a sort of challenge

i'm going to attempt another challenge, but i'm not going to pressure myself with it.  i've been struggling with the intense weather changes lately and know that health, or lack of health, plays a big role in what gets done or left unattended.

mark and i were lucky enough to find a ginormous canvas a couple of weeks ago.  maybe last week.  whatever.  this thing is HUGE!

i don't have any plans for it, so i was thinking i could give myself a challenge to work on it, even a little bit, each day for the month of september.  even if it's a mark or two, just do something to it.  create layer upon layer to this monster canvas and see what happens.

i've made myself a list of materials and techniques i don't want to forget about while creating.  and i'm thinking about the colors i'd like to see together.  this one is going to be about experimentation.  it will change from day to day, so i know not to get too precious about the previous days work.  i will be taking photos daily, but i won't be posting daily.  probably not until the end of the month.  and at the end of the month i will probably live with it until it tells me what the end result wants to become unless it comes to me beforehand.

i now have two easels to work from, thanks to a special friend of mine who found a beautiful specimen and thought it would love to live with me!  i'm glad for the timing, and am so grateful for her thoughtfulness.  it's the perfect size and fits nicely in the corner by my paints.

what a beauty!

now i can have dueling canvasses!

while i wait for september to come, i will be cleaning the studio to make room for this monster canvas to take shape.  i know some of my work will be with it on the floor, spattering paint around, and, well, it's just nice to start fresh.

you can see i still have the lion painting in progress.  i'm still thinking about how to create the candle light in his fur.  i've been ill, but the brain has been actively working it out.

until later,
jenny

update and lion painting

i've had a bit of a stall with creativity lately, unfortunately.  it's very frustrating to go thru when you want to succeed at something but these ebb and flow cycles seem to run the show.  dealing with a bit more pain the last week or so and just been in recovery mode, doing the barest minimum... breathing, eating, taking care of the critters.  

i started a bullet journal  in late july to help get me more organized and i had hoped to do a 31 day challenge this month, already feeling like a failure knowing some boxes would not be checked already.  

each day we add one thing to do, 

so days 1 and 2 just have boxes for the 31 days

but, IT'S OK!  this is not going for perfection.  life is about trying, doing your best with what you have at the moment.  whatever you are doing is the best you can do, no matter what joe shmo thinks.  

In my daily spreads I track my water intake –three sobe 0’s a day is goal- how I slept via my fitbit, my pain level and symptoms as well as what I hope to do that day and notes about what made me happy or other important events.

i'm starting this in an old notebook, so it's rather fluid as I find what spreads I need before getting a journal dedicated for this system.

i'm getting the calling to work on a lion painting i started a little while ago after a vision I had of a lion with a crown of candles on his head.

i came back to him like this

I’ve been getting lots of lion messages, and know this is the time to complete him, or at least work with his energy.  as I researched lions to get reference photos of the face, I came across info about the lions gate portal, which is not something I was aware of.  I find this part interesting;

“take what is of low frequency and you will transform it and turn it into Golden Light!  Even though you may be surrounded by people who are filled with fear and anger and other low frequency emotions and who are making choices based on these emotions, you will make your choices from Love and Compassion and you will be the Diamond Light that shines clearly and magnificently. “

 i love that my lion vision has him with the light of candles onto of his head.  i am going to run with the lions gate portal in this painting.  i feel it's important.

he's coming along nicely

i need to figure out how to paint the candle glow on his fur, and am nervous so am stalling a little bit with that detail.  but, it must get done, even if it's not 'perfect' in my artist head.

until later,

jenny