My two lovely children have been battling a little with each other of late and while this may not seem like a topic for this expressive arts site....it is!  Both children complain that the other never listens to him/her.  They feel quite strongly that they would be happier if the other would only do what he/she wants them to do. Sound familiar?  I find that when am in a situation that feels bad to me, I've usually got a should story running.   Someone or  something is not as I deem it should be and of course, I am right.   Well,  how does that work for you?  Not so well  for me either.

Well....here is what I told my children.  When someone is bugging me,  I have to ask myself, ' what have I been focusing on'.  I used an example from a few years back when my husband and I were in a less happy place.  A friend asked me whether I was focusing more on what bothered me about my husband or more on what I loved about him.  The answer was a resounding...what bothers me.  Here's the truth:  What you focus on, you get!  That is just the way it is.  Here is the proof.  I sat down after that and wrote down all the things I loved about my husband. I read it in the morning, I read it during lunch,  I ready when I had a break, I read it in the evening and I especially read it when something was happening that I didn't like.  I talked, breathed, lived all that I loved about him.  With a little bit of effort and some dedication to focusing on what I loved, I got more of what I loved and less of what I  don't love.  Even now, when something happens and say for example, he takes a stronger tone than I love...he'll stop and apologize explaining that his level of frustration was over the top and he had to let it out.  So even the not so desirable is even easier to take.  My kids were surprised by this and a little resistant.  They wanted to be right more than they wanted to feel better.  I feel that way sometimes too.  I recently went through something where I didn't want to hear anything about shifting my focus and that sometimes there are situations that are just wrong...true, but if I hold on to it and hold on to it, then I am the one who suffers.  So try it,  Shift your focus and see what happens.  If you need help doing it,  create some art around it...the visuals are really powerful!!!!  Create art all about what you love about your partner, your life, your kids, your boss, your....  Then let the image fill your mind every time you find yourself in that situation.  See what happens. 

 
 
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I find that when I am feeling a little off and am uncertain about what it is about that this tool, altered text, is by far one of the most powerful tools that I have.  It's simple really...you sit down with an old book (I get them at thrift stores for very little money).  You rip tons of pages out so that you have room for art and embellishments...keep ripping even when you think you haven't ripped enough.  Once this is done, you always have a text available to work in.  I usually open to a random page holding my befuddlement (yes,this is a real word) in my mind.  I look over the page and take note of words and phrases that jump out at me. 
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To begin,  I paint over the page with Acrylic Gel Medium.  This protects the page and allows you to mask off the words that have spoken to you.  Let the medium dry completely!!!!  Hair dryers work wonders!  Then use masking fluid to mask off the words you selected.  Again, let it dry completely.  The masking fluid allows you to paint over the page while protecting the print that you want to come through.  Once dry,  create your background.  Paint is one of my favorites as it allows me to create all kinds of textures and feels to the page.  Let the paint dry and then peel off the masking fluid.  You will be able to see it because they look like paint raised blisters.  Peel them off just like you would skin on a sunburn.  Kind of gross image, sorry!  Now embellish the text and background.  Let your imagination soar. 

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Finally, spend some time with the page reflecting on the gift of the words and the art.  This does take some time and other times it hits you pretty square in the eyes.  The images in this post reflect a wide range of pieces for me, each one reflecting where I needed to go next and how I needed to shift my energy.  Ahhh, the power of altered text!

 
 
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This piece grew out of a hike at a nearby trail.  I set out one early morning with my daughter to enjoy our "mountain" and to connect with nature.  As we headed out on the trail I looked down and saw this root in the trail.  I knew that I had to create art with it so I picked it up, left a gift in return and carried it with me throughout the entire hike.    

The next day was a group day at the teen center where I work.  We were working on the idea of recovery and what it felt like, looked like, etc. in our lives.  I was using a technique called "object art", in which you choose an object as a symbol of, in this case, your recovery.  Once you select the object, you begin to create around it.  You can use paint, fabric, collage, whatever moves you.

I was really clear that this root was a critical symbol of my recovery.  A word here on recovery...I am using this word very broadly.  It is my belief that we are all in and out of recovery all the time.  It doesn't mean that all of us use and abuse a substance but it does mean that we all move in and out of our balanced and complete states and any time we are attempting to return to our original state we are in the process of recovery.  So it is with this definition in mind that I began this project.

What I learned is profound.  It was the classic roots and wings conversation.  In order to fly, I must be rooted in truth, the earth, who I am, my principles and then and only then can I fly, like Prometheus, close to the sun. 

I love this piece.  It is simple but is filled with motion and truth and hope and is a reminder of what I need to remember to return to my original state.


 
 
I've been working on getting this particular blog entry written for a couple of weeks.  First, technical difficulties...then,  life happens!  Well, here I am finally able to sit down and think about this amazing piece of work done by many of the teens and adults that I have worked with.  The question is posed...what is the face you present to the world?  What are the parts of you that you keep hidden?
This is always a very interesting process of reflection for me as I know that I have a very strong image that I present to the world.  I make great effort to hold integrity and to share  who I am in a genuine and authentic way.  In doing this exercise recently, I was surprised to see that there is still so much work to do to keep my inner and outer experiences in alignment.  How often do we put on a smile when we really feel hurt?  How often do we deny our inner voice in order to keep the peace?  How often do we compensate in situations that we ought to stop?  What questions do you need to ask yourself in reflecting on your inner and outer faces?  What would you like to do to integrate those aspects?  Which inner faces do you choose to keep hidden and for good reason?  This is a challenging exercise but one that I find to be well worth it AND every time I engage in the task, I am pleasantly surprised!
 
 
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This piece of art was created by one of the clients at the center where I work.  Collage is a common technique used in expressive arts but I have often thought about it as simplistic and possibly not all that interesting or complex.  When I looked at what this client did I was blown away.  His ability to use images from a variety of resources to create a cohesive and powerful image hit me square between the eyes.  He graciously gave this piece of art to me. 

He explained to me that he is the young figure in the center foreground of this piece and that his guide was behind him and eagle flew above him to help him in his recovery.  He is grounded in nature because that gives him strength and hope. 

I often hear from people that "troubled" kids can't do this kind of work or that they don't care.  It is my experience that they have deeper and richer life  experiences than most people I come in contact with.  They have more to overcome,oftentimes, but once they decide,  they are incredibly strong and determined.  This young man was just that sort of person.  He taught me never to set limits on what can be done within any medium or to limit what people could get out of that work. 

I am amazed each day by the places that this kind of artwork can take us.  I wish deeply that people  see that this process isn't about "art"....that the creativity is the gift that shows us where our work is and where to proceed.  This process takes us into places and shows us insights and connections that we might never be able to make with the use of our mind only.  I invite you to try some of these techniques:  collage, sand tray, sculpture....hold a question in your mind and then let your mind go.  Cut out images that call to you,  shape clay anyway that your hands want it to.  Don't think.  I promise you that there is a gift in it for you.  More to come...