Art Journaling
I think Maddie and I just needed some painting time together. 
It's been a rough week of mothering but today I think there was a bit of a breakthrough. We sat, side-by-side creating in our art journals and it really was enjoyable. 
I have to cling to these moments during the hours each day where she really is driving me around the bend and back again.
I'm probably too hard on her. I'm working on that.
And I'm probably too hard on myself, or so my friends think.
Anyway - I started this post a few days ago, and just today, Valentine's Day, I'm getting around to posting it.
I finished up an art journal spread this weekend. I tell you what, I am loVing this art journal thing. Therapeutic. I find I'm a bit elementary in my painting but I am so okay with that ... I'm on this journey to create and learn.
I had an art class my junior year in high school and HATED it. I thought it was just a general art class but the whole thing was about drawing apples in a bowl ... and I hated every second of it. And, I think I got a C in the class. And I think at that point, in my mind, I told myself I couldn't do art.
And here, all these years later I'm finally feeling comfy in my own skin, realizing that I can do art. And art is SO much broader than drawing an apple in a bowl. Art can be messy. Art has no rules (at least MY art doesn't). Art is a process of practicing. Art is painting over what you don't like until it becomes what you do like. Art, for me, is a mixing of words and other junk on a piece of paper ... at least at this point. And it's also scrapbooking and photography.
I think this piece of me has been hidden under layers and layers of the "C" grade in art class. Such a shame, eh? And you'd think I would have realized this hidden side of myself before I hit my 40s, but I didn't. And that's okay. I'm finding it now and boy howdy, is it ever fun.
Today both Jackson and Maddie were downstairs with me in the laundry room painting. Jackson with water colours. Maddie with acrylic paints. And I stood at the washing machine, changing out dirty water, cleaning out brushes, and journaling in my art journal. And smiling seeing the two of them deeply engrossed in their paintings.
That's a pretty great Valentine's Day if you ask me.
Oh, and more on V-Day tomorrow. I actually had a fantastic Valentine's Day. I think the best yet. And it had zero to do with romance. I had, what you'd call, a break through and it was great.
Now you're curious, aren't you?
Stay tuned.
It's been a rough week of mothering but today I think there was a bit of a breakthrough. We sat, side-by-side creating in our art journals and it really was enjoyable. I have to cling to these moments during the hours each day where she really is driving me around the bend and back again.
I'm probably too hard on her. I'm working on that.
And I'm probably too hard on myself, or so my friends think.Anyway - I started this post a few days ago, and just today, Valentine's Day, I'm getting around to posting it.
I finished up an art journal spread this weekend. I tell you what, I am loVing this art journal thing. Therapeutic. I find I'm a bit elementary in my painting but I am so okay with that ... I'm on this journey to create and learn.
I had an art class my junior year in high school and HATED it. I thought it was just a general art class but the whole thing was about drawing apples in a bowl ... and I hated every second of it. And, I think I got a C in the class. And I think at that point, in my mind, I told myself I couldn't do art.
And here, all these years later I'm finally feeling comfy in my own skin, realizing that I can do art. And art is SO much broader than drawing an apple in a bowl. Art can be messy. Art has no rules (at least MY art doesn't). Art is a process of practicing. Art is painting over what you don't like until it becomes what you do like. Art, for me, is a mixing of words and other junk on a piece of paper ... at least at this point. And it's also scrapbooking and photography.
I think this piece of me has been hidden under layers and layers of the "C" grade in art class. Such a shame, eh? And you'd think I would have realized this hidden side of myself before I hit my 40s, but I didn't. And that's okay. I'm finding it now and boy howdy, is it ever fun.
Today both Jackson and Maddie were downstairs with me in the laundry room painting. Jackson with water colours. Maddie with acrylic paints. And I stood at the washing machine, changing out dirty water, cleaning out brushes, and journaling in my art journal. And smiling seeing the two of them deeply engrossed in their paintings.That's a pretty great Valentine's Day if you ask me.
Oh, and more on V-Day tomorrow. I actually had a fantastic Valentine's Day. I think the best yet. And it had zero to do with romance. I had, what you'd call, a break through and it was great.
Now you're curious, aren't you?
Stay tuned.