Art Is A Journey

I know, that does sound cliché and I could probably use another word besides journey for my title but that is what art is….it’s a journey.

It has its ups and downs, it has its adventures, there are dry times and then there are the prolific times. That’s what creativity does, it takes you on a journey.

Lately this journey has taken me to some interesting places where I’ve been dong prophetic art for others. This has been such a fulfilling experience that I could not have imagined for myself, yet my own personal arty pursuit moments were making me feel a little frustrated. I even have been struggling to write words in my journal and have been annoyed at such inspirational lack.

So what did  do to fix this little conundrum?……besides looking at Pinterest! (which sometimes is not wise as it can make one even more frustrated by ones lack of action).

Well it all started with the Book Thief .

In one part of the story, Max the Jewish bloke who was hiding out in the book thief’s basement used the pages from Hitler’s Mein Kampf and then wrote his own story on the whitewashed pages. I know for a long time that artists have been working with old books to create wonderful pieces of work, however for me I’ve never gone there because I’ve had an issue with wreaking a book.

A couple of days ago I decided that it was time to get over my issue and just follow my inspiration.

I purchased two old books which came to $4 and I also purchased brown paper lunch bags because it’s all about following the inspiration. I then went and sat in a lovely space and commenced my “getting over my issue”.

I then went home and continued with my inspiration flight and did this

I’ve since added a few more pages and have constructed a book. Following this approach has been a huge relief and I can’t wait to see where it takes me. Lets just say my clogged up brain suddenly could see many open doors to more creativity and as a result of that awesome thought I drew this.

So what is my little takeaway message here? Go with what is nagging at your inspiration muscle, as you will feel so much better when you do and you never know where the journey will take you next.

1 Peter 2:9

The other day I took a walk down to my local shopping centre when I noticed this tag

I was immediately struck by the prophetic nature of the image, so I took a pic and proclaimed 1 Peter 2:9 over the person who scribed it

 ⁹ But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession,that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

I want to clarify that I do not condone tagging or criminal behaviour, yet looking at this tag gave me hope for this city. God loves the people who live in this post code and lets not forget it.

A week after capturing the tag we had our band  fund-raiser so that we can purchase equipment to record our songs. I had no intention of doing any prophetic art but after the prompting of one of our church members I thought, what a good idea.

As I started painting that night, I had no clue about what I was going to create until God reminded me of the tag.

The image down the bottom is a big symbolic hug. Not only does Jesus want to call this post code his royal priest hood but he wants to give it a big Heavenly hug.

I’m glad that I captured the tag, as today it was gone. It was white washed over and as we all know,  tagging is naughty.

Prophetic Art

Just recently I have launched out and have begun to do prophetic drawings for other people.

What is Prophetic art?

What I consider to be prophetic art is where I create from God’s heart to bless the person whom I am creating for. I’m not the only one doing this kind of thing. Here is what others say about prophetic art’ Worship Studio, Prophetic Artists,  Daniel Vogler and many more.

My journey as an artist began as a small child and I have always considered myself an artist. When I was 17 I came to the Lord and found a whole new and wonderful life to live. When it came to God and art I always saw the connection but I never saw myself as a Christian artist. I have always seen myself as an artist who loves God. Yes, there is a difference 🙂

A number of years ago I painted my first prophetic painting at church (You can read about it here) and I had no idea that it was prophetic until a few years later when one of our elders mentioned it. Oh yeah, that’s prophetic!!! So that was in front of a church and a word in season but what about individuals?

So strangely at the end of last year I had a compulsion to draw this picture about one of my friends

My friend is the one who is flying and I had no intention of ever showing him the picture until I had another sudden urge to show him. The very next day I received a word saying that I will paint pictures that will bring healing to the person I have painted for. Things are heating up people!!!

So I began the journey after one of my friends asked me for one

I then thought that I would draw a picture for the newly appointed elders of our church.

It’s important to note that this is not my style of art, yet it is a thoroughly enjoyable way to be creative. I think about the person and ask God what I should draw. I then get an image. Once I start the first part of the picture the rest just flows and God gives me an encouraging word for the recipient.  I also pray that what I drawing will mean something to the receiver and that it indeed shall bring a healing to them that is supernatural. This really is an exciting way to do art. I love it.

Today I drew another picture for someone. While I was drawing this I was reflecting on a word I had received the night before from one of our elders. she saw me giving away daisy’s to people. Oh yeah…..love that word. I then had a sudden Holy Ghost thought “I should draw daisy’s and give them away” So I did!!

 

I gave these two to the cafe workers who serve me coffee all the time.

 

 

 I’m so loving doing all this creative stuff.

This is just the beginning of an exciting journey and I am struggling to put into words but I’ll try because I want to keep a record of this awesome wave I am on.

I’ll shall keep you all posted.

Words Fail….At The Moment

Recently I have found it very difficult to put words down. Even in my journal where nothing is viewed except me, I have struggled to just write the words that bubble in my brain. It seems a bit of a shame, as so many great things are happening in my life right now. It’s as though I am living the dream.

What is the dream?

To be happy

Look at me I am happy

There has been an increased revelation of God’s love for me where I have learnt to just believe what God says about me as truth and to stop carrying on about what I am not.

I have a lovely family. I have a garden. I have chooks. I have peace. I have friends. I have the favour of God. I have pink hair. I have creativity. I have the abundance of God. I have joy

As words seemed to escape me of late let me show you what adventures I have experienced this recent month.

Our girls lay eggs

Our worship team have been meeting to write our own songs. We have become home-grown.

We are doing a pantomime at the community garden

I got to play dress ups for the panto

I got my hair dyed pink

We have baby chickens

Received sponsorship for the panto from Shellharbour City Council 

I got an opportunity to create prophetic drawings for our newly appointed elders

What further things can I add? So many great things that probably don’t need words, or the words are in my head mixed with joy and excitement that it’s difficult to express with just words. May my pictures, body language and how I go about my daily life tell the story.

Before I sign off let me just share this video of me as Penelopen. Hope you enjoy it 🙂

Weekly Photo Challenge: Work of Art

For me art is a part of my life.

This is a collection of images where I have been able to express myself to create a

work of art

Sketching Excursion

Today I decided to take my sketch book to the lake to see if I can do some preliminary drawings. I firstly tea stained the pages of my sketch book to get a different effect.

As a painter I have been very frustrated with the works that I have been producing of late and it’s obvious that I need to take a different look or approach to art making.

I’ve been inspiring myself by looking at works of art that make my insides sing; such artist include

• Richard Diebenkorn
•  Ben Quilty
• Philip Wolfhagen
• Ian Fairweather
• Rosalie Gascoigne
• Wayne Thiebaud
• Colin McCahon
• Dennis Hare
• Andrew Wyeth
• Liza Hirst
• Sandy Ostrau
• Giorgio Morandi
• Wendy mcwilliams
• De kooning

It has been such a feast to my eyes and soul to ponder upon such works and I want to go and produce something that equally satisfies my soul rather than paint a whole bunch of stuff that annoys me.

Of course, I’m sure most artists go through these frustrating times and that’s where one needs to just keep pressing on.

Here is some images through photography that I captured on my drawing excursion.

 

A new Discovery

I’m feeling very inspired right now as I have discovered the lovely Melanie Safka who sang a host of very familiar songs but WHY ON EARTH HAVE I NEVER HEARD OF HER BEFORE!!!!!

One of my favourites is this one; Lay down (candles in the rain)

I first heard of this song in the 90’s when Max Sharam brought it out. The amazing timing of this, was when it came out I had written a song with the same melody just weeks before.

Today I was reminded of this song and the connection that I have with it. I was pleased to discover a beautiful songstress and now I am utterly inspired.

I feel like I am bubbling with excitement and creativity, I am not the best song writer or guitar player but I have passion, I am not polished but I am roar, I am not tidy but I am very interesting and I am a dreamer but I am grounded.

I had dreams that seemed to have gotten lost in the crowd of life, yet somehow I think they may come alive again? I really don’t know everything that I want to say. I’m just excited and feel a release of some sort. I hope that I am making sense lol

Here is a picture of what I looked like when I wrote my song. I think that I was 22.

Installation Art

For many years I have considered myself a painter, yet for the past year I have been exploring other art forms which have been incredibly stimulating. This week I have been doing installation works with torn strips of material and wool; first in my back yard then at the community garden.

I started on this tree branch on Tuesday.

The next day I worked on another tree and used strings of wool

I think you all need to join my tea party

I love being an artist!!!

Gardening And Art

I have come to the conclusion that gardening and art are a harmonious match. For over a year now I have been attending my local community garden and have been expressing myself through creativity which has everyone calling me the “resident artist”.

It really is such an easy environment to be arty farty and I am so glad that there are committed gardeners who create such a place for me to play. Just recently I have started my own backyard permaculture style garden and creating artworks in the backyard is a given.

I started to make a different style of teepee

As I was constructing my installation work I was thinking about the connection between a garden and art. As the  Garden of Eden was the first dwelling place for humans and we are created in God’s image then I am only doing what God did. I am being creative within his creation. I am imitating the great creator and feeling awesome while I do it. I don’t care if that makes me sound weird but, that’s enough for me to rejoice in such a wonderful match.

Expectations

I’ve really been thinking about this topic of late and how it can affect your life in a positive or negative way. Some expectations are reasonable such as, if I were to order a coffee in a cafe I expect to get my money’s worth with good service provided, you rent a house you pay the rent, if a uniform is required then knock your self out and wear it,  however, I would not expect a two-year old child to behave like a five-year old.

I have come to yet another point of self-reflection just recently and expectation seems to be the buzz word for me right now. A couple of weeks ago I failed yet another assignment and then said to myself “I can’t keep this up”.

I have greatly enjoyed my studies (Bachelor of Education Early Childhood) and it has changed my life in many positive ways but on the other side of the coin it has also caused much stress and I’m a bit over it. When I failed my fifth assignment I had to re-evaluate what I was doing and where am I going??

I decided that it was time to put the studies on hold for now as I clearly am not coping with such pressure right now. When I made the decision I felt elated and relieved and even my son told me how happy he felt.

I have asked myself many questions since putting the studies on hold and my ears have been attentive to Gods words when he whispered “Will you let me be your Father?” Such an extraordinary question which really reflects the Grace and the kindness of God. It’s time for me to really take heed of Psalm 46:10 “Be still and know that I am God”

This tells me that I don’t have to prove myself to anyone. That Grace is enough. I am doing the best I can with what I have right now and even though challenges are great some are for a different day.  At the moment I need to take life that little bit slower or do things that give me a more immediate happy feeling. Life has been too intense for the past 8 yrs and its time to listen….I’m listening.

My reasons for commencing studies was to better my changes of employment, which is a great thing to do. I have also wanted to be a teacher and early childhood has always appealed to me. I am passionate about play and making sure that children are never robbed of their childhood by pushy marketers who want to deceive parents into thinking that they are doing a crap job at raising their youngins!!

The ideal of doing what I was doing was a good thing, however when it affects your mental health and family time suffers then its time to adjust the vision. After making my decision I certainly felt quite philosophical and wrote the following statements on Facebook.

Being able to adjust is an important part of fulfilling the dream

What if the time-wasting activities are things you are meant to be doing???…..just a thought!

What are the expectations in life that I have been trying to adhere to? I want to be a responsible citizen and do the right things by the community but what if the expectations of society are not realistic? It seems that just being a mum is not good enough or being an artist is just a hobby.  So many expectations out there…..scary!!

But not scary. It’s not scary if I reflect on what God has told me, that he is my Heavenly Father. It’s not scary when I live through Grace. It’s not scary. It’s not scary if I just believe what the word of God says about me. It’s not scary at all.

When I was a young child I wanted to be one of the disciples that walked with Jesus. In fact I longed for it. God heard my prayer and when I was 17,  I met Jesus and understood the reality of Christ. From that time all I ever wanted was to be that disciple from my childhood.

I was never an ambitious person and I was never one to strive at things that seemed important by society’s  standards. When I read in the Bible about searching for wisdom and knowledge as silver and gold I took it seriously. That is what I wanted for my life and now at 41 nothing has changed.

I don’t live by the worldly expectations that change with the tides and I never have. I have always been told that I am different, unusual and unique and as I have grown older I understand what people are saying. Over the years I have experienced many frustrations, especially when I try to go the normal path that people take. However, when I do my own quirky thing it seems to go really well and I find unexpected success.

Today I declare that I shall walk in the freedom that was given to me at the cross and I will no longer try to live up to false expectations that will rob my joy. I will follow and do the things that I was created for and sit quietly for the voice of God to gently lead me. Everything else that has robbing power can just dissolve and disappear out of my life……I’m moving forward.