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.

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 

Art Journaling during Retirement

    Retirement.  I don't know why we have this mental picture in our heads that retirement is going to be wonderful. After I retired from teaching, it turns out I had too much time on my hands. All these years hearing about what a joy it will be when one retires.  But after a vacation or two or three, there were endless stretches of time. 

    Sure there are lunches with friends, days working out at the gym, volunteering once a week at a local non-profit, but there was still something missing. 

    I had always enjoyed art, and taught many art lessons while teaching kinder through fifth grades in the library.  But I had never really done anything for me.  It was always finding ways and materials to show young children what illustrators did. 

    And then one day I walked into a collage class and that has changed my retirement life. I have discovered a world of art creators and teachers, (mostly inspired women like myself), who have discovered the freedom of how to express themselves through collage and mixed media. 

    This is the piece I created this week at collage class and a piece I will look at and study for the next few days. By looking at color and shapes and images, I will "see" what the collage is trying to tell me. 

    I have been creating collage and mixed media in journals for three years now.  The time I spend doing this gives me such joy and a sense of self-discovery in my retirement years. 

    I hope you like the art and hope it inspires you to take up ART during retirement. 

- Paty