Shared Messages from the Universe - Forget the Rules if...

It is my belief that messages from the universe speak to me and remind me of something that is inside of me. When I first see them, I often don't even know what is really being advertised. Instead, the message conjures emotions or thoughts relating to something that is going on within me; in my heart, in my mind, in my soul. I see them on billboards, in magazines, store windows, church plaques...everywhere.

I secretly call them soul whispers.

The messages are all around us

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Forget the rules if it makes you happy...

As an artist, I take online classes, local classes when I can find one, visit artist studios, visit galleries, etc.

I love to learn.

Classes are great, don't get me wrong, but at some point you just have to create art.

Yes, as a photographer, I've learned about aperture, shutter speed, composition, but honestly no one has ever taught me to see things the way I see them. 

It comes from practice. 

During the past year alone I've taken over 5,000 pictures, many of them aren't very good but when you find one gem it is all worth it. 

Had it not been for my camera I probably wouldn't see the world around me the way that I do.

I feel the same way about my other art. I make jewelry, really simple twisted wire pendants, and then sterling silver, cut with a saw, formed, filed, and if I'm lucky the use of a torch to solder. I took a class a few years ago, loved it, and long for the day that I can have my own studio to create jewelry. I dream of taking the skills I learned there and not only make jewelry but also make big metal sculpture, too.

Lately, I've been art journaling and learning how to use watercolor paints, dylusion inks, inktense pencils, tombow markers, and tons of other art supplies. I've learned tons of technique but honestly, I have also learned that I really just want to make sure that I'm using the products correctly. 

I want to learn to use the tools and then I want to figure it out what my art will look like. 

I don't want my style of art to look like my teachers'. I don't want what I create to look like my classmates. 

I want to be unique.  

I don't want to follow the rules and paint a ladybug just because everyone else is doing it.

I want a little bit of me in what I create.

So, today, I want to encourage you to forget the rules the next time you take a class.  I want you to learn about the tools and then create from the heart and not from the instruction manual.

Put your heart into your art. (and stop thinking so much with your head)

Forget the rules if it makes you happy...