Balancing Act

I hit the wall yesterday and right in the middle of a friend helping me with Cash Flow Projections, I burst into tears. It's been WEEKS of crunching numbers, looking at the BIG picture and growing programs. In between all this, there were clients, an online class, studio classes and home life to tend. 

So, what's the first thing that got cut out of the mind-body program? Creativity. Yes, true confession, right smack dab in the middle of our online expedition, I let go of my own creative process. So why am I admitting this embarrassing secret? Because it's important for you to know…it happens to all of us, if we don't make this part of our lives a priority! 

So after my tearful tantrum, I knew what was wrong. I was completely out of balance, from living in a world that does not "feed," my soul. After the tears, I could feel the familiar surge, that was literally ready to boil over.  I hung the Do Not Disturb sign on the studio door, got out my pastels, so I could work quickly and move the energy, and began this piece…upside down-which is actually how I felt. When I began working on it, it was from this angle. It wasn't intentional, just something I saw in my minds eye.

 

She then evolved into the image you see at the top of the post, and I finished the piece "right side," up. I have titled it, "Seeking Comfort," as the yellow figure appeared to embrace and hold her. As with all my expressive arts work, none of this is planned. I allow the work to spill from my soul and evolve. There were times while creating this that I heard, "Oh, you screwed it up but putting that arm around her neck," but I know better after all these years then to let my "Venomous Toad Committee" run the show. As I continued to work, the figure behind appeared and it all made sense to me. 

In the end, how long did this take me? About one half hour, which tells us that we CAN fit this into our life if we keep it simple. Sometimes, these quick "sketches," are just that, places I can return to if I want to develop it into a larger piece or painting. I always hang my images up, so I can look at them for awhile, and let them whisper to me. That's how I know where to go next…
 

The beauty of the expressive arts is allowing the image to unfold. Getting out of our own way, out of our "mind," if you will and letting the muse speak TO us. I have to say, I feel much better today, and ready to go in to the studio and work from both sides of my brain!