Realize your artistic potential!
Self-doubt is an obstacle that plagues even the most successful creatives. Feelings of uncertainty about your abilities, purposes, and plans are quite common. So, if you’re called to be a creative, get ready to battle this enemy of artistic ambitions. Inspiration comes in waves with periods of calm when ideas recede. During these down times, self-doubt …
"You were born to create. Never forget it! It brings joy to you and to others." My dear friend, Kristi, Zenno, sent me this encouragement after I sent her a photo of the Christmas card I'd made for my Zazzle Store. Little did she know I was struggling with doubt concerning my creative calling. The …
Continue reading "The Creative Calling: 10 Suggestions for Overcoming Self-Doubt"
If eyes are the window to the soul, then a masquerade mask frames these portals. Eyes transform into mystical moorings when peering out through a mask. We find this inexplicable desire to venture inside the mind of the masked artist to discover why she creates. The artistic person frames her soul’s windows with various art …
Continue reading "Masquerade Mask: Journey into the Artistic Soul"
I'm convinced us creatives tend to be highly critical of our craft, and an obsession with "it's got to be perfect" prevents us from taking artistic risks. Although I wonder whether perfectionism is the enemy of every creative or just me, I highly suspect I'm not alone when it comes to wanting a perfect painting or …
Having a creative space is essential for an artist's creative expression. It's been 8 months since I had to pack up my art room due to a roof leak that resulted in a home remodel. After that, my husband and I sold our house and relocated to another city. Retirement from a career in education …
When did production become the touchstone of our worth? The concept of “being” as opposed to “doing” fascinates, and yet frustrates, me. As a person of faith, I believe that Jesus’s sacrifice for me enables acceptance apart from my performance. I also get the concept of moving beyond sitting back and doing nothing to actively …
Creativity begins with healthy self-care. When we artistic types take care of our particular self-care needs, our creative capacity expands. Each person is unique and has particular self-care priorities. For example, an introvert needs alone time to refuel, whereas an extrovert refuels from others. This chapter of my book, Refrain from the Identical: Insight and Inspiration …
Will you still believe when the darkness descends and the enemies of your soul babble in your brain? Will you hold fast when despair circles overhead like a raven in search of treasures to steal? Hopelessness grates upon serenity until all that remains is depression. Yet, this dark place is where faith stretches—when you trust …
“Mom,” my daughter says as she nestles next to me, as if a chick under the mother hen’s wing. She couldn’t possibly get any closer. “I wrote a new poem. Read it.” Elya drove an hour on a Sunday afternoon to draw strength from being around family. She hands me her phone and I read …
JoDee Luna Art 