Goldfish sketches
Inspiration
I asked myself today what inspires me as an artist. And I realized that I wasn’t inspired by how things look as much as how they make me feel. It was an epiphany for me.
I tend to gestate my ideas for weeks, months, sometimes even years before I get to the doing stage. Usually I am pondering technique. The actual vision is immediate but getting there is the puzzle I have to solve.
I approach almost every single piece of art I do with trepidation. I am never truly confident that I can execute my vision and I am often genuinely surprised and delighted by the outcome.
I’ve learnt to push through my mistakes (and there are almost ALWAYS mistakes) instead of giving up. Trying to hide or incorporate mistakes has produced some of my best work.
I sometimes feel that the pieces I do come THROUGH me as opposed to FROM me. This is why I have always felt so privileged to have been given this gift. I am most humbled.
My purpose as an artist is to create beauty that produces feelings of happiness, peace, and love. I try to infuse these vibrations into all of my work, which in turn elevates my own energy. It makes everyone happy! Just the way I like it.
Everyone has a “love language,” a primary way of expressing and interpreting love. This will vary from person to person, but will usually be just one (or two) of the following:
1. Words of Affirmation – If this is your love language, unsolicited compliments mean the world to you. Hearing the words, “I love you,” are important—hearing the reasons behind that love sends your spirits skyward. Insults can leave you shattered and are not easily forgotten.
2. Quality Time – Nothing says, “I love you,” like full, undivided attention. Being there for this type of person is critical, but really being there—with the TV off, fork and knife down, and all chores and tasks on standby—makes your significant other feel truly special and loved. Distractions, postponed dates, or the failure to listen can be especially hurtful.
3. Receiving Gifts – Don’t mistake this love language for materialism; the receiver of gifts thrives on the love, thoughtfulness, and effort behind the gift. If you speak this language, the perfect gift or gesture shows that you are known, you are cared for, and you are prized above whatever was sacrificed to bring the gift to you.
4. Acts of Service – Can vacuuming the floors really be an expression of love? Absolutely! Anything you do to ease the burden of responsibilities weighing on an “Acts of Service” person will speak volumes. The words he or she most want to hear: “Let me do that for you.” Laziness, broken commitments, and making more work for them tell speakers of this language their feelings don’t matter.
5. Physical Touch – A person whose primary language is Physical Touch is, not surprisingly, very touchy. Hugs, pats on the back, holding hands, and thoughtful touches on the arm, shoulder, or face—they can all be ways to show excitement, concern, care, and love. Physical presence and accessibility are crucial, while neglect or abuse can be unforgivable and destructive.
Source: http://www.5lovelanguages.com/learn-the-languages/the-five-love-languages/ (abridged)
Physical touch. That’s my language.
Be happy for no reason, like a child. If you are happy for a reason, you’re in trouble, because that reason can be taken from you.
Deepak Chopra (via onlinecounsellingcollege)
Remember, life is a journey. If you got everything you wanted all at once there’d be no point to living. Enjoy the ride, and in the end you’ll see these “set backs” as giant leaps forward, only you couldn’t see the bigger picture in the moment. Remain calm, all is within reach; all you have to do is show up everyday, stay true to your path and you will surely find the treasure you seek.
Jackson Kiddard (via onlinecounsellingcollege)
The highly sensitive tend to be philosophical or spiritual in their orientation, rather than materialistic or hedonistic. They dislike small talk. They often describe themselves as creative or intuitive. They dream vividly, and can often recall their dreams the next day. They love music, nature, art, physical beauty. They feel exceptionally strong emotions—sometimes acute bouts of joy, but also sorrow, melancholy, and fear. Highly sensitive people also process information about their environments—both physical and emotional—unusually deeply. They tend to notice subtleties that others miss—another person’s shift in mood, say, or a lightbulb burning a touch too brightly.
Susan Cain (via onlinecounsellingcollege)
Without a plan of life you will never have order. – St. Josemaría Escrivá, The Way
My immediate reaction to this was to reject it. I’m still rejecting it. Plan? Don’t they say that we make plans and God laughs? My plans have hardly EVER worked out. I’ve had more plans fail than I’ve had succeed. Order? It’s been chaos since day one! I’ve never even known what order looked like! I’m sorry but for some of us it just doesn’t go that smoothly. And it’s not for lack of trying.
soulsistrin 