Moments of Gratitude (Stillness)

Stillness of Mind

This week I have been grateful for the few moments of stillness in my mind. When the splashing of thoughts and input stops and the pool of the mind is calm and clear. I look forward to them becoming more frequent and lasting again in the weeks ahead.

"If water derives lucidity from stillness, how much more the faculties of the mind! The mind of the sage, being in repose, becomes the mirror of the universe, the speculum of all creation." ~ Chuang Tzu

What does mixed-media art mean to you?

This week when visiting Creatively yours Fi  and reading her fabulous interview on what Mixed Media art means to her, I decided to follow the link to Mixed Media May: An Annual Blog Celebration of Mixed Media Artists! and join in the fun.

Here is my interview.............

What does mixed-media art mean to you?Mixed media art is like my therapy. It is my time to get out of my head and into my heart and heal myself with creativity. It is an outlet to experiment with such a huge variety of mediums and materials. Sometimes the choices can be a little overwhelming! But the term “mixed media” offers an incredible amount of creative freedom which I love.

How long have you been a mixed-media artist?
I have always been creative. I travelled a lot when I was younger and expressed my creativity more with poetry and the use of water colour paints as it was easier to fit into a backpack.  Over the last few years I have really created the space at home as well as the time in my life to really immerse myself in my art.

  

How has your art impacted or enhanced your life?
To be creative is like an escape. I am not sure what I would do with myself if I didn’t have some creative project on the go. It enhances my life by offering me a non thinking place to express myself with a few words and lots of colour.

What are a few of the mixed-media supplies you find yourself using most?
I am a bit of a texture paste junkie. I also love using metallic paints. For collage I really like using tissue paper and interesting scrapbook papers as well.

Who are some of your favourite mixed-media artists?
Kelly Rae Roberts, Ann Baldwin, Tracey Verdugo

What makes your mixed-media art unique?
I don’t think that I have really developed a distinctive “style” yet. I would like to think most of my pieces reflect individuality through their variety of textures and design. I play and experiment a lot still so I guess I’m still trying to find my own uniqueness.

Where can we find you? 
http://www.tamoonstone.blogspot.com.au

Please tell us about yourself (short bio with headshot).
I am 38 years old and live on the East Coast of Australia with my husband. We have two very affectionate and energetic black Labradors as well as a very calm and somewhat illusive cat. I love animals and we have chosen the fury four legged kind of children. I work full time and like many others dream of winning lotto so that the ratio of work to play could be a little different. I spend most of my free time on art projects and find so much joy and peace when I am being creative.  I love my family, the beach, reading, yoga and I try to live my life in the now. (easier said than done some days J )

Moments of Gratitude (Blankets)

Blankets

As the weather starts to cool down here in Australia I am so grateful for soft, warm, fluffy blankets!

So cosy.... so inviting!

A joy to snuggle in.....

“If you are cold at night, let the promise of my love cover you like a warm blanket” ~ Matthew White

Sun, Sand & Sea

Over the last few months I have been working on 2 very large canvasses for my brother’s lounge room. He selected the canvass size and gave me an idea of the colours he likes and then left it to me to come up with a creation. These canvasses are huge, about 2 metres by 1 metre each which is a lot bigger than the surfaces I am used to working on. Not to mention the added pressure of painting something for someone else’s house…..

So it is a big job and a very interesting project which I am loving.  However, this weekend I reached yet another impasse, stuck on colour and flow and after about 7 hours working on them yesterday I had that song “The Gambler” by Kenny Rogers going through my head. 

“You got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em,
Know when to walk away and know when to run………….”

I think there’s a certain point when working on an art piece that’s not flowing, that you have to know when to just walk away. Let go for today and look again with fresh eyes tomorrow. I did end up doing this, even if it was about 2 hours too late.

So after a very “serious” day yesterday I decided to do something fun and light hearted today. This week via CED I discovered Carolyn Dude from A Colorful Journey was having a Virtual Vacation Link up. What a beautiful idea!! On a rainy day like today I thought it would be perfect to spend a holiday amongst the Sun, Sand & Sea.

Small canvasses with texture, acrylics and metallic paints. On the sand section I glued some beautiful tiny shells that I had collected from the beach sometime ago. For the backing I used a section of a table runner. To add a little more interest I also added a couple of lovely balsawood features.

I really enjoyed this project today. No expectations just the joy of creating. Thanks Carolyn for inviting me to join this wonderful vacation by the sea,  just what I needed.  :-)

Art:- Sun, Sand & Sea

Moments of Gratitude (Friends)

Friends

Last week some friends from work spoilt me with kindness, beautiful words and these amazing gifts. I am so grateful to be surrounded by such lovely people. I feel very lucky for the wonderful friends (new & old) that I have in my life. xoxo

"A good friend is a connection to life - a tie to the past, a road to the future, the key to sanity in a totally insane world".  ~Lois Wyse

Attachment and Aversion

This months theme at Creative Every Day is opposites. Perfect opportunity to share this piece and some thoughts on the topic of attachment. Also linking this week to Inspire me Monday and Instant Inspirations.

sukha-anushayi ragah

duhkha-anushayi dveshah

Attachment is that which rests on pleasant experiences

Aversion is that which rests on sorrowful experiences

Attachment:- Definition: Exaggerated not wanting to be separated from someone or something. (Exact opposite of Aversion).

It is said that the key to freedom and happiness is to go beyond attachment and aversion, the emotional responses that influence our ability to see our world with true clarity.

During our life our self-identity is formed by a collection of previous emotional experiences.   Therefore we can become driven to seek opportunities to repeat previous experiences of pleasure over and over. We can also become subconsciously driven to avoid previously painful experiences, so that our desire to protect ourselves limits our options in life. Applying our opinions and emotional responses from past experiences places a filter over our ability to see the present moment as it truly is.

 

It is said that when we fully let go of our attachments and aversions we enter a state of harmony, balance and connection with our higher self, where we know that everything is unfolding according to a Universal or Divine plan. 

What a beautiful feeling that must be!!

Art:- Attachment and Aversion