THIS YEAR

ART IS ABOUT WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY

THIS IS THE INTRO I GIVE TO MY PAINT SOCIAL GROUPS.

Hi. I'm Liz. I grew up in a household of artists, grandmas, grandpas, mom, dad, etc.
I took the hard way around my career. I minored in art in college. But then I started out in life as a molecular biologist grad student. Then on to a labor and delivery nurse, now finding my way back to art.

Art is about what makes you happy. It's not about the rules of composition, or the rules of what medium you're using, or even the rules about what looks good to the "professional art critics" out there. It's about you and what you want to create.

I know what you're thinking. You're just telling us what paint colors to put where and we're just following along to create the same thing.

Not at all true. Well kind of true, but no. You see. No one will ever again create the EXACT same thing you're going to create. They may look the same, but they're not and here's why.

The very moment you put paint to canvas, you will be lost in a sea of your own thoughts. Whatever is on your mind will make its way to the forefront of your thoughts. You'll concentrate on them. Your brain will focus on your creation. Your retina and optic nerves will send visual signals to your visual cortex to relay messages to your brain about what you're doing. Your brain will send impulses to your nerves, to your muscles, dictating exactly what your brush strokes will look like. And that pathway is unique to you in this very moment. The pressure you apply to your brush. The amount of paint you load on your brush. The colors you choose to place where. And your overall thoughts and being to get your finished creation. All you.

Artists, no matter what medium they use, need inspiration from somewhere. For us, it's this painting. That's our shared inspiration tonight. We're not copying. We're reinterpreting. And that's what all great artists have done throughout history folks. Art is about being inspired by someone else's work, learning from their techniques to create it, reinterpreting their ideas as your own, finding your unique style, and going forward with it.

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WANT. MAYBE THEN I'LL BE BETTER EQUIPPED FOR LIFE

Image cred: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/287737863665548186/

HEALTH BENEFITS ASSOCIATED WITH PAINTING

Studies are exclaiming that the stresses of everyday and work are killing us. These stresses are raising our glucose levels, increasing circulating cortisol and other stress hormones, leading to weight gain, and making us more prone to upper respiratory infections and cardiovascular diseases. Gee, sounds like fun.

Did you know there are numerous health benefits associated with creating various types of art?

It's true. And most people are already aware of the hollistic healing powers of the visual arts. But in case you weren't, please read on.

Bringing out your artistic side could be just as effective as antidepressants, as one study in The American Journal of Pain and Symptom Management found. They found that cancer patients who started painting reported feeling less pain and tiredness, a happier mood, and even less nausea. According to Women’s World, research found that painting for one hour can boost mood for up to three days, and yet another study found painting to be as effective as antidepressants in treating depression. Drawing and painting can help take the focus away from pain, and also release endorphins – the happy feel-good hormone!

Simply looking at an artistic rendering of a landscape has been shown to reduce hospital length of stay and narcotic use by surgery patients, for example.

I'm going to have Alzeheimer's disease someday. It's inevitable. My grandma, great grandma, and beyond have been stricken with the disease. And between you and me, I've seen early clues that it may be developing in a few other family members (as well as myself lately!). But you know what? Aside from healthy eating and exercise, painting may be able to help me out a little here. Creative hobbies can supposedly help keep your brain sharp as you age.

Other benefits include:

Improved creativity
Improved memory
Improved communication skills
Improved problem solving capacity
Stress relief
Increased positive emotions
Release of hidden emotions
Increased emotional intelligence
Better mobility
Increased awareness of detail

Personally, I always notice how much better I feel about myself, how much happier I am, and how much better I feel about life in general after I paint.  There is just something about being creative that calms my soul. It is such a peaceful, serene feeling. Kind of like how I feel after a yoga class. Which I have been going to more of lately here in town by the way. Wine yoga and hot yoga. You should try these two classes! Amazing. But I digress.

So there you have it. My analysis of why painting can do amazing things for your body and spirit.

You know what else is good for your body and spirit? Wine! I enjoy a glass of wine from time to time for those well known health benefits. The other glasses are for my witty comebacks and flawless dance moves. Ha.

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References:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2804629/ 

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/which-hobbies-help-an-aging-brain/

DEJA MOO

Image cred: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/287737863669101919/

HARD

image cred: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/287737863668568695/

NETFLIX WILL SAVE THE WORLD

Image cred: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/Ac5SrPd6SMlul3Vrq2Phpl-Q6YEHfJEVtOuKfD5rLCvgSdf1dkADOvnh8lLXSqTspQ/

QUOTE LOVE

YEP. BLOGGING AGAIN.

New blog, different platform. Here we go again, for yet the 20th blog attempt. I'm pretty pissed that I lost my Posh Paintbrush blog in the fire. So here I am, starting over completely from scratch.

Also, I just had a baby, so it will be few and far between for a long while. At least until the stitches in my vagina heal.

A LETTER

Tomorrow is Friday the 13th. And it has me thinking. I could literally die tomorrow. It is the unluckiest day ever. That horrible Friday the 13th. I am very superstitious.

So I thought it would be nice to write myself a letter, for my future self to read someday.  So here it is.

Dear Future Liz:

Don't die on Friday the 13th. Just stay home that day.  

In addition, I hope that this website (and the countless others you will have undoubtedly created by the time you read this) have given purpose to your life.  I hope they fan the flames of your existence and you are able to fill a creative void by sharing art and design with those around you. I hope you never go a day without creating, without art in some form or another, and without meaning.

Someday when you are looking back at this crossroad, the intersection where your life's purpose and direction met fear and uncertainty, I hope you will relish in the memories of where you started. Relive the excitement of the unknowing. Relive the passion you have for visual things in this world. I hope you relive your love for art.

As with all things new, of course this is exciting. You have held your first several paint social painting classes, and they were so much fun. You have people that are interested in your paintings and want to purchase custom artwork. You have talent, and you need to accept that you can be a part of the art world. With all things new and exciting, the newness and excitement is of course doomed to wear off at some point. I pray that that doesn't happen to you. I pray that you keep a smoldering fire where your passion lies and continue to be creative and find sources of inspiration. I hope the universe gives you everything that you could ask for, and that you never get bored.

If you should ever feel your purpose wavering, look back to howy you felt on this day. This day is the day that great things are happening.

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