iLoVeU Month Day 5 – Circling Back Around
It’s Sunday morning and kinda’ blah. Showers are expected and hopefully it turns into a beautiful day because Superbowl is here in Houston (as if you didn’t know). May everyone visiting our city have a safe and enjoyable time. Frankly I’ll hear the game in the background and will catch glimpses from time to time.
Today’s iLoVeU drawing is one of three I drew with pencil. The circles and curves are perfect because I used a tool. I played and as much as I love to draw freestyle it was fun.
It’s maybe five or six years since I drew this. I remember having to reach deep to give myself PERMISSION to create this. Like “who am I do draw inside of my own design?” I know this may seem like silly thinking but artists are always looking at how they can give themselves permission to do what they want.
So I used a tool to expand with myself while expanding within my design. It’s like a moving meditation in a way.
It’s so interesting to me that this is one of at least 100 drawings never shared in any way. I find myself wondering who I’ll be at the end of the month after sharing and telling stories about my art.
Perhaps this can be considered a metaphor for Circling Back Around and Expanding My Circle of Creativity and Awareness by sharing more of me.
Whatever you are doing keep being creative and keep reaching in for more of who you are so you may expand your expression in the world.
iLoVeU
Wendy
iLoVeU Month Day 4 – iLoVeU Growing
This was the first iLoVeU design of this style I drew in spring 2014 as I allowed my body and mind to process the grief I felt seeing my mother in a memory care home. I could barely speak about what was happening without tearing up. I couldn’t contain the grief and it bubbled up whenever it wanted.
I felt a massive amount of empathy for my mother seeing her own sadness from being ripped from her home, checked into a hospital and moved into a memory care.
I had no say in any of it. So this was my way to have my say with myself, to help myself get through this time so I could be present with my mom. The last thing I wanted her to see was my sadness about her situation. I had to be strong for her.
How interesting that earlier this week my mother could see my sadness and she is the one that soothed me. The tables turn and then they turn again. Souls are always connected.
iLoVeU
Wendy
iLoVeU Month Day 3 – iLoVeU Sun
As I sat on the couch for hours on end I drew with my markers. I prayed for an easy and peaceful resolution for my mom and her care using the Ho’oponopono healing technique.
I repeated this mantra over and over:
I love you. I’m sorry. Please forgive me. Thank you.
I had no idea where it would lead but it had helped me so many times over the years.
As I repeated these words I drew my mystical iLoVeU and I soothed myself as best as I could. I was building an inner pathway to let the light in. I look forward to sharing more about my iLoVeU design.
Who would’ve ever thought I’d be calling myself an artist and blogging about a symbol that came to me in a magical and mysterious way? Definitely not me!
Thankfully I’m all grown up now … or am I? 🙂
See you tomorrow!
LoVeU
Wendy
iLoVeU Month Day 2
Happy Groundhog Day! From the looks of it we are going to have another six weeks of winter. Then again, Houston, TX is more spring than winter.
OK, so it’s day 2 of iLoVeU Month. Today’s drawing is part of the collection I created in the first month of my mom’s dementia diagnosis.
The first two weeks of March 2014 my mother was in the hospital being observed and as much as I wanted to visit I was asked not to. Had I read between the lines of what was occurring with the family dynamics I would’ve gone and prevented a massive amount of drama.
Like “they” say c’est la vie. I trusted before listening to my intuition. Instead I allowed myself to feel grief, the grief knowing my mom was fearful about being put in the hospital and never going home again and the grief of seeing her unhappiness in the memory care she was rushed into.
While I grieved I drew. Sharing this story is reconnecting me to that grief. Yuck. Not what I was expecting.
Enjoy the art. I’ll be back tomorrow.
iLoVeU
Wendy
iLoVeU Month At Awaken The Artist
I’m so excited to welcome you to iLoVeU Month at Awaken The Artist. I’ve been wanting to do this for a long time.
The iLoVeU design came to me in a vision in 2007 in a rather mystical and exciting experience. It’s a tool for healing. You can use it as a reminder to practice an ancient Hawaiian healing technique called Ho’oponopono or meditate on the image.
I told the story how it came to life on a DVD that I developed in 2009 and will be sharing the story publicly during the month. If you’re into the magical, mystical I believe you’ll love it.
Everyday I’ll be posting a new iLoVeU artwork here with a few thoughts about the inspiration that brought it into being. They come in all shapes, sizes, colors & mediums.
I’m creating my Etsy shop as well. You’ll be able to purchase by contacting me here or my shop.
iLoVeU
Wendy
Awaken The Artist Coloring Guide – Thoughts, Talking, Coloring, Videos, Creativity & Healing
I began a journey of adult coloring in 2005 when working through the emotional and financial challenges in my business. I purchased a few mandala coloring books and when they arrived I was excited to begin.
I then found it challenging to choose which symmetrical design to begin with and which colors to use and discovered this was a helpful exercise to practice mindfulness as I worked through my inner struggle with life situations.
As I colored my way through the intricate patterns I moved closer to the part of myself that had been calling for attention. Coloring was like massaging my soul. It softened my resistance and led me to my deeper calling of drawing and painting and to the creations of hundreds of designs, some of which you are about to color in this 2017 Inspirational Almanac.
Here is what I have learned from coloring over the years…
Coloring is a creative form of artful, self expression that heals us at a cellular level. It quiets and relaxes the mind and helps us develop and evolve our creativity. We begin with a structure (a drawing) to work from – choosing colors, blending, doodling – which enables us to connect to our courage and confidence.
Coloring is like food for the soul that enters our cells as positive frequencies clearing out creative blocks and reminding us of our truth. As we gain clarity and purpose we are able to hear our intuition and take inspired action.
Meditative coloring:
• Guides you into alignment with your truth, expanding your resourcefulness.
• Opens channels of creative solutions for life challenging situations.
• Connects you to deeper levels of your soul consciousness and callings.
I encourage the colorist to take time and connect to the details of the chosen drawing and choose colors that feel good. The depth of the engagement with our coloring corresponds to our deepening sense of who we are as infinite, creative beings.
As time went on I realized that coloring connected me to my creative self while dissolving fear and giving me something pleasureable to focus on. I was creating something colorful and beautiful that made me feel good and meditating on my finished piece helped me feel satisfied and complete.
So give it a try. Let your inner colorist out. And who knows. Coloring may lead you to Awaken The Artist in your heart like it did for me!
If you want to read more about coloring and watch my process pay attention to this blog for updates, videos and more about coloring!
Love
Wendy
To the Artist Living Inside of You
If you have not already figured it out I’m an artist!
It took me a lifetime to be able to say this though.
If you think there is an artist living inside your body or you’ve not been able to fully own your artistic gifts please read my story. If I can do it so can you!
For years, friends and peers would ask me if I was an artist. They saw my artsy nature in the way I dressed, spoke and how I decorated my house. They saw my inner artist in my creativity and in the way I moved.
I was always so tickled by their questions and would think “Seriously, you think I’m an artist?”
“No not me” I’d say and completely and totally deny any artistic gift. I was simply being my creative self and thought everybody was exactly like me!
At some point after a mystical experience while creating a piece of art I started to say “I create art when I am inspired. I’m an inspired artist” but I still did not fully get it.
What I also did not realize is that the doubt that ran through every thread of my being was related to my inability to own this divine gift that everyone except me could see.
When my life stopped working I was forced to go on an inward journey of self discovery. I didn’t like it but it was where I was. I did not know what was happening except that I desperately wanted to feel better.
It took months of inner work with no help because I could not afford it and I learned that it was the best gift the universe could ever give me because I was meant to work it out on my own.
Not owning my artistic gift was a spiritual crisis. All I could do was pay attention to what was going on in my mind and body to know what my next steps were.
After a conversation with an editor I realized that it was time for me to write. It created a huge shift in me that led to several creative actions that pulled me closer to the door of owning my gift and healing at a much deeper level.
After about a month of sitting with my new awareness I finally got it. I called my graphic artist and said “I’m an artist.” She laughed and said “I knew that.” Haha. The joke was on me. At that point I shared my story with others and everyone else knew too!
This led me to a deeper embodiment of owning my inner artist and creating freely. I drew mandalas and flowers for weeks and then I lost all my drawings. I was heartbroken and then realized the gift was that it allowed me to grieve the sadness I had held in my body from not creating art as a child.
Now I was ready to move forward and I created an entire mandala coloring book in less than 30 days … long before the coloring book trend.
A few months later I reflected and saw the entire process that helped me let go of my creative blocks to making art on a consistent basis and to love and appreciate my art and gift. Working from this empowered space allowed me to create 20 times more art in a few years than I created in 20 years and my art continues to evolve in various collections.
After coaching a few people privately and leading my first group class based on my Awaken The Artist material I took some time to care for my mother who had been diagnosed with dementia.
I dealt with a tremendous amount of challenges during this time yet made sure that my mother was given the best care possible.
The creation of art helped me move through grief, dramatic situations with others and healed my physical body from the severe stress. It gave me something to look forward to when things were bleak and it was a form of meditation and self care.
Art continuously takes me to deeper places inside and higher places in my life experience.
Happily, I am fully immersed in my work again and on a mission to help others heal their lives through art and move through the blocks keeping them creatively stuck.
Is that you?
If so, I will be leading my Awaken The Artist in Your Heart FREE call series again to help you move your creative blocks out of the way. It starts tomorrow, Oct 25th.
Go here to register:
www.wendygyoung.com
“See” you on the calls.
Love,
Wendy
Awaken The Artist Art & Coloring Challenge – Day 21/21
Today is the last OFFICIAL day of the art challenge. Yay!! Big accomplishment for me.
Plus a few people either attempted to join or did and one person said she is going to do her own 21 day challenge!
I will continue the challenge until the end of the month and the rest of the drawings will be posted in one blog.
OK. Here is the last official drawing of goddess #4 of 5.
Enjoy!
Love,
Wendy
Awaken The Artist Art & Coloring Challenge – Day 19and20/21
This blog post combines Day 19 and 20 since it encompasses the pencil sketch of Goddess #4 of 5 and of my friend Martha Giffen 🙂
Day 19 – Video 1
Day 19 – Video 2
Day 20 – Video 3
CLICK HERE to watch this video. (Facebook embed code is not working on this one!)
I’ll be back for Day 21 🙂
Enjoy!
Wendy
Awaken The Artist Art & Coloring Challenge – Day 18/21
Day 18 was created on Periscope instead of Facebook. There was a reason for this but I cannot remember what it was!
This is a quick pencil sketch of flowers and I will be painting it using watercolor pencils in the somewhat near future..
Art can be easy and quick as well as deep and contemplative and technical. There is a time and place for all of it.
The main point: Create Art!
Enjoy!
Love,
Wendy
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