Living Our Dreams

Finding my way

So what does a blog and website really say about you? Well, this appears to be the ETERNAL question for this gal at the moment. 

I am attempting to create a "new look," however, I can't figure out what I want to be. I am fickle. Do I want to be Feisty, bookish, arty, playful, modern, bold, soft, sensual or spiritual. The problem is, I think I am all those things inside and I am having a heck of a time figuring out how to portray that in a design...ask my web designer. I am lucky he's a patient man, and can deal with the roller coaster that is ME.

And so, after it all, I am starting again. What I want is to let the images speak for themselves...at least that's what I think right now....

Painting Your heART and Soul Out-Part Two

In Part Two of the Soul Session featuring the painting Solstice Goddess 2009, I will show you how staying with the process and the piece, will inform you on the details. The piece will tell you what it needs. It's about trusting what's inside you. If you feel "stuck," take a breath, listen in, take a step back from the piece and stand back in silence, taking deep breaths, until you hear the small voice that whispers inside. It's there waiting for you...

Local classes begin in July dates and times will be announced this week.

ENJOY...

Music by Benise, from the CD Spanish Nights

Having trouble viewing? Click here

Happy Solstice

What a glorious Solstice! A labyrinth walk this morning with friends and loved ones. I felt the simmering begin as soon as I got home. And then....SHE appeared...Solstice Goddess. 

What an awesome Soul Session!! She must have really needed to be birthed, I am still BUZZING. 

Since so many of you have asked, about Painting Your heART out, I created a video during this Soul Session. Enjoy!

I hope you will take a fews moments and to create a Solstice piece of your very own....

Featured music in video, Benise, from the CD Spanish Nights.

Having trouble viewing? Click here...

New Living Our Dreams Radio Posted!

This months guest is Melanie Berezan, aka Crazy Legs, co-founder of www.GirlGetStrong.com.  A restless writer, entrepreneur, slightly insane mother of four, and a bit of a weird wife (sorry honey!). Proud owner of ten terribly twisted and calloused running toes, and most of all an avid fan of fun!

Tune in here and Join us as we talk about life, fitness and stepping boldly-with GUSTO-into our dreams! 

Visit Melanie and the girls at: 

http://www.girlgetstrong.com

So much GRATITUDE!

Warning.....it's a VENT session...but it has a happy ending.

Some of you may remember that my Art of Intention™ for June was to RECIVE! This has not always been an easy place to go for me, but I am staying with the idea and opening my heart to the possibilities. 

June Art of Intention™: Receive

Yesterday I was given a true gift. I had reached the end of my thread about finding a home to teach my classes, in this absurdly expensive Valley. I was tearful at lunch with a dear friend, talking about this issue and the changing state and values of my beloved community. We love to talk about COMMUNITY here, but really, I see yet another town, going down the glutenous path. Landlords would rather sit with empty storefronts, then reduce their monthly rents. What is the point in that? A tax write off? 

I can share with you that when I have this discussion with "business people," their response to me is, "Raise your rates." This doesn't work for me. I already charge what I consider to be a large fee, but work on a sliding scale for clients in need and each year I chose a pro-bono when a client-generally a woman who is living with cancer. Okay, so maybe that IS my problem, but it's also an inherent value that I have to SERVE not just an elite few, but to SERVE people in need. 

Don't get me wrong, I am VERY lucky, I have a beautiful home, a wonderful studio to work in and share with clients, but it's tough enough financially living in this Valley, and it's not large enough to do my classes and workshops. I gave up my reasonable space, when the building sold and they went to 30-day leases, and the pressure from the landlord that the building could be torn down in the "next six months."  Well, due to the economic meltdown, the building still stands-albeit with the requisite 30 day lease. I am not a gambler, so I left and moved home...shame on me. There are days I feel as if my hands have been shackled behind my back, as my desire to share the work is so strong. I have crammed women into my small space and we have crawled over one another in the spirit of creativity.

I called one place on Monday, but the reception was cool-to say the least-and since my second intention this month is to "GO WHERE THE RIVER FLOWS," -I decided to open a new door, to a new possibility. I called a man who owns a fine art studio on Main St. It's a YUMMY working studio! A big brick space, with a paint splattered floor  studio and huge paintings by the artist hanging everywhere. I took a risk...I reached out and asked..."Would you be willing to let me host some classes here?" His wife was so warm and open..."I think that sounds great, let me talk to Magid." 

Magid, called the next day and said, "Here is the schedule, we would love to have you. You can use the studio any of the times we are not here and we can work out the one night a month." I began crying immediately and told him I could not believe how open and generous he was. Truthfully, I had been thinking of calling him for months, but didn't. I don't know what the resistance was about...fear, possible rejection, lack of "readiness?"  Before we hung us Magid said, "I read your book, it's very good. I like the ideas you have expressed about creativity."  This blew me away again and meant a lot from someone I consider a Fine Artist.  Magid knows color theory! And what's perfect is that he's an artist NIGHT OWL, and I'm and ARTIST EARLY BIRD! Are schedules synched in real time!

And so the VERY HAPPY ending to this story is that Magid and Ruth have allowed me to BELIEVE again. To believe there are others out there looking to make a quick buck off someone else. People who "get" the TRUE meaning of community and what that means at the deepest level. People who understand the concept of SUSTAINABILITY and that things aren't always what they appear when we simply look at things from the OUTSIDE. 

SO for those of you who are in the Valley, Painting Your Heart Out, Soul Sessions and Sunday Morning, Painting Your Prayers begins again in July. If you're in Carbondale, stop by Magid and Ruth's and thank them for their BIG HEARTS, COMMUNITY SPIRIT and LOVING GENEROSITY!

Let's Paint Our Hearts Out, Paint Our Prayers, dance, move and make a HOLY MESS! 

Magid and Ruth...this Soul Session's for you. xxoo

Title: My Cup Runneth Over

Beautiful Monster

This touching and heartfelt video is of is my dear friend Linda's grand-daughter Emalie. I am posting this to remind you of the child that lives within who "knows" how to create...Enjoy...

Authentic Wisdom-Wondering

It has been a week of inner reflection for me. In keeping with my June Intention, "Receiving," I am finding time to sit quietly and listen...not to the outer noise of the world, but to the reverberating of my own heart. 

Going within isn't an easy thing to do. In between the heartbeats, I can hear the inner voices. The Toads can surface and very often the committee has something to share that is not very supportive...and often not valid. Such is the nature of life. The challenge as always is not to grasp onto their croaks and barks, but to move into the place of inner truth and AUTHENTIC WISDOM. 

AUTHENTIC WISDOM, is knowing the steps and milestones we have taken within our transformational journey. AUTHENTIC WISDOM, comes from knowing we have the capacity to create whatever we want in our lives.

Interestingly, the closer we get to reaching for what we want, the louder those Venomous Toads bark! This is where our Book of Dreams comes in. Keeping a Book of Dreams, allows you to have a visual representation of your intention. It helps when you feel as if you have stumbled on the path. One of the greatest gifts I have received living here in the Rockies, is to become VERY aware of how my mind plays tricks on my soul. 

My mind-and the Toads-have the capacity to tell me some pretty bizarre stories. These stories have the capacity to stop me dead in my tracks, if I grasp on to them. It's my choice. I can also notice them and say,"Oh, there's one of my Toads stories (awareness), what else might be possible if I were to imagine something else and choose to create my own story? (empowerment).

Next week in our June One Community Read Along group, we will begin working on our Milestones Passport. The Passport is another way to find truth. When we have a visual recording of our accomplishments, it can help us to trust that next step. It helps us to know we have been there before, so we can remember at a cellular level, that we can in fact LIVE OUR DREAMS, one baby step at a time! Here's to supporting one another on the path! Come join us...

Honoring Commitments-Honoring Ourselves

JOURNAL ENTRY:This was the spot I chose to meditate during our hour long reflection. As I sat in silence, I listened to the sounds of bird calls. Suddenly, a Red Tail Hawk took flight, screeching his prayers to the skies. He circled around for about 5 minutes and landed in the Evergreen you can see in the distance. He sat on the top of the tree crying out for the next hour.....

There are times on the trail when the road gets a bit rocky and we wonder if we can stay with our commitment. Yesterday, I completed a 10 month commitment to Roaring Fork Leadership, a training program to support individuals in becoming leaders who will go forth and contribute to their communities.

To be honest, about half way through I had thoughts of dropping out. The book had just released and our group project felt like mud going through a very small funnel. I talked it through with a friend who actually supported me in letting it go, however after thinking about it, I knew that the place I was in, was all part of the process...the process of committing to myself and something else. I had been given a partial scholarship to attend, so this weighed on me, as I knew that if I dropped out, it was a slot lost for someone else. I will tell you that was not what weighed on me the most.

What kept arising for me was the awareness of an old habit-thankfully an old, old story that no longer fit me. When the going got tough, I used to quit. It was easier then facing what felt like a daunting task. My life here in Colorado has actually helped me with this one particular nasty habit. Living so closely to nature has taught me perseverance and how to stick it through when the going gets tough. As a result I have discovered the personal growth that comes out of leaning into the things that aren't always comfortable.

Yesterday I woke up feeling relieved to be complete with my commitment. Much to my surprise, by the end of graduation day, I had an ache in my heart when I realized I would not be gathering next month, with the 39 amazing people I had come to know. Imagine that!

SHARE: What happens when you lean into the places you most want to resist?

I am off to pull a Tranformation Card....will you join me?

Just in...an amazing testimonial!

I am dancing around the studio, in my purple boots. I held an intention to manifest this particular dream and.... I am thrilled to announce that I have received a fabulous testimonial from author and life coach, Jennifer Louden! 

EnVision Your Dreams ladies...it works! This one goes in my Milestones Passport. I want to celebrate success!

And...as if that wasn't enough, she has invited me to create a prompt for her Cafe, for July 2009. What an honor! 

Here's what Jennifer had to say about Creative Awakenings:

"I savored the playful life giving energy of this book and Sheri's unique way of letting art help live into our intentions. This is a fertile, intimate and nourishing exploration. You will find yourself being drawn into envisioning your own dreams but even more exciting, you'll discover things you didn't dare dream. And I loved the stories."

~Jennifer Louden, author of The Woman's Comfort Book and The Life Organizer, www.jenniferlouden.com 

Check out Jennifer's YUMMY offer just announced today: 

"The Very Yummy Taste of the Comfort Café Giveaway » Comfort Queen" (http://twitthis.com/a2rlsj)

Good Sunday morning to you all! I am about to get ready for day 2 of the Roaring Fork Valley Studio Tours. I had a wonderful day yesterday at my friend Lyndsay's digital printing studio in Basalt and it was great to shoot the s--t with 3 other talented local artists-photographers. I love speaking the language of the creative process with other folks. I find it so inspiring to hear about their processes. Once again I was reminded how isolating the life of an artist can be...if we forget to make the effort to connect with other like or unlike minds.

I want to support everyone in taking some steps to put yourself out there in the public eye. On Friday, we had a conversation about the "measurement of success"-started by yours truly-in my Roaring Fork Leadership training program. Clearly I have a very broad and feminine understanding of this and I am really grateful for that, as it allows me to see the tiny steps, not just those the size of Sasquatch!

Here is how I felt successful yesterday: Lyndsay's studio is a bit off the beaten path and it took some effort and determination to find us (anyone see the metaphor?), in spite of that, I sold one print and a couple of books, but the true success was in the connections made to new people and faces who are interested and truly excited about my classes and workshops. I even made a contact for a connection to the Aspen Chapel Gallery-she approached me with the idea, after I talked with her about my process. I had no idea who she was when talking with her, thus proving on of my biggest personal motto's and important customer service rule, especially in this Valley..."You never know who you are dealing with, so treat EVERY person with kindness and respect! This possibility is simply FANTASTIC and quite thrilling to say the least!

It was nice to talk about the work and how it comes about and I remembered that not everyone understands how the artistic process happens. For those of you who are doing shows and events. Here is another piece of unsolicited advice. Don't sit around looking bored or reading a book in your booth-no matter how the show is going, especially in these financially challenging times. Look people in the eye as they walk by, smile and ask them how their day is going. You'll be surprised, how many will stop and feel welcomed into your booth space.

Off to shower and get ready for day two!

Thank you SO much for posting your Books of Dreams, your intentions and introducions, in the One Book Group,  in the Salon. Your stories have touched a place in the deepest place of my heart. It lets us know we have all walked a mile in one another's shoes! Let's keep walking down the path together!

Hugs and purple boots,
Your guide and CFO....Sherihttp://creativeawakenings.ning.com/