Art and finding Happiness

January 30, 2022 Comments Off on Art and finding Happiness Inspiration Like

Art and finding Happiness Plays Together

How can art find you happiness? Happiness are three parts, enjoyment, satisfaction and meaning. All three parts play a part in how art can bring you happiness.

The most important piece is “enjoyment”. Of course, we can look at this word and just say “I enjoy this piece of art, so I am happy”. But recently I have been looking at it a bit more deeply- In fact the question I keep asking myself is “why”. Why does this particular painting create more of a feeling of joy, or enjoyment?

Stories of Connection

There are two pieces to this; the connection to others, and pleasure. When creating the stories I create, at the root of the pieces is love. As in the piece “Springtime Love”, to love others is at the core of these visual stories. This may seem like a trite premise, maybe a bit over sentimental- but in reality every piece is the celebration of this concept. To be with others, to share in a moment, to tell the story of this sharing is at the core.

Layered over these stories, is fun. The ability to enjoy pleasure, or “how to have fun”, is part of every piece I create. This would mean going for bike ride, walking in the rain and singing, or being in the garden. Every moment to be connected to a moment of light and joy. Every moment shared with others or being mindful of its beauty. The satisfaction you feel when you realize that life is more than the routine. It is the being in the moment and being mindful.

Mindfulness is looking at life with an awareness. Absorbing the light, the sounds, and the colour of the moment. Revelling this this moment and feeling alive. If anything, looking at a piece of art that strives to bring happiness to the forefront is key.

Finding the Fun

If anything, these pieces reminds you that we should have balance in our life. Fun, or that moment of being satisfied that life is good, is a mindset we have to keep working at. It just doesn’t come. We need to stop, stare and look at it. To absorb the incredible moment. To dream about going on a trip, to share in a celebration with family and friends, to be in the simple moments of connection with your partner, your children, or being with yourself creating a piece of art. These are ways of being engaged with life. These are ways you can find your “fun”.

If anything, art and finding happiness, goes hand in hand.

To see the latest collection of my Happiness Series click here.

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Choose to bring the Joy in your Life

October 5, 2018 Comments Off on Choose to bring the Joy in your Life Inspiration 1

Choosing the joy of the day by sitting in a cafe in paris on a cool day enjoying a moment of watching and revelling in the moment

It is Your Choice to be Happy

Choosing the joy in life can come in many ways. It can come from walking your dog in the morning as the sun comes up. It can come from just sitting at a cafe and enjoying the last few moments of warmth and sunshine before the winter descends upon us. It can come from having dinner with your partner after a tough day. Or similarly, it can come from going to the Theatre and absorbing a moment of beautiful classical music by the symphony. Most importantly, it can come from looking at beautiful piece of art in your home that impresses upon you the celebration of the moment. Art reminds us of the beauty- the moments that last briefly but can imprint upon our minds indefinitely.

Art reminds us of the Joy

Many who look at my work are engaged with the celebration of the Joy. This is due to the fact that people walk into my booth at an art fair and remark on the stories that I create as part of my work. Yet every story is about the positive. The looking toward the brightness of the day. The place you can walk into and revel in the colour, the patterns and the beauty. In the piece highlighted titled “She Walks on Pink Roses” a story is created about a cool day watching the world go by. The flowers are embedded in the figure and give the story a place of softness and comfort. A place to remind us to be in the moment and enjoy the day.

Counter the Negative

For a long time I thought that this type of work was too sentimental. That it had a shallowness that we see in our pop culture. Well I no longer feel this. In fact, I see my art as a counter point to the negative. We seem to now live in a culture full of the negative. Certainly there is an overwhelming amount of combative and the critical debate. Of course for social change to happen we need the critical. We need the empowered and the fearless to step forward. I am the first to support these actions. Yet what are the effects on our psyche? How do you insulate yourself from this?

Choose the Joy! I know this may sound trite. In fact, it is not. Most noteworthy, surrounding yourself, and engaging with art that is beautiful, makes us happier. In fact, studies have found “that looking at a work of art can actually have the same psychological effect as the euphoric experience of romantic love.” Now don’t we all want to feel that romantic high? Above all we want the sense that “joy” is part of our daily life. It may comes at less of an impact with a piece of art that you look at daily. Or it may remind you, when you least expect it, that life is good.

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Home is a Place of Renewal

September 20, 2018 Comments Off on Home is a Place of Renewal Inspiration Like

Home is where the heart is as seen by this couple walking in paris arm in arm sharing a moment. Roses collaged onto surface promotes the beauty and love of the moment.

Renewal of the Home and Feng Shui

Your home should be a place or renewal and regeneration. The question becomes how? How does the design and flow of your home take you into a place of the positive. The theory of Feng Shui delves into this theory through the use of colour, symbols and placement of the interior elements to make a healthy happy place.

Creating Balance through art and colour.

In the article about the Feng Shui Use of Art, the author delves into the themes of imagery and symbols that creates and enhance the story of the room. For example, the introduction of feminine elements through the use of light colours, light fabrics and patterns. The theory creates an outlook that emphasizes a happy energy into our space. It is all about health, balance and harmony.

There are five elements in the Feng Shui theory- fire, earth, water, wood and metal. Colours that range from the blue/ green delve into serenity of water to the red/yellows that bring in the theme of love. Symbols, colour and placement of furniture creates a flow of a home. The framework helps guide you to select the pieces of Art, furniture, colours and approach to creating a space that renews us.

Art is the Story and the Symbol of visualizing.

In the piece highlighted titled Life is Like a Song, the theme of the piece is about love and the colours emanate the celebration and intensity of the story of the piece. This piece, if hanging in your home, would attract love and celebrates the connections you either have or would like to have in your home. In fact, this piece was recently sold to a client who wanted Love in her life. She only had images of single women in her home. So by introducing the story of Love and the actual representation of this couple, enabled her to visualize how she would like to change her life.

How does Art play a role in this theory of Feng Shui? Choosing art can be challenging, but if you have a few decision guiding principles, then the final choice can be easier. Check out my Online Store and see the options!

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Why buy art?

October 3, 2017 Comments Off on Why buy art? Inspiration Like

A piece of art with a man watching the drama of life

Often people ask themselves “what is the reason to buy art for their home?”. This is a normal question as Art is not a “need”. It is a “Want”. It isn’t food, shelter, or clothing. However, it is part of self care. It is part of making certain we retain our identity and reminds ourselves of who we are.

This past month has been waves of news that can spin our world into the depths of depression. Combatting the negative that surrounds us takes extra vigilance. It takes a decision to look towards brightness and life. Yes, we grieve the loss, the damaged and the destroyed. However, the goal is to keep going. To choose happiness over depression. Everyday I go to the studio, I have moments of questioning my purpose. I imagine many people feel this way. In the last few days I have once again affirmed that my purpose in this world is to create Art that reminds us of the goodness. The place which we can find a bit of sanity and love.

In an article titled 10 Reasons to Buy Art in the Huffington Post, the authors list simple reasons to buy handmade original paintings. They mention that “Happy walls make happy people”. I think this is true. Placing a piece of art on your wall reminds you to think of the bigger picture, the long game. The place in our world that has no fear, no hate, and reminds you to be good and loving.

When creating art, the goal is not to be sentimental in a trite way. Rather my work is about creating a story that reflects a bigger picture. One that is about connections and comfort. The desire to celebrate life in simple ways. In the piece highlighted, titled All Their is to Know, the story delves into yearning. The desire to be part of the story, the drama and the love as captured by the romance graphics from the 1950s. These Great Romance comic books were viewed with disdain by parents of the young girls who read them, but they were a place to explore stories and identity. To live a life of drama and romantic intrigue. What better way to spend time?

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