Love Letters to Creative Souls

Hello Creative Ones!

Happy Fall. It has been an incredibly rich and varied Summer filled with the plethora of colours and joy of art and creativity, the love and graciousness of family and friends, and the abundant beauty and grounding of nature.

I am wondering what treasures your Summer has been filled with?

With art, I found myself working most of June and July towards my Garden art show in August which was a definite highlight of my Summer. The day was one filled with joy, love, and a huge amount of gratitude to all of you who ventured here to visit. Thank you, thank you, thank you for bringing your lovely souls here and filling the day with such beauty!

Lovely connections with old and new friends were made strolling our wild garden and many pieces of art found loving homes to travel to. Many of you shared with me how the show had touched you and that meant so much to me. One lovely woman made my day by sending me this~

"I was blown away by your show, as was my friend. It is true that there was a treasure around every corner. I was hesitant to go to a show when I had to work in the afternoon, but no regrets here. For some reason we missed a spot which we came across on our way out, and there was my favorite - Releasing the Hold of the Old. I went back to the table to get a card and found one with that painting printed on it. Thank you for the beauty and the encouraging messages in your work. They are truly inspiring." Kathy D.

On the actual day of the show itself, I learned many valuable lessons. It taught me about keeping connected to Unwavering Faith despite fear, despite second guessing myself, and, not knowing how things may turn out. This involved visualization, trust, letting go, and being open to the synchronicity and beauty life has to offer. When we can root ourselves in our heart place, step into the Bigness of who we are and move from our passion, the Universe responds with abundance.

Through the process of preparing for my show I learned the importance of Vision and continual Art Practice. As much as I could, I worked a bit every day and in doing so opened the creative door and what I believe to be a creative brain pattern that I began to crave. When I could not fit in some kind of Creative Practice, I did not feel right.

This was an interesting shift for me, because often, with teaching, I have not worked on this type of schedule. Instead, I have worked in longer stints, maybe on the weekends for longer hours at a time or a day during the week and I have always felt that was the way I worked best. Now I am questioning that.

I do believe there are many different ways to be Creative and sometimes we just need to be creative about that and do what we can, when we can. I never like to say there is one way to do it. We are all different and our Creative processes can be too. Perhaps because of the type of art I have been creating, which needs to be done in stages, this newer way led me to this.

What I do know is this~ something felt right inside.

And it is simple as this~ I was happier creating every day.

So now after that missive of how I was creating art every day--I will be honest.

Since my show, I have not carried on with the practice. In fact, I have not had "time" to do much at all (and yes, I know what some of you are saying about that!), other than the odd drawing.

This is what I have observed~ I am just not as happy. Something feels like it is missing and yet it is hard to put my finger on.

This is what I am learning~ the importance of a Creative Practice.

The last few nights I hauled out my journal and began to draw again. I really cannot tell you why it is that making something with my hands feeds me but it does. Recently, some close friends shared that knitting, gardening, sewing, cooking and putting up food for the winter "feeds" something inside of them.

I wonder, dear Reader, what feeds your Creative Soul and what Creative Practice(s) can you bring into your life?

I am loving the warmth of these Fall days. There is something so special about being able to walk out my back door, pick one of the almost last peaches on our tree (what a harvest we had this year!), saunter to the back for an apple and along the way, find the odd blackberry to sweeten my tongue. I walk back to our new garden boxes to watch our wee sprouts of radishes, kale, lettuce, carrots and spinach grow incrementally each day in anticipation of a Fall harvest. Then, for supper, I pick a ripe, juicy tomato or two, nibble on the last of the green beans, or harvest some kale.

This is what I am discovering ~simple things bring me such joy.

I am a sensory or tactile person. These tastes, the colours of Nature, the ever so slight scent of Fall in the air, the sensation of the sun on my back and the feel of the dewy grass beneath my feet ground me and bring me a sense of everything is alright in the world.

When I begin to find myself overwhelmed, there are a few places I head to--the garden, my studio and/or my journal. In these places I find I can breathe a little easier, and I know all will be well.

Where do you go, to ground yourself and re-connect with your Center?

May this Fall bring you back to your Creative Center if you have gone astray. Find the Practices that bring you there, that ground you, that bring you joy or a sense that all will be well.

I hope to see you there as that is where I am traveling too, Dear Reader.

I believe we are all here to discover our Creative Center and the abundance that is waiting for us, if only we trust our whispering hearts.

Thank you for reading and sharing this Creative Journey.