Thursday Thinking...."Diversity"

Today is Thursday THINKING!  

I have been thinking about diversity! 

We live in a huge world of diverse people, yet we are all human.

We have inside of us a very diverse group of inner-workings and physical being but we are all held together by our shell.

We have a genetic past and an emotional past! 

I have been thinking about the parts of us that are DIVERSE that make us up as an emotional being.  Our emotional pasts leak into our present and can affect our future.  The pieces of us that have not been addressed and go overlooked can sometimes be the factors that keep us from living a healthy emotional life. 

In some ways I think part of “growing up” is facing that fact that you are a diverse being and you have to learn to embrace ALL of yourself.  There is the you NOW and there is the you that you CAN be.  J  The intricate details of your life have been woven together to create who you are deep inside. 

Now, the kicker question.  DO YOU KNOW YOU? 

In order to relate better to those around us, sometimes it is better to learn to KNOW yourself.  Only you can truly understand YOU in some cases.  YOU learn how to deal with the diversities of YOU so that you can jump out into the world and sing with your voice loud and in clarity.  When we look into the mirror we can see the picture of what we want to be, but in reality we might only see a scribble on a paper.  That beautiful canvas of YOU is just waiting to be discovered and tapped into.  Embrace your times of despair and sadness, but don’t live in them.  Embrace your moments of joy and creativity, but don’t just live there either.  The WHOLE of who we are empowers us to use our voice, to LIVE our lives, to BE a human being on the planet. 

Without broken-ness you would not understand whole-ness.

Without fear you would not understand peace.

Without sight you would not understand SEEING. 

Embrace ALL of you.

Be the better you by KNOWING you better. 

[dih-vur-si-tee, dahy-]

1. the state or fact of being diverse; difference; unlikeness: - diverse:  of various kinds or forms; multiform.

2.

variety; multiformity.

3.

a point of difference.

For your Thursday Thinking: 

-Think about where you are now and where you want to be. 

-What are some small things you can start doing to KNOW yourself better? 

-How is your HEART doing?  (open for receiving, or closed off behind walls) 

-Complete the art below in your own “paint/draw by numbers” style – each piece of you is important to the WHOLE of you. Pick different colors, textures - be it digital or print it out and DRAW ON IT.  :)  Embrace your diversity.

After you finish, please post it up in your home - post it online and share.  Share it with me! I would love to see your results!!! <3  Sign it, and make it your own!

Here is one I put together for myself today!!! :) 

I did mine digitally! But pull out your pencils and paints!  Let's create!

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Have a wonderful thursday.

Jen

Creating something out of nothing.........STARTS with an idea.

I know the CREATIVES understand ideas....we probably have a MILLION of them!!! They are a constant riverflow of words and thoughts swirling around in our minds as we try to capture or caress what we want to say think and do.  But hooooow do we harness that to make art?

Well, the simplest of the simple is - TIME.  Taking a few moments to stare at a set of pictures you might have taken in the last 24 hours...and letting yourself gravitate towards an idea.  It might start with "hey, i really really like that color and shape going on here!".....and move towards...oh wow, from there i could blend these 2 backgrounds...what would THAT look like?  Asking yourself...what if? over and over and over.

This is the creative processing!

I start with an image that inspires me....and I move forward without fears or hangups.  No fears of failing or succeeding - simply WORKING THROUGH THAT PROCESS.  I loved soooo many of Brooke's classes because she does break down everything simply as an artist you could go through and do checklists and see what you think and feel about an image.  I think it is very helpful to have amazing teachers in your life that help you HARNESS your ideas to make a great story of them. :) So here is where I began....

We stopped out WAYYYY OUTTTTT towards a lake off I45 in the middle of the night almost.  Here we are at maybe dusk and I'm with my point and shoot trying to see about capturing some scenic stuff - you know, just trying stuff!!!!  So I was inspired by this because of the water and the twigs coming off the water.  It was a semi-rainy day so clouds were already a factor in our journey that entire time.   THIS is what I started with.

The very next day, I had a large fashion shoot that we put together...and in visiting that night's images plus THOSE images I was able to find an image I was happy to insert into the scene and figure out what was next.

This is a raw image of some of the stuff we shot that Sunday whilst I was playing I thought - hmm, this image might be fun!!!!  So i took it upon myself to play a bit more by trying to insert her into this scene I was creating combined with MORE and light photography....to create her world she was accessing.

Also into my background I had been inspired by the weird sunset clouds going on............so I figured...hmm...let's play with THAT TOO.

see what i mean? WEIRD! look at that line!!!! :)

 So now...I've started my background....and now starting on my character....but to me, the landscape wasn't enough.  Her look and feel got me thinking about all those great light bursties I had captured the night before....and i started playing with the idea of placing that in too.  I think I went through about THREE options before finding one that worked for me.

starting to see it yet?????

So as I looked at my previous images.....and laid....and played....I found that morphing through the ideas and looks and textures....helped me to wind up close to my final product.  I honestly have a LOT TO LEARN about true finishing.  I think sometimes I jump the gun and finish too soon - or I go back and re-think or think too much about something.  I decided to COMMIT to this one because if I can't be honest about growth....then what is the POINT. I don't know what I'm doing and I'm following a formula in my mind that works for ME.  I'm trying to harness that INNER SELF and expression...and there is nothing easy about it.  NONE OF THIS COMES EASY!!!! :)  But i'm so glad i'm not scared to jump, leap and just keep going.

So I bring you to my final image for now...part of my story...and part of my creations....the extra texture came way later....and it was snow and rain droplets from my trip to Chicago. LOL :)

I hope you enjoy this and are inspired to create and "modge podge" your own pieces as you create your continual reality.  There is nothing like starting with your ideas...and whether they succeed or not is not the question....ARE YOU TAPPING INTO THEM...and making steps to make realities!!!!!!

All the best to you,
Happy Friday.

Love Jen

Creating homework: A way to push yourself BEYOND your limits.

I don't know about all yall other creatives....
but sometimes you get "in the zone" creating for a lot of other people and you tend to let YOUR creations fall to the curb and be forgotten.

This year is a year of REMEMBERING!

Let's pick back up our ideas and visions...and ASSIGN OURSELVES HOMEWORK!!!!

I cannot say that I create every day - but every day IS an opportunity to create.

Today, I'm about to launch into a project that is hands-on and creating a prop for a future shoot.  But I also thought - WHAT CAN I DO TODAY in creation mode in the photography world???

I am re-visiting my Creative Live images again.  You know, the kind that keep calling you back...saying "come plaaaay with meeee" :)  Well, i stopped in through a journey of ideas into the image of Jane Love on the floor in the old abandoned seminary.

I wanted to play with some feathers that I've had for a while and make an interesting piece that says something else besides what I would consider normal.

I've been striving to push myself since Brooke's classes - and see what visions I can create what dream worlds can be concieved.  So far, I'm just playing - I'm learning - I'm growing.  Time management can be a mind suck when it comes to being an artist as I've just spent 2 hours distracted.  But out of this quick distraction I found some fun, ideas and future dreams.

Join me in welcoming another image into the family.................

and then, GO CREATE YOURSELF some homework!!! <3
show it...see it....think about it....write about it!

here is mine

Free flow writing.....

What a troubled and oppressed lady this is.  She is surrounded by clouds of dark and light and she struggles to find flight.  It seems as though she has fallen asleep and taken notice that someone is watching her.  What is she thinking? What will she do next? 

The DREAM of going to Creative Live....part 1.

I have been in this willllld whirlwind since the beginning of 2014.  I've been seeking deeeep within to where I'm supposed to go and what I'm supposed to do this year with my creativity and photography. :)

I have been in the DARK about it.  I have been walking the path of the UNKNOWN about where I'm going, yet soooooooooooooo confident that I'm walking right where I am supposed to.

I have spent the last year opening up my dreams and seeds and watering new seeds as well.  I believe that what helped me the most was being around the people that are in a place to PULL "me" out of me.  I believe that my inner artist was just WAITING to come out and play.  In this last year I discovered the fairytale we call.

Brooke Shaden.

Over this last year I met her and took some of her classes at After Dark.  Now we can stare in awe and wonder at the pictures she makes and the art she creates, but one has to wonder....IS THERE MORE?  And i got my answer as I sat in the Intensive at After Dark and thought to myself....

Gee, I entered the contest for Creative Live like 15 times and my computer, my browsers were all against me.  I had resolved to just let it "be" and move on with life.  But when I saw Brooke at After Dark...I realized....what am I doing?  What is this dream?  

She had us do some creative exercises that really got you thinking.  I mean really, we had TWO HOURS in the class to spread out, dig a little deeper and be inspired.  In those 2 hours I thought and thought and thought how I had talked myself out of going to Creative Live because of an overlapping event.  The longer the class went on - the longer I talked myself INTO it.

As a creative, we HAVE to find creative ways to make dreams happen OR open ourselves up to present or ASK for those opportunities.  She had commented about me as branding...and when I wrote on my paper "go to Creative Live with Brooke"....I realized WHY NOT.  WHY NOT make this happen - take this chance and speak it out loud.

I spoke it out loud....sounding so silly because I had said earlier I had a schedule conflict...but I knew then I would find a way to make it happen since most of the action was going to happen on Sunday.  I could totally be back by SUNDAY in dallas right? LOL :)

After class, we made it happen.  I was invited out by Creative Live and I talked to my husband in great detail and then bought my flight.  It was then...again...I had gotten part of my answer to an already burning prayer in my heart...."what am i doing next?".....



Part 2..................................NEXT

The day i left................i saw THIS on my phone.
I've been seeing multiple numbers A LOT............without even trying.

Feature in Cloud Orchid Magazine, Fall 2013 - "Evolution" series.

FIRST:  I am thankful to have met the crew of Cloud Orchid last year when they were starting out on this adventure.  I have an appreciation for folks that dive into their arts and ALSO appreciate and celebrate the arts and fashion of others.  I have been featured several times and this time is no different!

Thank you Cloud Orchid for believing in me and publishing me!

SECOND:  The model Jane Love has been an exceptional artist in my life.  Since our meetings in the last year we have done nothing but have lots of fun and make great art.  I like when people work hard and it SHOWS in how professional they are in making the craft.  Her experience shows and the ability to be a kind of chameleon is such an artist dream.  I'm proud to share the magazine spread with her! THIS ROCKS!!!!

THIRD:  To After Dark Education - the EVENT that started it all.  I have met some pretty awesome people since going for the first time in 2012 and have never regretted a single moment of my path since then.  Without THAT experience I would not come this far into my journey, my adventure and my art.

Thank you ALL!

Much Love to you,  Pink Light Images
You inspire me.
You are dream makers.


This series was inspired by the opening film-atic scene of RESIDENT EVIL: Afterlife

Here is what inspired it all - a few moments of opening scene gave me inspiration for fun, transformation and fashion.

Inspired by Inspiration part 2. - the "Breakdown" of the vision.

I just finished reading MeRa's blog about her starting an art class.  I think because I grew up DOING art...I can relate to the process a little more that way.  I also know that my pencil/pen/painting doodles were merely me passing time and expressing myself as I went through life.  I still have many of them hanging in my home.  I don't have anywhere else to HANG them! :)

So to get where I'm going - read THIS blog entry...and then i'll talk about MY part as well that I related to:
MeRa Koh: "How to draw a siamese cat"

When I read this, I could relate off the bat because many years ago, probably 10 or so I was going through my phase of seeking again.  I took an art class locally in continuing education.  I believe it was a still-life class in which we drew various objects and learned about shading, details and which pencils to use where/when.

I have great drawings on paper of white on white objects (where it was all about shading only)...and a few other fun things.  But eventually the teacher was like.... "OK!!! our final project is drawing from a photograph!".  But what she didn't say right away is that it would be OUR FACES!!!! Yes, indeed.  We took pictures and printed out a 4x6 or 5x7 - I don't remember which - and we had to draw our HEADS.

What I remember briefly about mine is that we had a grid that we laid on top of the image so we could break it up into squares.  This made the task actually EASIER to comprehend in stages for me.  I looked at my picture and my face and thought, WOW, am I really going to do this?  I have a foggy memory about it but I realized that as we went box to box...I could see the picture starting to form.  We had laid out the foundations...lightly sketched our grid onto the paper and box by box...we filled it in.

The part where I freaked out the MOST was when I got to my eyes.  By the time I left the 2nd class session I was starting to see myself STARING back from the paper and it freaked me out.  A few people would come over and comment and I would say YEA I'm creeped out by me staring at ME!!!!!!!  Bit by bit...I worked through the eyebrows...the eyes...the mouth....the nose....and I just looked at this 10 minutes ago.  I even filled in the details of my EARRINGS to perfection . Every DETAIL about my image was on that paper.  In that moment, I was clear.

I don't have any of the old pictures of the process - but i do have the final result. :)

You can see WHY I got freaked out by staring at it. :)

May 2000 - Art Drawing Class - CCCCD

 Every once in a while I glance locally at the classes going on and wonder ....what other new thing could I try that would enhance the creativity inside? <3  I've done arts, sewing and even took an archery class.  I hope I find that next fun thing soon....I could use a break from the norm! :)  I have been learning a LOT....and celebrating how far i've come.  I hope you do the same today!

CELEBRATE YOU.

Love Jen

Inspired by Inspiration. - Art here and Art there.

Here recently I was a part of the Girlfriends retreat in which me and some ladies that i knew or didn't know went away for a couple of days and did some out-of-routine activities to really do something new and learn something new. 

We did our version of the "Paint with a Twist" where we took our personal vision of a tree....and painted what our trees would look like with leaves/fruit/backgrounds.

I was brought in to guide everyone through the process...and it helped that I had just been through that process in the spring so  I could help break it down and lead everyone through the basics.  We had 2 examples of 2 very different trees and how God used us to speak about those trees.  Tawana's tree - she kept trying to get it to look one way and it always came out so different and she wanted someone else's tree.  She had the same tools as her friend, but always seemed to get that same result.  A tree that in some ways was representing her personality. My tree was something that the example I was painting from had SO much detail - but I ended up with super large extensions of that same look - but nowhere near the fine details of the original picture.

My painting from April 2013 - the "process" :) - the top right has the original picture.

My tree example, was a result of picking a picture of my own choice at the place and then following the instructions of the art lady to start with the background first.  I knew the background was just as important as the tree!  I took everyone through the background phase with the ideas if anything goes!  Water, Sky...GRASS!  Whatever you wanted or saw...you could do. :)  The results from everyone were vastly different from anything I've ever seen! It was super super fun.  My tree ended up a tad bushy and full - a little billowy and fluffy. :)  I called it almost a tree afro - my hair is naturally curly - so i have a coarse textured hair anyways.  It makes sense and speaks to me.

Each lady had their own process.  Some fast and furious...other meticulous and questioning everything along the way.  I stopped myself to let myself visualize where I was going.  It was different than any other tree i've ever done.  When the final times came for us to be done and lay it out for the final drying phase...we took a few moments to look at each other's trees and really see what spoke to us about our tree and others' trees.  The results were all soooo different and unique that it couldn't have been more beautiful!  :)

I hope you enjoy the pictures of us doing our thing!  You can see truly how each lady brought out their own personality. :)

Out of pains come art....

I think we can all relate to a lot of things the human race deals with.  We can feel alone, sad, depressed, helpless, hopeless...and on the flip side...we can feel full of love whilst battling inside the mind about who and what and where you are supposed to be in your life.

The journey for me has been such a significant part of my purpose that it is almost scary to look back and see just how far I've come with God....once I threw everything out of the box and got rid of the box...I'm slowly understanding more of the purpose for my life.

These last few weeks I've seen the number ONE a lot lately....in the time clocks usually.  1:11 and 11:11 all throughout the day.  Not looking for it, just glancing really.

Last Thursday was a huge definition for me and a ding ding ding moment that God's listening and hears my heart.  He know that sometimes I just don't understand certain things and how some opportunities come to me and some that seem right don't pan out.  They are all leading somewhere.  Am I mature enough to sit still and then GO when he says go?  I'm sure getting there!  I've learned recently - no point in doing something where you don't have peace.  But sometimes, fear is there too.  Any time you are about to overcome, learn, fail, fall - there might be fear there.

It is ok to miss the mark and ok to fail.  God uses every bit of our lives to interweave the super duper tapestry of our lives.  Have you stopped to realize just how intricate our bodies are? It still blows my mind.  This world is SO HUGE that if you have never stepped foot out of your home state-  how would you ever know?  The USA is large....you can see it from the sky when flying.

My first international flight...you realize WOW there is a whole other world and whole other culture and a whole other state of being on the other side of the world!!!  I knew this world was big, but wow!!! :)

So back to my ONE's.  After going to Oprah's life class last thursday I was able to get a few good nuggets from the session as well as something that I didn't expect.  A little surprise being moved from the 3rd floor down to the first floor.  Yep, you guessed it - we were moved to 111.  I got to share with with a friend of mine and tell her that I've been seeing this for weeks and how much it meant to me to be MOVED and HURRIED to the floor.  As if a promotion was waiting for me...and I had to run down the stairs and the escalator to get to it. ;)  We take our places to the seats we are given in the space we are given for the TIME we are given.

i took a picture of our section, so i could REMEMBER the goodness of favor!

What are you doing with YOUR time here?

By all means, enjoy your life - pursue your dreams...and access the creativity that awaits you to "create" the life that awaits for you.  I believe hand-in-hand God and I are drawing, sketching and painting and photographing the moments that will lead to the greater things and GREATER purpose for why I'm here.

Meanwhile, along the way....I'm going to enjoy the ride, enjoy the opportunities and reach for the dreams I know are there inside.   I'm also going to be frustrated, emotional and a lil energetic acting!!!!

The best thing you can do.....

get rid of your box.
THINK BIGGER.

When you hold onto your history, you do this at the expense of your destiny.

I've been challenged as well - to think bigger because I still haven't been thinking BIG ENOUGH.  But I also believe there is only so much I can comprehend and handle at one time.  I'm so thankful to the Lord for guiding me and giving me the wisdom to make the choices that need to be made and do the things He needs me to do.  Whilst my biggest reminder was - don't lose that relationship with HIM.  Make Him #1 and everything else will make sense.

My pains this week and weekly art have been from additional life frustrations, questions, learning i'm a fish out of water sometimes, totally don't know what i'm doing sometimes and learning as i go.  These are the things that frustrate me AND GROW ME.  So I dedicate this art to my future place.  The future place where I'm going to take my place as the artist I know I am...and be the person I'm supposed to be.  Through and Through.

This ART is dedicated to these moments this week:
I grabbed my camera, took a few props...and threw on some lipstick.  To me this radiates more of who I am...more of where I'm going....I love having fun and I love creating.

dedicated to this week's roller coaster ride of love, frustration and being me.

Take care.....

Much Love...........................

Creating for OTHERS and Creating for myself.

I have a huge desire to co-create with my clients....ahhhhhhh the fun of taking some fun moments and making some unique out of their environment.  I gravitate towards a lot of shapes, lights and weird forms.  I have to say that this piece is definitely topping one of my FAVORITES so far this year...as far as a wedding pieces goes.  I barely had to do anything but bring to a reality what i had in my mind.  Things don't always come so fast, so i was pleased to see how colorful and crisp this came out!  All from a blend of their environment at the venue Buffalo Valley Event Center.

"Creating for them"....

Because I tend to have a LOT of emotions going already when I'm working..I decided to re-visit a piece I was working on for an art contest...and in doing so...i discovered the blend of past and present made a cool match.  I'm like totally diggin what I've done here with carrie.  Originally this was a form for a flashlight and my drapes.  Now, it has morphed into something I can only call the "opposite" of what I have felt in the past.  Where everything "seemed" so clear...but there were a gazillion things flying around...and a gazillion things ON me making life a little harder to comprehend with so little sight.  I find the beauty in this seeming chaos, but I know it is a place I don't want to live.  I like seeing more CLEARLY, now more than ever.

Both of these pieces have things in common....LIGHT - both factors are clearly stated in the various rays of light in the sun, the light sources, the shapes and textures.  I hope you enjoy them both!

"Creating for Myself"

Go out, enjoy today....and CREATE something unique that expresses your dual feelings!

Love Jen

Vlog 17 - decompression, purpose and creative times.

I know when we put ourselves out there we will be consistently misunderstood or understood.  The purpose of a lot of these videos are to share a little more about me, my life and the creative adventures I put myself on.  I believe we should always be striving to just BE and striving to learn and grow beyond the limits.  I also know that some days are a stand-still of seeming boredom or lifelessness.  When we are disconnected from above and below...we have waves of things that happen every day.

The message that gave me freedom was called "The Terror of Knowing God"....where a lot of children were together playing the game "Giants Wizards and Dwarves"....and when the little 5 year old said "I want to be a mermaid"  ...it was the most free-ing thing I ever heard in my lifetime to realize God has a specific assigmment and plan for me.  I think the title sounds really scary and yet at the same time...I got the clearest vision beyond "religion" and those rules or regulations you put on yourself.

So far in my life....I've had more peace...more fulfillment...and more dreams becoming true...as I've followed this "MERMAID" plan.  I'm just sharing where I'm at, where I've been...and where I'm going.

So this is just me, just real and just random.