Week 1: Nurturing the Artist Within

I am at a loss for words this week.
 
The power and intensity in Julia’s lessons are immediately affecting my perception and creativity levels. I am re-living old forgotten memories, discovering a depth of meditation that is harmonizing all parts of me into one cohesive whole being, not just an amalgamation of collected hobbies & interests. She is guiding me through literal artistic therapy to restore my creative self. I’ve been drawing, painting, saying yes to doing weird things like eating raw squid salad, or buying a pool for a pet turtle and swimming together! It's been a whirlwind week, and it feels right. 
 
It's truly incredible the things I have found out about myself in only 7 days. Also, I am VOLUNTARILY writing? What…the…fuck… I haven’t written shit since college, and now I am pouring out pages a day of just random thought vomit. It feels really good, and I highly recommend the practice. It changes my whole day every time.

“How do you know you’re an artist? There’s seldom any proof, but the dream lives on”
                                                                                                                                  -Julia Cameron

I am learning to nurture parts of myself, and in turn, it is focusing my being like multiple lenses making the objective clearer. I feel…different. And I don’t know how yet, but I can feel the winds of change filling my sails and guiding me throughout Annapolis to discover new things. I’m exploring new media, painting some stuff for a children’s book, and really excited about this week’s challenging tasks.

Most importantly, I am still selling art! Four years into painting and I am selling art still! I am sold out of most of my paintings! What the hell!
 
I will leave y’all off with one final thought as we remember you need to be a beginner before you can be anything:

“it is impossible to get better, and look good at the same time.” 

​-CJ