Hearts ~ I LOVE Heartz!

The second February journal prompt is "Hearts"!
How lucky for me.... I love hearts.

This was so easy to do. I simply looked over by Valentine's (Heartz) Day post for inspiration.
On one side I reprinted all the quotes form the Valentine's post.
Then for the actual journal page I gathered up a bunch of heart images I had been collecting and collaged away. finishing it off with a mylar overlay "Heartz"..
Fun ... fun ... fun!

Fear of failure ~ Fear of success

The February/March journal prompt is FEAR. I can think of lots of things to fear. Right now, doing this page is the BIGGEST one of them. Instead of focusing on day-to-day life fears, I am going to focus on fear as it relates to doing art. Or more precisely ... why my fear of making art prevents me from making art.

Several years ago, I picked up the book “Art and Fear” [Observations on the Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking] by David Bayles and Ted Orland. This is a book about making art. Ordinary art. Not art not made by Monet, Picasso, or Rembrandt. Most art is made by ordinary people, ordinary artists. Our ordinary art can still be quite extraordinary, yet, we artists, sometimes fear our ordinary art will not be extraordinary. The book looks at the way art is made, the reasons art isn’t made and the difficulties that cause artists to give up along the way. Making art can be a lonely, daunting tedious task. If the book gets you to your art sooner and bolder, great. There is a mention that the book is a safety net. That reading the book can become a substitute for the process of making art. It makes you feel better but does not get you "working”. So instead of painting today? You reply, “No. I read parts of Art & Fear”

Hence, I find myself.
I have so many books on art and art processes that I’ve run out of room on my bookshelVES. I read about art. I do “do art”. However, mostly to the assignments and swaps I commit myself to do. But I rarely just do ART. Why?

Because ... I fear, I will fail.
I say... Humm ... I don’t know what to do.
Humm ... I need to learn how.
Oh now...I need a better technique.
Oops now ... I need a specific material.
Oh shoots ... I have no time.
Oh no ... Not now ... after this assignment.

They are all excuses not to do it.

"Everything I've ever done was out of fear of being mediocre." ~ Chet Atkins

“The greatest barrier to success is the fear of failure.” ~ Sven Goran Eriksson

Last year I resolved to “Create one thing each day” ... and I did. Only I let that creativity extend to all creative aspects of life and then any aspect of life from cooking to cleaning ... baby steps.

This year my word is CHANGE, so to change.....

“The key to change... is to let go of fear.” ~ Rosanne Cash

Nevertheless, saying I will change and let go of fear and actually doing it are 2 big and different things. Again baby steps.

It is easier if you just realize ... FEAR is just another four-letter word ~ Anon

AND

“FEAR is an acronym in the English language for "False Evidence Appearing Real" ~ Neale Donald Walsch

In his song, F.E.A.R. Ian Brown he gives several meanings to the acronym FEAR in the lyrics

Fantastic expectations Amazing revelations

Final execution and resurrection
Free expression as revolution
Finding everything and realizing

For everything a reason

Once we overcome a fear, we are courageous, successful, aware, and free.

Only when we are no longer afraid do we begin to live. ~ Dorothy Thompson

You don't face your fears, you stand up to them. ~ Anon

So, just do art.
Any kind of art ... Ordinary art ... Experiment ... Work in a new medium.
And keep in mind ....not every “work” will be a masterpiece. Some will be disasters, but learn from the “process”.
If you create one thing today ... It just might be extraordinary.

“Inaction breeds doubt and fear.
Action breeds confidence and courage.
If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it.
Go out and get busy.” ~ Dale Carnegie

You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience
in which you really stop to look fear in the face.
You must do the thing which you think you cannot do. ~ Eleanor Roosevelt

Words are powerful tools

My blog postings are so far behind, but sometimes life gets in the way of blogging!!!

The second January prompt is “Words”.
When given the prompt “Words” the first thing that came to mind was the song:

Words by the Bee Gees
Smile an everlasting smile,
A smile can bring you near to me.
Don’t ever let me find you down,
Cause that would bring a tear to me.
This world has lost its glory,
Let’s start a brand New story now, my love.
Right now, there’ll be no other time
And I can show you how, my love.

Talk in everlasting words,
And dedicate them all to me.
And I will give you all my life,
I’m here if you should call to me.
You think that I don’t even mean a single word I say.
Its only words, and words are all I have,
To take your heart away

How appropriate the prompt “Words” is for me, since words are usually the basis for my inspirations. When given most assignments I have to look up everything about the topic. So given a prompt I Google “(the prompt word) quotes”.

I also look thru my database of favorite "Word" quotes.

“Tears are words the heart can't express” ` Unknown

“Love is just a word until someone comes along and gives it meaning.” ~ Unknown

“Watch your thoughts, for they become words.
Watch your words, for they become actions.
Watch your actions, for they become habits.
Watch your habits, for they become character.
Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.” ~ Unknown

Words are powerful tools.
They convey emotions, thoughts, ideas. Words can comfort, sooth and entertain.
But words can also be deadly weapons. Words used maliciously to hurt someone. Words used unknowingly and carelessly can also be weapons that hurt someone. Like all of us, I have too much experience with the last experience.
Often we do not hear or see how the word or tone we use for word said to a child can devastate him/her. Or how words to or from a friend can wound. Often the comments, stories, or phrases we make are never meant to hurt but they do. There are also times our words lie.

"You mustn't always believe what I say.
Questions tempt you to tell lies, particularly when there is no answer." - Pablo Picasso

And then there are those times when you are down and feel no one values your opinion or your words. And you ask “why bother?” (to say anything). These times also hurt.

In the book The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz. The first agreement he talks about is “Be Impeccable With Your Word”. Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love.

Hard to do 24-7, but oh so worthwhile at bedtime, when you sit and reflect on your day.

To do my journal page I used recycled paper towels used to blot procein dye for dying fabric for another project. I “matte media" adhered the paper towels to gesso primed pages. then overlayed one side with my "Words" song and quotes printed on Mylar. On the other side I wrote "Words" then 2 columns for words I Like and Not Like. I wrote the words in white paint pen, outlined by a permanent black marker and highlighted with chalk pens. Glad to say the "Like" words list was much longer!

Looking over these pages I am often reminded that the words that often haunts me most when I spend time in evening reflection are...

“In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.” ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.

The Art Quote of the Day for Friday March 7, 2008

The Art Quote of the Day for Friday March 7, 2008, on my blog sidebar is:

There are no original ideas.
There are only original people. ~ Barbara Grizzuti Harrison

from Famous Quotes