3 Tricks on How to Stay Connected & Inspired

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rhapsoidia_lg2017 One of the tricks about living a consciously creative life is knowing how to stay connected and inspired. How do we do this?

I’ve noticed when I lose my connection to *Source I am often choosing negative thoughts, focussing on what’s not working in my life, or blaming other people or circumstances for what’s not working. I tend to feel separate and stop taking responsibility for myself. Then, possibly as a product of these choices, I may lose the inspiration to be creative.

Yup, being positive, consciously focussing on what IS working, what I’m grateful for, and taking responsibility for my life actually supports me to stay connected to Source and also supports my creativity. But the trick is, how do we stay in that positive place?

I want to share three tricks with you here, that I use on a regular basis, to get back into that feeling good place where I can get into my creative groove and continue creating my awesome life:

1. Comedy. Lately I’ve been watching stand up comedy. For example, I’m a fan of Russel Peters - my favourite skit is when his Dad tells him they are going to become ‘Real Canadians’. Anything that gets me laughing out loud is the ticket here, for me.

2. Dancing. My quick trick is to pick a good dance song, such as Pharrell Williams ‘Happy’ and type that into YouTube with the world ‘playlist’. Then dance along. This is a sure way to convert a bad mood into a better one, especially if you do weird varieties of dancing!

3. Creative Imagining. I get my journal and write out a pretend scenario about all the things that I would like to be true right now and ask myself how I would feel. For example,  I imagine I own a brand new hybrid SUV with 4 wheel drive (hence the image topping this blog post!) and a pair of new snowshoes. Then I focus on the feeling I would have if I had these things now; independence, mobility, freedom, joy, happiness, and adventure… and focus on feeling those feelings now. I also imagine myself driving the car and going for a hike in this new snow with my fabulous new snow shoes!

I really recommend finding out your own top 3 tricks to go from mad or sad to good and glad, so you can feel good, and go and make some art!

In support of your continuous connection & inspiration!

Deb

*Source= God, Higher Power, The Universe, All That Is, etc…

#stayconnected #stayinspired #creativelife

Painting shown above is ‘Rhapsodia’, 9” x 12” Mixed Media on Loose Canvas © Deb Chaney 2017. This painting involves the rhythms and tides of painterly gestures and sacred geometry. Its about holding still within and allowing Source Energy to work through us to support us in easily manifesting our dreams and desires. Original, Prints & Giclees Available for purchase here: https://www.saatchiart.com/art/Paint....

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A possibility of extra income for you!

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febfundamentalsworkshop2017_imageHello friends living in the Lower Mainland of BC! If you are interested in earning some extra money each month I am now offering $25 per sign up, to you, if you refer someone who registers for one of my workshops. Here's the current workshop flyer image for February. All the workshops and registration information are also listed at www.illuminateTheArtistWithin.com Pls email me info@debchaney.com if you have any questions. Thank you.

Dream come true: my art on a postage stamp!

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I'm so excited to share this dream come true.. TreePoseYogaGirlPostStamp.jpg

I always wanted to see my artwork on a postage stamp... So here it is!

One of my original Yoga Girl Paintings on a US stamp!  (Apologies to my Canadian friends, I no Canadian stamps yet... looking forward to celebrating that one day too!)

You can purchase a book of the Tree Pose Yoga Girl stamps here: https://www.zazzle.com/tree_pose_yoga_girl_postage_stamp-172718668987315216?rf=238406025813992092

I Believe We Are All Artists...

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IBelieveLifeIsArt_IMAGE.jpg If you are in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia - Vancouver, Coquitlam, Burnaby, Abbotsford, Delta, New West, Port Moody, West Vancouver, North Vancouver, Richmond - there are still spots open for my one-day workshop. Join us! Come paint and play!

February 2017 – Learn The Fundamentals in Abstract Painting in Acrylics This is a hands-on workshop. You will watch live demonstrations, learn fundamentals, and have plenty of time to paint and create. You will learn the basic 3C’s – a structure for creating an abstract painting that works – as well as basic colour mixing, and some cool tricks and techniques to add texture and give your paintings depth. Saturday, February 25th, 2017 / 1 day / 9 am – 4 pm. Location: Central Coquitlam, BC. 12 spots. $187. Early Bird register by Friday, February 3rd, $167. Acrylic paints, mediums, tools & handouts provided. Please bring an apron/smock and a 10-pack of 9” x 12” canvas pad pre-gessoed sheets. To Register text (604) 736-5111 / info@debchaney.com

Three new little paintings with sacred geometry

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Just completed these three new little pieces and I'm so excited to share with you! Paintings from L to R: 'Exuberant Architecture', 'Rhapsoidia', and 'Steady Universal Flow'.

Each painting here is 9” x 12” Mixed Media on Paper. (c) Deb Chaney January 2017. $150/original purchase@debchaney.com. Prints available online at: https://www.saatchiart.com/art-collection/Painting/Litte-Gems/499285/160111/view

These pieces involve sacred geometry patterns and encourage us to hold still within and allow Source Energy to work through us to support us in easily manifesting our dreams and desires.

Exuberant Architecture shining a light on the splendor of creation here on earth, using painterly gestures and sacred geometry, and honoring the magic of this planet.

Rhapsodia involves the rhythms and tides of painterly gestures combined with sacred geometry. The play between order and chaos where creativity thrives.

Steady Universal Flow reflects the natural world, a wonderful place to reconnect to Source. This painting is reminiscent of natural beauty we see in waterfalls and forests.

 

5 New Approaches to Journalling for the New Year

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  debjournals2017

 

When I was in my 20's my boyfriend's aunt gave me a copy of Julia Cameron's The Artist's Way. It was an odd gift at the time because I was working on an undergraduate degree in Earth and Ocean Sciences; taking courses in math, physics, geology, biology and so on. I did not consider myself an artist whatsoever. I guess she saw something in me I did not even know about myself then.God Bless her.

I  read The Artist's Way  through and started my journal practice of writing morning pages. Journalling those freestyle morning pages got me expressing and creating and thinking about new possibilities. In words, writings, and sketches, I started imagining the life I live now: being a professional artist with my own studio. A far cry from working as an environmental geologist!

It's amazing the power of journal writing and the power we have to create our dreams.

Twenty years later and now with over forty hand-written journal volumes (see picture above) I also honor the importance of switching things up and taking different approaches in journal writing to give myself fresh perspective and new insights I may not have gleaned by keeping to the same old freestyle method of writing.

Inspired to change my approach to journal writing this year, I googled 'new approaches to journalling' and was sadly disappointed with the results. Hence, I sat down and created my own list, and am now sharing it for you here.

Here's to our self evolution through journalling and taking new approaches in this new year...

  1.  Write through the eyes of your child self. The power of this exersice cannot be understated, as so much of our outlashing and regrettable behavior stems from unresolved childhood issues. If we just took the time to re-connect with our inner child, honor their feelings, hold space and love them, I believe whole heartedly we would be much happier and calmer adults in this world.

    " I really miss my teddy bear 'Baba'. He went for a tea party with my neighbourhood friends last night and he never came home. I wish you would get me a new teddy bear to cuddle. Don't you remember how fun it was to put little doll sweaters on him? I want to do this again. Maybe we can go to the mall Saturday with Ruthie... I'm feeling really sad about not having a bear to cuddle."

  2. Write through the eyes of Self-Kindness. We all could learn to be a lot more kind to ourselves. I believe if we  really cultivated self kindness in ourselves, as a result we'd be kinder to others, and the world would be so much a sweeter place to live. As per achieving world peace, it all starts within, so let's start here in our journals...

    "Dear Deb, I am just so happy with you. You have made so many great choices in your life lately that show how much  you care and love yourself. Way to get up early and do your home yoga practice this morning. I know it wasn't  easy, especially being so cold lately, but you did it and reaped the benefits of feeling so good, so strong, and so vibrant all day from that. I want to honor you for that. Know that you are loved and cherished Deb. I see the good and sweetness in you, and stand by this, always."

  3. Write to really get present in the here and now. Start with a deep breathe and place your hand on your heart, centre yourself. Then write based on what you see, hear, feel, smell, notice, think, taste in the moment here and now.

    "I am noticing the sound of my breathe. I can hear myself typing these words. I can hear my daughter in her room moving around a lot. It makes me wonder if she is tidying up which would be a little miracle. I am noticing myself smirking at my own joke. I am noticing the delight I am feeling in my chest, a lightness. I can smell the lingering of the  french fries we baked earlier after coming back from the pool. I could hear her humming as we hung out our bathing suits and the musical sound  is pleasant. I feel happy creating this blog and sharing my inspiration with others. I see my room, I feel my warm covers and the pillow on my lap, I see my favourite Michelle Y. Williams painting on the wall next to me, my robe hanging off the door. I can taste the mint of toothpaste in my mouth..."

  4. Write about what is going well for you, now, in your life. We often journal about our life challenges and struggles. Writing can be great way to work through them, for sure. However, let's take a new approach now and shine some light and energy on what's going well for us. For those of us who study Abraham-Hick's work, we know where attention goes, energy flows. Let's amplify the good in our lives this year!

    "Deb enjoyed a beautiful evening of connection with her 13 year old daughter  going to the library and the pool together. Deb has been consistently, joyfully, creating new artwork  and uploading their images to her online gallery at SaatchiArt.com. Deb is selling prints and originals of her artwork on a regular basis worldwide. Deb had an original art piece rented on a TV Commercial in LA  last year! Deb has been meeting new connections this year to take her dream and her art business to the next level. Deb is really enjoying living in her passion and inspiring others in the process. She is exersicing regularly and enjoying getting into her body with running, dancing, yoga and hiking. Deb is  feeling huge gratitude and really enjoying the love, support, and connection with her close women friends."

  5. Writing by design:  Creative Imagining our ideal future life. I love this journal exersice ! Basically this is carte blanche invitation to create your ideal dream life by your own writing and imaginative design. It can work really well with a time line, such as 5 years into the future.  Let my example inspire you, set no limitations, if we shoot for the stars then perhaps we'll land on the moon!

    "The year is January 2020. I wake up with tingles of excitment in my toes. Its early and I can hear birds chirping as I get a glass of water and walk to the little yoga room I have with warm wood floors, ready for my home practice. I click on the stereo to play some gentle yet inspirational music and begin my practice. I am as strong, lean, fit and flexible as I was in high school. I am 135 lbs and loving my body. Its a joy to move. Later in the morning after savasanah and breakfast, I head out, walking paste my beautiful home grown vegetable garden, then walking through the forest trails, to my art studio. Its of my particular design, surrounded by nature, about a kilometre away from our main home. My golden retriever dog accompanies me and I can see our horses eating in the pasture in the distance. I inhale the fresh pine air and open my studio door with excitment because... today Taylor Swift is stopping by to choose an original art piece for herself! I can't wait to meet her ..."

Truth be told, I actually brainstormed about  30+ new approaches to journal writing, scrawled out in my journal, before typing out this blog. However, something I often write ahead in my journals to remind me is:

"Know When To Stop"

So, I'm going to leave you with these 5 juicy examples and trust they will get your writing inspired with a fresh new perspective for 2017. Happy New Year with love, Deb.

Four New Little Gem Paintings for New Year 2017

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Greetings from freezing cold Vancouver, Canada! It’s been below zero freezing lately and my studio is not heated, so as I write this I’m back home letting my feet and fingers thaw out!

Four new Little Gems for the New Year! From left to right: Cosmoline, Frozen in its Glory, Simple Expression & Simplicity. Each are 9” x 12” Mixed Media on Paper (c) Deb Chaney 2016 Originals $150/ea Prints at https://www.saatchiart.com/art/Painting-Simple-Expression/499285/3351203/view

Walking in a Winter Wonderland & Merry Christmas !

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Never in my wildest dreams did I think we'd have a white Christmas! What I love is that we're at home and it feels like we're away in a beautiful magical Christmas vacation place! These photos are from a beautiful winter walk in Mundy Park, BC here in Coquitlam. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you and your family!

Artwork Traveling for the Holidays!

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Really excited to be packaging up these paintings and sending them all over BC, Canada and to California, USA. And to all of you receiving artwork: Thank you, thank you, thank you!  I feel so appreciated and supported that it means the world to me. Thank you!

From top left, clockwise: A piece of the Frog Pond 02-005 is off to Santa Barbara, CA; 'Disappearing' from my Little Gems Series is off to Santa Monica, CA; 'Glitzy 4' from my Little Gems Series is off to Hawaii USA (next time I'm going !!!); 'Summer Hiking' is off to Delta, BC; and 'It's all that' has found its way to a collector in Abbotsford, BC.

I've uploaded a fair amount of new works which are available as originals and prints here: https://www.saatchiart.com/debchaney

Merry Christmas! God bless art lovers !

God Keeps Opening Doors For Me - New Work

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GodOpensDoors_Dc2016.jpg 'God Keeps Opening Doors For Me'  9" x 12" Mixed Media on Paper (c) Deb Chaney 2016

This little painting is part of my Little Gems Series of paintings, many of which were made in front of a workshop group to illustrate a concept or technique. Inspired by practice, they are a joy to create and share with you here! In particular, this little art piece is about hope; trusting God is there leading me the way to my dreams, to my right life, and opening all the right doors at the right time. Personally, I am developing my practice of trust.

Prints and original for sale at SaatchiOnline gallery: http://www.saatchiart.com/art/Painting-God-Keeps-Opening-Doors-For-Me/499285/3324670/view

Yoga Girl Keepsake Box

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Just in time for Christmas! Adorned with The Original Girl Yoga Girl painting, this is a beautiful keepsake box and potential gift idea for yourself, your yoga teacher, or yoga enthusiast friend. The box is 5" x 5" and 2.3" in height. Just the right amount of space to hold your favourite necklace, yogic toe separators (!), earrings, or other keepsakes. Regular $33 on sale now 30% (today only) off with the coupon code: ZCUSTOMGIFTS. Click here to purchase: http://www.zazzle.com/the_original_yoga_girl_5_125_x_4_25_gift_box-246913123012179460

Office Painting Party!

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I had a wonderful time last week at the warehouse offices of Flow Home Staging in Vancouver, BC hosting a 2 hr  in office painting party. I brought the supplies, inspiration, and instruction. These fantastic participants showed up, got messy, had fun and created some great little paintings. Thank you so much for having me!

If you work with a company in the Lower Mainland of BC that has a wellness program and/or is open to their employees taking a 2 hr time slot to play, connect with their creativity, have fun, and relax: Contact me to set up your own painting party. 2016 Prices are $250 for up to 12 people, all supplies included at my studio with an additional $50 travel charge if I come to you. I am now taking bookings for 2017  info@debchaney.com or text (604) 736-5111 to set up your own painting party.

Homemade Advent Calender

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To make this homemade advent calendar we used little 2" x 3" muslin bags , acrylic paints, stamps, stencils, and glitter! I put a little surprise gift for my daughter in each bag to count down the days before Christmas. Some gifts I put inside were; little earings, gum, bubble bath, candy cane, hair elastics, money, a miniature snow globe and a mascara (she's 13 and loves makeup!). Thank you for our friend Sharon for coming over to help create these!

Studio and workshop venue for rent

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fullstudioshot2016 Looking for a place to host a get-together? run a workshop? or just gather a group of friends to get messy and creative !? This space might just be perfect for you:

This is a large open professional working artist studio located in quite green Central Coquitlam, BC with excellent lighting and the option to open the garage door for fresh air and natural lighting. There are 4 large working artist tables available, a large demo table with shelving racks below it, and plenty of wall space available to hang paintings. There is a laundry room adjacent to the studio for a large sink to access water. The studio is located in a quiet residential neighborhood with much green space and trees surrounding us. There is an excellent Greek Restaurant and Canadian/Chinese food restaurant minutes away by foot. Rates $200/day $25/hr.

Book Online: https://thisopenspace.com/spaces/1143

New workshop Upcoming January 2017: Create a Mixed Media Book Combining Words, Images & Illustrations

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Flyer_Jan2017MM&WordsIMAGE.jpgIn the case you are the sort that likes to plan ahead... Or you are looking for a super thoughtful Christmas gift for a creative loved one. Here's the new workshop scoop: January 2017 - Create a Mixed Media Book Combining Words, Images & Illustrations.  In this one day workshop, learn how to make really cool textured, mixed media backgrounds to which you will add your own words, images, and illustrations. Receive guidance and inspiration as you create either your own book of quotes, an inspiration journal, or photo collage memoir. Come prepared to get a little messy, a lot creative, and to leave with something special, unique and hand made by you! Saturday,  Jan  28th, 2017.  9 am – 4pm. Location: Central Coquitlam, BC. 12 spots. $187.  Early Bird register by Friday January 6th $167.  Acrylic Paints, Mediums and painting tools included. To Register text (604) 736-5111 / info@debchaney.com

Bring an apron or smock and your favourite drawing tools, pictures and images, and collage papers.

Online tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/create-a-mixed-media-book-combining-words-images-illustrations-tickets-29801863175

 

Just shipped to New York

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sm_reachingout2016Here's a cool dream: I'd like to be writing a blog post with this title every week. "Just shipped to New York" but replacing New York with; Tokyo, Paris, London, San Francisco, Stockholm, Reykavik... That'd be cool. Thank you for the purchase dear new york art collector, I cannot do what I do without people like you. My gratitude is big. Thank you. Love the piece? You can  get prints here: https://www.saatchiart.com/art/Painting-Reaching-Out/499285/3287496/view

'Reaching out' Little Gems Series 9" x 12" Mixed Media on Paper (c) 2016 Deb Chaney www.debchaney.com

THANK YOU !