Hello friends, welcome to my blog!
Many moons ago, back in the early aughts or noughts (those first handful of years when the new millennium began, 2000-2010) I had a blog called Expressive Souls. I loved that little blog. It didn't have much of a following but it was a fun place to share my thoughts and my early adventures as an artist. It's long gone now, but this year I decided to revisit blogging.
Why now you might ask? Well, I feel like I have a lot to share - and that it's okay to say that. There's been a consistent theme in my adult life, one that I've seen again and again - whether it be through therapy, astrology, pointed out by friends, or even from tarot cards - that my path as a human is that I need to speak up more! I need to share my thoughts and offer my perspective. I need to stop hiding and be seen (okay, heard).
Over time, I've realized that I often have unique insights that I take for granted but that - when I finally share them they end up being big aha moments for others. Who knew? It's only taken me several decades to finally grasp this about myself. Finally! But after all, we're never too old to learn something new - about the world and about ourselves. I'm a huge proponent of this belief. So returning to blogging - and sharing my thoughts and insights - is how I'm now applying this well-learned and well-earned lesson about myself.
So, several years ago I took an online painting class about how to create abstract paintings. It was a first for me, to learn intentionally about the concepts and techniques behind creating a painting that had no recognizable figure or item as its focal point. One of the paintings I created during that class ended up being powerfully symbolic of my quest to use my voice and speak up more. But it wasn't something I set out to paint, or even noticed once the painting was done. This only happened after it was pointed out to me by a very good friend of mine and she couldn't believe I didn't see what was right in front of me. Oh the insights of others to point out our blind spots ~ so valuable!
What I ended up painting represented exactly an image that had emerged a few years before, during a time of much needed healing. It was an image that resembled feathers piercing a drum covering my throat that, once pierced, allowed my voice to be free and fly out into the world. It was a powerful and transformative representation of the journey I had taken to heal and to find my voice. But I hadn't set out to paint that. Not at all. Imagine my surprise. Whoa! I do adore how the subconscious works.
So as you can see, it shouldn't be any surprise that my first blog series was called Expressive Souls. Yet that blog had happened several years before I had even begun that healing path. It was apparently another way that my subconscious - or my soul, or higher self, or whatever name you prefer - was trying to reach me. "Speak up and express yourself," it was telling me loud and clear! I had originally assumed that that meant as an artist, finally pursuing art after many years of believing I was never good enough to do so. But it turns out, expressing myself has ended up being about way more than painting and creating art. It's become the main theme and purpose of this new life path I chose to embark on last year. It's something I can do to encourage others to express themselves as well.
So here I am, exploring another way to express myself and share my voice with you. I have no idea what direction this blog will take, I don't have categories planned, or themes to explore, I'm just here speaking up, curious and open. If you happen to have any questions or topics you'd like to see explored here, definitely reach out, I'm all ears!
Thanks for joining me on this grand adventure! Let's see where we'll go!
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Yay for more blogging! I keep thinking I'll reboot my blog....maybe this is the year for that. ;) Always love to find you in my letterbox. Here's to a happy, healthy, wildly creative 2024 xo
Exciting to read the newsletter and so happy your are back to blogging. I feel like there will be a blogging resurgence at least I hope so. xo