Every yes is a no to something else

How many times have I read that in one of my many self-help books? I think after this week the meaning has really crystallized for me. It started on the 7th of November and l have been riding the roller coaster ever since.

All those things I said yes to last weekend were things that I wanted to do but the price I paid was a day of recovery on Monday am exhausting Veteran's and errands all Thursday. That was three lost days right off the bat! 

So what is the point?

1. I have to stop whining because all choices made are mine alone.

2. Before I commit to things I need to revisit my priorities. Planning things out by the week would totally help me.  (so simple, why do I not do this?)

3. When looking back on the week, I need to emphasize the time spent being creative.  That will make me feel better.

I Did manage to paint this this week. It is for a show I am planning with the Capitol Hill Artists Salon. This is my still life of water. I am not sure I will use it... 

Detail of water reflections

I did paint one painting this week. I learned another lesson about being naive and leaving your still life set up with a cat wandering around the house. It does not work!  

I teach an after-care art class on Tuesdays. These kids did an awesome job painting sea turtles.

Kids are the best artist! 

Creative turtle designs

(Humble brag) Thursday was my daughters 12th birthday. She wanted to see her favorite painting on the way home from school. It is a beautiful Albert Bierstadt at the Smithsonian American Art Museum. I was a proud mama!

So - there were moments of art and creativity sprinkled throughout the week. There were good times spent in the company of friends and a room in the house got re-painted too.  Maybe all those yes's and no's worked out in the end!  

Still, next week I will try to plan it. ..

Weekend Wrap Up

Often times when I get busy I get upset with myself thinking "I did nothing! I frittered away my time and did nothing in the practice of my creativity." But when I look back on the past weekend I think wow, you were busy but it was pretty fun and it was in alignment with your goals. 

I spent all day Saturday crafting a jellyfish costume. if that is not creative, I don't know what is!

Here I am with my daughter on Halloween. 

Sunday saw the completion of a six week Faith & Art class I have been leading. Our final project was a 9 x 12" canvas done in mixed-media. It is a motivational piece for participants to hang in their homes. Everyone did such a great job! Each one different, meaningful and inspiring. Below are just a few of the finished pieces.

"don't forget, you can always do something that moves you forward - clean brushes, write down ideas, look at books, organize, make Halloween costumes, etc. there is always at least one action you can take for your creativity daily!" -Julia Cameron (more or less) 

Marie Antoinette may have gotten a bad rap...

This week has been fabulous! Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday I painted all day. I even managed to paint a little after getting the kiddos into bed on Wednesday night too.
I have to admit that just three days of creative endeavors has totally lightened my soul. Sounds dramatic but I mean it! I feel light and I don't have that low-level nagging guilt taking up air space in the back of my brain. 
Do some people really live life like this? Not having something hanging over them or having the feeling that they are wasting time on activities their choosing simply because they "should?"

Please Beth, remember this feeling next time you are racing off to some volunteer activity!
Hmmm, what will tomorrow bring?

A few shots in the studio

Because painting is basically a solitary exercise it is particularly entertaining when you are joined by a friend... even a furry one.

Studio Cat will not be ignored.

Studio Cat enjoys a good still life.

What to do when life happens...

Well, if you read my first post you will see that I declared myself an artist

"With God as my witness I will not be distracted by busy-ness again."

Unfortunately, I was immediately distracted again. Life happens! Luckily, it was to entertain a beloved relative... so I am not really complaining. We did manage to spend a day creating abstract paintings and a day at the art museum. We also sat by a fire pit and listened to the baseball playoffs on the radio, old school.
Not necessarily creative living but really good for the soul. Sometimes it is just nice to do something you normally don't do. 

Everyday Busy Bee, 9x12

Primary Colors, 9x12

painting by Billy Aaron Brown

I am absolutely in love with this mixed-media technique! (Cousin Billy Aaron Brown and I worked on these paintings one day during his visit.)  It involves layers and layers of paint, charcoal, watercolor and collage. It is so free compared to my usual oil paintings. It's fun to see the little bits of paper I obsessively save finally used on something. (I found the large pink number on the sidewalk the day I did this piece.) It is a great way to take a break from painting and inspires me to do other paintings. - The first two are mine and the third one is Billy's.

Photo of Billy Aaron Brown in a Sculpture at the Smithsonian American Art Museum

I AM an artist! No really...

Hello and nice to meet you!

My name is Beth. I am a working artist living in DC. This blog is is my record of attempting to live an ARTful life.

I am declaring once and for all (after years of denial, resistance, babies and busyness) I Beth Dougherty am committing to the CREATIVE LIFE!

What does that mean? What does that look like? I have no idea!

But - I invite you to journey with me as I try to figure that out.

I plan to figure it out by painting, drawing, collaging and journaling daily (or almost daily). If I am not able to get into the studio I plan to live out this ideal by being more mindful and creative in all other areas of my life. By "creative" I mean actually creating things like; meals from scratch, gardening, writing, sewing, etc. I plan to live with more meaning, purpose and passion instead of just coasting robotically through life.

This blog is my manifesto, my intention and my way to hold myself accountable.

Maybe you have a similar story to mine.

I have been an artist all my life. I think we are all born creative. A few of us stay that way but most of us don't. Many times, as an artist, I feel like it is either feast or famine. I have had super productive periods of life followed up by times of producing zilch. (One famine even lasted about 10 years) Sometimes you find yourself totally uninspired and doing nothing. Sometimes you are just afraid (so you do absolutely anything you can to distract yourself from that looming space you call your studio). Sometimes you are rolling along so great you don't know how you ever survived a day without painting.

The challenge is: how do you go from patterns of feast and famine to something that looks more like a sustainable "9 to 5" job? The pursuit of the creative life is what is most authentic for me. I hope I can do it!