Out of the writing closet and into the world...

I love the writing process... sometimes.  I recently wrote a nonfiction book, a book about living with FIERCE Integrity.  The book is in two parts, the first part tells about my own personal journey into living with FIERCE Integrity and how the whole concept came about.  The second part is the extended version of the course - living with FIERCE Integrity in thought, word and deed.  I submitted the manuscript to a publishing house contest on September 27th.  October 19th (FRIDAY) I find out if it makes it into round two.  

This morning, I am truly enjoying a luxurious ‘working’ morning.  Chephren is at preschool and I am sitting in the local coffee shop with a hot cup of tea in hand, clicking and clacking away on my laptop.  

If you are an avid MareBare blog follower (all three of you!), you may have noticed somewhat of a decreased presence on the blog over the past few months.  This is partly due to the book... after all, I set out to write 50,000 in less than 6 weeks (!), but it is also because my writing process has completely changed.  

If you were to sit down with me and ask me about writing the book, I would probably laugh and first respond with ‘actually, the book wrote me’.  What I mean is, I really feel that I was only a channel or a vessel for the content that came forward.  The best way that I know how to describe it is to say that I needed to ‘get out of the way’ in order for that book to be written.  I have heard other writers and artists describe the creative process in a similar way.  Your best work comes forward when you step into the ‘flow’.  

Which brings me to the true topic of this blog post.  Lately I have been trying to write on the blog and keep it current but every time I sit down, I have been experiencing writer’s block!  Remembering the experience of writing the book, this morning I have decided to simply sit down and write on whatever is present, whatever comes forward.  I am taking my own advice and simply getting out of the way.

The Universe has been kind enough to honor this intention and when I sat down to write this post, this quote popped up on my screen:

If someone prays for courage - do you think God gives them courage or the opportunity to be courageous?

If someone prays for patience - do you think God gives them patience or the opportunity to be patient?

I had written it down a week or so ago after watching the movie Evan Almighty with Chephren (it is a super cute family show if you haven’t seen it, in which Steve Carrell plays ‘Noah’ - as in Noah’s Ark and Morgan Freeman plays God). 

The quote above is said by Morgan Freeman and it struck a chord so I wrote it down.

What I love about ‘co-creating' with the Universe is the synchronicities that are so often associated.  For instance, the above quote is so very relevant today.  After submitting that book a few weeks ago, I was delighted to not have to think about it anymore.  This morning, for whatever reason, I woke up with FIERCE Integrity on the brain... counting sleeps until Friday morning.  Learning patience.  

And yet I know not to wish my life away.  I have four whole days of living to do before the fate of the book is learned.  The funny thing is, I know that it will be exactly what it needs to be.  I am totally at peace with any outcome.  And yet I am so very curious...

What are you learning today?

Shanti, Om

MareBare

Practicin' what I be Preachin'

Chephren is an artist too (yes, he is only two, but remember, we are ALL artists)!  To reinforce/cultivate this belief in him, we try make time for art very regularly - at least once or twice per week but lately, given his interest in it, more.  I have a great supply of art materials leftover from my one art course in University (where I myself was beyond shocked to learn for the first time that gasp! I myself was an artist).  As you know, I am still working on re-building that belief system, but that is another entry (or twenty), so let's focus instead on the next generation... bringing us back to Chephren and his burgeoning creativity.

Today we started our creative time with watercolor paints (I stayed there, Chephren went on to experiment with chalk pastels, glitter, felt markers and pencil crayons).  Here are the results of today's endeavors:

The felt-marker piece

The chalk pastel piece

The watercolor piece

As you can see, Chephren excels at experimenting within each of the mediums, exploring primarily color, but also different brush sizes (with the painting) and different techniques (blending colors with his fingers in the chalk pastel piece).

If you are interested in exploring art with a young person, here are some tips that I can offer you (some of them mine, and some of them from my course in Uni):

• Set your space up so that you aren't worried about the MESS -- art can/should be messy.  We do art either in the basement where I don't care about the mess or at the kitchen counter where it is easy to wipe up spills/messes.
• If you are painting or doing anything wet, it is fun/practical to designate an 'artists smock' for such activities.  Chephren picked his from an old stack of shirts and loves wearing it.
• Don't impose any rules on them (especially at such a young age)... when they are older, you can begin to discuss techniques/themes/mediums/effects, WHATEVER, but the main idea here is to make it FUN!  Encourage them to play, experiment and gosh-darnit, do whatever the heck that they like!
• 'Art' goes beyond coloring books (although these do have a limited purpose in teaching fine-motor skills and yes, I do have one in my 'restaurant bag'), BUT, this isn't the time/place for them.  Enough said.
• Don't be afraid to let them try out new/different tools/mediums.  This way, they will come to know which ones they love to play/experiment/create with and it won't be imposed.  Of course, choose materials that are non-toxic and if possible, washable, but think outside the box in terms of what those little people are capable of.  If you are worried about how they treat the materials, build that into the 'lesson'. 
• Display your child's work with pride.  I have an 'artist's wall' in our playroom and Chephren gets to choose which pieces go onto the wall.  We also have conversations about playing around or practicing vs. doing our 'best work'.  Encourage your child to sign their work (if they are a bit older) and to give it a name.  Discuss what they created and why... (again, more for older children).  If you are planning on keeping the pieces for a scrapbook, it might be fun to record what they tell you on the back of the piece as well as the date.
• We like to play music in the background while we work... doesn't have to be kids music either.  Pick something that you will both enjoy.
• Lastly and maybe even most importantly: PRACTICE WHAT YOU PREACH.  Hence the subject line of this post.  When Chephren and I sit down for 'creative time', I do just that, sit down and create alongside him.  That way he sees that indeed, we are all artists and that art is important enough to make time for... at any age.  Who knows, you might just like it!  Here is my watercolor piece from today...


You might recognize this from a photograph that I took in Kelowna... hey, I am not quite as inspired Chephren is... yet!


• Oh, and one more thing: it might be fun to do a piece collectively... and just see what comes up.  Here is one that we did today:

And all of this advice from someone who is creatively 'blocked'.  Huh.

Happy creating!

Marebare (and Chephren)

My creative champions

In my last entry, I mentioned that I have been taking a ‘course’ in creativity via the book I am reading. This week, one of the suggested tasks was to list three of your ‘creative champions’. This was an easy list for me to create, although there was NO WAY that I could limit it to three, so I went with five (okay six). I have decided it fitting to pay tribute to each of them here…


My ‘fantastic five’ biggest creative influences/inspirations in my life are (in no particular order):

1. Tess: Everything that Tess touches/does/thinks is literally expounding with creativity. It is difficult not to overstate just how artistic and original Tess is. Her inspired energy is so powerful that it seems almost tangible. Simply knowing Tess has forever changed me. I find that spending time with her ‘supercharges’ my own sense of creative spirit. So much so, that going to visit Tess and her family in Kelowna feels like a creative retreat. I leave feeling refreshed, relaxed, reenergized and most importantly, re-inspired to become a better version of myself. Tess sees the world through a lens that allows her to live authentically and beautifully… to know her is to love her and feel blessed!

2. Wendy: I met Wendy in University when we were taking our B.Ed.’s together. When I first met her I remember thinking, ‘Wow! This lady sure thinks outside the box… she is going to make one heck of a teacher someday!’ (She did go on to do just that!) While in school, I had the good fortune to work with Wendy on a few projects and began to have regular coffee dates with her after class as well. During these visit, I came to learn that while the way in which she expresses herself is unique and fresh, she is also filled with a certain wisdom, making her an ‘old soul’ if you will. Everything that Wendy does and says is heartfelt… you can feel her genuineness in every interaction that you have with her. Wendy is also one of the bravest women that I have ever known, and she is not afraid to ‘put herself out there’. Thank you Wendy for sharing a bit of your life with me and teaching me to nurture the artist within.

3. Jody/Cheryle: I know what you are thinking, I can’t pick two people for one spot, but guess what, this is my list and I make the rules! I put these two ladies together because they inspire me in similar ways. For starters, they are both gifted and largely self-taught photographers. They both have an inimitable way of viewing the world, which, fortunately for the rest of us, they are able to share with us through their pictures. They also both share a passion for outdoor adventure and travel, and journey through life with huge smiles on their faces! Although life has led them down considerably different paths, both of them return to their ‘art’ again and again. Don’t take my word for it, click on their links and see for yourself.

4. ‘EcoCat Lady’: Interestingly, this blog is written by a woman who I have never met, in person anyways. Over the past year and a bit, she has been one of the most fervent supporters on my blogging journey and a very talented writer in her own right. We have had many conversations over e-mail and through the blog, in which she has shared a wealth of knowledge, insights, suggestions and wonderful stories. Thank you ‘ECL’ ;) – it wouldn’t have been the same ride without you!

5. Lindsey: THE fashionista of Regina, heck, maybe even Western Canada, there is literally no one else on the planet like her. Lindsey lives and breathes to the sound of her own drum, pushing the limits in almost everything she does. Funny, charismatic and heck, just plain wonderful, any compliment or encouragement from this gal feels like a BIG DEAL. Thanks you Linds for your ongoing support over the years. You have always been and continue to be a huge creative inspiration to me!

Interestingly… they ALL have blogs/websites! If you didn’t check them out as you were reading through, make sure you take the time to do so.

My hat is off to all of you ladies. Thank you so much for your inspirations, insights, ideas and passion for life! It is contagious! I love you ALL for the gifts that you have each given me.

Who are your creative champions?

Marebare

Trying to light, heck, to FIND my creative spirit

I like to think that I live with purpose... at least to the highest degree possible.   When the blog was a 'project' (and hence, had a purpose)... the words came freely, the topics jumped into my head and the entries flowed easily onto the screen.  Now that the 'project' is complete, the blog has ceased to fulfill a specific purpose and as such, the entries have been few and far between and to my way of thinking, lacking any real substance or 'spark' of enthusiasm.  Over the past months, I have had loyal readers encourage me to keep going, but as of yet, I have lacked the motivation to do so. 

Recently, (and oh so recurringly and in the funniest of ways), it has come to my attention that writing is widely considered a creative act: one that can be and is often engaged in just for the joy of doing so (gasp!).  To date, I have had little experience writing 'just for the heck of it', but it is becoming increasingly clear to me that it might be an important thing for me to do. 

With my disheveled, shocked, and still-slightly-comatose creative spirit in mind, it is with great pleasure that I offer you the reader: no promises about topics, content, substance, themes or even frequency of entries from here on.  I am truly going to commit to letting my creative mind/spirit 'run wild'... A scary notion for me (and likely for you) indeed, but it is on the edge of fear and discomfort you are able to GROW. 

Join me in this journey if you wish, adios and many thanks if you choose not to...

As always, I am happy to receive your thoughts and comments along the way and will do my best to reply...

To new beginnings,

Marebare