Tag Archives: #30dayjournal

Art Every Day Month ~ Day 10

November 11, 2015Art Every Day Month 2015, Works in Progress#30dayjournal, #artforarachnoiditis, #gratitude, #healingArtactivities, #nervember, #WUVIP, aedm2015sheilalynnkart

Water Color Home Decor Design — #AEDM2015 Day 10 “Coq Au Vin” Table Top Design from sheilalynnkart.com

Finally adding color to this table top that I created for an old round patio table that I use in my kitchen at the studio. I completed the pattern for it during 30.30.30 in September. This cold, drippy, dreary day needed a little bit of color. So, I thought, maybe YOU could use a little bit of color, too. ~slk

One of the things I have noticed lately is that having multiple work stations means that I have multiple projects going all at the same time. My ‘normal’ personality cringes at this. Once upon a long time ago…I would pull all-nighters…just to stay in the flow when A project was going really well. After eight years, I am STILL learning to condition myself to believe that it is okay to complete a project in stages and to STEP AWAY FROM THE PAINT! when my body needs something else.

Slowly, I am developing an acceptance for the “unfinished” work sitting around my house and studio. The work still gets done. …Just NOT in the linear productivity way to which I was accustomed. Admittedly, there are times when my muses resent the intrusion of meeting my bodily needs (TMI, but they’ve even felt this way about when I need to pee. So, I guess they better just put on their big girl panties and deal with it, lol.)

ONE thing I HAVE found that helps with the intrusion is to keep a sketch book and/or a couple of notepads by the bed or by my cot. If I really MUST step away from a project that is going very well, I hesitate to jump into a different one. So, I switch positions and keep thinking about the same project. I express these thoughts in words and sketches to stay focused and pick up where I left off as soon as the timer beeps. [Just a quick note…this doesn’t always mean going from vertical to horizontal…I have to change positions often. This means that even if I am drawing on my cot, I STILL have to get up when time is up and go to a different position. It takes some time (and self-discipline) to get used to working this way. Sometimes I do better at it than others. Truth is though, I have my BEST days, especially during winter months, if I follow this process.]

Portable projects work well because they can switch positions with me. However, other ones just turn out best when they stay in one spot. Planning for it is an important part of staying creative.

The Rest of the Art Every Day Month Series of Posts are Here

NOTES FROM AEDM 2015 DAY 1

I have decided to participate in Leah Piken Kolidas’ Art Every Day Month Challenge atCreative Every Day during the Month of November. For the first time, as I do this 30 day challenge, I will be posting my progress HERE for arachnoiditis survivors and advocates.

I hope you will join me for this creative journey. If you are an Arachnoiditis Survivor creating any art during the series that you would like to share with The Art For Arachnoiditis Project feel free to do so in the Art For Arachnoiditis Project Facebook page, share links in the comments below, or submit the work for use in YEAR 2 of the Survivors’ Art Exhibit. (Accepting Entries until Feb 15, 2016.) Although the Art By Survivors’ exhibit is open only to the Survivors; other creative minded individuals are invited to share in all of the other places.

SUBSCRIBE to get the quarterly Art For Arachnoiditis Project Newsletter

WATCH VIDEO FROM OUR 2015 SURVIVORS’ ART EXHIBIT HERE

SHOP Awareness Art,Your purchase will benefit the Art For Arachnoiditis Projects at the studio. These fair market prices are not tax-deductible purchases.or Make a tax-deductible contribution via our Fiscal Sponsor, NYFA [New York Foundation for the Arts] Or by check payable to the New York Foundation for the Arts, Memo: The Art For Arachnoiditis Project mailed to: SheilaLynnK Art Studio, 345 South Main Street, Wellsville, NY 14895.

To submit original art to this catalog to benefit the Art For Arachnoiditis Project Awareness Efforts. Send submissions with your signed Art In-Kind Form to sheilalynnk@yahoo.com subject line: Add My Art

This is the first time I will be doing daily art for The Art For Arachnoiditis Project. If you have never seen these posts before; you can get a better idea of what this is all about by checking out a A Few of my Similar Month-long Projects/Posts/Series from the Past.

My 30.30.30 [30 Days, 30 Pieces/posts, 30 minutes each] activities have previously been posted on my blog and on my facebook page. The most recent one I did in September 2015 is available HERE, April 2015 started HERE:

April 2014 I alternated between painting and drawing HERE andHERE

January 2014 ~ 30 Day Art Journal Project HERE

September 2013 was a daily Mandala Project (which grew and ended up in my 2013 Show, “A Round Now In A Square Time” with artist & friend, Allison Midgley) That project startsHERE

The Show is HERE

Art Every Day Month ~ Day 9

November 10, 2015Art Every Day Month 2015#30dayjournal, #artforarachnoiditis, #artTherapy, #nervember, #WellsvilleNY, aedm2015sheilalynnkart

ZEN FEATHERS

I have intended to share these with the Arachnoiditis Survivor community for a while now. My daughter saw them online and asked me to create some for her that illustrated some of her own interests. I made them for my daughter in March 2015. Now Seems like a good time to share them with you.

Enjoy!

pencil drawing — For my daughter, Inspired by the art of Sarah at alandofconfusion

The Rest of the Art Every Day Month Series of Posts are Here

NOTES FROM AEDM 2015 DAY 1

SUBSCRIBE to get the quarterly Art For Arachnoiditis Project Newsletter

WATCH VIDEO FROM OUR 2015 SURVIVORS’ ART EXHIBIT HERE

April 2014 I alternated between painting and drawing HERE andHERE

January 2014 ~ 30 Day Art Journal Project HERE

September 2013 was a daily Mandala Project (which grew and ended up in my 2013 Show, “A Round Now In A Square Time” with artist & friend, Allison Midgley) That project startsHERE

The Show is HERE

Art Every Day Month ~ Day 5

November 6, 2015Art Every Day Month 2015#30dayjournal, #arachnoiditisSurvivor, #artforarachnoiditis, #artTherapy, #gratitude, #healingArtactivities, #nervember, #spinalcordinjury, aedm2015sheilalynnkart

The weather was reasonably cooperative for November in Upstate New York. I decided to have my BF just drop me off for my morning appointment and then walked around Main Street to distribute these. IF you are new to my arachnoiditis experience; the ability to do this in November is quite a gift. The consequences… by the time I got back up the hill to the studio I had to get horizontal ASAP. Therefore, I waited to make my Day 5 art.

And then more of my “other life” happened AND I waited to make my Day 5 art. I finally got back to the computer and put together this digital alteration of a photo I took while on my morning adventures. After posting, again, that horizontal surface was calling my name.

The day whizzed by and my awesome GS was getting off the bus.

S-o-o-o still ….No “Art” BUT, I did make my first-ever, not-too-fancy-but-made-with-real-yeast-not-from-a-Mix, home made loaf of bread. Which several hours later became our Toast ‘N Cheese Sandwiches for dinner. Awesome GS says this was a successful creation. He is 5.

digital photo of home made bread — Trying to be REAL Bread

As I have been in pursuit of all things (okay…as many things as possible) organic in my life, including eliminating all chemical/commercial hygiene products; In addition to making my own shampoo and deodorant (since August) it has been my hope to devolve to the point where I no longer buy my bread at the store. Eventually, I intend to create my own breads using the wild edibles (like dock seed, amaranth, and lambsquarters) which I have been harvesting and collecting from my own back yard. THIS Month I made the leap and bought NO Bread when I went out for my monthly supplies. With a subconscious shadow of the old ways looming in my mind, I just got yeast to go with the other ingredients I already have here. [I am not to the point yet that I am ready to try to make bread from the wild “yeast” in the air.] Believe it or not all of this really does combine together to an end result that is ART. I live in my studio and am gradually working my way toward all natural art supplies, too. However, that is a whole ‘nother blog post.

AND...my bloggy-gratitude-posts this month are being spread out between my social media pages so that I can make time to do THESE posts… “Today I am thankful I found the gigantic rolls of crystal clear Frost King Plastic for the Studio Windows!”

photo of plastic wrapped windows — “Let There Be Light ” posted on the Studio Facebook page today.

So, technically I did NOT make any art today….but, it WAS a productive, eventful, WARM-ish creative day.

The Rest of the Art Every Day Month Series of Posts are Here

NOTES FROM AEDM 2015 DAY 1

SUBSCRIBE to get the quarterly Art For Arachnoiditis Project Newsletter

WATCH VIDEO FROM OUR 2015 SURVIVORS’ ART EXHIBIT HERE

April 2014 I alternated between painting and drawing HERE andHERE

January 2014 ~ 30 Day Art Journal Project HERE

September 2013 was a daily Mandala Project (which grew and ended up in my 2013 Show, “A Round Now In A Square Time” with artist & friend, Allison Midgley) That project startsHERE

The Show is HERE

FALLING INTO WINTER

November 1, 2015Activities for Healing With Art#30dayjournal, #arachnoiditisSurvivors, #artforarachnoiditis, #nervember, #WUVIP, aedm2015sheilalynnkart

October Snow; First Snow 2015 [Watch Video]

Although this first week of November is predicted to be somewhat warmer than the midweeks of October, even supposed to reach 70 on Tuesday; I KNOW that winter is fast approaching. Like other arachnoiditis survivors, my hibernal descent is likely to occur sooner rather than later.

I have learned from experience that making art can expand the confines of the interior space.

SO…drum roll please…..

I have decided to participate in Leah Piken Kolidas’ Art Every Day Month Challenge during the Month of November. For the first time, as I do this 30 day challenge, I will be posting my progress HERE for arachnoiditis survivors and advocates.

SUBSCRIBE to get the quarterly Art For Arachnoiditis Project Newsletter

WATCH VIDEO FROM OUR 2015 SURVIVORS’ ART EXHIBIT HERE

April 2014 I alternated between painting and drawing HERE andHERE

January 2014 ~ 30 Day Art Journal Project HERE

September 2013 was a daily Mandala Project (which grew and ended up in my 2013 Show, “A Round Now In A Square Time” with artist & friend, Allison Midgley) That project starts HERE

The Show is HERE

Easy Art Activity #19 Fight, Flee, or FLOW

January 26, 2015Activities for Healing With Art#30dayjournal, #amandaFpalmer, #artforarachnoiditis, #artTherapy, #FLOW, #FrancscaBattistelli, #FritzKalkbrenner, #healingArtactivities, #Lucius, #MikaelaDavis, #shakeygraves, #WUVIPsheilalynnkart

As I was working through Day 21 and Day 22 of FLOW #30dayjournal project I accepted that Living Well with Arachnoiditis means developing a delicate balance between the decision to Fight or Flee. My natural inclination is to FIGHT! against the injustice that allows arachnoiditis to occur…to FIGHT! against any threat to those I love…to FIGHT! against the arachnoiditis-related threats to my independence…

FIRST GENERAL ORDER OF THE U.S. ARMY: “I will guard everything within the limits of my post and quit my post only when properly relieved.” I am pretty sure that I believed this mantra even BEFORE I joined the Army. Active duty just made it stronger.

“Adjust to the object and you will find your way around or through it.”

Artwork by Zenpencils.com by artist Gavin Aung Than from Day 22

As I mature, I am beginning to realize that there are ways to “guard” the intangible valuables of our lives without active, physically and emotionally exhausting aggression. To Survive and Live Well we must choose our battles carefully. Save our resources for the battles that matter and fight at a pace that will NOT conquer our inner strength.

Apathy is the enemy of progress but, being geared toward constant combat will be the death of me. I can’t/won’t be the doormat under the boots of corruption but ammo explodes to its demise after its launched into the fray. The Happy Place lies somewhere in the middle.

Fighting for and maintaining my happiness and the happiness of those around me must always be my priority. The other battles, although very important, are secondary and require a support team.

if you struggle with feeling good (~Lisa Sonora)

“Happiness is the consequence of personal effort. You fight for it, strive for it, insist upon it, and sometimes even travel around the world looking for it.You have to participate relentlessly in the manifestations of your own blessings.And once you have achieved a state of happiness, you must never become lax about maintaining it. You must make a mighty effort to keep swimming upward into that happiness forever, to stay afloat on top of it.”—  Elizabeth Gilbert, from Eat, Pray, Love

Don’t give up. For the sake of happiness, be selective. Perhaps it is best to avoid the lonely fights that trap and bind us at the bottom of the ocean. Unite the forces which breathe life into our efforts. ~slk

“Ferdinand ran to the middle of the ring and everyone shouted and clapped because they thought he was going to fight fiercely and butt and snort and stick his horns around. But not Ferdinand. When he got to the middle of the ring he saw the flowers in all the lovely ladies’ hair and he just sat down quietly and smelled.”

ART ACTIVITY #19

Expanding on the FLOW suggestions from the Day 22 post,

Step 1: Reflect on the most difficult battle you are fighting today, this week, this month, this year.

Step 2: In your journal or on another surface, cut, paste, draw, paint a representation of this battle.

Step 3: Find the music that comforts you during this struggle.

Step 4: Listen to this music as you draw a symbol of yourself flowing peacefully in and around the structures and obstacles of this combat zone to come out the other side in one piece.

Fight, Flee, or FLOW (sample collage) ~ fighting from the Prone Position

The Playlist that FLOWS me through the battlefield today:

Roll The Bones ~ Shakey Graves, Wildewoman ~ Lucius, In My Mind ~ Amanda Palmer, Little By Little ~ Fritz Kalkbrenner, Write Your Story ~ Francesca Battistelli, Garden ~ Mikaela Davis, 46 and 2 Tool Cover ~by School Kids, Wildlife ~ The Prickers, and the Original Music at SheilaLynnK Art Studio by Brian Decker.

No explanations. Just sharing. Wishing you all a low pain week.

Feel free to share your resulting images (without any explanations) here. Use the Registration Form if you would like an image of your work today to be included in the FIRST Art For Arachnoiditis Project Public Exhibit. CALL FOR ENTRIES ENDS Feb. 15, 2015.

Easy Art Activity #18

January 21, 2015Activities for Healing With Art#30dayjournal, #arachnoiditisSurvivor, #artforarachnoiditis, #spinalcordinjurysheilalynnkart

Creative Adaptability:

Working toward Productive Horizontal Time

“It’s difficult to get your creative juices flowing if you’re always being practical, following rules, afraid to make mistakes, not looking into outside areas, or under the influence of any of the other mental locks.”

— Roger Von Oech, A Whack on the Side of the Head: How You Can Be More Creative

As I was working through Day 18 of the FLOW Journal Project , it occurred to me that many of my successful adaptations to accommodate arachnoiditis were ALL about breaking the rules. Living with Arachnoiditis meant that I needed structure and time management to keep my body functioning at its best. However, ADAPTING to arachnoiditis meant that I had to break most of the “rules” and “systems” that had defined my life prior to this medical injury.

“Gravity Sucks! …I began to realize that I was gravitationally challenged.” ~slk Still Standing, Sometimes

While my trusted medical care providers were trying to help me figure out what had actually happened, I remember saying that if I could just go through life suspended from boots attached to runners on the ceiling- like clothing at the dry cleaner’s- I would be fine. Although that was NOT a practical adaptation to make, it was a light bulb to the fact that I needed to STOP trying to function within traditional, socially acceptable boundaries.

I hated being in bed looking at the ceiling..doing NOTHING. In the beginning there was so much pain that I didn’t really notice. But, gradually it became evident that horizontal time was controlling the pain. I had to figure out some way to be productive WHILE I was horizontal. I designed the ProneWorks table and consulted with occupational therapy to find out more about what my body would need to work this way. It became part of my studio business plan and I incorporated the design into my small business grant application. It was going to cost $1800 to make the first prototype.

The week before I was scheduled to meet with the carpenter/upholsterer to finalize arrangements, I discovered the Ostrich Cot. Although it did not have a built in structure to accommodate standard positional cardiovascular concerns, with a price tag of $49.99 at that time, I had to try it. Thinking outside of the box helped me preserve my independence. With appropriate timing to permit proper blood flow, the Ostrich Cot became the foundation for me to resume making art. I know I am still working to adjust my ideas about “the box” because I get self-conscious using the cot in front of other people. Being/working in the prone position feels simultaneously liberating and vulnerable. I am hoping to demonstrate the cot and allow others to use it during the Opening Reception for our FIRST public art exhibit.

Art ACTIVITY #18 Today, make a simple doodle or sketch of the ideal environment OR perfect assistive device that would make living with arachnoiditis easier for you. This environment can contain known objects or new innovations that you fantasize about. There are NO rules here. If drawing is uncomfortable for you, then use cut out images and paste together a NEW device suited just for you. Defy Gravity.

Extended Activity Make a list of FIVE impractical activities you can do that support and will not conflict with your arachnoiditis-related needs.

My List

Getting Horizontal after the trip to Indiana to interview Jack Pavlekovich

Take a blanket and lay down in a public place…even if~especially if~ my body doesn’t really NEED to lay down right now.
Fight Cabin Fever~ going out is hard, invite people into the studio but, ask or designate an alternate host/hostess to stand-in for me while I visit with everyone.
Make my own ergonomic workstations…again.
Publish the book
Create an arachnoiditis adaptability class

You are invited to share your ideas, sketches, collages, and discoveries here.

Use the Registration Form if you would like your work today to be included in the FIRST Art For Arachnoiditis Project Public Exhibit. CALL FOR ENTRIES ENDS Feb. 15, 2015.