Tag Archives: art journal

Mandala Monday: A mandala for starting

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Mandala for starting

“Winning starts with beginning.” Robert Schuller

Starting a new journal is simultaneously exciting and intimidating.  All those blank pages…

Not ever knowing how to start, I usually skipped the first few pages of a new journal, until I read a wonderful post by Stephanie Smith over at Rhodia Drive about her practice of adding a mandala at the front of each journal that she begins.  The idea of blessing a book with intention resonated with me.    It was such an epiphany.  Mandalas are beautiful & contemplative and after drawing/painting them for years, flow easily from my finger tips.

I recently finished both a morning pages painting journal and a my-story-all-in-one-place book.  So, this morning, found me with a new Morning Pages book full of nothing but white pages.  I painted a mandala on the inside cover, entering the book with intentions of honesty & consistency.  Here’s to showing up to the pages.

Good Morning

{Derwent inktense pencils, watercolor, India ink w brush, acrylic, Tattered Angels glimmer mist}

Art is Life is Art: Interview by Dawn Sokol

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I was honored last month to be interviewed by Dawn Sokol for the Journal Fresh portion of Create Mixed Media site.

Here are supplies and text details for the pages included as part of the interview.

Freedom

“No one is free when others are oppressed.”  There are more than 27 million slaves in the world today.

(stats from Zach Hunter of Loose Change to Loosen Chains}

{Tim Holtz® Distress inks, stamp, sticker, Sakura Pigma® Micron® pens}

blue nest

{Gesso, acrylic paint, tissue paper, origami paper, watercolor crayon, shipping label, nest sticker, graphite}

Magic Hour at the barn

{Gesso, stamp & ink pad, Derwent watersoluble graphite, 4×4 PostalPix print, dip pen & India ink}

my brokeness has come together to form the wings that have given me...

{Ink pad, torn painted paper scraps, Sakura Pigma® Micron® pen}

...definition and flight

{Ink pad, torn painted paper scraps, Sakura Pigma® Micron® pen}

Life makes me sizzle

{Watercolor, Sakura Pigma® Micron® pen, butterfly sticker, ink pad}

You can find the interview HERE.

Enjoy!

~b

A manadala for prayer & poetry

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Recently attended this conference w/ R and two of the boys.

Mandala for poetry

There were prayers, discussions & questions and a lot of space made for prayers, discussions & questions.

this is your day to explore

bring an Expectant Heart

There were blessings and wise words spoken by David Taylor, author of For the Beauty of the Church. I asked that my copy of his book be inscribed with a pastoral blessing. I confess I’ve re-read the inscription several times.  Blessings are like that… easy to return to, as they give us clarity and gumption.   Wonderful to have poured over our heads or put into words to keep close by.

photo-13

{May God grant you the grace to discern the specific contours of your calling pastorally and bless you to expand beauty upon the earth.}

Habits define us.

choose and rechoose and rechoose

The evening wrapped up with a poetry reading and some beautiful music; and as is often my habit when listening, I drew.  Anya Silver’s poetry put me in mind of trees with deep roots & the regular things, that in their simplicity, capture hearts.  I came home with a slim volume of her poems called, The Ninety-third Name of God. The impact of these words has been anything but slim…  Attend again next year?  Yes, please.

Mandala for poetry