Infusion of Music and Art

Tags

acrylic paint, altered art, Altered books, art journal, Camus quote, collage, depression, flowers, gratitude, Invincible summer, zentangle

I have been working on some more collages for another art exhibit. Here are some sketches from the works in progress. I just found out today that they have been accepted into the show! Yeah me! None of them turned out how I envisioned them, but took some interesting turns. I have some new paths to follow in the new year and I’m really looking forward to it. To see the completed collages check out my Gallery page.

Of course this season is full of music and my musician son has had one or two concerts many days in the past 10 days. I also went caroling with a group of people from my church. Nothing gets me in the holiday spirit like music. The darkness of the season and the emotional complexities that go with it really make my battle with depression a serious challenge these days and art and caroling are fabulous medicine.  I am also finding that blogging can be helpful, too. Thanks for all the kind words and support.

On one of the collages I have the quote by Albert Camus “In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me lay an invincible summer.”

Connections & Community

Tags

art journal, Broken Light, community, depression, gratitude, gratitude journal, Inktense, photography, yoga

The photo on the left hand page was featured last Wednesday on the Broken Light Blog http://brokenlightcollective.wordpress.com/2014/04/16/signs-of-spring/ This blog provides a community for people who are living with or otherwise affected by mental illness. I’m not sure if I have explicitly mentioned that part of the impetus behind my gratitude journal is my choice to flourish while managing depression.

The facing page is full of love and joy. Some of the text that didn’t fit on my scanner says that I love to color and that I love to do yoga with Helen. My Thursday mornings usually are wonderful and full of movement, coffee or tea, and friendship. Thursday afternoon was spent drawing and coloring flowers. What a beautiful day!

For me these pictures are worth a thousand words. If you have any questions about the meanings of any images I would love to know what they are. I’m never sure if I’m providing enough information or if anyone is interested or if you just like to look at what strange compilation of stuff I will come up with this week!

Ok, so trying out black gesso on Easter may seem a little odd. This was not the image I had in mind, but now I know that Inktense watercolor pencils don’t really show up on black gesso. Of course my gel pens do! 🙂 In the course of making a flower arrangement for Easter these petals fell out so I pressed them and they impressed me with how gorgeous they look on the black gesso. Playing with art supplies is fun and unexpected. Have a beautiful day.

I breathe in

Tags

depression, hope, meditation, motherhood, Poems, social activism

Despair laps over me in waves.

Despair for my life and dreams, my children, my community, my country, and this planet.

Will the water be safe to drink?

Will the ceiling in our bedroom cave in if it rains too hard?

Will our school lose teachers to budget cuts?

Will Iraq use the bomb?

How will my children pay for this war?

Will my boys live to adulthood?

Will my headaches ever end?

Will our public school system completely disintegrate?

Will our car last one more year?

What is that shadow on my lung?

How do I stand again tomorrow to withstand the waves of despair?

My mother calls about a problem on her computer and I solve it for her.

I put another load of laundry in and find the “the rock” in my son’s pocket that is to remind him to be steady.

I look up and my son says, “look Mom, papa cardinal is back at the bird feeder.”

I talk to the principal at the boys’ school about the grant we are working on there.

I walk to the library and post office instead of driving.

I write to my senator and invite the guy who is running for mayor over to talk.

I vote.

I read.

I draw.

I breathe in

Then out

Then in again.