Showing posts with label watercolor. Show all posts
Showing posts with label watercolor. Show all posts

Wednesday, January 27, 2016

Lone Horse in the Snow


Happiness isn't a fixed point.
It's always in flux.
~Unknown

This quote is so true and it has taken me a long time to accept that life isn't always happy and life isn't always the way we want it to be. I've also learned, though, if I stop living in the future and start living right here and now, riding the waves of emotions is so much easier and more rewarding. I have eliminated a lot of worry from my life simply by choosing to focus on the now and not worrying about tomorrow. Because I am a planner, I always wanted to know what tomorrow would bring which, many times, caused worry and an unsettled feeling. Living here, now, and not fretting over what is to come has been a process of conscious choice for me. It isn't easy but it has saved my emotional well being. When I feel my thoughts moving into the future in a negative way, I stop that train of thought and refocus on now. It is training my mind to think very differently than I what I am used to.

I have tried to stop saying "I will never _________________" fill in the blank with things I physically can't do right now to "One day I will _________________ again." It all comes down to being able to wait and not lose hope.

Now, I must also retrain my brain not to live in the past as well ;) I am a work in progress.

Monday, July 27, 2015

Light Seeking

Seeking Light- Smith Mountain Lake, VA

I've been seeking light in more than one way this past week. It has been a difficult week and I am looking forward to starting a new one with the hopes that things will be better. No matter how difficult things are, though, I always wake up and go to sleep with a thank you on my lips. This illness and my father's passing has taught me, more than anything else in my life, to be grateful for every day, even the bad ones.

I read an article on Facebook this week that hit a nerve. The article talked about facts and opinion and how the author just tells people they are wrong when it comes to their opinion. He says he refuses to engage with people who ignore facts and form their own opinion where it doesn't belong. I don't necessarily disagree with the author on that point. I get that it has been scientifically proven that the earth revolves around the sun and not the other way around so, frankly, there can be no opinion on the matter since opinions are formed on subjective issues.

My nerve was struck, though, on the example he gave as to where people should have no opinion. He said there can be no opinion that autism is caused in whole or in part by vaccinations because the science is clear that there is no link between the two. Here is where I start fuming. What the author misses is you have to be careful who or where you get your "facts" from. This guy is taking it for granted that the "science" is correct and the government is telling you the truth. If, in fact, the "science" is misleading and the fact source is wrong, than you do, indeed, have room for an opinion. Clearly the author has never been in my position with an illness that the government tries to tell you doesn't exist and the CDC continuously commits grievous errors in its "science" all the while trying to protect Big Pharmaceutical companies and their lined, bulging, money-filled pockets. It goes to reason the government is going to be lying about other illnesses as well. So, when he used vaccinations and autism as an example where there could not be any opinions, he cleared showed himself to be an uninformed, egotistical idiot.

I am no conspiracy theorist, but trust me, since becoming ill, my eyes have been opened and I am no longer a naive, blind believer in our government. So, yes, I am indeed entitled to my opinion about autism and vaccinations and I feel sorry for a naive mind to say otherwise.

If you disagree with me, I am totally fine with it, because unlike this author, I do respect people have their differing opinions on the matter. However, I also suggest you read about the issue away from mainstream media and find out the facts the government is hiding from you, just like they are trying to pass a bill to keep us in the dark about what is in our food. For starters, check out this video, and keep an open mind as to what the government is willing to do to protect its largest donors...the pharmaceutical companies.

I know, not a great way to start a Monday, but if I can open one person's eyes and mind than this rant was well worth it.  This digital watercolor was created by using an iPhone picture I took while in Virginia last week as a template. I painted using a digital watercolor brush using the lines and colors from the photo as a guide. I've been doing some of these aside from collage to practice my digital painting and it has been really enjoyable. I hope you like it.

Have a wonderful week, everyone!  Sending love and light into the world to all of you! xo

Friday, July 17, 2015

In the Sweetness of Friendship

In the Sweetness of Friendship

In the sweetness of friendship let there be laughter, and sharing of pleasures.
Khalil Gibran

Inspired by the beautiful vintage photo at the bottom of this post, I created this mixed-technique digital painting. There is something so sweet and special about a friendship between girls and women. It isn't easy to find that person or people that totally get you, who celebrate successes as well as take away the pain of failures. So, when you find her, hold her tight for you truly have a gift. I am often envious of women who have a close relationship with her sister/s. Only having a brother, and growing up closely with two of my male cousins, I never experienced the closeness of a sister (but am so glad I had those three boys to grow up with). It is part of the reason why I wanted to have four kids (and hoped for two of each) so that everyone could have a brother AND a sister. As God would have it, I was blessed to have that happen...I have two boys and two girls.

I hope you love this digital painting as much as I enjoyed doing it. It is a mixture of different brush techniques (the sky is different than the buildings, which is different that the pasture, and the girls.) I used acrylic digital brushes as well as watercolor brushes and a sketching technique. Once I started this one, I had to finish and I stayed up late into the night to do that, unable to sleep until it was completed.

Have a blessed and safe weekend, y'all!  I will see you on Monday for another look at these same girls, but painted in a different way. You'll have to tell me which one you like better ;)

Flicker Commons

xo