"Once we clearly acknowledge the soul, we can learn to hear it's cries. - Dallas Willard, Renovation Of The Heart."

It takes courage to pursue our dreams. It takes time and patience to unearth buried treasure. But I believe with all my heart that we must do both.

8.27.2009

Layers - Part 1

Good morning blog chickies, well, to the roosters too, but most of you are chickies!! :)

The paintings I posted yesterday started out being something far different than their finished appearance. Painting is still new to me, and since I am self taught I lack the skills and knowledge to get my hands to do what my mind wants to paint. Crap, sometimes I don't even have a picture in my mind, just a feeling. Sometimes it's a picture of another artists style that I want to produce.

Tuesday, I labored all day, and I hated the painting when I stopped out of pure frustration. You know it is time to stop when you hear your own advice coming from your 17yr. old daughters mouth. "Mom, take a break, walk away, come back to it later." Okay wise daughter of mine, I will. lol During the night I developed a horrible migraine, but in the pain I heard these thoughts. Why are you trying to be someone else?? Look at what you seem to paint repeatedly. Look at your very first painting. Stay with this for awhile. Okay! So the next morning after I downed two extra strength Excedrin, and slept for two hours in Megan's bed (I had been chatting with her while she finished getting ready for school) I got up and began to paint. The first one I completed was the green cross. It was finished fairly quickly. I realized it would have never looked the way it does without all the layers underneath, some were pretty, some were downright ugly!! Now, this was the second painting for my husbands office. The first one I posted a few posts back. It no longer "fit" since they were to hang together. So I grabbed it and I'm telling you in 5 minutes I had the outline of the cross. Different enough from the other one, but one that would compliment it as well.

I have learned several lessons from these. Since this is getting to be a rather long post I'll stop here. I need to ponder my lessons a little longer anyway. Ask my Abba what he is saying to me.

Thanks for the prayers for my headache. It was mostly gone by bedtime. I have a small one this morning, and that hangover feeling from the massive migraine (if you have them you know what I mean) Gonna do wash and catching up stuff today. No obsessive, frantic painting today.

Blessings!

15 comments:

Jennifer {Studio JRU} said...

Love layers... they just add to the story!! I hope you are feeling better soon from you headache. My husbands suffers from them, I know how terrible it can be!

Mollye said...

Oh gosh Mary, didn't know you had those stupid headaches. Mine are called ocular migraines and they SUCK too! Love the cross. You know how something completely speaks volumns in it's simplicity.... nothing can ever speak to us like the cross. As the old saying is, Go With Your Heart. Glad you did. Peace, Mollye

Anonymous said...

yep. been there. totally done that. and it won't be the last time, i'm sure. it's the coming back to you, the return to authenticity does it every time. when you belong to the One who built your heart and can see through the film of envy or whatever is clouding over the beauty he placed in you, well, there's no game playing. can't get away from him...i love that about him- the hound of heaven.

thank you once again, mary, for putting it plain.

Art by Darla Kay said...

Oh Mary, hope you're feeling better!! Migraine are horrible! I love your painting and you're so right about so many things!
Thanks!!
Darla♥

Martha Lever said...

Hi Mary,
I am glad you are feeling better. I love that you ask your Abba--actually He is my muse--although I hate to call Him a muse! I will correct that-He is my Creative voice--ok that's better!! Yes, I do wear a mask and I have the heavy duty one that looks like a bomb squad would use that works much better but it's very heavy and hot--then there is the blue paper one---that one really doesn't much work at all. It's called spray and run--- out of the door to breathe!

Anonymous said...

Hi Mary,
So glad you followed God by "listening" to the inner voice. Often when we do it on our "own" it crumbles!
Love the cross.. So happy I found you and Bevie are so sweet.
I am working on a painting as I type.. well, not exactly as I TYPE.. but you get the drift..
and oh, by the way.. I would rather be the Rooster.. or at least "get up w/the roosters"!
unfortunately I am a chicki!
Thanks for your posting..
hugs, Darlene xo

lori vliegen said...

SO glad you're feeling better! i loved reading your story....i know that feeling of frustration after you've worked on something all day....and you don't like your end result! ooooh, that's the pits!! looks like you're back on track, now (Abba always comes through for us, doesn't He?!) :)

ellie said...

looking forward to hearing what this experience and this work ends up saying to you, Mar. I'm intrigued!

Sandra Hall said...

I love the paintings Mary...they speak volumes! Glad you're feeling better after the migraine. x x

My Journey to Hope said...

Mary, thanks for your sweet comments on my blog. Our band has lots of songs, but only one cd right now. We were supposed to record in October, but my husband (the drummer) had an accident at work 3 weeks ago and had part of his finger removed, and a bone graph on another finger. Crazy stuff.

I re-read your "about me" section, and it really resonated with me. Even what you're going through with painting, I completely identify. It's really frustrating to not know what you're doing, but being compelled to keep trying. I know God is teaching us about the layers, using our mistakes, and that there is an overall picture in mind.

I really appreciate your prayers and encouragement, and I'm looking forward to getting to know you better.

:) Michelle

Martha Lever said...

Thanks, Mary. :) I love it when you call me Marthy!

Hannah said...

I'm sorry to hear about your migranes - you have my empathy. A friend of mine suffers terribly with her migranes.

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Brandi said...

crosses are you mary .. they are your heart!!
sometimes i lay in my daughters bed just talking to her and fall asleep too .. its comfortable!!!

Unknown said...

(((hugs))) sister our dad used to have those migraines!! I read the Part 2 first and will go back there to comment, but wanted to say how much I love hearing your thoughts cuz I can just see your face and your emotions because we are close!!! love you sis.

TonyaA said...

Yes. I think I should ponder my lessons awhile as well.
Thank you!
Tonya