PPF - Fishin' Fun!

I'm BACK!
 
I've been so busy creating lately! I posted a couple of times here and here about unraveling in process.

And emerging through letting go and just painting with wild abandon! 

I've really missed painting and sharing with the Paint Party Group on Fridays! 
Besides all the canvases I've been working on I finished up this Illustration "Fishin' Fun" All my free weekends this summer have been spent at the cabin where we do lots of fishing!

Have a beautiful weekend friends...Check out the other talent here! 

Nature Spottin'

My biggest source of inspiration is nature. Hence my longing to live closer to the deep wilderness. Here are some of my favorites pictures that I captured at the cabin last weekend.
 
We bought bikes this year (YEA!) and a bike rack (YEA!) and brought them up to the cabin and went on a 17 mile bike ride through Itasca State Park! WOW! It was so beautiful and inspiring, great workout too!

I can use these back in my sketchbook or in paintings as a source for ideas, shapes, pattern, texture and color!
 

 

 

 

Hope you are staying inspired and focused on your dreams however big or small

... the summer is going by so quickly for me!

Happy Summer - Happy Day!

Nat

Blooming in Layers

Here is the one of my recent paintings showing all the layers. What an amazing process I am going through. Of letting go, of finding ME in my work. I felt a little vulnerable, on the edge of something great. A journey of my true expression, breaking free from what I think the work should be, just letting it all flow from inside me. 

I met with an old friend yesterday and she said "Isn't it great to be an artist?" And I can't help but think of that now as I compiled all these images together to see the progression.

It's exciting and freeing.

I am trusting myself, and following my intuition.

Where ever the brush takes me, I say yes.

YES!

I look at this last photo I took of my painting, and I'm in love. How can I describe it? I remember the first time I just painted "freely." Damn, it felt good. It flowed from the oceans inside me. I was in high school (10 years ago) I created a piece for a special boyfriend. What was on the canvas was my heart, I told him. It was my expression of my love. It was a poem in color. My deepest feelings expressed through the texture, strokes, shapes and rainbow of color.

This idea of me being all over the canvas still rings true now.
 
Today I look at this painting I created, and I feel so overwhelmed with joy and happiness, it brings me to tears. I feel like my true, raw - heart, soul and spirit is here for you see. It's me.

This is the forest of my heart.

Letting go of expectations I have for myself, fears of what others will think is right where I am, and right where I want to be.


xoxo
Nat

Flowing

Inspiration is flowing so freely! It feels so good. I don't have to feel in the mood necessarily to paint. (That's a new concept for me!) I just get in there and go. Creativity takes commitment. I really do believe that. Pushing through even when we don't feel like creating! I started painting last night at 10 pm and stopped a little after midnight. As soon as I started working - the flow came! It's there inside me. I don't need to feel like I am forcing things, because I'm not. I am an artist!

Today I went and bought more paint and 2 large canvases, so excited to get back to my art room!

I am in love with some of the layers and others I am not sure about. But sometimes I am surprised at what becomes revealed in each new layer. I'm working towards listening to my intuition.

This process is moving and transformational for me as an artist. 

I am thrilled with the process, I feel like FEAR can't stop me anymore.

Without fear ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE!
Commiting yourself in the direction of your passions can only lead to dreams coming true!

Are you commiting yourself to your passions? 

I keep seeing the quote...

If not now... then when?

A Connection to the Universe

The big blue gitche gumee revives, relaxes, refreshes and soothes the spirit. I've written about her so much. 

And yet I never get sick of capturing her, of visiting her and embracing all her beauty.

Leaving this beautiful place of peace was so hard. It feels like I'm leaving home. The visit was too short. 

Summer means lots of trips to the great gitche gumme, which makes me so happy!
And the bonus is my mentor lives there!

I got to spend some time with my mentor this past weekend. I shared with her that I'm taking the Bloom True e-course. I told her about how it is changing me, and transforming me. I told her how for the first time I feel like there's a part of me, an artist that has maybe been hiding inside me... that was finally set free. She had written about her first experience of breaking free and painting with wild abandon, and she wanted me to read it.

And as I read her words it brought tears to my eyes.

She had felt that same way I did?! 

I didn't really feel like I could describe it to anyone that would understand. When I opened myself up to the universe... I received a "YES! YES! YES!"

She had felt that exhilaration, that birthing of the true artist being revealed and breaking through. 

I felt an inner enlightenment at that moment. 

When someone has been in your shoes, experienced the same thing you have, felt your joy, or felt your sorrow, your tragic or hard LIFE shit, that human connection makes us come alive. We may feel overwhelmed with gratitude, peace, joy, energy, relief, connected to the great circle.

When my husband was in Iraq and I got to connect with other people who's family members were at war, I felt relief, joy and in-spirit. They were going through what I was going through.
Those brief moments of connection helped me get through it all, they were the sun breaking through clouds for me.

This is why it is important to share your story, your experience, your gifts, your talents.

You can and will make an important impact.

Reaching out. To friends, strangers, at school, or work. Putting yourself out there. (I don't know if you want to shout it out from the rooftops?) But..
being open
to the universe and all the opportunities it is presenting you. Maybe through blogging, your web site, even on social media...The inter-webs is such an amazing tool!!

When you share your beautiful story and someone can connect and relate, we make this world a better place.

I have heard so many magical stories of people sharing their life, their story, on you tube, on their blog, in their city, and it touches thousands, it makes the National news headlines, makes the local 10pm news....

Make that connection to a friend, a stranger or on your blog, anywhere really - be creative.

Your story, your life, is important!

Much Much Love and Joy,
Nat

Throwing paint and learning to LET GO!

I am creating a new me, birthing the artist that has been there inside me my entire life.
I was born this way.
I am painting from the spirit, from the body, and it feels so good.

I don't have to critique myself or think about what the end result will be.
Let is go - and trust your intuition as Flora suggests...

WHAT A CONCEPT! =)

I'm not really the type to methodically plan out what I'm going to paint...although lately and for a longest time I have always had visions, and dreams of completed paintings. I usually just start applying paint and see where it takes me...

I feel like I am truly blooming... I've discovered a new process through the Bloom True E-course. The process of layering and painting without thinking and just trusting myself, is transformational.

Trusting Natalie.

Trusting that what is inside me is perfect.... is really so perfect. 

No standing back and wondering, thinking, or analyzing.
No thinking about the finished piece. The final product.
As artists we can easily get stuck in this fear, the fear that stops us.
Dead in our tracks.
What will it look like? (Finishined product fear!) What if I'm not in the mood?
What if I suck at painting today? What if people judge my style of painting?
What will the people think of it?

I was just really so exhausted the other tonight. I worked and then came home and cleaned for couple of hours. I walked the dog, and then exhausted, I thought I don't have time to paint. It was past 10pm (my bedtime)...I was exhausted and had a big day on Saturday (leaving town at 9am)!

I marched upstairs and got some painting clothes on.

I got in there (My studio... OMG?! I freakin' have an art studio?! How cool is that?!)
Hello gratitude.
I just let go and threw paint... without stopping.

GO. GO. GO.

Release. F L O W.

It all onto the canvas.

GO. GO. GO.

Released.

I clean all the brushes and climb into bed to blog, and write it down. 
I had to express the amazing-ness and tell you how good it feels to...

just let go.

I didn't even really closely look at the paintings when I was done (what a concept!)

I felt liberated.

I felt like I'd been set F R E E.

Have you ever created something and it brought you so much joy you cried?
I'm there. And it's awesome!

It's not even WHAT I created that brought me so much joy - it was the process.

Let go.
And really experience the process, without thinking about the finished product.
Don't stop.


What you need to create is already inside you,
Much Much Love,
Nat

Oh-ya It's a Bliss List!

Hey everyone,
  What an amazing week! I've been having lots of little bliss moments this week! I'm embracing an Iced coffee right now - Hello Bliss! I'm sharing over here on Liv's Blog!
Some of the highlights this week were:

1. Making homemade enchiladas last night with my hunny on the grill. The amazing recipe we tried was from here (awesome blog!) and this one was a keeper!

2. Having a spontaneous night of girl talk and wine with a good friend, who lives 2 minutes away! =)

3. Making the time to sketch! This one was inspired from a recent trip to the cabin where we caught lots of fish!

4. Today I look down at my fingers typing this and the pink sparkly nail polish can't really be made out now because they are now covered with red, yellow and lots of orange acrylic paint! This is Bliss my friends! I have invested in myself and have finally enrolled in the Bloom True. I've been wanting to take a Flora workshop... for a very long time and I finally did it! I am worth it.

5. I am so blissed out today because I am looking forward to a girls day tomorrow at my favorite place - the North Shore. The forecast looks like rain so we will be inside painting and getting our creative - BLISS - ON!! Yahhhhhoooo!

6. My Best friend brought me a bunch of packs of fresh flowers!!! Which I then got to in turn give some away and spread more happiness and joy. I love the ripple effect.

7. Walking buddy this morning and seeing 2, (not 1!) but 2 green herons. These little birds are my favorite. (right up there with the Eagle) These little guys were circling above me - and calling. It was definitely a sign from above, the universe saying "YES!!!"

Have you been noticing the little moments of bliss this week? Let's invite in more good! I find the moment I start focusing on good - I'm on a roll! Try it =)

XOXO
Nat

Advice from a Best Friend

Have you ever?

Some days I swear my life plays out in song.

Do you know what I mean? Or am I just crazy???!?

People talking, people working, people walking their dogs, birds flying, cars going by.... and I hear nothing but a song.

Like in the movies... It's soooo magical.. 

Have you ever felt this way?

Here's today's anthem...

Have you ever taken a fist full of glitter and thrown up in the air?

Have you ever looked fear in the face and said, "I just don't care"?

Have you ever invited a stranger to come insiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiide?

Have you ever felt this wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy?

Have you ever held your breathe and asked yourself will it ever get better than tonight?
Have you ever wished for an endless night?

I love, LOVE, LOVE music, it can move us, lift us up, it's such an escape.
I love blaring the music so loud in my car and jammin out to a awesome song, or working at caribou and rockin out to the tunes!

What would we do without music?
What's your anthem today? What music are you escaping in today!?
I'd love to know =)
xoxo
Nat

DIY Inspiration Board

I am taking the Radiant Goddess E-course (which is super amazing if you want to feel radiant!) and one of our tasks was to create a "Radiant Artwork."
Meaning....
Create an artwork or collage using any medium that... that expresses the energy of Radiance!
I didn't really have time to go through magazines and cut and paste so I chose a much easier option.
EASY OPTION = AWESOME!
I logged on to pintrest and found images that meant radiance for me.
And then I downloaded all the pictures and make a quick little collage in photoshop. If I wasn't all computer savvy and graphic designerish I could have just printed each one and collaged them. But... since I'm super awesome and know how to use photoshop I whipped this baby up! And waaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh - la!

 

Instant Inspiration.
Procrastination over (since I made the board on Pintrest a couple of weeks ago)
Released for happiness to be had!
Posted at my desk where I can see it every day!

 

My collage highlights some of the what inner radiance looks like to me...

• Making time to be out in nature
• Eating colorful things
• Making time for peace (mediation or prayer)
• Shine my light into this world
• Make time for art
• Be my highest self
• Getting enough rest

 

What is it that makes you feel Radiant!?

Make an inspiration board this weekend - make it simple! Maybe you draw it with crayons - whatever sounds simple to you!
Do THAT!

Create an inspiration board for:
your life
your art
your dreams
your hopes
your home
your summer
your business
your family
your relationship

 

IN VISION it now =)

 

 

Love, Love, Love,
Nat

 

 

Where will you find it?

At work? In your lunch?
On a walk? In your cup of coffee? In your child?
In your dog?
Where will you find it?
I was walking by a storefront and saw these little beauties - they look straight out of dream. To good to be true...edible even!
It seems when my eyes and heart are open to receiving love and beauty it finds me over and over and over again.

KEEP YOUR EYES AND HEART OPEN!

And Receive.

Like a breath of fresh forest air the little beautiful things will show themselves to you!

May magic and beauty be yours today!
xoxo
Nat

DIY - Fairy Garden

This Weekend I made a Fairy Garden with my mom... Super Easy and Cute - thought I would share some of the pics with you! Although I do not have pictures of the step by step process it's pretty easy to explain and understand.

GATHER ALL THE MATERIALS

You will need:
1. A container for the garden - a clear glass dish (Deep enough for soil and wide enough to hold a few small plants) 8+ inches I think would be good - think shallow and wide), Glass terrarium thingy, Glass bowl, garden pot - ANYTHING/or space to put the soil. Recycled items would be cool too - an old wood soda box - be creative!

2. Dirt =)

3. Plants - At most garden centers you can buy mini plants. Mini are best because you want the garden to look small (somewhere the fairies would live!) You will want moss (you can buy this at craft stores or garden centers as well) Or you can go find moss out in nature too! Succulents are a  great plant to put in these - these can even be bought in the plant section at Home Depot/Walmart/Lowe's! I even discovered AIR plants - the crazy underwater looking one in my fairy garden - is an air plant - THEY DON'T NEED DIRT! He is so FREAKIN cool (kind of spendy ($6 for the tiny little guy) but so much fun!)

4. Rocks - any sizes you like! Sand or gravel too - again I found my rocks in nature on the beach!

5. Fairy Accessories! And really this means anything - maybe it's a mini animal garden...
maybe it's just a zen garden with plants rocks and sand! Think outside the box here!  

CREATE IT
1. Lay the dirt down - Fill almost to the top - leave an inch so the plants kind of look tucked in!

2. Dig mini holes and plant the mini plants/succulents!

3. Lay down moss if you want!

4. Make paths out of the rocks - or lay down sand/gravel.

5. Add Fairy Accessories!