Garden Fresh Tomatoes Grown by Me! Watercolor and Graphite Stillman & Birn Sketchbook 11 x 8.5 inches

Since we've been discussing our muses, I would like to continue down that path as my muse is very dear to me. Over time, I've had a number of interesting comments around muses that makes me think this is a subject that is deserving of a bit more attention.

I've spent a good deal of time developing my muse into a separate entity from me, but make no mistake she is me and I am her. We are one in the same. I like to think that she is all of what I am not, wish to be, aspire to be. She's the best of me times 10.

When I discuss my muse going on a walkabout, it's usually because I've allowed life to become uninteresting, dull, bogged down in the tedious. If I pay attention to her, she glows, blooms, twirls and inspires me.

But occasionally, it appears that my muse wants to lead me astray. She wants to do something that appears counterintuitive to what I think we should be doing. I've already mentioned the rough year I had last year and how I was buried in technical BS, websites, and such. I've talked about why Sam left.

What I didn't mention was that when Sam came back she had very little interest in art.

She didn't want to splash in the paint. She wasn't crazy about color. She didn't want to sketch, draw or pick up a sketchbook. It worried me. I was scared. Had I lost my passion for art? Had I let the love of art die while I wrestled with the demons of business? I wasn't sure.

Instead, Sam was pushing me to write.

Write?

Write what?

I've dabbled with writing longer than I've held a paint brush. I've never taken it seriously. It was just another way to express my creativity. Oh, a thought about creativity…when I think about creativity, I don't think about how someone might be a creative writer, a creative dancer, a creative sculptor or a creative cook. For me, creativity comes from the some source and is directed into various pursuits by the individual.

In other words, you are creative person and you direct your creativity to ___________ activity and it can be anything from decorating a home to writing a play to arranging a garden. Creativity affects every part of our lives, some more than others.

So…back to Sam. Sam wanted me to write. In early January, I sat down in front of my computer and let the words pour forth. To date, I've written one full length story of about 150 pages that has inspired a second story that I am currently working on.

I have no illusions or delusions about my skill level. I've never been to school to be a writer and I am seriously doubt that the stories will go any further than my laptop and that's okay.

Their purpose was and is to lead me back to using my creativity, to feel my creative well, to allow me to feel like the creative being I am.

When I first started to write, I kept stumbling with the words. I was worried about doing it wrong and not getting right. I was concerned if it would be "good enough."

Meh.

First lesson Sam was teaching me…if it's worth doing, it's worth doing poorly until you get better. Kind of like art and learning to draw.

Second lesson…get out of the way and just have fun. I was my own worst enemy being worried about the rules and whether or not it was good enough. When I set all the rules and worries and judgements aside, I started having fun. Lots of fun. And the words flowed.

Third lesson…allow the creativity to happen. Stop resisting because it doesn't fit with where you think it should go or how it should be. The story started overflowing into other parts of my life and before I knew it, the creative fount was evident in all areas of my life (well, except maybe my laundry room). It feels good and that brings me to the last lesson Sam had for me:

Trust.

I had to trust my muse. I had to trust myself…to be creative—in whatever way it felt right to be creative. I had put myself in the box of artist. And I am an artist, but I am more than just an artist. I had to trust that the creativity had not dried up and died.
I'm curious to know if you're struggling with your muse, with being creative. If so, I challenge you to look at the following three questions and answer the one that resonates with you the most:

• I am creative, but lately I haven't felt like participating in my regular creative activity. Instead, I want to do _________.
• I think my muse has gone away and is never coming back. Is there a way that I can be creative in my life that might spark my creativity again?
• I have defined myself as _________ (artist, writer, gardener, teacher) and I don't as much creativity in other areas of my life, but I've always wanted to try _______________ (new creative pursuit.)

After reflecting on the questions, I encourage you to follow through with your pursuits of creativity. Besides, what do you have to lose? Please share with me what your thoughts are on your muse, your creativity and what challenges you most.
Happy Mardi Gras 2013!! Wish we were all in NOLA, watching the parades go by, sipping Sazerac cocktails and catching beads!

Sunken Gardens Full Spread Stillman & Birn Beta Sketchbook 11 x 8.5 inches watercolor and ink

How To Lure Your Muse*
1. Purchase a toy your muse wants. The more she wants the toy, the better your chances of luring her back. This can be any kind of art supply—sketchbook, tube of paint or brush. Interactive toys seem to work best.
2. Go some place for fun and turn your muse loose. Note: the place must be some place your muse will have fun regardless of cost, convenience, appropriateness. If your muse is bored, it won't work.
3. Mix well and play! Engage, explore, set aside expectations of perfection, greatness, and just have as much fun as you and your muse know how to have.

Close up

If you've been around Painted Thoughts Blog very long you've heard me talk about Sam, my muse. Sam is a party girl. She likes to have fun. She's not interested in the day-to-day details. She refuses to do anything mundane unless she can find a way to make it fun. The funner the better.

Just because she's a party girl, don't mistake her for a lightweight. Her position is quite clear when it comes to having fun.

She is not in the least bit apologetic for this attitude. If it's not fun, she's not going to do. If she can't find a way to make it fun, she's gonna walk.

Sam walked out on me back in November. And I can't say as I blamed her.

She was sick of web sites, business management, and accountant stuff. It wasn't fun. I wouldn't let her draw in the margins or on any important papers. Solving problems in a methodical, linear style is the antithesis of having fun for Sam.

Close Up

She solves my problems on a daily basis, but through leaps of logic, jumps of intuition and swirls of magic. She's has a highly concentrated form of mojo that's extremely addictive so she uses it sparingly.

But when she's had enough of me not having fun, of saying no, of doing activities that bore her to death, she leaves. Goes on a walkabout. And she only comes back when she's damn good and ready and not a minute before.

However, I found over the years, that certain things make her more inclined to come back sooner. And one of them is a fun new art toy, like a new Stillman & Birn sketchbook, and going to someplace that offers her the chance to do something fun, learn something new and that challenges her in some way.

Then she smiles and lights my life up. It's a wondrous thing when your muse is happy. It means you're happy.

Close up

These are the first sketches I've done in a brand new Stillman & Birn Beta Sketchbook. I gotta tell you I LOVE IT!! I'll do a more complete review of it when I get more work done in it, but for now I'm having an absolute blast with it. Treat yourself—your muse will love you!!

These sketches were all done on location at Sunken Gardens, located in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Color was added later—there's too many fun things to do in St. Pete!) My partner in adventure, Kathy, from over at Catching Happiness, also did a post on our day. You can read about it here. It was a fabulous, fun day, and I think Sam just might be back to stay for a while!

*Does not work for all muses.

Christmas Clean Up Watercolor and Copic Marker 5.5 x 5.5 inches Pineapple Journal

Welcome 2013!! What took you so long!?! I am so glad to see the last of 2012. Did I mention GLAD?

A long time ago, when I first started the blog, I promised myself it would have a positive vibe, never be negative. If it was ever negative, it had to be funny. (I did not realize what a tall order I had set for myself.)

Hopefully this is gonna be a funny post cause, well, because. You'll figure it out.

I cannot possibly tell you in a few words how glad I am to see the last of 2012. I typically spend the last month of the year thinking through accomplishments, missed goals and getting a picture of where I want to go in the new year.

Did. Not. Happen.

I have purposely not dwelled on the year because well...let's just be frank for a minute and say, "it sucked."

From the first month to the last, it was one of the worst years I've had in a long, Long, LONG time. Blech.

My word of the year for 2011 was Revel. And oh, let me tell you, I reveled. In something you would hate to get on the bottom of your shoe!

When I chose Revel, I thought of reveling in happiness, creativity, and success. The joke, it seems, was on me.

Okay. Done. Year OVER.

Do you get all gooey with excitement at the end of the year and the beginning of a—fresh, unstained, pristine, sparkly, bright—new year?

No, me either.

Kidding.

Yeah, I do. Call me foolish, but I find myself flush with the possibilities and opportunities that the new year holds. All manner of things that have never been.

I also recognize a tempering of my hope. Maybe a bit of caution that has not been there as it was in prior years. Perhaps because I am dragging some unfinished business (like a truly nasty cold) into the new year.

The cold will resolve itself...eventually. The other unfinished business? Not so easy.

I find myself moving forward with more thought as to where I'm going and what I want to accomplish. And while it may seem excruciatingly slow to you, I ask for your patience.

Classes and trips will all be posted soon and all manner of good things will happen.

But this time, as much as I can, I want to make sure I am going where I need to go, want to go and to accomplish what I want and need to accomplish.

And hopefully, by the end of this year, I'll be looking back thinking, "well done."

What are your plans for the new year? Any new art projects or ideas going on?

...seldom works well for me.

In a very recent (as in yesterday) conversation with an art friend, we were discussing our lack of motivation to create art at this insanely busy time of year.

I'm not even sure I would call it a lack of motivation. I think it's more of a redirection of time, talent and interest and it's deadline driven.

You see, it's not that I haven't been creating. I have, I have! Just not in my journal.

Very quick sketch of my new door tree on hot press watercolor paper

I recently purchased two new "trees" to go on either side of our front doors. I had a ball decorating them with all kinds of red and bright, acid green trims. I have also redone the wreaths that go on the doors as well.

However, when I tried to paint them....well, let's just say it became "forced fun" and it didn't go so well. It was damp outside and I had a running litany of all the things on my gotta-get'er-done list as I attempted to sketch the trees. I rushed the painting and it was taking forever for the paint to dry because of the dampness.

The result...not my finest piece of work. Do I wish it were better? Of course.

Do I wish it enough to s...l.....o.......w down enough to do a better job? Not at the moment.

Does that mean I'm slacking? Hmmm, maybe. Maybe not.

Let's take a look at the definition of creativity. Does it apply to just creating art or does it also apply to decorating the mantel, making (and decorating) adorable, delicious cookies, sewing cute stockings to be hung by the chimney with care, and wrapping each present with extra attention?

For me, it is all of the above. Well, except for the cookies. I do cakes rather than cookies.

I also find that I have ideas hitting me rapid fire—so rapid that it's hard to keep up with all those really fabulous ideas that I want to act on if I just had the time.

This is where my journal really starts coming in handy. Instead of just creating art, I capture ideas. 

When I want to remember that cool snowman I saw, but instead of a red top hat, I have the idea of adding a long scarf with a blue sky cap so it would look like my cousin when he arrives for the holiday gathering, I put it in my journal!

How about that really cute holiday display I saw down in the town square that made me think about the small village I have packed away that I could use to recreate the scene on your mantel? I can sketch out a quick idea in my journal!

Sometimes, it's just words that inspire, like an idea for a greeting card or a gift tag, maybe even a gift. I write it down!

Maybe it a gorgeous play of reds and oranges with a mix of acid green that looks so stunning that I want to remember it for next year's decorating. I. Write. It. Down!

Using our journals creatively to help us capture thoughts and ideas rather than stressing over whether we're filling enough pages or the art is good enough is the true beauty of keeping a journal.

The Finished Page with a little bit of ink to help add definition

If you don't want to use your regular journal, create an idea journal and carry everywhere so that you can capture those wisps of inspiration when then happen to float by!

The idea here is to make our journals and sketchbooks work for us so that we can recognize all the fun ways we're using our creativity as well as to capture all the ideas that we have when we don't have the time to act on them.

Try keeping a creativity list and write down all the ways you've been using your talent and creative/artistic skills. You'll be amazed at how quickly the pages start to fill up when you start thinking about the various activities that require creative thought!

How are you using your journal this holiday season—are you creating art or capturing ideas?

Art Time. Precious words, aren't they? Especially this time of year when we're all so busy.

Surprisingly, I found myself with some art time on my hands and made my way to the studio.

I managed to step away from the computer a good part of the Thanksgiving weekend and I started on a couple of pieces of art that are going in a new direction for me.

Which I can't show to you just yet.

However, that's not going to stop me from talking about a very profound experience I had while painting...I made a mistake (and no, that's not the profound experience I'm talking about.)

It's been a while since I've done any work outside of my journal and I should have been expecting a slip, but I wasn't.

I was giving myself a really good tongue lashing, talking about how stupid I was to make such a mistake and that I should know better. I'm telling you, I was really giving myself a good thrashing. I was furious.

Here's the odd part—the mistake wasn't fatal to the piece of work. Mistakes are seldom fatal. Annoying, aggravating, and irritating, yes, but they are seldom fatal. It simply meant I would have to work in a different way to "fix" the piece.

In the middle of my tirade, I realized what I was doing and stopped. After all, if you've been on an Imaginary Trip with me, you know that I encourage making mistakes because that's how we learn.

Taking a breath to calm down, I asked myself, "Okay, what did I learn?"

As the question settled over me, I felt the tension ease and the feeling of defeat began to dissolve. I didn't feel quite so bad about messing up. And I was no longer tempted to quit and walk storm out of the studio.

As I started to evaluate what I had done and what I would do differently if I started over, I could easily see where I had gotten into trouble. By asking what I learned, I minimized the situation rather than make it gargantuan when I was busy insisting it a mistake.

You may be thinking semantics. But I disagree this time.

Take out a piece of your own art that you've made a mistake on and ask yourself, "what did I learn?"

Take note of your breathing, how tense you are, and how you feel about yourself when you focus in on the mistake. Are you still mad at yourself? Angry that you messed up the sketch? Now, think about what you learned. If you truly focused on figuring out what you learned, did you feel the tension and anger drain away?

Are you feeling tempted to pick up your pen again rather than being so annoyed with yourself that you had no desire to create another page?

That feeling right there, my friends, that feeling of wanting to try again rather than quitting is what I'm talking about! That feeling is the key to not only creating more art, but also to feeling good about it! For me, it's priceless. It means less downtime, less de-motivation, and more confidence!

Cool, huh?!

Now, if you're like me, you'll see a lot more application of "What did I learn?" than just art. It applies to just about any part of our lives where we're less than perfect.

So for the holidays, I am going to ask you to give yourself a gift. Remove the words mistake, mistakes, screw up, messed up and any other similar words from your vocabulary until the end of the year.

If things go in a different direction than you planned, ask yourself what you learned rather than beating yourself up. Take note of feelings, thoughts and your energy level. Take note of whether you finish the page and start another or if you still hang your brushes up until the feeling of defeat fades.

Give yourself the gift of no more "mistakes" by focusing on what you've learned. 

And please let me know what you've learned here on the blog!

My NOLA Live! Journal has been moved, shuffled, and piled, ignored, dropped, lost misplaced and then found rediscovered, but it still laid unfinished until this weekend.
I don't even want to tell you how many times I moved the darn thing rather than just going ahead and finishing!

It probably took that long because of the need to find the mat cutter, cut the board down, come up with an idea, paint it, unearth my binding machine in the very back, bottom corner under a stack of heavy boxes and finally do the binding and finish up the final touches on the cover.
Am I thrilled to have this done!?! YES! But talk about going from to Orlando from Tampa via Omaha?! Good grief! Since this is a Stillman & Birn sketchbook, I could have just as easily used with the original covers and glued a piece of watercolor paper onto the front and been done—months ago.
Still, I'm thrilled to have it done. The photos don't begin to do it justice as there are a lot of subtle color changes and details that are not visible. I deliberately left the title dateless as I've decided to put the second NOLA trip (November 2013) in the second half of this journal.

I still need to create a title page and a list of all the wonderful artists who joined me. Then, I think I'm done. Until November!

The cover was created using watercolor, acrylic ink a stamp, and a stencil. The title block is a separate piece of watercolor with hand lettering that's been glued down to the cover for added dimension.

...well, before we get to that, some of you mentioned wanting a larger peek. Since Blogger now limits the view size of the art, I thought I'd post a couple of peeks of different sections of Nature's Classroom.

Detailed View of Nature's Classroom © Laure Ferlita

I noted that there was a bit of commentary on the amount of detail that I've included in this piece of work. Left to my own devices, I would paint details to the point of ad nauseam. Like most things I have found that I need to strike a balance between my need for details with other pieces that are fast and leave a lot to the imagination.

A detailed view of Nature's Classroom © Laure Ferlita

The really nice thing about this painting is that when I found myself craving the detail work, I could work on this piece to satisfy that obsession while continuing to do quick sketch work in my journal. When you are as attracted to (obsessed with?) details as I am, it takes time to learn that not all artwork needs to be detailed.

It comes down to what I'm trying to say in the work or a feeling I'm trying to evoke. Sometimes less is more. Sometimes, more is more. Learning to "see" what works best takes time end lots of experimentation not to mention practice!


For those of you that are interested, you can purchase a copy of the print below using the PayPal button. Prints will be available on the blog at a price of $24.99 USD plus $5.00 shipping in the US for the next 7 days.

After that, the print will be moved to Etsy and will be $34.99 USD plus $5.00 shipping.

As always, thanks so much for the kind words! You make my day and make me want to keep painting!!