Texas, Abortion Laws and Healing through Collage

     

The Right for a Woman to Govern Her Own Body

(Mixed Media - Dance with the Butterflies) 2021

Background created on a gelli plate / acrylics / and collage.

    I was raised in Texas and lived there for over 50 years.  Seeing what is happening in that state over abortion is really quite shocking. I lived in Austin close to eight years and always found it a progressive and rather liberal city.  But these recent events have really change my outlook. 

    I believe everyone is entitled to their opinions on subjects, and have the liberty to say "yes" or "no" when given the choice on personal matters, especially if it is for their self preservation.  However, I also believe that women have the choice to govern their bodies. 

    For many years, I worked in the Texas public school system and heard from several students, mostly girls, but sometimes boys, how they were physically abused, both mentally and sexually.   It just broke my heart to hear these stories and then witnessed how sometimes Child Protective Services helped and mostly how they didn't. 

    While in high school, I heard a girl making noises in the bathroom stall and later learned she had birthed her baby in the schools' bathroom. No one knew she was pregnant, as she wore an oversized jacket and kept to herself most of the time. I had a student being sexually abused by her brother who provided the whole family with money, therefore they all looked the other way. In college, my roommate almost got raped by a "nice boy" who belonged to a fraternity. I witnessed the bruises on her thighs, but back in 1979, who did we report that to? We didn't, young women were to embarrassed to say anything.  Years ago,  I learned that a local 12 year old was near term, and the baby was her own father. And the stories go on and on of women and young girls who are raped or sexually abused often times by people close to them. 

    My questions is - how is Texas going to fix that?  How do you solve a problem that goes on behind closed doors and people are ashamed to come out and say anything, some to young to understand what is even happening? 

    Which makes me remember that while I was a high school librarian all books by Ellen Hopkins would fly off the shelves since the beginning of the school year. Those books were in very high demand. Many never returned. All checked out by girls who would rarely see two words to me or look me in the eye. 

    Here are some I recommend by Ellen Hopkins.

    

Til next week.

Paty 

Crushing The Page - releasing pent up energies onto your journal

                CRUSHING THE PAGE 

    

As I continue my journey creating ART, I also want to share a wonderful healing process, which goes by several names, but I am calling CRUSHING THE PAGE. Because that is what I did today. I grabbed my journal, crumbled and crushed the page.

It is a method that artists are using following a process such as this: (there are different ways to do this).

    1. Write down on a paper, preferably a journal, what is causing you problems, or stress, or emotional upheaval. Just release all your inner thoughts (pains, fears, anxieties, anger...). Forget about the grammar and sentence structure, just put it down on the page. Unleash that rage, anxiety, tears of grief, disappointments and if your page gets all crinkled, crushed or torn in the process, let it happen.

    2.  Cover your words up - with cut out images from magazines, with markers or paint over it.  Use whatever you have on hand.  Let it dry and spend some time reflecting, wondering WHY this is happening.  Then come back to your journal and add positive words or phrases to your page. When you feel you have finished, close your journal, and walk away from it.  

After a while, (or a few days) you will sense an emotional release.  Those feeling you had been bottling up inside will gradually subside. The more you practice this act of Crushing the Page, the more you will find answers to problems, and find your heart easing from its fears and pains. You will see subtle changes in your emotions and in your way of life.

For a more detailed way to engage in the process, click on the following link and watch Catt Z, creator of  Cosmic Smashbooking. Another fabulous artist that teaches this process is Amanda Mauck.

I invite you to explore this creative way of healing those pains that burn inside.

Below is my page of the day.  All my pains are written underneath this journal page, and then I collaged over it wishing to "Live for Greatness."  Felt so much better afterwards. 

BOOK REVIEW: Memoir about being abused as a child.

I just finished a book written by a friend of mine. In her memoir, she tells how one day, while at a retreat, her brain flashed her memories of being sexually abused by her father when she was a young child. Without giving any more of the story away, here is the link to this moving story on how she healed and was able to forgive. Unexpected Legacy

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As I went on one of my daily walks this week, I encountered this:  a beautiful, bright, orange flower growing in the middle of some prickly cactus.  I am reminded that one can find beauty and the light even amongst the thorniest places. You have to look with eyes wide open and with your heart. 

Til next time, 

Paty 

Healing Emotional Pain through Smashbooking

    I began writing about one thing, but then Smashbooking led me off in another direction.

    This morning I participated in a second session of journal Smashbooking with the wonderful Catt Z. If you are not familiar with the concept, it's putting all your worries, stresses, and/or dreams onto the pages of a journal.  Add some prayer, cover it up in paint, and then watch some emotional healing magic happen over time. 

    I wish I could say it was that easy, but there is a lot of inner soul searching in the process, and many questions come up that beg for answers.  And some are not pretty. But we know that pain, anxiety, stress and depression are NEVER pretty. 

    Here is her link if you care to dive into this personal healing journey.  Cosmic Smashbooking

    I'm not attaching my Smashbook work of the day, but instead posting the collage I created this past Monday. I'm always drawn to horses, (in this case a psychedelic one), and birds (behold this hummingbird showing off its skeletal frame).  I will dissect my work this coming weekend and find out what messages it has for me. 

    All in all, I can say that these art activities are a wonderful way to connect with other creatives and spend some quality time connecting with myself during retirement and a pandemic.

     On my walks in nature, I continue to enjoy the book The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green, where he tackles subjects such as being bullied, teddy bears, depression, and whispering.

    Til next week. 

Uncertainty of Marriage on the Very Day

    

    As we live through this pandemic, it's quite sad that many have had to put their marriage plans on hold. While wishing for that big family wedding, the virus descended and brought too many grief instead. 

    And then there are others - who really took a deep look inside and wondered if they were making the right decision. Yes, you can reach the alter and find yourself shaking so hard, that maybe it isn't just nerves, it's downright FEAR. Are you making the right decision? Do you really want to spend the rest of your life with this person? Do I really know him/her? And you look around and see all the people and feel trapped. Now the show MUST go on.  Or should it?

    I created this mixed media piece quite by accident, but then realized that I went through those very same questions, doubts, and fears on my wedding day. We divorced after five years of struggling, but I welcomed the divorce.

    It was quite shocking to see how many people identified with this small piece of art.  I posted it on social media and had so many responses. I'm glad it touched the lives of many and stirred their memories, thoughts, and other emotions. 

    Mixed media - background acrylic / mark making / stenciling / collage

Title: Uncertainty on the Very Day.

Cosmic Revelation through Art

     I'm taking on a new art class, but one having to do with healing. It is far more than just putting together a collage, it is diving deep into one's soul and shaking up everything that is inside.

    Now that I have retired, I have the time to do some soul searching and creating art is a very meditative way to do it. I wish I could do it in person, but this pandemic is teaching all of us how to be online learners. (Thinking positive).

    I am currently enrolled in an Intentional Creativity class titled LEGEND offered online at https://musea.org/. 

    This is a personal journey for me, but one that is opening the door to what I would like to do in the future - teach art to women as a way to heal from any kind of pain and trauma. There are so many art classes online, and many are just to teach FUN art.  This goes way beyond that. 

    I'm also painting on a large canvas. That has been intimidating but liberating at the same time. Here is what I've done so far, but it will change as I shake things up inside.  I look forward to the process of creating, painting, and talking to this canvas for inspiration.

    In the meantime, I am enjoying the book The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green and it is a very entertaining read. If you can get it on audio, I highly recommend, as he is wonderful to listen to. The other book I highly recommend by him is The Fault In Our Stars, just in case you haven't read it. 

Art Party this Weekend - Join the Fun

    I have been following this wonderful and talented artist for awhile now.  Her name is Robyn McClendon and she creates and teaches how to do some amazing art using a Gelli Plate. In case you want to see what Robyn creates, here is her link.  https://www.robynmcclendon.com

    This is a small foldable book I created following her Hearth Codes class. I wrote some quotes that resonate with me at this point in my life. 

    This coming weekend she is hosting a FREE ART PARTY.  Several artists will be teaching different art techniques.  Here is the link if you are interested. 

 https://www.yourartfuljourney.com/artpartyweekend 

    This is a great time to find A Room of Your Own (in my case my ROOM is my garage) and be creative.  Especially those of us that are retired and need inspiration to get our hidden creative juices FLOWING.

Cheers,

Paty

Collaging for Fun

     I started out collaging just for FUN. I found a local collage studio that gave classes twice a week. Without any expectations, I went to my first class and embarked on the journey of creating a collage. The group was seated around a long rectangular table, and all the materials we needed were provided.

    After introductions and a brief recap of what we would be doing, we began at 1:00 p.m. and through soft music and conversation, we slowly built up our piles of cut out images. At 3:00 p.m. our artist/teacher/facilitator announced that it was time to begin creating our collages. This was quite a struggle for me for I had no idea what to do.  But as I looked at the work of the others beside me, I began to see that it was just a "put it together" sort of thing. So I picked up my glue stick. 

    After moving images around and creating something, at 3:30 p.m. she announced it was time to put it up on the board. We were then told to look and only comment with positive thoughts, this was a safe space, and negative comments were not accepted. Whew! For a while I was back in grade school and thinking "what is the teacher going to say? Am I going to get a passing grade?"

    Instead, what I heard were lots of great comments about everyones work and positive feedback. But what was even more interesting was what each woman explained about her work. What meaning she got out of it. Now THAT was a powerful insight to what emerges from our personal collage. 

    Here are two collages I created that during some of my classes.

       

Collage tip - an easy way to start is by finding just 3 images that call out to you and words that inspire you and mean something to you.  Put those together and you have your collage.  Go with the FLOW, play your favorite music, and just do it!

Paty