Zen & The Busy Brain

© 2013 Paulissa Kipp, all rights reserved

What happens when you combine acrylic skins, pen and ink, meditative creation via zentangling aka tangling and an explosion of color?  You get zen.  This piece began as a simple line drawing and through the process of building patterns, it built upon itself.  What does it mean?  The jester hat stands for mirth, the poppies for the beauty of the earth, mother earth, shoot for the stars and the labyrinth on the left represents the path the only we can walk.

Have you tried using acrylic skins in your work?  Skins add interesting textural elements.  Simply use a glass palette and peel the acrylic waste from the palette after the paint has dried.  You can cut it into shapes, layer several skins and no waste!

I’d love to hear how you recycle in the process of doing your art.

 

A Gift For You! Open It – You’ll Never Be The Same

Beloved,

The fact that you are still here and still being a Phoenix rising shows that you DO value yourself. It takes courage to face challenges, survive and to want to make a change. Maybe you don’t value yourself as much as you would like, but the spark is there and will be fanned into a flame that will burn brightly.

It has to begin with you – with offering your unique gifts. You weren’t meant to fit in amongst the mediocre, you were meant to SHINE. We are given a box of gifts at birth, it is our job to hand that box back at the end of our days and say “There is nothing left – I used it all up.”

When we do our me-work (the Beauty Uprising, self-development and self-awareness) because we are worth it, we learn that through vulnerability comes strength. We break ourselves down and get rid of the crap that no longer serves us – negative views of ourselves, habits that perpetuate cycles of defeat, relationships that no longer affirm our worth and we act from of place of love. You’ve beaten yourself up long enough, hon.

I challenge you to do some mirror work. There is a very specific reason: By looking into the mirror, we see ourselves as we are: human. Each day I would like you to look in the mirror and say the following ( a paulissaism that helped me tremendously in my path and perhaps it will help someone else):

I am ENOUGH
-Smart ENOUGH
-Worth ENOUGH
-Loved ENOUGH
ENOUGH. I am.

You may feel funny at first and that it is OK. You may feel phony or feel lots of resistance and that is OK too. The most valuable lessons are found when we are uncomfortable. That is where the growth happens. Fake it until you make. Say this until you believe in your heart of hearts that you truly are enough, in the state in which you are now because you are a Phoenix and you are rising!

Don’t be a yeah but either. . .you know “Yeah but it’s hardddddddd”. Yes it is hard but you are worth every effort. Mega hugs and lots of love. Hope some of this helps.

Bumblings of A Busy Brain

© 2013 Paulissa Kipp, All rights reserved

This piece is a response to a journaling prompt.  The prompt:  Engage in a conversation with an organ of your body.  What would you ask it?  What would that organ have to tell you?

I chose my brain since it is sooooooo noisy some days.  The result is a humorous, yet accurate depiction of life inside my mind.  Yes, I really DO think in song lyrics.

Brain:   Ob-la-di, ob-la-da life goes on brah La la how the life goes on Ob-la-di, ob-la-da life goes on brah La la how the life goes on

Me:  Life goes on and we learn.  Why must you ALWAYS think in song lyrics?

Brain: My friend, I think in song and sonnet, harmony and melody, in Plato, Voltaire, Emerson, Thoreau and Shakespeare.  I am tthe essence of personality.  I create reality.  As we think, so we are.  “I just wannabe mad for awhileeeeee. . .”

Me:  Mad?  I’m not even angry!  Have you lost your mind?  Oh wait, , ,SHUT UP, ALREADY!

Brain:  “Honey hush, you know you talk too much.  You talk in the morning talk all damn day. . .so honey hush. . .

Money honey or honey hush.  What are negligent torts?  What IS that #!* noise?  What is for dinner?  Oh look!  A wild turkey outside the window!  Hmmm. . .too bad it isn’t Thankgiving.”

Me:  Slow down!  How do you expect me to concentrate?

Brain:  “Slow down, you move too fast, you’ve got to make the morning last
Just kickin’ down the cobble-stones, lookin’ for fun and feelin’ groovy.”

Me:  Move!   You’re standing too close to me.

Brain:  “Don’t stand, don’t stand, don’t stand so close to me. . .”

Me:  Shut up and let me rest!

Brain:  Somewhere Over the Rainbow. . .

Me:  Now that’s more like it.

For a little extra fun, here are links to the songs above:

Obla di:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJhcGepfG04

I Just Wanna Be Mad : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYjO-L48ZQQ

Feeling Groovy:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJBhdKrwTOc

Don’t Stand So Close to Me:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNIZofPB8ZM

Honey Hush:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lg9VPEQQ60

Money Honey:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8oNHMNCSjQ

Somewhere Over the Rainbow:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccCnL8hArW8

Braggart!

“Tell me a little about yourself.”

Tongue tied, sweaty palm, raspy voice

“Who Me?”

So much to tell, so little to share

Do I dare to unlock the box

To take pride in it all, even the rocks?

Braggart!

Liar!

Fraud!

Who do you think you are?

I think, no I KNOW I am me

Courageous

Magnificent

Beautiful

ME!

© 2013 Paulissa Kipp 4/17/13

 

The Mirror Dialogues

The Creation – Installment 2

via The Mirror Dialogues.

 

What The Human Spirit Can Do

I went to play pool last night with my team and as always, in a bar setting one never quite knows what one will see.  Yet last night with all of its drama and tribulation restored my faith in the human spirit.

There was a gentleman there who was a veteran of the war in Iraq.  His body wracked by injury, he wore a brace on his left leg which dragged behind him, his shoulder was twisted at what appeared to be a very painful angle and he used a walker.  Yet this man was dancing safely inside the confines of his walker and playing pool.  He shot the pants off of everyone he played.  He balanced his cue stick upon the walker and shot.  He showed joy in spite of his many challenges.  I took the opportunity to speak with him and walker dance a couple of tunes. 

At the end of the night I asked to photograph him, a request he graciously declined but was happy to allow me to share his story with you.  I asked him about finding joy in the midst of such challenges and thanked him for his service and sacrifice.  He told me “There are those who are paralyzed despite being “healthy”.  They don’t even realize it.  They don’t pursue joy internally or externally.  It is in the living that we thrive.  There are those who would prefer not to see me struggle and would rather I sat at home and withered away.  Yet socialization and activity ensure that I will continue to be productive and to give to others and society.  Don’t ever forget that no matter the challenges, the choice is ours as to what good we will share with the world.”  With tears in my eyes, a lump in my throat and renewed resolve, I hugged this man and wished him well.  I left my card with him and offered him and his family a free holiday portrait should he want one. 

The human spirit.  May we all inspire others through the testament of how we live our lives.

© 2012 by Paulissa Kipp