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Nurturing your creative self

December 4, 2023 Comments Off on Nurturing your creative self Inspiration

a beach with a woman in the sun with umbrellas searching for her creative self
 Nurturing your Creative Self Amidst Life’s Chaos: A Guide for Busy Souls

     In the hustle and bustle of our daily lives, finding the time and energy to tap into our creative selves can be a daunting task. Balancing work, family responsibilities, and the chaos of preparing for the holiday season, creativity often takes a backseat. However, in the midst of this chaos, the importance of nurturing our creativity becomes even more profound.

Life can be busy

Life is a juggling act, especially for those managing careers, parenting, and the whirlwind of activities that accompany the holiday season. The demands on our time and mental bandwidth can make the prospect of engaging in creative pursuits seem like a distant dream. However, acknowledging the significance of creativity in fostering a balanced and fulfilled life is the first step towards overcoming these challenges.

Memories fuels creativity

Creativity is often fueled by our memories – the reservoir of experiences, emotions, and observations that shape our unique perspectives. In the midst of a hectic schedule, it’s easy to underestimate the power of memory in sparking creative ideas. Whether it’s the joy of a childhood memories or the challenges faced during a busy workday, tapping into these memories can be a wellspring of inspiration for artistic expression.

How to encourage creativity

Ways to Encourage Creativity in Busy Lives:

  1. Carve out dedicated time: Schedule specific time slots for creative pursuits, treating them with the same importance as work meetings or family commitments. This deliberate approach helps in creating a mental space for creativity.
  2. Embrace imperfection: Understand that creativity is a process, not a destination. Give yourself permission to create imperfect art, acknowledging that the act of creating is more important than achieving perfection.
  3. Involve family: Turn creative endeavors into family activities. Whether it’s crafting holiday decorations together or sharing stories, involving loved ones not only nurtures creativity but also strengthens bonds.
  4. Create a conducive environment: Designate a space at home for creative pursuits, free from distractions. A clutter-free and inspiring environment can significantly enhance your ability to focus and create.
  5. Explore diverse mediums: Experiment with various art forms and mediums. You might discover hidden talents and interests that align with your schedule and energy levels.
  6. Mindfulness and relaxation techniques: Incorporate mindfulness practices, such as meditation or deep breathing, to clear mental clutter and make room for creative thoughts.

In the chaos of life’s demands, the pursuit of creativity might seem like a luxury. However, recognizing its importance in fostering well-being and personal fulfillment can shift our perspective. By acknowledging the role of memory in creative endeavors and implementing practical strategies, we can embrace our artistic sides even amidst the busiest of times. So, as the holiday season approaches, let’s make a conscious effort to prioritize and nurture our creativity, ensuring that the canvas of our lives is painted with the vibrant strokes of imagination and self-expression.

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Memory as a tool for creativity

March 14, 2023 Comments Off on Memory as a tool for creativity Inspiration

Dancing on the beach

Using Memory as a Tool in Art

Memory as a tool for Inspiration

Memory is a powerful source of inspiration for artists. Memories can be triggered by emotions, smells, sounds, or visuals, and can be a source of inspiration for creating new art. When an artist creates art that reflects their memories, it allows them to connect with their audience on a deeper level, as the emotions and experiences portrayed in the artwork resonate with viewers.

For example, artists may use their memories of childhood experiences to create art that is nostalgic and reflective of their personal histories. This type of art is often very relatable, as many viewers have similar memories and experiences that they can connect to.

The trick to using childhood memories as an artist- is to think of experiences that are universal. For example, I remember childhood memories of the escape to the beach, or remembering parties my parents  had in the 1970s play a role in creating pieces for my recent collection.

Memory as a Tool for Creativity

Memory is also a tool for creativity. When artists create, they draw from their memories to generate new ideas and concepts. This is especially true for artists who work in abstract or non-representational forms. In these cases, artists may use their memories as a starting point for creating art that explores emotions or concepts that are difficult to express in words.

Memory can also be a tool for problem-solving. When artists encounter challenges in their work, they can draw on their memories of past successes and failures to find solutions. This type of problem-solving is essential for artists who work in mediums that are unforgiving, such as painting or sculpture.

Memory as a Means of Communication

Finally, memory is a means of communication for artists. Through their art, artists can share their memories and experiences with others. This type of communication is especially powerful when the memories portrayed in the art are universal, and viewers can connect to them on a personal level.

In conclusion, memory is a crucial element in the creation, preservation, and appreciation of art. By drawing on their own memories and experiences, artists are able to create works that are deeply personal and meaningful. In turn, these works of art help to preserve our culture and history, and allow us to connect with one another on a deeper level.

To see a full selection of prints see https://www.memoryartgirl.com/shop-art

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Growth Mindset defines your World

February 11, 2022 Comments Off on Growth Mindset defines your World Inspiration

Wonderful World creates place to be

The power of mindset.

The question is how do you maintain and insure that you have a growth mindset and not a fixed one? How do you insure that the negative does not affect you?

The difference between growth and fixed is one of looking at the future. To have a growth mindset means that you are learning and looking to the future. The people around you, your family, your home are all part of this process.

Life should not just be followed. You need to challenge the status quo.  You need to control your mindset and be aware othe negative imagery, films, conversations, news that we are exposed to. In fact, the ability to grow, and be positive is directly linked to your environment.

Your Surroundings influences your mindset

The past two years have shown us how being in one spot creates a paralysis of action. The lockdowns, the lack of travel, have made our world very small. The result, is the feeling of  sadness- the lack of looking at the future and looking at life with a view of light and brightness.

One of the main sources of being positive is your home. Its different rooms, has an influence upon your mind. The colours, light, comfort all play a role in how you feel. Art has a big role in this.

Happiness brought to you with Art

When creating the Happiness Series, I was aware that the imagery provided a positive view. A hopeful view. Each piece presents a story of joy, escape and a place where there is an optimistic outlook.

In the piece highlighted, Wonderful World, is a story of hope, future and joy. The figures are from vintage ads with the text referencing the song What a wonderful World. The outlook is being positive and cherishing the moment.

To see the full Happiness Series, click here. 

 

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Make your life better with art

October 7, 2021 Comments Off on Make your life better with art Inspiration

empowered art with women running in the surf

Art gives you a depth of meaning and makes your life better.

How can art make your life better?  What is its power/ Can art change the world? It’s a question that many have asked and answered.  Art, in its many forms, can reveal the power that we can acquire through the engagement and understanding of the stories behind art. For this reason, just filling a space in the wall with an image that has no meaning to you undervalues the power and impact that art can have. In fact, the power comes from you taking the risk to surround yourself with Art that inspires you, makes you feel the power that art can have.

“Art does not show people what to do, yet engaging with a good work of art can connect you to your senses, body, and mind. It can make the world felt. And this felt feeling may spur thinking, engagement, and even action.”

No one wants an empty life. A life lacking in colour, in drama and in story. This time of year can be a time of paralysis. Winter descends and the cold tightens its grip. Hibernation seems to be the best alternative. This is where the power of art becomes integral to moving forward. Dreaming of another time and place is integral to survival. And survival is where this year has began.

Paintings that tell a story give you the power of knowledge

There are times that I create art that sets a clear truth, a story of women together, walking, striding to the same goal of recognition.  The Empowered Series is an integral part of my artistic vision. The painting highlighted is titled “Give Yourself a Lift”

This painting uses the glamorous Pan Am stewardesses as the point of departure. Women who were elegant and at the forefront of the professional definition of women’s work life. Yet there is a sarcastic twist to this image.

A target practice image is set in the back ground with the text ‘greatest show’- which is from the circus promotion from Barnum and Bailey. These women walk with strength. But will they achieve their goal? The point is that this image inspires and tells the story of strength.

 

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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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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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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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Life is Simple when it’s Normal

March 23, 2020 Comments Off on Life is Simple when it’s Normal Inspiration

A simple life. A couple sitting and reading

How do we survive the chaos?

There was life before. Then there is life after. Life is simple. Simple when it can be normal. That is not our reality today. As we deal with chaos around us we try to find a place of normalcy. A place where we can talk, touch and be with each other.

Aside from the lack of face to face human connection, there is a real void of culture. The art we see in theatres, concerts, art fairs, galleries, are a direct reflection of ourselves. Without this presence there is just quiet.

What to do during these times? How do we nurture ourselves? How do we make our lives function so that we are reminded of the joy, the happiness, the simplicity of freedom?

Living in the Moment

Living within our homes, quarantined with our families, distant from our friends, our workplace- we are confronted with ourselves. Our own truths and realities. This self examination is not bad. So much of our time is about pushing forward, producing, making it to the next level. As we focus upon ourselves and our surroundings of “home”, there is a recognition of the essence of ourselves. Surviving this is the challenge. Being able to accept, to nurture, to be with our own space is the place we are in.

For the past 10 days, I have been paralyzed. Not able to really do anything but shake my head with this new reality. As the shock dissipates, I start to search for the connection. The connection to what life is. The way we adapt to crisis is different for everyone. I believe that artists tend to absorb the energy of their surroundings. To set a wall against the darkness takes an extra amount of effort. Yet it is our job. Our calling is to create a space of escape. It is a place for you to be in and be alive. To feel the life of love, of beauty, laughter and fun.

Now is the time for Art. More than ever. So even though you can’t go to an art fair, or a concert- Take a moment to look for art online, check out the beauty. Absorb what you can to be in the moment of beauty on the screen.

At the very least tour through www.memoryartgirl.com to see a few images of beauty, love and home.

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Postcards of Paradise

February 20, 2020 Comments Off on Postcards of Paradise Inspiration

postcard of Ladies by the pool

Special Messages of Love

What is in a postcard? Really the question should be asked; when is the last time you received a postcard? A short message, with a great picture and a sensation that someone, somewhere took the time to think of you. They took the time to write a note, put your address and stamp on it and put it in a mailbox.

Usually these postcards have photos of wonderful places. Places we can escape to in the moment of receiving this message. Our mind travels, every so briefly, and is there with the person enjoying the view. Of course, you soon think that the message is not irrelevant as the person has moved onto another place. The mail could never follow as quickly as social media.

Now we have an instant experience- we can look at social media and see the place, the moment of personal reaction to the place they are visiting. The consumption of the imagery is monumental. The reception of this image does not celebrate the personal sharing of a memory. In fact, there just is no connection. There is observation.

Postcards makes us feel special

When collecting postcards from the past, there is a real sense of humanity. A consistent messaging of celebrating events in life and travel. Always a message of “wishing you were here”. The sense of absence is pervasive. Even though the postcards come from 60 years ago, the messaging is often the same.

When receiving a postcard, there is a quietness, a sense of being in a space and sharing the moment that the sender is trying to convey. You think of the person being in that space. You are there in that moment- with them.

It is this sensation that the latest body of work looks at. The moment we imagine what the image says about the sender. Is it just another pretty place? Or is there a real emotional space that the sender was in when sending this postcard? When creating a painting, such as Phenomenal Woman, there is a deeper message than the image. The layering of a feminist story, played into the image, makes for a piece that  is a deeper space. A political space.

A postcard can be more than a postcard.

In reality, no image is just an image. Every image relates to a story that can be interpreted in a way of intent. Taking the image of the postcard of being by a pool is a perfect platform for another meaning. Layering the poem Phenomenal Woman by Maya Angelou does such a thing. It puts a deeper meaning than escape or holiday. It puts the meaning of celebrating women and celebrating beauty a prime message. Two messages which makes this work, and this series, a fun and relevant body of work.

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Friendship creates memories.

January 8, 2020 Comments Off on Friendship creates memories. Inspiration, Uncategorized

friendship of women running

Friends makes us Happy

Having a group of women friends creates happiness and memories. Friendship brings out the lighter side of life and makes us realize that life is to be enjoyed. To not be taken too seriously and remind you to laugh a little at the absurdity of daily life.

For many women, working, taking care of kids and parents, having a partner are so many pieces that have to be balanced and nurtured. Much of our time is spent insuring that everyone is good. Having friendship with other women is just too much. It takes time to be engaged. To reach out and celebrate each other. A piece that often get lost in the demands of taking care of others.

Yet by not doing this, by not taking care of the personal, the resource that gives so much is not renewed. That resource is You.

As an artist, I spend a great deal of time alone. I’m not lonely. I just don’t talk to people much. It takes a bit of effort and time to understand that by doing this I am not renewing the resource that produces the art.

Art can remind you of the joy of Friendship

Looking at vintage photos of women walking together, striding in laughter and fun, reminds you of the joy. This image tells you to stop- listen to your inner voice and step into taking life a little less seriously.  This is an important piece.

How can art play a role in your happiness?

This is a question that I often consider when creating a peice of art. What messaging does it hold that takes you to a place that reminds you of joy, reminds you of escape, reminds you of love? Pieces of happiness that are critical in our well being.

Creating images of women walking together plays into this realm. As an artist it is an image that reminds me of the value of my friendships with women. Women who share my frustrations with relationships, hopes for my kids and advice for my career. Pieces of shared moments that cannot be taken for granted.

Make certain you surround yourself with reminders of laughter.  This gives you so much more than that moment.

 

 

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