Self Awareness/Reflection.....Creative Vision Board

What is a Creative Vision Board...or just a Vision Board? 

 When I began my vision board last year it was around this time....I get all excited about it early December.  My mind was thinking about ways to do things differently, where change need to happen for good growth.  When starting I like to bring in aspect of interest like my creativity, nature, interconnection and spirituality which I'm finding more and more is inner twined together like sweet grass...So connected.  I collect magazines and spend some $ on them, magazine that I'm interested in, ones that I would like to be more interested in, new subject matters and beautiful images with the connections of words...got to have words.   Each vision board is different and as I change like all living and non living things do it's kind of exciting to see what happens through out the year.

For me It becomes a guide with openness of exploration into a beautiful unknown of my life....I can explore it with playfulness of fantasy and reality. When I stray away from what brings great meaning in my life and what is important...through out the year I can just look at this creative vision board and receive gentle nudges back on course.  I call it a creative vision board because I'm a creative being and come from a long line of creative makers...

 With each year's anticipation I stay open to where a single word might also be my cue for guidance.  It will challenge me and also guide me.   What I do different and only for manageable and honor to the selection of images and word is to break it down into smaller sections.   With my morning pages/journaling I can observe the message of the vision board longer and ask it questions and seek direction in my life.  

I never really know why till almost afterwards...for instants...I was attracted to paint brushes and lots of bold bright colors...Little did I know I would be doing a lot of painting on different surfaces this year...and not just with artwork.  

 This card as I look at it....made me aware of the books I love to read, the movement of the winds and flags, the womanly cycles I go through and how I want to connected at  new level.  And the path I'm to take is a path that will lead me to a higher consciousness.   My word for 2017 is Natural...and every time I strayed or swayed I would look at my word...which by the way is painted on a rock that I keep like a little kid in a small bowl with other trinkets next to where I do my morning pages and laptop... I see it often.

Each card used like this is a two month observation....so the first above is Jan/Feb....as you can see the shape the ladder book shelf is making the resembles a tipi shape or triangle....I began the process of painting a new tipi cover and had to find a place to lay-out the huge canvas and stencil out the patterns...prior to that I had to make the stencils big enough...so there was a process involved and with the images in this card with out realizing I felt that I was taking steps to it's completion. And this project was solely for personal and spiritual growth...right now I'm really grateful the people in my family don't question all my creative behavior...they just accept.

This card was the second card...for March and April, spring time was just round the corner and I had always wanted to make a series of pray flags for myself.  I had purchased the gel plate some time ago and real just dabble with them.  I also stopped taking horse back riding lesson,  it had been a whole year and it was time to let it pass...done and completed what I wanted...the spirit of the horse has been an incredible inspiration for me. I've made many piece of artwork with their spirits moving through.  The image of the woman...represent an elder in my life....a woman elder that now I know who this image stands for and she has become a very important part of my personal growth as a creative and spiritual being. She's a wonderful listener and sage woman.  The prayer flags still hang now outside, I had made a set of about 5 to 7 flags at a time...I think a total of about 35 to 40, lost count.  Playful printing and  prayerful thinking about this planet earth and all us poor souls that seem to lose our way now and then.  

 May/ June,  This was a special card...The blue feathers I was attracted to right off the bat when I was putting the vision board together.  And as you see there is a picture of me in there.  I do advice everyone to do that.  I have to say I was very happy then and grateful.  Around me is a gather of many objects that bring me a gitty-joy.  The coyote has become a visible companion. As I went through the two month I was asked to be part of a online stencil how to project...so I looked at their stencils and picked a few and then made a project jotting down my steps to share.  I finished a large collage piece and then had it printed on material which was then turned into a King size bed spread for our bed....as seen in a magazine a deep blue bed spread with feathers on it that I fell in love with now I have my own and I created it. You know that feeling when You say I can do that....well I did. 

July/August....Ideas the light bulb the paint brush....next thing I knew I was washing down the walls in my kitchen and painting it all with the same color...silly but I had the gallon tucked away under my utility sink for 6 years...that's how long it needed painting...for years I just washed them down, ceiling too.  This project took about three weeks or maybe longer but I completed it...We even were able to purchase blinds from Ikea instead of drapes...I like to see out side so drapes take away more of the view. At this point too I was thinking of new classes to teach and where I wanted to go as an artist...the continual questions we all need to ask at least once a year or maybe more.

Who Am I? 

Why am I here? 

Where am I going?

I know at this part of the year for both the husband and I it was a midlife moment (July/August) of chaos and then finding our way again with where we as a couple are to head...it was tough to go through but so well worth it now...we've grown so much more stronger because of it. I was also the beginning of the planning stages for a surprise 80th birthday party for my mother in law...the plan/idea was to have it on Thanksgiving and invite all the her family and friends. 

This is Sept/Oct....The changing of the seasons the migration of many birds and more painting...you betcha,  Our bathroom has been completed during this time and both the husband and I have shared the job of demo days, and paint the bathroom.  With my word Natural and being aware of  footprint on this planet earth the World Living with the circle image here I feel that it really was a simple process to bring forth. Purchase less....it's not about stuff as much as it's about moments in life.  

 The image of the woods is my place of sacred space always here as constant reminder of what I need to do and I did it every time I feel a bit wonky.   

As I finish off this year...and my last section of the vision board...I'm looking at the word Heart, which has been popping up all over the place and I questioned it and then it hit me...duh, This is my word for 2018...more is revealed as I complete this year...the buffalo when seen in picture or in person floods me with a powerful spiritual presence...Might I look into the areas close to me where the buffalo/bison are?  not sure....but there is great healing with the Bison, they have been a sources of good health and need for the Native Americas in the past and are coming back for the same reason and for the earth...making the full circle.

So I'm sure I'm forgetting a lot more then what has happened but I'm a very feeling kind of person and I really felt this was a RAW kind of Year...and I mean that as,  Real....Awesome and Whole.