heart coherence

art heals + celebrating a tiny human

creating is a continual extension of my voice, my heart, my intentions~ the way i process and go within, where i find stillness and tap into my inner wisdom. without art, i have no clue how i would be surviving this chaos we are in. it won’t last forever…… nothing is permanent and i have to believe that love, peace and joy will prevail and that evil will self destruct. i’m making an effort to focus on the love and joy around me and in the world. there are so many people doing good things. heart coherence and spreading joy is a choice and i’m doing my best to stay in alignment with both.

this article really inspired me ~ “If you do those three things, the world will be a better place. Laugh. Play. Stillness. Do twice as much of all three, if possible.” Rudy Karsan

this poem~ by Danusha Lemeris - Small Kindnesses

I’ve been thinking about the way, when you walk
down a crowded aisle, people pull in their legs
to let you by. Or how strangers still say “bless you”
when someone sneezes, a leftover
from the Bubonic plague. “Don’t die,” we are saying.
And sometimes, when you spill lemons
from your grocery bag, someone else will help you
pick them up. Mostly, we don’t want to harm each other.
We want to be handed our cup of coffee hot,
and to say thank you to the person handing it. To smile
at them and for them to smile back. For the waitress
to call us honey when she sets down the bowl of clam chowder,
and for the driver in the red pick-up truck to let us pass.
We have so little of each other, now. So far
from tribe and fire. Only these brief moments of exchange.
What if they are the true dwelling of the holy, these
fleeting temples we make together when we say, “Here,
have my seat,” “Go ahead—you first,” “I like your hat.”

and this by ilya prigogine “when a complex system is far from equilibrium, small islands of coherence in a sea of chaos have the capacity to shift the entire system to a higher order.”

those words are very much in alignment with what astrologist, pam gregory shares ~ she continues to tell us to stay in heart coherence. as hard as it is to not freak out and lose hope, i am trying my best to practice everything i know and stay grounded. this one was inspiring- especially at the end~ she references the quote above and always shares positive messages and an invitation to stay in love energy.

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recently, a friend who was visiting said she really wants to make more art and deepen her practice. she finds herself creating, but not completing her pieces…. then she burns them. the process of creating is the important part…. being in the moment, and letting/allowing whatever needs to come through onto the canvas or substrate. (or whatever medium you are working with). any class i have ever facilitated, i’ve always said, the end result isn’t the goal… the process of making art is what fills us up- that’s the important part. letting go of an expected outcome frees us to create uninhibited, freely, intuitively. this painting above has so many layers i can’t keep count, and i continue to paint over, add to, collage, paint over, write, splash and wait for the next thing that wants to happen. i’m not concerned with the end result or how it looks, but rather the process of it all. this painting is a playground ~ a portal ~ a way of expressing myself over and over and over again. it’s been in progress for over three years and is thick and heavy with mediums and pieces of me. anyone struggling with your art practice, maybe give something like this a try. it’s such a great way to express yourself, get things out, to create freely without judgement or concern with the outcome~

early this year, i attended a watercolor art class in celo with jacquelyn maloney. when i saw her offering i was excited to jump in because i had seen her art on the calendar she creates, hanging on the wall at my daughter’s house. (mine that i purchased on the day of class is below) if you find yourself in celo, nc, she is offering more classes in march.

i also found out that we have a dear friend, elizabeth, in common which feels like a blessing.~ being in jacqueline’s filled up class amongst a few friends was so fun and just what i needed in the middle of winter. it was COLD in celo~ and her studio was warm and inviting and cozy. it was lovely to be around so many creatives, and to use her watercolors, which are different than what i’m used to using. being in the moment, creating whatever came through, (altars showed up as usual)….. and being inspired by the mountains, and all of her art surrounding us in her studio was a gift.

why am i telling you this??!! i’m really hoping that wherever you are, you can get together with some friends or take a class, or if that’s not available, grab some paint or whatever medium you can get your hands on and create something. anything. art is so healing and can really make a difference in how we feel, especially now, with so much happening in the world. it takes us to a place that is un-namable. outside ourselves. a reprieve. we all need that.

i also invite you to follow a few artists i love and am inspired by. a paid subscription with india or misty is instantly inspiring and full of offerings to keep you creating!! recently i came across this substack by anna brones and have enjoyed her work and shares. i especially appreciated this post , as AI has become infiltrated into our daily lives whether we like/choose it or not.

my friend berkeley just opened her etsy shop and it’s got lots of needlepoint art designs to choose from!! i love anything with a needle and thread! there’s something here for everyone. :) another great way to get creative and they make great gifts too!

this book is SO good. i’m really taking my time with it because i love it! the main character makes a difference in the lives of so many people by gifting art to them. there are so many layers to it and it’s a beautiful testament to kindness, generosity and making the world a better place, even when we are grieving. xo

and last but definitely not least…… i’m celebrating the birth of our first grandchild!!!!!! the sweetest and most precious baby boy ~ silas. and while i have dozens of photos, in the spirit of privacy i will just share this~ but i will say that he is absolutely beautiful in every way. feeling blessed and grateful and full of awe. oh, and totally in love~

wherever you are, i hope you are safe, well and feeling the love~ until next time. xo