Visions and Visions for Freedom

 Featured image: At Peace

The vision of freedom is complicated. There is a freedom that is a tad constrained in order to allow for the freedom of everyone. They are accomplished without force.

Unconstrained freedom is not unlimited freedom. Unconstrained freedom can cause chaos. I have found in my working towards freedom that the arts allow me the unconstrained freedom and chaos that some would find annoying. This makes them attempt to make me follow the rules of art. I hear comments like, “But that isn’t the way it is done. That doesn’t really look like a tree. That is a mess.”

What happens when they try and constrain my freedom in art is that they shut down my voice. They don’t let me speak, and they don’t allow themselves to possibly think differently without force.

I have had those statements spoken to me many times since I have become a bonafide artist. But, let me relate to you an example that might be easier to understand about thinking differently. In 3rd or 4th grade one of the requirements to move forward was to memorize your multiplication tables. Well, I memorized 2's, 3’s, 4’s, 5’s and 10’s. I told the teacher that the rest could be done with addition and subtraction. My dad taught me that. He was an engineer. He said that this system would at least allow me to go to the next grade. Yes, the teacher even threatened me that she would not pass me on to the next grade. It was slower but it worked. (On a side note, this system is a problem solving system, and is how math is taught today – it encourages – thinking). This is thinking differently without hurting another. While the teacher tried force and fear, I was determined that my system of multiplying worked. The teacher reluctantly passed me to the next grade.

I also in the word game won first place that year. It was also the year that sputnik was launched. We all think differently. We just need to learn to respect how others learn and live.

Folks in the Middle

 Featured image: Colors in the Middle

Folks in the middle respect the confirmed habits and prejudices of others in the middle. They don’t try and change them unless they upset the goals of the middle. Upsetting the goals in the middle would be, “do unto others as you would have them to unto you.” The goal of those in the middle is to “create” the best ideology and moral code that all in the middle can work with while not being constrained. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

A Christmas Question

Featured image: Merry Christmas Chickadee

Have you ever been given a plate of beautiful, wonderful Christmas cookies, created with lovingness by a family member or friend? Which one do you go for first? Do you choose the one with all of the sparkles and glitter or the not so glittery one tucked under some of the sparkly ones? Do you prefer the ones whose recipes have been handed down through the ages before sparkles were an option?

They are the ones that take just a little extra time to create and a few more ingredients than the others. I have a favorite one that has been handed down by my grandmother, the woman I was named after, to my mother and then to me. I call it “Mom’s Snowballs.” There have more walnuts and butter in the recipe than one can imagine – but someone did and I am grateful. They are beautiful in their own way just like the sparkles.

Life is like a plate of Christmas cookies, all are just a plate full of difference and history and beauty. Merry Christmas!

Click here to enter my Christmas Cookie Drawing! 

Life Here On Earth

 Featured image: Sacred Earth

I have always been fortunate in my life, I mean really always, known that art would become a centerpiece in my life’s journey and that art would give me a very happy life here on earth. For this reason, it has always been hard for me to watch those who struggle with their lives. It’s hard for me to see those who find it hard to find what they want to do with their lives or find something that will make them as happy as art has for me. This is why I write these musings. These musings are for folks who want to make art, or something, the center of their lives, so they can live a happy fulfilled life here on earth. Hopefully, my musings help those who are searching. The key is to know or to feel that something is missing in your life and the urge to want to figure out what it is.

It is my beliefs that comfort me when I am troubled and concerned. The comfort I seek is not an atonement, or a comfort through my artwork for “it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8,9, NIV).. This is one of my favorite verses in the Bible.

A concept that I have thought about over and over again, is the concept of self, and how we can think about ourselves. Although I am always willing to learn more and change, I have come to the conclusion that it is wrong not to fulfill the mission that He has created for me. Have I ever questioned this mission? Yes. I stopped creating art for over 2 years, thinking I wasn’t understanding what my mission was. But then He made it quite clear to me as He spoke to my heart saying, “Yes, you are to create, and you are to talk about creating, and creation and living and life.” He wants me to love myself, as He does, as He created me, a unique one-of-a-kind, authentic person. He wants me to live the best life that I can in His image. He has given me all the tools that I need to live a creative authentic life. And like in painting, all I need to do is explore and discover them.

Why wouldn’t you have self esteem and do what He created you to be? Why would you allow yourself to be lesser than you are by giving your power of self away to another to control?
Do yourself a favor and love yourself and the beautiful authentic person He created you to be. And, if you need help finding that beautiful authentic person, ask for help.

Dancing Trees and Dragonflies

 Featured image: Dragonflies and Birch Trees

Wind carcasses
Treetops dance
With the
Dragonflies
Sunlight peeks thru
The woods

Fox Squirrel

 Featured image: Leaves

 

twitching tail

squirrel

on a branch

lime green 

leaves

budding

 

fox quietly

munching on

squirrels 

breakfast. 

 

 

Shoreline

 Featured image: Boreal Forest Shoreline

Silence greater than that of my backyard at home.  

I was fishing in Northern Canada at a remote lake with one cabin on it, miles and miles from anywhere. Untamed shorelines, no piers, boats or people. 

Shorelines with uprooted twisted bleached trees and roots. 

Large rocks that have been left here since the glaciers.  

Backgrounds of tall jack pines and reflecting gracefully on the glassy water. 

Tall horsetail reeds, and yellow lily pad flowers.