It's a New Dawn; It's a New Day; It's a New Life

Spring is filled with beginnings: new outlooks, new choices; new paths of discovery. That can be exciting or overwhelming or both. I am establishing an intention to paint from my heart - really deeply from my heart.

The last two years were full of new concrete goals/events:

• I moved from one studio to online selling to a new gallery (Thank you Renee at Aurora Matheson Fine Art Gallery!).

• I opened myself up to possibilities and began to actively seek new ways to learn which resulted in participating in a weekend retreat/workshop in pleine air and a creative exploration workshop at a local winery. Can't go wrong there!

• The introvert me set out to deepen existing relationships and start a few new ones with local artists and online communities.

• I went BIG - as in bigger canvases. A learning curve but so inspiring and fun I most certainly will continue!

This year:

I am going to paint from my heart. That's it! No need to clutter up my head space with a new action-oriented focus.

I now know that feeling directs my brushstrokes and raises the level of joy with each piece. If I don't find the piece connected into my heart then I am kind of missing the point. Besides, how would I expect anyone to find joy or pensiveness or serenity or any other emotional connection in something I create if there isn't some truth buried in the colours and act of creating? The question is the "how". Funny how, as artists, we can lose sight of that. My intent is to open myself up to the possibilities: use music, meditation, memories and life ...... so I can paint with my minds eye. We will see!

I am excited to start on this next adventure of curiosity, authenticity and heart. Hope you will come along with me!