Friday, September 4, 2015

Get up. Get dressed. Paint.

It’s early, 4:03 am.  I’ve already made the coffee, had my first sip, dressed as the coffee slowly dripped into the carafe.  I want to paint… need to paint, to exorcise all those demons from the first week of school.  Those demons are always there but are worse than ever this year; total dysfunction, no supplies, teaching assignments up in the air, bullying by administrators, threats of losing our job with any misstep…these have taken their toll and the stress has clouded my mind, left my body tense and ridged. 


I curse myself for not remembering to gesso the remaining pages in my art journal as I had promised.  My craft table is still empty and neatly organized from vacation.  Thankful that I don’t have to push aside clutter to make a space to paint, I gesso the next 2 pages so I can get started.

To get color on the page I add drops of acrylic ink then coax them to run down page.  The results are not what I was hoping for.  I grab a brush and paint through them.  Next I push black paint through a stencil to start a background.  

 As I paint I notice myself recalling techniques I learned through this practice.  I remember to lay the stencil across the gutter to bring the spread together rather seeing two separate pages and stamping off the edge of the page to give the illusion of a larger page.  Last week I learned to add paint to a rubber stamp which adds a light texture, something I wanted to try again.


I struggle with creating focal points.  I just never seem to get it right.  But this morning I am more focused on ridding my mind of the continuous loop of thoughts, the replaying of the events from this disastrous week.  I replace them with
Breathe
Let it go
My 4 square walls
Their incompetency no longer affects me

The carnage

The completed page.



Joining Paint Party Friday where having paint under the fingernails is the norm.  What colors are under yours?


9 comments:

  1. I never woke early during the school year - rather I stayed up late. It can take so much out of you when you have a negative environment. Hopefully it will sort itself out. Be sure to take care of yourself. Love your mantra and your journal spread!

    ReplyDelete
  2. So very exciting to see how these pages grow! Wonderful outcome and wonderful process!

    ReplyDelete
  3. So sorry to hear about your working environment. That must be so very draining so I hope things improve very soon! I love how your journal spread transpired with such happy colors ...and sunflowers! Great job! Hope you get some rest, and happy PPF!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I love your bright colors and creative artwork. I liked seeing where you do your work and get inspired. Wonderful!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Divine to see the birth of glorious pages! Love the colors!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Creative and colorful pages despite your feelings ~ Grand work!

    Happy Weekend to you,
    artmusedog and carol

    ReplyDelete
  7. There is nothing like early morning coffee and the desire to create. This is beautiful.
    Nicole/Beadwright

    ReplyDelete
  8. I am so so sorry you have endure this kind of treatment! I've always said bullying starts at the top and nothing can resolve it until our society on the whole makes a change! There needs to be way more respect for educators and health care proffesionals! I have a feeling Arnoldo is going through the same thing. I believe in a reward system of running things, not fear tactics! You don't deserve this! I always ask myself the question, what can I learn from all this? Love your determination to find moments of solace in creating! Good for you! Beautiful pages! Sending love and light for better days ahead!

    Hugs Giggles

    ReplyDelete
  9. Beautiful, bright page, Diane! I can't detect any stress or anxiety. Mission accomplished banishing those negative feelings! Aren't we lucky that we have art to help us get through the tough times? Thanks for visiting earlier - your lovely comment means a lot to me.

    ReplyDelete

Thank you so much for stopping by. Please share your insights.