Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Show Up!

A big series of "postcard" collages has me excited and making art every day.  I Have Decided is the latest. Inspired by a person who loves God, water, and music, this image includes the melody and words to the hymn, "I Have Decided to Follow Jesus". The song is not related to this person, but is there because I played it for church two weeks ago!  It was stuck in my mind and sitting in front of me. The black circular edge on the left is there because of experimenting with cardstock to use for framing the mandalas from our cancer therapy class for the September show in the Meadowlark Gallery. The scraps were sitting on my worktable and it was the first application to this collage. The "bubbles" on the right half of the image make me smile. The last addition to the image, those little circles were started to symbolize this person and her family. Then more circles were added for extended family and friends, which turned into floating bubbles and became notes on the musical staff lines. Many of the papers used here were painted nearly five years ago. Also included are some rice papers and a  lightbulb wrapper, pieces of which have been used in other paintings from over ten years ago! This creative process never ceases to amaze me...the evolving and layering of thoughts, scraps, papers, and history into a balanced and pleasing work of art. There is a magical, wondrous, awesome power in charge. The more I show up to do the work, the greater the power. And, that thought can be applied to every relationship and task in life.  Show up. Be there.

What nobody tells you about creative work...

What nobody tells you about creative work...