Touch Drawing

ONE OF MY FAVORITE CLOUD PHOTOS.

Today I experienced a "Touch Drawing" class given by my friend Candace at her home studio.  There were 4 of us and it was the perfect size.  The class went from 2-5.

I attended with NO expectations….and even wondered if it might not be a waste of time for me as I have been preparing for a neighborhood  bbq. …. but I was intrigued as she was really excited when she took a class a few months ago.  A kit can be purchased online either as a single kit or as a group kit.

The class consisted of a brief intro into the background of Touch Drawing which was developed by Deboarah Koff Chapin back in 1974.  We each chose one of Deborahs Soul cards to inspire our journey and then were told when we were totally done we could choose another to end our journey.

We had one hour to complete as many touch dtrawing as we wanted in that time frame.  I was really getting frustrated with what I was "getting" ….  they looked pretty bad to me but I kept going…maybe I would get better the more I did.

After the hour was up we were asked to go through the pictures in chronological order and give each a title/name based on feelings/intuition and Not the mind.  Hmmmmmm.

When we had all completed that step we were told to white the names we had chosen down the middle of a sheet of paper leaving room on the to the front and back of the titles…..to wirte a story using the center title words.

Goodness, was I EVER in a mess….Lousy pictures, stupid titles and now I had to make up a story using the titles and "share".

When I began to write my story it just "flowed"…. as if my hand was creating the words….

Here is my story.  The all capped words are the names of the Touch Drawings I did in the order in which I had done them.

FROM UNDER and within the EMOTION remains STUCK but has begun to UNRAVEL as the SHADOWS become VAPOR and the ENERGY of the earth ANGELS EMERGE with MUSICAL vibrations, OUTSIDE UP, DOWN AND AROUND.  Then CLOSED cords.

As the SNAKE rears its nasty head PASSING THROUGH the PATHWAY of my soul the SHIELD protects and with BOWED HEAD the FLYING BIRD encircles the COUPLES who are HIDDEN .

As the MOTHER boards the SAILBOAT with the MAN WITH THE CANE a SIGN appears and through the DOORWAY the CITY SMELLS create DISCORD OUTSIDE of them until they reach the GATE CONNECTON to the PEACEFUL MOUNTAIN TOWN where INFINITY blows in the  WIND, EVER CHANGING the inner TURMOILwith a normal EKG.

Needless to say I was pretty AMAZED with the process…speechless and a bit in awe with the speed with which I wrote using not my mind but my soul.   I am already looking forward to doing it again and think I will put a kit together myself and save a little money.  I already have a brayer…and just 5 tubes of color were used and our hands (even the non dominant hand) , fingers, finger nails, etc were used as "brushes".  I do have to admit that I think a group is the perfect setting but alone would be different and kinda neat also.

I find myself wondering what will be next….

If you are interested in learning more go to:  www.touchdrawing.com


MY DRAWINGS:  (These are only a few of the touch drawings I did:

Sign

Doorway

City Smells

Connection

Peaceful Mountain Town

Infinity

YOU HAVE TO KNOW THAT THE MIND HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH NAMING THESE TOUCH DRAWINGS I DID…..OR THE STORY ….  I FIRMLY BELIEVE THEY CAME FROM THE MIND OF MY HEART…. WITHIN.

Necklace Inspiration

I purchased this necklace at our local Goodwill because I liked the concept design….and wanted to see if I could figure out how to make one that is similar.   In making the purchasei I have the item to study and less money invested than in an actual design pattern.  Last night I began work on one and already have several more designs in mind so I hope they turn out the way I am envisioning them….. sometimes that doesn't happen so I never know what I will end up with…..

After I finish this first one, make my mistakes, etc. I want to do one called snow and ice because I LOVE winter, icycles, snow, white and the palest of blue, ice, water and sparkle.

This one reminds me of a "Flying Carpet" I wonder what mine will remind me of?

Enjoy your creativeness.

Another quote from  Jeff Fox "The Deepest Acceptance":    "We numb ourselves to the pain of being human so we don't have to experience the experience or feel what we really feel"

"We are only ever experiencing what has already been allowed:

Christmas Feeling

MOST FUN IN HAVING AN ONLINE BUSINESS THROUGH ETSY IS THAT EVERY DAY IS LIKE CHRISTMAS…..  I LOVE PURCHASING ITEMS FOR ARTISTS

THAT ARE HARD TO FIND…DEPENDING ON LOCALITY.

A NEW ITEM IS THE WOODEN FINGER ROLLER FOR ALL CLAY ARTISTS,  INKERS AND CREATIVE ARTISTS AROUND THE WORLD.

AND THIS PEBBLE PUZZLE RUBBER STAMP IS ALSO A BRAND NEW ITEM BY THE MANUFACTURER AND I JUST LOVE THE ZENTANGLE LIKE 

APPEARANCE THAT IT PROVIDES.  I HAVE GOT TO 

TRY THIS ONE OUT….ONE OF THOSE ITEMS THAT IS ONE FOR YOU AND 

ONE FOR ME.

SILICONE BRUSHES FOR CLAYING.  I USE THEM LIKE AN ERASER ON POLYMER

CLAY AND I AM JUST DELIGHTED WITH HOW WELL THEY WORK.  THE BRUSH

SHAPERS ARE HARD TO FIND AT REASONABLE PRICES SO WHEN IF

FIND A DEAL IT IS FUN TO SHARE.   I MAY NOT CARRY THEM 

ALWAYS.

AND LASTLY A NEEDLE POINT TOOL ULTRA CLAY PICK.  IT IS AWESOME AND MADE IN THE USA…..  I PURCHASED SOME POLYMER CLAY BEADS WITH

FLOWERS ON THEM AND I CAN SEE THIS TOOL BEING PERFECT 

FOR LAYING IN NICE STRAIGHT LINES…..  ANOTHER I CAN'T

WAIT TO TRY OUT.

SO THERE ARE THE NEW ITEMS FOR THIS MONTH (THUS FAR) ALTHOUGH 

THERE ARE 

MORE OF THE NEW SMALL 2 X 4 STAMPS THAT ARE NEW 

THIS MONTH ALSO.  "Woodland Residents", Whose Who", Humming Around,

Butterfly, Butterfly Effect,  REALLY NICE SUMMERY

DESIGNS.

I will do my best to list new items at least 1-2 times per month so those of you who

are followers and purchase items from me will

know and can keep up with new designs and items.

CHECK OUT MY ETSY SITE:  HTTP://www.artisticrenderings.etsy.com

Jewelry Set "Hot Salsa"

This is going to be a hard set to put a price tag on…….cause I want it.   I wasn't quite sure when I purchased the focal beads and the set of spacers just what I was going to design; buy Oh My, it is one of my favorites.  The finding/clasp are by Tierra Cast and sold by Dragynsfyre on Etsy…..   I used cording for the necklace and bracelet because I wanted the set to be casual…hot and spicy.  The colors in the beads are green, blue, black, orange and red…a gorgeous mix of COLOR….  On the necklace I fashioned a makeshift tassle using cording colors to match the bead colors.  

Hot Stuff…………..

The Deepest Acceptance by Jeff Foster

I am in the process of reading the book The Deepest Acceptance by Jeff Foster.

Here are a couple of quotes from his book….that I have journaled.

BLISS:  You disappear, and you become everything; self absorbed, internalized, from the heart or everything disappears and you become nothing.  Words simply don't do "IT" justice.

The place where conflict begins in us …..  is also the place it can end.

It's often only when we start hurting that we start listening to life.  Your suffering is your unique invitation back to the ocean.

So thanks Jeff Foster….. as I continue on with your wonderful book of what I see as common sense.
Things I am SURE that my mother told me about…..

I would HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone who feels they want to get in touch with themselves.

Journals and Sketchbooks

I really enjoy the diversity of mediums, art styles, etc. and in each I find inspiration in another and the circle gets bigger and bigger ….  A balance in Art.

Mixed Media is fun and I am always amazed and what gets put where….and who knows why?  Many times not me….I just look around…and go with it.

At the last show I did even the kids were visibly appreciative of what I had done…so it seems to appeal to many different patches of ages…men as well as women.  I want to work up several for men as I know there are many who take journaling as seriously as we women do…..  A journal is just the new diary I guess….

These two are "done" I think but I have 6 more in my studio that are "in process".

Price will be determined by the cost of the elements used as well as my time.

Floral Arrangement

I had never done any flower arranging before but I felt it would be a good, out of the box, medium change, creative experience…..

I purchased the vase from an Etsy Vendor and the photo really doesn't do the vase justice.  It is absolutely gorgeous.  It looks like an open lily and is bright yellow getting lighter down the base where it turns to light blue and then a rich, watery dark turquoise blue.

The flecks of blue you see here and there within the bouquet are small, handmade glass beads from a woman from Austria.

The flowers are from our local goodwill and were PERFECT…

Miss Butterfly from Hobby Lobby.

Willowy twigs have been added here and there to offset the floral arrangement.

The bouquet is for a friends' birthday on the 11th for her newly painted YELLOW bedroom with accents of turquoise and deep red so I am in hopes she will like it.  She wanted to keep the bedroom simple…..&^%$#

I have decided that floral arranging is no different from other artistic creations remembering these
elements as a check out to follow….  and I am sure there are other artists' who could add to this list
but this is kinda my list…using my artistic license.  Feels good.

Dimension
Color
Texture
Form
Eye Stoppers
Creativeness
Build from back to Front
Different Sized Elements
Variety