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chop suey Tuesday 21st Feb.

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Pl Precept # 15   All is a Mirror

My son called me a short while back, and asked me if I’d ever heard of Alan Watts. He was very serious about it, and I was totally surprised by his question.  In my mind, everyone knew Alan Watts (British philosopher best known for his interpretations and interest in Eastern philosophy)

I had learned a lot from Alan Watts, he had been one of my favourite authors, his words spoke to me, a young Taoist living in Canada where my thoughts and ways were so foreign to most around me.  Alan introduced and popularised Eastern philosophy by his writing and teachings  now I see that his lectures and talks have been transposed and are available on YouTube.  The wonders of the modern world.

For anyone interested, this is the official Alan Watts web page  Alan Watts.com

He was prolific as a writer, and speaker. One of the first to interpret Eastern wisdom for a Western Audience.  With our Church of Perfect Liberty here in Canada, at times this is how I sometimes feel, when I try to introduce and explain, that our church is a philosophy and way of life.

My son renewed my determination to work faithfully and diligently every day to bring the PL Way to North America.  World Peace is so so important to our well-being as inhabitants of this planet.

The PL teachings help us to live in a way that will encourage and help us, live a happy and peaceful, balanced life, this will radiate out from us… bringing more love and acceptance of our unique and diversified personalities and cultures, when we know and show respect, we ourselves, grow and gain from new beginnings..

We are all ONE –

know love, show love, be love.. nurture and exist in a peaceful world

Oyashikiri

original art-by Q

now is now

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Sometimes, when the itch comes to put  something down, you have no idea, what it is you are wanting to “say/see”  You get out your paints, canvas or whatever it is you want to work with and you simply begin .

Through the years I have learned that what works for someone else, is not going to wonk for me.  I have to listen to what is happening “inside my head”  to believe that  my instinct will guide me to what it is I need to express.

If you write, paint, draw, crochet, knit whatever it is you do to express your creativity, if try to force the flow, you are never happy with the results.

Now is now.. I will suddenly come to a halt.. I do not want to do anything else, not at the moment anyway.. When that happens, I know to stop and step back, and allow what has happened to “talk” to me, to identify itself to me.

Photography is the same way, I can take several pictures, of the same area, or object(s) yet when I review them, more often than not, it is the one I least expected to be “the” one, that will jump out at me.

Life is the very same.. every day we are presented with a new canvas, new opportunities, tomorrow I may or may not want to revisit this piece.  Some expressions, speak to my spiritual side.. other times, I’m simply OK with the results, but I feel a satisfaction of having put colour into my thought process.

Tomorrow will be the start of another “today”… what colours will you put on your palette.

Whatever you do.. do it with a smile, put your whole heart into it.  Make the most of NOW.

Oyashikiri

Sisters

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Out of the night, the eyes stare down and fix on the emotion and passions of “desire” the colours shout and harmonize to dominate the midnight skies.  Fireworks in the sky …Q

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My sister’s colours, charm and delight with the quiet passion of one who colours from her heart,  bright and cheerful and  full of warmth.  Mother’s Pansies …… V

Oyashikiri

PL Precept # 2       To live is to express One’s Self

2 sisters, two styles,

PL Precept # 1      Life is Art

How we express ourselves, whether on canvas or another form of expression, is us, being true to ourselves.  We are all unique, let us respect and do our best to understand the differences and challenges around us.

We are all ONE.

PL Precept # 11     Always be with GOD

Wordless Wednesday – snow update

Members from Japan, Brazil, Argentina, Spain, USA, wanting to see the snow in Ottawa, Canada, today, here is a picture taken early this morning.  Currently the snow has stopped.

Blessings on this beautiful day of winter.

Oyashikiri

Friday Fun

Good Morning,  bonjour, Bom dia… where ever you are, I am wishing you a “brilliant/sun” filled day! With or without sunshine. Make it a happy day, a productive day… most important … balance your day… make time to play.

Pl Precept # 20  Live maintaining equilibrium between mind and matter.

Oyashikiri

Grunge art my way

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Good morning everyone.    For a little while now I have been playing with different media, doing some of this and some of that.  This all started when I began doing handmade cards for our church (Church of Perfect Liberty) (institucion Religiosa perfecta libertad)

The first Precept (1 of 21)   #1  Life is Art    This is not about how you paint or draw, but rather how you use your creative expression to get through the day to day challenges of life.  How you see the opportunities that come your way and in accepting them, being able to grow and channel new found energy into your daily life.


 

. I love life, I love being alive, and the sense of wonder I get from even what most could consider a mundane moment.  Death is a by-product of life.  It happens.  When you lose someone who has been a part of your life, there is a sadness and a feeling of loss. However, if you have lived loving and cherishing the person, there are no regrets.  You live forming honest interactions – always – some people you connect with instantly  and with others..  it can take a long time, or… it just never happens.

Important here, is to be true to yourself, not someone else’s expectations, or how other’s want you to act or do something.  This is a concept not everyone understands, or appreciates.  Again, we all have  to live with our SELVES…  To do something we like means to follow one’s instincts and do and use whatever makes it happen.

The above picture is a card that I did for ME.  Not to put in the collection of cards at the church for sale, but for ME.  My wise little sister once said.. remember you are making cards to sell, that means you have to make cards that people will want and like.  Not her exact wording, but you get the drift.  She was right.  Handmade cards or any other craft, where you put your personal time and energy into creating or making something is a balancing act.

The “Artisan” “Craft” person can spend hours even months making something creating a piece they love, yet find that putting a “retail” value on it, is very difficult.  Many people simply do not want to pay for something that they feel they can get at a dollar store.. the fact that what they are getting in these places is manufactured and basically are made in the 1000s, doesn’t matter.  -” To each his/her own”

Because we are a throw away society, what is IN now , may not be in a couple of months or years..  I digress…oh dear… bottom line… we will skip the rest of this for now.. I’m sure it will crop up again =^_^=

Back to the picture.  I hadn’t picked up a paint brush in years. I mean yearS.  When I did, I found that I didn’t want to put it down.  I have been trying for a distressed look on the cards, using inks, pencils and markers… but never felt I got the results I really wanted. At times not even close.

I had my own idea, or image in my head, it just wasn’t happening with the tools I had.. BUT when I took brush in hand, and some inexpensive water colours I found on sale.. POP, SHZAMMMM, I loved what I was seeing.  Best of all the cartoon characters that I discovered in a shop in Montreal, Scrapbook Centrale, made me smile.. It was a new line for me, PaperArtsy.. you can find more about them at http://www.paperartsy.co.uk

I am letting go of what I think other’s may want, and maintaining my own sense of wacky, wild and wonderful.. I got up this morning and tweaked the card some more. It is fun fun fun.

PL Precept # 2    To Live Is to Express One’s Self

Oyashikiri

Artist Loft 4 n1 brush – Michaels ** multi functional great value

Cardstock – watercolour 130 lb. Strathmore

Artist Loft – basic 24 colour pallet – Michaels

Prang – oval 16           DeSerres

Yasuyomo – mettalics (16)     DeSerres

chop suey Tuesday

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Blue skies, dazzling sunshine, a fresh crispness in the air, it was time for a day trip. We are fortunate that we can just pick up and go, if the spirit moves us.  The landscapes look so different when they are blanketed with snow and the trees are bare of their leaves.

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Notice the happy shadows, at the time of my visit, they are free of critter tracks, but I’m sure had I ventured in further, I would have found evidence of the abundant life within the little woodland patch.

1-30-17-aI was content to simply peak silently into the little world I’d come across. Hoping that by standing very still, I’d catch a glimpse of another wandering nomad, or furry critter going about its day.

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The simplicity of the moment, the beauty of the shadow a silver-gray on the textured snow brings tranquility and beauty to my tired eyes. The natural sunlight, the fresh air, background noises of the woodland and the cars in the distance, all blend to harmonize into my moment of communion with Nature.

It takes but a second to connect, to allow God to colour our day with a joy of recognition, that it isn’t man-made news that is important, rather the essence of happiness lies within.  Life IS.

To achieve peace and happiness, we must find it first within ourselves.  Peace is a by-product of LOVE.

PL Precept # 10   Love Yourself and Others

PL Precept # 11  Always be with God

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optical artistry

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voici le moment

au fond de moi, j’en suis certaine

at this moment

I am certain

from deep within

my spirits stirs

I feel the warmth

of recognition

the comfort of knowing

a new day has begun

somewhere near

the sun is bright

even tho’

I am here in the night

God is everywhere

day and night

we are ONE

Oyashikiri

-black garlic and..

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You kidding me right… nope… black garlic… it is AMAZING, says on the container YuHongYuan peeled black garlic head – ready to eat and cooking.  You have to know that I was not going to pass an opportunity to try it out.  Delicious.

Got it at the check out aisle of the local T & T Asian grocery store.  I do believe T & T has a website, you can likely find their other locations by checking the web.  You store it in a cool dry place. room temperature, avoid sunlight.  It is a product of China, imported by Uncle T foods, Richmond, BC.

Now.. please allow me to thank everyone who commented on the mixed media book cover, I’ve now finished with the one that I started the other day.  At least for now.

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It was a learning experience for me. I especially liked the texture and look of the Sludge that I got from DeSerres, you can’t see the reharvested copper cinder, because when it dried, it dried clear, but you can feel the texture when you are touching the various parts of the cover where it was used.  The particles are in a professional grade gel medium.  Product is TriArt’s reharvested series.

I used two different  batches of Sludge, #29211 ( deep forest greens)  Batch 27783 is deep purples. Sludge is made from 100% recycled pigments  harvested from TriArt’s washing process.  Remember if you want to be sure the colours are going to be similar .. use the same batch number, the shades can vary from batch to batch.  Again you will find this product at DeSerres.

Crackling acquired by using Distress crackle paint, this is a Rangers product.  I used clear rock candy in this project.  IMPORTANT,  allow the medium to dry on its own.  I believe you get better results by being patient.book-cover-another-view

I’m keen to start another one, but first, I need to catch up on the cards for the church. Hearts and Flowers month will soon be here, and I need to get some special cards done for our PL  Card table.

Happy dabbling and playing.  When you do something, do it with a happy and joyful intent.  Pl Precept # 2  To live is to Express One’s self.

Oyashikiri

La vie de l’homme est une suite d’expressions du soi.

“Art” books

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Good morning everyone. these are a few of the books I’m recycling. A few have been worked on more that others.  At this stage, they are really being prepped, or prepared for their days of adventure ahead

Some get collage, on half a page, some a full page, this is a start to revamping them into a collection of ideas, and possibilities.  Each page is a new canvas.  To work on the pages  they have to prepared.  By working this way, one gets to see how the media works on the different qualities of paper used by the book maker.

For example, glossy papers are not handled in the same way as pages from a dictionary or an older book that may have faded yellowed pages, that you want to keep, the page still needs to be prepped but you require a product that enhance and preserve the parts of the page you want to keep.

It took me awhile to begin working with recycled books, I was always taught to treasure a book.  When I saw so many that were simply discarded, slowly my thinking changed.  One of the books in the little grouping was an old library book with the little piece of paper in the back where it would have been stamped in and out by the library staff, and a small pocket for what used to hold the library card info.

The content pages of the book were all detached from the binding, some pages so faded and old they couldn’t be read or handled that much.  When asked what would be done with the book, I was told it would be junked (garbage)  It was a copy of Robert Louis Stevenson’s The Black Arrow.  It had been published in London,W1 by Bancroft Classics, original sale price $1.25

Sorry friends, I bought it and came home with my prize.  I’ve put aside the original text from the books, and reused the cover and spine, adding different card stocks and Kraft papers to build a new body for it.  Not sure yet what I will do with the text pages, but I can use them .. and eventually I will.

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When I am working on these books, I get to read the pages, and see where the book falls open to.. meaning the previous owner had looked at these pages often, and by the highlighting, they wanted to retain, and learn the lessons, this book provided them.

That quote by Thomas Paine is “Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must undergo the fatigue of supporting it.

The Sophocles quote  ” One word frees us of all the weight and pain of life: that word is Love”

Life is for living, sharing and enjoying. Where a discard book is recycled, it once more shares “itself” with the world.

Oyashikiri

PL Precept #1   Life is Art

 

 

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