The Red Key: Las Promesas - Muse of Taste Intuitive Painting

Time for the next Muse Painting over at The Red Key... 

Muse of Taste - A Feast to Awaken your Mouth

She will need you to feed her. To nourish her. To give her yumminess.

Gather up your supplies of food, and drink for feasting

and your art supplies for drawing, writing and painting.

Nothing will taste the same after this.

*******

My Muse of  Taste...

 The steps are basically the same for this painting as the other Muses were, 

With 1 special extra... FOOD!

Page was cut to 8 1/2" X 10 3/4" so that it can attached right into my Book of Legends. 

Laid out my 'feast' to nom nom while listening to what the Muse of Taste had to tell me today.

Wee Honey Gold Apples we picked at the orchard last week, 2 BIG Plums (seriously they're the size of oranges!), Candied Ginger (ziiip!), Chocolate in form of a Skor bar and my beloved Dr. Pepper (no diet this time, it's for ART! lol ). 

NOT for eating: Red Thread, Keys and a Cinnamon Scented Candle. ;)

 

Felt led to 'annoint' the page with the red Plum juice before writing out my promise...

Though I had it upright during my preparations *she* wanted it sideways.

Written in watercolor pencil...

Promise:

I choose to sit and savor

Each and every morsel… to

Take time to taste, feel and

Experience each dish put

Before me by my Muse

Color wash: Reds and Purples much the same as the Plum juice...

 Outline...

Starting to fill with colors...

  

Adding details...

Not on here yet but I was led to grab the super shimmery copper paint, 

With it, though the picture do it NO justice, she GLOWS.

  

Here she is!

Her Message to Me:

Savor each... and every... little Moment... 
Looked up the symbolic meanings From: http://www.dreamomania.com
 Grapes:
If the dreamer in his dream perceives grape this points out that he has a need for celebration and ceremony. A dream of grapes suggests that in the life of the dreamer had been too little fun and laugh. Best way to change this is to bring creativity into life.
Candy:
 Candy according to the information in old dream-books is promising love and happiness.
 

The Red Key: Gather the Keys (Part II)

Uh... yeah...

That 'plan' to work on the 16 topics/keys over the next few WEEKS... 

Nevermind.

My Muse and the Universe had other plans soooo... it's DONE!

  

Background is ink smudged and then the Red Thread drawn through 'tying' all the topics together. Each section is colored the same as the KEY for that topic was on the other page. 

Today planned to ready the background, that's it, then pick away bit-by-bit at each topic as my health, the kids, scheduling etc... allowed over the next 2 weeks.

The kids all took them selves off to play in the gorgeous sunshine-y after the rain weather... 

Hubby's away at work... 

The phone didn't ring today... *gasp* Unheard of!

Supper was already made... 

My Muse said: "Hellz YES Gurl, Let's get this going!" 

Sat down to start and before I knew it... it was all done! 

16 Keys/Topics:

 CREATIVITY
AWARENESS
MANIFESTATION
GRATITUDE
PLAY
TRANSFORMATION
MYSTERY
SAB/BATH
LEGACY
REVOLUTION
COMMUNITY
WONDER
IDENTITY
PERSPECTIVE
PLEASURE
HEART

Babble... Babble... Babble!!!

 

 Pre-Babble:

 

The Red Key: Gather the Keys (Part I)

Preparing to step into a 'review' of The Red Key summer session and all the topics/keys...

*My* goal for the next couple of weeks is to ART my way through the 16 'keys'. I started today with a double spread in my Book of Legends to lead into this section...

My Muse holding the Red Thread running through the 16 Keys:

• CREATIVITY
• AWARENESS
• MANIFESTATION 
• GRATITUDE
• PLAY 
• TRANSFORMATION 
• MYSTERY 
• SAB/BATH
  
• LEGACY
• REVOLUTION
• COMMUNITY
• WONDER
• IDENTITY
• PERSPECTIVE
• PLEASURE
• HEART

The Red Key: Gone Wild Art Journaling `Perspective'

Let’s talk about perspective.
In my personal explorations of perspective, I have come up with four ways I have of experiencing the world around and within me. Being a very visual person, I refer to these ways as ‘looks’. The word ‘look’ is very powerful for me but you might find it more powerful to ‘listen’, ‘sense’, ‘experience’, etc. As you read the description of each of these different ways of ‘looking’, ask yourself if ‘look’ works for you and adapt accordingly.

***************

So that was the start of it... 

Did some free writing in and around some of the issues I'm wrestling over regarding the Divine and my/the worlds views, relationship with religious 'institutions' etc... Originally I was thinking along 'look down you will only see the dirt, look up you see the rest of the universe' but my MUSE went another way. She threw a book at me, literally!!! I was heading to the kitchen to re-load the dishwasher and bumped into a pile of teetering sh-tuff (we have LOTS of those being in the midst of pre-move-packing) and knocked a book over. (Woman's Magic by Sue Bowes) Took the book with me to the bathroom and when I opened it up this quote jumped out at me:

"A relationship that deals with Truth,

Walks always the fine line between Chaos and Cosmos."

~Meher Baba~

Total AH HA! moment... 

It summed up most of what I'd written about in one simple sentence. 

Lady was pencil drawn then traced out in Sharpie PEN. 

Holding a metal ruler on the page, water color painted each side a different blue. 

Then used Gold and Silver Sharpie for the sun rays and stars. 

Colored her in with a mixture of Stampin' Up! markers and Sharpies.  

HAD to add those Black Feathers and Red Roses.

Then started finger painting the background with Gold and Silver paint.

Last step was retracing the Tightrope and adding the Red Thread helping to hold her up...

The Red key: Creative YOU Part II

Part one involved scribbling, doodling, sketching and playing with crayons, paint, pencils etc...

In short: 

PLAY!!!!

I did a ton of that bit by bit on scraps of paper... great prompt for during the move since I don't have tons of time for 'projects'. Many of the which I plan to use as quickie'n'easy Art Journal backgrounds for the even more rushed days ahead. Bonus!

Part II I used paint and looooots of it. The page started off with stenciled Gesso, followed by ink refill dribbled on and rolled out with a brayer, then water splotched on and loads and loads of paint dribbled and splattered on. Finally when it was part way dry I smooshed it 1 more time with a piece of paper, saved the smoosh for a background too!

I used 4 different pictures of myself in parts, sharpie and rub-ons for the rest.

I AM MADE OF...

Sparkle...

Fairy Dust...

Soil...

Fleurs...

Sunshine...

Candle Light...

Rainbow Colors...

Smell after the Rain...

Love..

Splattered Paint...

I AM SARAH.

Pre-Last-Smoosh:

The Red Key: LAS PROMESAS- Deep Listening

Time for the 2nd Intuitive Las Promeses painting over at The Red Key... this time:

 Deep Listening.

Started by writing the message received during the time listening to the Muse Meditation, 

written within' a heart in sharpie. 

Stop and hear the

Hum of the universe, you

Are part of the melody…

You are not out of sync…. The

Sound is beautiful.

Chose a few colors, wet my page and tinted over the words...

Then instead of tissue paper, since almost the entire Studio is packed for the move, used Mulberry Paper in soft peach, pink and yellows to label the Lies and cover them with Promises. 

Luvin' the wonderful texture and designs that came out of this step! 

Then I drew in my Listening Muse with white paint... 

What I found was as my brush flowed over the page (no pre-sketch for me!) the lines and designs created by the Mulberry Paper laid out most of her face... I just needed to 'trace' it out. 

The Universe made my sketch. 

Then I forgot to keep taking pictures... so she's all done down there.

I added glitter here and there... across her cheeks happened by happenstance while I was doing the flowers... and it's perfect! 

Did the black outlining with more paint and instead of tissue paper words painted right on with black and highlighted here and there with more white. 

Final step was the Red Thread... 

Used a large sewing needle to 'sew' on, right through the little Red Key enclosed in the Heart on her chest.

...all done, ready to be trimmed down an put in my Book of Legends.

The Message:

 Tinted Message:

 Lies and Promises:

 Muse Outline:

 Heart of Listening and The Red Thread:

 Finished:

The Red Key: The Sacred Dialogue ~The Critic and The Muse~

Imagine with me there is a sacred dialogue happening between what we call the critic and the muse. The beloved inspirer and the provoker. The artist and the one who doubts. The hopeful one and the one who says it cannot be done. The one who has always believed in you and the one who said it could not be done.

*****

Journaling copied directly from lesson  reading:
Once upon a time there were two forces/voices/ideas within woman.
It all started like this...
And then one day my muse had enough and she began to sing
And so on this day, everything changed.
The critic roared into the silence a new voice emerged... 

*****
THIS is exactly what I needed to see/hear.
After weeks of 'sick pain' I'm 'behind'... but only in the eyes of my Critic.
This is *my* time to do Art... at whatever pace I *need* to do it...
NOT be guilt tripped into the critics harried schedule.
I can see her tapping a pen in frustration on her schedule clipboard, even as I type!
If my Muse is singing a long, soft, sweet, walk down the aisle of creativity with care tune...
I *WILL* walk softly.
If my Muse decided to bump things up with drums and horns...
*THEN* I will run and jump!
...but I am NOT jumping for my Critic.

My Muse had me do this today... 

Pencil sketch, re-outlined, erased and marker colored. 

 

The Red Key: AN OFFERING OF "BAD" POETRY

Poetry especially 'terrible first attempt' poetry is one seriously potent way to woo a muse (not to mention a good mood!) Forget about iambic pentameter, rhyming or spelling unless that sort of thing puts you in your happy place.
All poems welcome in the poetry pile of the muse!
*****
Wrote a Haiku, am just now getting around the Art Journaling it into my Book of Legends.

Oh wee muse of mine
Flutter of tiny wings
Here to help me Art?

 

Marker colored Muse and water color pencil background. 

 

 

The Red Key: Show Me (II)

WHAT IS YOUR MUSE TRYING TO SHOW YOU?
YOU NEED ONLY TO ASK

Ask her questions
and listen for the answers...

********

Started this page late (read: 3 am, just before our regular Summer Schedule bedtime) last night... I printed off the picture of myself, added it to my Book of Legends and then blocked out my eye... meditated on the question before slipping off to sleep.

Awoke this morning with answers. 

My Muse would like me to look out from within with a new eye... 

Blind myself to what I have seen before and all the old prejudices, memories and pre-conceived ideas that came with that other way of seeing. 

Open a new eye... and really SEE. 

Journaling:

‘Learn to see, and then you’ll know there is no end to the new worlds of our vision.’
  ~Carlos Castaneda~

 

The Red Key: Show Me (I) and my very 1st hand-cut stencil!

WHAT IS YOUR MUSE TRYING TO SHOW YOU?
OPEN YOUR EYES AND YOUR JOURNAL...
DOODLING
SKETCHING
PAINTING

OTHERING

*your* way IN

*****

 *bounce bounce bounce* 

All excited... made my very 1st hand-cut stencil for this!

The imagery of a Keyhole keeps coming up again and again in my art and I wanted a Big A$$ Keyhole that could be traced, sprayed etc... that was almost all of a page. 

Printed off a suitable design and taped it to the underside of a 12"X12" piece of scrapbooking acetate. I have a ton of these that have come in page kits and are just not my thang'. Seeing many more stencils in my future. *wink wink* Used an exacto knife, cutting carefully to get it out in 1 piece... so there would be both the 'hole' and 'filler' to use as stencils. It's perfect!!!

 Laid down the filler piece 1st, sprayed and sprayed... Then lifted it and rubbed all the yummy leftover off on another piece of paper for later.

The placed the outline over top and sprayed and stenciled inside the 'hole.

Pen outlined and added some 3D depth with markers... and journaling.

My Muse is still running with the Garden beyond the Gate Theme...

Journaling:

To fully enjoy the wondrous beauty of the roses in the garden of life a little blood may have to be shed on the thorns. If no 'blood' is shed, no pain endured than one may not fully appreciate what one has earned with the struggle to tame the obstacles. A goal is all the sweeter met when earned.

 Tape and Cut...

 Spray and Flip... 

Rubbed extra off on another piece of paper for later...

 Lots of yummy rub-off papers for later!

What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday 163

It's that time of the week again! Head on over to:

Stamping Ground

 You can have an invited snoop of everyone's desks this week!

This has been a busier week in the Art Journal department... trying to catch-up on The Red Key and starting Daily Spark: Tea with the Muse... as well as Book of Days, Soulistry and... and...

So if you check back on the Blog, lots to see!

Today, well, last night really... 

I was working on The Red Key from Cosmic Cowgirls University so that book is out and open.

The Yellow Daytimer/Bible of all-knowing-ness was out, needed to confirm the time for my appointment this morning. GOOD NEWS there... Things *are* improving with rest and exercise so surgery for the prolapsed bladder is off the plate (for now) yeah! Still under 'no lift' orders and rest. *grumble grumble quietly* AND I can get back to the gym with a few adjustments. whooop!

umm... yes and the desk *blushing* The rest is the usual mess and oh yeah... I should go clean those dirty paint brushes now before they start to smell. lol 

Happy Wednesday!

The Red Key: EXTRA...ORDINARY

The Muse just LOVES helping you
stretch those creative muscles!
Today, grab pencil and your journal and have your muse point out

an object for you to sketch. 

Let your eyes really see it.

******* 

Started by drawing a 'canvas' on the page for my sketch and doing a quick watercolor pencil wash around it. 

Then stopped and just sat in the Studio, closed my eyes and asked...

Then opened them to 'see' what my Muse wanted me to see.

The 1st item to clearly come into focus when I opened them again was a jar of wooden hearts rescued off some FreeCycle wicker planters. Future RAOA (Random Acts of Art) supplies.

So that's what I sketched...

Had a hard time once I was done pencil sketching to NOT grab a pen and do a re-outline and erase, like I usually do. Instead I reached for a Red Pencil Crayon and simply highlighted where my Muse led. 

Then I was led to the computer to find a quote and this is it:

Follow your heart, but be quiet for a while first. 

Ask questions, then feel the answer. 

Learn to trust your heart... ~Carl W Buechner~

 

The Red Key: TIME FOR A (SAB)BATH

Regardless of your religious or spiritual persuasion the muses have unanimously recommended that you claim some down time. Whether it is a day a week of rest  - a sabbath. Or a bath. (I'm hearing shouts of rose petals and bubbles from the muse contingent!)

Lay down your relentless pursuit and lay yourself down while you're at it... 

******

 

A little mixed collage and paint for this page...

Watercolor pencil for the wallpaper, printed images for the tub and those sh-exy Red Boots, paint daubed on with the end of an un-sharpened pencil for the plethora of soapy suds and marker highlights here and there. 

 

Journaling:

Every Cowgirl needs time for a (Sab)Bath...

Today I took mine in the tub... ipod playing some

Cosmic Cowgirls recorded phone-calls... glass of wine on

the side... and the door closed on the World.

... ahhh....*Bliss* ...

 

 

The Red Key: Bone Gathering...

BEGIN THE RITUAL OF GATHERING

What are the places of you that you have left behind? Cut off? Let go? Hidden? What are the places inside of you that you are calling back now on your quest. What are the beliefs you have held that you are shedding like old skins? You are invited to this ritual of gathering the bones.

******** 

This was a hard one... 

Listened to the Audio no less than 6 times. Two of them tonight; once before I started typing my journling and once again before picking up the pencil to sketch. 

Another *wow* to me page resulted.

Bone Quest
-Sarah Cooper-

Alone she must be on this stage of her quest…

Before she can go further she must be whole.


But as she looks down at a body that has been torn apart, by her self and others, piece by piece over the years…

She realizes it will not be a simple task.

Anything worth doing is rarely simple or soon and this task is worth doing, nay *must* be done.


She must search back along the many roads she has walked…

The many paths she does not wish to trod again…

For there and only there will she find the bones she has left behind.

The flesh and sinew worn away, long gone…

She will find them bleached and dry with passing of time.

Though once, when they were fresh, there was life in those bones…

Time has made them less…

Not so horrible to deal with…

Only dry, crumbling memories of what came before.


Now she must gather these bones wherever they fell…

Gather them together and hold them to her as she walks through the fire.


The fire will heal,

The fire will cleanse.

The fire will sear away the past hurts…

And help form a new body to hold these bones.

A body of light…

A body of hope…

A body prepared to start walking the new path laid out before her.

A body: complete, whole and unbroken.

*******
Background is whetted watercolor pencil... 

Main image was pencil sketched, traced out in permanent pen, guidelines erased and then colored in with markers.

Favorite bit: Red Key Earring.

Book of Days: June 28th - July 15th

HUGE catch-up on Book of Days photos...

Grab a cup of tea... maybe a snack...

This could be awhile. :O)

First up...

18th Multi-Day Spread complete!

Finished on July 9th.

 June 28th:

Full Spread

 June 28th:

Last Day of School.

 June 29th:

Full Spread

 June 29th:

Playing with Dollz

 June 30th:

Full Spread

 June 30th:

Potluck and a Movie

 July 1st:

Full Spread

 July 1st:

CANADA DAY!!!

 July 2nd:

Full Spread

July 2nd:

Keep Busy and Ignore

 July 3rd:

Full Spread

 July 3rd:

Summer Patterns...

 July 5th:

Full Spread

 July 4th:

WOYWW 'cheater' Day

 July 5th:

Post Sleep-Test Hangover

 July 6th:

Full Spread

 July 6th:

Change in Plans

 July 7th:

Full Spread

 July 7th:

BRAVE!!!

 July 8th:

Full Spread

 July 8th:

The Best of Times

 July 9th:

18th MDS DONE!!!

Full Spread

 July 9th:

Starting 2 Lyrica

 July 11th:

Full Spread

 July 10th:

Medication Side Effects

 July 11th:

WOYWW 'cheater' Day

 July 12th:

Full Spread

 July 12th:

Color Meditation

 July 13th:

Full Spread

 July 13th:

GOOD Day...

 July 14th:

Full Spread

 July 14th:

1st 'intuitive painting' for The Red Key

 July 15th:

Full Spread

 July 15th:

House 'looking' = tired