I wake up in the morning, grateful for another day and I get to start all over again.

The days, when I’m stumped or can’t get the creative flow going, I look to my fuel packets…my art journals! :)  I either create pages in my art journal or I look through art journals, I’ve created in the past and that usually gets me going.

It’s good to revisit my art journals from time-to-time.  I especially look through all of them, at the end of the year. This year will be more meaningful to me, than ever. There is a lot of emotions in this year’s collection.

Art Journaling  is the best fuel for me and it’s accessible at any time.

What fuels your creativity, your peace and/or happiness? I would love to know, leave me a comment(s).

Have a great weekend and fill up on the things that make you happy and at peace with yourself.

(Photo Image:  On-going 2011 Art Journal Collection – ©2011 Indigene)

As an artist, I gravitate toward the visual; it’s just my particular way of interacting with my world. With so many things, to catch my eyes, I am in a constant state of over-stimulation and creating art is the passionate thing that calms me down. It is the constant, throughout my life that I believe keeps me interested, sane, stable and alive!

“Art is an articulator of the soul’s uncensored purpose and deepest will” - Shaun McNiff

Art influences every part of my life, not just in the pictures I create, but it draws me to others who create as well, whether their form of expression is dancing, writing, performing, healing, meditation, etc. They are all forms of art…people creating something that is a manifestation of themselves to give to the world, a beauty that only they can give.

My life is changing, and I want to commemorate this change. No, it’s a change that society may remark upon, but it is a change that has long been coming, a change from being just a child, woman, wife, mother or sister. I am becoming my authentic self! You might ask, well, who have you been all these years?! I’ve been all those labels, I’ve just mentioned…totally embracing, living and being in them, because they were necessary.

Those labels defined me and I made decisions based on those labels. I absolutely do not regret the decisions or the labels! But, I can no longer just be that. I must listen to my intuitive voice and follow it’s leading, with my life force, in order to make this physical journey true to what I am. So this perennial journey has become more than a whispering, it is my new art, my new self!

The labels are still there, but in a very different sense. My perennial journey is drawing out shapes, images and memories that may not belong to me, personally, but that will fashion a self-portrait to engage in my process of self-discovery; that is so essential to the discernment of my calling to authenticity. I use my art to bring me in line with my calling. Through it I have access to timeless sources of wisdom in myself, deep drives and memories of who I really am, who I am becoming.

I am changing…needing authentic people to grow along with me…I am changing.

Such are my perennial thoughts on this hot summer night…

I want to profusely thank Andrea Pratt for her beautiful talent and inspiration, she has shown me how a soul can travel through her art. I appreciate her help and direction in creating these memorial images.

In peace to you and yours.

Note: These images are a part the background of my memorial portrait of my sister, Renee Marie Bryant – (Feb.10, 1960 – June 27, 2011).

After a busy work week and plenty of snow to shovel, it’s nice to surrender to the weekend!

For me that’s spending family time together and reading. This weekend it will be a fantasy novel.  Ahhhh…to surrender to a peaceful weekend….Peace

Title: “Serene Mermaid” -Size: 11″x5.5“  – Media: Mixed

Happy New Year! It’s been a year since, I decided to join Illustration Friday (“IF”). I know that there are folks that have been a part of IF for years, and I congratulate them, too!

What’s really a big deal and funny to me about the whole blog thing, is “I absolutely do not like writing!” So, it has been a major feat for me to continue this weekly. Writing to me, is like speaking in public for some folk…incredibly scary! But, last year, (a year-to-date) I decided to take on one fear at a time, and this was one.

Oh, boy, do I have a lot of fears, and after turning 50 years old on January 1. I figured, it will be a lifelong journey to conquer them, one at a time. Now granted I maybe 150 years old by the time I conquer them all, but, hey, I’m trying :)

The word for IF this week is “resolve” which is close enough to resolutions for me. I’ve already broken one resolution…yes, already…lol! That is to post only new work this year to IF; but oh well…!

This lovely lady, was created under the title of “Comfort Zone”. She is a beautiful tribute to my godmother, “Miss Mamie” who always appeared to me to be comfortable in her own skin and always confident! She was an inspiring influence in my life! She resolved in the early stages of her life to be comfortable in her own skin! Now that’s “resolve!”

Let’s make this year a beginning for positive resolve. Peace.

“Arte y Pico” is a phrase that roughly translates as,”The Maximum, The Peak!”

I would like to thank Lisa Rivas of “Flying Colors” (http://flyingcolors.typepad.com) for giving me such a glamourous award!

See below who I pass this torch of beauty to:

Here are ‘the rules’ for The ARTE y PICO Award:

1. Show the award.
2. The name of the person who gave it to you and a link back to their blog.
3. Pick 5 blogs you think deserve this award for: creativity, design, interesting material and their contribution/participation to the blog community.
4. List the author’s name and link to their blog.
5. Leave a message on the blogs of those you’ve selected.

Link back to the original Arte y Pico BLOG, so all will know the origin of the award.

AWARD CROWNING TO THE FOLLOWING BLOGS:

1. Godheval for his amazing concepts, values, and ideas and who leaves me feeling so proud of his mark of genius every time.

2. Dani at Dani Torrent for her soulful style and passionate expressions…

3. Lynne at Mythmaking from the Other Side for her exquisite imagination and eyes to see the soul!

4. Vanessa Brantley Newton at Ooh La La Design Studio for her sense of style and the ability to work it!

5. Yoon See at Greener Pasture for a contagious smile, and to continually produce amazing work, every day!

and an extra one!

6. For every blog I visit and leave a message, because your work touches me and keeps me going!

Visiting these blogs inspire me with all their creativity, talent, ideas, (“talk about amazing skills!)

They always raise the bar for me and I’m happy to run along side them!