Things I want to share....

I promised myself that I wouldn't go another month without posting here...and yet, I did. By the thought and theories of living in the present moment, I guess I could say, I made it in time. My feelings say something else.

So, I'm here again to ponder the term "fearless creativity".
In my own life, I acknowledge myself for showing up to a showing of my own work in Memphis. My friend, Lynn, opened her home to my art on her walls!

...AND a good time was had by all.... a night filled with incredible energy. Lynn brings that energy where ever she goes....and so does her home...and her dog.

Just showing up was filled with angst and concern...the kind that I really needed to squelch from the beginning. Why I felt those feelings (like nervous about reactions to my artwork)...AND why I feel the way I do....is really difficult for me to explain.

As it is with all of us.
So....for today...I bring you Beth hart:
Someone who can put the feelings that she does into her artwork...AND then put it out there for all to see...well, I think she is fearless and very creative in a raw way.

Hopefully my next blog entry will have some of my work on it....that is my intention as soon as I figure out the photo transfer thing from my camera.
Light and Love, Josie

Patsy Rodenburg: Why I do theater | Video on TED.com

Patsy Rodenburg: Why I do theater | Video on TED.com

This is what I found to be fearless tonight. I have done a tiny bit of theater and a bit of performance art over the years.
Her descriptions...her truth...LOVE IT!

Enjoy...
Josie

Street Art....

An inspiration

Here is a little gem that a blogging friend of mine sent to me. I was touched by this incredible woman. So much so, that I had to share her with those of you checking in on fearless creativity. I admire her commitment in the face of negativity.
THIS IS FEARLESS!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY

check it out.

For another day,
Josie

The Art of Storytelling

Here's another Gem from the archives of Ted.com
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/carmen_agra_deedy_spins_stories.html


Carmen Agra Deedy has a story to tell. Her topic is about storytelling. She is delightful, poignant, and one not to be missed. As we hear all sorts of stories from political candidates, this was a nice break from having to determine which stories are true and which are false. At the end of Carmen's story, I dare you not to wipe a tear from your face and at the same time you may find yourself letting out a knowing chuckle.

I'd like to quote something that Ms. Deedy says here... "Good storytelling is crafting a story that someone wants to listen to. Great storytelling is the art of letting go!"

That's how it is with creativity. We all have our craft, our skills, our tools...and when we learn to use them it can be so much fun. When we learn the art of letting go in that process, we dare to jump off the creativity cliff only to find out we had wings all along.

Today, I am letting go. I am going into the studio and play with paint for a while and who knows...maybe I'll do another landscape. As some of you learned in a earlier post...I'm not a landscape kind of girl...or maybe I am. Yikes!

What will you do today to stretch your imagination? Is there an area of your life that "letting go" could be just the thing to transform you?

Enjoy!
Josie

What Can Creativity Do?

What can creativity do?

Here's a short clip, just to show you what it can and might do for you!

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=QdlBJ-q-4JE


Creativity is the beginning of everything...from the chair you are sitting on to the little clip you are about to see. Creativity is life. Creativity is nature. Creativity is love. It's all around us and when it is not.....we are responsible to bring it there! GET IT! I mean it....it's time to stand up and think in a new way. That may be about recycling, to river clean up, to gas guzzling cars, to wars to paintings, to everything!
THINK A NEW!

Leadership and Imagination

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hN7fjpfDz5c

Some of the greatest leaders could imagine things that few others could comprehend. The names that immediately come to mind are people like Gandhi, Einstein, Picasso, Martin L. King Jr., Edison, Abe Lincoln...and the list goes on. They all had visions of something new, something better, something that served humanity in a unique way.

In the short clip at the top, I am reminded to exercise my imagination by spending time living life creatively. For me, that entails getting messy with my artwork, letting go of the tightness in my brush strokes, continuing to sketch, writing on my blog. Sometimes I just want to sit in front of the tv and let someone else take care of the creating, but that does not feed me. I want to sit with a book and not think about writing the children's book that I've always dreamt about since I was a little girl.

I believe we must stand up and take action...even a small one. Each day we can choose to do something differently and stretch our imaginations. I have a good friend named Rena and when she comes over to my house, we laugh, cry, cook, play, paint,sing, and think up ridiculous stories. I sometimes tell her that she is my muse. My imagination gets sparked around her and all of a sudden, like taking blinders off, I can see. I see new paintings, new methods, new objects. We all need a "Rena" who, just by their presence, opens hearts.

Who is that person for you?

Here's to a fearless imagination!
Josie

Emotional Toxicity

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6Xyjxdxjb4&feature=related

The above link is of Deepak Chopra who, in one minute, gives 7 steps to releasing toxic emotions....one of the enemies to creativity.

Be fearless,
Josie

Filling the Internal Reservoir Part II

When I spend time with old friends from my childhood, I find that the childlike spirit inside comes out to play quite easily. Part II of my weekend was spent with women from Camp Miramichee. This was a camp that started in 1916. A place where girls gathered and made friends of all kinds. I myself attended from 1970-1983, as camper, junior staff and finally Canoeing Director.

The women in the top photo are (from left to right), Gayden, Chi Chi, Suzanne, Jeri Lynn. They like to be called the "Class of 1964". They went to Miramichee much earlier than I did, but I have found that every Miramichee "girl" grew up with the same songs and rituals. Even though we didn't go to Miramichee at the same time, we all have the same Miramichee core. We were all taught to respect the river, fire, snakes, paddles and canoes. We were also taught the importance of loyalty, devotion and spirit. There is nothing like getting together with the spirit of my childhood.

The women in the second photo are some of the girls I grew up with and then had the good fortune to be their camp counselor. I could tell you a story involving each that could make you laugh a sweet tearful laugh. The kind that makes your sides hurt!

The third photo is during our church service on Sunday morning...just before everyone had to get back on the road and go back to their "adult" lives...their families, careers, students, companies, books, artwork....you name it, these women do it! We were standing on the land where the original camp was located. A sacred place for many of us. Miramichee also taught us reverence.

I chose the last photo which was taken at "After Camp". A few of us stayed and played on the river. More laughter....more memories that I store for creative juice. Never doubt the power of childhood friends joining together, even if it's only one time a year!

Have a fearlessly fun day,
Josie

Filling the Internal Reservoir

This weekend I had a wonderful opportunity to fill my "internal reservoir". I attended a camp reunion in the foot hills of Arkansas, near the beautiful Spring River where great blue herons nest and dragonflies play. I realized all over again, how important nature is to feeding my creativity. When I watch the herons fly by my dock in the morning, I feel an ancient connection with them. I've watched them on this river every summer of my life. The connection is about more than that though. They seem somewhat prehistoric to me with their extending necks and huge wingspans.

And then again, I feel that same connection to the dragonflies as they land on my arms while I'm in the canoe. I love looking into their big round eyeballs and their prehistoric tiny faces. Over the years, the dragonfly has appeared in my artwork which came directly from the time I gave myself time to play in nature...paying attention to their every move. I choose to spend time like this to recharge my battery...fill up my soul.

Time in nature is just part of what filled my reservoir this weekend. Being in community or "communion" with others also helped open my creative soul. That story will be in part two, which will be posted later today. Until then, find a window and crawl out of it to see the wonderful things that await you in nature.

Showing Art Work

Risking It All!

In the past week, I have risked it all again. Like the many times before, I surprise myself when I let go of the outcome and dive into the process. My church has a beautiful gallery and for the month of September, my work adorns the walls. It was a risk to let those in my spiritual home see my work. The window piece that you see above (full and close up), is close to my heart in that it signifies my strength in a time when life has been challenging. I was diagnosed a year and a half ago with a brain tumor, a thyroid tumor, and a rare disease called myasthenia gravis. I knew something was going on when my vision doubled but I never imagined that the doctor would find these things. On the days when I thought I just could not go on, I went to my basement and worked on this window piece. It is filled with images that represent power to me. The close up is of my take on a phoenix breaking out of the fire to fly. This work is titled "The Phoenix Flies at Midnight". You will see at the top that the clock is about to tick it's way to 12 am.


The other piece that you see above is a painting titled, "The Giving Tree". The risk here is in the fact that this is a landscape and I am not known for that type of work. It has been 20 years since I attempted to do something more representational like this artwork. I felt really uneasy putting it out there! And guess what? Yesterday, at the opening, I sold one of my pieces and this was it! Wow! I never thought that my little house and tree would be a top pick. Out of the 25 pieces showing, the two above by far got the most compliments. Ya never know!

Challenges:
Where in your life are you risking? When the world gets dark, how do you turn on your spiritual lights? How willing are you to explore your creativity by creating something completely different?
Have a creatively fearless day!
Josie

Do Something Different Today!

The last poster on my previous blog entry asked a question. Thank you Elisabeth! She asked me what has been my biggest challenge in my art career. This started a mind movie of instances where I risked leaving my comfort zone to do things differently. At one point in my life, fear knocked and I answered. I let fear in the door and her presence covered me like a glove. I stopped drawing, painting, sculpting....even thinking about doing art was off limits. This went on for ten years. I was locked and blocked from my creative spirit.

Then, while working with Marta Weiskopf through my connection to Fearless Living (fearlessliving.org), I found ways to start risking again. I got back into my art studio and produced some of the best work of my life. I will always be grateful to Marta for her support! She has, over the years, encouraged me to finish a children's book that I started in 1994. This is on my "bucket list" of things to do before I die. So many things are on that list. Here's the key: Risk, Do, Create, Move Forward.

My biggest challenges as an artist have always been wound up with fear in some way. The absolute biggest challenge was the first day I walked into a local restaurant and asked the owner to show my work. I didn't even have enough work for a show, but I knew if she said yes, I was on my way. Well, she did say yes and I worked for three months to get a good show together. It was the first time in ten years that anyone had seen my work. Since then, I have had many shows and continue to risk and create to move myself forward.

So, what will you do today that makes you take a risk? What small step will you take that will move you past your fears? What is a dream you've had that you've never acted upon?