Allowing
ACEO #30
©2008
2.5" x 3.5"
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Weekend Joy
I had intended to post every day this month as December is 31 days devoted to Joy, but this weekend I just wasn’t there. I tried to make it happen, force some kind of joy but that’s not generally the best way to go about things.
So I decided to just allow whatever I was feeling and do nothing. Ending a relationship is never fun and time is needed to just let it sink in and stop taking things personally. So I hunted down every episode of Lipstick Jungle (which from what I can tell is the same as Sex and the City with 1 less friend) on nbc.com and spend most of the weekend doing very little.
It was nice. And by mid afternoon sunday I was feeling like myself again and I went back to my studio and put in 5 hours and I didn’t want to stop when bedtime came around. Joy had returned.
Sometimes it’s best to just allow whatever needs to happen to happen and then joy returns.
I did have fun on saturday shopping for lights for my new studio/house remodel. Well, maybe a bit too much fun. Now time to cancel a few of them and go for something a bit more basic so I can afford the porch I want. I will keep the mission style lights for the outside of the house – they are pretty cool and gotta splurge occasionally.
Lime, Fuchsia and Blue
This weekend I worked on some pieces in brighter colors than I normally do. It was quite fun. I was asked to see what I could do in these colors for a collector and this is what I came up with in addition to the ACEO above.
Structures #106
©2008
6"x 6" – Mounted on stretched canvas
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Structures #107
©2008
6"x 6" – Mounted on stretched canvas
Sold
This isn’t my best photography work as I don’t normally work in these bright colors. I think some of the problem is my super bright laptop screen. When I check them at work tomorrow they will probably look better.
Posted by Lisa in: Being an Artist, Diversions, Drawings
Tagged: Art for Sale, Joy, structures series
Lisa, the bright colors are very joyful, aren’t they? . . . I admire you tenacity in seeking out joy every day. It’s inspiring. Also I admire you for being honest about all your feelings – and for using your art as the anchor and touchstone for restoring joy.
Love ‘em! I also think it’s fun to play with a challenge. Having someone pick a color combo and say “see what you can do” is a can’t-lose situation. You will stretch yourself and find that you met the challenge and your work benefits in the long run or you stretch yourself and decide on another direction. Either way, you win.
Right, that new ACEO is now a favourite! These are a nice bit of cheer in the winter (it’s been solid gloomy grey for about a week here).
Your daily joy did inspire me, but then I forgot about it! Perhaps I was synching with you a bit and if you weren’t there that’s why I forgot?
Lovely colours!
Love these colors!
Lisa! These are delicious. Sometimes a little color is good for the soul.
Those colors are stunning. Pretty and vibrant. You have used such happy springlike colors without appearing to have gone down the bunny trail.
Lisa,
I love the red, white and black below! And watching your style expand to this new palatte, and vignettes. I especially enjoyed reading about your construction and how you are attracted to the forms. That turned the lightbulb on for me about your thought process and view you are sharing with the world through your art.,
Waaaaaaayyyyy back in college we had to go into a textile/color room and pick out the most hideous color we could find. It then became out project to do an entire living room for a”client” who loved the color we had just chosen. In retrospect I shoulda seen that one coming a mile away, but I didn’t. My color? An obnoxiously bright lime green laminate sample.
Really funky. I was surpised that the lines had such a different impression on me with the brighter color scheme.
Thanks everyone for the positive comments!
Tina – interesting – I hope you felt lots of joy today! I was there!
Alyson – I agree – it was really a positive thing to try out working with someone else’s color suggestions.
Laine – art is definitely a great place to find joy!
Miles – funny you used lime green! Back in my traditional quilt days I used it often but I grew out of it many years ago – it was fun to play with it again.
Beth – I agree – these bright colors give a different feel for sure.
Robin – thanks – now that I can’t get out my back door to the studio I’m feeling cut off from it – I hope they get the new opening in soon (although it has to wait for heat so maybe in a month or so)
Kim – thanks – the bunny trail – hm – now I might see what I can do to go over the top and get there – ha!
Thanks Eva and Katy and yes Martha – the color can really perk up a mood!
Don’t forget that your word for the year is “courage”. This applies to relationships too.
I’m happy to hear that you had a few non-joyful days. Seriously, I worry about people who consistently turn every down into an immediate up in such a way that it starts sounding like Mary Poppins. The realist in me doesn’t trust that (NOBODY can be joyful 24/7) and I worry that the person is heading for an even bigger fall than if they acknowledge there will be some bad days, some down times mixed with the joyful ones. Don’t get me wrong, I also believe in silver linings, taking a bad situation and turning it around. But you are right – forced joy for the sake of being joyful every day can backfire and giving in to adversity in order to process it and your feelings really can lead you healthfully back to joy.
Brenda – yes – thank you for the reminder!
Shelia – I agree – I pondered whether or not to write about the non-joyful days but decided it wasn’t very real to no write about them so I went for it.