Stop Hate Go Love Project

Yesterday I participated with more than 7000 people in an on line class, all of us painting a powerful project with Yaymaker from home. I  found this to be a very powerful and emotional project.  I live in Canada, the class was taught from New York and California, and I saw posts on Social Media of people working on the project in England, Canada and all over the USA.

The intro from the owner and the team lead in California echoed the sentiment I feel and have felt through this process of the last few weeks. This project really helped me express artistically and in a way that reminded me of how much work needs to be done, personally and through out the world.

I had not considered myself racist person, I realize that that is not even enough, and I am listening and trying to educate myself, on the issues surrounding systematic racism and on going hatred that lives in all our communities.
Art therapy has been something I have been actively participating in for the last two years and I have found it has a profound effect on me. Being able to express myself through art and creativity feeds my soul and I find I learn so much through it.

I want to thank the people at Yaymaker (formally Paintnite) for opportunity to participate in this project and support the #blacklivesmatter movement through art.
To learn more about Yaymaker, please click here.

As part of the event which was Free from Yay Maker, they are raising money for the following Charities. Please consider supporting programs like these or ones in your own area.
Black Table Arts

Embrace Race 

Colors of Change 

Thank you for joining me for a cup of tea and a look at my Yay Maker Project for Stop Hate Go Love.
I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

My Yaymaker Painting Class From Home

Yesterday I immersed myself in crafting and ended the day day with an on line painting class I found for $15 on line. I did not expect to enjoy it as much as I did and I am actually proud of what I made.
I am trying to use the time I have off and nurture the creative side of myself by trying new things. The Yaymaker.com website had a ton of events to choose from. I got to paint in my pj's and not have my camera on, while enjoying learning new painting techniques with people across Canada and the USA.

This was a great way to spend the evening and I have actually signed up to do a different one Monday night!

Each teacher does a little bit different technique and while the original image on the advertisement was more of a tea cup this teacher chose to do a mug, I have to say I really like how the mug turned out.

This was the original from the Yaymaker website.

I am still in awe of how my yellow swipes and flicks of the paint brushes from the dollar store turned in to something that actually resembled flowers!

I keep working on his snout and I preferred not to to put the flower behind the ear, I am so excited though to share something that I made and am really excited to hang up. You can find a Yay Maker class on line by visiting the website and clicking here

Thank you for joining me for a cup of tea and my Hedgehog in a cup painting. I hope to share more of my creative journey with you again soon. I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

Painting, Selfcare and a couple of great books...

A few months ago I started to see a therapist and I mentioned how I felt I had lost my creative spark. I expressed a desire to paint but did not have the confidence to start. She was really helpful in showing me that even though I had no real experience in painting, that the act of painting was something if I felt I would like to try, would be worth wild.  She was right. I have found that painting for me gives me a creative outlet and has helped me add more joy to my life.

The therapist recommended a book that I found to be very helpful called The Artist Way 

This book has many different covers and while you should be able to find it at your library I recommend you can also get a copy for yourself like I did on The Book Depository by clicking here. 

Through the summer I also found another book that I really liked and it even referenced the book The Artists Way,  Painting Your Way Out of A Corner, hit the right buttons for me and made me laugh and think, while creating. I loved that painting doesn't have to cost much, I seriously get my supplies at the dollar store and even got a childs paint set like you use in preschool. I found that the art of sitting there and just letting the paint hit the paper was calming in away I had only hoped. Do I love everything I paint? Not really but I do love the act of painting. The process is what I love.

If you are thinking of ways to reignite your creative self or are trying to find that creative spark, maybe these books will help you as they helped me.
To find these books on The Book Depository, with free shipping,  click the links below, or simply check them out at your local library.
For The Artists Way by Julia Cameron, click here.
For the book Paint Your Way Out of The Corner, by Barbara Diane Barry,  click here.
Thank you for joining me for a cup of tea and a look at two books I found very helpful for selfcare.
I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com