Calling All Explorers
Dear Friend,
Inside of you, there is the most dazzling landscape filled with colors that will make your heart swoon and gorgeous hidden treasures. Presents of all kinds abound just waiting for you to open them and the best part? We get a lifetime to do just that. Each one is filled with something for your adventure - strength, resilience, fun, laughter, and joy, to name a few.
Now the world will try to distract you. “Look shiny object, look over here,” people will say. And when they have your attention, they’ll encourage you to push, pull and squeeze yourself into spaces that don’t fit (think: fitting your feet into shoes that are way too small or worse, trying to squeeze into jeans that aren’t cut for your body). You’ll suddenly feel like there’s something wrong with you because you don’t fit. Beautiful friend, there’s nothing wrong with you, you simply forgot about all of the magnificent lands that you still have to explore within you.
When you were born, you took a big, beautiful breath and started your journey. Yes, people immediately began to tell you what to do and not to do but inside of you, you’d already started to open gifts meant only for you. Your personality popped out of an ornately decorated box. You trusted your gut to say no to things and people that made you uncomfortable and yes to those that delghted you. And yes, sometimes you thought it would be a good idea to jump off the arm of the couch and pretend to be Superman or Superwoman - maybe not the best idea - but you trusted yourself and tried. In that willingness to explore, you discovered so many unforgettable things.
Recently, I spent some time with myself and loved it. I created the piece above and as I began, I battled questions like - ‘What’s the point? Who wants to see this? It’s too busy, what are you doing?’ However, I moved through them because I knew the most playful space awaited me.
When I’m creating art, it’s about my process, exploration, and discoveries. The end result is wonderful but the most compelling part is stumbling across the magical things you could never have imagined. You know what else? It’s fun. And when I’m having fun I’m more resilient, ideas flow with more ease and I’m less likely to judge myself or others.
While working on this piece, I felt like I was a kid again. I’ve created pieces like this before and each time I find something new, something that allows to grow. Each piece is filled with fun and sometimes I hold myself back from having fun but not today.
I started with a dot and followed it. I was curious about each of the colors that turned up as well as the little folks that appeared. My dog will always find her way into my work; she’s a star. What I love most is the energy in it. It felt exciting to me. As a kid I loved games that excited my imagination and books where you used clues to find your way or you searched drawings for all sorts of treasures. That’s what’s making it’s way to the forefront of my work.
Today, I invite you to have fun spending time with you. Take a deep breath and explore what things feel like on your personal landscape. Allow the things you’ve seen and felt, the ideas you’ve had and played with to take center stage.
Give yourself permission to play like you did when you were a kid and allow joy or any emotion to rise up within you. Engage your imagination for the sheer thrill of it - not an end result but just to see what you might find like the world’s most incredible explorer. Whether it’s dark or joyful, it has something to teach you.
The artist Paul Klee once said, “A dot is a line that went for a walk.” Why not start there? It does not have to be a big work, you could draw or paint on a post-it note, the back of an envelope, or on an entire wall. Just allow yourself to have a little fun and remember, you are simply AMAZING.
Love,
Natasha