Sacred Journey

original painting, mixed media collage on canvas 60 cm x 60cm

inspiration avenue challenge

prints available here

Creativity is your own sacred journey. One that requires you to go within. It’s about getting to know your true self, allowing yourself time to grow, believing in your own creative abilities, having the courage to put something out there that others aren’t doing and most importantly accepting yourself unconditionally.

I Listen Within

This message has been vibrating through me for some time now and so I've listened and put it into action....

Here is a statement of encouragement, an affirmation, a reminder to come back to centre and listen within. To truly listen to those inner meassges, however they come.

Its a statement about being on purpose, with everything we do, choose, create, strive for.

Its a way to honor and value ourselves and to stay on track.

There have been so many times that I haven't listened to the whispers of my heart and wondered how I got so far off my Path of Purpose. Here's a list of some of the hows that have steered me wayward...

• everybody else is doing it...it must be good/right
• fear of being 'left behind' if I don't do something
• competition
• others know more than me so I'll do what they say
• 'they' have more experience/authority than me, they must be right
• simply...I would do anything to succeed
• this is what I have to do to get ahead

All of these relate to stronger outside voices, inadequacy and fear.

I want to be reminded that there are other ways to be guided and a visual always works wonders! By posting this on my blog I am reminded everytime I'm there to plug into my own wisdom and listen.

If we make a choice to listen we can be perfectly guided. It's is simple, but not always easy.If this feels right for you, I'd love to take this Affirming Badge.

Grab a 'Listening Within' Badge

<center><a title="NicHohn" href="http://nichohn.blogspot.com/2010/07/i-listen-within.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4120/4788847749_b698259434_m.jpg" width="150" height="109" alt="listening badge " /></a /></center>

I'm all about making changes for the better, and you?you are welcome to leave a link/comment....

what does creative potential look like?

.............................

I've felt inspired lately to journal, lots. its the place I go when I'm working through 'stuff' and it seems to help cement or anchor the thing I'm working through. there has been lots of pages with hearts, and that was lead up artwork for my journaling class on Sunday. its been about connecting. wanting to connect to my own creativity and my own potential.

its so easy to scoot around and see what other artists are doing via the interent. lets face it it is such an instant, visual feast its hard not too. lately I've found it challenging to know if it is actually my idea or something I've seen, somewhere on someone elses blog or website.or does that even matter? for me the most important thing is to acknowledge the inspiration, try it, see if it 'fits' and give it my own slant.

this journal page is helping me acknowledge that I am already in my creative potential, as we all are. its not something that is out there somewhere waiting till we get to a certain point of our journey. it is already within. realize and recognize it. this is what my creative potential looks like to me at the moment. what does yours look like?

open mind to creativity

This week is the week. if you ever thought about having an open your mind to a different perceptive on creativity now is the time. this month is the month of Leo, he is the sign of creativity. and this week sees a New Moon and the Sun in Leo. wow....that is potent creative energy.

if you really want to get into the swing of things , the New Moon is the best time to do it. its the time the Universe is open to you setting your intentions, getting clear on what you truly want from your heart and your soul. Because we are such visual creative creatures planting your new seeds of intention in your journal or what ever form you feel inspired to create is going to have an impact on your creativity.

its important to get quiet within and ask 'what do I most need to express at the moment?" and "how can I affirm that in a positive light?"

The New Moon is at its most potent form on Thursday 20th 8.02am (Australian time). So if you can get your new seeds of creative intention on paper (it can be as simple as writing a few lines down) that is the best time to do it! If you are wanting to dig a little deeper or find out more Ashtara has many words of wisdom. The result of your intention is then illuminated during Full Moon. ( two weeks after the New Moon)

This is our own backyard, creativity is the stuff we artists use every day. not just in our art, but creativity is in our blood and it beats in our hearts.its worth finding out more about how creativity ticks through us.

Riding the Creative Wave.

yesterday i watched 'surf's up' with my son. i have to say it was a good movie.one of the most intriguing parts i found was in the bonus features. learning how they made the movie and the new technology and thought/ideas that went into producing it.
i also loved the bonus material on 'surfing like a pro'. for me it was so related to creating art that i jotted down these notes to share ....

So how do you surf like a pro? Or create like a Master?
(according to surfs up)
~choose you board, medium or type of expression
~build confidence by practicing
~watch your environment and others
~get centred and find balance
~dig deep and get momentum
~it gets easier as you go along, and it can be hard to start
~put the effort in to get going....then ride the wave
~don't consciously think, pop up even if you are in fear

Once you've caught the wave most of the hard work is done- just harness the energy and go with it.Let the wave do the work, go with the flow and don't force it.

then came the good stuff about WiPinG OUt!
~if you are not wiping out you are not having fun.
~just part of the experience
~relax and go with it
~don't give up, get out there again
~go with the energy and enjoy the ride!

what makes a great surfer? artist?
~having the most fun,loving it
~be connected to be wave, the feeling
~not having high or low expectations
~just experience it.

WOW, for me that just popped off so many sparks about being in the creative process. and i loved the fact that wiping out is such an accepted part of surfing...just like some creative adventure that didn't quite go to plan. it's all part of it. the fun of it, if we chose to see it that way.

the creative surf's up!

yesterday i watched 'surf's up' with my son. i have to say it was a good movie.one of the most intriguing parts i found was in the bonus features. learning how they made the movie and the new technology and thought/ideas that went into producing it.

i also loved the bonus material on 'surfing like a pro'. for me it was so related to creating art that i jotted down these notes to share with you....

So how do you surf like a pro? Or create like a Master?

(according to surfs up)

• choose you board, medium or type of expression
• build confidence by practicing
• watch your environment and others
• get centred and find balance
• dig deep and get momentum
• it gets easier as you go along, and it can be hard to start
• put the effort in to get going....then ride the wave
• don't consciously think, pop up even if you are in fear
• once you've caught the wave most of the hard work is done- just harness the energy and go with it.
• let the wave do the work
• go with the flow and don't force it.

then came the good stuff about WiPinG OUt!

• if you are not wiping out you are not having fun.
• just part of the experience
• relax and go with it
• don't give up, get out there again
• go with the energy and enjoy the ride!

what makes a great surfer? artist?

• having the most fun,loving it
• be connected to be wave, the feeling
• not having high or low expectations
• just experience it.

WOW, for me that just popped off so many sparks about being in the creative process. and i loved the fact that wiping out is such an accepted part of surfing...just like some creative adventure that didn't quite go to plan. it's all part of it. the fun of it, if we chose to see it that way.

mud puddles & sand in my swimmers

Paint in a mud puddle...

So what do mud puddle and sandy swimmers have in common? They both sound yucky, but they are both heaps of fun!

On the weekend we headed to the beach. It was hot so we went early. And we all headed straight for the water. After a while my daughter wanted to build castles in the sand. Usually I feel quite resistant to playing in the sand...I've just come out of the water and sand is going to stick to me everywhere! Right? Well I've been feeling that my life has been just a little too serious of late, I want to let go and have some fun....So I ended up sitting in the shallow waves, having runny sand poured down my back. And you know what? it felt delicious, like I was having a treatment at a day spa. I just had to let go of the 'I want to be clean'. We ended up having so much fun covering each other and filling our swimmers with runny sand. ( which easily washed out in the water.)

Why am I telling you this story? Just to acknowledge how easy it is to get into the habit of not being playful. And being playful, I have found is so important when it comes to creativity...

So now I'm gradually letting go having 'things' clean and tidy....and allowing the child within play time! Mess it up!!!

creativity is not confined to art alone

Here is an article, I wrote and was published last year, on Creativity. I felt it was a great time to revisit it...



Recently at an Art Show, I had many opportunities to talk with people about Creativity and Art. After being told by an art appreciator that she couldn’t draw a stick figure, I began to wonder why we perceive creativity to mean art?

Creative, defined in the dictionary, means inventive and imaginative. Does that mean that my mechanic could be creative? My gardener? (I wish) Or my yoga instructor? My computer man? Sure it does! The essence of creativity is within us all, it resides in a place that can be easily tapped into when we are looking for a solution. What may come is a creative solution. Have you ever come up with an inspirational idea that has popped into your head and seems so crazy it might just work? Isn’t that being creative?

Cast your thoughts to Leonardo da Vinci.... did anyone tell him that creativity meant only art. He was also a great inventor as well as a great artist. Thank goodness he knew that creativity was all encompassing! One day I might have the opportunity to go hang gliding, or take a helicopter and thank da Vinci for being so creative.

Maybe you’re a great cook and love being in the kitchen, or love being outdoors in nature, or fishing (yes I am married to a very creative fisherman!) …. If you love what you’re doing, you may just find that you are being creative. I know when I am doing something I love, I feel happy, and I want to do it often because I feel so good!

So it is with awareness I ask you ‘Are you Creative?’ And in that moment when you are doing something that you love, you might say ‘Yes I am’. Art is one form of creative expression, but so is a warm batch of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies, made with love.

A bit of Creative Fun.

This was found by Vicki, one of my Creative Coaching buddies. I have a great laugh everytime I watch it!