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Increase your Creativity through Art

May 23, 2022 Comments Off on Increase your Creativity through Art Inspiration

art increases creativity

Increase your Creativity through Art

How do you increase the creativity in your life? How do you feed yourself to inspire and make ideas pop? This has always been a mystery to me.

Living with empty walls is boring and uninspiring. It makes sense that when walking into your home, art is there to remind you of vibrancy and life. The story of your life reflected to you through art lets you escape. It gives you the inspiration to live a bigger a life. A life of self reflection. A life that reminds you to keep going.

Increase your creativity with Art in the Workplace

What about your workplace? How do you increase you creativity? Do you work in a cubicle or office that has empty walls? Are you having meetings in a conference room that is stifling? Are you going back to work in the office and dread it? Now is the time to rejuvenate and to find a window of escape.

It has been found that art reduces stress in the workplace,  increases creativity and encourages expressions of opinions. It gives us the courage to look at things a bit differently. Most importantly, it reminds you that there is life beyond those four walls that you sit in for 8 or more hours a day.

Studies have shown that Art enhances Innovation

In an article in Forbes titled “The Impact of Art in the Workplace”, statistics showed that there was a 32% increased in productivity by people who worked within an enriched environment. Therefore, it should be considered how the environment encourages inspiration. As a manager, are you thinking about the workplace and how it encourages your people to stay a bit longer? How it makes everyone think bigger and with more thought?

Art can do this. Such a simple idea to hang something on the walls that reminds you to think bigger. Thinking creatively means to think outside the box. To speak your mind and express your opinions.

According to a recent study it was stated that “aesthetic in the truest sense means energy giving which is what a workplace needs, rather than a bland industrial environment”. It makes sense!

Art does not distract, although many think this may be the case. In fact, looking at art engages us in an intellectual way that reminds us about innovation. Most importantly,  it reminds us of an escape.

Looking for prints and available originals see www.memoryartgirl.com

 

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Positive Thinking and Art

March 13, 2022 Comments Off on Positive Thinking and Art Inspiration

positive thinking and art are brought out with a woman walking in flowers

Positive thinking and art are intertwined.

The interaction with art can enable you to have a moment of escape. To be able to experience a moment of innocence, ease, hope, tenderness and light. Key pieces to being human and surviving a world that seems to be upside down, and full of images of despair.

How to remain positive?

Focus on the good things. Remind yourself of that which is good and not the challenging. This is how positive thinking and art complement. An image, colour, moment, are all pieces of art that takes you to momentary respite. It can remind you to be strong. To take on the beauty and use it to fortify your resolve to step into the day with an attitude of change and strength.

Art engages you with hope

The approach to creating my art is focused upon this engagement with hope, lightness and love. Each image has a bit of whimsy, a touch of memory and nostalgia that takes you to another place and time.

In the piece highlighted, titled Thing of Beauty the image has an aura of strength and determination. The figure walks towards you with a smile and confidence. Surrounded by blossoming flowers, this pieces has a context of positivity.

Looking at confidence and brightness reminds us of our own place. And in this place is gratitude. So much time is spent focusing on our loss. In reality, understanding how lucky we are and how difficult life can be for others needs to be a daily ritual. By doing so, we are able to manage the onslaught of the negative.

Building resilience by thinking positive.

It seems that these times means that we need to have an armour of resilience. In order to build this armour, you have to push back.  The trick is to know how little acts can help our mental state.  To withstand the depletion of the positive, the first step is to activate the positive.

There are several ways to build the positive. Being grateful,  surrounding yourself with people who are positive, open yourself to humour and whimsy,  and starting your day on a positive note are just a few ways. In my opinion, making your home a place of joy and lightness is key to this.

A good place to start is to look at images that bring you happiness.

Check out my print store at https://www.memoryartgirl.com/shop-art

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Art and finding Happiness

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

couple hugging in raindrops

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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How to buy art you Love

September 27, 2020 Comments Off on How to buy art you Love Residential Installations

how to buy art that looks beautiful in a modern home.

What are the best steps to take in deciding on the perfect piece of art?

According to a recent survey by University College London, looking at a beautiful work of art impacts the brain in the same way as falling in love with a person. How to buy art, whether it is an original or a print, speaks to your unique vision of the world. It reflects your story and your insight to your reality. It should also give you a sense of beauty and a rush of escape that soothes your mind and your soul. It is a risk, but it has a great deal of fulfillment.

However, the biggest piece of this is the uncertainty in making the final decision. How to overcome the risk? How to take the steps that, in the end, will fulfill your need to make your home a place where it heals and rejuvenates.

A few practical steps;

First find the pieces that attract your attention at www.memoryartgirl.com  Be sure to mark these pieces as favourites in your review.

If it’s an original, read the size of the art and compare it against the dimensions in your home. How to buy art becomes easier by visualizing. To help visualize how an artwork will look in your space, just browse the art you like on any mobile device. Then use this tool to virtually place any work in your home or office with the “Live Preview Augmented Reality” feature that is on www.memoryartgirl.com

If the piece is in the prints section, see which size would work in your space. Use the Augmented Reality button, when selecting the piece, and ultimately get a sense of the piece in the space.  Likewise, a measuring tape and some imagination will go a long way as well.

Next, read the description. It will give you helpful information to give you a better sense of the work.  If you ever need more context around an artwork you love, reach out.

Searching for original art to elevate your living and working spaces?  Consider your budget, size and shape of the work and then consider which orientation is best.  A work of art in the right dimensions and orientation can anchor a room.  A work in the wrong size can look like an afterthought. If you find yourself staring at bare walls, unsure of where to begin, here’s five tips (from Saatchi Art) for finding art that is the perfect fit.

Size

Aim to fill about two-thirds to three-fourths of your available wall space. If you are looking to create a focal point above a piece of furniture, follow the same proportions.  Find a work two-thirds to three-fourths smaller than your furniture. When in doubt, go big. If you’re buying a work without measurements on hand, it’s typically safer to err on the larger side. You want your artwork to stand out and complement your space. Empty wall space can overwhelm a smaller work.

Orientation

When deciding on orientation, consider the shape of your available wall space. Go for a work in portrait orientation (vertical) to create a sense of height and openness. Is there an expanse of blank wall space behind your dining room table? Go horizontal, or landscape, to fill the visual field.

Placement

In gallery spaces, two-dimensional works are typically hung so that the center of the piece falls at eye level (56 to 60 inches from floor). This standard is a useful rule of thumb for hanging works on blank walls. When there’s a couch, headboard, fireplace mantel, or other piece of furniture involved, ensure that the work has some breathing room while keeping the look cohesive.

Salon Walls

Consider filling your wall space by grouping multiple works together. Works of equal size can be hung as a grid, but don’t be afraid to cluster works of different sizes into a salon wall.  In general, hang larger artworks on a salon wall two to three inches apart and small works one and a half to two inches apart.

Preview Art on Your Wall

If you still need help visualizing how an artwork will look in your space. Visit Memory Art Girl on your mobile device to use the the Augmented Reality function to place any work in your home or office. To use this function just look for the ‘Live Preview AR” button when viewing any piece of art on the website.  You’ll find the perfect spot in no time!

Learning how to buy art will make things easier. Deciding on the right piece, for the right place after you love the image becomes the challenge. With just a few steps, and the use of technology,  the perfect peice can be found.

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How are your happiness levels?

September 16, 2020 Comments Off on How are your happiness levels? Inspiration

happiness levels are good as the dancing continues

How do you feel?

How are your happiness levels? Do you self check on a daily basis to see how you feel? Is there a time, at the end of the day, that you feel you are OK and you had a happy moment that day.

I have this quote pinned to my wall;

“Happiness is the meaning and the purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence (…) Happiness depends upon ourselves” – Aristotle

Happiness levels comes from a variety of sources; material goods, helping others, ego gratification when comparing to others and finally, searching for balance of previous three elements.  It is this last piece that seems to be the most distant and unreachable. The ultimate bliss. The sense you get up in the morning and be grateful for those who love you, in your achievements as a human being. Pieces that we can take for granted.

The little moments count the most.

In times such as these, there is a focus upon the micro. The little bits of events that happen that may be spontaneous. These micro moments, by registering them, seem to give a bit of a boost to the happiness levels.

So where does art exist in this happiness levels?

It has been found that art can create happiness levels in the hormonal level etc;

“A study by neurobiologist and University College London professor Semir Zeki found that looking at a work of art can actually have the same psychological effect as the euphoric experience of romantic love.”

So this leaves you with the antidote to sadness! Having art in your home increases your happiness levels. At the very least it may give you a bit of a boost that reminds you of colour, of life, of a moment to escape. A moment that you can register that you have control over.

This is the thing that seems to be important. The ability to control our environment. In a time, when we seem to not be able to, checking into our happiness levels is a piece that we can nurture and register.

It is time to search for the joy;

In the piece highlighted titled Time to Celebrate, this piece is part of a new series that searches for the joy in a moment. A moment of a party; dancing, laughing, and being part of life. Sharing in a moment that reminds us of our humanity and being.

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Look for Light

July 15, 2020 Comments Off on Look for Light Inspiration

look what the light did now as the woman sits by the pool

Look for light as you go through your day.

“Look for light”, says my mom as I work through the realization that my life is so drastically different. Without art fairs to travel to in the US and events canceled in Canada, there is a coming to terms with the fact that the Covid effect is going deep.

Deeper than I expected.

Part of this realization is the fact that the mindset in dealing with this change is how to manage the stress, the grief and the loss. Of course to look for light is the goal.

To stay on point and be within the art, the creative and the purpose. When doing this there is a sense of “look what the light did now”. There is a sense of accomplishment and moving forward. Moving forward is a way to look for light.

The Fixed vs Growth mindset is the first step to growing.

At the basis of this approach is the fixed vs. growth mindset. The fixed mindset is the static. The place where we try to survive and defend ourselves in the understanding that maintaining a success is where we need to be. A growth mindset works to challenge, to learn, to take in stride our mistakes and grow from this.

Understanding this difference can help you meditate on the success. On the future, on the hope.

As we work our way through this Pandemic, with all of its ramifications there needs to be a discipline of controlling the mind to look to the good. Not to be caught up with the dark.

Look what the light did now

Of course, there is a need to register the loss. To grieve the loss of a job, or a person you know is part of this. However, survival has to be activated by focusing on the positive.

To step into the light, absorb it and use it to be productive,  creative and hopeful. Really is there any other choice?

To have a look at pieces that bring light into your home check out https://www.memoryartgirl.com

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What is your perfect day?

June 24, 2020 Comments Off on What is your perfect day? Inspiration, Uncategorized

a perfect day with three cowgirls being sassy

How to decide on what is a Perfect Day?

What is your perfect day? A day where everything lands just right. Have you gone through the process? From the beginning till the end looking close to the things and actions that make it perfect. Your breakfast, your work, your day to enjoy the outdoors, the perfect dinner. All the things that take you into the world of the perfect.

Is this all there is- making of the perfect day? Are there not pieces in this perfection that speak to trying to achieve goals?

How do achieving goals become part of the “perfection?”

What about your goals? The things that make this perfect day work so well are the things you work towards. The radical goals; like making the world a little bit more meaningful, or making the world a better place to live in, helping others so the world is less bleak and blocked. This last piece seems to be the trend lately. The marching in the streets,  the call to action for change.

The last few months have made many to take pause. To reset and look a bit more closely at their life, goals, the  way time is spent and what their perfect day looks like. There is just so much energy in a day- so learning where to put this energy to achieve the goals is the first place to start. As we stopped, there is an assessment of what is important.  In other words, now is the time to think in the silence and feel what is right, feels good, and helps others.

To work towards a goal is to add to the perfect day.

To find this perfection- this place where we are fulfilled, challenged and working towards a goal of a place of idealism is always about the first step. The first step to change. As this step is taken, then the vision starts to become clearer.

Perhaps this is where things get tricky. What about the “universe” and its power to help you achieve this perfection. I am a believer in serendipity. The blending of the different people and events combine to make goals happen. When you take the first step, a goal is about to be achieved. As a result, perfection begins its journey.

Brazilian novelist Paulo Coelho has a theory about why this is the case: “When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.”

How have you pushed towards this better place?

In my small world of making art I have looked closer at the message of my art. The way the story invites the viewer to reflect upon their own life and how it firstly inspires and secondly empowers them. Two ways that keep you moving forward to finding your perfection.

In the painting featured, titled Sassy Girls, there are three cowgirls standing with an attitude and looking straight at the viewer. All of the pieces in this painting bring together the message of strength and making things happen. It is a piece of art that reminds you to be inspired and to not back down. Almost a way that so many of us feel today. Moreover it is time to step forward and take the action to achieve our days of perfection.

To see more art and prints see www.memoryartgirl.com

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Happy Place of Escape

May 30, 2020 Comments Off on Happy Place of Escape Inspiration

find your happy place of walking in a street full of flowers

How to find your Happy Place?

Finding a way to salve your soul, to give you a respite from the tensions of the daily life is a way to survive. A way to make certain that you heal and take care of your mental state.

There are many ways to take care of yourself; get rest, take care of others, exercise, eat well, keep in touch with friends and family- and find a way to enjoy the beauty around you. A garden, blooming lilacs, watching children ride a bike, the sunlight on the lake, the warm wind on the beach. All things that take us into a place where lightness elevates our inner selves.

Finding Happy in art is a perfect way to be.

Of course art is the perfect place to find the Happy Place.  Being aware of how colours and story  can make you feel plays a role in elevating your mood. Finding a happy place puts a moment of lightness in your mind and gives you an escape.

Colours have been found influence us particularly; Blue makes you feel safe and relaxed.Yellow makes you feel happy and spontaneous. Red makes you feel passionate and energized. Pink makes you feel playful and romantic.

Surround yourself with colours so that you are reminded of a another space.  A happy place.

In the piece highlighted, called Dream Lady, the blue brings an inviting place full of life and colours. This is a calm, meditative space that has a playful quality. Flowers and music are embedded and brings a touch of love and romance to the image. A couple kissing, inspired by a vintage comics from the 1950s, brings the story of love to this city. So many pieces which combine to create a Happy Place of escape.

Art is your constant companion.

Use art to make you feel calm. This is an easy solution. As it is not a screen (phone, computer, tv) it is always there. To be seen in a moment, glanced at as you walk into the door, looked at the first thing in the morning. So many ways it can remind you of peace, of story, of another place and time that is full of happy.

 

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Dreaming and Art Can Help

May 15, 2020 Comments Off on Dreaming and Art Can Help Inspiration, Uncategorized

art is a way to escape. sitting by the pool is a way to be in another place and time.

Dreaming is like Art- it takes you Away

Art can help you escape. It is a way that we can be in a place that is not in the present. For many this time has been challenging, drawn out and challenging our patience. The Great Pause has also placed a pause on the ability to plan.

Looking forward to an event, a place to visit, a family gathering are ways that we look forward. Without this, there is a stillness, a sense that a paralysis has happened and there is no life. So how to combat this? How to step aside from the effect of a Pandemic Nightmare?  In fact there has been research that notes that dreaming enables us to manage crisis situations. That dreaming and sleep enable us the tools to withstand stress.

It’s the Little Things that have to be Marked

However dreaming still doesn’t answer to the need to look forward to something. So how do we deal with this?

Perhaps it is the little things in life that marks a moment. The cup of coffee in the morning, the sitting in the sun, the end of the day and being with your family or partner reviewing the good that happened that day. Little things that reminds you of the positive. It may not be a way to look forward to but it is a way to mark a moment and enjoy.

Dreaming is a way of survival of a time when events cannot be planned. Creating art with these dreams plays a role in this as well. The little bubbles of life, stories, emotion, movement that a piece of art brings a moment of joy. A moment of respite from darkness. A conscious way to be in a place that takes us away from not being able to look forward.

How Art can Help

The painting highlighted is such an example- an image that takes your mind and allows you to escape. To be in a place that takes your imagination to another level. Titled Sun of my Smile, this piece was inspired by an old  postcard of a motel. Doesn’t it take you to a place by the pool hanging out and enjoying a day of being? Of soaking the sun, sharing time with others, and waiting for a Pina Colada? Embedded within the piece are phrases from the poem Phenomenal Woman by Maya Angelou. Phrases that speak to withstanding adversity. Being able to say to yourself that you can make it through the day.

 

 

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Time to find your joy.

May 2, 2020 Comments Off on Time to find your joy. Inspiration

time to find joy as the dancing in the home continues. Normalcy of life. Dancing couples.

Your Home is your Place for Delight.

Is it time to find your joy? What delight are you finding in your home? What are the things around you that is bringing you pleasure? A comfortable chair, an old photo of your family, or looking out the window with the greening of the outside from the burst of the spring. These things can have a great impact on your psyche.

The concept that the tangible object- the soft pink blanket that you wrap around yourself to escape the day, the vase of fresh tulips on your dining room table with its call to spring, or the painting you look at everyday are intangible objects that give us a sensation of escape, or enjoyment.

There is a deep desire for a moment of rapture- a glimmer of the lightness and beauty in an item around you. Not necesarily “happiness” which can be defined as how we feel about our work, the people in our lives or the meaning we may embed into our daily life. Joy is more of a moment. A flash of the good. The focus upon a brief second of pleasure.

Register the Sad to find the Joy

Most importantly, recognizing the depth of sadness, frustration and loss in our times of today is part of this. However, by doing so, does not mean that the grasping onto the beauty of a moment is irrelevant. There is a contrast. Understand the feelings of sadness, and take this in stride in order to search for the moment of pleasure.

As the time of The Great Pause continues, there is an avoidance of  reality. A sense of being numb to the news, the avoidance of connecting to reality seems to be happening the longer this continues. However, numbness also denies the celebration of  beauty. As Spring blooms, the birds are chirping, the sun is shining and the air feels warm. Registering this is a form of healing. A place in which our  mind goes into a space of a high. Savouring the beauty, understanding that there are short moments of sadness, and then there are the highs of enjoying the beauty. Both experiences are part of maintaining a balance.

Gratification makes us more Resilient

By understanding this balance we become more resilient. Registering the moments of gratitude, and joy, gives us a deeper engagement and meaning to the events today. By knowing this, we are enabling ourselves, and gives us the permission to enjoy the good that surrounds us.

And of course, to see a way to celebrate the good have a look at my online store on my website!

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