Art connects people

Have you ever wondered why people make ART? Why people take precious time to slow down and explore their creativity? Why care about art, the process of art making and art history in any form; besides just as a medium that might make you happy or not?

God lead me to create this mixed media artwork in 2009. When I was asking "what is the purpose?"

I use to ask myself those questions. Why do I create? Before my relationship with God the answer was egocentric; focused on the I, the ME, MYSELF... you know what I mean. We've all been there. You draw or make something that catches someone's interest in a positive way. The viewer praises your talents, perhaps even requests to buy the artwork. Your self esteem and ego grow a bit. If the occurrence repeats itself .. boy then you're motivated to MAKE ART and the root of the motivation is short lived... it's money, it's fame, it's all the things that God did not create you for.

But ... before my relationship with God I did not understand that.

I understood that I liked the nice comments about what I put my time, my emotions and my pride in... MY ART. Now don't be confused with what God has put in my heart to share. God wants you to take your time, to invest your emotions and to be pleased with your artwork. But more then that God wants a relationship with you; where you acknowledge that it is GOD who created YOU with gifts and talents. He invested in you when he created you as a child of God. He supports and guides your efforts to develop the gifts he has provided. God wants to bless you through your ART; financially and spiritually.

Does that mean you will become a billionaire or make it to the top 100 artist list on the 2014 museum curator's forum? Only God knows what his plan is for your life. Pray to God and he will guide you and reveal his blessings into your life. Build a relationship with God. Don't allow your own limited personal view of yourself to influence your capacity of how God may bless your life. God sees you as more then an earthly being. He sees you as part of his heavenly kingdom. It is with that purpose for your life that God not only wants to bless you but desires for YOU TO BE A BLESSING to OTHERS. 

God leads me to create and teach art. He wants me to be a blessing upon someone else. God has transformed my life and brings richer meaning to the word ALCHEMY. I pray that the art he allows me to create will be lead by the Holy Spirit. I no longer want to view my art as MY ART... God is teaching me step by step, day by day to create not for man but for Him. To humble myself and give thanks to him for every art memory that is discovered, explored and enjoyed. TO YOU I GIVE THANKS, my LORD.

"What you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men" ~ Colossians 3:23

God is calling for his people to share his Good News.

Amelia started making art at age 5. She is my blessing.

Below is a link to a blog post from a lovely lady who made an impact during her trip to Haiti. The children of Haiti were a blessing upon her during that trip just as God blessed her to provide the opportunity to make art with them. Below is a picture of one of her art students. The caption reads "He was SO proud of the final product!" 

On the left is a picture of my niece Amelia, my first little art student. She would sleep over on Fridays during the summer and Saturday morning we would make breakfast, talk about making art and then we'd revert to my small tiny attic, the "art studio". She taught me so much that summer and I am blessed for our time shared together. She is a child of God. I thank God for her.

This is why God leads us to make art.
We plant seeds of love with art.
God bless,

~ Sandra


Here is the link: http://redthreadpromise.blogspot.com/2013/12/haiti-visible-red-thread.html

He was SO proud of the final product!

Gelli printing with Amelia

Saturday was a great day because I spent it with my lovely niece Amelia making art. Gelli art prints!!!!! Love it :-)

Happy New Year 2012

I spent ringing in the new year with my brother and his family. My niece Amelia and I created ATC cards to welcome in the new year... we had fun exploring the many, many, many papers, pictures and text I carted over in my craft shoulder bag. Here are the results of our discoveries may it bring you some joy.

  MY niece Amelia's ATC series she did a combo... she really had fun.

ATC collage 2.5 x 3.5 inches by 9-year-old niece Amelia.

ATC collage 2.5 x 3.5 inches by 9-year-old niece Amelia.

MY ACEO ATC series which I titled "Three Cups of Tea"

"Three Cups of Tea" series ACEO ATC collage 2.5 x 3.5 inches.

 I came up with this series because for 2012 I want to be mindful of my time spent on ME. I've been told one too many times by people who really know me that I GIVE too much and I need to find BALANCE and JOY for myself. That it is okay to be selfish and focus on my needs and wants. So for this year I want to be more mindful of my fashion (ahhh, I'll have to forfeit buying art supplies and books for new clothes), of my fitness and allow for outdoor playtime like hiking our beautiful trails in PA, and mindful of my tranquil mind by enjoying at least three cups of tea a day. I already start my days with a cup of tea, I now have been adding a cup at lunch and a cup before bedtime. Of course different blends to meet my different needs. Black Tea is great in the morning to get my energy going, Green Tea at lunch with a little honey is warming and keeps my immune system up and Camille Tea at night relaxes me and gets me ready for sleeping.

It seems to make much sense just like the tea custom says:
"The first cup of tea is sour as life. The second cup is sweet as love. The third is soft as death."

Fits so well for me since I am not a morning person and the first cup is a bit sour and the last cup brings me to a soft sleep as sweet as death... don't get me wrong I am not done living my life but there is no peace, like that of a deep sound sleep to restore your spirit and undo the man made stresses of our earthly lives. So we may awake again; restored and ready to rebuild our purpose driven lives.


How did you ring in the new year, have any art ventures in mind for 2012? I welcome your comments and storytelling.

 Enjoy:-)
Sandra

Big Idea Festival - Day Eight: LIVE

Day 8: August 22, 2011
Featured Artist: Lisa Day
website/blog: http://www.lisaday.typepad.com/
Challenge word: LIVE

This is my entry for day eight of the Big Idea Festival scrapbook challenge.

Day 8: Live (digital scrapbook page created using Photoshop CS3)

I used a free download pdf sketch available to readers if you visit Lisa Day's blog page. I placed the pdf image on my background layer to use as a template and then started to layout my page. I used photos taken today of my niece Amelia and the clay stamps we created. We used the air drying clay that she received as a gift for her birthday. We now have to wait for 48 hours for the clay to completely dry. Next Monday she will come back to my house so we can move on to the next step of using our stamps to make ATC cards. I cannot wait!

We had so much fun today and I can't image living life any other way then creating art, with an open mind my eyes wide open, full of exploration and discovery, with opportunity to use art for healing and surrounded by love of family and friends.

Enjoy,
Sandra