AEDM 2011: Day 20 Check In Chapter 10

For Art Every Day Month I show each day what I created the day before. My table on Nov 19th. Simple setting this time as one of my uncles and his wife were coming to dinner. Notice I even took the green cloth off the table? I "discovered" somebody else!!! That was SO NOT her plan. She intended to be ninja like and hide in my pages. ;) Another biggie for me: it is the first time I {kind of} journal in English. This is not a quote (I may have done that before) but an original line.

Time for our Chapter 10 of The Artist´s way by Julia Cameron Check In!

1) Did you keep up with the daily pages? Are you hiding out somewhere else? Like in a corn field?

2) Gone anywhere for your artist´s date? Had plans but didn´t?

3) Which was your favourite task? Which one your least favourite? Skipped any?

For this Check In I´d love to introduce to you an inspiring multi talented artist: Tammy Vitale. I met her through Art Every Day Month and was mesmerized by her outdoors pieces. I so want a garden like hers! She is playing along with us by answering several tasks. Thanks Tammy!

I'm such a huge fan of the Artist's Way. I first read it in the mid 90s. At that point in time, when I got to the chapter where we had to give up reading, I had my (then) kids reading me headlines from the 3 daily papers I felt I had to read in order to keep the world spinning. I credit that experience with realizing I am not personally responsible for saving the world - just my corner of it.

Here are some of the things I outlined in Chapter 10...they are things that I have since incorporated into my life and the way I live my life:

When we are clear about who we are and what we are doing, the energy flows freely and we experience no strain.
We begin to sense our real potential and the wide range of possibilities open to us. That scares us. (oh, my, yes).

In creative recovery, it is far easier to get people to do the extra work of the morning pages than it it is to get them to do the assigned play of an artist date. Yes indeed! I've got stars around that as it was exactly defining what I was doing at the time. I've gotten better!

The fact is I work all the time now - and I LOVE it because it is always about creativity. Then I was employed outside the home - but when I turned 54 I kept my promise to myself that when I turned 55 I could be a full-time artist (I started a year early - I'm an Aries. We're always early!)

Task # 5.1 * List two small victories: This year I imagined and completed the Garden Goddess with a gathering of women to make tiles for her area and bring gifts to bless the garden; I also kept a promise to myself to write a book, Wylde Women's Wisdom: Story (a Journal). [it's listed on the Wylde Women's Wisdom page]

Task #5.2 * List two nurturing actions you’ve taken: I made myself a necklace and earring set; I'm going to lunch with art girlfriends tomorrow.

Task #5.3 * List two actions you could take to comfort your artist: do my morning and evening gratitudes because that seems to always make my day go better. I also use that time to hold people I love in the light of the Universe and ask for their wellbeing - also for those I know in difficult times. My artist is pretty spoiled. Having been doing art full time for 10 years means that art always comes first for me and "it's my business" is the best excuse I've ever had to be creative! My artist tends to be very happy - which is good because when she is happy she is productive.

Task #5.4 * Make two nice promises to yourself, then keep them: I promise myself that there IS enough time for the important things in my life, and when I feel rushed or stressed to stop and reorient; I promise to give myself time to do something for Art Every Day Month every single day and post it - at the top of my priority list!

Task # 5.5 * Do one lovely thing for yourself each day this week: so far I've raked leaves - I love raking leaves. I love the way my yard looks afterwards (even if only for 1/2 day) and I get this lovely feeling of completion PLUS exercise! Yesterday I had ice cream for dessert. Tomorrow, in addition to lunch, in the evening I will participate in a group we call "Philosophies" which very much satisfies the intellectual side of me in a very laid back and creative atmosphere; Thursday is wide open and I can do anything I want (and I have a mosaic waiting for me - Thursday may be the day); Friday is Full Moon Dream Board day and an artist's date to Colonial Beach VA, about 1.5 hours from me where a client of mine is having a show of mosaics; Saturday at 5pm I will go join my artgal pals and we will continue a discussion about how to break open the art scene in Southern Maryland. We have no art scene but we are imagining and dreaming and intending one. Sunday we celebrate my son-in-law's 40th birthday. I do believe that's 7 days!

I´m sure you now want to know more about Tammy and her work. You will find her at Women, Art, Life.

She is also a coach and you will find a special offer for you for a coaching retreat following this link to her workshop´s section of the site.

If you spend hours perfecting your art but then struggle with putting it out into the world or you are overwhelmed every time you think about selling your art, it´s time to enrole in her Sell Your Art Keep Your Soul learning Modules.

If you want to take a little something away with you, daily wisdom and inspiration from women who have found the goddess and know She is them is provided by Tammy at Wylde Women´s Wisdom.

You may remember that at the end of chapter 5 I interviewed Jamie Ridler (Missed that one? Click here to read it & watch Jamie´s video for you). Jamie from Jamie Ridler Studios is a creative living coach. From coaching to workshops, from podcasting to blogging, Jamie´s work helps women find the confidence and courage to discover and express their creative selves so they can be the star they are.

Jamie has kindly given me copies of Your creative Spark to share with my readers. Camilla won the first one and now it´s time for the second one. Just leave me a comment stating your interest to be added to the draw.

How to share with MrLinky: you type in your name in the first box (the way you´d introduce yourself) and then the url/link to your post (not your whole blog url) where you share your work with the current chapter. When you come back next week your name will likely automatically be entered but you need to redo or paste over the url/link with your new post's address.