us happy in our own way without bothering about (Him). God cannot give us happiness and peace apart from Himself… There is no such thing."

more babbling

Ingredients for successful Creative Expression
Technique can be taught. Craft has its attributes. Technique is never the point of a work of art. Art is essentially human rather than mechanical.
Experience in another teacher. It will get you on a first name basis with materials and concepts. Some things are learned in the doing. Hard work is essential to grow as an artist.
Some things are caught not taught. We can be encouraged by another’s enthusiasm. Joy in God’s purpose can be modeled. Existing examples of excellence impel us beyond our seemed limitations and mitigating self criticism. Some things can not be taught by technique, experience nor example. Some things are only received in discovery. Observation skills are developed as a student inclines themselves to discover. Learning to see the unseen is a conscious act of the will in which each created being must lay down their preconceived mindsets and discover anew the Creator’s insight that is for them alone to discover and express.
Creativity is something we all have innately being created in his image. Awe and wonder are necessary elements for creative expression. It comes from a heart of gratitude that is pursuing the Father. The naturally gifted need to develop their talent. Some artists never open their gifts bur leave them wrapped and untouched.

Desire is the catalyst. It is the key to success in any area. Desire brings determination. Knowing technique, having experience, being exposed to good teaching, and even natural talent cannot bring the results that desire can.
Father God, give me the desire to glorify you in artistic expression and help me to reflect you to whomever you put in my path today. iJnip Amen

Successful Creative Expression

My preparation for teaching this Fall is not taking an orderly path. This frustrates me to no end, but I am going with the process as the rabbit tracks have me reforming my thoughts, which is a good thing. This entry is an introduction to one of my thought gathering essays. Whether these musing will land in one of my art talks this semester has yet to be determined.

Successful Creative Expression
Every artist has their own ideas of what they consider successful creative expression. Some hope to transport another person into their landscape or create a pause in someone’s daily routine. Whereas some may seek the recognition of an single observer, others may hope for reception in a show where they might capture the attention of the multitudes. Successful creative expression may come from the artist’s own satisfaction in a work well done. Still for others the mark of success may be to bring beauty to a world made unappealing by the fall. This may be the simplest yet most profound determination of success. If striving to recapture the goodness God intended for his beloved pre-fall redirects the viewer to the Creator and gives glory to the Father, this expression succeeds at the point of mankind’s greatest need. For every man needs to experience God’s goodness and in that discover their origin God Himself.

tree atc and doodle

A thief in Paris planned to steal some paintings from the Louvre. After careful planning, he got past security, stole the paintings and made it safely to his van. However, he was captured only two blocks away when his van ran out of gas. When asked how he could mastermind such a crime and then make such an obvious error, he replied, "Monsieur, that is the reason I stole the paintings. I had no Monet to buy Degas to make the Van Gogh." (I wasn't sure if I had De Gaulle to write this, But, I figured I had nothing Toulouse.)

Words that struck me this morning

Pay attention to maintaining beauty.
Allow events to change you….. Do not allow circumstances determine your joy.
He who wants milk should not sit himself in the middle of a pasture
waiting for a cow to back up to him. (Anonymous)
...the moods of sadness that come over anyone who takes up art... these dismal moods have very little compensation. (Edgar Degas)
Joys as winged dreams fly fast,
Why should sadness longer last?
Grief is but a wound to woe;
/ Gentlest fair, mourn, mourn no moe. (John Fletcher)

And then there were three

Camp Sparky rules:

1.) Know yourself (Socrates)

2. Control yourself (Cicero)

3. Give of yourself (Jesus)

4. Forgive everybody everything everyday (Nancy)

I love it! this is from http://campsparky.blogspot.com/

One of the wonderful folks at EDM. I want to commit to a summer of art everyday... I am getting some unbelivable atcs from folks all over. I am really enjoying the atcs.

Funky hair

This is one of my favorites of the funky hair cards. i am learning a lot on these little canvases ... I hope to get some supplies and try some things I am itching to do.... For now I need to make examples for an art class (:

I am finding myself overextended and not focusing on what needs done...

Dreaming in color

I am noticing that this is becoming my atc blog LOL. These little cards are addicting. i am enjoying trading but think that all the little packages inthe mail and all the positive comments have me spending too much time withthese. Need boundaries

Want to love like Jesus

Not well traveled, not well read, not well-to-do or well bred. Just want to hear instead, "Well done" good and faithful one."

My prayer is that I could glorify Christ today. help me Lord to love and encourage.

No regrets

The joy of repentance.
I find it hard to admit I was wrong when the fact of the matter is I wear a square halo.
I want to be polished and attractive but I am a square peg trying to fit in a round hole. I am not this perfect Christian wife, mother, sister, friend… I live the already but not yet. Already empowered, forgiven, chosen and redeemed. Not yet …Perfect. I don’t know others but when deep calls unto deep for me it is usually dinner with humble pie for desert.
In biblical terms, repentance means to change your mind about sin and about God.
"...If you return to the Lord with all your heart, remove the foreign gods...from among you and direct your hearts to the Lord...He will deliver you..." (1 Sam. 7:3).
“Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret.” 2 Corinthians 7:10a
So anytime I have pointed a finger, belittled , or gossiped against : my husband, my children, my siblings, my friends, the church, my government, I need to see God for who He is and humble myself. And turn away from My ways and walk with HIM. Experiencing great JOY in the process! He is good.
I say to You, There is Joy in the Presence of The Angels of God
over one sinner who repents. Luke 15:10
I pray they are rejoicing over me today and I can live without regrets in love with life and Christ Jesus my saviour.

EDM May 23th 2007 #117 Draw something round

I got the idea from another artist that did a pregnant belly...(: This is an atc. I wish I could get a finer line with the pens arghhh.

We need more fruitcakes....and less bakers!

Fly 3

I am enjoying the art making. I am greatly encouraged that God has me in His capable arms and made me with this passion for art.

Funny if I draw a doodle of a cat or paint a realistic bird everyone wants those cards but the cards I enjoy no one really asks for. HMMM

Experimenting ....

I don't know how I am going to use this .... layered paper design but it has me thinking (: I have a technique page to do for a book page so maybe I will use this as my jumping off point
(:

artiscape

Artiscape was a lot of fun and challenging for me. this is one of the projects that I completed. She is the angel i made in Barbara McGuire's class. Great fun!

she didn't scan well.

At all costs do not conform

This is one of my atcs for Artiscape! As the time draws nearer I am more and more excited to be going!

"Great minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, small minds discuss people." ~Eleanor Roosevelt

I guess I am average (:

charms for artiscape

sucess is going from failure to failure with enthusiasm.... Who said that? They should be shot! Last night I had all my charms ready to go. All I had to do is add some embossing enamel. Instead of doing them 2-3 at a time I decided to BURN THEM ALL UP! Hours of work up in smoke ARGHHHHH

Here is my second batch.

parakeet atc

Upon closer inspection the person I made this atc for was not holding a parakeet (: Long story. Any hoo winding down classes. Ending well with this year of homeschooling...getting ready for Artiscape I am content and full of creative energy. God is good

searching for inspiration for fat book pages

This is a metal atc collage I did after Artiscape last year. I am hoping for new ideas and inspiration this year. There is always something missing in my compositions.... I am praying about this week .... How many weeks of my life have I wasted.... worrying...being anxious...and today I cannot even remember what my concerns were a month ago????

I found a cool site. It is requested that you post the website to a blog before you download the free stuff ...So here it is.... Even though noone really sees my blog LOL it is here....

http://www.tentwostudios.com/countdown/

Becoming atc obcessed

I have been working on atcs for days.... I love making these minature artworks and trading with others. Artiscape 2007 has trading opportunities for cards, charms and fatbook pages.... Here I go (:

painting collage

I made the drawing collage into a painting collage. i hope to shrink it.. Print atcs and tweak a series. I have never copied atcs before. Last year almost all of the atcs I got in trades were just copies. I hope to make the prints each unique. I have about ten individual atcs almost finished. Any comments are welcome (:

elephant collage

this is the first layer for my collaged atc. I am hoping to add depth to the sections with inks, embossing, gel medium, tissue paper etc and print a few atcs then add some textures to the prints. i hope to add embroidery floss to divde the sections on the final cards. I lost my elephant drawing in the first attempt so I made it darker. Hope it works here goes.

I am making cards to trade at artiscape. I also am making charms.

Excited about art

this morning I came up with two ideas for my artist trading cards. One involves an elephant. and the other quarreling faires. LOL yesterday I used a printer to print on vellum and used embossing powder to give it some zing. I want to work on making small hearts in a similar way if I can find red embossing powder. I am sure there is sure a thing. I am looking to find utee which I have never worked with. there is so much fun stuff to play with (:

Creative Challenge

Today began on a negative note. Time, effort and prayer will make things whole again.

Affirmations:
a kind word turns away wrath
Response can eventually change stimulus
Resurrection power is available to me to lift my old creative soul from death to life

Creative challenge for the day:

• scan a journal page
• read about Trina Schart Hyman
• cut 12 Atcs to begin working on them
• investigate buying more artist's journals
• paint 4 backgrounds
• set up my idea for charms
• find the stuff to do gel medium transfers with

His Desire Soul Collage

Created in His Image God desires for me to love Him.

LIFE

My first soul collage card on Gratitude.
I am everyday grateful fo the life I have been given. What a gift.

Charcoal/chalk greytones

grey tone drawings
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Today’s challenge: Use a medium that has the value scale already laid out for you either grey tone pastels or markers that range from white to black.
~*~

Creative Challenge grid collage drawing

Lots to do today ! I used this drawing to watermark my letters. I hope to use it again to make a watercolor. Knowing I can produce a drawing and then manipulate it for collage and cards etc makes it that much more fun.

challenge photograph the sky

It always amazes me, as we drive home from ball games, how beautiful the area we live in is. The sun is usually setting over the fields of corn and soybeans. We usually spot deer and ground hogs. The horses are usually contributing to the landscape. It just feels like home. I took some pictures in the moving truck the sky appeared lavendar, however this photo does not carry the feeling I wanted to express it still transports me to the time we rode home and I appreciated God's goodness towards me.

Sarah and Sarah helped me with glass mosaics for my fall classes. They made candle votives. I used the scraps for a trivet. having kids over to play with materials always helps me decide what I will have the kids do in the fall.

Below is the treasure I unearthed this morning during my search for interesting things on the internet.

"Seize the moment before it's gone,
For another day begins at dawn.
Embrace the night which brings you rest -
Awake and know you did your best.
Fight each fight, and run each race -
It matters not if you win or place.
Seize the moment... you'll be blest,
Then rest assured you passed the test.
For he who tries can never fail,
When God directs the ship we sail.
Seize the moment and hold it clear,
And rise by faith above your fear."
Clay Harrison

I can tangle!

I am finding this kind of fool proof doodling very relaxing. I am amazed at how you can create movement by thickening lines and using bold patterns. Mistakes in line are easily restated. the more I look the more I want to add. I hope to make more and possibly express a more recognizable subject with the same patterns and principles.

pansies

pansies
Originally uploaded by standnngrace.

Cannot seem to finish any florals or nature journal entries so I am going to study some that I admire and try again

salvia

Hard to believe I have not added any artwork for over a month. I really have not done anything I am too impressed with. I did this salvia for one of the creative challenges at the group.

That's Soul by Lisa Fraser

In this land of 24-hour media, we're constantly surrounded by perfection. Some of it's real, most of it isn't. Computer graphics can produce scarily pseudo-authentic beauty, be it in a book, a piece of art, or a TV program. And even when the radiance is real, it often looks like it sprang from the brush, the hands, or the mind of its creator fully formed, like Athena from the head of Zeus. We end up demanding those unrealistic feats of ourselves. We rip out all the practice pages and expect ourselves to declare our genius in the first stroke, the first placement of torn paper, even the first idea. Is it any wonder we shut our art in closets or swallow it in frozen lumps where it sits in our stomachs for years? And we continue on, appreciating beauty, and trying to ignore the vague uneasiness it brings up in us. We need to give ourselves permission to play, to explore, to have the skill level of a two year old, to not get it right from the very first. I think folks who do that are among the bravest there are. They're bucking the whole of popular culture and their own insides in effort to follow their hearts. That's courage. That's soul.
Lisa Fraser sent me this in an email I wanted to include it in my art journey. I am on day 61

Palm sunday

Hosanna ... means He saves. The crowd was a mix that day. some wanted a warrior king that would lead them against their Roman oppressors, some had heard He was a great prophet and healer. some were in love with the compassionate beautiful man of Jesus Christ. the same people 5 days after His triumphant greeting were willing to crucify him. I do not know how I would have been that day. I only know that today i am thrilled that my Savior came and that He lived a perfect life and died that I might live. Today on Palm Sunday the beginning of holy week we sang Holy Holy Holy. I was reminded of this drawing I did 6 years ago.

I am praying over my writing. I desire so badly to have beautiful writing but I am awkward and somehow miss letters and put in wrong letters. I cannot seem to concentrate ... writing makes me a nervous nelly. Even here I see that i was trying to say your and instead I wrote you.... I wonder what the Lord has in store for me an the lessons I will be learning on this path? Artiscape was great. I appreciate some art styles that I have no desire to replicate. I enjoy the altered art and collage and want to grow in experience with more traditional fine arts like watercolors and acrylics. the book making and journal art is facinating to me.

art stool back pack

Here is my new find for my outside art adventures.........

nature atcs

nature atcs
Originally uploaded by standnngrace.

I have followed the instructions to replicate some one else's birds. I am learning what I do not like and what I think is working. I hope to do some birds "on my own" I cannot see a bird as it flies away and then draw it. but I am hoping to sit down with a book and make a robin today.

collage girl

collage girl
Originally uploaded by standnngrace.

I am enjoying doing the collage thing. Terry is right people add life to the collage. I have trouble with cutting people up but am getting better at using them.

material for nature journal

I love to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasting station through which God speaks to us every hour, if we will only tune in.
George Washington Carver

Creation comforts

People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed; never throw out anyone.
Audrey Hepburn
A friend sent this quote to me today. When I did this collage ironically I was thinking about being broken and weary...tired and abused and finding rest and acceptance....
I was sorting through some junk in the basement and found this. I don't remember what year I made it but I remember the kids loved the day and papers were flying....
"From the sky, from the earth, from a scrap of paper,from a passing shape, from a spider's web. . . we must pick out what is good for us where we can find it."~Pablo Picasso
I read this quote in Alisa's blog which is a great inspiration to me. I want that kind of excellence in my art journals....... we will see (:

If you fight the computer long enough you will win

Atc done fin....eee...
this has me excited to do a larger nature collage. Joined another art group today. Learning what a sketch crawl is..........

wild Columbine watercolor

Painting is just another way of keeping a diary.~Pablo Picasso~
St. Theresa's Prayer:
May today there be peace within. May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be. May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith. May you use those gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you.... May you be content knowing you are a child of God.... Let this presence settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love. It is there for each and every one of us.
I put this prayer in a circle journal and my prayer journal under the section friends. I believe we have infinite possibilities. I pray today I live and love in a way that others will also.

New Day............................New Way.................
Judith lead me step by step through this painting. She is an excellent teacher. I cannot wait to work with her again. She has become a very important part of my art making journey.
Notes from Making Art like a true Artist:

The artistic journey begins with a simple desire to create. …this seed grow into a Philosophy of art making. I am driven by some philosophy of art making whether I am are able to articulate it or not.
He goes on to write his philosophy of art and I agree with him through out the article.

Living a life in response to God.... cultivating my talent resposibly and praying to the Holy Spirit to fill me with the skill, ability and knowledge that I need on the way.
I wish to be surrounded by many wonderfully gifted and artistic people.
I am blessed with Sherry she is willing to paint and be patient with me as I tie myself in knots over this art journal altered composition book.

Laying it down

I rush my work expecting something wonderful to just happen....I fret over my work trying to make something happen.... How do I bring excellence to my craft? I want to live in response to the desire to be creative that God has given me. I want to cultivate my talent responsibly... Is my desire to create self contrived ...Do I have talent? Holy spirit of God, help me, please lift the frustration and fill me with skill, ability and knowledge. I desire excellence in my craft. I offer my work to you Lord for Your glory..May I imitate Christ, the prime artist, for by Him all things were created. Today help me to actively put to rest the strife in my soul. may I peacefully serve You in my craft and in every aspect of who I am ............ thank you Lord for situations that humble me and bring me to You. You are a good Father.

SLOW DOWN

This painting reminds me that I hurry through... What a waste of time and materials to rush through.
Imaginative space where faith and artistic vision meet... Is there such a place? If this is a journey then that is my destination.
Lord help me to within myself reconnect beauty to goodness and truth and Lord help me to express it visually,
Valerie

This is the outside of my prayer journal. After seeing all the wonderful art journals on line... I am excited, overwhelmed, and a bit afraid that I will embark on this journey and never arrive. My goal is to start a 2006 art journal soon......

My still life watercolor

Okay I am going for it!!! I am realizing that I am wired in a way that I have to redo everything... I write and then rewrite... so I want to incorporate this into art. The problem I have is after executing one piece I am bored with the subject matter and medium and want to move on to something else. When I do make second attempts and third attempts sometimes they are worse than the first. Very frustrating. Frustraion is usually not a good motivator for me ... Go figure. It is going to take discipline on my part but today I am going to crown myself the redo queen.... I am going to take time to plan.... practice... and work in series of threes to learn from my mistakes... Trilogies of redos.
Okay now to live the life....

trying to figure this out

This really is a journey. Observing every step of the way . Constantly searching for beautiful things to incorporate into my creative attempts.
What I am learning.... sometimes less is more..LOL reminds me of Garry's dancing (: Layers work.
Still trying to "find my colors". I do not have a "style" I am looking for things that visually appeal to me... Some of my "art" is just an attempt to capture something someone else has already done...... there is nothing new under the sun and I do not mind being a student who looks to the masters... and more experienced artists. But when will I know and be confident in my own ....artist's way?