Prelude Paintings at Mesa Arts Center
By
Prelude #1, Acrylic on Canvas, 10" x 10", 2011
Recently I had two paintings in a group show at the Mesa Arts Center. After a summer of adventure, expansion, artistic, and spiritual renewal, I used my experiences and the energy from my travels and poured these into my artwork. During the process of painting a new direction and clarity for my artistic work emerged.
After a hiatus from showing my work, it felt great to see my paintings in the public arena again, especially in such a well respected gallery space as the Mesa Arts Center. It felt like a prelude to a new beginning for my artistic journey.
I followed my soul and studied painting in college but right before graduating with my BFA degree, I realized that I would have to make money. I bought into the false myth of the “starving artist”, not to mention I had those student loans to pay… So I started teaching as a substitute teacher. I realized I loved this too, plus it solved the money problem. Fate guided me to complete my teaching certification.
“Everything on earth is being continuously transformed, because the earth is alive …and it has a soul. We are part of that soul, so we rarely recognize that it is working for us.” ~ The Alchemist, Paulo Coehlo
Fast forward to the present … Now that I am a master teacher and long past the “survival” teaching stage, I feel strongly pulled to my own artistic work again. Things have come full circle! The detours on the road have been good learning experiences and have brought their own rewards. I now realize that just like my yoga practice and the balance of yin and yang styles, I can apply that same principle to my own artistic journey. Teaching is more outward, social, and community centered (yang), whereas my own artwork is more reflective, personal, and self centered (yin). Both complement each other and bring balance to my life.
Prelude #2, Acrylic on Canvas, 10" x 10", 2011
Alchemist: ”Listen to your heart. It knows all things, because it came from the Soul of the World, and it will one day return there…”
Boy: “My heart is afraid that it will have to suffer…”
Alchemist: “Tell your heart that the fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself. And that no heart has ever suffered when it goes in search of its dreams, because every second of the search is a second’s encounter with God and with eternity.”
What is your personal mision in life?
What detours have you taken along the way?
What have you learned from those detours and how have they served you?
Related posts:
- Painting is Transformational I’ve been teaching visual arts for over ten years now, and...
- Start the Year with Clarity and Focus At the beginning of each New Year many people make...
- The Art of Being Radiant Radiance is defined as being luminous, glowing, shining, brilliant, healthy,...
