I have SO MUCH to catch up on and share with you here. The past 3 weeks have whirled by like a magic carpet ride and then I suddenly smacked down with a nasty cold and cough. So here I am on the mend.
SOUL FOOD: I'm feeling a bit vulnerable, but embracing it as I share this video glimpse of myself answering a handful of questions given to all the creative cooks on this SOUL FOOD Adventure. Everything kicks off December 30th and then runs all the way through December 2014! If you have yet to hear the buzz, there are 39 Creative Heads in the Kitchen serving up a delicious mix of media ---> check out all the juicy details right here. AND I'm also giving away a free spot. . . see below!
For a chance to win a spot ---> leave a comment below with YOUR FAVORITE SOUL FOOD & I will announce winners next week!
The Magical Digital Hat has chosen --->
Congrats to Gwyn! Please email me at carissapaigeART@gmail.com to claim your seat :) I wish I could give out more spaces... Each & every morsel of your Soul Food answers were delicious to read about. Thank you so much for participating / sharing.
Big Love & Blessings to you & yours this holiday / new year season!
Hi friends! I'm just beginning to peek out of the rabbit hole I fell into last week. Talk about New Moon swooshing in and stirring things up, deeeep. Did it have an effect on you too? I'm just grateful to be upright on the other side. I'm also excited to be a part of this little blog hop sharing the newest stamp line by Roben-Marie Smith... I am seriously in LOVE with these stamps. I made a little video to inspire you... Hope you enjoy!
PS! Speaking of Rabbit Holes: As I was polishing up this post late last night (1:30 AM) a WILD BUNNY hopped by our back window and then binkied with JOY across our yard. Good things to come....
Hey guys! Welcome to my little stop on the "Art Doodle Love"express. I'm sharing a video of 3 spreads and some major love for "Art Doodle Love" by Dawn DeVries Sokool.
Honestly, I can't speak highly enough about the space we need. To explore ourselves deeply and compassionately. To let go and sit inside huge cyclones of surrender.
What I love most about this "Journal of Self-Discovery"is the prompts, the colorfulness, and the pages. Oh the pages. I am so impressed with how much they can endure and hold (as you can see in my explorations above). Sturdy, velvety, and the perfect size. A lovely combination. I'm really inspired flipping through it every time and honestly can't wait to fill it. I've been a journal keeper all my life. A composition book has always been alongside me. Moving through this experience I look back at progress, at the wisdom I had in my 20's, at the experiences I put down, my dreams and pictures. The deep down messes. All of it. I savor this life, this journey. Every little strand. This book is something special. . . I knew it from the moment I held it. Without giving away all the secrets, it's been a true gem for me on this road. Of self-exploration, of self-discovery. Art Doodle Love is here. Just the right place. Just the right time. If this book speaks to you, and if you need a little nudge on your journey to self-discovery: it's available right here.
Your next stop on the blog hop express is my pal Mindy!! We are just getting back after a lovely weekend teaching at Teahouse Studio in Berkley, CA. More on that soon!! Until then --->
Today is the day -- 21 SECRETS is officially official. I am thrilled to be a part of this amazing brew of women. I am also thrilled to finally reveal what I'll be sharing with you:
"Following the Wild Winds"
Take a courageous voyage through your thoughts and feelings
using words, colors and figures to expressively spill yourself into your
journals. This workshop will guide you to listen, see subtle signs and clues
and explore them deeper. Whether it’s transformation you’re seeking or just a
new way to let loose in your pages, “Following the Wild Winds” is an invitation
to see yourself and the world around you from new heights. It is also an invitation to get out -- take
soul-full walks, listen to animal messengers, sit still and be illuminated by
your discoveries. Once you embrace the Wild Winds they will carry you to where
you’re meant to be.
My heart is so silly full as we approach this new year, so ready to journey into 2013 beginning with Legend of YOU. Thank you for hanging in there while I sort out the technical aspects! And deepest gratitude for being a part of this journey. More words and sneak peeks as January draws closer!
Cheers to new years + NEW LEGENDS!
All my heart, Carissa
PS. You are warmly invited to join my new creative community: Legend of YOU! I have yet to set up the mobile version, so it may appear blank if you aren't viewing from your computer.
I am at a loss for words! This past weekend I held the first Wonder Books workshop in downtown Sanford at the Jeanine Taylor Folk Art Gallery where 8 wonder-full women gathered round and opened wide, let looooose and freeeee. Each with their own unique and wild voice. A total dream! The messages that came through serendipitously to everyone through blind pickings and painted unfoldings was a true joy to witness. The happy mistakes, the pushing through, the connections and magic that happen when creative women get together. It's a true force of nature. . . a cyclone of creative energy with all sorts of happy heart sparkles dashing about the room. Hugest thanks to our hostess with the mostest -- Mary K Shaw and Jeanine Taylor for the holding the most glorious space.
I have been working long & hard to bring this and other eee-courses to you very soon! Sign up for my newsletter in the upper right to find out when.
The art featured on the walls is a collection of "Delicate Creatures" by Carolina Cleere. We were all so happy to create amongst her creatures!!
Last but not least: A sugary-sweet-collab between me -n- Rachel Awes!!
Space Holding / Holding Space unfolded back and forth with pure magic and joy. It is a reminder of the sacred essentialness of Space Holding for ourselves, our hearts, and others -- a reminder than when we get together creatively and work together creatively we amplify that energy and miraculous things bloom. To share in our journeys, to hold space for one another, to hold space for our art / our exploding hearts, to hold space for our everything we've been through to guide and lead, to BLESS / HONOR / and BURY the rest.
Taking all of that wisdom gathered in wonder-ing and sprinkling it into the lives of others. . . .
I'm very excited about my upcoming workshop at the Jeanine Taylor Folk Art Gallery. It's always been my favorite gallery so I'm thrilled they are hosting my little Wonder Books workshop!! We'll be creating 3 unique mixed-media spreads inside altered board books.... geared toward awakening our wonder, inner wisdom, and empowering our path... I have a few surprises up my sleeve so I don't want to reveal too much just yet!! You'll have to come see / experience for yourself ;)
Class info:
Location: 211 East 1st Street Sanford, FL 32771
Sign Up: (407) 323-2774
With Love + Wonder,
Carissa
PS. I'm working on bringing this class to the online world too! You can sign up for my newsletter at the top right of this page to find out when.
"The whole world is wild at heart & weird on top" David Lynch
I am going through the process of space clearing, yet again. It's amazing how much one can accumulate not only as an artist, but after living in one space for 9 years. It's all coming together though, on so many levels: Spirit, Mind, Body.
I have much to share, but for now just wanted to say HELLO and share some BIG paintings I'm working on in the midst of the Clearing:
I've added quite a few new originals to the shop. A batch of affordable / collectible / original / mixed media pieces on Bristol paper. Check them out right here!
Introducing: the newest addition to the family -- Art Dolls! I've been visualizing these dolls in my head for quite some time. It was truly magical to have them come to life for the first time! They're made from salvaged linen, vintage fringe trim, feathers collected from the Florida beaches, paints, and mad-mad LOVE.
While making these the word "spirit doll" kept popping into my head. After looking it up, I believe these most certainly are Spirit Dolls. They've both been infused with incredible amounts of love, energy, meaning, and Spirit. Little Messengers! Eloise has already become an Aussie (how exciting). Margo is still patiently waiting for a Dreamer to come along who needs her magical powers -- find out more about the personal meaning for Margo (right here).
Last weekend (11-11-11) I met Goddess Doreen Virtue at the ICDI Conference. She's an intutitive angel and advised me to work outdoors, that everything in my life will be more magical if I do. She also called me "Fairy Girl", and said I'm surrounded by fairies. This has seriously come up 4 times this year by different intuitive people. Apparently I have fairies around me! Not sure if you believe in Fairies, they are essentially the same as Angels, but more Earthbound. They do sparkly fairy like magic. (I guess if I'm surrounded, I better learn more about them!) There was also a 3 hour talk by Wayne Dyer. He is INCREDIBLE to say the least. I left so full of emotion, so wide open, so incredibly WOW. The tears were flowing. I also heard Carolyn Myss, Collette Baron-Reid, Debbie Ford, and more! So many great teachers. I'm still processing it all. I'll share some of my notes and thoughts later!
Last but not least -- Here's a video I made this past Sunday, on a bit of a whim. I know the editing isn't perfect, but I had fun. Fun's what its all about! I wanted share glimpses into how my creative process works: Writing, dressing up, thrifted treasures, painting, playing, photographing, experimenting! Growing up I had a major infatuation with Mary Poppins, and watched the movie a zillioin times. Life was kind of crazy growing up, so a magical flying nanny with "A spoonful of sugar to help the medicine go down, in the most de-light-ful way" become a huge fantasy for me, soul food. Its where my creative sparks began. I recently discovered the old Walt Disney / Mary Poppins record from 1964 and was so thrilled. I came home and played it while I was working on the dolls above. See -- all this rambling ties in somehow. Anyway, I could ramble on. Hope you enjoy my little take on Mary Poppins.
Happy Thanksgiving Friends / Family! I'm so gratefull for YOU and for all that you share and teach. Sending LOVE in WAVES.
10PM (last night) -- Eeeee!!! Dancing around the house because I've FINALLY got this screen printing thing down !!!! I'm no pro, but I'm. having. SO. much. FUN. Discovering & setting off on this new voyage. Imagining all the places to go with THIS process! Giddy like a school girl over here.
3AM -- Can hardly sleep. Having dreams about screen printing the walls of my house.
9AM -- Awake... And still dreaming about screen printing.
3:30PM -- Playing with some more images. (Have I mentioned how infatuated I am???)
These are just a couple of finished pieces so far... The Writer in The Window is inspired by our recent trip to Savannah... Rose is a limited edition, I won't be making much more of her (if any.) I'm going to make some new screens this week & play around with thinner lines & WORDS! Wa-wa-wa-wooordddss. I'm so over the moon! And this is only the beginning!
Also on the agenda is finally listing the Originals of all the new artwork from the past couple of weeks...
Happy Monday my friends. I hope your week is off to a good start.
I have so much catching up to do in blogland! I took a bit of a internet break of sorts and have spent a lot of time working on my innards. Now that I'm out of the woods... I have so much goodness to share. Starting with my trip to Savannah! It's such a lovely town. We are pretty sure our goal is to move there next. I will share pics & stories soon.
For now, here's a few new paintings I made recently. I've been really trying to make art I love (not worrying who else might love it too) and rifling through all the goodies I've collected in my studio for so long now. Letting it all unfold instinctively and following the story as it unfolds and letting it heal me and speak to my soul, my personal story. Each of these has a bit of a hidden meaning... and I hope they speak to you in your own personal way too.
Hello Friends, I'm back w/ a little update from the Studio! It's chilly here this morning and I'm all bundled up w/ festive socks and comfy jammies. I'm having some tea and pondering breakfast as I type this. Hmmmm.... Before I get side tracked I wanted to show you some paintings in the works!
All these are in the works or almost done...The very first painting above (a background in the works) is actually a canvas w/ a custom frame built around it. I found it at The Magical Thrift! Originally it had a plain cream colored background w/ a bluebird sitting on a branch. I gesso'd over everything w/ my bare hands (oh how good this feels!) and was going to somehow incorporate the remaining bits of the bird after it dried. I decided to cover it all up using this muslin fabric I had screenprinted some of my writings onto, along w/ bits of fabric and pages from a French Dictionary (all from The Magical Thrift!) I smooshed on paint w/ my hands some more. . . Here's a closer shot:
I'm working on it slowly trying to figure out whats there.Theres more pink/fuscia than I planned because my previously constipated tube of paint became suddenly regular again and gooshed out all over the place!
Lovely people have asked to see more of my creative space, so I promise to share views more often (with better lighting!) It's mostly just a disaster ;) I'm getting ready for my first ever show on December 11th and working on my display. I cut these old closet doors I found at (you guessed it) The Magical Thrift, in half and added some hinges. I had some snafus but I'm really happy w/ how it's coming along! I'll share before and after pics along w/ a rough tutorial of this little DIY project! I'm in the middle of painting it white right now.
Well I'm off to figure out breakfast! Hope your week is going well!
