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Setting New Year’s Intentions Instead of Resolutions

I always want to start the new year bright eyed and bushy tailed, with confidence exuding from my pours and optimism oozing from my eye balls.  AND I always find that come New Year’s Eve, I’m so stinkin’ tired from the holiday, that all I want to do is sleep.  I mean, who wants to start 2020 in a coma. 

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Tags: abstract art, abstract expressionism, abstract painting, anxiety, art therapy, contemporary art, creative, faith, Family, fear and art, fear of failure, forward momentum, Gratitude, love yourself, meditation, mindfulness, negative thinking, Ocean, ocean art, outdoors, pacific northwest, speak your truth, surf art, surf paintings, surfboard, surfergirl, surfing, tortured artist, west coast artist

Tiara is my Super Power: The Strange Ways I Stay Calm

I was standing in my studio right after kid #1 came in sick, and a half-hour later, kid #2 came in panicked and crying, and I thought to myself, “when did life get so chaotic?”  Then I saw the sparkling tiara sitting on my shelf.  I don’t know what it is, but that tiara makes me feel like a gad damn Wonder Woman.  I wore it the rest of my day and at the dinner table.  I have to love my family for not even mentioning it. 

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Tags: abstract art, abstract expressionism, abstract painting, anxiety, art therapy, community service, contemporary art, depression, Expectations, faith, Family, fear, fear and art, fear of failure, forward momentum, getting organized, Gratitude, love yourself, negative thinking, rest and relaxation, surf art, surf paintings, surfboard, surfergirl, surfing, tiara, tortured artist, truth bombs, west coast artist

Gratitude & Reassurance from the Universe...in a Bowling Alley

You know what the Universe did this week?  Gave me a big ole pat on the back.  It said, “Girl, you’re doing so well.  You’re being of service in a time of need in a big way, and I see you.” How did the Universe tell me this?  The message came while listening to oldies, in lane one of a bowling alley with carpeted wall decor.  No kidding. 

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Tags: abstract art, abstract expressionism, abstract painting, anxiety, art, art therapy, be of service, Community, community service, contemporary art, creative, del norte, depression, faith, Family, fear, fear and art, fear of failure, forward momentum, Gratitude, Ocean, ocean art, outdoors, pacific northwest, surf art, surf paintings, surfboard, surfergirl, surfing, west coast artist

Thank God for This Particular Anxiety Symptom

Anxiety often tells me that I don’t do enough and I don’t do good enough. In turn, I am extremely detail oriented and so paranoid about doing right by myself and others, that I will work myself to the bone to make sure that I am giving one million percent of myself at all times. It’s an excellent way to burn out.  But it also makes me strong in a crisis situation.

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Tags: abstract art, abstract expressionism, abstract painting, anxiety, art, art therapy, be of service, Community, community service, contemporary art, Control Freak, creative, faith, Family, fear, fear and art, fear of failure, forward momentum, getting organized, Gratitude, love yourself, mindfulness, negative thinking, reclaimed hearts, west coast artist

How I Choose Beauty While Accepting Chaos

I take these steps bravely, with enthusiasm, and with the belief that there is a positive future ahead.  I’m not crying in my coffee every morning at all.  In many ways, I’m the happiest I’ve ever been.  (Which may or may not be totally fucked up, but hey, I’ve never really done things in the “right” way or order, so it kind of makes sense.)

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Tags: abstract art, abstract expressionism, abstract painting, anxiety, art, art therapy, artist, be of service, contemporary art, creative, depression, Expectations, faith, Family, fear, fear and art, fear of failure, Feminist, forward momentum, Gratitude, inspiration, loneliness, love yourself, meditation, mixed media, negative thinking, west coast artist

5 Pieces of Advice for My Daughter That Are Also Pertinent to Adulting

It’s simple.  Eat the ice cream. Learn to play the drums. Choose a college in Hawaii for no other reason than it’s in Hawaii. Don’t worry about what you look like when you dance.  Smile and laugh whenever possible.  When someone accuses you of not taking life seriously enough, reply, “Thank goodness.”

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Tags: abstract art, abstract expressionism, abstract painting, anxiety, art therapy, Community, Expectations, Family, fear of failure, forward momentum, Gratitude, inner critic, loneliness, love yourself, negative thinking, teach your daughters, west coast artist

When Confusion Sets In, the Tiara Goes On!

There I was. Painting/dancing, high side-pony whipping this way and that, yelling/singing the song Leaving by Yes, when I turned to notice my 17-year-old daughter had walked in and totally busted me in this state of artistic genius/madness.

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Tags: abstract art, abstract expressionism, abstract painting, anxiety, art, art therapy, artist, contemporary art, creative, Family, fear and art, forward momentum, Gratitude, inspiration, negative thinking, process, routine, teach your daughters, tiara, west coast artist

The Panda and Dragon Within

How is it that I desire attention and simultaneously want to run from it?  I have told myself that I must be the most self-conscious, arrogant person in the world. I thought that this dichotomy made me weak and wishy-washy, as if it meant that I didn’t know myself enough to be solid in either role.  However, I now see that both sides serve a purpose that allow the other to live and flourish. 

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Tags: abstract art, abstract expressionism, abstract painting, anxiety, art therapy, artist, depression, fable, Family, fear, fear and art, forward momentum, Gratitude, meditation, negative thinking, process, tortured artist, west coast artist

Tasty Waves and Flying Bullets: Staying Grateful in Reality

It was just us out there having a blast, when a helicopter started circling above. Then another surfer paddled straight up to me and said, "Uh...I think we should all paddle in."  My first thought was, "There's a big fishy out here" and my husband told me later that he thought perhaps there had been a tsunami warning.  But no, it turns out a cop sent him into the water to get us because there was an active shooter situation on the beach.  

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Tags: Family, fear, fear and art, forward momentum, Gratitude, inspiration, love yourself, outdoors, process, surfergirl, surfing, west coast artist

How Giving Feeds the Soul (even if it's inconvenient at times)

Illness, death and injury can be seen as HUGE diversions from the things we should be doing.  I challenge that and suggest that perhaps being of service when our family, friends and community needs us does more good than harm.  Service feeds the soul.

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Tags: abstract art, abstract expressionism, abstract painting, anxiety, art, art as business, art therapy, artist, be of service, community service, contemporary art, depression, Family, forward momentum, Gratitude, inspiration, negative thinking, routine, sobriety, tortured artist