Rikindle Your Inner Artist Child's Imagination

"Our artist is actually our child within, our inner playmate."
~Julia Cameron, The Artist's Way

 

Where does our imagination come from? I believe it is a gift inherent within each of us. But as we get older, and bogged down with the responsibilities of adult life, we often forget how to tap into what was once our child-like, creative nature.

I have been feeling less than imaginative lately. So in the spirit of Living The Artist's Way, a 12- month blog series I did throughout 2013 (read about it here), I have resumed my weekly solo artist dates.

Last week I simply went for a walk through a park. It was delightful to watch two young girls chase the shadow of a butterfly kite their grandfather was flying. Hearing their joyful giggles made me feel like a kid again.

 

 

This week's solo artist date was a visit to the gallery at Foothills Art Center in Golden. There was an abundance of imagination stimulating pieces in, "Splinter," their current exhibition of wood art. I enjoyed seeing how other artists have incorporated curves and circles, imagery often found in my work, in their imaginative expressions.

 

 

An artist with seemingly infinite imagination is Canadian artist Laura Hollick!

 

 

In her recent TEDx talk, You Are the Art, Laura shares that she began making art as a child because she wanted to make her imagination real.

 

 

She goes on to tell the story of how she went from being a starving artist to earning a multi-six figure income with her art by imagining that she could create the life and career she dreamed. Watch her inspiring TEDx talk here.

Live creatively,
Marcella

 

www.MarcellaNordbeck.com

 

 

 

 

 

Paint Away Your Pain

"Creativity is the life raft that can save us when we don’t think we can survive riding any more waves of emotion."

~Marcella Nordbeck-Richardson

What do you do when you’re experiencing low vibration emotions such as sadness, anger, or fear? Do you turn to your favorite distractions like television or Facebook? Or do you run to a familiar vice like food, cigarettes, or alcohol?  

Although comforting, our distractions and vices only temporarily mask our pain. But art has the power to heal. Creativity is the life raft that can save us when we don’t think we can survive riding any more waves of emotion. So the next time you’re moving through a less-than-ideal situation, and suffering the emotional consequences, I invite you to turn to the canvas, the page, or another creative outlet. 
 

"Together Through What Separates" - Acrylic - 36x36" - $1647

I first learned of the healing power of art in 2002 during the 4-weeks I received art therapy as part of my recovery from life threatening depression. Every day for a month I got to play with paint, clay, and whatever else caught my creative fancy. And then one day I had a light bulb moment. I realized that creating – just for the simple joy of it – was what was missing from my life.  

I was reminded of art’s healing power 10 years later. I went searching for my estranged father, only to learn he was no longer living. A few months later I was still weighed down by heavy emotions of grief for the father I never really knew and the 3 brothers who didn’t want to talk about it him. 

Thankfully during this time I was studying A Course in Miracles with author and life-coach Tama Kieves. One night in Tama's living room I shared with her that I was so overcome by my emotional grief around my father, his absence, and his death, that I was no longer able to paint. My creativity felt completely blocked by my tormented emotions. Tama's advice? To paint away my pain.

I resisted, saying something like, “But I’m a spiritual painter! I want my paintings to be uplifting and inspiring.” But Tama responded by encouraging me to paint anyway. She reminded me of all the sad loves songs that express the universal feeling of heartbreak, but are soothing to others who are feeling similar pain and discomfort.  

I took Tama’s advice. In the days, and weeks, that followed I sat at my canvas, painting, while tears literally ran down my cheeks. But I kept painting. Eventually I stopped crying. And a couple of months later I  put the finishing touches on, “Together Through What Separates.” It remains one of my personal favorites.  

The 4 spirals are symbolic of me and my 3 brothers who I will always love and for whom I feel a deep emotional connection do despite the years, and miles, between us. And although I was feeling intense emotional pain when I created it, when I look at the painting today I feel forgiveness for what was and acceptance for what was not. And I feel even more certain of art’s power to heal.

 

*****

"Together Through What Separates" is 1 of 3 paintings currently available for sale in the Art at the Armory art show in Brighton, Colorado. Show runs through Friday, April 18, 2014. Visit Events page for details.
 

Left to Right: "Together Through What Separates," "Imaginative," and "Rise"
Each: Acrylic, 36x36", $1647

 

Not Exactly the Answer I Expected

Guest blogger post for Gallery24seven.com:

 

 

When I left my day job six months ago to pursue my painting career full-time, I had a burning question that I needed an answer to. What could I create – with painting and with my life – if I dedicated myself to my craft full-time?

 

Read the answer, and the rest of the guest blog post, here.

She Lives Creatively Spotlight: Erin Ivey

Happy April! I’m SO excited! It’s a new month. And I’m delighted to be launching a brand spanking new monthly blog feature: She Lives Creatively Spotlight.  

Each month I will be bringing you a Q&A style interview with a different creative entrepreneurial woman who is living creatively, blazing her own trail, and writing her own rules along the way.  

Featured in this month’s DEBUT She Lives Creatively Spotlight is Austin’s own urban folk singer songwriter Erin Ivey! 

 

Austin.com describes Erin as, “The queen of Austin singer songwriters.” The Daily News says she is, “Truly remarkable.” And The Oregonian says, “I’d kill for a purr like that.”  

So let’s get started! 

Erin, congratulations on recently releasing your newest album, Whisper of the Moon! I see you as an artist who is always stretching herself to grow and expand. How does this album differ from your earlier work? 

Thank you! It’s been amazing to work with Tosca String Quartet and the arrangers (Christopher Cox and Leigh Mahoney) to make these songs come to life in new ways. It’s helped me to see there are endless possibilities for a song that was written with just a guitar and voice. I hope that the quality of my work continues to improve in every aspect of the process, from inspiration to production. 

You’re a triple threat – a singer, songwriter, AND musician! Which talent revealed itself first? Or did they all emerge simultaneously, being so interrelated? 

All those things come from the same root and are interrelated, but I think I loved singing first. 

Growing up, was your family supportive of your creative pursuits? How did their support, or lack of support, influence your path? 

I am grateful that my family has always been wonderfully supportive. My Grandma is a singer and music teacher. She taught me the most about using our voices as instruments of joy and healing. 

How do you define success? 

Right now, I define success as stability, health, and giving. 

What’s the oddest job you’ve held to pay the bills while building your music career? 

Probably doing voiceovers for animated corporate training videos. “Well, Susie, it looks like your actions have affected everyone on the team…” It’s like having to sit through corporate training videos, but worse, except you get paid. 

What do you consider to be your greatest artistic achievement – so far? 

Abandon 

What’s next? Now that Whisper of the Moon has been released, will you tour for a while?  

“What’s next?” used to be my favorite question. Lately, though, I’m okay with not knowing the answer.  I’m taking one day at a time and focusing more on priming the well. So, stay tuned!  You’ll know when I do.  

 

Are you always writing new songs? Or do you go through creative phases?  

I go through phases.  I’m always writing, but songs come best and fastest when I’m away from the world for a while.   

What are your self-care practices (nutrition, exercise, etc.) that support your health and vitality?

These change as we move through new phases of life. The most important things for me right now are:

·         Physical strength to overcome chronic pain from a car accident and guitars hanging from my shoulder

·         Lyengar yoga at least once a week, walking daily, dancing often!

·         More water, EFA’s, and coconut oil

·         In Austin, Johnson’s Backyard Garden CSA home delivery is an amazing way to eat more vegetables and fruit. Still trying to figure out what to do with turnips, though…

·         Slowing down, learning to chill, being kinder to loved ones. It’s a speed LIMIT, not a minimum – if you’re rushing, you’ve lost

·         Play – new instruments, DRUMS!, vocal effects, learning to solo on the guitar by playing along with records

·         Read and listen to inspiring things. I make a reading/listening list at the beginning of every month and go spend my “Waterloo Records allowance” with great joy. It’s amazing how much more time I have when I turn off the television and, as the great Maya Angelou says, “let them see you reading…”

How do you structure your days/week to balance creative time with managing your business and nurturing relationships? 

Since I got married (in 2012 to the DJ genius Mixer Rogers), I’ve had to work very consciously to construct healthy boundaries. There is a compulsive drill sergeant part of me, for whom no amount of work will ever be enough, so it’s been a tough process. One tool that has helped me a lot is thinking of the next day as starting the night before. It could be as simple as looking ahead to make sure I get enough sleep.   

Has your music career influenced your marital status or your decision whether or not to have children?  

My career has been my life for the past seven years, so they seem inextricable. My husband and I first met at a showcase I was playing, but we would have found each other eventually. There’s definitely more freedom in being unattached, in that you can travel more easily and life is less expensive without children. There’s more time for work and creative pursuits. On the other hand, love has a way of unlocking parts of your heart that you didn’t even know existed and providing stability from which to flourish. That can be a great source for creative expression.  

Any final words of advice for creative women who are aspiring or emerging singers / songwriters / musicians?

Music is its own reward. The greatest gift to yourself and others is the passionate pursuit of transcendent and inspirational musical experience. Do your thing. Keep working and playing. In the words of Leni Stern, “Get your heart not too broken and keep your spirits up. You're going to be honed like a fine diamond for all the hurt. You're going to bend the strings and somebody's gonna cry.” 

Thank you Erin! 

Thanks, Marcella! These are great questions. Congratulations on your new Spotlight!  I’m honored to be part of it. xoxo 

To learn more about Erin Ivey, and to join the Erin Ivey mailing list, visit www.ErinIvey.com.

3 Questions to Boost Productivity (AND Health)

Friends,

 

Before I share the 3 questions that will boost your productivity, and your health, I’m going to share the story of how I came to learn these questions.

Please don’t learn them the hard way – like I did.        

Recently my truck, affectionately nicknamed The Art Mobile, broke down and it was going to be a few days before a necessary part was delivered  and the repair work completed. Since I didn’t have another means of transportation, I had to cancel all of my appointments that week.

Immediate. Relief. That’s what I felt. I also felt surprised that I felt relieved. When I’ve had car trouble in the past I would worry about what the repairs were going to cost. Or I would be angry that I was being inconvenienced.

But was I worried? No. Was I angry? No. I was RELIEVED!
           
Hello! BIG flashing neon sign that I was approaching burnout and needed to use my new found time for some much needed rest and rejuvenation. I even found myself chuckling as I acknowledged the “convenience” of my truck breaking down so that I could clear my calendar and get some relief from my over-scheduled life.

 

 

So did I accept my gift of time, now that my calendar was clear, to relax and give myself some much needed self-care? I wish I could say yes. Unfortunately, the answer is no.

Instead, I kept working. I kept pushing. I kept burning the midnight oil AND the candle at both ends. And because I didn’t slow down, just like my truck, a few days later I broke down. And what I thought would be a day or two in bed turned into a week.

Not having the strength or energy to do anything for days, I had a lot of time to reflect on my circumstances. I was reminded that we do not serve ourselves, our friends and family, or our clients when we try to squeeze productivity out of every hour, of every day. And I was reminded that rest and relaxation are invaluable to the quality of our work and our health.

So as we create the next day, week, and month of our lives I invite us to ask ourselves the following questions:

1. Is this something I can say, “I’m not saying no. I’m saying, not right now” to? A lot of us, my self included, suffer from the fear of losing out on what feels like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. But we need to be honest with ourselves about how much we can really take on. And we owe to others to honor our current commitments before we agree to more.

2. What is my motivation for saying yes? A born people pleaser, I continue to experience opportunities to practice disappointing others instead of agreeing to things I don’t really want to and then harboring resentment. The next time you feel pressured to say yes to something you want to say no to, buy yourself some time. Say you need to check your calendar, and then get back to them  after you’ve reflected on how you really want to respond.

3. When am I going to schedule non-negotiable time for my self-care? For a lot of us, if we don’t schedule it or put it on our to-do list, it’s easy to forget the importance of rest and self-care when life and all of its distractions and interruptions are vying for our attention. Commit to your self-care like you would an appointment with someone else. You deserve it!

 

Download FREE Art Affirmations Here

Live creatively – and with abundant health and productivity,
Marcella

There is life outside of the art studio

The beauty of being artists - and the artists of our lives - is WE get to choose what our lives look like. We decide which projects to say yes or no to. We determine how hard, or not so hard, to work. In essence, we get to blaze our own trails, and write our own rules along the way.

After nearly 3 months of working 12+ hour days for 6, sometimes 7 days/week, to get ready for my, "Choice Points," art show at Sync Gallery, I am re-discovering that there IS life outside of the art studio.

I'm still logging long hours most days (because it's just my nature to work a lot), but I'm also cultivating my self-care disciplines again. I've been juicing and blending, meditating and journaling as I sit in front of our 2 fresh water fish tanks as I enjoy their beauty, and this past weekend I went on my first ride of the season on the back of my husband's motorcycle. 

 

But it was a simple domesticated thing, sewing a button back onto a pair of pants for my husband, that brought me back into my body. It took me years to realize how important it is to honor my creativity. But it only took threading a needle to remind me that, in addition to being an artist, I am also a wife... and a daughter, an aunt, a friend...

We are ALL artists - the artists of our lives. And we are also SO much more, to SO many people. 

 

Live creatively - in all its many forms,

Marcella 

It's the MOST important ingredient of all!

"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters
compared to what lies within us."
~Oliver Wendell Holmes

  

Whether you're building a business, or baking a cake, LOVE is the most important ingredient. You might have everything else right. But if your business plan, or brownie mix, didn't start in your heart and isn't infused with love, your project, or sweet confection, will fall flat.

 

Ask: What can I give? How can I serve? When we live from a place of being a beneficial presence to those around us, amazing things happen... Our lives become more meaningful, joy filled, and richer in the infinite currency of the Universe - LOVE!

 

Once you've got love, there are two other important ingredients to consider when starting a creative business. Watch this week's video to find out what they are.

 

Click here to watch video

 

Still not sure about the love thing? Watch Simon Sinek's paradigm shifting Tedx talk, "How great leaders inspire action," here.

 

Click here to watch Simon Sinek's Tedx talk

 

Simon shares powerful examples of inspired leaders and organizations that think, act, and communicate from the inside out.

Live creatively and from a place of love,
Marcella

P.S. Contrary what I say in my video above, I will not be in the gallery this week on Thursday. Instead, I will be there to represent my work on Friday, March 14 from 1-4 pm and Saturday, March 15 from 12-4 pm.
 

Choice Points and Western Metamorphosis
 

There are only 3 more days to see  my show, Choice Points, and photographer Britt Ripley's show, Western Metamorphosis, at Sync Gallery. Both shows will be coming down this Saturday, March 15 at 4 pm.

Sync Gallery is located in the heart of the Santa Fe Art District at 931 Santa Fe Dr, Suite 100, Denver 80204.  

 

Gallery Hours:
Thursday, March 13: 1 - 4 pm
(Britt will be sitting the gallery on Thursday without me)
Friday, March 14: 1 -4 pm
Saturday, March 15: 12 - 4 pm By appointment: 303-319-2771 

Britt Ripley discussing his photography