These Past Two Weeks...Busy Busy!

Hello!

It's been a little while since I last blogged, it feels like so much has happened! Over the past 2 weeks I have been taking an e-course from Kelly Rae Roberts called Taking Flight and I feel like I haven't had time to create or write at all (except for note taking). There has been so much information to take in and I'm so glad I decided to enroll. She has been incredibly encouraging, personable and inspiring as well as my fellow classmates!

In the past 2 weeks I have set up a facebook page for White Violet Art, changed my twitter to match and discovered that I actually have a "follower" on my blog (yay, I'm not talking to myself anymore! Thanks Diane!) We all have to start somewhere right? As well my facebook page has grown to 32 fans in the last 5 days and a friend has asked me to create a 5'x5' mandala for their living room.  That is a project I am looking forward to as I know I will learn a great deal.  I haven't created anything that size before, the largest piece being 2'x3' so it should be very interesting/challenging!

I have also been able to make a commitment to my art by taking Mondays off work and dedicating that time to just creating art, whether it be painting, drawing or working on my blog and updating my facebook page. It feels great to be able to do that and still be able to support myself. I feel very fortunate!

Today, I decided to "listen" to today's lesson via the "speech" service on my mac and actually get some painting done! I have a small canvas that I am creating a mandala on just for the sake of creating something and getting the creative juices flowing. I have been feeling strange not creating anything, so many ideas but not enough time...
This is what this new mandala looks like so far this morning:

I want to finish this post off with a bit of inspiration/words to live by that I found in a book called "Art As A Way of Life" by Roderick MacIver.  I'm going to post this on my wall in my studio for those times when I need the extra encouragement!

"The Ten Commandments on Seeing/Drawing"

1. You shall draw everything and every day.
2. You shall not wait for inspiration, for it comes not while you wait, but while you work.
3.  You shall not forget all you think you know and even more, all you have been taught.
4. You shall not adore your good drawings and promptly forget your bad ones.
5. You shall not draw with exhibitions in mind, nor to please any critic but yourself.
6. You shall trust none but your own eye and make your hand follow it.
7. You shall consider the mouse you draw as more important than the contents of all of the museums in the world, for
8. You shall love the ten thousand things with all your heart and a blade of grass as yourself.
9. Let each drawing be your first: A celebration of the eye awakened.
10. You shall not worry about "being of your time" for you are your time and it is brief.

- Frederick Franck from "The Awakened Eye"