9 Quick Truths about Creativity, Happiness and God

A great artist is one whose work you can connect with; those are the ones that inspire others – connecting through the human condition.

Whoever said creativity has an order? It is more about getting out of your own way and other than that a serious of choices.

Just because you can doesn’t mean you should. Just because something pops in your brain or just because you feel something doesn’t mean it should pop out your mouth.

A happy person is free of the ego, the false self. Also, studies show that the happiest people have the most connections with others; yep that whole human contact thing really does matter – more than age, health, wealth, . . . etc.

Good sentiment is like moral outrage, fairly useless.

People are fascinated when ordinary things are put in a new/compelling perspective.

Truth is stranger than fiction.

Thoughts are real things; they are where actions come from so you might want to work on developing some discipline in regards to what you think, especially since that’s in large part the source from where your life is created.

To achieve a sense quiet/of being one must learn, in this world of extreme and continuous stimulation, to be quiet from within – a challenging but utterly powerful and worthy goal.

God works in efficient ways; nothing ever serves just a single purpose?

Change is an absolute inevitability, but it does mean that things can potentially get better.  

My response to, “8 Quick Truths about Creativity, Happiness, and God”

In Memory Of You

Well, it’s been about a month now of either animals being ill, traveling, scrabbling to recover and repack, more traveling and then a nasty sinus infection from which, though not quiet 100% yet, I am happy to report in recovery. I’ve missed my writing and art making. I’ve missed hearing from all of you and seeing what bits of creativity you all have been up to so I felt it was time to foray back into it if even only a small step. So, how about some creative inspiration already eh? Okay, so get your medium setup and plop down, or stand as you like and get busy painting / drawing / photographing / sculpting, etc. “you”; but here’s the real challenge – from memory; NO mirrors, photos or the ilk simply from memory. Something else I would suggest is DO NOT worry about it being realistic; have fun and be as abstract and colorful as you like and don’t judge. If you will just allow yourself to play and have fun / be creative then you might surprise yourself and you might even discover something new. Remember you don’t have to share it if you don’t want to but if you do, post away because you may just be an inspiration to someone else or even just simply help someone else have the courage to share. 

Imagine What is "Safe"

I don’t know about you guys but this one is going to be challenge for me, but one I think is VERY worthwhile; what is “safe”? I think this is one that definitely merits contemplation. A wonderful friend Jill Loftis who owns Uttara Yoga Studio http://uttarayogastudio.blogspot.com/ said to me a while back that we are moving from a time of safe places to safe people. This really registered with me and I have dwelled on what it means and more and more I am seeing the proof of it. For me where I am at right now in my journey is that I am learning that it is safe for the light of who I am and the gifts that I have to offer be truly seen and shared. I am finding that people, relationships, things, processes that no longer work, that no longer serve my journey moving forward, are being broken down and moved out and I have seen and heard about this happening in many other people’s lives too . The message; if this is happening with you, you are not alone – the whole friggin’ planet is caught up in the midst of this transformation; even those that are resisting and fighting it tooth and nail (Muammar Gaddafi for example) are caught up in it. It is an important time to go with your flow and especially to trust your intuition and let go of what drags you down and drains your energy.

So, what does safe look like, feel like, smell like . . . to you? An image can speak a thousand words, what words will your painting, photograph, collage, mono print, sculpture, etcetera speak for you? What does YOUR voice have to say regarding being/feeling/knowing “safe”? 

Imaginary Caged Bird

Well, here it goes. I contemplated doing a different blog, but was struggling with an appropriate name that was still available and that I could also have as a web page (possibly in the future), a Facebook group and such so I decided that I would just include it under my All Things Sonya because after all this is my initiative to help inspire, encourage and challenge not only my own creativity, but that of other artist. Also, there is the issue of why make yet one more blog to keep up with, I mean really.

Some challenges are going to be easier and some more demanding; some will be more of a stretch than others. Once a week a challenge will be posted here on the blog with some thoughts, suggestions or whatever to hopefully help with your inspiration. Keep in mind there are no requirements other than stick to the challenge. Work as large or small, in the medium of your choice and in whatever style you chose. 

Ok, this week’s challenge is going to be a poem. This poem was first shared with me in an artist workshop taught by Marsha Staiger. 
If you can, have someone read this poem to you while you sit listening with your eyes closed and visualize the imagery, otherwise read through it a couple of times out loud and perhaps make some notes; then it’s off to work. Leave the poem behind. The fact is that all artwork, even realism, is imaginary because it is the artist individual visual interpretation within the confines of their perception, skill and medium. The point is to access YOUR pure impressions and only that which is within you. Again, work as large or small as you like, in the medium of your choice and in whatever style you chose. When you finish, if you like, go to the Facebook group Imaginary and post an image of your work. Please post the name of the challenge you are responding to and any other info you chose to include such as medium, size, name of the piece, etc. Please, keep your postings relevant to the groups focus. Thanks! 

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings 

By Maya Angelou 

A free bird leaps on the back
Of the wind and floats downstream 
Till the current ends and dips his wing 
In the orange suns rays
And dares to claim the sky.

But a BIRD that stalks down his narrow cage
Can seldom see through his bars of rage
His wings are clipped and his feet are tied
So he opens his throat to sing.

The caged bird sings with a fearful trill
Of things unknown but longed for still
And his tune is heard on the distant hill for
The caged bird sings of freedom.

The free bird thinks of another breeze
And the trade winds soft through
The sighing trees
And the fat worms waiting on a dawn-bright
Lawn and he names the sky his own.

But a caged BIRD stands on the grave of dreams
His shadow shouts on a nightmare scream
His wings are clipped and his feet are tied
So he opens his throat to sing.

The caged bird sings with
A fearful trill of things unknown
But longed for still and his
Tune is heard on the distant hill
For the caged bird sings of freedom.