As an artist and creative, I’m always looking to stretch myself and try new things, sort of change things up to keep me on my creative toes but not so much that I feel strained or burdened. JOY is what drives me to pursue different paths. My curiosity gets initiated and then I eventually just MUST make space to try out what’s been in my heart and desire to do. One of the issues I face as a artist is putting myself in a creative box, one I invent for myself, sometimes, without even realizing it. Then I begin to feel the confinement of that box, like something doesn’t feel quite right. Like my creative freedom is being minimized somehow. We all put ourselves in boxes of one sort or another, don’t we? And often, we have no idea that we have done so. We just start to feel restless, like something has to change, or we might just get a little annoyed! As a painter, for the past several years, I’m delved into intuitive transparent watercolor, both on canvas and on watercolor paper. I built myself a portfolio, both for public viewing as well as some personal paintings I have tucked away. But, alas, I have still felt other artistic urgings begging for attention, and I think they were starting to feel forlorn that I hadn’t done something about it already! Well, it was just a matter of time before I broke out of my transparent watercolor box and decided to try some mixed media, often a combination of transparent watercolor and gouache paint (which is more opaque in nature), as well as adding pen work with india ink. Plus the subject matter that has been pining after me has been fashion focused whether garments, jewelry, or handbags and shoes, etc. In the past year, I did do several pen renderings of my own jewelry and then I added a bit of watercolor marker for a colorful flair. But recently, I decided to make space for a fashion rendering of a colorful fur jacket that I’ve had pinned to my inspiration wall for some time now. Out came my gouache paints and my sketchbook, and I finally went to town with a paintbrush. I didn’t do any sketching ahead of time for structure or for figure work. I just started applying paint and ran with it. After the initial gouache groundwork, the next day I used my Winsor Newton watercolor markers and Faber Castell Artist Pitt Pens for added depth and texture. So this is basically my first attempt at rendering a fashion piece with paint and pen after many years of sketching/drawing fashions with pencil in my youth. I was quite delighted with the result. No, it isn’t perfect and I see my flaws. But it was a complicated piece and I’m satisfied with how it came together.
I’m sharing this with you, dear reader and friend, to show you the importance of making space for what is calling to you. Whatever it may be. I know we all have busy lives. And we all fall into our ruts of sorts that we just naturally follow, until we feel that pining inside and finally decide to do something about it. I’m glad I did. Yes, it took me a while from the time I pinned that image. But timing is everything. And I did this rendering on the heels of another painting I just completed, that is a combination of transparent watercolor, gouache, and collage with card stock, which is another creative goal I have met. Yes, in a sense, I feel like I'm on a roll with breaking out of the boxes I was in for a long time and really making space for the new. It doesn’t mean I’m going to donate all of my time to those new ventures. I like dabbling. And I still have my go-to stippled watercolor painting I so love to do and have from the beginning of my watercolor journey that started almost 7 years ago. My aim is to follow my intuitive heart wherever it may lead and indulge in what brings me the most creative JOY for my path. What will your Creative Path pine for next? Journaling Prompt: Make a list of 10 ideas you want to follow. Which one is pining most for your attention right now? Start making plans to open up space for one or two ideas that you feel the most drawn to. Remember to keep it simple so it’s do-able and brings the most JOY. Art Journaling Prompt: Break out of your art journaling “box” and try a new approach to a spread that you’ve been wanting to try but simply haven’t made time for. See what this new approach opens up for you! Doodle Prompt: Draw a box and items in the box that that have been your go-tos, things you’ve been doing for a long time or using that you want to put aside for now. Draw another box with the items that you are pining for or that are pining for your attention! Subscribe to The JOY Finder here! Get Creative with Dawn's Directives and Life Affirmations Coloring Pages with Prompts here! Copyright 2017 Art Rendering by Dawn Herring Copyright 2017 Blog Text by Dawn Herring Note: The image to the left is from Elle magazine and is copyright to them. Thanks for the inspiration, Elle!
0 Comments
In this video I host what I am now calling my JOYFest on Facebook Live, where we can share our JOY together in community and creative conversation. I share some news here at Refresh with Dawn Herring as well as what is currently giving me JOY. I share samples of my new Dawn's Life Directives and Affirmations Coloring Pages with Prompts, as well as a peek into a new painting I'm working on with watercolor, gouache and collage. Plus more.
You are welcome to leave a comment below about what is bringing YOU JOY. I'd love to hear from you, dear creative person. Subscribe to the JOY Finder here. Listen to my Podcast, Refresh Daily, on SoundCloud here. Purchase Dawn's Life Directives and Affirmations Coloring Pages with Prompts here. It's time for more Acronym fun, isn't it? I shared my September Acronym late in the month (better late than never, right?) so I'm back at it (albeit, late again...sometimes it take me over a week to remember we're in a new month!) with October's rendition, all with the purpose of initiating more JOY and Creativity in our daily lives.
Here is the acronym for October: Ongoing Creativity Takes Over Bringing Each Restoration Journaling Prompt: Make a list of the "creative" activities you have engaged in recently, wether in the last few days, weeks, or month. Note which activity you recall most clearly and the positive impact it had on your well being, bringing "restoration." Record it in detail. Art Journaling Prompt: Create a spread that shows what restoration or "rest" means to you and honor your creative space to reflect that essence. Doodle Prompt: Using your favorite doodle pen or other implement, create a doodle that focuses on the word "Restoration." and reflect on what that means to you. You may want to put the doodle in a frame to remind you of how your creativity enhances your well being. I am so excited to share with you my new Podcast, Refresh Daily with Dawn Herring, and the first episode is titled, Observation is a Key to JOY. I'm sharing it in full video mode on my YouTube Channel so you can see the slideshow I created for it. Of course, it's not completely perfect, but I'm very excited to share with you what I've created so you can share in my JOY! I trust you will get inspired by listening. I've included an introduction, a jingle I wrote and sang, the topic content with prompts, and my concluding invitation.
If you'd like to read the text in addition to listening to the podcast episode, you can check it out here. If you're interested in signing up for The JOY Finder, check that out here. And you're welcome to leave a comment below letting me know how you liked it. :) Thanks so much for being a part of Refresh with Dawn Herring: Where Finding JOY Takes Center Stage. Here is the audio version of the blog post, Self Care: Optional or Essential? I'm providing audio for those who prefer to listen rather than read. If you would like to read the blog post, just follow this link. Thanks for listening and you are welcome to leave a comment about how you're making self care a priority as well as give feedback for the audio! I'd love to hear from you. :)
Note: If you are interested in listening to the audio of Self Care: Optional or Essential, please click here. Here at Refresh with Dawn Herring, Self Care is at the TOP of our Priority List every day. That means, you're engaging in something you love every day, initiating your spirit being lifted, leaving you feeling fabulous, full of energy and ready to roll with your daily life tasks because you're taken care of yourself. But the question is, are you making self-care a priority? Do you still see time for yourself doing what you love as optional rather than essential, vital, and necessary for your well being? I would like to share with you my Top Ten Reasons to Make Self-Care Daily (and without guilt!!) 1. Self Care Boosts Your Immune System. Yes! You will actually benefit from greater health on all levels as a result of making Self Care a Priority. I know that motivates me to keep it going! 2. Self Care Gives Energy. Obviously a healthier immune system will initiate more energy in your body. And the more energy you have, the better you enjoy life. 3. Self Care Aids in Appreciation of Self. Do you appreciate yourself for Who You Are? When you engage in any kind of self care, it gives you the impetus toward really seeing yourself and appreciating what you see (perhaps instead of beating yourself up, comparing yourself to others, etc.) 4. Self Care Helps you see your Value. This goes hand in hand with self-appreciation. It can be easy to overlook what you contribute to your immediate environment of family, friends and outwardly to your community. Taking this step can initiate prevention of undervaluing yourself and what you do every day. 5. Self Care Enhances your Physical Well Being. With your immune system boosted, and your energy lifted, you're enabled to boost your physical activity, doing what you enjoy to get your blood moving and those endorphins activated to make you feel fabulous! Not to mention the health benefits of being active! 6. Self Care Initiates Stress Relief. When you engage in what you love, often what is currently on your stress radar fades into the distance as you enter the "Zone." And the more often you engage in self care, the less stress you have. Motivating, isn't it? 7. Self Care Enables Self Expression. Being able to express yourself and use your "creative voice" in whatever way lifts your spirit can really give you new ways of enjoying how you see life and how you like to share that view. And your unique "take" is different from anyone else's. And that's what the world needs! 8. Self Care Opens your Creative Flow. As you make self care a daily priority, you will see an increase in your creative ideas which can really activate some fun, inspiring action! Who wouldn't want to tap into all of that? I know I do! 9. Self Care Makes a Way to Give to Yourself. When you care for yourself regularly, you are essentially giving to yourself what you deserve: Time, creative impetus, greater value of what you contribute. You really begin to see what you've been missing and can feel like you've hit the jackpot! And when you give to yourself, then you have more to give to others. See self care as oxygen to your life dimensions. You will see growth, positive change and all kinds of good things! 10. Self Care Helps you Learn to Love Yourself. You begin to see all the ways you benefit from putting yourself first as you're feeling good, you're looking good, you're experiencing more JOY, more Happiness, a greater sense of well being and value, and your soul feels nurtured and alive. And here's a bonus one for ya! 11. Self Care Reduces Depletion. Instead of ending up exhausted, irritable, and even resentful and angry that you have nothing left to give since you haven't given to yourself, you make way for rejuvenation, which re-energizes you. Don't wait till your depleted. Make it a daily priority so you can experience all the goodness Self Care brings to your life table. Journaling Prompt: What does Self Care mean to you? What is the first thing that comes to mind that really showcases self care from your point of view? Let your Intuition guide you as you make a list of at least 10 ways you can initiate self care in your every day life. Start today with your favorite one! Art Journaling Prompt: Create a Spread using Self Care as your prompt and use the colors that inspire you toward loving and caring for yourself. You can use images as collage pieces that show specific self care actions to inspire you. Doodle Prompt: Create a fun visual using Self Care as your starting point, making fun and spontaneous marks on the page and see where it takes you. I want to leave you with this song, The Greatest Love Of All by Whitney Houston, that is kind of an anthem here at Refresh with Dawn Herring since it truly shows the value of Loving Yourself and why it's so important to take care of yourself. Truly, when you do, it leads to positive change and opens up your Personal Empowerment like never before. (See? Two more reasons right there!) Listen and Enjoy. And then go do something right now that makes you feel fabulous! Copyright Text 2017 Dawn Herring I have a lot of fun with Acronyms! I created one for the Month of May in an earlier post, and now I've created a new one for July. Above you will see the video I posted on IG to share my acronym, plus I've included it below in text format so you can use it as a journaling prompt or simply a reminder to initiate more JOY.
Here's my Acronym for JULY: JOY UNEARTHED LIFTS YOU See what you can do with this acronym! You can get creative in your journal, art journal, or sketchbook and/or create a doodle for it! Just have fun reminding yourself to initiate more JOY on a daily basis. How can you unearth more JOY today? This Month? All summer? May JOY Find You in the Most Unexpected Places. Copyright 2017 Dawn Herring 5/24/2017 JournalChat Live FB Video: Why it is important to have relevance in your journaling practiceRead NowHere is the video replay from my first #JournalChat Live Facebook Video in our private group. I share how my journaling practice is relevant for me in my intuitive watercolor painting practice as well as in discovering life patterns where I want to create positive change. Plus I share news about my website, my blog, and social media and the ongoing #JournalChat OPEN HOUSE which you can contribute to right now.
Here are some links in connection with what I shared in the video: JournalChat Live OPEN HOUSE Journaling Prompts 21 Day Refresh Intensive JournalChat Favorites My post on Dialogue called Making Conversation Journaling Prompt: Record any life patterns that are making you feel stuck and use dialogue to ask questions and get answers. Use alternating hands: dominant for the question and non dominant for the answer. Art Journaling/ Doodle Prompt: Use a page or spread in your art journal or create a doodle that emphasizes a life pattern you want to change and what you want it to look like in your re-alignment. I so enjoyed a Facebook Live today as we shared what is creatively inspiring us! I share about my creative practice, my painting, my music, plus news! I trust you will be inspired, and you're welcome to leave a comment on what is creatively inspiring you right now!
May JOY Find You in the Most Unexpected Places. I am back with another fun #WearyourjoySpring hosted by @kellyraeroberts . I really had fun with this one since I recorded it outside! I share my jewelry choices my favorite color red orange and my funky socks.
|
Details
![]() Dawn HerringDawn engages in many roles: As Writer/Blogger and Artist/Creative and Founder of Refresh with Dawn Herring: Where Art and JOY Align, She enjoys sharing from her vast experience as award-winning, life-long artist and leader in the field of written journaling, offering encouragement and proven tips to other journal keepers. Dawn's focus is on written journal keeping, artistic expression and finding your Creative Voice, and positive change that leads personal empowerment, encouraging you to leave your authentic and positive mark in the world. Dawn is a Commercial artist, hand letterer/illustrator and writer/blogger and enjoys sharing insights, humor, and encouragement as she shares from her life experiences as a woman, wife, mother of two grown daughters and as a Grandparent to a special needs grandson. She enjoys keeping a journal and reading spiritual texts to help keep the light on. May JOY Align with Your Creative Heart. Archives
August 2019
Categories
All
|