I am celebrating the equinox by honoring my “fruits of summer.” I am harvesting by making copies of some of my art journal pages to frame, make cards, or use as fodder for future projects.
How are you celebrating the turn of the season? How are you honoring your fruits of summer? What are you harvesting?
~~~~
Those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength,
they shall mount up with wings like eagles,
they shall run and not be weary,
they shall walk and not faint.
~ Isaiah 40:31
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” ~ Acts 1:8
This is where I find permission to create, in my journals. Years ago, I (reluctantly) started writing in a journal. Free thought, no rules, just writing. Now I do the same with paint in an art journal. Just as I found permission to write, I am now trying to find permission to do art. There are no rules in the journal, except each new day I have to turn the page and show up. It’s a bit of a mood journal, like those mood rings of childhood. As my mood decides the colors, I pick up a brush and just move it along the page. Not much thought, more like devotion. Nothing frame-worthy comes from it, but that is not the point of the journal. I am just giving myself permission. Permission to choose a color. Permission to get the brush dirty. Permission to put paint on the paper. Permission to take up space on the page. Permission to make marks.
Some days I am open to the process, some days I am still resistant, and some days I don’t show up at all.
But my journal waits patiently.
As does the Spirit.
~~~~~
Last week I was cutting up junk mail.
I have always been irritated and angered
by all the junk mail.
Then, I was inspired
by an artist I follow
to see differently.
Instead of seeing it as junk
I could see it
as patterns
and free art paper.
As I was cutting,
I began to appreciate
the artistry behind the ads.
The choices
of color and pattern.
The art director,
the graphic designer,
the photographer,
the set designer,
the font maker.
Maybe even
the paper maker
and then the trees
it came from.
I could honor
their gifts and effort
as I created something new
from it all.
Maybe it could be
a form of worship,
praising God
for all our gifts
and our interconnectedness.
I felt peaceful
after seeing differently,
after collecting something old
to make something new.
Thank you, Maker God.
For your cycle of creating,
and for allowing me
to co-create with you
and others around the world.
In Jesus name,
Amen.
~~Inspired by @finebergartstudio
finding my way 