'art in random places'

self care through art making

these times we are in call for lots of art…and taking care of yourself in all the ways you know. i will keep this short and sweet as i know we all have a lot to do and keep up with. :) a friend told me recently she doesn’t feel any joy. let’s all try to keep our joy, not despair, and take action where and when we can to make our voices heard and to make a difference in the lives of others when we can. start with your local community~

my friend jackie and i first started making ‘art in random places’ last year by going to airlie gardens with a little basket of art supplies. we have been to coffee shops, our local bookstore, the food co-op, and airlie gardens and it is SO fun each time we get together. this is an invitation to go solo or ask a friend to join you, to grab some art supplies and head out to a favorite spot or somewhere you have never been and just start making art and creating. this is an invitation for self care through making art……

we usually begin by reading a (random) paragraph or two from a book (any book will do) and taking a moment to settle in. (closing our eyes, taking some deep inhales and exhales). the above photo was us on a little dock at airlie gardens. making art can put us in a flow state which is really good for stress reduction, brain health and well being. getting out and making art in nature has an added bonus! close your eyes, listen, and see what inspires you!

if you go out and about to make art in a random place, i would love to hear about it! feel free to send me some photos and words and i will share here with your permission. :)

my friends sharon and bob have a crow friend that visits every day, eats at the same spot and drinks from their bird bath. they named the crow ‘luna’ ….. it’s so fun to watch luna come and go.

i love crows and have wanted to have a crow friend for a long time. i painted this as a way of manifesting / inviting a crow or some crows to be friends with. what would you like to manifest? paint it out~ xo

coming soon to ‘art for these times’ - how to make a zine and fill it with art and words~

sending peace and love. until next time……take good care~ xo

remember to look up at the sky…. there is so much beauty there.

***choose your news~ this article talks about taking in too much news and how it impacts our mental health. since deleting social media accounts i am taking in way less news and negativity and feel better for it. i didn’t realize how much it was affecting me until i stopped, and have asked friends and family to be mindful of what they share with me as well as being mindful about what I share with them. it doesn’t mean i’m not informed or aware of what is going on. we can control how and when we take in news and how much we take in at a time. we each have different bandwidth and can figure out what works best for us. finding a balance has been really helpful for me personally. hopefully whatever you are watching / listening to is well rounded and factual.