create art - create happiness

Create art...create happiness it's my tagline right?

But I haven't ever written about why it's my tagline. So here's the story, morning glory...

The words popped up from Source on one of my very first journal pages over two years ago back in 2011.

I started art journalling when the whispers from my creative self became shouts that were just too loud to ignore. I had shut her away for so long... it's almost painful to remember that now. I originally trained in Fine Art back in the 70's; I graduated in 1980! I left uni just wanting to paint, paint, paint. For a few years I did just that; I supported myself with part time jobs waitressing and typing. But the black crow of my depression descended just before my 30th birthday and my muse left me. I felt dried up and with nothing left to paint.

Instead my creativity went into my family; a complicated tale and maybe one day I will be able to tell the full story but for now it's enough to know that I had two beautiful sons. I re-trained as a holistic therapist and lots of major life events occurred - but still no painting.

It was always at the back of my mind to be creating but I told myself I didn't have time, or that I had no space to do it in and all those other kinds of things we tell ourselves.......

Then about three years ago, something happened inside, not just one thing - it wasn't a bolt out of the blue mind blowing 'do it now' experience. Just over the days and weeks the whispers got louder and I had to listen. I read the Artist's Way by Julia Cameron and started writing morning pages and giving myself art dates. At her suggestion, I gave myself £5 and took my muse to buy kiddy art supplies. I cut up magazines and made collages from inspiring words and images. I started an art journal.

I don't even know how I found out about art journalling!! I do know that I looked on YouTube at videos and thought 'I can do that'. I was inspired by the dual role it played - accessing my creativity and self discovery. And, very mportantly at that time, I could do it in a way that was just for me. My art journal is for me and no one else need see it unless I choose to show them. I was amazed about what was actually inside of me that wanted to come out - I don't know why I was amazed - my creative self had been locked away for over 20 years!! I blogged about the joy that emerged here.

And I discovered that art journalling also had another role for me - manifestation. Right from the start, I used positive words and affirmations, creating my world for myself through the pages. My first ever page was this:

The words are a quote from Kelly Rae Robert's book 'Flying Lessons'; they made such sense to me. It was a truth and if I made a page about it, then I would be able to fly. I made pages about 'making time for making art', 'letting the sunshine in', 'being good to myself' and 'my true state of being'. (I've loaded a few to the gallery.) By putting these pages and words out there, I was letting the Universe know what I needed.

So, when I came to set up my website and blog, one year ago, and was searching around for a tag line - there it was - under my nose all the time 'Create Art - Create Happiness'

This is what art has done for me - making time for creativity and my creative self has brought such happiness back into my life. And this is what I want my art to do for others; my workshops aim to put people back in touch with their own creative selves and I hope that my work brings some happiness into the lives of those people it touches.

Which brings me neatly to the Blog Birthday Prize draw!! I hope that these little pieces of artwork will bring some light into the lucky winners, who are:

Giveaway 1 (Blue Goddess painting): Kate Cowin

Giveaway 2 (Here Come the Girls print): Margaret Abraham

Giveaway 3 (set of Earth Tribes greetings cards): Anna Tapp

Congratulations ladies!! I will get those off to you in the next couple of days.

Also a big, big, HUGE mega thank you to all those who shared on Facebook, Twitter etc and welcome to you new newsletter readers!!

See you soon

From my oh so grateful heart to yours

Love and light

Rachel xox

Angelic inspiration

I've been busy the last week or so with a commission to paint seven archangels.

 

Just click on the image to see a larger version of each angel.

You may already know that I practice Angelic Reiki, so the angels and archangels play a big part in my life.  Angelic Reiki is similar to Usui Reiki, which is what most people know as 'reiki', in that the therapist is just a channel for the healing energy.  But in Angelic Reiki, we channel the energy of the Angelic Kingdom instead of the universal life energy.  I practice self healing daily (or most days) and send healing to friends who are in need of it.  I have a couple of regular clients and do attunements for those who wish to work with Angelic Reiki.  The Angelic Kingdom has gently brought me positive changes over the 7 years I have been inviting it into my life.

Until recently, I haven't felt moved to paint angels.  The Goddess is the one who usually guides my hands when I paint.  

I've made an altered book about angels and I've done some small pieces of work in sketchbooks, but no paintings.  Then, about a month ago a friend asked me to do two small angel paintings for her therapy room (and then two more!).  Then a request from one of my training school tutors for seven archangels on canvas. She had just done her Angelic Reiki attunements with me and wanted a set of paintings for her therapy/training room.

Mostly, depictions of angels are pretty cutesy girls with big eyes and wings.  And that's ok, if that's how they appear to you. But for me the angels are ENERGY.  They are beings of LIGHT.  They are HUGE.  It was pretty tricky to try and squish these beings onto canvases measuring 50 x 20cm.

I hope I've managed to get a little bit of their essence down in the paint.  I hope the client likes them.   My son said they look like 'fire' but 'elegant' so I think I'm getting there.

If you would like your own angel painting please contact me.  Commissions are very welcome!! 

Don't forget- my blog is a year old on the 15th of this month!!  There will be giveaways and a discount on cards and prints in the shop.  Make sure you are signed up for the newsletter to get the details then...

See you soon

Angel blessings from my heart to yours

Rachel xox

Baby steps count...

It's been a slow start to 2013 here.  The rush and self imposed pressure to get my Goddess Inspirations Yearbook finished before Christmas and then the holidays themselves left me feeling very low in energy.  

So, how to get back in the creative flow?  I reminded myself of the oh so useful mantra 'Baby steps count...'

The Universe just needs you to show up.  It doesn't matter how small a step you take.  Maybe, it's tidying your workspace or studio, prepping some pages for art journalling, collecting some inspirational quotes or even doodling on the back of an envelope.

I'm not preaching, I'm reminding myself (!) that this is what I need to do when I'm feeling stuck or (sometimes) so anxious that nothing seems possible, even while I truly believe that EVERYTHING  is possible and that we create our own reality.

With this in mind, not having picked up a paintbrush, glue stick or even a Sharpie since mid November, because I had been writing instead of painting, I ventured back into my little conservatory which serves as my studio.  I tidied up.  I gave myself a space to work in.  I did a little journalling and doodled some mandalas.  And I found some small canvases I prepped a while ago.  I decided I would try some 'tribe' work on canvas instead of paper.  

To keep myself on track ie being creative every day, I'm taking part in the Creative Every Day Challenge run by the lovely Leah Piken Kolidas.  It's an easy going, low pressure challenge.  Being a part of this is encouraging me to be creative every day but if I miss a day or two or do something other than painting/journaling such as baking a cake or going on an art date then that's absolutely fine.  If you want to join in just visit Leah's website at the link above and see how it could work for you.

I also joined a group on Facebook called 'A Piece a Week 2013' - a place to inspire and be inspired - to encourage and be encouraged.  A piece a week is a comfortable target for me to encourage my own creative process.  You can still join if you want to, just click the link and ask to join.

How is the new year finding you?  What baby steps are you taking in your creativity?  Or gigantic, magical, scary type steps!!? I would love to know what you are up to these cold winter days so please share in the comments...

Counting those baby steps, from my creative heart to yours

Rachel xox 

Goddess Inspirations Yearbook + Planner available now

The goddess energy has inspired my life and art work since the mid 1980's.  Now after a long hiatus the goddess is inspiring my art work once more.  

What's more the goddesses have inspired me to create a yearbook to take YOU through 2013.  They want you to be inspired by the divine feminine energy and get creative with them.  

This yearbook is based on my own goddess connections and creative growth.

The exercises and affirmations included are some of my favourites for creating change, building self confidence, setting goals and manifesting.  They are all tools I use on a regular basis.

And here is a year of goddess inspiration, just for you.

Buy now in the shop.

This is a full year of goddess energy and creative guidance. 

Each month in your Goddess Inspirations Yearbook includes:

• The essence of the month
• Key dates/festivals
• A different Goddess energy to work with
• An original Goddess poster to print out
• Soul quest tasks to take you through your year, inspiring you with tools for change and manifestation
• Creative exercises for growth and having fun - ideal whether you have no creative experience or if you are a seasoned journaler or artist
• Affirmations
• Journal prompts

You also get:

• Access to a private Facebook group where you can share your findings with others on their journey through the year.
• A year planner for all your important dates.

The emphasis is on self care and self nourishment but above all have fun with it!!!

The yearbook and planner are delivered as printable PDF files from EJunkie so you will need Adobe Reader (if you don't have this, it's free to dowload!).  

I also have collage/journal paper packs for sale.

If you have any questions before you buy, please contact me.

Hoping so much to hear from you soon, just pop over here to buy your very own Goddess Inspirations Yearbook and planner.

From my goddess heart to yours

Rachel xox

TRIBAL QUEST

It's been a strange couple of weeks with some family drama sent to test us.  It is all sorted out now (favourably thank goodness) and we can all breath again.

Art has got me through the questions going through my head in the last few days.  It gave me something else to concentrate on during this worrying time and my journal pages gave me a place to spill my thoughts.  If you look at a page, you won't be able to read the words and I don't know what they say either, it was a process and a healing process.  The words were never meant to be re-read, just got out of my head and onto the page.

So the creative process, as I have found now and before, is very healing.  And I have realised that other people are finding my work healing too!! Result!! I get healing doing it and you feel healed looking at it - who knew?

The comments I have had include:

I love your tribe pictures--they make me feel a certain "part of-ness"

I really like your people

I find them healing to look at

I've been using my 'tribal questing' process that I blogged about a few weeks ago in my post Hidden Treasure It is a personal quest for me, unearthing these little people who just seem to step onto the page or float up out of the colour.  

For me, the little figures are parts of me, soul fragments, ancestors or angels looking down and looking after me. They are all these aspects but all parts of me and all parts of all of us, for in reality we are all one.  We are all linked; we are all part of the whole, part of the great Creator.  Perhaps this is why people feel that they resonate with my tribes...

We all need a tribe or tribes to belong to - family, friends, online, offline... My family has had its drama this week, but my online tribe and friends in real life gave me real support.  

One of my favourite tribes is the TAJ Community (Inspirations) group on Facebook.  It's a private group run by Teresa Robinson and Mandy Steward otherwise known as the Art Journallers.  It's a wonderful supportive group whether you are a newbie or a seasoned journaller.  There is real support here for sharing journal pages and inspiration for art journaling.

My other favourite tribe at the moment is Instagram - I've met some wonderful creative people there - another source of real support and inspiration and an amazing willingness to share techniques and ideas.  If you want to meet up I'm Rachellen333 - hope to see you there.

My tribes are also for celebrating!!!  And I'm celebrating taking my first steps towards offering my artwork for sale - to get the updates on this in your mail box (and other news), sign up for my newsletter at the top of the page.  I'd love to hear from you and let you know when I have my prints and paintings for sale.

How are you relating to your tribes this week? Hanging out, having fun, sharing artwork and ideas...

From my questing heart to yours...

Rachel xox