Family and Letting Go

I guess the title of this post might be a tad misleading. It is about family, and it is about letting go, but not letting go of anyone.

Detail view of Family, a mixed media piece by artist, Melissa Sherbon.

By Family, I mean my latest canvas. It's called Family, and it was a commission with a twist. My best friend's father asked me to paint a piece for him, but he wanted it to represent my own family. I was so touched that my family means that much to him, so of course I couldn't wait to get started on the piece!

Detail view of Family

Like I mentioned in an earlier post, I always doubt myself. I always freak out a little bit over commissions for one reason or another, and this was no different. I started worrying I wasn't going to be able to get my emotions out effectively. That I wouldn't represent my loved ones well. That I wouldn't get into a flow and the piece would never come together. See? I freak out a little!

Well, like always with my creativity, I find inspiration when I least expect it. I was out picking up the canvas and got side tracked in the scrapbook paper. (Who hasn't done that before, right?) I found so much wonderful paper! Ideas started churning, images started popping up, and suddenly I had an arm load of paper and ephemera before I even got to the canvas aisle!

Thankfully, the wave kept up! I tend to be moody during a painting. I have highs and lows, hate it then love it, then hate it again. It's just part of the process sometimes. But not this time! I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of this piece. It felt like it was flowing from a greater source, and I couldn't be happier with the outcome! It's my favorite piece of mine.

That's where the letting go comes in. 

I really enjoyed the process on this one! the colors came together so well! (Detail of Family.)

I do a lot of pieces that just hang on my own walls. I do a lot of them solely for myself. This piece pushed me to do something I would probably not have undertaken on my own because the subject always seemed too close to me. I'm grateful for this challenge because, even though I have to let it go to a new home, I was pushed to paint something very close to my heart. And that push helped me really think, really connect with all my wonderful family memories and put my whole heart into the piece. 

Family, a 30x30" mixed media painting on canvas by Melissa Sherbon.

So that's what I mean by Family and Letting Go. Family has to be my favorite piece of my work to date, but it just feels right that it won't stay here with me, but go out in the world. Sort of like my actual family... They make the world a little brighter just being out there. And that's exactly what I hope this piece will end up doing!

On Following Your Bliss...

It's been a long time since I could say I was truly following my bliss. I think we all have that problem, especially as adults. We tend to lose our wild abandon and courage to follow our dreams as we grow; that's definitely something I have been guilty of doing for a while now. Well, no more! Change is afoot here in my little Florida apartment. I decided to jump and trust that my wings would show up. Since today is really the first part of that jump, I can't say I see my wings yet...but I think I feel them unfolding!

Best. Feeling. Ever.

Today was the first day in nearly a year that I got out my canvas and papers and got paint under my finger nails. It was pure bliss! There's nothing quite like splashing color, tearing paper, and doodling designs. It'd been so long, I was afraid I'd feel weird or not be able to get to what I felt needed to spill out onto the table. Turns out, creating is kind of like riding a bike. It might feel wobbly at first, but once you have it, you can't ever really lose it.

"Bliss" has meant a lot of different things to me in my life, but I now know that pure bliss is being right where you are supposed to be, present and experiencing your path in the moment. My path was wooded and overgrown for a while, but I reached a fork in the road and took Robert Frost's words to heart. I took the road less traveled. I followed my heart, and my art. I dug deep and found the courage to open a shop, but more importantly, to open up and truly find myself again through creating.

Pumpkin loves helping me paint!

I am blessed beyond belief to have a wonderfully supportive cheerleader in my husband, Rob. We talked for months and months about which road for me to choose, but in the end he supported my decision to walk away from my part time job to follow my art...where ever it may lead. That choice, coupled with his unfailing faith in me, has made me feel light as a feather today. I wish I could share that feeling with the whole planet! Unfortunately, I don't know how to do that quite yet. I did at least share it with my trusted muse a bit today, since Rob was at work. My babies (I have three!) are never far and always love seeing what I'm up to.

I felt super inspired today. My whole body was vibrating; I just I couldn't stop smiling. I guess that feeling came out! I'm excited about my new journey. I'm making a promise to myself to follow my own unique bliss and to trust myself, my path...and my brand new wings.