Thursday, January 16, 2014

Inner Artist Guardians and Cougars

This year I have signed up for Life Book again - I joined Life Book 2013 last year, and although I didn't do all the projects (by far not) I liked this year long class so much that is was pretty much a no-brainer to sign up for Life Book 2014. I love it - no surprise here.

The first week was about our inner artist guardian - no wonder a cougar turned up in my imagination as my very personal guardian. No angel or anything like that - a mountain lion instead.


If this painting reminds you of the cougar I wrote about here you are absolutely right!!!

Week 2 we had the wonderful Micki Wilde. I have adored her art work for some years and I was looking forward to her lesson. She worked around our word for the year which in my case is "making time"

Although the "assignment" itself was not difficult at all, I had a hard time with it. Micki did her lesson mostly in grey which I first did, too. I did not like mine, and I also had difficulties freeing myself from her example and did kind of the same thing as she did.


Needless to say I didn't like that. I just let it rest for a couple of days, and then I started a new painting. This time it worked - I painted what came into my mind - most often my hand just ruled over everything and played with the white paint, making many "swirly dots" - oh, I liked this so much better!!!


Does this sometimes happen to you that you see something that you want to paint and you just can't get free from that image? You're simple blocked to come up with something on your own? If so, what do you usually do?

I'm linking with Paint Party Friday - the first time in 2014 for me.

21 comments:

Magic Love Crow said...

Your mountain lion is stunning! Very strong, powerful, courageous, and beautiful! If I am blocked with my art, I have to walk away and leave it alone, until I feel free again ;o) Have fun with "Life Book" ;o)

Elephant's Child said...

I adore your cougar - long may he protect you.

froebelsternchen said...

fabulous pieces - AMAZING!

Heather Foust said...

Love your cougar! I to signed up for Lifeclass 2014. This is my first week. My inner goddess I did this week is on my blog and I did the journal page also on my blog. My words were Figure it out. Whatever that may be. Did not get to Carla Sonheims yet! I love her!

Marji said...

Animal totems are important in the massages they carry for us. Have you discovered what the mountain lion brings? I run into that problem of seeing an image and having a hard time to break free of it. It takes courage to make it our own. It's a matter of believing we can and are good enough to do so.

Giggles said...

Wonderful cougar...very powerful guardian! I paint intuitively so I do walk step away for a day or two when it's not working then return with the hopes things change!
Your Making time turned out awesome!!

Hugs Giggles

Netty said...

Loving your fab cougar Carola, enjoy your new adventure. Happy PPF, Annette x

http://nettysartadventures.blogspot.co.uk/

Faye said...

Love the cougar! And your new painting for the beginning of the year is very nice.

Unknown said...

lovely new pieces!!! love that cougar!!! Happy PPF!!!

Unknown said...

great new works!!! love the feline!!!

Linda Kunsman said...

Do you know what the cougar means in "Animal Speak"? It means "you are coming into your power; time to assert yourself". Wonderful pages-I actually like the grey one very much-love the bits of bright green and red-nice flow around the page. Happy PPF!

alarmcat said...

nice kitty!! i love cats of all shapes and sizes…this one is beautiful :)

happy PPF

Anonymous said...

I love your cougar! What a great symbol of a guardian spirit. I can see why you didn't like your first "making time" painting - it looks a bit grim. I think you did just the right thing, letting it rest until your own creative spirit could break free. I love the warm cheerful colors and swirling motion in your second painting. Now THAT's inspiring!

DVArtist said...

It is so nice to find your animal to pull from. Wonderful painting. Ohhh yeahhh more time that would be nice.
Nicole/Beadwright

peggy gatto said...

what a beautiful painting, it just flows with quiet energy!

Cindy D. said...

Lovely strong style in the cougar, and the journal pages are so nicely designed!

Maria Medeiros said...

Wonderful! Truly strong!

KB said...

I really adore that cougar. I love capturing their photos with my trail cameras so your painting really captured my imagination.

EVA said...

Wonderful pages Carola! I love that cougar! What eyes your guardian has!

Marcie said...

Oh..I didn't know you did Lifebook 2013. So did I - but then got lost in the middle and never quite completed it...debating whether I should do 2014 too. Your cougar is inspiring me. Thank-you - :-)!!!

gina said...

This sounds like such a fun (and challenging) project! Your guardian cougar is wonderful!