Musing your inner artist

Musings

Musing your inner artist

/ 12 Comments on Musing your inner artist

I grew up envying the “artists.” I was too much of a perfectionist, I thought – I couldn’t actually enjoy the process of painting unless it was paint-by-numbers and then if I made a mistake, I wanted to toss my work. I associated art with painting and am almost embarrassed to say that until my mid-30s, I maintained that association in my mind. I do not enjoy painting = I am not an artist. Only in the past few years have I come to see that I am an artist and my medium is nature. I paint with flowers, on a canvas of grass, or concrete, or canvas itself; I paint with essential oils on a canvas of skin; I paint with gemstones on canvases of Manzanita branches and grapevines. I wish someone had opened my eyes earlier in life to the full of range of what art can look and feel like. I wish my high school art teacher had said to me: Athena, put the brush down. And go pick up something else. Something that feels more natural in your hands. Or look at what is already in your hands, and open your mind to see that as art. In writing this post, I hope I can do that for you. What’s in your hands? Where is your art? My wish for all of us is that life continues to hold a bounty of surprises and unveilings about what we were meant to bring into the world. They say art is a universal soul purpose and innate human drive – to bring something into being that, without your hands and heart, would not otherwise exist. I’d love for you to comment on this post with a few words about your art and what your hands and heart have made, as we are here to inspire and muse each other.

And so it is.

Until soon, rose petal and sage blossom blessings on a canvas of love,
Athena

12 thoughts on “Musing your inner artist”

  1. My art are the altars that I put together. My art are the words that I turn into story, painting mental pictures for the reader. Beautiful post Athena.

  3. Lovely post! I completely agree that a person doesn’t have to make traditional art to be an artist. Your work here is most definitely art. I really feel that almost every person is an artist in their own way even if they don’t realize it. Some express their artistry through cooking, sewing, decorating, making some sort of craft. Others express it by inspiring others, being a great friend, or just in performing their job with joy, passion and love. Motherhood/parenting is also an art. After all you physically created a new being, a person that wouldn’t have existed but for you. My greatest art is definetly my two children. I also dabble in collage, decoupage, hand embroidery, and blogging. In the Fall I’ll start Homeschooling. My art may not be museum worthy or even worthy for anyone else to see but it makes me happy & allows me to express myself & sometimes, on a good day, makes my soul sing.

    1. Meegan, so so so true! We CREATE every day and the idea that all we bring to life is art makes my soul sing too. The museum is relative, right? In the museum of my home, all my art is worthy (and even in some other people’s homes too! ;0). Thank you for your post and for sharing more examples of how this resonates with you. Homeschooling will no doubt open a thousand new channels of creative expression!

  4. beautifully said.
    “Or look at what is already in your hands, and open your mind to see that as art.” HUGE. I actually went to a liberal art school jr high-highschool, and I always felt like I couldn’t retain the title of artist because I was a musician and did not produce anything tangible. It wasn’t until I started teaching that I began to see music as a real art form- but alas now with the numbness I cannot perform as I once could. But I find scripting words and brewing tinctures and all sorts of gorgeous herbal goodies is equally as expressive and satisfying.

    1. And what you shared is beautifully said, LE. It’s so much about using what is around us and our natural inclinations to make the world a more lovely place to live (tangible or intangible! Because I think of fasting and how many intangible amazing shifts it produces in the world). The rest is frosting <3

  5. So very true. Art is what flows from the tips of your fingers. The world is our canvas: gardening, silk painting, jewelry making, basket weaving, crochet, mehndi, beading, rock painting, etc. It is a fulfilling world view: finding beauty or making art from what surrounds us.

  6. Art is amazing…… I’ve been artistic all of my life. Very creative very imaginative, very crafty. However after I graduated I found my true movement, as a stylist hair is my canvas, curling irons and scissors are my tools. Makeup is my paint and faces are pallet. Now as I’ve grown and come into myself I’ve learned to appreciate health and wellness. My love for the body and beauty has cultivated me into my whole being and connection of the universe. As I’m connecting, “Sage Goddesss” has opened my eyes to so much more of the live that I have been searching for, for years. Thank you Sage Goddess for all you wisdom, knowledge & love to spread abroad.

  7. Thanks so much. It can be easy to be intimidated by the “real artists.” But, really, I am an artist when I create. I need to value my own work more.

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