2014

I love looking back on the year. I love looking at the colors that inspired me and how they changed, evolved. I love the feeling of "I can't believe I created that"....and also the desire in me that says..."I so badly wish to create like that again". There are highs and lows throughout the journey of a year of art-making. Most of the time, in the process, I don't know what I'm doing. 2014 was a year to embrace that space of uncomfortableness. It's a space of growing...of newness.

Devoting my life to following Christ and sharing my faith through art has brought me so much joy. I feel more me. I feel more sure. I feel more....well everything. There is a Light so bright that I can't help but share. There is a Peace veil I walk around with.....a calm truth.



May 2015 bring you Peace, Light and Joy!

I also wanted to share with you a response to this basic question:

Q. Please help me with painting faces. I don't think I'm doing it right. You make it look so easy. Can you help me out?

My answer: First off you should be very proud of these faces! They are beautifully primitive and raw. In the process of painting, it sometimes "feels like" you should work to tighten up and get them "right" but you are doing what the lessons teach....to stay loose. Embrace that! and I applaud you for that. Most folks don't even grasp what you have grasped. They work and work until it's overworked. (I have done this so many times and it's ok too. To overwork something is good. Now you know where to ease up and just let it be)

And as far as me making it look easy, I agree. It is easy for me now. And it will be for you too. Keep in mind, I have been painting almost every day for the last 8 years. I always urge folks to go back and look at my earlier work: https://www.flickr.com/photos/timssally/sets/72157600457334817/

As you can see I started out very humble but as you scroll down, you can see my practice starts to slowly pay off.  I painted a whole year before I even tried my hand at painting faces I went to art school from 2006 to 2009 (not finishing) and I would run home as fast as I could to paint and draw how "I wanted to". Art school gets no credit for helping me find my style. (My Divine God and happy accidents gets all the credit!) 

I also worked as a makeup artist for 6 years before I started painting with acrylics. I feel that helped me to learn the basics of color and how it works in the face. (Although I will say that painting a 3 dimensional face is totally different than painting flat. When you are painting flat you have to give the illusion that it has more dimension than it does.)

The secret is to paint every day. There really is no magic potion other than that. And if you love painting you will want to paint every day. Don't stop at these faces. Keep going. Fill up your whole journal with faces. And then compare at the end. I guarantee that you'll surprise yourself.

I wish you the best......! Keep pushing through....

Here is a sampling of some of my favorite paintings that I created in 2014.....

My soul, is You.

I drink your your light
It shatters all fear.
My newness glitters on crystals of falling snow
I am one with you.
One with nature.

You embody this new me.
Your goodness travels on each cell.
Alive and replicating.
My bones are you.
My blood is you.

But most importantly
the part that is not seen of me, my soul, is You.

My soul, is You - original

Christmas Story

My spirit resides not in my mind.
It surpasses physical realms.
It feeds on light
glows with the hope of Christ

My life is yours
You are the greatest gift ever told
ever lived

Unique Miracle

The sky looked different tonight
the clouds a pattern and passing unique to its second in time.
Then it changed again.

I love the ongoing-every-second-of-everyday-creativity of our Creator.
The devine design of God overwhelms my soul.
Every second a new miracle exists.
Every second a new unique pattern....shape...smell....blade.....droplet.....color.....chirp

I look up to see a bat looking down at me.
He's flying a path and pattern I'm sure he's never flown before....or maybe he has.
Either way, a miracle

The air thickened with fog sets in.
The smell of morning rain seeps into the ground
Yes, I'm sure it's all new.
To see each day, each second with a newness of each passing miracle is how I hope to live.
This is my prayer, my hope.

Surely God is in this place!


inspired by scripture Genesis 28: 15-17

15 I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”

16 When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it.” 17 He was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven.”

and a quote by Albert Einstein:
There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle. 

Primitive Portraits 3 giveaway winner

Mixedmedia Jenn....congrats you won a spot in my new class Primitive Portraits 3! I sent you an invitation to the classroom via the email you provided.

thank you all for helping to spread the word. Very much appreciated!!

xo
mindy

Becoming: the unfolding of you

I'm so thankful and excited that Jeanne Oliver invited me to share my story and process of worship painting with you for Becoming: the unfolding of You.

Back last January I wrote these words:

I wish to go out on great waters. In your hands, I will not fail.
My faith takes on a newness. It's because you teach me.
You crack me open so that light enters and then grows.
I am all Yours. In your presence, I am more me.
That is where my soul dwells.
I have finally found You
and in doing so I found me.

In 2007, when I first started painting....I felt like I had found myself. I had purpose. I loved my job. I love painting so much that even still I get a flutter in my belly when I wake up in the morning. Through painting I felt myself growing closer to God. I realize now when I saw the moon over the Pacific Ocean, it was God calling me to Him. He revealed himself exactly the way I would respond. So gently. Subtle. It's because He knows me. He knew me before, now, and He goes before me and plans my day. The complexity with which God works is overwhelmingly beautiful! I found me through God/Jesus/Holy Spirit.

Jeanne has gathered these beautiful souls to share with you their testimony how God has worked in their lives. Each of us will be sharing creative projects from the soul and inspired by our spiritual walk with Jesus.

Here is all the info about the class and how you can join in.... (and did I mention Jeanne is offering this for free!)


Course description:
This January join 20 women for an 8 week study all about finding your true identity in Christ.  Each week you will hear unfolding stories from the women in this study.  We will be sharing truths about who the Lord says we are and our personal journeys to accepting those truths.

We will also have fun creative videos that follow the study where the women will share one of their gifts. Think guitar playing, bread making, painting, entertaining and more.  You know I can't have a course without sharing how the Lord uses our creativity! My hope is that the study will give you fresh eyes for the Lord and yourself.  When we know who we are in Christ it changes everything and opens our paths and gifts in incredible new ways.
Some of us are carrying around "truths" about ourselves that are flat out lies and it time to lay them down

This study will be open and honest, real, Bible based and a bit of creativity too.  We hope you will join us January 6, 2015 for this free online study!

Directions to register:To join this free study you just need to be registered at jeanneoliver.ning.com (registering is free).

Once you are on the site you will find this study, free videos (business and art), my Creativity Takes Courage series and new online courses along the left hand side of the page.

You will find all of our courses/videos under the COURSES heading.

To register for Becoming | The Unfolding of You

1) Go to COURSES along the left hand side of the page

2) Go to the bottom of the course and click “view all” to find Becoming | The Unfolding of You

4) Click on Becoming | The Unfolding of You

3) Click the +join button on the upper right hand side

4) All of the details are on the page and you are all set for the study to begin on January 6, 2015

Tell your friends!

Here is the direct link to the study...
http://jeanneoliver.ning.com/group/becoming-the-unfolding-of-you