In an effort to be more organized and mindful of everyone's time I am going to use "the gentle movement" post as a place for a quick "check in". This could be to post your goals for the week, ask for help with an idea, let others know what forward movements you have made (people really are inspired by you!), offer inspiration, ask for help or give feedback if people have asked for it (it might be good to ask for what kind of feedback you are needing).
This is a place to celebrate each other and appreciate where we are in our lives. Maybe some weeks, you are so busy you just want to drop in and say "hello, I'm still alive but I am too busy this week to do anything," or that "I am in a total rut and can't get out of my own way." Often we are too hard on ourselves and nobody should feel bad if they have weeks or times when they feel like they can't "move". This is when we need each other the most and can support each other with kindness, empathy, non-judgement and love. I know how difficult it can be to put yourself "out there" and want you to know that you will always have someone "nurturing and watering your garden" when you need it.
Sunday, September 16, 2007
gentle movement (3)
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Checking in from last week:
* learn Photoshop: I ended up working on the first four exercises of Photoshop and although I feel good about getting everything set up I felt like it wasn't very creative.
* work with my pastels to capture the landscape quicker and revisit the media: I did a small 5-10 minute study of the clouds as the sun was fading into the distance one evening this week. I learned a lot about how the color of the sky changes so quickly this time of day.
*work on my writing: I read eight pages of "Wild Mind" and thought about the difference between journaling and writing "practice," which was somthing that I never considered before.
This week will be a bit crazy for me. Brett and I are going to Texas thursday morning and to visit his family, which I am very exited about! This means that I will have to work extra hard to get my "packet" finished for school which is due the monday of the following week. (My "packet" is all of my graduate work for three weeks which includes,[but not limited to] all the reading I have done, annotations, reflections, as well as my studio work and field studies. It is quite time consuming and often I often get a bit neurotic when they are due.) This will make it difficult to continue working on my previous weeks goals, so I had to think about what I could "possibly" do so I will call these "hopes" ~Ha!
Hopes for the week:
*read "Wild Mind" on the plane and try to write two pages a day while I am gone.
*make an effort to get to the Dallas Museum of Art while I am in Texas.
Cheery Smiles, Laura
It has been more difficult than I thought to get back into a routine, With Sonya starting highschool, cheerleading and gymnastics I have been putting on lots of miles but I have also been listening to Memoirs of a Geisha and the language is so beautiful. For this week I am going to make a few prints in my newly carpeted darkroom and frame one or two.I will also do something creative with my flowers maybe dried or pressed.
Smiles to all, have a fabulous week
Brigitte
I didn't get a chance to past last week because I was lucky enough to have my parents visiting, which took up all of my time that I wasn't at work. But I still have had my mind cranking on my surroundings as well as what I can write about. I ordered Wild Minds and Eat Pray Love this week. I just got Wild Minds in the mail and started to read it. I am very excited to try the exercises. Thank you Laura for suggesting it.
I really have been impressed with the photos that Laura has posted from several of you.
So, today, as I was debating taking a walk (the weather has started to creep down into the 90's so I feel like I can get outside in the evening) and doing my weights, I opted for the walk. I took my camera with me in case I saw something that I could share with you or perhaps write about later. It was a really great way for me to really observe during my walk. Suddenly, I looked up, adn saw a rainbow. It was so ironic due to one of Laura's posts, as well as Liz and Tomasen's pictures. It couldnt have been more perfect and I could't wait to get home to share.
If it wasn't for this group, I would have noticed the rainbow and moved on. I thank everyone for making me really think and enjoy the small moments in my day. I am really appreciating the idea that creativity isn't just creating something visual, but so much more!
I just wanted to thank everyone for the support and feedback you have given me about my website, projects, and artwork. I am such a "work in progress" that hearing that someone actually responds to this stuff I do makes me feel like the work is worth the time. I know it is in my heart, but often I say "why the hell does any of this matter?". Many of you seem to go through that same business of self-doubt.
"Movement" in my life lately are: I got my hair cut (finally), I am consistently doing my daily dose (except for yesterday that I am going to do after I am done here), and I build four panels for my upcoming series of artwork. Measuring and cutting are not my thing so that was a bigger deal than it sounds. It is comical watching me measure and cut with the saw!
This week I plan on working on my website (edit and add new photos), write more reflections on what I am doing (in my studio and in life), and read more. I would like to get this book completed that I am reading by bell hooks titled Teaching to Transgress: Education as the Practice of Freedom. It is such a well written and important book for me to read right now. If anyone is interested in engaging with approaches to diversity in the classroom this is a good starting point.
I look forward to reading more posts. I really appreciated the pictures of the rainbows. These types of natural sightings always make me humble.
tina
hello everyone,
setting these goals for small movements have been really motivational - even for a week - i am moving! and i can feel a snowball effect - in a good way - where these movements give me a flash of excitement in my heart, and make me ready for more forward moving. sometimes it's exciting and at time scary too.. starting to think about those bigger changes i might be ready for.
last week -
- i did print my starfish blockprint and will continue to work on carving out a few more details in it's little bumpy legs.
- i went to the postoffice to mail my letter on
saturday at 1pm - and didn't realize they close at 12:30 pm - so off it went in the mail yesterday - two weeks later from when i wrote it - but, i'm happy it's finally finding its way to my friend.
- still chipping away at the spare room soon to be my little studio - still organizing and going through papers. lots of papers! where do they come from?!
hopes for this week:
- complete my starfish print
- i have yet another package to send off in the mail - a little train set for my cousin's little boy sam in new mexico.
i've had the train for about a month! how does this happen? (i think sometimes i think of too many things to send at once and get overwhelmed.. it's such a silly thing to be overwhelmed by - but i feel i want the letter, and everything to be just so for sam and his mom, renee.. but, i am going to do my best within this week to make it a fun little package and off with the train, the print and a letter to new mexico this week!
- continue to get the studio organized. - go through desk drawers, either move fooseball table or old kitchen table out (preferably the fooseball!)
danielle, i agree - everyone's writings have really
made me more aware as well. i'm noticing things and taking the time to roll them over in my mind for a little bit...it's so nice to hear what you are all up to. the insights, struggles, ways you get through and those bursts of light and rainbows in your lives. thank you! it's great to hear about the forward movements you are making.
cheers to pastels, reading, prints, nature walks, haircuts (why do they feel so good?!) and those daily doses!
laura - have fun in tx and i hope the packet is going smoothly! you'll get it done, i know :)
Hmmmm..
Just home from a hike up to Lake Solitude with my sister and 8 Moms from here in town. We started this last year. We take one day a week to hike and then slide right into ski season where we will ski for the day!!
After a wonderful trip through the woods, I was laughing because what was supposed to be a quiet meditative thing turned into something akin to walking along in the mall. I mean really, 8 women gabbing and hiking...do you really think any of us heard any birds chirping?? I did stop at a few points in an effort to notice what was around me and discovered a large grouping of birch trees attempting to grow out of and around a rock. It resembled an enormous chicken foot. I made everyone stop and just hear the sounds of the brook, and of course, everyone was in awe at the gorgeous view at the top. We call ourselves the Cloud Reachers as we reach for the clouds as often as possible. We always start out with notions of grandeur to go every week and it always starts out gung ho, but the numbers eventually dwindle, except for those hard core!! We keep on going week after week, rain or shine!!
It was nice to resume this ritual and return home feeling renewed and revived! There is nothing like a long hike in the woods to keep your head on straight!! We laughed and hooted and hollered and are all much better prepared to help with homework and get dinner and all of those other wonderful daily tasks in the life of motherhood!!
Gentle Movements? I wrote nothing. I am not in a writing place right now and what I am working on is a book for teachers about the teaching of reading and writing. I need to have some time in the classrooms with kids to get into a more authentic place with my writing...so that will come. I am doing lots of thinking around the writing and how I will have to be more cognizent as I am in the classrooms...are these "writable" moments?
I went to the paint store and to Target. Have not gotten there yet, but have enjoyed the journey of my search to create the "perfect" space. It would be nice to have Kim, from HGTV ( She just won disign star!) come and help me out, but you know...it is the creating that I love...the execution has always been harder for me!!
Thank you all for your suggestions and ideas. I am still on the look out for some great cork board.
Have a great time in TX Laura!!
Peace everyone,
Tomasen
Aimee, I appreciated you sharing how little things like your care package can get overwhelming. I feel the same way. I have this book of positive thoughts that I wanted to send to my mother but then thought it would be nice to mark specific pages in it, as well as my own thoughts. Needless to say it is still sitting in my studio. I could have mailed it already and she could already be thinking "positive thoughts". I often wonder why we put so much effort on things being "perfect"?
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