Finally...

...a chance to create 'just because I want to!'

I haven't posted here since last fall. I was very busy over the holiday season and now I finally have some time to just sit and draw or paint or whatever stikes me.

I started out with 'a painting a day', but lately I've been drawing...I think I prefer this because it's something I can do while sitting in front of the TV at night with my family. It's not messy...I just plop down in my spot on the couch with my sketch pad and colored pencils and let it flow.

And one of the 'side effects' of this mode...my kids want to sit with me and draw, too! It's a great way to spend time with them.

Here are a few photos...





I have more and I'll post them soon!

Until then...
Jane

I bought a book about signs...

...and I am very intrigued by it. On the cover it has this description..."How to interpret the coincidences and symbols in your life." I appreciate what the author shares because I believe that my listening to the universe and the signs I have seen along the way have helped me succeed in my business. I follwed my dream and listed to the universe and now I am so happy with the way things are.

It has a sign dictionary in the back and I looked up what the sun symbolizes...among other things here's what resonates with me...

"The sun can be a sign of power, strength and clarity as well as your own inner light."

I think of all of my daily paintings I like this one the most...and this was something that just came to me one morning.

Lots more on the way...

Until then,
Jane

Another dream painting

Okay, here's another painting from a dream I had. In the dream I was over at a friend's house and I couldn't stop talking about how beautiful her new rug was. When I woke up the next morning that colorful rug was the clearest part of my dream. So I decided to paint it. Now obviously the rug didn't really look like this. It had colorful flowers all over it, but it was a rug. I just took the colors and the design idea and painted in my style.

More on the way...until then,
Jane

More 'Painting-a-day' paintings

Here are a few more paintings I've made.

I know they don't make much sense. I don't know why but sometimes I just have this need to paint things like I have a zoom lens on my eye's camera...at a close range. And I also love to paint things very over sized and falling off the edge. Maybe that's a reflection of me now in my life...I'm big and going over the edge!

Oh well...I guess most would consider them to be somewhat abstract. I'm just painting whatever comes to me...either images that come to me throughout the day...whatever strikes me in any given moment...or sometimes I get these images when I'm relaxing--maybe when I'm about to fall asleep or just waking up.

Like I said...whatever mood, color or idea that stirkes me!

Enjoy!
Until next time,
Jane

Dream Journaling

I started something new a few weeks ago...Dream Journaling. It's very interesting to me and I'm realizing that paying attention to your dreams can help you.

Here's how I journal my dreams...every morning when I first wake up I make it a point to try and remember my dreams. I'll be honest...some days I just can't remember anything. But most of the time I can recall bits and pieces and that's enough to get started. Then when I'm awake enough to get moving-usually while I'm enjoying my morning coffee and quiet time--I make it a point to record my dreams. You can hand write them, but since I'm on the computer so often through out the day I type them into a Notepad file.

I have to say that I already see a thread. Our dream journal group leader said last week that usually when you dream about a house that 'house' could actually be applied to you. For example I often have dreams about finding new rooms in our house. She said that probably means I'm discovering new parts to myself.

The dream journaling and the 'painting-a-day' have started to flow together. I dream in color and have for a long time. Since I've been paying attention to my dreams I seem to recall the bright colors more than anything so I hold onto those parts of my dreams and then I incorpoate them into my paintings.

A long time ago I heard this quote by Vincent Van Gogh...
"I dream and then I paint my dreams."

I could never even begin to compare my work to his, but I love the idea.

Today's paintings are both brown and pale blue. I see lots of requests for this color combination in my name plaque orders lately. I like it and must have been in the mood for those colors the day I painted these.

I'll post more paintings soon!
Until then,
Jane

My First 'Painting a Day' painting

I've been trying to do this...at least one painting each day. When I told my husband my plan he said, 'You already paint every day.' He's right....I do.

I replied, 'Yes, but it's never what 'I' want to paint...I spend my days painting what every one else wants.'

So...my painting a day will be...

...the themes I want to paint
...in the colors I want
...in the design I choose
...in whatever medium that strikes my fancy
...and so on...

I've been at it for a few weeks. I haven't been able to paint something every single day, but I certainly try. Somedays I'm just too busy...some days I'm just to dry and the ideas just won't flow...some days I'm too 'spent' from everything else. But overall it's been working out and I enjoy it. I plan to continue doing this until it no longer suits me.

Here's a phot of my first painting-a-day...

Enjoy! Until next time,
Jane