How Things Change

Today, this painting looks like this . . .



Just yesterday, it looked like this.



Not a lot of change, but a bit of blue is good, don't you think?



And for a week, these little cross paintings had no "jewel" in the center,
no glint of gold within the lapis blue,
nor much shading to speak of......



But now, they're different - a little more depth, a lot more sparkle.
Just like my life since discovering I'm an artist -
which wasn't long ago . . . feels like just yesterday.

Surrendering to the urge to create has changed me.
No more corporate sales gigs, no more business suits . . . just paint spattered jeans and ruined manicures.
No more "9 to 5" - I seldom watch the clock anymore.
No brainy sales strategies to implement - instead, I let my heart lead.

Don't get me wrong . . . my "previous" life was not bad - not at all!
I enjoyed my success and had great friends, great clients.
It brought a life I couldn't have otherwise had, including my marriage and our home.

One blessing has been finding my "Art Tribe" .
They seem to see me . . . they understand my SoulTruth.
They understand words like SoulTruth!

I'm so very grateful for these enormous shifts.
I am happy to wake up every day curious . . . excited to see what's next!
Don't you just love how things change?

The FEARLESS™ Painting Tribe - Sedona

How do I begin? By sharing a bit about our time in nature?






With talk of finding balance?




With the sounds of joyous laughter?








With tales of sweetness and sisterhood?








Of dancing (and painting) in the rain?











Oh there was painting on dry land.....



(Photo of me above provided by Indigo Carlton.)






My first painting brought neon creatures out of hiding . . . creatures already there lurking in the thickly colored backgrounds. They needed only a pencil or fine brush to bring them forth.







My next felt deeper, more serious....


I've still much to do on that one - can you see the shapes in the background I'm beginning to bring out with pencil?







(Photo of me above provided by Connie Hozvicka.)

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About this retreat:
Our FEARLESS™ Painting Tribe met in Sedona on September 29, 2011 for four bliss-FULL days. Our FEARLESS™ leader Connie Hozvicka gathered us together for the first annual Total Alignment Painting Retreat. I had met two of the ladies before, but otherwise none of us had ever met in real life. It is a testament to the kind of online community that Connie creates in her workshops that we were immediately at ease and felt as if we'd known each other for years!

Each day we began our days under cloudless blue skies. Temperatures were desert warm! We hiked each morning in the shadows of the Red Rocks, then painted until dark. Afterwards we enjoyed Yoga Nidra led by Connie, who is nearing completion of her yoga teaching credential.

Incredibly delicious food was prepared by the ever-smiling Hansel Solera, Connie's beloved. (All this really worked up an appetite!) Hansel is also a pro-photographer! The delightful Opal Keen assisted in all things food, hiking and paint related.

My FEARLESS™ Tribe Sisters are (links are there for those who have blogs):
Connie Hozvicka
Lauren Strach
Betsy Canas Garmon
Indigo Carlton
Shauna Meiri
Kim Philips van Buren
Charlie (Shamsi) Pettus
Jennifer Hunteman
Lisa Wilson
Christine Graziano Miner
Natasha Reilly
Lisa Hofmann
Opal Keen

Hansel A. Solera and his beautiful photography can be found here. (If you're nice, he just might cook for you!)