Rain and the 5th of August

It has been a bit chilly for the last, few days. So before autumn comes to stay for a longer while, I would like to write about my summer memory of rain, which inspired me to paint 'Before the thunder'. I wrote a few weeks ago in my morning pages notebook: 'Revitalizing rain. My dreams will not be dry anymore. Raindrops will clean my soul and bring new inspirations. And I will grow, grow, grow and create'.

Before the thunder

It was the 5th of August a few days ago. Scott wrote beautiful music and created a wonderful video on the 5th of August last year which he simply called  '5th of August'  He created 'The second 5th of August' this year as well. His creativity reminded me about Leah's theme for August which is 'Cycles'. It made me think about cycles in my life. Cycles of creativity, being inspired, feeling good or sad with myself, cycles of faith and doubts, natural cycles or the cycle of time like the 5th of August. I remember the 5th of August last year so well. It was a wet and rainy Sunday, a quiet and cozy day at home. I did not know and expect so many beautiful changes and experiences to happen at that time in my life. The 5th of August passed away this year as well and I am looking forward to what life will bring to me. Another year, another cycle in my life. Love and blessings to you all.

My peace

Beth

Welcome in August beautiful souls! It is a peaceful evening when I am writing these words. I am listening 'Colorless sky' by Desire and I am sorting my thoughts, my latest paintings, photos, drawings and inspirations (which you can see below) and I feel so right, calm and happy.Our cat is sitting with me on the bed, playing happily with new mouse. Purrrrrre happiness! I have had lovely day and lovely time with my wild sister and best friend. I really needed it because I felt a bit lost in past few days. It is so good to have support, people around us, our soul mates who help us to find the right path to walk on. We were sitting on the bench with her little baby Rose and chatting and it was so nice just to enjoy their company and feel connected with them and to that present moment. Beth reminded me today how important is to value and appreciate myself and be grateful, open and positive.


Pastel portraits:

Sunflower

Photos and memories from my analogue camera:

 

My inspirations:

Inner and Outer

Hello beautiful spirits. It has been another warm and sunny day. Another opportunity to sit, relax, gather and write my thoughts in the garden. While I am writing my partner is just about to start making strawberry jam and bread. I have just finished writing my morning pages and ate two beautiful, sweet and juicy plums. Gifts and joys of summer. I had a lot of ups and downs last week. I felt a bit overwhelmed with business and was struggling with body weakness as well. I am going to start working for a new employer from August and like with every change in our lives I feel a little worried and scared. My body weakness could simply be a reaction of resistance to a new coming change in my life. I have had a wonderful work experience over the last year. It has been such a beneficial, learning and inspiring time. A new experience is waiting at the corner now.
I have been carrying on with painting Scottish landscapes in watercolour. The first painting was made during a gorgeous Sunday morning. I had woken up early and started to paint and it made me feel so peaceful, relaxed and set up for the rest of the day. Painting is such a beautiful process of transforming our feelings into an image.
I watched 'Before midnight' yesterday and I started to think afterwards about places where we live and how these places shape and affect our art style. Our art style as a combination of our inner world, experiences and inspirations, shaped by places where we live. If I would live in Greece I imagine that my art style would be softer and more delicate, more bluish and greenish, more watery. Places where we live and create. Our art style shaped by our outer world... Anyway time to have some raspberries and till the next time. Thank you for reading and I hope you are well. Love and blessings to you all.

Create

I have realised, experienced and became more aware of two important aspects in my life over recent days. The first is the awareness of creation. Creation exists everywhere and we can always be creative regardless of what we do. The most important are our thoughts when we do things. We create everyday even if we do not realise it. We create our lives, days, relationships, sleep, meals, thoughts, rest, art, work etc. We constantly take a part in the process of creation. Our thoughts are like tools which help us to create. Create life which you would like to have and be aware that you are creator.
The second is time. I have been busy and occupied with my daily work recently. When I finally stopped, my body completely collapsed. I did not have any energy to do anything. My body reminded me to create time to rest. The body, mind and spirit are inseparable. One always stimulates and affects another. One turns out energy of another. They are like parallel worlds.
It has been a beautiful, sunny and extremely hot day. Real summer! I have been walking with bare feet on the grass and that was a beautiful moment of the day. It is a peaceful evening now. Energy is cooling down and I can feel the evening breeze and hear the magical sound of summer wind.' Another opportunity for healing. Life is serving up another portion of bliss' as Sarah Ban Breathnach wrote.
Regardless of how summery I feel now I could not describe my paintings as summery ones. However they do express me now. I feel peaceful and distant sometimes. I am on a journey to my inner self.

Watercolour summer

It is late evening when I am writting these words. I have had a very nice day. I woke up and I had known already that I would be able to rest and feel like having time for myself. Time to be, create and relax. It has been one of those days when I feel connected with universal love. When I feel loved so much. When I see my loved ones happy. When it makes me happy too and grateful for their happiness. When everything even mistakes and unexpected events are perfect and fine. When I allow myself time to create.
 I created 'Marfa Lights'. This painting is an expression of how I feel now. I painted my feelings and emotions  by using warm and cold colours. It is also my expression of summer painted in freckles on the face. I was inspired to call my painting 'Marfa Lights' by Deuter music. This music perfectly reflects how I felt when I was painting.

Marfa Lights

Also I would like to present another painting which I called 'Fishing house'. Believe me or not, it was the first time I have painted a house. I am always a bit scared of trying new things and it took me a while to decide and feel ready to paint it. It has been a watercolour summer so far after a long acrylic winter.
I noticed that somehow there is more patience, awareness and stillness in me. Maybe it is the magic of summer influence.

Fishing house

I would like to thank you All wonderful souls for possibility of sharing my thoughts and art with you. Thank you for reading, looking, sometimes listening and steeping into my world. Thank you for all your kind words and supportive comments which always mean a lot for me. Love and blessing to you All.

June

Hello dear ones! I hope you are enjoying first days of summer on the Northern hemisphere. It has been a busy but beneficial time for me. I have painted less but managed to tidy up and sort my art work! It was nice to see how much I have done since last year. I also realized that the process of painting  is a journey. It is a creative and inner journey at the same time. It was also good to see how much I have moved on. And the most important my journey still continues! June is nearly gone. It has been a beautiful, warm, sunny and challenging month. I enjoyed eating delicious and sweet strawberries. But also went through a period of self doubts about my artistic way. It helped me to carry on with positive and supportive thoughts, be kind to myself and believe and trust in the power of the universe.
June has been a month full of colours and flowers.

Water theme has been my inspiration for the last few weeks. Water, tidying up and strawberries- this is how I could describe in the simplest way my June.

Beeman

Life is full of inspirations and beauty. My heart is full of gratitude. I am grateful that I have met wonderful people in my life who have inspired me in so many ways and could share myself with them. There are also people 'who we have met maybe once, perhaps not at all' as Truman Capote wrote in 'Christmas Memory' (beautiful and heart warming short story). People who touched our hearts. Like our lovely neighbour Ingrid, Like the man who we met on the plane and never asked him about his name. Or people who I follow on their blogs. Or homeless Jim who loves dancing and many, many more of beautiful souls who we meet everyday. They all share their hearts with us.
One of my and Scott's favourite memories from Rhodes is a memory of a Beeman. We met him and his wife accidentally during driving through the mountain range. He was selling homemade products in his little caravan trailer. He let us to try them and at the same time he opened his heart by giving us the most charmful and welcoming smiles. We called him a Beeman. If you ever drive through the mountains in Rhodes and notice a little trailer, please stop by and try his lovely honeys and herbs. We also took a photo of him and his wife. They both proudly and happily presented their little yummy creations. Beautiful simplicity and way of living. Inspired by this memory, Scott put the Beeman's story into a beautiful song. Please listen and enjoy (here ).

My latest works are paintings of memories from Rhodes. I wanted to put and capture lots of light and healing blue on them. Both painting were based on the photos taken in Rhodes. 'In my garden' is a pastel painting which describes present time, mostly my spare afternoons which I spent in the garden.
Love and blessings to you all.

In my garden

Blue Light