Watercolor Zen Doodles

I don't know about you but there are times I simply need to meditate through my art. Not for any one purpose, person, or outcome, I just feel the need to see the water flow onto the paper, watch the colors bleed and blend, and breathe through each step. When I feel this way I usually turn to my watercolor zen doodles, sometimes on paper, other times in my journal. Today, I just felt like trying out some new paper, so I silenced the house, got off the grid, and slowly worked my way through this doodle.

In this step, I begin by taking a few deep breathes 

and let my pencil flow in the paper. I am drawn to curves

but you might prefer hard lines or edges. 

Once the design is on paper, I begin to slowly float 

watercolor into the shapes. 

At this stage, I am quite peaceful, enjoy getting back

into the feel for moving water through paint, and 

start to allow the colors to interact with one another. 

Once I had the cool colors set, I chose to embrace

my favorite color, Opera, and add a bit of umph to 

the piece, just to show my spirit that it needs a 

good kick sometimes. 

Once my I am pleased with my watercolors, I then add 

the steps to doodle the image. There is no right or 

wrong way for this, I just let go and watch the piece

evolve with great contrast. Eventually, after listening to 

my inner voice, it will let me know when I am done, 

and then I rest.

Here is the finished piece. Watercolor Zen Doodling, for me, 

isn't about creating a masterpiece. It is a small way I choose

to connect with my art gifts, allow my inner voice to calm, 

and reconnects me with the act of spontaneous creation. 

Technique Application:

Stress is a part of life. It can rob us of joy, energy, optimism, and disconnect us from our gifts. Watercolor Zen Doodling is a really easy way to channel the stress and let it go. With that said, it is probably one of the first ways I ever learned to paint with watercolors. Because there were no 'rules,' I allowed myself the freedom to play, and through that play a love to paint was born. Young children and beginners can be taught the art of Watercolor Zen Doodles, and from that they will carry with them the ability to see that YES, they can paint, and they can calm their spirits at the same time. 

Paper does matter. I used an inexpensive watercolor paper that I wanted to try because it was precut into a 5" by 5" block. Honestly, I wasn't thrilled with it because it bled like soaking cotton, but I let that go and embraced the process, not the product. Once the watercolor is set, using Sharpies, Copics, or other waterproof inks works best so that the ink doesn't bleed as well. 

For professional artists, this is a great way to try out a new paper, see how it behaves, before purchasing a great amount in bulk. 

Happy Doodling/Painting/Creating Friends!

Little Red Clutch Purse

One of the benefits I am finding of cleaning my art studio is challenging myself to find ways to use items I already have. My best pal Terri gave me this little red clutch purse LAST YEAR! 

Yep, I had plans to collage it but it has sat on my shelf for that long being neglected. When I decided to create a traveling art studio to keep in my car, this screamed out at me as a perfect fit for my graphite kit. Who says artists can't be fancy with their stuff? I am working on writing a post about building your own traveling art kit, when I finish my studio I will share it. So far, I am getting excited about the possibilities! 

Before going out and spending lotsa bucks on trendy new art organizers, I challenge you to look at what you have and see if anything meets your needs. Just might save you a few bucks you can spend on bling later! 

Before and After Studio Project

I have a confession to make....I am a pig! Honestly, I even have the snort and pig sounds to go along with this pitiful image. Seriously, there are reasons behind this mess....some require rationalization on my part, others require a "Come to Jesus Meeting," with myself, but the main one is that my wonderful son moved back home to go to college and reclaimed his room...yes...this room...so I am faced with studio issues. I have ignored the inevitable for the most part, especially when I walked past the door and all my art supplies moan from neglect, but the time has come that I must confront this monster. 


The only way I could see that it would get done though is for me to shame myself publicly into cleaning it up. Now, I know I am not the only artist or mom who has been there right? I know there are tons of studios dotted all across the globe that have been here and done this, but my son and I just can't manage this mess. It is toxic really, to my mood, to his frame of mind, because what you don't realize is that his bed is where the picture cuts off. Yes, he lives in this room and has to look at this every day. 


So, with the help of you all, some of my Pinterest friends who will support my before and after pics, I am diving head first into this mess....may God Help Me! Stay tuned, I promise "After" photos to follow! 

Did I mention it is only a 4' by 6' space? Did I....?

(nervous tick ensues)  

Project 52+ Week 3

Textures and abstract patterns fascinate me in mixed media and I decided to adjust my photography passion to blend the best of both worlds. Here are two images, both taken with my Galaxy Nexus, and manipulated using the  Google+ Creative Kit! This program is very similar to Picnik and I love its ease of use and options. I look forward to the challenge this year of pushing the envelope abstractly when it comes to photography and textures. So far the experience has been interesting.


On a Pinterest note, I am part of a community board that shares Design Pins. These pins celebrate the beauty of well thought out design, creativity, and function. If you are a lover of fine design with products, you might consider following our board, created by Zina Harrington, over on Pinterest! Here is an example of one of the products pinned to the Design Is Everything Board.

rocking chairs design by other metros architect marija cvetinovic

Project 52 Week Two

I tinkered around with a few images this week, one of food, one of nature, and one abstract. In the end, I like all three but for different reasons. Food, most any type of food, is a draw to me and I love the human condition of experiencing it. Wickles Pickles, if you haven't tried them do, are my most favorite so I played with my food one morning and created a stacked pickle bite. Fresh mozzarella, French Rounds, Wickles Pickle, and a slice of pear was what I ended up with and the combination of the sweet and spicy was delicious!

Mushrooms are another fascination of mine. I don't care to eat them, but the structure and function of mushrooms cause my imagination and little grey cells to expand from the sheer number and diversity of them. I have no clue what type these are as they are new to me, so not only do I have a new picture but I have a new challenge to seek out and discover which type of foundlings these are. 

On Google+ Project 52 the theme for the week was Winter/Summer, and we have had a weird one so far. One day it is 70 degrees and the next it is 20. Even the Japanese Magnolia's are already starting to bloom which doesn't bode well for them making it to Spring. As I looked at my pajama pants I knew I wanted to snap a few shots of my stripes because they were both Winter/Spring types, which gave me a great metaphor for the theme. I used my Galaxy Nexus camera, uploaded instantly to Google+, and finished the shot using the Creative Kit offered by Google which is tons of fun, especially for a project like this. 

For the most part, I am hoping to find my path with Project 52 in showcasing a weekly year in the life through photos. If you are interested in following that journal I will be posting them here, on Google+, in Pinterest, and on our Flickr group page which should make the following a bit easier. If you are active in a Project 52 I would love to know so I can follow you as well! 


Flickr Project 52 2012

Creative Spaces

Do you have a creative space that you love? Is it a studio, a gallery, or simply a spot under a shady tree where you sketch every now and then? I have a few, but one of my most favorite creative spaces is the co-op gallery, Art(ology), that I am a member of. There are 8 of us, all women, all from the south, and all unique and lovely. The gallery itself brings me peace as soon as I enter the door, be it the soothing turquoise, the joyful art, or the 'vibe' as many of our patrons call it. Art(ology) just oozes the creative spirit that I connect with and I am grateful for it. 

Art(ology) 306 Dauphin Street, Mobile

At home that's a different matter. My house is creative, but I am in a funk when it comes to solving my studio space issue now that my son lives at home again. I want him to have his own space, but that means finding a different space for my 'stuff' and creative life. This week I will be tackling that issue and may share some of the pics in the Project 52 group I am in. If it can be solved it will....creative gumption will rule the day! 


You can follow my Project 52 photos on Pinterest as well! 

Art Journal Love from Donna Downey

I happened to be surfing the net the other day for mixed media artists and women bloggers and came across the website of Donna Downey. Art journals, mixed media techniques, tips and tricks, along with product trials are what she is a master at and I especially love her Inspiration Wednesday video tutorials about how she completes art journal pages. Her personality and style if refreshing, she is down to earth, which I love, and her images are easy to see and learn from. If you are an art journal fan and haven't heard of her, you have now. I am off to view more videos, then to sling some paint or glue. Peace!

inspiration wednesday 9.21.11 from donna downey on Vimeo.

Gratitude, Gratitude, Gratitude and one INSPIRATIONAL Prom Dress Story

Let's just say this month has been one for the record books, books I would love to burn, page, by page, by page. But then again, all I have to do is turn on the T.V. or load Facebook to realize no matter how frustrated I am, no matter how exhausting life seems to be, no matter how impatient I have been, there are far worse things to deal with in life....and I am beyond grateful not to have to be dealing with them. My platter is plenty, thank you. 


Two things of significance happened this morning, despite the chaos that surrounded them.

 1. As I lay in bed enjoying the view of my bedroom, which at this point I could probably draw with my eyes closed, I realized I am surrounded by love....much love, and though I hate having to spend as much time in bed, I am grateful that my place of rest is a beautiful one. Here are some pics of my bedside. My bible is closest, though I truthfully admit it is not used as often as it should be. The notes from my sweet hubs stand as reminders when he is gone, or laying next to me, of his quiet love, the love I cherish. My reading list, at the moment, creates a beautiful sculpture of line and color, which speaks to my artistic spirit and seems to give my intellectual side the umph it needs to reach out and read, which at times has been hard. And then there are my candles. They help calm my mood, my spirit, and my senses, which are ever so helpful these days. These may be tiny little things to most people, but in my every day existence, these are the things that make life worth living, and make it beautiful. 

2. After becoming royally peeved with insurance and Medicare and 'stuff' I turned on Facebook to find a link my friend Joy had posted about a single mom who just happened to write a blog about her struggles, which included a pic of this "TO DIE FOR" prom dress she desperately wanted for her daughter . Now, truth be told, it was the dress that actually got me hooked, I mean, hooked enough to click on the link and read the blog, but it was the story behind the dress that blew me away. I sat with chills and almost tears....of amazement, of guilt, and of the notion of a tiny little voice, deep inside my heart saying, "Flush, and get off the pity pot." It was then that I realized how, once again, I live such a blessed life, that God takes care of me in ways I don't deserve, and that despite all the horrid news reports and media coverage about how the world is so screwed up, there are wonderful, decent, loving people intermingled in all that mess. Here is Michelle Grimm's Blog, A Magical Moment, A Dream Dress, and I simply want to encourage my readers to stop long enough to read her story, you won't regret the 5 min....promise, promise, promise!

Michelle's Blog

Life is hard, life is beautiful, but life can be, at times, harder to bear than we believe it should be. I can only speak for myself, but I am choosing to embrace love not hate today, friendship not hardship, life rather than death, gratitude rather that complaints, and faith rather than doubt. For today, that is the best I can do. 

Ten Words, One Prayer

Each day I get to work on art about 15 min. at a time, which is part of my rehab. This is a challenge because me, being such a boundaries master, lol!, feels like it's only about a blink. So, as I lay in bed surrounded by the supplies I knew would be manageable, I felt drawn to words, but had no clue which ones. When this happens, I always take a deep breath,, or two, or three, and as I opened my eyes I felt led to grab the book sitting next to me on my night stand, "Classic Paintings." It's a tiny, lovely book, printed in France, long, long ago, so I turned to the page by the supervising publisher, Germain Bazin, and wrote the first ten words that spoke out to me:


YIELD, COMPASS, WISH, ATTAINMENT, COLLOQUY, SOUL, ABSORBED, SENSES, DAWN, AND SMALL.


As soon as I saw the words I had written it was as if a wave of grief came over me. For the past few months the news has been filled with despair, wars, death, tornadoes, destruction, and hate. So, as I closed my eyes, took a deep, deep breath, this prayer for peace came to me. I share it here with you, on the eve of Memorial Day when so many of our loved ones are honored and hope this prayer brings you solace and peace, in a world where it is so deeply needed.

This was my journal entry.

It's Gonna Be All Right

There are no coincidences. I truly believe this. As much as I believe there is a God who loves me, I believe there is an evil force in our world trying to conquer my significance and light. In these two truths, at least to me, I believe nothing happens by chance. I believe one of these two forces in my world, God or evil, moves and life reacts around me, and I to it. Strong beliefs, yes. Controversial, to some. But in this year of my life, I am boldly saying, you don't have to agree with me, this is who I am, this is what I believe, and I love you regardless.

Two weeks ago I had my neck fused. Many of you know this, but many of my new fans and friends may not. Actually, this was my 23rd surgery, no car wreck, just a joint disease that has been a challenge since I was 23. Despite the physical limitations I have faced, the pain, the tears, I have and still believe I live a beautiful, unimaginable life, and am grateful.




Surgery is hard. Many of you know this, and many of who may be facing surgery are probably apprehensive, scared, and worried. I was, with every one. I have also had to deal with the post-operative depression that comes afterwards. Not to everyone, but to some, and to me, often. Part of it is meds, part pain, part life issues that surround me, but like my approach to everything, this will not conquer me, it's gonna be all right.


Today, after almost two months, my Occupational Therapist worked with me to begin painting again. Not a masterpiece, just a simple piece of art to teach me how my posture and adaptations will change for the rest of my life if I want to keep painting. The neck brace, it will be my new best friend. I kinda look at it at this point as an albatross around my neck but I will mentally deal with that because expressing myself creatively is a must, and I will not allow my physical limitations to conquer me either.

The back brace is a new, and constant friend, too. The collar keeps my neck from bending down, the brace helps my core stay stable. And, as I am told, starting small, with baby steps is what I must do, so I will. I wanted to share these with you, because many of my friends struggle with neck and back pain who are artists. If you know of any art friends who face these same issues, please share my blog with them. I have found limited resources and would love for them to know they are not alone. These are my adaptations, but they just might help you as well, especially if you are healing like I am. The painting is simply a start. I have no clue what it will turn into, but it felt good to put paint to paper and feel connected to the artistic spirit that flows within me.


And in the midst of all of this, life can actually fall apart, or it seems. Tears will flow, fears will become real, but in those moments I stop myself and simply breathe, breathe in God, breathe out everything else. My dear friend Terri Keller knows this, and for us, and hopefully many of you, those moments are what becomes the glue to our sanity.


A few hours ago I checked my Facebook page and my blessed college friend Pam had posted a video for me that made her think of me. This is where I know, coincidences don't happen. Every word of that video I needed to hear, to know, to believe, and there it was on my page. God is like that. To me, it's not about religion, it's about a loving God who knows how to gently reach out is hand, even through FB, and say, "I have you, I love you."







As I researched more about Sara Groves, this artist, her song, "It's Gonna Be All Right" struck a chord, especially the quotes. I felt the two videos simply needed to be shared, for private reasons, and for the simple fact that someone out there might need to know, IT WILL BE ALL RIGHT, in time, in faith, with the support of others. I love all of you, I love that you follow my stories, my journey of courage and healing, but most of all, that you love me for me, faults and all. Stay strong my friends, it can be overcome, it can be done, and WE WILL HEAL!