Enlightenment on a spring

 Something crazy is happening to me. My eyes are 'seeing'. 

I have started to take a photo a day and to stick it into a gratitude journal (though the instant camera photos are dear and I think sometimes I will just draw what I have seen). I am taking with me, into 2014, these words: Gratitude, Extreme Generosity and Safe. I think there might be more to come. It is so exciting to see the power in these words. 

 Normally if I go to the big shopping centres I feel overwhelmed and saddened by commercialism, but yesterday was different. I took my good friend's daughter out. She needed a hair cut, and to exchange a Christmas gift that didn't fit. She needed distraction. She is 13, and it was the anniversary of her brother's death, though initially when we planned the outing I had forgotten this. How wonderful that it worked out this way. I was feeling really big hearted. Which may sound surprising when I was acutely aware of the pain in my little friend's heart. 

 I saw pregnant women and was so excited for them. (Why was I not afraid for them, on a day like this?) A man smiled at me, really kindly. He actually made a point of engaging my eyes as he walked past me.  I noticed this little girl's flashing thongs (flip flops). She had to do a little tap dance to get them to flash. Her mum was incredibly gracious allowing this mad woman to take photos of her tap dancing daughter in the Ladies, of all places! 

When Gem and I went to exchange the dress (and queued for ages) I took out my phone and snapped the image of the moustache kit/ Kombi van for my son Elliot, who is in Paris, and tagged him on Facebook. He loves to have fun, and moustaches are his thing. He and I both laugh at the same things. 

 Then I spotted this bobbing Jesus for your dashboard. Oh poor Gemma. I laughed and laughed. (She's lucky I didn't snort laugh! Almost.) He was sitting right next to the condoms (what are they doing in clothes store???) and perfume or aftershave called Reckless. Am I the only one who thinks that is funny? (Elliot where are you when I need you? Paris!) Life is dangerous... we hang in here by a thin thread, but there is so much living to be done while we are here. I think we should be searching for these moments that make you laugh so loud that you embarrass the teenager you are with! (Sorry Gemma!)  - Asta xxx

I am still laughing about the 'Enlightenment on a spring'.... hahahaaha

365 paintings in 365 days

1/365 Summer Rain 

And now let us welcome the New Year, full of things that have never been ~ Rainer Maria Rilke

Do you still suffer from the wounds of childhood? It happened to me with painting and though I still dabbled creatively I would never call myself a painter. I'd actually do anything but paint because I did not believe I could, and if I didn't have a go I couldn't fail, now could I? But I longed to paint. (This reminds me of when I started to write fiction. Same story, just a different script.)

Then two generous artists entered my life -  Kate Forman Ortiz (who is illustrating a story I wrote) and Lucie Walker. Both speak the same language as me. I instantly connected with their bright, joyful paintings of people mostly. They celebrate humanity and all its colours. Lucie told me that I could paint. That in fact anyone can if they have the desire to do so.

And so I started. One painting at a time. The very first one was a riot of bright colours. It was one of those glorious moments when I was lost inside myself and time stood still. It was a meditation. It was a prayer. Now I paint my way to joy. I even painted my way to peace during our move to the city.  I paint and I paint and I don't care if no one else likes it. I don't care that I am self taught. And YES I am a painter. I tell people you are a writer if you write. I am a painter because I paint.

Today is New Year's day and I have started several challenges (because they motivate me), but this is the first one that I will share with you. I am going to try to paint a painting everyday - or at least 365 paintings in the 365 days we have this year. This is my first. It has been so hot here, and I realised as I painted this (like a stream of consciousness) that I was expressing my gratitude for water. As St Francis wrote in his canticle of the creatures: 'All praise be yours my Lord through Sister Water, so useful, humble, precious and pure.'

I will be posting a new painting everyday to keep me accountable. I hope to make it past this week, but for now I am taking one day (one post) at a time. Through colour may I give back to the world a little of its lost heart. - Asta x

'...in a time lacking in truth and certainty and filled with anguish and despair, no woman should be shamefaced in attempting to give back to the world, through her work, a portion of its lost heart.' - Louise Bogan.