As the sun sets on 2017

As the sun sets on 2017 I want to wish you and yours, peace for your soul, love for your heart, and a space for your creativity.

Join me in 2018 to explore your creativity, through The Artist's Way, Mindfulness and Expressive Art Journalling.

The Great Round of Mandalas - Stage Five

The Stand Point Mandala. To create a stand point mandala, stand on a piece of paper, draw an outline around your feet. Afterwards, draw a circle on the page to contain your feet. Then decorate.

Stage five of the great round. What do you stand for in this world? It can be a challenge to stand and speak out for what you believe in this world. To not hide out, or to remain quiet.

What do you stand for? | Heather McPhie | TEDxBozeman
Olympic freestyle mogul skier Heather McPhie talks about goal-setting, self motivation, and a journaling system that she used to push herself to succeed.

"We assert our beliefs when we take a stand on an issue. We also may stand and be counted when we cast a vote in support of an issue in a democratic process. In these instances we demonstrate verbally or physically that we are present and that we have a personal point of view. We may stand to be seen so that others will know that we are present. In taking these actions we assert the importance of our existence and proclaim our presence as a unique individual with our own identity." ~Suzanne Fincher in The Mandala Workbook.

ART 180: "What Do You Stand For" from Community Idea Stations on Vimeo.

Virginia Currents takes a look at ART 180's "What Do You Stand For" project. The traveling exhibition features 8 foot tall self-portraits by 25 sixth grade students.

Some of the images for the music video above may be challenging to watch.

The Great Round Mandalas - Exploring Stage Four

Stage Four - "is the domain of the good mother. It is reminiscent of your first relationships as an infant." Suzanne Fincher in The Mandala Workbook

I discovered this beautiful image when on a day out at Foster, NSW. I happened to go for a walk on the beach there at sunset, and noticed the art that had been painted on the beach wall.

Another beautiful image representing mothering at a local pre school in our town. Have you been lucky enough to have had a 'good mother' in your life? Are you a 'good mother' to yourself? What makes a good mother do you think?

I took the photo of the image at the centre of this mandala outside Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris in July 2017, I was so drawn to the image that was posted outside the Cathedral. The spiritual mother figure - do you have a spiritual mother figure? In the religious training that I grew up with, there were no feminine images... so sad really, now I am very drawn to the spiritual images of mother. A lack of balance in the patriarchal religiosity of my heritage perhaps.

Explore The Great Round of Mandalas - contact me for more details.

Native American Indian Spiritual Music - Ceremony to Mother Earth

The Great Round - Stage Three

The Great Round Of Mandalas... Labyrinth.

OK, now let’s get practical. In our first show, Be Limitless: Breaking Down Mind Barriers, Dr. Larry Dossey talked about his new book, One Mind, in which he reports convincing data for our being limitless. The idea makes sense, but how do I tap into the One Mind; how do I get in touch with that part of myself that is more than what I currently know? The Reverend Dr. Lauren Artress will share with us one tool for doing just that. She is the leading expert on the Labyrinth. Not only has she written books on the topic, but she actually brought this ancient spiritual tool into modern day usage. She went to Chartres Cathedral in France, removed the chairs covering up the labyrinth and copied the dimensions. Since then, labyrinths have been created around the world, indoors and outdoors, in secular settings, hospitals, religious institutions and people's backyards.

Visit Lauren's Website: Lauren Artress.com

More mandalas from Stage three - dream catcher mandalas.

"Dreams are an important communication from your unconscious. Remembering them, journalling about them, drawing them, and sharing them in a dream group are ways to integrate the healing messages they convey." ~ Suzanne Fincher

"Mandalas of Stage Three often suggest depth and the twists and turns of plant tendrils along a mysterious path through the jungle. The possiblity of moving from one level - of experience, consciousness, emotion - to another is often suggested by mandalas of this stage." ~ Suzanne Fincher in The Mandala Workbook.

I created the dream catcher to represent my dream mandala... perhaps I have had a dream about a mandala, but I don't remember it.

The Great Round - Creating Mandalas - The Void

Mandala - The Void

Into the void of silence, into the empty space of nothing, the joy of life is unfurled. C.S. Lewis

Come with me and explore The Void while listening to Daniel Ketchum's amazing music.

Creating Mandalas - The Great Round - Bliss

"Each person’s life is like a mandala – a vast, limitless circle. We stand in the center of our own circle, and everything we see, hear and think forms the mandala of our life."
~ Pema Chodron

I think that we are so lucky to be living here in Port Macquarie, the natural beauty is quite stunning. Last night hubby and I stopped in at the beach to see the last of the sunset. The sky was a golden orange and hot pink. Dolphins jumped in the waves. It truly was blissful standing there appreciating it all.

Mandala - Bliss.

Listening to the gorgeous music of Daniel Ketchum and journaling on Bliss. What do you find bliss - full?

The next step to create a mandala that captures the swirls and movement of the sea...

Creating a Bliss Mandala with Inks and a secret ingredient. It is so much fun to create these, swirling and playing.

The next step after creating the mandala shapes applying them to the journal page.

Begin Where You Are

"Begin where you are with who you are. In order to go where you want creatively, you have to start somewhere. And that best place to start is precisely where you are." Julia Cameron Walking In This World.

I'm always inspired by those artists who have spent the hours sitting and sketching, the ones who don't do it perfectly. I find people such as Danny Gregory very inspirational, and have at times done little sketches, but never made a commitment to 'everyday'. This year I am starting out with a little sketchbook and doing something from my everyday. I invite you to join me...

This is an art journal group I admin on facebook: Art Journalist Mixed Media if you'd like to join in and post pictures there.

If you happen to be in Cleveland Queensland, visit The Lighthouse Restaurant ... we had a fantastic experience dining there... And, i's a gorgeous place to sit and watch the sunset - byo a delightful dinner companion/s to share the experience with.

New Year 2017

A New Year - May it be one full of Creativity, Abundance and Self Care and the occasional Adventure thrown in. With that in mind I decided to continue along the Artist's Way path, and work through Julia Cameron's other two books in the series, and again, ask others of like minds to join in. First we will be focusing on Walking in This World, and then Finding Water.

If you would like to join in, here is the link to our facebook group... click here

Artist Date Forster

We had a gorgeous afternoon dancing Salsa at Forster and watching the waves from the deck. This is the view we had over the beach pool. I grew up on Sydney's northern beaches and we were so lucky as kids, to have fabulous ocean pools like this one to swim in. There is a move on in Port Macquarie to persuade the council to build us one here. If you are in favour, there is a petition going around, do sign it if you get the chance.

After a fabulous few dancey hours, I wandered along the beach and was delighted to discover some street art on the wall.

Click here to find out about Salsa in Forster or Port Macquarie

Written on the Wall

Life is an artist date in Paris... simply walking along the streets fills your spirit. You never know if you are going to come across a wonderful building, an decades old book shop with mystical invitations ooozing from it, or artworks... big sigh...

It is so much fun to be wandering along and to see the Eiffel Tower peeking out from the distance. This year we visited Paris for a month. We adored it and are hoping to go again next year to continue on our artist dates over there. In the mean time...

If you haven't been already, I hope one day you get to walk the street beside The Seine, and take it all in.

If you do, stop at Pont Alexandre for a treat at the Bistro, tell them we said hi. Better still, we'll meet you there for coffee.

Day of the Dead - Día de Muertos

"Day of the Dead (Spanish: Día de Muertos) is a Mexican holiday celebrated throughout Mexico, in particular the Central and South regions, and by people of Mexican ancestry living in other places, especially the United States. It is acknowledged internationally in many other cultures. The multi-day holiday focuses on gatherings of family and friends to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died, and help support their spiritual journey. In 2008 the tradition was inscribed in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO." Wikipedia