Update From the Art Room

Here's one of my latest paintings I'm working on. As you can sort of see in the pic I have a picture sitting on my table that i was looking at for reference. It's a sweet picture of some moss I took in Ely... it can actually be found on this post!
The process of painting is a p r o c e s s! Sometimes it comes so easily sometimes it takes work, take patience, takes practice.
I'm not 100% happy with this piece yet... I just keep working it and re-working it adding more and more layer. They are all so individual, telling a story of my days, my life. I recently read something... it related our life's being like a puzzle and sometimes you have that piece that doesn't quite work... that one that seems like it won't fit. But it takes putting together that entire puzzle to figure out WHERE that last piece fits!
That's kind of how I feel about the "moss" painting. 

In other news
eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!
This is my new easel

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omg, omg, omg!

I feel so blessed to have this beauty! My husband bought this for me for my Birthday/Wedding Anniversary present back in July but it just made it home because I had to get a truck to get the thing home from Duluth. The cool thing is, an artist friend made it too! Best presents ever!

Really need to go buy some big canvases now!

Captured these while painting...

love the drips!































OHHHHH and did I mention I'm on Instagram now!
I am so flipping excited!

Follow me at: Cre8tiveQueenNat

Much love,
Nat

In Memory of Jacob

Today was Jacob's funeral. It was such a beautiful fall day. The sun was shining and leaves falling. I took note of the birds, the clouds, the grass.... 
feeling gratitude for all the little things on this earth that I see everyday.

As I approached the open casket I noticed noticed pieces of paper propped up inside the casket. They were drawings his little son had drawn. They looked like drawings of their family, stick figures drawn in markers.

My heart just broke.

I wonder if his son will be an artist like his dad?

As artists we create things with our hands. When I paint - I pour my heart, my spirit, my soul out onto the canvas. It's raw... it's sometimes scary to put that out into this world and I think that's why so many are afraid to say they are an "artist." People say oh it's JUST a hobby, I'm not really good at it or whatever. 

But these snip-its of our soul... whatever they may be - paintings, photographs, quilts, sculptures, journals, scrapbooks or whatever it is you create are left for those to remember you by. 
Although I know that when we leave this earth all of our earthly possession are gone. 

What matters is who you touched on this planet.
Did you make a difference? 
Did you follow your dream? 
Did you do what you love? 
Did you sing, and you laugh, did you dance? Did you live in the moment? 

Somehow though....the art that Jacob created, all his sculptures that are left...
Can bring back memories, can make his friends and family (or admires or strangers) smile and hopefully inspire them and bring them joy. 
His high school in Iowa wants to make a memorial garden for him with some of the sculptures.

How cool is that?

I love hearing that! I hope his art touches and inspires generations to come.
I never really thought about leaving this planet and leaving behind art.
You would hope it would be when you are kids are grown and you have grandchildren.
 
Because Jacob was taken so abruptly in such a senseless act, I feel like the sculptures are something they can cling to, pieces to his heart, his soul and spirit. 
From what I knew of Jacob in only the short time I knew him...
I could tell he was very passionate about his work... and like most artists
he poured his heart, soul and spirit into each and every piece he created.

Recently I asked my grandma about my her mom, my great-grandma. 
I was wondering if she had any journals, or old letters.
Something.
Some sort of light that I could shine onto my past, a piece of her, a story, something more that pictures and what little memories I have of her.
She died when I was just a little kid, but I feel strong a connection to her even now.
She has given me signs but I'd love to know the stories of her heart.


The funeral actually inspired me to create. 
I left thinking... Why has it been over a week since I picked up a paint brush? 
I need to keep doing what I love.
Why? 
Because I believe that when I do what I love I might give someone else the courage to follow their passion and do what they love.

Let's make this world shine!
xoxo
Nat

Making time for YOUR passion!

You know all those things you wish you could have time for?
Those things you used to do?
Always wanted to do....
You know all that list of things you will do when you have the money?
When your kids grow up?
When you get your dream job?
When you finally finish your house?
When your sister gets better...

OMG!
Just flippin do it!
YOU DESERVE the time for your passions and your dream list. You do.
I have to tell you this because I have a feeling your like me... and life gets crazy, work, family, kids, pets, to-do lists, house projects.

Two simple reasons to take the time....
1. You were born to do it!
2. It will light YOU UP... and light up everything else in your life.
 
It's been four weeks since I picked up my paint brush...
I've had nothing to do with my camera...
And it hurts.
I'm so excited that my big deadlines are over and my work schedule will sort of go back to normal.
I feel like my creative spirit came surging back today!
I gave myself some breathing air.
The weight lifted.
I felt something bubbling up inside me.
Nervous and scared to paint...
I headed up to my art room. 
To a canvas I thought was ugly (cause it was.. kinda in the awkward teenager stage)
and it just 
came alive...
Tears were there... mystery and beauty overflowed and fear melted away.
There it was...I am overwhelmed with happiness!

YOU 
CAN 
DO IT!

Making time for your passions is not easy.
But once you do it.. it gets easier the next time. And you remember how amazing it feels. How it can change all areas of your life.

Make time for dreams or time will disappear and your dreams will fade away.

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

Passion

Make time for your passion.

When you don't make the time - time disappears. QUICKLY.
Where did those 6 months go? Where did the week go?
Oh... too busy with TV? Kids? Work? Chores? School? Life stuff? 
I know that when I make time for my passions...
I am happier.
More alive.
More Natalie.
Getting behind the lens of my camera is a passion of mine.
It is never going to be the same shot even if it is the same subject matter, the lighting will be different, the place, the distance... the angle, will all be new. As a photographer I never ever get tired of capturing all the beauty around me.
It's too beautiful not to capture.

I took out my sketchbook and even though I was really tired...
I did a simple sketch...
and I'm back to that place of passion.
Pure BLISS.
I'm not tired anymore - I could sketch and create all night.
Escape.
Passion.
YES.

What is your passion?
Singing?
Dancing?
Swimming?
Making Trains?
Hoola-Hooping?
Helping People?
Gardening?


Go.
Now.
Make TIME FOR YOUR Passion.
That thing you don't make enough time for.
That thing you love.
That thing your not sure you love but you think you love.


That one that lights you up like the Griswold's house on Christmas!


GO!


Feel the joy =)
It's inside you if you will make the time.
If not now...
When?!