Athena Dreams Design

A Start to Re-Defining Success

I've been thinking a lot these past months about success. I've spent time with friends in conversation about success and what it means to us. How we define it as a culture. How I define it for myself. How the idea of success can creep in and change a moment, and how we all have our own measuring stick for what success is for us.

This past weekend I went to a Battle of the Bands at a local high school with my husband. One of his private music students was in one of the bands playing. There were some great bands, and there were also some nervous kids and some false starts and some out notes, but overall it was a truly great night. I sat there in the audience listening to each band play there 3 or 4 songs: some covers, mixed in with some originals and I felt gratitude.

I felt gratitude to each and every one of the kids that got up there to share their gifts, their passion, their excitement and their hopes of winning because it reminded me that I am on this path to do the same; to share with others what drives me to create, and keep creating. It's the winning that I sometimes trip over, the idea that in the process of working towards a creative goal there may be a winner and there may be a loser.

And I might be the loser.

I might not get into a show in a gallery I've always wanted to show at, one of my illustrations might not get picked for the poster that I was competing for, my design work might not get accepted by a publisher that I so hoped to work with, and etc.

Watching those kids jump around on stage, playing music together, having fun and sharing their hearts, I thought: wow, this is success. It's the trying for something and following through. Win or lose. Good or bad.

For me personally, I am looking at re-defining what success is, and that doesn't necessarrily include huge licensing deals or a solo show in a big gallery. It does, however, mean trying for something and following through. Would I turn down a big show or a great deal? Of course not, I'm not crazy. If I don't get either does that make me a failure? Not even close.

Every day I get up and try for something, even if it's just settling down the ugly voices in my head, or cleaning my studio because I can't find my favourite drawing pencil. Each day I get up and think about the projects I have on the table or on the computer monitor or on the easel and I'm excited to dive in and solve a problem or finish up a project that's just about there and make notes on the new ideas I gather during the creative process.

Every day I show up in my own life, on my own creative path and I create, and I've made my living this way for a lot of years now. So the beginnings of my own personal redefinition of success equals going for something and following through.

My husband's student's band rocked that high school auditorium and had people up on their feet yelling and clapping and waving lit up cell phones in time with the beat. The crowd was yelling encore encore as they finished their last song.

They didn't win.

Were they successful? Damn straight they were.

The Dream Big Award: Nominate Someone!

Is there someone in your life who has consistently inspired you?

Is there someone in your life who has inspired you to dream bigger?

Is there someone who inspired you so much that you
put that dream you'd been hiding in your back pocket into motion?

Nominate him or her for the Dream Big Award!

Beginning this week, with the Dream Big Award, the website CreateMixedMedia will host a series of 3 more awards all centered around Christine Mason Miller's book Desire to Inspire. (see below) Each award corresponds to a chapter in the book, and each week, Christine will share a bit about the chapter and how the award links to the book.

• The DREAM BIG Award (boldly making one’s dream a reality)
• The MOUNTAIN CLIMBER Award (overcoming great challenge with a positive perspective)
• The MAKE-A-DIFFERENCE Award (inspiring us to be of service to others)
• The LIVING IT FULLY Award (offering a beautiful example of being present in every moment)

At the end of each week’s post, you are free to nominate your special someone, by leaving a comment explaining who you wish to nominate and why. {Please include a link to this person’s blog or website if they have one.}

Each week, everyone who comments will be entered to win a copy of Desire to Inspire, and then on March 15, the winners of the four awards—who will be selected by a specially appointed panel from CreateMixedMedia—will be announced on Christine Mason Miller's site.

Haven't you always wanted to nominate someone for an award? Well, now's your chance!

For ALL the details: you can visit Christine or CreateMixedMedia.

At Work on Ideas: pinterest-ing pins

Seeing sketches in mid-creation, or drawing tables filled with the tools of a craft, journals being worked on and creativity in session always gives me a thrill. I love to get glimpses of how others work, aspects of the processes that other people use, a peek into someone else's world.

(clockwise from top left):
journals on Wild Thyme Creative {pinned by Theresa L.}
A Canvas for Creativity by Lucrecer Braxton (found via Liz Lamoreux}
Journaling 101 by Chookooloonks {pinned by Trish W.}
Pen & Ink by Nicola Hensel {found via Pia Jane Bijkerk}
Sketches by Emerson Made (pinned by me}

- - - - - - -

Each week a different topic illustrated with some of my favourite images from Pinterest.

If you are a Pinterest user, pinning on pinterest please remember to "Link with Love" and credit the maker, the creator, the ideator, or the originator.

If you'd like to share on Pinterest you can find me here!

New Work. New Perspective.

I spent a few weeks this fall working on a few new pieces for artstream's Holiday Equinox show. It felt so good to start AND finish 4 new pieces and be: a) happy with the work and b) inspired to create more.

I know that sounds pretty basic, but the 2 feelings combined can be the most elusive of creatures.

Now, the work that has been lingering in my studio since this summer feels overthought.
Creating these new pieces was all about heart, and soul, and voice, and colour.
It's made me re"think" the pieces started this summer, or should I say UN-think.

I want to go back and un-Think those pieces now.
Now that I say that, I want to go and un-Think quite a few things...

There are a few other artists in the Holiday Equinox show in addition to me, have a look, there's some amazing work.

Push Through or Pause? A Thanksgiving Tale

Officially, Thanksgiving is over. The dishes have been done. The house cleaned up. And if you are someone who runs your own business making and selling a service or products, you have been gearing up for one of the busiest times of your year.

Just when the light is less bright, and the evenings are chilly and cold, just when squirrels and birds are going to bed at 5pm and some of the much bigger animals further north are settling in for their long winter’s nap, you are perhaps putting in longer than even usual hours, maintaining your online shop, working on your marketing plan, rewriting copy, creating work and photographing that work. You might also be working art fairs and craft shows, and getting the word out about your work in person.

Any way you look at it, you are busy.

Read more over at Scoutie Girl today . . .

Going with What's Happening

Much of September has been about throwing away the daily to-do list and going with what is happening for me. I have some deadlines. I have some contract jobs. And then I have the rest of my time. Time that is spent on what I choose to spend it on.

Until this month, I have been blocking out chunks of my days: 2 hours for design time, 3 hours for painting, 1 hour for a walk, etc. Well, this month I changed all that, and opted to experiment a bit with my time and my schedule. I have my larger to-do list, but the day to day one: gone.

I have been spending the time that is not taken up with a deadline or a client, doing what I am excited about in that moment, on that day. So today, I had planned to paint, but, today, I am way into printing miniature images of my paintings and setting them into various and sundry bezels and flats, and pouring resin.

Today, the only brush I am using is the one that's coated with matte medium to seal the ink on my prints, and then it's mixing and pouring the resin, and hovering, waiting for the air bubbles to form and rise to the surface so I can get rid of them. It's what I MOST want to do with the time that is mine today.

I think I might be onto something with this experiment in how I use my time. It's just a bit past 11am and I count 20 something pendants poured and setting.

 

Do those Things . . .

My new-est bracelet idea, with minature art pendants and beads, and chain and wire. Wrap it 4x, wrap it 5x and clasp it shut... it shines and shimmers, and tinkles and clinks, and there's always something different to look at....

* * * * * * *

Do those things that make you happy.

Do those things that make you want to get up and do a little happy dance.

Do those things that make you feel 5 years old all over again. Remember bringing home a drawing that you spent an afternoon making in kindergarten, a drawing you loved making from start to finish, to give it to your Mum.

Do those things that make you grin so wide, that your eyes get squinty and your face feels a little stretched out afterwards.

Do those things that you put at the bottom of your list, because there's more important things like: balancing the check book or picking up the dry-cleaning, sweeping the kitchen floor or meeting a deadline. Turn the list upside down, and do the *fun* things that might be at the bottom of yours too.

Do those things that you wake up thinking about.

Do all of those things because they feed every other little thing you could possibly have on your list of must-do's, to-do's and need-to-do's.

Do those things that you are moved to do because they feed your soul, your imagination your spirit and your chi.

Just do those things . . .

 

Old Friends New

I have been in a dusting off mood lately. Maybe it's the spring - though my house screams that there has been no spring cleaning happening here – there has been some cleaning off of old memories (for the writing), old skills (for the drawing) and a few warm weather clothes (for when summer arrives).

I've been drawing with my india ink pens again lately, and remembering how much pleasure it brings me. Quick fast lines. No shading. Beauty in the pen stroke and no fussy details. Pespective banished. The weight and movement of the line is all that is needed. The movement of my hand and the pen on the smooth white paper the only sound.

I think that things re-discovered are almost better than things that are new. You already have a relationship, and if it's one of those where you can pick right back up where you left off - however much time has passed - then how very very sweet is that. My pen and I are old friends all over again. We might even be going steady. Old friends new.

21 Weeks In

• I had an impromptu conversation with a client/friend today: he came over to pick up something I had designed for him, and when I asked him how he was he said "too much to do". Is this not the resounding cry going around the world? Too much! Everything is out there and we want to say Yes, Yes and Yes. And then it's too much. Say No, to one thing this week. Dare you.

• I cozied up a little closer to my "real" and authentic writing voice this past weekend. It felt like me in the words. I could almost see myself standing amongst the letters.

• Rain happened yesterday. In very late May. It was kind of a dreamy day. Sweaters back on. Socks. Big gray clouds and more water from the sky before the rain season ends.

• I really and truly GOT that when I am feeling irritated, it's because I've taken on too much and a) things are out of balance or b) I was handed more than I signed up for and need to speak up, speak up, speak up. I mean, I really really got it. Whew. That's such a relief, after all these years.

• And have you checked out all the books that are coming out all over the place the past few months?
  
  • Carmen Torbus' The Artist Unique
  • Sarah Ahearn Bellemare's Painted Pages
  • Misty Mawn's Unfurling
  • Jenn Lee's The Right Brain Business Plan
  • Lisa Occhipinti's The Repurposed Library
  • Mary Beth Shaw's Flavor for Mixed Media
  • Darlene McElroy's Surface Treatment Workshop
  • Did I forget anything/anyone?

• My cat is in love with my husband's pheremones. Right at this moment she has thrown herself onto his sweaty backpack and is rolling all over it rubbing her face on it. She's wrapped both of her front legs through the shoulder straps, and is rolling, rolling, rolling. She makes me laugh SO hard when she does this.

• If I could feel as comfortable with my canvases in that messy ugly stage as I seem to do with the state of our house (messy all the time) I might be much more prolific.

• Oh, and I finally accepted my invitation to Pinterest, and everyone, it's lovely. Not a time suck (at least not so far) just moments here and there over the course of the week, to mark the things that I am in love with, and that I want to remember for later.

• Something I learned this week: you really can take metaphor too far.

• Peonies, even when long past their beauty date, smell so very lovely, and hold a totally different kind of beauty.

Finding my Pocket

 

My husband is a bass player, and I hear him talk about many things musical, but mostly he talks about all things as a variation on a groove.
He wants to find it.
He wants to create it.
He wants to move it.
He wants to feel it.
He wants to build on it.

And he also wants a pocket.
And he wants to sit in that pocket. A lot.

When he's performing I usually know when he has settled himself down in that pocket, he gets a big 6-year-old goofy grin on his face, and often times so does the drummer he's playing with.

It's funny but after a lot of years of listening to him talk about this stuff, I am not exactly sure what his definition of the pocket is. I (of course) have my own interpretations:

One of them is: I imagine the pocket to be like getting the perfect rhythm going on a see saw. Both people are about the same size, and neither is into dropping the other one, and neither wants to throw off the balance or end the fun while it's happening.

I am thinking this morning about how I find my pocket. Or pockets. I am thinking about variations on a groove, and I would like to sit in some pockets too. So where do I find a pocket outside of musical references:

• somewhere comfy and happy
• somewhere easy and effortless
• where ideas and energy are able to sustain
• where there is a give and a take
• where I can feel the moment in my mind and my body
• where the energy and dynamics are constantly reworked and recycled and reused and remade

I know I can create a groove on my own, but can I find a pocket on my own, or is more than one person needed to stitch that together? Are you looking for your pocket?