Saturday, January 15, 2011

Listen + a word on messy


I promise I won't keep showing you this piece over and over again. I am done with it now and have moved on but wanted to share why I decided to paint listen across it. I had been contemplating it when I opened my Yogi tea and the message was "The greatest tool you have is to listen". Yes! So of course I decided that it needed that word. And I love it! Is there anything you need to listen to?

After I finished it I was skimming  Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott and read this about writing but I am applying it to painting or any art making....
"So go ahead and make big scrawls and mistakes. Use up lots of paper. Perfectionism is a mean, frozen form of idealism, while messes are the artist's true friend. What people somehow (inadvertently, I'm sure) forgot to mention when we were children was that we need to make messes in order to find out who we are and why we are here-and, by extension, what we're supposed to be writing."

Make messes, marks, mistakes we are supposed to. To find out who we are.

I love receiving these little messages from the universe. We just need to be aware and to listen. For me this is perfect because really I have been a bit stuck creatively so this feels good, like an opening up of some sort. A coming into my own type of thing.

P.S. Check out my side bar....thank you universe! I am signed up for Get your paint on!!

10 comments:

aimee said...

this piece is glorious, dana! and i *LOVE* bird by bird!

Debby said...

I love the colors you used. Very beautiful.

Jenny said...

Such beautiful colours and a wonderful sentiment....I could do with listening a bit more too! Love the use of the embroidery hoop too...great idea :)

Concetta said...

Its looking beautiful and so glad you got on the course. x

Faith said...

This piece is gorgeous, I'd love to keep seeing it, really it reminds me of one of your wreaths! That quote is amazing, thanks for sharing.

AG Ambroult said...

a.maz.ing! I am so happy you got into the e-course. YOu are going to be flying high, after you take that. big smiles.

The flowers, the colors, the word...everything came together perfectly for this piece!

chrissy said...

dana
i LOVE your piece. you can show it as many times as you want. thank you so much for sharing that quote about messes. i really needed that today. i am having a hard time getting going this year...figuring out how much time to dedicate to my family vs: my creative life and NOT feel guilty about it and this helped me in a certain part of all that confusion.
i took a class with mati rose and think she is one of theee most wonderful people ever. she is SO genuine and fun and humble and funny. She is going to be teaching at my friend liz.s UNEARTH retreat in oregon...i am soooo wishing i could go.
xo
c

Regina said...

It's perfect! I love the hoop idea. I may have to play around with that.

I think the word listen is such a strong a resonating word. There is so much to listen to. Yourself, your family, your heart, the world!

I love it!!

I can't wait to see what you make from Get your Paint on~ Looks super fun.

jacqueline said...

Dearest sweet dana, i love how this turn out! Soo beautiful and it made me smile. I am LOVING the colors ~ i always love your choices of colors. :) Have a lovely merry happy day and love to you!

ps: HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! Wishing you a lovely merry happy celebration sweet friend! May all your wishes come true!

Kate Kelleher said...

Beautiful, and I love your colours.