dream, dreaming, heart, life, magic, mystery

Dream life or dreaming awake?

August 10, 2018 Maria G

Dream life or dreaming awake? What does that evoke in you? Do you want a dream life with all the comforts and shiny stuff, or do you want to know more about dreaming? As in living by your inner guidance.

Sometimes I feel as if I’m wandering like a puppet through a dream, and that’s in “real” life. People seem like cardboard characters, and the craziness of the world is just that–crazy! As in unreal.

I know in my heart that there is peace and beauty. I feel it every day, and it’s in sharp contrast to the 3D life all around, UNLESS you focus on the mystery of life.

The tiny signals, the simple synchronicities in everyday life are what makes things really interesting. They are subtle but you can experience the support of the universe though those signals.

It becomes a fun game to discover more of the treasures.

It’s too difficult to describe since it’s a personal inner experience, but it’s available to anyone who is curious enough to want to find out more.

Life is massively more profound than what we normally experience.

That is what inspires me these days. I want to know more of the mystery.

Everything else is pale in comparison.

Still, I can’t just sit in a corner and wait for things to happen. I still create and that is as close as I can come to the mystery in my actions. I love the surprises that happen.

Lately, I created some clay hearts / ornaments out of air-drying clay. It is different to work with than polymer clay. Lots of fun. I molded everything by hand.

Sooo much fun really!

You are blessed! We truly all are. There is a difference to really feeling it versus just seeing the words.

I’m okay with hanging in limbo art-wise. There are so many ways to find expression, and these clay hearts became an experiment when my painting muse had been absent for a while.

Meanwhile, I look toward the mystery every day to see how I can receive more of the gifts by being open and grateful. Everything else has sort of become secondary, but I long to tap more deeply into my creativity too.

I highly recommend a book I read recently: A Complaint Free World, by Will Bowen. I’m in the middle of the 21-day complaint free challenge, and it’s hard. It has shown me just how much negativity seeps from others, and also lives in me. The more aware I become the more I reject complaining, gossiping, sniping, bitching, etc. You get the idea.

Try the experiment. It will change your life! 🙂

So, there is only one way to go–forward!

Kicking and screaming sometimes, but that’s the human dilemma.

My dear companion kitty, Bailey, crossed the Rainbow Bridge two weeks ago, and I miss him so much.

Who is going to lie in my middle of my work table now? He would always jump up when I was in the middle of creating, but I didn’t mind. I moved to the side as you can see in the picture. 🙂

What we do for our furry friends…

I’m going in to my studio now. It’s time to create.

I wish you a creative and wonderful weekend with lots of sunshine.

Maria xo

For more inspiration, check out this post: Receiving is a Good Thing.

P.S. The hearts are available in my etsy shop, Earth and Faery, as are lot of other goodies!

art, art making, artist, commitment, habit, magic, resistance

Resistance–we all feel it

July 20, 2018 Maria G

Resistance is more than the brave people who worked during WWII to defeat the Nazis. I’m talking about resistance, the Nazi within. We all have it, and I think creative people have many close encounters with the beast, probably once a day or so.

As an artist, I walk into the studio every day with the hope of being productive and inspired. Many times I walk in there with the need of coffee or some other stimulant to keep myself alert.

Truth is, energy is available in vast abundance.

Resistance shows up in many ways:

Don’t try these new paints, they won’t work well.

Don’t repaint that old picture.

Cleaning your fridge would be a more effective use of time…

The studio is too dirty to work in, clean it!

Painting is an iffy proposition–at all times.

Don’t waste the paint on that old painting.

You;re too tired to paint…

It goes on and on. Why is it that so many excuses pop up when we’re about to do something that we actually enjoy. It’s like starting over every day.

Maybe creativity is that way. What will show up on the canvas is uncertain, so why even try? Every new day is a challenge.

Should I use my time better, do something that needs to be done (chore) or do I stick with the plan?

Since I made the agreement to stick with my art years ago, it has become simple to stay in the studio, but Resistance will show up in sneaky ways, holding hand with its cousin Excuses.

It’s never easy.

But what worthy endeavor is?

It’s also hard to be self motivated. We learn early on to follow orders, never questioning their importance.

Taking charge of your life and actually DOING something you love on a greater scale can be scary.

Flying without a safety net.

For many, that is a nightmare.

It is the trickster within that builds things out of proportion and say you can’t have a life that is outside the norm.

Let’s say the trickster is the ultimate expert, the father of resistance and excuses.

When you recognize these guys, just laugh.

You have enough confidence in yourself to know you’re being tricked.

A solid commitment to the art, or craft, is a must. If we haven’t made the DECISION to make art no matter what, we don’t have a strong foundation.

A strong commitment and habits to produce will strong-arm those negative voices aside. It’s really important to nurture the commitment. With time it becomes very strong.

Every painting is a risk of failure, but what isn’t?

It’s worth a try. When inspiration seems to be absent, spread some paint on a canvas anyway. It could become a good foundation for a masterpiece.

Practice allows the door to open up and magic step in.

It’s a special joy to see the process through, and the rewards can be great. You never know on any given day.

Another post that might inspire you when the negative voices are loud: My inner critic on rampage.

Another post: Who is in charge?

I’m working on this goddess painting. It will need some tweaking, but it was a great process of seeing her emerge from the chaotic background.

I don’t know what will appear today on the next canvas. Time to find out!

Have a great creative weekend!

Maria

P.S. I have lots of goodies in my etsy shop, Earth and Faery. Check it out. 🙂

art, clay, creativity, mixed media, polymer clay mosaic, spirit doll

Spirit doll faces and more

July 11, 2018 Maria G

Spirit doll faces are new to me. I have always wanted to try self-drying clay, but I know it doesn’t work well for my mosaic tiles. I did get inspired by cruising on etsy to try my hand at some free-form sculpted faces.

To finish them, I used the same process I use for painting mosaic tiles. I have a video on YouTube on how to paint tiles. VIDEO

I had so much fun and they are pretty easy to make. I used a purchased face mold and then sculpted the edges as I felt inspired.

I could use all of my favorite colors!

To get the imprints I used rubber stamps mostly. I also added some clay “hair” and the pieces fused well to the clay as it dried.

I’m playing with making a doll in a shadow box, but so far, I’m not very happy with the result. Assembly with lots of materials is tough, but it’s always fun to try something new.

I’m using hand-painted fabrics, but nothing is finite in this picture. Just playing!

The faces are now available in my etsy shop Earth and Faery.

I also made one of my mini shrines so far this week. They are pretty popular but somewhat labor intensive since every part has to be cut out and molded individually.

You are blessed indeed! 🙂

I’m having fun with clay and polymer clay. What are you working on? It’s important to spend part of every day in the studio for art exploration = self exploration.

Let me know in the comments if you like the spirit doll faces. Thanks.

Have a creative rest of the week.

Maria

art, art journaling, gratitude, inspiration, life, magic, receiving

Receiving is a good thing

July 2, 2018 Maria G

Receiving is a good thing though they say giving is more important. Receiving is not what we think it is as in birthday presents and people doing you a favor. Those are all part of it, but to me, receiving is a state.

A state is a condition that we experience, FEEL. Most of us don’t have a clue about how to receive. Guilt plays a big role. We have to live by the convention of “I scratch your back so you scratch mine.”

It is an exchange of energy between people and I don’t disregard that, but receiving is so much more. It’s a state of “grace”, of being fulfilled, of gratitude for life as a whole, not just the perks we get.

When you’re in a state of receiving you are not chasing anything, no gains, no positions, no desires, no wants. You are open to receive whatever comes, but if you are filled with gratitude for life, mostly good things come to you.

It’s not easy to gain that state of receiving in a consistent manner, but by examining life and all those beliefs and habits that hold us back, we can learn to accept it ALL, and from there gain appreciation about the mystery of life.

We basically don’t know any more than newborn babies. They know more that we do in a greater sense. They are still pure and innocent, as we once were. They are in a state of receiving.

As are pets if you think about it. They lie around all day and don’t worry where their next meal is coming from. It never enters their mind, and they are always provided for.

In a sense they take for granted that life will support them. And it does.

Meanwhile, humans run around, or rush down the closest highway to get to nowhere. We worry and curse and plan. We are always chasing money. The whole day is revolving around making money.

We lost that innocent trust a long time ago, traded it for a man-made world that offers a lot of pain and suffering.

When we claim life and stop struggling, something shifts. Life becomes more beautiful and filled with situations we can be grateful for. The more accepting and grateful, the more abundant the gifts from the universe.

It’s not easy to change, but by becoming aware of what we do, and why, and what we say, and our prejudices, we can slowly shift the energy to be more supporting and loving of ourselves. The more you love yourself, the more the universe will support you!

What does this have to do with art, you ask? Really everything.

We tend to criticize and judge our art efforts harshly.

We compare ourselves to others.

We have an idea of what the art should look like, and it never does, so back condemning the effort. It can be a vicious cycle. Many stop making art because of it.

What if the art you make turns out ugly (in your opinion.) What then? Do you continue or just drop the whole adventure?

If we don’t stick with it, we miss out of the mystery. The adventure becomes a hurried rush down the highway, like with so many things we do.

We are addicted to doing and seeing results.

When you can shift and be in a receiving mode as you begin your art session, you are in a non-judgmental state and can receive the art as it manifests through you. That is such a gift!

It might not look like much, but your energy is in it. The receiving as a state of grace shows up in your art. Even if you only painted a blue line across the canvas, people will feel something.

We might admire technique but it’s the energy that draws us.

Stop chasing, become a receiver of life. Make open stillness be part of your daily process.

I did some art journaling lately. I can’t say I reached that magical state of wonder, but I had fun.

Be who you want to be.

A cat person…

Doodles

Strange lady… Summer solstice

More doodles…

I guess I was into yellow and blue this week.

To be open to receive is to allow, to accept, and live in gratitude for what is, and what appears on the page.

Follow me in Instagram. I post most photos there, @greeneearth

I have some ideas if you’re looking for a gift. My etsy shop has lots of cool gifts. Earth and Faery.

You can read some of my older blog posts for more inspiration: Why do you do what you do?

My inner critic on a rampage

Have a great and safe July 4!

Maria

art, authenticity, creativity, intuitive art, journaling, worthiness

Pondering authenticity

June 1, 2018 Maria G 8 Comments

Pondering authenticity is what I did this morning, and yesterday too, as I worked in my art journal. There is the eternal question of “who are you?” Besides a spark of the Divine that we all share, what is truly important in my life?

The answer is easy: to grow my soul. It has nothing to do with art, but I’m using that as a medium. It’s about becoming more, to expand, to learn, to deepen.

Lately, I’ve been feeling empty, Inspiration has been far away. Not even a promise of cookies and ice cream has brought back the muse.

To some extent, I have felt uncomfortable with the art I have been making. There is a very fine line between copying and authenticity.

What with so many e-courses and workshops offered about intuitive art, which is my main art interest, I find that you’re prone follow the “ways” of the teacher, and you learn to let go of the restraint of conventional art beliefs. This is all great and all the courses serve a purpose.

But what if you feel stymied even with these free-flowing ways?

I have tried it all, and always come back to myself, feeling there is a piece missing.

I’m left with myself and my feelings of inadequacy. If I truly follow my art moment to moment, the pieces won’t be popular or get many likes on Instagram. This is a fact. I have delved into my art making this way, and then felt I could do better. It’s the ego that wants recognition and praise for the “beauty” of the art.

That is not authenticity. It’s sooo easy to fall into styles, be it spiritual art or abstracts or avant-guard non styles.

If I allow my art to develop, one paint stroke at a time, I come up with these blocky paintings.

These paintings tell a story. They are not pretty, but I sense myself in them more than in any other kind of art. Here is an example of another painting that I then painted over because it wasn’t worthy. (Sorry about the poor quality of the photo.)

The painting then turned into this:

So much prettier, right?

I suggest we are slaves to styles, trends, and what is considered beautiful by the majority. i know because I’ve tried to cater to the crowds by making my art pretty and acceptable.

I do have many paintings where I have followed the brush strokes, and they haven’t sold, for the most part. Here are a couple of old paintings that I still have on my wall.

I painted “Moon Goddess” in 2009. I find that my truly intuitive leaning has a hint of the indigenous art you see in many cultures.

My art journal spreads reminds ME of something indigenous in Mexico of old. It’s more of a feeling than a fact.

Below is the process of a painting, “Balance,” that I painted in 2008. It’s one of my favorite paintings and now it’s hanging over my bed. I had it for sale for years, but no takers.

pondering authenticity — old studio space

My friends say they can see me in all of my art, which is probably true, but to me it’s about exploration.

So authenticity is not really a noun, it’s a verb that means DOING, or taking action. Only through action can we evolve. Authenticity is something strange and wondrous that you explore, not in your mind, but with your hands and heart.

Authenticity only deepens as we dare to go down the road of “not pretty” or sales-worthy. The good thing about art journaling you don’t aim to sell any of it. That takes the pressure off.

Authenticity can’t be explained, only experienced. You can’t really ponder it, but it’s there to be felt.

Whatever the online gurus fling around the internet as in “be your authentic self” is not practical to the individual. You can follow their lead, but it’s ultimately your inner exploration / prompt that is valid to you. Other artists’ ways will put a restraint on your soul.

However, any art making is good as it moves you forward. 🙂 Just do it any way you can!

Want more inspiration? Check out this post: Trusting The Unknown.

Looking for a gift? I have items for sale in my etsy shop: Earth and Faery.

Have a great weekend!

Maria

art, artist, creativity, Divine, highest potential, journaling

Why do you do what you do?

May 11, 2018 Maria G

Why do you do what you do? That is kind of playing with words, but seriously, what keeps you going in your current direction?

I journaled about that this week, asking myself, why do I make art? Why do I WANT to make art? There are several reasons of course:

I like it.

Something inside pushes me to create in whatever media of the day.

I love working with my hands.

I like to experience the process, the revelation.

I like to be surprised.

I love to feel that I’m a tool for something greater, but more often than not, it’s a regular day in the studio, where nothing really extraordinary happens any given day.

BUT, basically, the true answer is: I want to create to reach beyond my 3D existence and learn more about my unseen and hidden life. I want to be connected more deeply to the Divine, and I feel art does that for me, besides meditation, which I experience every day.

The unplanned result of a painting sometimes takes my breath away. It’s no way I created that. I availed myself to the process, but what came through was MORE than me.

I believe we’re supposed to live that way, to offer ourselves as a tool to the Divine who then speaks beauty and inspiration through us. You don’t have to be an artist to live that way.

The role of an artist is to be a catalyst for beauty, but also trigger a longing to know MORE about life.

It’s hard to explain when you stand in awe in front of a painting. What is that awe? Certainly not triggered by the brushstrokes, though you might admire those too.

It’s that undefined something, the diamond in the coal, that makes me want to show up for my art every day. I fail to show up a lot, and I fail to be inspired, but there is something pushing me along.

The more I can express that Something, the closer I get to my true, magnificent self. That is the adventure; find out more about the radiant magnificent being that I am living in a multi-dimensional universe.

It is the greatest adventure!! What is pushing you from inside? It’s time to blaze new trails, discover the diamond within. It’s ultimately the only way to live if you want to be ALIVE.

Writing in your journal and digging deep around your “why” is a grea exercise!

Lots of love to you! Have a great weekend.

Maria

P.S. I just posted the above ready-to-use art journal in my etsy shop this morning. If you have a fear of the blank page, check it out. EARTH AND FAERY.

Maria Greene @ Greeneearth

Dream life or dreaming awake?

Resistance–we all feel it

Spirit doll faces and more

Receiving is a good thing

Pondering authenticity

Why do you do what you do?

Artist and writer