Summertime already??

Dance of the Mermaids

Summertime brings to mind the Beach, Ocean and yes...Mermaids.  There is something symbolic about a Mermaid to me - it's not about the legends, the stories, or the history of Mermaids.  For me - it's about the beauty, the flow, the free spirit, the gentleness, and caring heart.  Yes - I tend to see the positives in everything lol :)

My mind, truly has a mind of it's own if that's possible lol - and this higher mind has no problem taking over all other thoughts, in order to have me doing all sorts of crazy, artistic things lol.  The funny thing with my artwork, is that I never know when an idea for new artwork will hit me.  It's what I call being an Artist, that is blessed to have this thing called, "Squirrel Syndrome" - and although to some, it may seem like I'm all over the place - the creative ideas always seem to be connected in some way - and typically after a merry, little ride - we all return to the center with a new "Reveal" - in the case of the Mermaids it all started with a Heart doodle sketch.  Of course I then saw a Mermaid photo and I looked at my sketch and realized the heart would fit in the Mermaid's tail.  This of course had me drawing a lot of hearts and tails (sharing a few scratch ideas here)...which then evolved into a quick Watercolor playtime with various brush strokes with spritz's of water - which then had me taking some photos of what I did, and sitting down with my laptop for several days - tweaking my Art in order to do digital print-outs for the ART Tiles.   A labor of love - but I love how they turned out - between the heavier sketching to the lighter and flowing, watercolor version.  It's definitely a plethora of tails, colors, fins, and scales - in a variety of mystical and ocean inspired color combinations.

 

When I was younger, I tried to "control" this tendency to float off into my creative world...I was hard on myself, labeling myself a "failure" when at the end of the day, I only had a sketch or something I created in one hand - and my list of to-do's, unfinished in the other.  Those are what I call the "Creative Crusher" moments...and because of that - many dreams, ideas, and creative beginnings were put on hold, and placed in an Artist portfolio for MANY years.  There of course is a better way - but back then I didn't know what it was - so naturally there were a lot of internal battles and self talks that seemed to center around confusion and disappointment - because putting everything away - was like kicking a portion of myself out of my own life.

But you know what??  Over the years, I've learned that this is not something that needs to be controlled.  It's something that needs to have freedom.  It's something equivalent to watching the wild horses...where you can feel their free spirit as they roam and explore. 

 Wild Horses in Corolla, NC

 And yes...this photo has been on my horizon for a new series - 

but as creative ideas go - it's still simmering :)

You can see and feel the mind working - the wheels turning - so much, that sometimes it's hard to keep up with my notes and get things accomplished.  Do you remember me mentioning a 'better way' in relation to the reality of life and your creative life?  That better way, is simply about letting the "perfectionist" in you, have a day or two off.  Life is not perfect, and you do not have to be perfect.  So if you're feeling a little on edge, schedule the reality life to-do's for a certain 1-3 hour stretch - then giver yourself permission to think like a Wild Horse.  You may become so good at the new balancing thing - that your two sides start becoming friends and really appreciate each other.

The lesson in all of this?  You live, learn, and acknowledge that you are always a work-in-progress.  The rewards for creating a better balance between real life, enjoying life, and the creative life?  Pride in yourself for challenging yourself to do it in the first place...plus there are surprises and rewards in all three - those self pats on the shoulder for a job well done (even if it's getting three loads of laundry done)...those happy dance times when you take time off to go enjoy the sunshine...and those crystal clear moments of clarity and appreciation, when you see the journey and all the little stops.  From something that caught your attention, to the admiration, to the spark of and idea, to bringing that idea to life - to the finished piece in the end.  All things to celebrate - not because they are finished but because they are part of your personal story.  

Well that's all for now...I'm off to balance some of my own to-do's and finish up more of the Custom Mermaid ART Tile orders.  Speaking of which - since I sold out of the Mermaid Dance Tiles during the shows over the Memorial Day weekend - I am working on replenishing for the Etsy store - but no worries, the Dance continues - and you might be pleasantly surprised with the next set of dance numbers lol - so keep your eye on my Groups - JLynnJewelsCircle and ArtisansCreateTogether for more inspirational thoughts and creations!  Here's a little hint for my upcoming show on June 20th - think colorful beach cottages...when you think of little cut-out house ART Tiles ;)

Have a wonderful week everyone - don't miss the Artisan Marketplace in the Artisans Create Together Group (week long sales event for all of our Members) and a Photography Workshop in my other Group - JLynnJewelsCircle on Friday!

~JLynn