Hello bright beautiful being! I hope the changing season is blessing you with vibrant colors and wrapping you in warmth… whether you are experiencing spring in the southern hemisphere or autumn in the northern hemisphere like me. Here is a bouquet of colorful fall flowers for you. I collected them on a lovely morning walk around our home.
I especially like those funky plants with spiky pink seed pods and vibrant orange berry like things (if images seem blurry, you can click to enlarge and view more clearly). I love new discoveries like that and bringing the inspiration and intimacy into art. This sweet sketch is a way of pausing to appreciate the present and enjoy the blessings. I will probably add colorful paint in the studio later. I thought you might also like to color along so I’m sending a free copy via email this month from ThriveTrue.com/MagicMail. I’d love to see what you do if you choose to join me!
The sketch above reminds me of one of my favorite offerings, a creative course about being present and noticing the gifts of now. Though it has been a few years since I put it together, it still lingers in my heart and encourages me to be more present… and to feel the magic of a moment, such as soaking in the dappled sunshine, fresh mountain air, and gathering the bounty from both the garden and the art supply store this Harvest season. I made a short painting video while sitting outside with my new ink colors if you’d like to see.
I love when a painting flows forth with that kind of ease! I admit, it is not always the case and there are times that a canvas gets many, many layers before it feels right. This one has a subtle and soft sort of vibe and simplicity that I find alluring. I was thinking of flowers while painting the final layer. Yet, it could also be a glimpse through a microscope at the abundant world my teen boys have been learning about in homeschool biology this year. The world is quite an amazing and baffling and incredible place!
“Free Fallin” Original Painting on 16×20″ Paper
Often, I turn to a blank canvas to process some of the bafflement or explore conversations. I think I started the following painting on watercolor paper in April 2019. I remember that it was in response to some disturbing events and examples of prejudice. I let my feelings flow and be a mess. It led to the message “we are different vessels for the same breath.” That was prior to the pandemic and masks!
The painting waited patiently for me to revisit it. A few months ago, I turned the paper the other direction and started adding more color. I was letting it lead and trusting the next instinct to add a mark here or a color there. It turned into a garden with various plants. As it grew, so did the wonder and joy in my heart. The original message about the breath takes on an even broader meaning to include the plants and the land. It feels healthy and whole. I hope that we may be part of healthy gardens and communities as we all continue to learn and grow.
“The Same Breath” Original Painting on 16×20″ Paper
I think about what the world might look like without so much vibrant color more often than I might otherwise because my two boys cannot see the same kind of colorful world that I do. When they were very young, I thought they were learning the colors wrong because they would mix up green and orange. As they grew, I realized that it was because they cannot distinguish between green and orange or pink, purple, and blue or some shades of red and green. They don’t feel the same kind of awe that I do in a flower garden or in the fall because they cannot see all the variety of colors. I wonder if it always looks like winter to them (so many shades of gray). I hope that someday there may be a way for them to enjoy a more colorful world. I also hope that the rest of us may find ways to appreciate the colors we’ve been blessed to see and be.
I’m currently reading a book inspired by the color turquoise. I always appreciate when books can incorporate color in interesting ways. Do you have any favorite books that emphasize color somehow? Here are some of my favorites:
Here are a few more fun ones to enjoy with kids and two more that are on my TBR (to be read) list:
If you love to read, I share many more great books on my virtual bookshelf. You might also enjoy last year’s post about some wonderful witch stories as Halloween approaches.
If you’d like a little more encouragement to lighten up and let your heart sing, you can also get a free video preview of my book, The Girl Who Dances With Delight, from ThriveTrue.com/MagicMail.
Wishing you a colorful season full of fresh air and bountiful harvests!
Love,
Jules
Julia Ostara © 2020
I am so grateful for our library and recommend you check your local library for referenced books if you’d like to explore them more. I am also a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program (an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by linking to amazon.com) since I often link to items anyway! If you see something you’d like to have and are willing to use the links (click image of book) from this page, it will send a few pennies my way without costing you anymore than usual. I only list items that I’ve found valuable personally.
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