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| Meredith gets in on the painting action |
Spring break for the kids this week but hubby and I still had to work. They did come along with us early in the week for the KMHCA conference where I presented on self-care. This meant they had the chance to swim in the hotel pool. I remember how much fun it was to spend the night in a hotel as a kid. My parents used to do this with my sister and I as a way to combat the cold Iowa winters. As part of the conference, the Appalachian Play Therapy Center sponsored a Stress-Free Zone. I brought along all sorts of art supplies, simple games, blocks and there was even line dancing. My kids definitely enjoyed hanging out here and were so proud to be given their very own name tags. I found myself painting a beach scene out of watercolors. Perhaps I am really needing a break. Hearing about others I know who've gone to Florida isn't helping but I'm happy for them.
Here are my art journals I have done over the span of a couple of weeks based on a workshop for wishBIGecamp by Shannon Kinney-Duh. I incorporated a focus on self-care.
Of course, I think a great way to engage in self-care is through PLAY!
Here are a couple of the first ones I did. I was going to have the first one say Be Like a Child but I ran out of letters. Maybe that's a good thing.
This last one I really had no idea what I wanted to do with my painted background. Just felt like incorporating the shapes which then reminded me of my son, the solar system lover.
Art journaling is another method of self-care. One key to art journaling is to just let go, play around, and have fun. Try not to have expectations. Can be quite hard to not listen to those voices, the Inner Critic as Kate Swoboda calls it, but if you allow yourself it can be quite fun. I think I can do okay with letting go of my Inner Critic as long as I say I'm playing. But if I say I'm making art, then I can hear them louder. And putting my art on my blog is even harder, because I'm making myself vulnerable especially to what others might think of me. BUT SO WHAT!
I love this!
ReplyDeleteI am always doodling in my journal, or taping pictures or quotes on the pages. I love colored markers. I think the thing about making visual art that is helpful for me is that I have no expectations about how it is suppose to look or be and also don't really consider myself a visual sort, which lets me off the hook completely. (And quiets the inner critic.) With writing and jazz, it's another story. The inner critic is a little pushier then. That said, the absolute best gigs I have as a jazz musician are when the band and I approach with playfulness and a sense of adventure. There's freedom there. I believe there's a reason they say we "play" music.
Happy to have discovered your blog. Thanks to Kate Swoboda!