Category: show up

best effort, camera, iPhone, photograph, photography, plants, positive, positive energy, show up

Kalanchoe

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img_6056

No, I didn’t just swear at you.  That is what this plant is called.  I’m guessing it’s a succulent.  But it may be a relative to the artichoke.  None of my followers on Instagram seem to know and I’m too lazy to look on the Internet.

I believe in always sharing how I process my photos.  I a, no great post processor, but I find it extremely helpful when people share how they get to the end of a journey.

I believe that the more I share, the more I will get back.  Like, what goes around,  comes around.  I have found that saying to be more than true in my time here on earth.

I also particularly love the phrase “give the person enough rope to hang themselves.”  That’s another one that I have always seen come true.  It takes awhile, but it happens.  Usually, they don’t need all that much rope.  What I have also observed, is that we don’t realize what’s going on inside that person that is making others so miserable.  I have learned they are miserable inside.  Like I don’t need to bother with revenge or getting back at them.  I could never think up a punishment worse than what they do to themselves.  Plus, if I were to bother with revenge, it would harm me.  It would take me into being negative.  It would poison me.  Why go there?  It’s not worth it.  It really isn’t.  It may seem so at the time.  You can almost taste it.  But I know now, it’s simply not.  But learn for yourself.  Waste your time if you want.   Most people have to learn the hard way.  I don’t know why that is, but they do.  I did.  I wish I had taken more advice.  I wish I had listened a bit more to my Dad.

Ok.  Back to sharing the post processing of the photo.  I can’t.  I found this inside Snapseed.  I hadn’t saved it!  I don’t have a clue what I did to it.  Other than to say it was in Snapseed.  I don’t use Snapseed that much for post processing anymore, so I think it was in there to crop it for Instagram.  But then why wasn’t it saved? I don’t know!  But I love this.  It’s not straight from the camera either.

I’m grateful I found it.  I think it’s one of my better photos.  I’ve been trying very hard to get this effect.  Very light lights and dark darks. I know people are using Stackables for this.  While this is close to what I’ve been trying to get, it’s not there yet.

So, I’m going to keep trying.

acrylics, art, best effort, brushes, digital art, God, inks, lyme disease, oils, pain, Painter, paintings, positive, positive energy, Rebelle, show up

Mystery

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Mystern

Mystery

My husband retired last July, and I got behind in blogging because I used to do my blogging and reading of blogs during lunch.  Now, I eat lunch with him. I’m trying to get caught up on reading other’s blogs and writing my own.

Overall, I’m glad that Warren is retired and is spending more time with me.  We have been together since 1970.  We moved in together that year.  When we were younger, and sometimes not employed, we always had a blast together.  I had pictured the same thing would be true now that we are no longer employed and have all day free to play.

The only thing I did not consider is that I am sick, and can’t go out and play anytime I want to.  Despite that, I am still enjoying having Warren in my life all day, every day.

This winter was very hard for me.  I had a flare of some kind, and was sick from New Years Eve until recently.  I am feeling on the upswing now.  But, it was a real scare.  I went back to spending days where I could do nothing but lay in bed, under the covers and be very sick.  I had a lot of pain breakthroughs that were very severe.  On those days, old tapes would start to play in my head.  I would start to think that I was going to spend all day, every day back in bed and be able to do nothing.

That is when positive thinking came back to save me.  I got myself calmed down and thought through the process logically.  I would admit that yes, I’m sick today.  But the recent pattern has been that I will be sick one day and then better the next.  Usually within two days, I’m up, dressed and going out to lunch with Warren.  I affirmed these things.  I prayed for help and guidance.  I practiced positive thinking.  I forced myself to think in a positive way.

As usual, it worked.  The pain eventually subsided and is under control again with morphine.  I have more energy and am feeling better just in time for summer.

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acrylics, art, best effort, brushes, digital art, lyme disease, Maui, oils, Painter, paintings, Rebelle, show up, watercolor

A Bird In Your Pocket

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A Bird in Your Pocket

A Bird in Your Pocket

I have had a very challenging year, health-wise.  The fibromyalgia flared up around New Years Eve, and has kept me lying low many days.

Last fall, while we were in Maui, I started sitting up all day.  This was the first time in over 18 years that I didn’t spend 99% of my days in bed.  I also got dressed every day.  This may not sound like a lot, but when you’ve lived in a nightie in bed for so long, it is huge.

When we got home in November, I continued sitting up in my art studio.  I was doing so well that at Christmas, I got a new, 27″ screen for my computer!  It makes a huge difference to paint on that rather than my laptop computer.  But then, the first of the year, I found myself back in bed more than in my studio.  It has been a real battle to get enough rest and still sit up as much as possible.

But, I feel like I’ve won the battle.  In the last few weeks, I’ve been able to go to my studio at least three to four days a week.  I’m even taking small walks down to our mailbox.

Now a Bird In Your Pocket.

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art, art shows, awards, best effort, digital art, God, honesty, lyme disease, pain, Painter, paintings, pencils, positive, positive energy, show up

Staying Positive Works — Strong Spirit

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Strong Spirit

Strong Spirit

This painting was done in Painter, using oils, liquid inks and pencils.  I am using it because it is entitled Strong Spirit.  That is what I have.

I started this blog to write about fibromyalgia and lyme disease.  My intention was to write how my belief in a God of my understanding, coupled with affirmations, gratitude and positive thought had allowed me to find a peaceful, fulfilling life in spite of these chronic illnesses.

Then, practicing those things led me back to being able to do art, and art has pretty much been the focus of this blog.

Today, I want to write about positive thinking.

I came across the idea of having God in my life and thinking positive about 30 years ago.  I began reading a lot of varied books on many religions.  I put together an idea of what God is for me, personally.  I believe there is something that holds us all together.  I believe that we are all connected in some way.  I believe that when I, or someone else, does something negative or harmful, it affects us all.

I believe in taking personal responsibility for myself and what I can change.  As I read and researched, I concluded that the only thing in this world that is possible for me to change is me.  I can’t change you.  I can, however, change how I react to you.

This was working fine, and life was going along real sweet.  I was a textile/mixed media artist.  My work was starting to sell.  I was having shows in galleries.  I had been in a group show at a very prestigious museum here in Seattle.  I won awards for my art.  Life looked good.  Positive thinking and a belief in a God of my understanding was working.

Oops, I got sick.  I didn’t just get sick, I got completely disabled and unable to do anything but lay in bed and wonder when I was going to die.  Doctors said I was crazy.  No one, absolutely no one would help me.

Friends and family walked away.  As they left, they said “Screw, you.  You’re a little liar, you’re not sick, just crazy.”

OK.  I got mad.  I got angry, I got resentful, hateful, mean-spirited, the whole thing.  I threatened to divorce my husband of over 30 years.  I was one sick, miserable person.

Where had it all gone?  What was happening?  One day I woke up, and could stand myself no longer.  I vaguely recalled what I had practiced just before I became sick.  I was very dubious.  I figured, this stuff works when things go well, God is there when I’m happy.  But what happens when the pedal hits the metal?  It’s all gone.

Hmm.  Perhaps I had missed something.  “OK”, I said, find something to be positive about.  What?  I can’t remember what I found, but I found one small thing.  Like breathing or something.  I practiced being grateful.  I said affirmations.  I worked at it.  I was not convinced, but I went on with the teeny, tiny bit of faith I had left.

It worked.  Just as negative things build and grow larger and become overwhelming, so do positive things.  It built up.  I found more things to be positive about.

Don’t get me wrong, it was slow going.

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art, best effort, Painter, paintings, positive, show up

Kerry’s Orchid

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Kerry's Orchid

Kerry’s Orchid

I have taken a Botanical Illustration class at the Digital Art Academy (DAA).  They have classes for the app I use to paint, Painter X3.

Botanical Illustration refers to the kinds of highly technical drawings that were in vogue in the late 1800’s.  I didn’t stick strictly to the style they used back then.  I updated it for now.

I signed up for this class on a lark.  I didn’t know I could paint like this.  I ended up kind of dreading the class and wondering what I had gotten myself into.

Then, I decided to have an attitude change.  I decided to show up, put forth my best effort and have fun.  Guess what, I did have fun and amazed myself at what I could do.

show up

Bring Back Our Girls

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Bring Back Our Girls

Bring Back Our Girls

By now, everyone is probably familiar with the kidnapping of 270 girls in Nigeria by a terrorist organization.  To date, these girls have not been returned.  They were kidnapped because they dared to want to learn.  There were several dozen armed terrorists who came into this town, and set the dormitory of the 16-18 year-old girls on fire.  Then they herded the girls into trucks and drove away.

The name of this group, which I refuse to print, means Western Education is a Sin.

These girls are Christians and Muslims, alike.  Other schools in the area had been closed because of the concern of this occurring.  However, this school had reopened so that the young women could take their final exams and complete their school year.  These young women were going to school to follow their dreams.

Instead, they are now being auctioned off at $12 each.

This is an outrage.  It is oppression of women at its worst.

So what do we do?  I have found one way.

Jessica Sporn, a very talented and generous artist has done a wonderful thing.  She has started an on-line auction of donated art to raise money to help bring these girls back.  I am one of the participating artists.

The auction starts at 7:00 am Eastern time today and runs through Saturday, May 17, at 3:00 pm Eastern time.  You can check it out here.

When something like these happens, we all feel so helpless.  We wonder what we, so far away, can possibly do.  Well, this is one way.  Check out the auction.

If you can’t afford to buy any of the art, then go on Twitter, Instagram and FB and say something.  Publicize this auction.

You can find out what else you can do at  Girl Rising .  There is further information on Facebook.

Here are the blogs and websites of the wonderful artists who have so generously donated their art to this cause.

Jessica Sporn   http://jessicasporn.blogspot.com

Linda Kittmer  http://lindakittmer.blogspot.ca

Ronda Palazzari  http://rondapalazzari.typepad.com

Marjie Kemper   http://www.marjiekemper.com

Judy Shea   http://thekeytomyart.wordpress.com

Glenda Hogland   http://pilgrimsthoughts.blogspot.com

Astrid Maclean  http://astridsartisticefforts.blogspot.com

Lisa Pace   http://lisapace.com

Jackie Neal   http://creatingwithoutcrayons-jackiepneal.com

Claudine Criner   http://claudinesartcorner.blogspot.com

France Papillon   http://www.france-papillon.com

Kristin Van Valkenburgh  http://TwinkleTwinkleLikeAStar.blogspot.com

Marcia Beckett  http://marciabeckett.blogspot.com

Ruth Levy   http://lerusho.wordpress.com/

Sally Lynn MacDonald   http://www.SallyLynnMacDonald.com

Renee Zarate   http://renee-boltonhouse.blogspot.com

Natasha May   http://natashamay.blogspot.com/

Carmen Whitehead   http://www.serendipitystudiobycw.blogspot.com/

Seth Apter   http://thealteredpage.blogspot.com/

Marybeth Shaw   http://mbshaw.blogspot.com/

Amy Ingardia-Walker  http://creativelyquirkyathome.blogspot.com/

Kelly Warren  http://happyshackdesigns.blogspot.com

Julie Bernier http://juliebernierphotography.zenfolio.com/

Adrienne Hoban  http://www.allure-decor.com/

Krista van Tol   http://craftylittlepigtails.blogspot.com

Cheryl Grigsby http://cherylspaperartz.blogspot.com

Jill Meyer www.jillmeyer.com

Lisa Flaherty http://mypeaceofpaper.blogspot.com

Kerry C. Mitchell http://kerrycmitchell.com

 

art, digital art, pastel, positive, positive energy, show up

Maui at Dusk

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Maui at Dusk

Maui at Dusk

Here’s another pastel sunset I did.

This one took forever to do.  I only started painting in 2012, and I’ve only been doing anything realistic for about six months.  So there are a lot of lessons for me to learn.  Like perspective, colors of objects close and colors of objects far away.  The further away, the lighter is the rule.  This doesn’t make sense to me, but it’s true.  I went outside and looked.

I have been using reference images, to help me with my landscapes.  However, in this piece, I took a giant leap forward and used a first image, then added the palm trees and ocean in on my own.  So I feel like I’m making progress.

I want to eventually paint in a way that is unique to me.  I want people to look at my work and recognize my style.  Like, “ah, ha, a Mitchell.”  Ha ha ha.  But I know from prior experience that if I just work at this, show up and stay positive, it will happen.

I want to thank everyone who is reading my blog and liking my art work.  It really means a lot to me.