How to leap into your next awesome big idea

editing in the afternoon 0791 watercolor & beeswax 20" x 30" beth vendryes williams

editing in the afternoon 0791 watercolor & beeswax 20" x 30" beth vendryes williams

I will plan a structure for the day, so I have dedicated time to allow my imagination to follow its course, eat, exercise, nurture relationships, take care of my home environment and read.

The structure is not carved in stone, but is a flexible net which can catch me if I start to get distracted.

Then I will take action...drawing and painting as a way of discovering my next direction, allowing the action of creating to discover where I am heading.

If you try this, l would love to hear how it works for you! If you have other ways of jumpstarting yourself after a period of great exertion, p;ease share that! I would love to try different approaches!

The party is over, so what do I do next?

If you have ever had that ungrounded feeling, you know it encompasses both a sense of freedom and inertia. Try this next time you get into this tetherless situation. Below is my breakdown of what I try to do

I am up early sitting quietly and yet distracted by the lists of things I feel I have to accomplish and would like to experience,    I feel lured  by the call of the internet and the sight of little tumbleweeds of dog fur scooting under furniture in my house.

I meditate, accessing my deepest spirit self, asking for help from within, at the core of who I am.

Next I take care of my body, making sure I am getting the right food, sleep and exercise.

“The structure is not carved in stone, but is a flexible net which can catch me if I start to get distracted.”

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4 Ways to Transform Your Vision on Life’s Journey

beth vendryes williams

beth vendryes williams

I am awestruck that life has surprised me yet again! 

The remarkable thing is that

I knew in high school that the marks I created on paper revealed the invisible parts of me.

Through college and then graduate school at the University of Iowa, I honed my 

skills, pursuing the vocation of making art the rest of my life.

And I have! 

 Amid caring for three little rapscallion sons, changing diapers, and

working at Ikea and teaching, I painted and drew my children and even painted freshly 

washed laundry. I was awed by the beauty in the haphazardness, shadows,  

and light that bright little faces and just washed laundry. And now after not being

able to exhibit for a shone from few years, I am having an Open Studio this weekend.

Was it in the way I expected? No, not at all! 

What about your life? 

Do you remember your initial vision of your life? Has it grown and transformed as you have?

Can you continue to find inspiration in the spaces and moments between the daily demands of life?

A few things I’ve learned about living my vision and what you can do to transform yours:

  1. Define your vision and then let it grow with you

  2. When difficulties throw you off course, explore the new path and reset your route, but be sure to retain your vision's essence

  3. Remember that the way your vision plays out will always be different from what you imagined

  4. Life, art, and work are a process, not a destination

This weekend, as I observe the results of my latest work, I am grateful to have this chance to reflect and to share my work through my Open Studio.

I will be posting online the work exhibiting at my

Open Studio

, so you can all see where I am in my journey!

Where are you in your journey? Where would you like to be?

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