WISDOM AT THE CROSSROADS PODCAST.

SYNOPSIS
Episode 50

Fifty! Can you believe that? 50! Let’s say that again! 50 is definitely cause for celebration for all the “staff” at WISDOM AT THE CROSSROADS the podcast. That would be me and my husband if I let him call himself the employee of the month for listening in on Tuesdays. We can pretend his Law career is just a side gig for the day. Actual thanks extend to Andrea McCallum in Ontario who has been editing and loading up my episodes to this point. Find her at concreteandcrystals on instagram to see how her art practice evolves.

If we weren’t doing a dry April ahead of warmer weather it would definitely be time for some champagne, clapping hands and high fives. So, for now a virtual cheers but please make sure to splurge on the best virtual champagne you can find. I know I will.

Thank you!

This episode is shared with gratitude for all who have been along for the ride: seeking discovering and finding pause within the noise of the busy lives we have chosen. Your support and enthusiasm is appreciated.

Numerology officiondos would remind us that 50 signifies completion while also inspiring new beginnings. 50 offers an opportunity to reflect on the growth and evolution that has brought us to this present moment while also inspiring us to trust our intuition and embrace the possibility the future holds.

Our mindful meditation concludes this episode with a colourful visual journey where we invite our inner child out to be inspired to play, with colour and materials. Believe me when I say, there are no lines to be coloured in here. I hope you enjoy this peaceful pause to conclude our 50 episodes.

Detail “Big Sky Country I” Acrylic on Panel, 24” x 36” 2023

GROWTH feels like an appropriate subtitle for this fiftieth episode, especially considering a podcast was something I didn’t even imagine I would be a part of before I started. It just kind of evolved after I took an online course with Cathy Heller and began asking myself two little questions that kept coming to the fore for me,

“If not now, when? and “Why not me?”

Tech is not my forte so imagine how chuffed I was when my web designer Chantelle complimented my developing tech skills. Yes it would be appropriate to imagine i wide grin and taller demeanour here. Her comments took me back to where I began, which admittedly oscillated between fetal position and tears when it came to anything tech related that inevitably tripped me up. But here I am now sending out links making recordings, reels and narratives, embedding data, writing and organizing weekly blog posts, audio uploads, drop box nonesence, you name it I am making the effort to learn how to do it.


“There is no time like the present, no time more appropriate than where we are”

Chartreuse on the palette …thinking of spring with spring greens

“Together we are seeking and finding, listening in and making connections.”

A large part of this podcast has been the meditations that conclude each episode. I feel they are the most important part and I have tried to be aware of developing a variety of tools for our meditative toolbox in the process. I find it remarkable that together we have been working on a meditation practice for the last 49 episodes of the podcast.

Can you believe that? 49 episodes in the can and this one will mark a 50th milestone. That means there are a lot of meditation options that you can freely return to at anytime. I really appreciate the fact you have shown up for yourself to join me in taking a pause in the busy lives we have chosen. And I am proud of us for taking this time to develop our own route to becoming more present on our own paths. If feels good to be taking the reins in hand and working towards a greater and more fulfilled and aware life.

Please consider sharing your favourites with a friend. We all deserve to find a quiet respite in the busy lives we have chosen. Sharing is also a free way that you can support my creative endeavours. Thanks :)

Detail Greens from “New Naturalism”

Creativity as you know if you’ve been listening in with me is my avenue to presence.

When I get to engage in the process of creating on the paint wall the world quiets and I can literally zone out or get into the zone, however you like to think of it. I know you have had moments when you have been fully engaged in some activity or action, when you have been fully present on your own journey, however that looks for you. When we really get down to basics, …Life is the journey, so why not make that journey the best balance we can imagine.

Working on “Emerald City” Triptych

I’m trying to be aware and present for my journey in all the ways that it presents. I have discovered there are definitely seasons in our lives, some are our favourites, while others, …maybe not so much ….
but If we can learn to appreciated all of the seasons for the different things they bring, for the lessons we discover within them and the connections we make to others in the process, our journey will be enriched because of it.

Crystal inspiration in heart space green at the studio.

The Meditation…

In our meditative practice we are re training ourselves by trying out new ways to be present and to live in the moment. I hope the meditations that end each episode have been helping you to become more mindful. I have been mindful of my choices in sharing stories from my real world experience that might inspire
you to connect to your own stories . As One listener reminded me recently the stories are food for thought that take her on her own interior journeys through memory and inspiration.

Colour is at our disposal in the meditation this episode. Choose one, choose all.

Getting into the green…

In this episode we bring colour within on our intentional breath and aim to be accepting and imaginative within this visual practice. We begin with green because green has been a recent feature on my paint wall and it is also associated with our heart chakra. Who can’t benefit from a little heart medicine, any time or day of the week? When I think of green there are many varieties that come to mind: It might be the Chartreuse of new spring growth like that on my palette above? Or the warm pale mid green of aventurine that also has the ability to radiate positivity and to diffuse any negative emotions?

You might connect to the deep rich healing patterned green of malachite. Malachite is known as a stone of transformation as it brings ease to our system during periods of change and helps us to heal. In the recording I ask you to visualize the green of your choice. You can isolate separate colours or invite them all in on a blended pallet of refreshment. Colour decisions for me often end up in the “too hard basket, so I use them all.

Chartreuse detail from “Growth: Inner Resource/Wisdom”, Diptych. Acrylic on Panel, 2023, 36” x 48” each.

It’s time to invite our inner child out to play

We continue our meditation in the recording by visualising those colours forming a crayon or a marker and
imagining ourselves reaching to take a favourite tool in hand and begin to make marks on a large blank a sheet of paper.
The child within embraces this request because they are naturally enthusiastic about the invitation to feel and are genuinely curious to find connections between materials and surfaces. This inner part of ourselves is uninhibited and wowed by the discovery of this colour and the miracle of lines as they move in a generous sweep of fluid action.

Green detail, LTGLC Office Commission, Sweeping movement

Adding to the arrangement…

We add blue to keep things harmonious. Blue and Green are adjacent to each other on the colour wheel and naturally relate. Blue adds a breath of fresh air to the meditation with its associations to the throat chakra and our ability to share our voice (light blue).

What version of blue are you drawn to?
The blue of the sky on a clear summers day? The clear icy inference of aqua marine imbued with the properties of happiness hope and everlasting youth? Or maybe the rich aqua of turquoise to shed light on undiscovered artistic abilities?
Your preferences might lean to the dark side and the rich dark navy blue of sapphire that sparkles with the promise of wisdom and expansive vision at the third eye? In the recording we notice the course of your intentional breath and accept these creative and metaphoric decisions. You can access the podacast recording on all platforms. Press the arrow in the player at the top of this blog to listen directly on Podbean, or scroll to the end of this post and press the listen now button to hear it on Apple Podcasts.

Green detail, Tropical House, The Leaf, Winnipeg. I love a good contrast like these red stems and the lime green fronds. red and green, opposites on the colour wheel to keep our visual cortex firing..

Creativity really is a gift. The meditation tries to infer the gift that comes with agency. This simple invitation is without any expectation or judgement. It is simply an invitation to feel, explore, engage and allow. It is essentially a reminder that the marks we make become a permanent record of our physical presence. Right now wherever we are.

“I allow myself to become present, in the knowledge of who I am,

what I can do and who I can be.”

Big Sky from the Sweet Suite Series, 11” x 14”, Acrylic on panel, 2023

At the studio…

This week has been heavy on the painting as well as the showing. I finished up works for THE PULSE GALLERY Show, “Spring Fling” that opened April 1 st at Johnston Terminal at the Forks in Winnipeg.

I have always loved the connections I have made through my art and I was grateful to be able to reconnect with old friends and new at the opening. On more than one occasion I regretted not recording conversations I had with attendees as they would have been great fuel for future episodes of the podcast.

As you know WiSDOM AT THE CROSSROADS is all about presence: for me on the paint wall and for all of us through meditation and story that hopefully inspires a connection to your own stories through my examples.

After 50 episodes I’ll be taking my own advice and pressing the pause button on this initiative. I have new tech skills to learn as my editor Andrea will not be continuing with her side gig. Taking a pause will allow me a chance to recalibrate and to come back to the podcast at a later date with a renewed focus.

In the meantime I’ll be continuing my growth journey by learning how to replay the first 50 episodes in full or in part to keep us in the habit of our practice. I hope if you have questions or suggestions you will feel free to reach out. I appreciate your comments questions and feedback.

Thanks for listening in…

Our time together is coming to an end for the time being. If you have enjoyed our visits or have found something that resonates for you within my stories I hope you will return to your favourite episodes regularly, and consider sharing with a friend. Every share, review and comment helps this small initiative to grow and to be found within the complex algorithms that challenge us on social media.

“Can’t say enough about your podcast yesterday, it made me feel so calm. It was such a blessing! Thank you.” A

I appreciate you listening in to this podcast and joining in on the visual journey with me here on the blog.

I will look forward to continuing our journey seeking presence.

So, until next time, be you and be well.

With gratitude as always,

Amanda

WISDOM AT THE CROSSROADS PODCAST.

The Synopsis…

Tis the season for new growth with spring on the horizon at last. A new season on the paint wall is allowing for experimentation, discovery and dependably, colour.
Preparations for a “Spring Fling” at THE PULSE GALLERY in Winnipeg are shaping up to be the beginnings of a refreshingly colourful new chapter. Locals can join your host at The Forks April First, 2-4 pm. You’d be April foolish to miss it. NO JOKE!
The show continues until the end of the month.

The Mandart meditation that concludes this episode continues the theme of growth and discovery. We take in a little forest bathing without the need for travel or passports. This self care practice can refresh your senses and help you to soar whatever the weather.

Fresh off the paintball.. “GROWTH: WISDOM/ INNER RESOURCE”, Acrylic on Panel Diptych, Each panel 36” x 48”, 2023

At the studio…

At the studio recently as a new season begins to emerge, the snow begins to melt and the residue of winters weight begins to lift I have been painting a lot of references to the natural world. Painting with colour has long been my antidote to winters length but the winter is also a gift in that It allows for time to work with focus at my studio practice.

First marks on a new triptych are made in gesso without a plan or an intention. They are a physical response to the materials at hand and the surface that receives those marks. I stand to paint and this size 20” x 40” x 3 canvases is a comfortable and generous space to work on from that perspective.

A new audience at the PULSE GALLERY …

Preparation for a exhibit gets me excited and I will paint till I literally run out of time. Above are the beginnings of a new trio I am undertaking just a week ahead of my show. I don’t intend to show them then but I will continue to work on them as my creative energy flows.

There is something about a deadline that lights a literal fire under me and keeps me in flow. It can actually be a little exhausting but also a lot of problem solving fun. If you have been following along you will be aware that black has not been part of my studio practice for a very long time. Instead of saying never I am embracing change and taking opportunities to play and experiment. An accidental purchase of black gesso instead of my usual white has proven to be an opportunity to change things up and to try new things.

And why not? Each studio session takes its own form. I am trying to trust my experience in the painting process and allow the conversation between materials and a surface to begin with the gesso. Gesso is the sealant that prepares the surface to accept the paint without diffusing it. In the recording I say I don’t care about adhering to the criticism of my inner voice, and while that is what I am striving to do of course some days that is easier than others. Of course I care about my work and the execution of the process and the end product. I care about the perceptions of all who have invested in my work over the last 25 years or so, what I don’t care to do any more is to hold myself to a rigid scale. I am working at ditching perfectionism and embracing the materiality of the media I choose to work in. I’m a painter not a photographer or a graphic artist and I am embracing the intrinsic actions as they appear on a surface… for me that is definitely growth.

How do you see yourself embracing growth in your daily actions?

This trio of 20” x 40” panels are developing.

I have included this image as an illustration of a second or third pass across the surface of this evolving triptych. I am still concentrating on covering the entire substrate with gesso, only in this group, I am inviting those earliest marks into the creative conversation.

Green seems to be a colour I am drawn to lately. That might be because spring is in the air? Or it just might be part of my evolution as a painter? Friends have commented that previous bodies of work have a noticeable focus on a particular colour. Could the current green trend be related to the heart chakra? Who knows? I guess hindsight will offer a clearer perspective down the road. Stay tuned to see how this trio evolves.

Here is another swath of green as it appears on a recent canvas. I employ a lot of contrasts in my work. This hint of pink, which I love in the mix of this particular painting helps to give the composition energy. In much of my work the reactivity of contrasting colours often becomes a compositional devise that helps me to direct the viewer within the visual story of the composition.

Embracing change, trying new things…

And why not? Each studio session takes its own form. I am trying to trust my experience in the painting process and allow the conversation between materials and a surface to begin with the gesso. Gesso is the sealant that prepares the surface to accept the paint without diffusing it. In the recording I say I don’t care about adhering to the criticism of my inner voice, and while that is what I am striving to do of course some days that is easier than others. Of course I care about my work and the execution of the process and the end product. I care about the perceptions of all who have invested in my work over the last 25 years or so, what I don’t care to do any more is to hold myself to a rigid scale. I am working at ditching perfectionism and embracing the materiality if the media I choose to work in. I’m a painter not a photographer or a graphic artist and I am embracing the intrinsic actions as they appear on a surface and for me that is definitely growth.

How do you see yourself embracing growth in your daily actions?

“GROWTH:WISDOM” is the Left side of the diptych shown at the top of this blog. This duo are the last pair painted ( and completed) for the “SPRING FLING” exhibit Pulse Gallery in Winnipeg are hosting. The show runs from April 1-30, 2023.

After many years of wearing all the hats I am accepting the invitation to be supported with gallery representation. I hope if you are in Winnipeg at the Forks in the month of April that you will stop in to JOHNSTON TERMINAL, 25 Forks Market Road, Winnipeg, to accept a refreshing dose of colour into your soul.

“We grow when it rains”.

“GROWTH:INNER RESOURCE” Right side of Diptych, Acrylic on Panel, 36”x 48”, 2023.

Mindful Moments within a Prairie forest…

Inspiration is everywhere and I find the real world and my studio world flow together. Thoughts of a new season are bringing a new colour palette into my work and also inviting thoughts of being outside experiencing the natural world into focus.

Those thoughts got me thinking about friends of mine who recently purchased a new property in the countryside. They have spent a few summers now getting acquainted with their woodland home and as they have gotten more familiar with the landscape and its inhabitants they noticed the tops of trees reaching through the dense tangle of generations of overgrowth.

 With an exploratory mindset they began to excavate some of the organic debris, to decommission the residue of past seasons and to make way for what could be new.

As they worked to clear to rubble of untamed growth, they unearthed a pair of boulders set about six feet apart. I’m told these large, round, time worn stones, felt like markers that defined an entry point or a gateway to an intentional place.

As the clutter of undergrowth was gradually cleared through their actions and intentions they came to realise their land was host to a small henge or copse, a ring of pine trees growing in a supportive community.

What a lovely analogy their industrious experience of landscape provides.

I adopted that exploratory mindset as I developed this episode’s “Mindful Mandart Meditation”.

Settling in to our meditation with an exploratory mindset…

In our self-care practice in this episode a real time story of growth and refreshment inspires a refreshing pause.

When I begin my practice I like to close my eyes to get in touch with the idea of being still. Closing my eyes also helps me to tamper my curiosity and bring my focus within, to be where I am.

 When you listen in on the recording you ‘ll notice we combine our personal visual with the international breath. As we notice the inhale we imagine the refreshing scent of the evergreen forest, warmed now beyond a hint of spring, to fill the air with its exhilarating fresh scent.

We invite that refreshment in on the breath and might also welcome the wisdom the pine forest is thought to shelter within.

 We take a moment to appreciate the grounding effect of these living totems that form a physical bridge connecting to the earth to the sky, and Invite and accept this natural refreshment .

Press the arrow in the player at the top of this blog to listen in to the complete episode or you can access the show and listen in on your preferred platform. I hope the time spent will help you to feel refreshed and ready to personally grow.

Green in the details in recent work. I am attracted to contrasts and this quinacridone red smeared in a blend with clear gesso makes for a lovely “popper”. It illustrates one of my effects, that of remnants from an under layer peaking throughout to the surface. Those “poppers” are often my favourite features within any painting. They become compositional details that help to lead the eye of the viewer into and through a composition.

Thoughts for your journal…

Taking to a journal or giving ourselves an opportunity for a little reflection after a meditation is a lovely activity if time allows. Here are a few questions you might like to contemplate.

What might we have hidden in plain sight?

What we can invite to melt away with the new season?

 What might we be able to work through to provide room for expansion within us?

I hope you have enjoyed a restorative pause.

Our time together is coming to an end for the time being. If you have enjoyed our time together or have found something that resonates for you within my stories I hope you will return to your favourite episodes regularly. I also hope you will also consider sharing this podcast and this blog with a friend.

I appreciate you listening in to this podcast and joining in on the visual journey with me here on the blog. I hope the images are helpful and that you are finding something of your story within mine.

So, until next time, be you and be well.

With gratitude as always,

Amanda

WISDOM AT THE CROSSROADS PODCAST.

“Each day is an opportunity to begin again, to forget the troubles of yesterday, to abandon our attachment to the promise of tomorrow”

Getting quiet and being still sounds simple but it can actually be quite complex

The queen of distraction gets lost and found in this episode. Organization may not be my forte but it seems when I am ready for the words I have written while getting in touch with the deepest parts of myself the universe will find a way for them to literally cross my path.

Rediscovering meditative notes on presence when I am ready to accept and share their resonance was a reminder that today is where we begin. Nowhere is there more promise or potential than in this moment.

Join in to the mindful self care practice at 8:40 in the recording, to seek and find:
Presence, possibility and peace. We take a literal breath and engage in a simple process to connect to the wisdom the resides at our core.

“Tofino: Reflection”, (detail) Acrylic on Canvas, 22” x 30”, 2023. This painting which for some reason refused to display in its complete form was part of a commission process I was working on as I was preparing this episode for publication. Gotta love technology???!!!

This episode is about presence 
Which sounds pretty simple, yet getting quiet and being still can actually be very complex for me and I suspect I am not alone in that challenge 

The words I’ll share in this episode came from a set of notes I had made during a meditative moment when I sat with a pencil in hand, got still and quiet and in touch with the wisdom at my core. 

I have lots of notebooks and my mother will not be surprised to learn I can’t always find the ones I am looking for. In my role as the Queen of distraction I had, surprisingly, misplaced this batch.

Organization may not be my forte but it seems when I am ready for the words I have written in the process of connecting to the deepest parts of myself, the notes I’ve made at a previous time will cross my path at an opportune time. Three scratchy looseleaf pages were found crumpled up on the bottom of my bag. I’d been carrying them around for some time. It seems I was ready to hear the words I had written when I cleaned out that purse no doubt in search of something else? In that moment I must have been ready to listen and  to really hear them. 

Now  I’m ready to share this session with you…,

But first, the studio…

In being present for this episode I am sharing works in progress or paintings like this one, Tofino: Reflection”, above, fresh off the paint wall, here on the blog. As I was preparing this episode I was also getting ready for a show and finishing up a commission so I have a lot of balls in the air. It is definitely a good time to be reminded about presence.

Being present and giving myself permission to pause this week was particularly timely. This 22” x 30” acrylic on Canvas I am calling “Tofino Reflections” is newly finished and awaiting my signature. It was an exercise in trust. I am more successful in my creative endeavours when i allow myself time to pause, to take a step back, to regather myself and my thoughts.

“Tofino Reflection”, Acrylic on Canvas, 22” x 30”, 2023

They say a picture is worth 1000 words and so I am sharing snapshots from a couple of different stages, in the making of “Tofino’s Reflection. We had been lucky enough to stay in Tofino at Long Beach Lodge where a wide expanse of sand invited fall beach walks between the tides.

I take lots of photographs on my travels but I never intend to recreate exactly what I see in the landscape. The landscape provides a starting point and the painting evolves into its own entity through the process of painting. I had started to paint with thoughts of some of the vignettes that inspired me while in Tofino.

I began with…

Drawing in wet liquid acrylic with a thin flippy brush. I prepare my surfaces with gesso to seal the surface first. New this year is black gesso in the underpainting. I used the black gesso to rough in some basic forms and begin to define the composition.

Next steps were to cover the canvas’ surface, in this case I added white and clear gesso with a soft Bismarck Yellow to begin the foundation of the sky. I like contrasts remember. Beginnings are fast and fun. Find the video on my instagram favourites @mandartcanada. Or drop me a line and I will send it to you if you are particularly curious. I am a private ate painter so you probably won’t find me doing an in person demo but in the sanctuary of my studio I am happy to set up the tripod with my iPhone and press play now and again.

Next steps in the process…

Once I had established a foundation I used clear gesso and some quinocridone red to fill in some of the gaps where raw canvas was exposed. My primary goal is to ensure the surface is covered. The type and colour of the marks in the base layers are really not that important but as the decisions I make later on in the process get more complex sometimes the residual of what was left behind from a previous layer can become a major player on the surface. Check out the deep red marks on the lower quadrant of both sides of this painting as they appear in the illustration at the top of this blog.

Personally they are my favourite “poppers”, the colour devices that do the work of leading the viewers eye around and through the composition.

While my physical environment looks a little more like this outside in real time I am working at being present inside. It’s a bit too chilly to be doing a meditation outdoors, even a walking meditation for any length of time in the winter, so presence is found on the paint wall or in my mediation chair. If you have an opportunity to be outside in nature as part of your meditative practice I would encourage you to do it. Restore relax and pause to find presence wherever you are.

Notes on presence begin here…

I had begun my written meditative process  with a paragraph as I always do. It begins in pretty much the same way each time and I explain the whole process word for word in episode 42 of the podcast, “Mindful Mandart Moment: Process and Practice” 

You might like to go back to that one for the details but for now just know that I get intentional with my breath, 
release my fear and make a request to the universe. I then relax my gaze and dive into the process that has become my familiar pause.

I began to write. The words flowed from my pencil in longhand and like every other time i sit with pencil and paper in hand engaged in this same process. Each time I am always surprised at the wisdom that forms on the page  when I read what I have written at the end of the session
These are the words I wrote then when I made a specific request to learn more  about “presence”
I’ll invite you to Listen in with me and hope that the words that follow might resonate in some way for you too 

My trusty meditation chair…

The “download” begins here…

Each day is an opportunity, I wrote 
An opportunity to begin again, to forget the troubles of yesterday to abandon our attachment to the promise of tomorrow. Today is where we ARE and today is where we begin
Nowhere is there more promise

Open yourself to potential for, in seeking we find; (and access) presence, possibility, peace 
Three terms to apply in personal governance on any given day.

How to achieve and maintain presence I asked… 

Ist efforts are to avoid distractions or at least try to minimize our tendency to be distracted
It is ok to recognize and acknowledge a change in our plan or an inspired thought, it is less effective to chase after each and every one  

Acceptance of where we are does not mean we are destined to remain there 

”Presence is not a static state.”

Marks on a surface draw me in every time. Painting, my avenue to presence whatever the weather.

”Being present is being aware of the moment, whatever that moment provides.” 

“Journey” Acrylic on Canvas, 24” x24”, 2010

The written meditation continues …

We get ourselves tangled up when we confuse denial of our present state with forward planning 
We can definitely plan in the moment and be inspired to dream but we need to check in with our motives when doing so 
We can ask ourselves am I making future plans because I don’t recognize this present moment as valid or am i avoiding where I actually am because it is not what I really want or find desirable? 
Acceptance of where we are at is our first order of business, 

We can only be where we physically are 

Making  plans, dreaming and long term goals are all worthy activities. By all means imagine dream and strive to become who and what you aspire to be and do
However along the process of planning and dreaming try to be aware and present in moments as they present themselves 

We can acknowledge yes this moment is a beautiful gift or, it  might not be my most desirable, nor is it what I strive to be, do or have, but whatever the situation I recognize I am here, right now, I am in This fold 
I accept where I am in the present because from the present is where all future steps emerge 
We Check in with ourselves to ensure we are not avoiding the present by living in our dreams 

To check in with ourselves we can ask;  Am I aware and accepting of the moments of my journey? The good ones and the not so good ones? 
Life grows through ebbs and flows, it evolves from the simplest observation through every perception and action,  that combine to be part of our unique individual journeys
Being present might take us within ourselves to evaluate where we really are 
To check in with ourselves to pause and recalibrate 
To Be 
Be more. When we are still we might then and do a little less. Be less inclined ti juggle all the balls in the air, at least for a moment 
When we pause to be present we can more easily evaluate where we are and from there make choices to implement the next stages of our lives 

“Slow down. Take in the majesty of what is, instead of rushing towards what could be.”

So how do we keep ourselves mindful enough to stay present? 

A good friend of mine once reminded me to simply, Be. To be just where I am wherever I am 
It’s amazing how powerful a few simple words can be
By just being more I was inspired to do less but I was also aware of where I was, I could pause to take in the details or deficits of my situation which without slowing down to be present for I would surely have missed 

Be more. Do less. Became a mantra of sorts for me, my email signature as a reminder to myself and for the benefit of those I connected with should they avoid skimming and read correspondence to the very end? 

Be more do less us a simple reminder to slow down to seek presence 
Right where we are 

An example might be being thankful for the small things in Life 
A good breakfast 
A conversation with a friend 
Finishing your morning swim or run or yoga practice 
Spending a moment patting your pet
Watching a child play 
It’s the small moments that combine to become the narrative of the story we write of our lives 

“Pause, to be present …”

It feels like a nice way to conclude our mindful practice in this episode 

Being PRESENT and achieving PRESENCE doesn’t happen at the exclusion of everything around us.

Rather presence comes from our ability to fully engage in the moments of our days.
To be AWARE, to notice the world around us, to pause to connect to all the small things. 

The meditation in the recording is a simple breathing practice that is a great way to sooth and calm our energetic and physical bodies. Its one I return tp regularly as I hope you will to find a mental and physical break in the action of your day. It begins at 8:40 on the podcast recording. Play it on the player at the top of this blogpost or hit the listen here button below and forward to the time stamp. Wisdom at The Crossroads the podcast is available on all platforms.

Wisdom at the Crossroads, my book of the same name is now available for sale on my website.

Accept the invitations your environment provides. This coastal pathway leads to one of my favourite South Coast beaches. Wherever you find yourself, be there.

Thanks for listening in…

Our time together is coming to an end for the time being. If you have enjoyed our time together or have found something that resonates for you within my stories I hope you will return to your favourite episodes regularly, or consider sharing with a friend. I appreciate you listening in to this podcast and joining in on the visual journey with me here on the blog. I hope the images are helpful and that you are finding something of your story within mine.

So, until next time, be you and be well.

With gratitude as always,

Amanda

WISDOM AT THE CROSSROADS PODCAST.

Thanks for joining me here on the blog. This episode is about embracing the season.

A Canadian winter is a lot of things and white is definitely one of them. In a world of white we dive into the magic of the landscape on a day where boundaries merged with atmospheric change to insulate the view. The view viewed through a window to wind sculpted snow banks and variations on a white theme from the warm side of the glass became the inspiration for a reflective pause.

Easy does it is definitely the theme of our self care practice this time around. I hope it provides a little respite for a few minutes in a world where our only constant is change.

Listen in on the recording to take a few restorative moments for yourself.

We’ll get reflective as our vision narrows yet somehow simultaneously expands.

1

This episode is about embracing the season and Inviting the light 

I was at the studio when I sat down to prepare this episode.

Where I live we were in the midst of winters white.

Some might think it strange that my art work doesn’t really feature white considering I am surrounded by so much of it for a large part of the year. Believe me I am very familiar with White in the landscape. 
I may even have been known to complain about the cold on occasion but the winter does have some positives. It allows space for some prime work time for me. The winter is a time of year when I’m not distracted by the garden and outdoor activities.

Our family has always tried to embrace the season whatever the weather but I will admit that sometimes even walking outdoors can get a bit complicated on the prairies, if it’s available at all. I wasn’t born with the balance gene that is bred into Canadians and I can get tripped up by the season. Ice isn’t my favourite so instead I find I am drawn indoors where I get to cocoon a little in my bright and sunny studio that offers a cosy contrast to whatever the weather can dish up outside.

2

I’ve been a morning swimmer forever

I get my physical exercise on the yoga mat before my swim in the pond at the “Y” on weekdays

Winter can be winter on the other side of the glass walls at the y too but there is something really satisfying about driving to the Y in the early morning through brutal cold on icy roads before diving into the deep end of an indoor  swimming pool, where the air is humid and friendly faces are all around

In the pond as we regulars call the pool at the YMCA I can be in my own lane, undisturbed, with the rhythm of the stroke and the muffled sounds of  trailing bubbles as my morning soundtrack.

Just like the my morning swim that takes me to a different zone, The action of painting can be like that too. The process takes me to a place where the world quiets and I am fully present in the process

Engaging with a surface at the studio is an active and colourful antidote to a long  Canadian winter where the white of the winter also creates a neutral backdrop and allows me to focus,

I am grateful for the time I get to take action on All the ideas I have banked through the summer when I’m busy in my garden or on my faithful lake bike or waking a beach or trail, 

3

White appears in my painted as under layers but not usually as a feature in the surface. Instead my paintings are generally known for their colourful presence. Lately though, I am trying new things and winters white may become more  of a player on the surface? 

New work seems to be incorporating more contrast and I’m also adding softer tinted layers with transparent gesso to encourage visual space in what can often be a busy surface

These decisions for me as a painter are personal decisions that are leading me to try new things but whether you are a painter or not the choices we make each day however small can change the path we take and

as a result, lead us in new and undiscovered directions. 

4

Many would call that change which technically it is, but right now I like to think of it as growth
Taking chances, being playful and experimenting with small additions to my creative tool box
I have no expectations for these new works but I am enjoying the process of being present as I work on them and i am looking forward to seeing where these new choices will take me 

I’ll keep you posted as these new projects develop and resolve 

5
Thinking about meditation and the ability the practice has to quiet our minds and take us to the places our soul yearns to explore, got me thinking…

The meditation in this episode was inspired by an experience in real time. It was a Saturday afternoon in the middle of a Canadian winter at our cottage which sits alongside lake Winnipeg on the prairies

As I watched the winter on the other side of the glass a narrative developed
So, For this practice on the podcast I invite you into the story of my space and thoughts as they evolved

The softness of the winter light coupled with imagination invited the noise and speed  of the world on the other side of the glass to soften and slow and that’s what I hope this recollection will do for us all Allow us a moment of respite from the busy lives we have chosen, to pause, to rest and reflect

The meditation begins in the recording with an invitation to take a few restorative breaths to alert your system this time is for you as we step into this reflective moment together. Simply press the arrow in the embedded player above as we pause to settle in for a few minutes of self care.

we invite personal expansion within this enlightening resonance 

6

No two moments are alike at the lake and the one I am about to describe was like none I had experienced before 
In that moment the view was comprised of a marshmallow moonscape where shadows were painted mauve and drifted across the wind sculpted snow.  Light snow dripped in constant crystal waves that fell across the yard in sheets ,obscuring boundaries. Even the snowmobilers had abandoned their trails across the frozen lake in the enveloping quiet.

Imagining white…

What is your experience of a peaceful landscape? What does your imagination conjure for you when you imagine white?

You might imagine this white as a sheer white curtain that drapes softly across your view or a translucent sheet that fluffs and flows and floats down to rest upon the landscape like a translucent bedsheet cast across a soon to be made bed. 
That Saturday morning felt kind of magical as I looked out across sculpted snowdrifts and falling snow. I paused and waited, paid intimate attention to the atmospheric changes that took place before me, became a witness to the creation of a tonal retreat where less felt like it was absolutely, spiritually more.
As the horizon blurred I found my gaze resting in the infinite absence of colour before me.

“I paused, my vision narrowed yet at the same time somehow expanded.” It was as though all barriers dissolved and I saw only the luminous glow of the peaceful white light before me. The magical lightness of the light around me become the light within. I was no longer at home where the horizon levelled my gaze, I was, simply home.

7

The following quote evolved out of my own written, meditative practice. It resonates for me as I hope it will for you too and feels like an appropriate way to end our time here together.

“All is available In love And in Light In love, We are the light“

I hope you have enjoyed a lovely light filled pause and that the images and notes here on the blog are helpful. If you are finding something that resonates for you on the podcast I hope you will consider inviting a friend to join in to your favourite episodes. Every download or review helps this podcast to grow. I wish you peace and ease and hope you will take opportunities to pause and be totally you, often 

Until we meet again.

Amanda

White has not been a major player in my work but this whispy sky is from a small painting called “Pink at Ponemah”. The brushstroke tempered the colour in the sky just like the falling snow did in the reflective story I share in the recording on this episode. “Pink at Ponemah” was featured in episode #9 in case you would like to go back and hear her story..

This episode is about embracing the season and inviting the light… 

I was at the studio as I sat down to prepare this episode. Where I live we were in the midst of winters white.

Some might think it strange that my art work doesn’t really feature white considering I am surrounded by so much of it for such a big part of the year. I may even have been known to complain about the cold on occasion but the winter does have some positives. Most importantly it allows me space for some prime time to work at the studio. In the winter I’m not distracted by the garden and outdoor activities.

Our family has always tried to embrace the season whatever the weather but I will admit, sometimes even walking outdoors can get a bit complicated on the prairies, if it’s available at all, particularly for someone like me who was not born with the innate sense of winter balance my children have inherited.

While my fam loves to skate and ski i prefer to cocoon a little in my bright and sunny studio that offers a cosy contrast to whatever the weather can dish up outside.

This detail is from “Prairie Girl” the very first painting I discussed on the podcast in episode #1. White in this painting was being used to erase what I thought needed a new beginning. That act was a reminder that small changes can leave a lasting impact. In this case, the white tempered the elements that were bothering me. I am pleased to tell you I also learned to leave well enough alone. lol

Being who we are…

I’ve been a morning swimmer forever. Water is my elemental home. I get my physical exercise on the yoga mat before my swim in the pond at the YMCA on most weekday mornings.

Winter can be winter on the other side of the glass walls at the “Y” too but there is something really satisfying about driving to the “Y” in the early morning through brutal cold on icy roads and then diving into the deep end of an indoor swimming pool, where the air is humid and friendly faces are all around.

In the pond as we regulars call the pool at the YMCA I can be in my own lane, undisturbed, with the rhythm of the stroke and the muffled sounds of  trailing bubbles as my morning soundtrack. It is wonderful thinking time.

Just like the my morning swim that takes me to a different zone, The action of painting can be like that too. The process takes me to a place where the world quiets and I am fully present in the process.

Engaging with a surface at the studio is an active and colourful antidote to a long  Canadian winter where the white of the winter also creates a neutral backdrop and allows me to focus,

I am grateful for the time I get to take action on all the ideas I have banked through the summer when I’m busy in my garden or on my faithful lake bike or waking a beach or trail, 

“Mojito” was one of 4 paintings on paper, 22 1/2” x 30”, that featured snow. White wasn’t so much a feature but more of a suggestion inferred by shape. Mojito and others in that colourful winter series can be found on the podcast in episode #12, “Cocktail Hour” if you want to hear a little more about them.

At the studio…

White appears in my paintings as under layers but not usually as a feature in the surface. Instead my paintings are generally known for their colourful presence. Never one to say never, lately I have been trying new things and winters white may become more of a player on the surface? 

New work seems to be incorporating more contrast and I’m also adding softer tinted layers with transparent gesso to encourage visual space in what can often be a busy surface.

These decisions for me as a painter are personal decisions that are leading me to try new things but whether you are a painter or not the choices we make each day however small can change the path we take and

as a result, lead us in new and undiscovered directions. 

White gesso is where all of my paintings begin. The gesso is the first layer that forms a barrier between the porous substrate which can be paper, canvas or birch panel. In this case it was a small wood panel.

“Change is our only constant”

Many would call those painterly choice4s a change, which technically it is, but right now I like to think of it as growth. I am taking chances, being playful and experimenting with small additions to my creative tool box.
I have no expectations for these new works but I am enjoying the process of being present as I work on them and I am looking forward to seeing where these new choices will take me.

I’ll keep you posted as these new projects develop and resolve. Feel free to check in @mandartcanada on instagram anytime or drop me a line if I forget to post exactly what you are wondering about.

The view from my temporary winter desk at the cottage during a daytime snowstorm tempered the landscape white. Drifting sheets of falling snow reduced visibility, dissolved the horizon line and reduced the depth of field my vision could process. This pic was taken after the snow had stopped and the skies had begun to clear. earlier in the storm I could barely see the trees in the forground.

The same lake view at twilight on a clear day with the rich blue sky of winter on the prairies. Don’t be fooled. A bright blue sky in the depths of winter often means the temperatures have dipped. Without cloud cover to insulate the earth at ground level it gets colder. Who could imagine the weather warming up to snow? The horizon and the expanse of frozen Lake Winnipeg are visible here unlike the white out of a storm.

Thinking about meditation and the ability the practice has to quiet our minds and take us to the places our soul yearns to explore, got me thinking…

It was a Saturday afternoon in the middle of a Canadian winter at our cottage which sits alongside Lake Winnipeg on the prairies. As I watched the winter on the other side of the glass a narrative developed. For this practice on the podcast I invite you into the story of my space and thoughts as they evolved.

The softness of the winter light coupled with imagination invited the noise and speed of the world on the other side of the glass to soften and slow and that’s what I hope this recollection will do for us all in the meditation. I hope it allows you a moment of respite from the busy lives we have chosen, a moment to pause, to rest and reflect .

The meditation begins in the recording with an invitation to take a few restorative breaths. To listen in simply press the arrow in the embedded player above as we pause to settle in for a few minutes of self care.

“We invite personal expansion within as we rest within this enlightening resonance” 

One of the few examples of winter white in one of my paintings. This little gem is “An Everywhere of Silver”, 16” x 16”, acrylic on panel. Listen to her story on the podcast in Episode #22. Available on all platforms or scroll down the list of blog posts to find it right here on my website.

No two moments are alike at the lake and the one I describe in the recording was like none I had experienced before. 
In that moment the view was comprised of a marshmallow moonscape where shadows were painted mauve and drifted across the wind sculpted snow.  Light snow began to drip in the morning and developed into constant crystal waves that fell across the yard in sheets, obscuring boundaries. Even the snowmobilers eventualy abandoned their trails across the frozen lake as the enveloping quiet took hold.

Imagining white…

What is your experience of a peaceful landscape? What does your imagination conjure for you when you imagine white?

You might imagine this white as a sheer white curtain that drapes softly across your view or a translucent sheet that fluffs and flows and floats down to rest upon the landscape like a translucent bedsheet cast across a soon to be made bed. 
That Saturday morning felt kind of magical as I looked out across sculpted snowdrifts and falling snow. I paused and waited, paid intimate attention to the atmospheric changes that took place before me, became a witness to the creation of a tonal retreat where less felt like it was absolutely, spiritually more.
As the horizon blurred I found my gaze resting in the infinite absence of colour before me.

“I paused as my vision narrowed, yet at the same time somehow expanded.” It was as though all barriers dissolved and I saw only the luminous glow of the peaceful white light before me. The magical lightness of the light around me become the light within. I was no longer at home where the horizon levelled my gaze, I was, simply home. At one with all that is.

This detail comes from a commissioned painting that resides in a Winnipeg Law Firm. It is an example of two things: my particular use of white in a prairie sky and also the show through of a previous iteration on the surface. Not every work takes a straight path from A to B sometimes they take a few trips through A to B, C or even D before they find their feet. I can’t recall what intention this piece began with but I do love the way marks made for another purpose find their way to the surface to become the “poppers” that lead the viewer through the composition on the surface. Life. The journey.

Thank you…

The following quote evolved out of my own written, meditative practice. It resonates for me as I hope it will for you too and feels like an appropriate way to end our time here together. after chatting about white light.

“All is available,

In love

And in Light.

In love,

We are the light.“

Ahh, Exhale…

I hope you have enjoyed a lovely light filled pause and that the images and notes here on the blog are helpful. If you are finding something that resonates for you on the podcast I hope you will consider inviting a friend to join in to your favourite episodes. Every download or review helps this podcast to grow. I wish you peace and ease and hope you will take opportunities to pause and be totally you, often. 

Until we meet again.

Nameste, Amanda

WISDOM AT THE CROSSROADS PODCAST.

”Every journey begins with a single step”

In this one we get a little primal, we explore first steps on some big new panels on the paint wall and take an exhilarating trip through the process of marks and the making.

The legacy of creators through generations of history, thought and process became the focus of travels in real time through the Art Gallery of Ontario during a recent visit.

How great is it to get out of town, to explore Art and history, to be inspired and curious and to make connections to the past, to wonder about the lives of others in different times?

Like many of our mindful moments the meditation in this episode is a virtual experience we explore together.
Getting cosy and curious we are encouraged to consider the marks that are left behind, the marks we are making in the moment and what future marks might become our legacy

Beginnings on the paint wall are fast and fluid and really get my creative juices flowing. This large pair, Wisdom/ Inner Resources, are 3’ x 4’ each so together make quite a statement. I don’t know where they will take me or how they will end up but I am looking forward to adding to their creative journey after this blog is posted. Hopefully they will be finished in time for my show “SPRING FLING” at THE PULSE GALLERY, April 1-30 at Johnson Terminal at The Forks in Winnipeg.

Art-y-Facts…

I hope all is well in your world and that if you are local you might even have an opportunity to get to a warmer climate for a winter getaway
I, sadly, do not have plans for a warm beach walk right now but the potential for a virtual one is always on the back burner for me, particularly when the mercury drops so severely as it has lately where I live.

I’m calling todays episode “Arty facts” because it was inspired by both work and travel
At the studio I was most recently underpainting two large birch panels (see above) 3 x 4 feet each
I love the beginnings where I have no attachment to an outcome
Where I tune into a primitive part of myself and fully immerse myself in the process of adding paint to a surface. The concept of tuning into a more primal part of ourselves is what inspires the meditation later in this episode.

Interior staircase by Frank Gehry, Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, Canada.

This sensuous interior wooden staircase is a stunner. Seeing it does not do it justice. The experience of function defies the perception of materials. We all should be so lucky to experience the work of Frank Gehry.

Get out of town!

Getting away without an agenda and a view to discovery recently took me to Toronto. I don’t know about you  but my first port of call in any unfamiliar city is always to the largest gallery I can find. In Toronto it’s the Art Gallery of Ontario that I go first.

The galleries of the AGO became my temporary office as I opened myself to seeing.
I love to view life in its details, to witness snippets of humanity, to experience marks made by another hand, sometimes, centuries ago.
When I walk along our beach at the lake I find each different trek inspires the gathering of a particular type of stone or shell. One day colour might be my focus on another the shape of a stone or the texture of a lucky rock might be what comes home in the palm of my hand.

On this particular visit to the gallery I was attracted to patterns, the patterns  of process and patterns made with different materials, by the hand of makers sometimes centuries apart.

What do you look for when you enter a museum or Gallery?
My focus narrowed as I was led through halls to dedicated spaces, where I was mindful of mark making and drawn into journeys that rode the energy of the brushstroke, telling stories of the past that now so fully fuelled my present.

Marks that have become a permanent document of a moment of someone’s physical presence in time.

Frank Ghery: Facade Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto.

Architecture is another story I find fascinating. The How’s and the Why’s combined with the engineering feats that harmonize, contrast, unify and expand structures in our urban spaces.

A Journey through history…

The Middle Ages inspire me every time. I imagine I spent a past life involved with illuminated manuscripts .

i find I am drawn to particular items within the exhibits and I try to follow the unspoken cues that lead me into the clues they share that develop into stories in my thoughts
I always leave inspired and full of questions. On this particular visit I wondered about the artistic statement made by an anonymous scribe on a large ceramic platter in 1370 and how  this token of creative energy had survived history unscathed.
How did it find its way to this moment to be held preciously behind glass and within my gaze. How many eyes have feasted on its delicate, rhythmic marks? How many more will also be touched by the enormity of this feat in the future?
As my travels through curated spaces continued I found gold bouillon with impersonal utilitarian marks  stamped centuries ago, and glass dated as early as AD 70,  fragile hand crafted miracles of survival that resonate with luminosity as the elements impact their delicate exterior surfaces

This medieval platter was dated at 1370. I can’t help but to wonder about the anonymous maker whose marks have been salvaged from another age. An artifact like this one gets me curious. I can’t help but to be drawn into potential narratives that might explain the life of the artist and the world they lived in. How do these graphic marks on ceramics survive the adventures of history unscathed?

At the Art Gallery of Ontario…

I bonded with Canadians: David Milne, AY Jackson, JEH MacDonald, Tom Thomson and studied the marks they made and allocated to landscapes, observed the details they used to describe the elements, curated into compositions that hobbled together from the colours on their palette to express the energy of a moment.

At the AGO the physical structure of the space was equally inspiring. Centuries of architectural thought and practice merged to curate space and light and accommodate growing and expanding collections
Frank Ghery’s internal staircase drew me literally on a circuitous route to the apex of the building. It is a celebration of craftsmanship, engineering and design. The sensuous utilitarian curves lead us through layers of history and expression
The view from the top of the stairs offered the reward for our efforts with views across the city that echoed the merger of old and new, contrast and uniformity and shared connections to the past that are still respected in the present.

”On our travels along our daily paths or the circuitous routes we wander when exploring a new place or site we are offered an opportunity to see and to connect to the world and ourselves.”

I love to discover characters in galleries and museums like this guy whose personality resonates from the materials that contain him.

Luminous miracles of ancient glass from 70AD. How does something this fragile and precious survive history to be encased behind glass for us all to see. and experience in the present?

On my visit to the art gallery of Ontario that day I was inspired to admire and imagine, to think and to wonder and to bring that curiosity into my own experience of the human condition.
The game I played took me into the artists thoughts where their distinct marks revealed themselves as moments of expression that captured, recreated or explored the essence of a subject.
How does your journey evolve when you visit other cities? Is it to a gallery that you go? The mall? The countryside? What gets you thinking?

Tom Thomson Winter Sketch on cigar box lid, AGO, above.

Creativity and painting in particular are my favourite route to presence. The process of painting quiets me as it draws me in to the action of problem solving in colour. Engaged, painting, time can literally fly by.

Tom Thomson was clearly present in his travels into the Canadian wilderness. His expert marksmanship with colour and line is undeniable.

Our Self Care Practice…

I am fascinated with marks and the making of marks, curious about the choices artists make as they make their unique marks. Sometimes I wonder why my own marks are what they are and why they aren’t more like yours or theirs?
In our meditation practice today I invite you to join me on a journey that will encourage us to explore the making of marks and maybe even inspire us to think of the marks we have left behind in the past, the ones we are making in the present, and maybe even what future marks we’ll be inspired to create.

Like all of our mindful moments this one is a virtual experience
You need only a comfortable spot to rest and relax and the ability to pause the business of your day for a few minutes of self care.

David Milne Trees above.

In this episode the meditation is an invitation to revisit a more primitive part of ourselves. You are welcome to explore your own memories as you relax and listen in on the recording or you can choose to accompany me as I share a personal moment with marks and the making.
In the episode I reconnect with much younger version of myself. This part of me is aware and curious and excited to explore and discover

I hope you will choose to listen in on the recording to take a virtual pause with me.

Early marks on a new painting above are free and fluid and all about getting a feel for materials on a surface with no attachment to outcome…or even a plan, if i am honest. I strive to let go of ego and reconnect with the primitive part of myself that feels, as my younger self did, an instinctive connection to paint on a surface.

As a painter I have the privilege of revisiting moments of process and curiously regularly
If you haven’t had an opportunity to invite your inner child out to play with colour , what are you waiting for?
I would encourage you to give your self permission to try it once in a while. You might be surprised at how much you will like it.

Thanks for listening in…

Our time together is coming to an end for the time being. If you have enjoyed our time together or have found something that resonates for you within my stories I hope you will return to your favourite episodes regularly, or consider sharing with a friend. I appreciate you listening in to this podcast and joining in on the visual journey with me here on the blog. I hope the images are helpful and that you are finding something of your story within mine.

So, until next time, be you and be well.

With gratitude as always,

Amanda

WISDOM AT THE CROSSROADS PODCAST.

”Warm thoughts on the paint wall on a cold winters day take us on a visual journey.”

SYNOPSIS (48)
Y2E5 “Wise Words: Presence”
Publication date March 21st 2023

“Each day is an opportunity to begin again, to forget the troubles of yesterday, to abandon our attachment to the promise of tomorrow”

Getting quiet and being still sounds simple but it can actually be quite complex

The queen of distraction gets lost and found in this episode. Organization may not be my forte  but it seems when I am ready for the words I have written while getting in touch with the deepest parts of myself the universe will find a way for them to literally cross my path

Rediscovering meditative notes on presence when I am ready to accept and share their resonance was a reminder that today is where we begin

Nowhere is there more promise or potential

Join in to the mindful self care moment at … in the recording to seek and find:
Presence, possibility and peace as we take a literal breath and engage in a simple process to alter the course of our natural rhythms and connect to the wisdom the resides at our core

The creative action in real time invites some reflection as works in progress at the studio flow through the lovely subtleties of initial marks…only to crash and burn when judgement is applied.
Add your own expletive here!

In the meditation that accompanies this episode on the podcast we repurpose those flames and take a stroll down memory lane to a crisp evening in the fall. The story leads us to pause around a campfire, to visualize the snap and pop of poked logs in a contained circle where we too pause to be present and to invite the aromatic medicine of the sacred fire within.

With this self care pause we’ll aim to slow down, to dip into the creative magic of being still.

We talk about paintings blooming and then crashing and burning on the paintball in this episode. It’s never the plan but unfortunately it does happen, possibly more than you might imagine. The image above is a detail of the right hand side of the “Pink Pair”, whose early marks were fluid and energetic yet soft and subtle. I had put the canvases aside and come back to them as I reacquainted with my space after an absence.

Burning with Passion…

I was excited to get back to work at the studio after a holiday absence but there was definitely some rust in the muscle memory to deal with. Getting back on the creative horse is the best way to deal with that. It’s like taking that plunge and getting back into the swimming pool, but not necessarily diving into the deep end. This session was more like wading into the shallow end to rest the waters before I got back to the rhythm of my practice. It’s definitely a process that builds and it doesn’t happen overnight.

The pink pair moved through several stages. This is one of the midpoints when i started to lose it by over doing it. In life as in art less can definitely be more.

Every painting period develops its own characteristics. I might begin with an intention but the process of solving a visual equation in acrylic colour often creates its own path. As go back to work and got more comfortable with my process I wanted to ground myself in the feeling of a loaded brush addressing a static surface. I gave myself permission to begin again on what I like to call a “painting start”, a canvas pair that had been under painted but abandoned or left to cure for any number of reasons.

I never approach my work with the expectation of producing a masterpiece at days end, and its just as well as i would be bound to set myself up to fail before I had even begun. If I allow myself to be present in the process each painting session becomes an opportunity to make more choices, to play mental mind games in colour, and to allow the composition to unfold.

The Pink Pair Left Side 20” x 40” acrylic on canvas 2023. This is where this part of the composition left off . There might be minor tweaks yet to come but I will do my best to leave well enough alone having lost and regained this pair once already.

“Choosing to take a particular path in a painting is making a choice. Not making a decision is also a choice.”

I have made many choices in the production of this pink pair for example. They had beginnings in an earlier season and have evolved. Some of the decisions I made in the process may not have been my best choices but in the cumulative process of painting, where every decision is impacted by those that came before it and will impact those that will follow, we are bound to have some blunders.

With this pink pair the ebb and flow of the creative process was in full swing. At one point i ended my day deflated and disappointed that I had worn my “Over Painting Crown” ( I hate that tight fitting accessory!) and lost the early subtleties that were leading the composition forward.

When I resist the urge to clean things up I produce some of my best work. In this instance I totally F…ed things up. Like any passionate golfer a bad day on the course is better than any day away from it and so too the painting process draws me back every time. I try to see my blunders as an opportunity for new decisions on the paint wall that might lead me down a new and unexpected path.

As Forest Gump reminds us “You just don’t know what you’re gonna get”, and that’s half the fun of the process., of eating chocolate and painting.

The Pink Pair, Right Side 20” x 40” acrylic on canvas, 2023.

Changing perspective by viewing a composition in a different scale is a strategy I use often. At the end of the day at the studio I try to remember to take a snapshot of where I am leaving things off. It makes for an effective way to reevaluate the composition on my phone before my next studio visit. I spy a spot for a little yellow in this one but that might be the last addition before a signature is added and I move onto to new challenges..

The duo may not have followed my earlier thoughts as I had intended but in allowing the composition to evolve through the cumulative choices I make, they did come to a resolution. They’ll be available for in person visitation at the PULSE GALLERY in Winnipeg at Johnson Terminal at The Forks April 1-30, 2023.

The mesmerizing action of an outdoor fire pit is shown above. This is where our meditative moment will take us in today’s self care practice. In fact these are the cedar fronds curling amongst the embers of the fall fire I speak of in the recording. I can almost inhale the scented magic of Cedar as I recall this seasonal memory from lake country.

Its a little too chilly where I live right now for an outdoor firepit. I’d have to dig out both the woodpile and wade through 3 feet of snow to uncover the firepit in the front yard at the cottage . The Hoar frost pic opposite was taken a few snowfalls ago.

Our Meditative journey this week…

A seasonal story of fall clean up warms us up on the recording begins at …in the recording. We gather virtually around the firepit on the shores of Lake Winnipeg. Our meditative tool kit opens up to invite you to bring your creative imaginings along with you as I share a story and some prompts to join me , wherever you are and whatever the weather. This seasonal memory is shared in story format so there is nothing to but but lie back and listen in, unless you want to take me and some headphones outside on a walk with you, if that is an option where you are.

The firepit takes centre stage as we add our collected offerings to the sacred circle and invite the earths medicine to rise from the flames and warm us to the core. The power of visualization can take us anywhere we want to go when seasonal limitations prevent us from being present in the physical experience. Baby it’s cold outside as I type but our thoughts warm up our self care practice at the end of the podcast with our “Meditation”.

This pic of the cottage during a Hoar Frost was taken a few snow falls ago. The front deck is currently enveloped in a wide wind sculpted curve and is no longer distinguishable as a different level. It’s a little too chilly where I live right now for an outdoor firepit. I’d have to dig out both the woodpile and wade through 3 feet of snow to uncover the firepit in the front yard at the cottage.

Last week I mentioned I had been interviewed by the inspiring Whitney Baker Host of the “Electric Ideas” Podcast. Whitney, from the Windy City aired the interview we did together on her Podcast this week.

Whitney is a woman with a purpose and a sense there is more out there for us all. She is on a reflective journey. Connect to a sense of possibility by listening in to Whitney’s Podcast, “Electric Ideas” where each week she interviews a woman who is lighting a path and offering others hope. I was honoured to be invited to share my story of the Wisdom I leaned at a literal Crossroads when world changed. What began as a healing journey through change became the book, “Wisdom at the Crossroads” (2018) and now a podcast sharing the same name. Listen in the the interview below.

Click the arrow in the embedded player below to listen in to the interview.

Work at the office…

Not all day of everyday is a paint day. There is business to attend to and I have been working with my website designer developing an opportunity for visitors to purchase my book, “Wisdom at the Crossroads” and Mandart Greeting Cards directly from the website. Why have I been so resistant to doing that for so long?

Chantelle Andercastle of clearquartzcreative: an entrepreneur, podcast host, website designer and now magazine publisher is a dynamo. Find Chantelle at www.clearquartzcreative.co

Chantelle has brought my tech skills a long way. We joked i could only attach a single image at a time to an email when we first met and now I am embedding data so you can listen to my podcast above or The Electric Ideas interview below. Simply press on the little arrow and send thanks to Chantelle for the convenience.

Lastly…

Since we were in a warming up mood: on the paint wall in colour and on our visual journey to the campfire, I thought I‘d end by sharing a little bit of Georgian Bay’s summer magic from a series of smalls I did in 2011.

Warm thoughts led me back to this little gem , “Cocktail Hour”, from the Georgian Bay Series of 2011. In my painting practice I like to play with colour and colour relationships by turning traditional colour practices on their head. A warm sky like this one tends to flatten the surface because warm colours generally come forward visually while cooler colours recede. By inverting that principle the depth of field is reduced

Thank you…

We’ve come to the end of this post but before we part ways I wanted to remind you, I appreciate you tuning in to this podcast and joining in on the visual part of this journey with me here on the blog. I hope the images are helpful and that you are finding something of your story within mine. If my work or words inspire you please consider inviting a friend to share in our adventure or writing a review. Every shared word or post helps helps my to work reach those who could benefit by it.

Find me…

on instagram @mandartcanada or message me on the contact page of my website. I always love to hear your thoughts and comments.

With gratitude as always,

Nameste, Amanda

WISDOM AT THE CROSSROADS PODCAST.

“This anniversary edition inspired a new beginning that starts and ends with gratitude”

Thank you for joining me in this experience of story as we pause to connect, to make ourselves available to the creative magic all around us through the action of slowing down.

It was your curiosity that motivated me to visualize this virtual morning tea or afternoon coffee break.
In choosing to be present for you I am reconnecting with my own need for stillness and for that I am grateful

The meditation begins at around 7:15 in the recording.

Self care is the focus of our meditative practice in this episode where we encourage our automatic pilots who easily express gratitude for others, to step aside for a moment. This practice brings gratitude home by directing our mindful pause in mantra form, to all the parts of our body.

”Our energy flows where our attention goes” Cathy Heller

This episode is all about gratitude. One of the things I am most grateful for is the ability to have maintained a studio art practice since 2001. I may be dating myself but I am grateful for every second I get to work at my passion. “Big Pink” evolving on the paint wall at the moment is inviting new directions to manifest on the surface without judgement. She is 48” x 48”, acrylic on panel, 2023

WISDOM AT THE CROSSROADS the PODCAST, now in its second year!

If you’ve been following along with me you’ll know stories feature creativity and inspiration and the paired Mindful Mandart Meditations that conclude most episodes are a short few minutes of self-care you can take anywhere. This year I’ll be adding to the catalogue as we continue the search for wisdom at the crossroads, where action and presence meet.

I can hardly believe a year has gone by since the day I gathered all of my courage and (with help) pushed the publish button on this podcast. The project began as a response to a question I had posed for myself while doing an online course with Cathy Heller. What would I be doing a year from now?

What I didn’t want was to be doing was looking back thinking I wish I had or I could have or should have. Instead I asked myself two simple questions, “If not now, when?” and “Why not me?”… and then I dove imperfectly into this new adventure.

The podcast thing was not actually even on my radar at first, As an expat with an accent and a comfortable studio art practice an audio based tech heavy adventure was really stepping out of my comfort zone. I’ll be totally honest, I’m scared of technology, it makes me cry… and swear, sometimes a lot.

I was digging in the archive and came across this acrylic and chalk pastel on paper, 22 1/2” x 30” from the early 2000’s. “Pina Colada” was one of a series of 4 full sheets of heavy duty water colour paper that I pinned to the paint wall. I approached the same subject matter in 4 different ways in a very fun game of problem solving in colour. One of these 4 version greets visitors at my front door. “Strawberry Margarita” was the subject of a podcast in episode #12. A local tree backlit in St Vital Park was the inspiration for a study that began with the premise of exploring the shape of snow.

A studio neighbour at the time remarked my quads were more like cocktails than winter trees. And so this new series became “The Cocktail Hour”. I am grateful for the ability to play at my work and for all the contributions large and small made by friends and colleagues through their words and actions over the years.

Moving into the closet…

What you should know about podcasting is that it is not as glamorous as some of the hip 20 somethings might make it look. For me for example, McGivering a recording space has been an adventure, sometimes I’ll admit, a ridiculous one. I move into my closet on recording days and settle under the ironing board that stands precariously on the sound absorbing pillow foundation I gather and tumble around on the floor. The goal is to transform the space into a makeshift recording studio.

Think Barbara Eden in a more haphazard set of “I dream of Jeanie”. I feel more tech savvy than that seventies sitcom with my iphone in my hand and my laptop on my knee. I am grateful that I am not reliant on anybody having to rub a lamp to let me out. Can you picture it now?

The vowels have it…

The choice to create a podcast has been an additional challenge for me. I enjoy words but sometimes my accent gets tangled up in the vowels or hung up trying to annunciate a particular word that is just having none of it. On a couple of occasions I have ended up in hysterics, alone in my closet laughing out loud to the point of tears because the dance with the quilt covered ironing board has come to a tumbling end, again, or the word that is tripping me up is relentless. Its taught me to not take myself too seriously and I am grateful for that too.

Above is the cover image for my Podcast which turns 1 this week. YAY!! Cue the anniversary celebration!

I am grateful to my daughter who designed this image. She has tech skills I covet and I am always grateful when she shares some of her many talents with me. Cue the applause for Emma now.

Gratitude is what I’m feeling right now. ..

I am grateful to have made a choice to try something new, to make new connections and support the connections that have brought me to this place in my life. I am grateful to all who have sent me personal messages and comments. Words are powerful. Sometimes it can be the smallest phrase or individual comment that can have a resounding impact. and yours have had an impact on me.

I’m not sure where this new year will go but I am grateful to have the opportunity to dive in with your support.

In choosing to be present for you I am reconnecting with my own need for still ness. Along the way I am discovering that I really enjoy the practice of writing and I am able to think and reflect on my words my work and my actions. So thank you for inspiring that opportunity for growth within me. We’re never too old and it’s never too late to find creative ways to connect to each other and to ourselves.

I am grateful for THE WAVE Interlake Artists Studio Tour. I have been a member for several years. I am grateful for all the visitors who have become friends and return year after year like the perennials in my garden; rain, hail or sunshine. This pair of dear friend made a purchase and walked away in Jazzy style. I am grateful for the support my studio practice has received since 2001. It is your support that keeps a girl like me in business and able to continue doing what I love to do…and for that I am exceedingly grateful.

On the paint wall…

I am grateful to be reacquainting with my painting process after a holiday that took me back to the Land of Oz to visit family after a 5 year covid induced absence. Yes, it was magical. I am feeling refreshed and refilled and overflowing with new ideas. I am definitely ready to see where this new chapter takes me. Are you ready to dive in with me? Feel free to invite a friend to join us on this journey as we play with story, explore the creative process and discover some of the wisdom our souls wish to share with our meditation practice. I hope you’ll bookmark your favourites and return to them often.

I am grateful for my connection to place, especially this place, at the waters edge in Ponemah, which is part of Manitoba’s smallest municipality. Our seasonal piers foster community and connection and that’s a big deal to the ex pat within me. I am grateful to have found connection and community so far from my original landscape. in Manitoba’s Interlake just an hours drive north of the city.

Quilt Gem, 6” x 6”, collaged fabrics and dye sublimated image.

The last pier in Ponemah has become the backdrop to our summers. I can see it from my cottage window as I prepare dinner or pause for a drink on the deck with neighbours. In high water years i could see our girls jumping off the end into the waves and on some occasions watch the waves breaking over the pier’s deck boards.I am grateful to view all the seasons with this backdrop in view.

A new year of the podcast includes a Mindful Mandart Moment…

The intention of the meditation in this episode is to experience lightness and ease in the various parts of our body.

Our meditation practice is a way for us to pause and to connect to the deepest part of ourselves. We begin by being deliberate in naming our gratitude. The simple courtesy of saying thank you is something we turn inwards with this self care practice. As Cathy Heller so enthusiastically declares “Our energy flows where our attention goes”. It feels like good advice to direct some of our intentional focus to the many mechanisms and systems that make up the physical body that supports us in every action of every day.

I hope you will join me in the recording as we invite the healing energy of the universe within. We begin with our intentional breath and once our bodies settle we allow ourselves to visualize the healing light of the universe. I imagine it to be like static on a tv screen, or the tiny bubbles rising to the surface of a champagne flute, the visual equivalent of white noise that dissolves into a sparkling mist that can be any place or all places simultaneously.

Tune me up Scotty…

The body is an amazing machine. Like your car it can require regular maintenance and can benefit from a tune up or attunement. By applying practices such as this one that offers gratitude for the contributing parts of our body, we can assist our bodies to run more efficiently, to experience lightness and ease, to pause and recalibrate as we rest and relax. Our choices, our dreams and desires are made possible because our physical body leads the way. .. and for that I am very grateful.

Creativity and painting in particular are my favoured avenue to presence. The process of painting quiets me as it draws me in to the action of problem solving in colour. Engaged, painting, time can literally fly by. This image is of developing work in the wings at the studio. I have been changing things up and trying new things lately, like black gesso in the foundation despite having used compliments to create contrast in the last, oh let’s say, twenty years or so. I’m grateful to never say never and to be able to freely make, and change up, my own creative choices.

At the studio this week…

I have continued working with my website designer developing an opportunity for visitors to purchase my book, “Wisdom at the Crossroads” and greeting cards on my website. Chantelle Andercastle is a dynamo, a podcast host, magazine editor and entrepreneur. I am very grateful for her input and assistance. Email Chantelle good vibes at hello@clearquartzcreative.com

Also…

My interview with Whitney Baker for the “Electric Ideas” Podcast went very well this week. I was strangely nervous and had to remind myself it was not a test but a conversation with someone genuinely interested in what I am doing. I am grateful for Whitney and the invitation to share my story with her audience. I will share the link on socials as well as here when the show airs.

Lastly…

I am grateful for you, for reading to the end here, bravo!, and for your questions about the how’s and the why’s of my studio practice that evolved into this podcast and blog. I am grateful for your curiosity that has inspired me to visualize new ways to connect and share my ( weirdly accented) voice.

I am also grateful to have the use of this space. I call it my Sunday office. It is a corner of the board room at Leven Tadman Golub Law Firm. I am happy to accompany my hubby there for his regular weekend calls and very grateful to take in the views of downtown while I work. It is a big upgrade from my lovely studio and reserved for writing and planning. The 40” x 60” canvas shown, which for the life I can’t recall the name of, was commissioned for this space. I am grateful to all who have purchased or commissioned work over the years. Your choice to live with original local art allows me to continue doing what I love and I am very grateful for that.

Thank you…

I appreciate you tuning in to this podcast and joining in on this journey with me here on the blog. I hope the images are helpful and that you are finding something of your story within mine. If my work or words inspire you please consider inviting a friend to share in our adventure or writing a review. Every shared word or post helps helps my to work reach those who could benefit by it and I would be very grateful for your help in growing my audience.

With gratitude as always,

Nameste, Amanda

WISDOM AT THE CROSSROADS PODCAST.

“Landscape is inspiration for the painter in me. In this episode landscape inspires a meditative journey where colour in the landscape is invited to flow within, to encourage the vital energy around and within us to grow”.

Through our mindful moments we can learn to nurture ourselves within the busy lives we lead. Actively engaged in the creative process is where I find myself tuning out or tuning in depending on your perspective, to a place where the world quiets around me and I become fully present. I guess really I have learned to encourage my ego to step aside so I can take myself to a place where I can be still and quiet, a place where I can nurture my spirit and access the gifts the universe offers to us all.

In this episode I take you on a journey with me to slow down, to pause…

“Listen in as we seek wisdom at the crossroads where action and presence meet.” 

This episode is all about refreshing our system with the intentional breath and colourful imaginings. I thought I’d like to illustrate this blogpost with some details from recent paintings. This one is from a painting called “Blue Gums”. The story of Blue gums can be found in episode #24 (season 2 Episode 4). This lovely deep blue correlates to the third eye chakra and our inner sight and is where my thoughts on colour often begin.

Colour is a big part of my studio practice and it is playing a larger role in my meditative practice now too. During a trip to a warmer climate in the midst of a Canadian winter my morning swim turned into a magical moment. As an artist I am always open to engaging with the minutia of the world around me, of finding inspiration in the details of experience. This mindful moment on the podcast shares a magical morning and has become one of my favourite reflective meditations.

This self care practice as it developed actually felt a bit like a cosmic embrace. Using the breath I was guided to become more intentional with my focus and invite colour to bloom and to flow to all the areas of my body. 

A good friend familiar with my painting practice since its very early beginnings made an observation that I found really interesting. Her comment was also a reminder that we don’t always see what can be right in front of us in plain sight. She had noticed she said that bodies of work over the years tended to include periods of work where particular colour ranges dominated. There was a red period, a yellow period and recently a blue period. Were these works related somehow to the chakras, our body’s energy centres, and was the work I was doing in colour related somehow to my personal healing journey? It was an interesting premise and a thoughtful observation and one I am continuing to explore.

Newly emerging on the paintwall is this 24” x 36” acrylic on panel. I wanted to introduce vertical elements to a horizontal motif. I have been working on it in the depths of winter. Colour in my studio and as part off my creative process provides an antidote to winter’s white where I live. If we relate the dominant colours of the painting to the chakra column it appears, if my friend is correct in her theory, that my continuing healing journey is reenergizing all the chakras with related colour.

Vision, Insight, Hindsight and looking at alternate perspectives…are a part of my current creative process and might relate to the dominance of blue in this big sky.

The original extended version of this episode paired with a painting called “breathing Space” in episode #11 of this podcast. “Breathing Space” is a triptych that hangs in the living room at the cottage. It’s three panels are “Inhale”, “Exhale” and “Relax” which are a perfect compliment to the ease of summer living and seasonal refreshment. Thoughts of the cottage and summer living are also helpful memories to recall when the going gets cold on the prairies in the depths of a Canadian winter.

This little 16’ x 20” acrylic on canvas has lived for many years above the fireplace at the cottage. I’ve included her now as an illustration of a piece from the archive that resonates with me and also relates to my friend’s observation. The gestural brushstrokes, the movement of marks across the surface, the pale pastel blue sky and the green summer landscape put me in mind of the heart chakra, green, the throat chakra, light blue, being heard, telling my story, and the darker blues of the third eye chakra; insight, hindsight and vision.

“Flow with the intention to restore balance, to breathe in the energy around us, to use that process to connect to something greater than ourselves… pause… listen…expand”

I’ve kept the pic of my meditation chair in this week’s notes in the hope that it will inspire me to settle into my meditative practice more often. Defining a space as our own is important and it doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg. This chair lived in my studio for many years when I had lots of space and before my daughter took the opportunity to adopt it when I moved into a smaller studio.

Having a place to create a personal sanctuary is a luxury even if a chair like this one was salvaged from the loading dock where it had been “released”. Admittedly it did not look this good or clean when I rescued it. This cosy spot has encouraged my journey to presence. Literal journeys like the one I share in the recording in this episode also help us to restore and rebalance within the seasons of our lives. What is your preferred quiet sanctuary? Some friends I am told are taking this practice on walks with headphones. What works works. I am always open to getting outside and trying new ways to connect to my own spirit and the universal spirit that supports us all.

I hope you are allowing your CHI to flow in our weekly gatherings. Ideally 15 minutes per day is a wonderful addition to our daily activities. Connecting to ourselves is important, Connecting to the wisdom your soul yearns to seek and to share is a gift. The pause is the gift we give ourselves when we allow ourselves to be quiet for just a little while and listen to the wisdom, at the crossroads, where action and presence meet.

This is the actual Hummingbird I encountered on my morning walk to the pool in Phoenix that lovely morning. The retelling of that story became the mindful meditation you will hear on the recording.

It was a magical encounter. Opposite is the twisted tree set in the lawn I padded across on the way to the pool. This is the actual setting for our colour inspired meditation.

In Sedona I learned a twisted tree is often a signifier that an energy vortex is in the vicinity. At the base of this tree I sat and understood some of that magic.

At the studio this week…

I have been working with my website designer developing an opportunity for visitors to purchase my book, “Wisdom at the Crossroads”. Why have I been so resistant to doing that for so long? I am possibly lazy? or scared or both? I don’t really know the answer to that question but here we are putting our big girls pants on and doing the work. Its definitely time I got out of my head putting tasks like this one to the back burner. Check on the website in a week or so to see how it turned out.

Also…

I am being interviewed by Whitney Baker, host of “Electric Ideas” Podcast this week where we will be discussing my book; “Wisdom at the Crossroads”, it’s origin story, the idea of presence and some of the soul care practices I use that have transformed my life. Stay tuned to instagram or sign up for my newsletter on the website to see when that episode airs.

Lastly…

I am getting some visuals ready for the WAVE Interlake Artists Brochure, the WAVE website and social media posts. The image below I took yesterday at the studio with a tripod, a ten second delay and my iPhone. An extra pair of hands on a colleague would be an asset on days like this but somehow a sole practitioner/ soul practitioner finds ways to get things done.

Creativity is another avenue to presence. The process quiets me as it draws me in to the action of problem solving in colour. Engaged, painting, time can literally can fly by. This image is of new work on the paintwall in progress in early 2023. This 48” x 48” acrylic on panel is as yet unnamed. I am liking the colour palette that is developing in a new direction.

I hope you have enjoyed a restorative break by listening into the last of the Mindful Mandart Moments in this group of ten episodes. It is one of my absolute favourites and I hope this practice is one you too will return to as often as I do. A new batch of episodes will begin next week

‘Allow this practice to help you to get quiet and to be accepting of the support that is always around you and infinitely available.’

Thank you…

I appreciate you tuning in to this podcast and joining in on this journey with me here on the blog. I hope the images are helpful and that you are finding something of your story within mine. If my work or words inspire you please consider inviting a friend to share in our adventure or writing a review. Every shared word or post helps helps my to work reach those who could benefit by it.

With gratitude as always,

Nameste, Amanda

WISDOM AT THE CROSSROADS PODCAST.

DISCLAIMER: This meditative process may lead you to find the wisdom your soul yearns to share. 

Viewer discretion is advised! 

This episode might focus on process and personal practice but the key word

for this post might just be vulnerability.

I am a fairly private person and not generally prone to public vulnerability yet I am the Mand in this mindful MANDart moment where I invite you behind the curtain to experience the magic of process as it is revealed. 

This episode is all about personal practice. In it I step way outside my comfort zone to share parts of the written meditative process I use to access the wisdom at the crossroads where action and presence meet. 

Listen in to rest your heart in the details of your own story and trust me, this process,  with practice, will be an enlightening and inspiring interaction to add to your meditative tool kit. 
Connecting to the wisdom we all have access to is the end goal here. I hope you will listen in to rest your heart in the details of your own story.

Since this episode is all about process I thought we’d illustrate this blogpost with a snap shot of my most recent paint pallet. I love to see the details in the everyday, snippets of small magic that cause me to take pause or to press the trigger on my iphone camera. This snapshot was taken a few hours before I wrote this post. The remnants of my painting day at the studio were probably not even dry as I uploaded it.

A practice, a routine or a process can also be called a habit and I am definitely a creature of habit. When I think of my studio art practice I definitely have a routine and routine is somehow comforting. Years ago I rescued an abandoned teak bucket chair from the back loading dock at my studio building. I recovered it and it became my favourite chair, eventually my meditation chair that became a major part of my morning routine.

Since we’re being vulnerable… I am also an early morning person. The water is my elemental home so early mornings find me swimming laps at the Y when at home in Canda. This pic above is me swimming in the pond I learned to swim in. Olympic sized and unheated in an Australian spring this pool was cause for a lifetime aversion to cold water. Thankfully I still love to swim and my local Y is an indoor pool heated all year round.

How do you start your day?

Once at the studio , for many years, I settled myself into my meditation chair, turned on my trusty CD player and set about establishing a meditation practice.

Monkey mind is a thing…

Settling into a process or a practice or a routine is an individual thing. In the podcast this week I share my personal meditative process. You are welcome to follow along, to listen in or to take the parts that might resonate for you and adapt them for use in whatever practice you develop as your own. Accepting where we are and the unique way our mind works is a brave first step. Our thoughts are our own and all of them are welcome. On occasion though we can move them to the side for just a little while to engage in a meditative practice and listen for the wisdom our soul years to share.

My practice is something I have developed over time and it works for me. The terminology I use suits my personal paradigm. I hope you’ll feel confident to use terminology that aligns with your personal preferences and practices if my terminology is not for you.

Words are powerful. My handwriting is “Creative”, ie a little rough at the best of times, the words I write during my meditative mornings get even looser, sometimes they don’t even look like they belong to me.

Intention is key…

My intention is always to allow the words to flow without forcing anything onto the page. Each day I sit down to be intentional about my process I settle in with paper and pencil and a board to lean on at the studio or in the “starbucks corner” if i happen to be at home. Think comfy chair in a sunny corner but without the crowds or the coffee. I save the coffee for later as I am rereading the words I have written in the process As with every process we don’t just sprint the 100 meter dash without a warmup.

Warming up…

My warm up consists of writing out my intention longhand as a way to get the muscle memory engaged in my writing hand. It also serves as a way to relax my mind and body that settles me into the moment. An intentional yoga breath becomes a signal to apply my focus. It’s like rebooting my system. The exhale is a release that encourages space within that can be replaced with the wisdom and healing energy that flows… from within, or the universe, …?

and then i begin.

Listen in on the recording for the actual mantra I write longhand for inspiration. You might choose to use the same words or you are free to modify the process to suit yourself. Its just important to know that though I am not concerned with the words I am writing as I am writing them, I trust that I’ll be able to read any messages I receive at the end of the session. I am always amazed that there are few edits beyond recognising and clarifying my own handwriting.

Trust in your process…

Our routines become more comfortable when we relax into the process. Engaged in this process I was astounded at the wisdom I was discovering. The words were not a series of random disacssociated thoughts but a thoughtful and enlightening philosophy. With minor editing and a lot of hesitation I published excerpts from my meditative notes as my first book. It shares the name of this podcast.

Wisdom at the Crossroads…

became a simple alphabetical journey, a picture book for adults, or Yoga for the mind. “Weightier than its small stature” according to one early reader.

Meditation..

Is something we all can do. It can take many forms and can be as simple or complex as we feel is appropriate for ourselves. Whether formal or informal the process helps me to feel centred and refreshed on all levels. In fact I am often surprised at the depth of my focus moving forward into the rest of my day after I meditate. Your imagination is a gift and I love that you get to co create mentally along with me, to connect to your own stories, your own wisdom, by choosing to listen in to my examples.

I wonder what wisdom will surface for you should you choose to work through my process or amalgamate parts of it into something that is uniquely your own. Its not easy to quiet the noise of distraction that permeates all aspects of our busy lives but with practice I hope you’ll be inspired by the wisdom you already have at your core and that you’ll feel more refreshed and at ease through the simple action of slowing down.

Creativity is another avenue to presence. The process quiets me as it draws me in to the action of problem solving in colour. Engaged, painting, can literally can fly by. Setting an alarm was my best idea when I had small children to pick up from school and didn’t want them feeling abandoned or missing their activities because Mum had lost track of time and was still at work at the studio :)

Painting as pause…

Inspiration is everywhere. The act of painting and the creative decisions I make in the process transport me into a different world as I work. The process feels a bit like a physical meditation. The process is about being present within an activity. A painting is the culmination of a series of decisions I get to make along the way. Each cumulative choice , documented in consecutive marks, forms the foundation for what comes next. Writing , similarly, is just another way to express ourselves creatively.

Part of my process includes music. I have gardened with David (Bowie) and Joni (Mitchel), hung out with John (Mayor) and Jack (Johnson) and crooned with Ray (Charles) and Brian (Ferry).   In the past few years Richard Goldsworthy’s Piano instrumentals have dominated as heart songs that serenade me at the studio.

Sound combined with action, in my case painting or writing, is my way of taming the noise of the busy life I have chosen. What are your chill tunes? Where do they take you? Take some time to listen in with intention and a pencil and paper in hand to see where inspirational music might take you

WONDERLAND is a pair that paired with a version of this episode’s mandart moment on the podcast in episode #23. I share it here as an update. The left side “Heart” sold and was shipped across the country. My apprenticeship as shipper and receiver got a literal work out. Getting a 4 foot square into a purpose built cardboard box was an adventure for sure. One I imagine to be the equivalent of wrestling a crocodile into a tea cup. The Right hand side “Soul” is available but would have to be wrestled off the wall in my husband’s office where it is currently being “stored”. He can be so helpful :)

This detail has become the newest addition to the MANDART GREETING CARD BOX as well as a prototype for fuzzy Mandart Blankies, coming soon. Here my hubby, 6’2” is modelling his long reach and demonstrating scale.

We’ve come to the end of todays story. I hope this practice is one you will return too often as inspiration that will help you to get quiet with the support that is always around you and infinitely available.

I appreciate you tuning in to this episode and joining in on this journey with me. I hope the images are helpful and that you are finding something of your story within mine. If my work or words inspire you please consider sharing the podcast with a friend or write a review on apple podcasts. Reach out if you have qjuestyions on how to do that.

The full episode is available anywhere you get your podcasts or simply press the arrow in the player at the top of this post.

I appreciate you!

Nameste, Amanda

Apple Trailer - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wisdom-at-the-crossroads-trailer/id1609992256?i=1000551067035

WISDOM AT THE CROSSROADS PODCAST.

This episode shares a breath of fresh air and the story of a journey to presence where we notice the little things in the natural world…

This is the 8th instalment of the Mindful Mandart Moments Series. This group of ten episodes within the Podcast are bringing the meditation to the foreground to help us out with a little self care pause.

This prairie detail is an old one. It comes from a painting on paper in acrylics and chalk pastel from the earliest days of my studio practice. The process now, as it did then, got me quiet and into the present moment. The image, the result of that creative pause, hints at the potential elemental magic that might exist deep within the layers of these prairie flatlands.

TAKING A BREAK…This episode evolved out of a mid summer moment when I needed to press the pause button for myself even though I was reluctant to do so.

The meditation in this MINDFUL MANDART MOMENT is a guided journey to an incidental green space dappled in pockets of sunshine. 

Todays self care break is all about allowing ourselves an opportunity to pause and spend a few minutes, 11 I am told, in our own company, outdoors, because, a) we are definitely worth it and b) time in natural environments inspires a physical pause that allows our system to respond and relax.

I hope you’ll listen in on the recording as we take a short pause seeking stillness and the wisdom at the crossroads where action and presence meet. 

This snapshot illustrates a literal crossroads at the corner of Ponemah road and highway 9 on the prairies in lake country, Manitoba.

In this episode…

We get out of our own way as we continue our travels on this meditative journey. We can all benefit from a virtual break in a natural environment. This one was a reminder for me that even though I might say, “I’m ok”, “everything’s fine”, I too sometimes need to take a literal and figurative break.

“Pause, take a breath, and a few minutes outside to witness the delicate balance of stillness in action”

Mindful Moments are designed to bring us back to the present.

You might imagine shimmering light like this as you listen in. From my side yard when I got quiet I could hear the action of lake water rolling gently onto the sand by the pier.

Inspiration…
To pause is a gift we give to ourselves. It can be as simple as taking in a deep breath and exhaling for a literal breath of fresh air, or as extensive as you allow yourself to make your meditative practice.

The side yard at the lake populated by a pair of chipmonks tangled together in presence and the occasional skirmish inspired this visual journey. Watching their antics in and around a precariously balanced woodpile in dappled shade was the stage that set the pace for the literal exhale I share in this episode of the podcast.

In the presence of those stripy little rodents, my breathing slowed and I was drawn into alignment with the pace of their experience.

It was a refreshing interaction and a physical reminder of the impressive impact the smalls in the world around us can have on our over stimulated systems.

In this episode of Mindful Mandart Moments we are reminded of the importance of the intentional pause. When we allow ourselves to step into the peace of green spaces just outside our door, when we allow ourselves to get quieter, we become more visually aware and are able to notice the smaller movements taking place around us.

When we allow our body to rest we also allow ourselves to experience the world around us in a gentler way. We attune ourselves with the natural world around us.

Above “Prairie Girls” share some elemental magic. Do you see the fairies in the foreground made by unintentional marks?

Finding a place for the eye to rest wherever we are is an effective starting point for a meditative practice. The bunk house deck is a wonderful summertime vantage point to do just this.

The chipmonks and hummingbirds will return with their humorous antics with the new season.

”Find a quiet natural space. Observe your surroundings and allow your system to respond”

As I followed my breath to a peaceful pause in the sideyard I got to witness the delicate balance of stillness in action. The leaf afloat on the surface of the new birdbath above responded to the breath of wind as it made contact with the surface.

Next time you are walking or wondering outside, particularly in mild weather, allow yourself permission to pause within the natural world whatever that looks like where you are.

The end of January where i live is cold. darn cold!

The weather might not invite us outdoors to languish in the yard for an extended period of time right now so the guided meditation makes for an effective seasonal substitute. Try it out, you just might like it. You might also be inspired to take yourself to an incidental greenspace where you live to so see what smalls will entertain you with their curiosity and presence.

“Notice haste, ease”

Which brings us to the end of this post…

Thanks for tuning in to this episode on the player inset above or anywhere you listen to your podcasts. Time is valuable and I really appreciate you spending some of your precious time with me. I am grateful to have you with me, complimenting your own meditative practice by joining in with my examples.

If you are finding something that resonates for you on this podcast or blogpost please feel free to Invite a friend to join in on this free, weekly, self care project.

I hope you’ll return to WISDOM AT THE CROSSROADS PODCAST often to pause and reflect on your personal journey toward mindfulness. Together we’ll seek wisdom at the crossroads where action and presence meet. 
Until next time, Amanda xoxo

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WISDOM AT THE CROSSROADS PODCAST.

 CELEBRATE THE POWER OF INTENTION

WITH THIS SELF CARE PAUSE. 

Together we’ll learn to create a personal sanctuary as we seek wisdom at the crossroads where action and presence meet.

This episode was inspired by Episode 27, “A Celebration of the Poppy:”

“Sisterhood: Middle Child” 18” x 24” acrylic on panel 2022. Since I have recently spent time with my sisters overseas and I am the middle child I thought this image would do double duty. It shares a detail of a recent painting in acrylic and it also features the colour RED which will be a focus for our meditation in this episode.

Mindful Moments are designed to bring us back to the present. Creativity has always been my avenue to presence. Sometimes we need to get creative with our meditative practice.

This self care pause is definitely one for the books. It celebrates the power of intention and encourages us to act instead of react, to curate a sanctuary within, especially in stressful circumstances. 

 You will definitely want to listen in on the player above and add this self care strategy to your hand luggage, as I do, when you travel. 

This episode is #7 of the Mindful Mandart Moments Series.

They bring the meditations that pair with backstories of paintings to the forefront to be the focus of our interaction, to help us to pause and to be present, to make ourselves available to the creative magic all around us through the action of slowing down.

Mindfulness is about being present so I am including this image from a recent beach walk. It was as far from an airport as I could be though I did spend many hours in airports in order to arrive here.

Let’s be reminded to just “Be’ where we are, wherever we are.

We are our own agents and though stress can sometimes overwhelm us we can choose to take a mindful break wherever we are with a little creative intervention.

I developed the meditation in this episode while in a very busy airport where sounds quickly became noise that competed for attention. The chaos of people and energy coming and going inspired me to find a way to curate a place to pause within the action.

Without the ability to physically remove ourselves from a stressful situation we can use the power of our imagination and the creative tool of visualisation to build a sanctuary around us wherever we are.

The meditation in the recording references the colour red. Red is the colour associated with the root chakra. The root Chakra at the base of the spine is the energy centre that helps to keep us grounded.

 The Root Chakra is associated with the colour Red.

Red is one of my favourite colours. I appreciate the resonance of quinocridone red light ( try pronouncing that one with an accent on a podcast ) and though painting quiets my soul, I am strangely attracted to the screaming nature of particular shades of Golden’s Pyrole.Red in light dark and medium shades.

These lovely reds seek attention like noise in an airport so by association the grounding quality of red inspired the sanctuary building meditation in this episode.  

WHEN I TRAVEL…

“Why is your backpack so heavy?” my husband asks when i occasionally pass him “Bertha”. Bertha is the name my adult children have given my travel backpack. Bertha has personality and she can get heavy. (I’m sorry but I can’t help but to collect things… like books and rocks)

On a recent trip we had an extended layover and the sounds around us turned to noise. Without the ability to remove myself from the situation i developed the meditation that you’ll find in todays episode.

Above is the cherry quartz heart I happened to have with me on my journey.

Cherry Quartz is just one example of a RED stone that can help us to feel energized, to reestablish our equilibrium, encourage, vigour, and enthusiasm …perfect to have in an airport :)

If you are like me you might also choose jewellery to compliment your energetic needs. This carnelian necklace and copper ring are favourites of mine that help to keep me grounded in stressful situations.

What’s in your toolbox?

Painting is a process that takes me to a meditative mindset where the hustle of the world slows and I become fully present in my work. Like you I am not always at work and don’t have 24/7 access to the creative processes that usually keep me grounded. Having a meditative practice is a strategy that helps me to take a breather amidst the chaos of the everyday. The meditation in this episode involves a Visualization. I hope you find it a helpful addition.

The poppy inferred in textiles…

 The situations I find myself in provide inspiration. Even the stressful ones like an airport. Amid the din of commuter groups, music and announcements, after what had already ben a long day, I realized…

Choice is always available. I can create a refuge for myself wherever I am, whenever I need or want to, through the power of creative visualization.

I can take myself mentally to a refreshing location or I can hold onto a talisman like the cherry quartz heart above as I settle and focus my intention on the breath. This helps us to regulate our overstimulated systems wherever we are.

We don’t have to react to the circumstances around us, we can instead, act.

In the recording you will find the virtual fort I assembled around myself as i waited in a stressful environment. By harnessing the power of intention and creative visualization I was able to construct a virtual protective shell, a flexible barrier that can grow and settle around us as we settle in with ourselves, wherever we are.

I hope you’ll notice as I did, the stress of where i was, becoming stiller and more peaceful with each intentional breath. Listen in on the player at the beginning of this blogpost for the complete experience.

If you would like to subscribe to my newsletter to receive new episodes in your inbox you can head over to my website www.mandart.ca or scan the QR Code below to sign up.

Scan here to sign up for my newsletter if you are not already receiving it. You can also subscribe too WISDOM AT THE CROSSROADS PODCAST wherever you listen.

I hope the Mindful Moment series is resonating for you. I appreciate you listening in and reading the notes here on the blog.

Please feel free to Invite a friend to join in for this weekly self care project.. It’s free and every comment or recommendation is helpful to the growth of this project.

So, until next time, be well and be inspired and I will look forward to joining with you again as we seek wisdom at the crossroads where action and presence meet.

All best, Amanda

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WISDOM AT THE CROSSROADS PODCAST.

Enjoy the healing power of a restful moment here.

MINDFUL MANDART MOMENTS continue with this sixth instalment of the series. The meditations that usually pair with the back stories of studio practice have come to the foreground to help us to be more and do a little less in the hectic lives we lead. 

The meditation this episode explores an experience of landscape. It is an  invitation to enjoy a restorative moment inspired by memories of my connection to an iconic “place”. It is also an opportunity to be comforted by a connection to a much younger version of ourselves. 

This reflective pause in this episode is destined to inflate your soaring desires. It is a short period of restful self awareness. Listen in on the podcast to discover what the action of slowing down inspires in you.

This one was inspired by Episode 5, an “ODE TO TOM”…

“Imaginings”. A new painting is beginning on the paint wall in 2023 Inspired by this episode it too is begining with a little forest green.

This is your invitation for a little self-care.

My hope with this series of Mindful moments is that you’ll find your favourites and return to them regularly in your personal meditative practice, that they will become a comforting addition to your self-care tool box. Together let’s pause and to discover the magic within where your creative potential abounds.

We’ll begin today exploring a virtual landscape.

We are all so different and the landscapes we know and love will be different too. While I am sharing my thoughts and imaginings I want you to be able to consider the landscapes you see and perceive in your real or imagined world?

Your forest imaginings mights start here, on the Saanich Peninsular on Vancouver Island?

 Read or Listen…

I am sharing today’s episode in text form for those who have requested a secondary way to interact with the podcast.

Let’s take a few deep breaths to ground our body into the present moment,

Breathing in and out through the nose,

As we establish our own rhythm and get comfortable wherever we are.

Generally a meditation is a stationary activity however some friends have told me they are taking Mandart moments on their morning walks with headphones. However and wherever you are participating try to make conscious notes of what you around you as you walk or notice just before you close your eyes if you are at physically still.

Sometimes I begin with an after image of what I have seen immediately before closing my eyes.

If walking I would suggest a solo roam and begin by taking in the environment around me.

A silvered morning is where I would like to start any meditative morning. Living where I live a location like this one is an imaginary one. for most of the year. Seven Mile Beach, NSW Australia.

Maybe you are seeing a glow of shapes and colours.

Whatever it is that you see, simply notice it as you continue with the breath.

Breathing in and out and aiming for balance between the inhale and the exhale.

 Listen to the sounds of your space.

Notice them, accept them, don’t try to override them or blot them out, simply notice them as we relax together and prepare to go for a virtual walk together.

An invitation… this one was on the south coast of Australia…the sandy pathway shown here led to the silvered ocean in the above image. :)

It’s always worth exploring what lies further along a pathway through trees.

An Invitation…

I’d like to invite you to imagine you are walking into the shade of a cool forest on a lovely warm day.

You are alone and you are enjoying the sounds around you. You might hear the crack of twigs and stones underfoot or children laughing at play way in the distance?

Breathe in the awareness of your location,

 It is as if you are a tourist in a new to you environment where all the fascinating details amplify your experience of the location.

What do you see?

What does it smell like?

What small features stand out for you?

Take a moment to visualize looking around and taking in the space you are curating for yourself.

Cathedral Grove Redwood Forest, Vancouver Island, Canada. Monumental is the only word I can conjure to associate with this magical ancient forest.

Continue on your walk as you notice the beauty of your surroundings

Pause as you allow your breath to become the focus….

You are drawn to be still to listen as you hear the sound of gentle beating wings

in the distance a bird swoops low and within range.

 This is unlike any bird you have seen before. And you pause to take in its presence.

What does this bird look like to you? Does she have the wingspan of an eagle, the radiance of a hummingbird, Is she camouflaged or can you still see her as she flies off on a breeze?

This little Hummingbird actually followed me at eye level while on a morning walk in Phoenix, Arizona in 2022. Really, I couldn’t have imagined the interaction if I had tried.

You keep walking in the direction the bird flew and up ahead you see a small figure coming towards you,

This small person is smiling broadly and is clearly excited to see you.

As you get closer you realize this small person is a much younger version of you.

You feel yourself smile as you take in the image of the younger figure coming towards you.

Your paths meet and the younger version of you reaches out for your embrace.

You pause to hug and exhale a large and peaceful breath together

You are equally comforted by the connection.

Under the canopy of this magical forest, where all possibility exists, you feel at home.

Tofino, Vancouver Island.

Holding hands you continue in the direction the bird is leading you

Through the lower branches of the trees you can see a beautiful radiant light.

 There is a clearing up ahead.

The closer you get to the clearing the clearer and more radiant the light becomes

 It is as if that light is embracing you as gently and as eagerly as your very young self

 You are comforted and comfortable.

Let your imagination take you on a “JOURNEY”. (Acrylic on Canvas, 24” x 24”, 2010)

The pathway leads you through the trees to a clearing and in front of you see a lovely patch of soft spring grass that you and your younger self sit down upon.

The sun is shining and the day is glowing with brighter and brighter light.

On this unique journey you have an opportunity to share something special with your younger self.

Take a moment to think of what you would like to say

 Pause here for a moment…

What pearls of wisdom will you share?

What thanks will you offer?

Breathe into this moment as you wait to listen to what will reciprocally be shared with you

You smile to yourself as you realize what a beautiful opportunity you have been given.

Imagine it

Accept it and breathe into this lovely visual and enjoy.

The world is full of magic. Look for the magic around you wherever you are. This double rainbow occurred recently in my sister’s view, Croziers Road, Berry , NSW, Australia.

In the distant sky you notice that magical bird you first saw at the beginning of this journey and you watch as it returns from a brief flight and gently swoop towards you in the forest.

As the bird gets closer you are aware that your younger self is standing and getting ready to leave.

It becomes apparent that this younger version of you has an intimate connection to this unusual bird form.

You watch in awe as the bird alights and approaches your younger self.

 The pair merges and together lay back into the radiance of the light that surrounds you.

You are left inspired, smiling and grateful for this interaction. Inaudibly you thank them for their presence, for gift of time spent in each other’s company and for the opportunity to share in this restorative moment with you.

Enjoy this restorative moment from my summer time happy place on the shores of lake Winnipeg, Canada.

Return your focus to noticing the cycles of your breath .

You are calm and peacefully relaxed as you start to bring yourself back to your present moment,

 Open your eyes when you are ready if you have been seated as you listen in or if you chose to walk with this podcast pause as you start to bring conscious movement into your fingers and toes. Stretch and reacquaint yourself with where you physically are.

As you complete this brief journey and make your way back to your routine I want you to take with you something you have seen or been reminded of during this reflection.

Sunset Western Australia, Image courtesy of a new listener. Thank you

Now is probably a good time to take a new look at your soaring desires

Take a backward glance to the imagery you have curated.

What does she look like? What colours or words describe her appearance or the feeling she inspires within you?

I hope the images and ideas your soul has shared with you in the time we have spent together here are encouraging.

If you like to journal you might like to write or to draw or make some affirmative notes to yourself.

Or you might simply want to move forward into your day with the memory of connection to your much younger self.

I am getting back to work at the studio where my imaginings will soon be translated in colour.

 Thank you…

I hope you have enjoyed this mindful moment. It really is about the pause and offering ourselves an opportunity to slow down. When we quiet the noise of distraction around us we allow our energetic body to rest and expand. We find presence together.

I hope you’ll join me again for future installments of this developing series and if you have found something that resonates for you that you might share it with a friend, or add a podcast review on apple podcasts to help my podcast to be seen and heard by others.

So, until next time on a Tuesday, I hope you’ll look forward as I do, to finding wisdom at the crossroads, where action and presence meet.

xoxo Amanda.

”We are supported at every moment,

wherever we are, without condition”

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WISDOM AT THE CROSSROADS PODCAST.

LET’S GET ACTIVELY STILL. with this episode of a MINDFUL MANDART MOMENT on the Podcast. In it we’ll pair action with stillness to take us on a contemplative visual journey. 

The new year is a time for self reflection…and a great time to add to our meditative tool box with the inclusion of a virtual labyrinth walk.

This is the 5th instalment of the Mindful Mandart Moments Series. This is a group of ten episodes within the Podcast. In this series we are bringing the meditation that concludes each episode of the podcastnto the foreground. The aim is to help us to find our own rhythm on our personal meditative journeys while also providing an additional process that you might find helpful.

The legend of The Carol Shields Memorial Labyrinth in Kings park, Winnipeg.

 The labyrinth, In existence for thousands of years is usually a compact journey that winds its way to a contemplative centre and unfurls as it returns us to where its curved path began.

So far in our meditative practice together we have paused to contemplate and reflect as we have taken time for ourselves at the end of each episode on the podcast.  

A labyrinth walk I thought might make a thoughtful physical addition to our mindfulness practice. A walking meditation provides a nice option for all of us who struggle at times with slowing down to “BE” more, and do a little less. 

I hope you’ll listen on the player above or anywhere you listen to your podcasts. Together we’ll take a short pause seeking stillness and wisdom at the crossroads where action and presence meet. 

A rose hedge might describe the outer boundary of your visualized labyrinth.

Why take a virtual labyrinth walk?

Reflecting, contemplating, pausing and taking time for ourselves has been the foundation of the personal work we have been engaging in together within this meditative practice. When we are present all kinds of opportunities become available to us.  Meditation is not only a stationary practice. A walking meditation like a labyrinth walk is a nice addition to our self-care tool kit

A meditative practice that includes a virtual labrynth walk is just another way to help us to find presence as we navigate our way through all that life presents. The concept of action contrasting stillness originally paired with an active still life painting in Episode 33.

Do you imagine a paved pathway or something a little more rustic?

While there are many ritual associations with a labyrinth walk we can enter and allow the prescribed pathway to lead the way to its core.

We have a labyrinth in our city that I have always wanted to visit and for some reason a cool snowy November weekday morning was the day I chose to take my inaugural walk. See the diagram above.

If you have walked a labyrinth in your past feel free to bring those memories along as we take our self-care walk together today.
If a prescribed pathway like this is new to you as it is to me let’s just be open to listening to the wisdom at our core as we make our way along the journey

The medieval period often featured labyrinths on stone floors. Chatres Cathedral is one of the most renowned. Walking through the Bayeux Cathedral, Normandy felt like a walking meditation in 2018 with my family.

The Carol Shields Memorial Labyrinth in Winnipeg. 
I chose a weekday morning to walk my first labyrinth. I was thinking there would not be others in the vicinity and I was right. It was really cold.
I followed a tractor that was clearing a walkway of snow along the red river.
It was still snowing lightly. Overnight accumulation was minimal but the wind was kicking up across the adjacent pond that had recently turned solid and white.

The paths of this physical labyrinth I walked .are delineated by clusters of hardy perennials and native plants designed to survive the challenges of prairie living through all of its seasons.

Your climate might inform the visuals you experience when you close your eyes to imagine a circular path outlined by local plantings.

The boundary of your virtual labyrinth might be defined by a clipped hedge like this one?

You might imagine scented old fashioned or shrub roses planted in pastel rows or solid curated and clipped hedges outlining the pathways that divide the circular paths?
Maybe you see a more naturalistic series of plantings like those I experienced peeking out of the accumulating snow

The snow covered boundary of the Carol Shields Memorial Labrynth

The important thing is to visualize yourself entering the prescribed arcs of the pathway you choose.
My pathway curved to the left. You can follow that experience in the recording on the podcast.

The unusual bowl shape of this labyrinth on Manitoba’s prairie invited snow to blow and accumulate.
Though the snow wasn’t deep this early in the season to the uninitiated like me, six inches of snow easily blurred the boundary between the designed pathways of the labyrinth itself, and the plantings of the surrounding area.

A pathway like this is one of my favourites. Next time you are on a sandy beach consider drawing your own circular pathways into the sand to reinact this meditative process.

Using your imagination.
As you move forward in your meditation notice what surface you see your feet step upon as you make your way into the prescribed circle 
Is it a path of short clipped soft green grass that invites bare feet?
Is it a compacted and we’ll trodden gravel walkway
Is it the colour of Crushed pink granite or blue metal grey.

Is it made of warm and rounded sun bleached river rock?

Or is it a temporary pathway sketched into sand?

On the day I made my first walk the tracks of squirrel and deer criss crossed the paths ahead of me in the fine soft white snow.

A labyrinth walk is said to be a journey on which we can take with us our concerns and prayers, our questions and hopes or our dreams and desires.
It’s a place we can choose to work through something or a place we can move through with acceptance and an open heart
How you choose to navigate these concentric arcs on any visit is up to you.

With each step along your chosen substrate allow yourself some space to listen to your own thoughts. If you came with an open and curious mind be aware and notice if anything resonates for you along the way. 

My journey on this day was not an easy one and maybe that’s what I needed?
In stepping across the deepening snow I was reminded that the paths we travel are not always what we plan for or anticipate. They don’t always follow a prescriptive path.
On this path I found myself blazing my own trail
Contemplating each step as I negotiated the bumps in the road
I was aware that the loads I carry within me and into the curve of this circular path are what I needed to take there in this moment

There are obstacles
There are turns
some were prescribed by the form the labyrinth took
others were unexpected and due to external circumstances like the weather.
Weather was a literal barrier to my journey
We can also carry metaphoric weather like turbulence or volatile conditions within us as we travel through this process
Wherever your journey takes you know that it is exactly where it should be at this singular point in time.

When in bloom at the height of summer the border planting that delineate the pathways at the Carol Shields Memorial Labryntyh might look a little more like this.

There is no right or wrong way to undertake this short journey and also no single way for a revelation to manifest. We are all unique and our impressions and our responses will be too

It pays to pay attention, to embrace the quiet. The core of a labyrinth is said to be a place of wisdom so take a moment to pause in the middle. 

On the exit route our pathways begin with the shorter interior arcs that turn more quickly. We gather momentum. With each prescribed step along the returning pathways feel yourself becoming lighter and more light filled. Accept any inspiration as well as the metaphysical support you have received on the journey.
Be present
Listen to the sound around you
listen for any sounds within 

Encourage the healing energy of resolution and acceptance to infiltrate the cells of the physical body as you make your way back to the beginning.

Your steps might have taken you on a smooth and contemplative pathway within clearly delineated boundaries, or, your path may have felt like it was climbing uphill.

Maybe it was like my Canadian path that was literally tough sledding in a transitioning season where my steps were labored as I waded through deepening snow.

Whatever you feel, or experience as an image, or heard as a sound, or knew as a stream of consciousness during your meditative process will be exactly what you are destined to discover as you navigate a visual journey like this one. Each time you return to it allow the universe to guide your thoughts and curate the images you visualize.

Post bloom prairie plantings

Whatever path you choose for your actual or virtual journeys
May you feel as refreshed as I did as I made my way from the healing bowl of the labyrinth’s concentric circular paths to the warmth and protection of my car out of the elements.

I hope you have enjoyed this mindful moment. It really is about the pause and offering ourselves an opportunity to slow down. When we quiet the noise of distraction around us we allow our energetic body to rest and expand. We find presence together.

At the time I walked this labyrinth and developed this visualized meditation the Red River was freezing up and snow was falling.

The inspiration for the meditation in this episode…

Being present at the time this podcast airs …

I am getting back to the studio after a break. I am definitely ready to get back to work on some fresh ideas.

This brings us to the end of the blog this time.

THANK YOU for tuning in to this episode on the player inset above or anywhere you listen to your podcasts. Time is valuable and I really appreciate you spending some of your precious time with me. I am grateful to have you with me, complimenting your own meditative practice by joining in with my examples.

If you are finding something that resonates for you in this podcast please feel free to Invite a friend to join in on this weekly self care project.

Please also consider writing a five star review on apple podcasts. It’s free and every comment or recommendation is helpful for the growth of this project.

I hope you’ll return to WISDOM AT THE CROSSROADS PODCAST often to pause and reflect on your personal journey toward mindfulness. Together we’ll seek wisdom at the crossroads where action and presence meet. 
Until next time, Amanda xoxo

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WISDOM AT THE CROSSROADS PODCAST.

We may not like cleaning up but this visualized cleansing ritual will be a great addition to your self care tool box.

In this MANDART MOMENT OF MINDFULNESS colour was the inspiration that initiated a visual journey through the chakra column. 

The chakras form a tower of invisible energetic support in all of us. There are 7 chakras that form this internal column beginning with the root chakra at the base of the spine and rising to the crown chakra just above the top of our heads. 

Becoming aware of the properties of our chakras can help us to consciously align ourselves with our greatest potential.

Amethyst and Quartz, Kessler Collection Savannah Georgia.

 There are many ways to visualize a chakra cleanse. I return to them often in a variety of ways.  In this version of an energetic cleanse we expand, we rise we imagine and together imbue our chakras with crystal magic from head to toe. 

Mindful Moments are designed to bring us back to the present. Creativity has always been my avenue to presence. This pic illustrates a pandemic moment where I literally painted myself into a corner

Mindful Mandart Moments.

These meditations I share are really moments of self-care designed to help us to pause and to be present, to make ourselves available to the creative magic all around us through the action of slowing down. I hope you will find this one helpful.The Chakra Cleanse.

I keep the traditional colour pattern of the chakra column in mind as I do a Chakra cleanse meditation. I am consistent each time in adhering to a process but the stones and crystals I visualize might vary depending on where I am and how I am feeling. The stones I will mention in today’s practice are just one option to consider when clearing your chakra column in meditation.

Mindfulness is about being present so I am including this image from a Shoalhaven Heads beach walk. I was in Australia visiting family on New Years Day 2023 while I was preparing the blog for this episode.

Lets be reminded to just “Be’ where we are, wherever we are.

Painting is a process that takes me to a meditative mindset where the hustle of the world slows and i become fully present in my work at play. Colour in my painting practice evolved into a Chakra cleanse in this episode. It is one of my favourite meditations and one I return to often. The 15 minutes of this episode will be worth the investment in your self-care program.

“Wonderland: Soul” left side. This panel is an example of colour in my work. I guess we could say with total honesty that all the crayons in the box are included in my paintings. “Wonderland’s” soul could reside with you if colour is on your New Years list.

Time for a little context….

What is a Chakra?

The chakra tower is part of our energetic body. It extends from the base of the spine to the crown of the head and is believed to be formed by seven centers of spiritual power in the human body.

The word chakra comes from the Sanskrit word that means wheel or disc. Our chakras are thought of as spinning discs that work more effectively when they are open and aligned.

A cleansing chakra meditation like this one is designed to apply our focused breath to a visual journey and as a result, to translate that intentional refreshment to the corresponding areas of the body via our clear and expanded chakras.

The meditation in the recording references crystal energy that corresponds to the colours associated with the respective chakras. Here on the blog i am pairing details from my painting practice to illustrate the colours of the respective Chakras. This red detail comes from the “Sweet Suite”, of 2022. 11” x 14” acrylic on panel.

1. The Root Chakra.

The Chakra tower begins at the base of the spine with the red root chakra that grounds us to the earth.

The visual I am using in the podcast this episode begins with the rich deep red and the energy of garnet. Garnet is a stone of manifestation that helps to keep us grounded and soothes any negative emotions.

Orange detail from the Sweet Suite series of smalls, 11” x 14”, 2022.

2. The Sacral Chakra.

Orange is the colour representative of the Sacral Chakra. The Sacral Chakra exists in the area above the pelvic bone and below the belly button. It is the site of sexuality and creativity. In the recording I invite you to use your focused breath to imagine a ball of energy that exists at this energy centre.

The sacral chakra is represented in this episode by the warm loving orange glow of Carnelian, a stone that awakens our zest for life and stimulates creativity.

Yellow detail from “Afternoon Showers” 30” x 60”, 2010.

3. The Solar Plexus Chakra

The colour yellow in the above illustration comes from a large pair of paintings I introduced on the podcast in the episode titled “Afternoon Showers”. Our visualized practice can take us to a calm and refreshing space whatever the weather and wherever we are.

The solar plexus corresponds to the colour yellow, digestion and our personal power and confidence. In the podcast we continue thoughts of the warm lemon yellow of Citrine. The Solar Plexus Chakra is home to our gut reactions and Citrine has a positive energy that aids with purification and improved digestion. Feel yourself ease here as you focus your breath and apply your attention to the colour of sunshine..

Green detail from “Breeze at Bay, 24” x 48”, acrylic on panel.

4. The Heart Chakra.

The heart chakra is typically represented with the colours green or pink. It is of course the center for love and compassion. In our meditative practice this episode we invite the smooth mid green of Aventurine into our thoughts as we focus on the breath.

Breathing in fully and exhaling fully we invite the general wellbeing and emotional calm of this heart stone to expand and align our Heart Chakra.

Light Blue Detail from “Alumni” 11” x 14”, 2022

5. The Throat Chakra.

The throat chakra is our light blue communication hub.

In this episode of the Podcast we’ll be mindful of Blue Lace Agate of the chalcedony family. This delicate yet highly spiritual soothing stone brings peace and calm to our visualized meditative practice.

With each breath focused on the throat chakra we can imagine our words being heard.

Dark Blue detail from “Blue Gums” 48” x 48” acrylic on canvas, 2022.

6. The Third Eye Chakra.

The Third Eye is dark blue and representative of our vision, insight and imagination .

Located in the center of the forehead, the Third Eye Chakra is represented by the rich dark cobalt blue we find in lapis lazuli. Lapis was loved by the ancients and has been associated with strength and wisdom. This rich deep blue inspires vision in all directions and helps to instill confidence.

As you follow along to the directions on the podcast notice the changes in your third eye chakra as it clears and grows more expansive.

With regular concentrated breaths the polished orb of deep blue lapis establishes itself upon a beautiful column of bright white light. This light at the core is common to each of our energy centers or chakras. This light supports each Chakra in turn as we apply our focus and intentional breath.

Twilight skies are often full of magic. This one over my sisters backyard

7. The Crown Chakra.

The crown chakra located just above the top of our head is our connection to purpose and spirit. It is usually represented by the conductivity of clear quartz or the healing value of purple.

In this version of a chakra cleanse on the podcast I have chosen the regal purple of amethyst to add healing energy to our visualization. The crown chakra connects us to the spiritual realm.

In this meditation we allow the energy of amethyst to balance our system, to assist with purification, and protection while connecting us to the energy of the universe.

Some crystals we can hold in our hand. Others inspire because of their size or composition. This beauty was a monster more than 4 feet tall. From the Kessler Collection, Savannah Georgia.

The Chakra Roundup…
The column that began with the rich deep grounding energy of Garnet, was followed by the warm, earthy orange of Carnelian, Citrine’s positivity, Aventurine’s anti-inflammatory effect, Blue Lace Agate’s calm and Lapis Lazuli’s strength and confidence. Our visual journey continued to the final chakra at the crown that connects us to the spiritual realm with the healing nature of Amethyst.

Which brings us to the end of our journey in this episode.

Thanks for joining me for this meditative pause. Time is valuable and I really appreciate you spending some of your time with me. I hope you are generating your own meditative practice by joining in with my examples on the Podcast.

Please feel free to Invite a friend to join in for this weekly self care project.. It’s free and every comment or recommendation is helpful to the growth of this project.

Listen in to the recording on the player above or find “WISDOM AT THE CROSSROADS PODCAST” on your preferred platform.

Until next time, be well and be inspired and I will look forward to joining with you again as we seek wisdom at the crossroads where action and presence meet.

All best, Amanda

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“Less can be more when we discover abundance”

Mindfulness has become a mainstream term in recent years. The practice of paying attention is what I like to call it. By being mindful we can help ourselves to pause and be present. When we are present in our own lives we can make ourselves available to all of the magic available to us through the action of slowing down. 

“Mini Still: Alpha”. Lilacs and Daisies grown in my garden at the cottage. Acrylic on panel, 11” x 14”, 2022

This is the 3rd instalment of the Mindful Mandart Moments Series. This is a group of ten episodes within the Podcast. In this series we are bringing the meditation to the foreground to help us to find our own rhythm on our personal meditative journeys.

Preparing to meditate at the studio…

In this episode…

We get out of our own way today as we continue our travels on this meditative journey. Join in on the recording as we continue the pursuit of peace and the search for a place, where less, can definitely be more. 

Are you ready to discover the abundance that is infinitely available to us all? Press the arrow in the player above to listen in to the meditation.

”We are supported at every moment,

wherever we are, without condition”

Mindful Moments are designed to bring us back to the present.

Creativity has always been my avenue to presence whether I am painting or creating with textiles. The image above , “Lemon Drops”, represents both arms of my studio practice. I have made this image into a quilt 58” x 85” using the dye sublimation process and a consistent effort machine quilting. The original “Lemon Drops” is a demure 11” x 14”, acrylic on panel, painted in 2010

The inspiration for the meditation in this episode…

was a still life painting called “Painted Ladies” that I introduced on the podcast in episode 4 of “Wisdom at the Crossroads”.

listen to the complete original episode here.

I love that term… Still life.
There is so much opportunity within those two small words for symbolism and metaphor .
Still life.
That subject is destined to become a focus for my studio practice in the near future. The Still life, a still life, our still life. Still. Life.

In this episode of mindful mandart moments
We take a pause
To pause is a gift we give to ourselves. It can be as simple as taking in a deep breath and exhaling for a literal breath of fresh air, or as extensive as you allow yourself to make your meditative practice.

Taking time for ourselves is key on any day, and especially so during the hectic holiday season.

“Painted ladies” starred in episode 4 of season 1. Acrylic on canvas 24” x 24”, 2019.

In this episode of Mindful Mandart Moments we take a pause for just a short while. Together we are reminded of the importance of the intentional pause.

In preparing for this instalment of the podcast  I mentally asked a question of the universe …

How can I assist my personal growth?
How do I access the stillness that can feel so elusive at times?
When I slowed myself down to listen and to really pay attention I heard…
“There is no effort required”
This practice is more about acceptance and allowance. There is nothing we need to do or be that will help us to receive more clearly than the taking of this intentional moment to exist fully in the present moment.

What a lovely reminder that is
And a comfort to know
We are supported in every moment, that the universe is there for us wherever we are, without condition.

Finding a place for the eye to rest wherever we are is an effective starting point for a meditative practice.

Describing a landscape in colour has a similar effect on the painter within me. These two 11’ x 14” panels are from the Sweet Suite Series of 2022.

When we pause we release ourselves from expectation
We are who we are
And with open palms and an intentional pause we are free to accept the glowing g trail of light that is abundantly available

I visualize this light as a glowing trail that fills and flows and dissolves all grievance and fear

I am reminded we are all:
Right here
Right now and perfect just as we are .

Be still
Be kind
Be patient
And be accepting of all of you just as you are
You are part of the continuum of beautiful radiant light
So go ahead
Shine

Being present at the time this podcast airs meant spending time on a morning walk along the South Coast of Australia at Vincentia.

Sand, morning light, my life partner, sunshine. No better avenue to presence than that. :)

This brings us to the end of the blog this time.

Thanks for tuning in to this episode on the player inset above or anywhere you listen to your podcasts. Time is valuable and I really appreciate you spending some of your precious time with me. I am grateful to have you with me, complimenting your own meditative practice by joining in with my examples.

If you are finding something that resonates for you in this podcast please feel free to Invite a friend to join in on this weekly self care project.

Please also consider writing a five star review on apple podcasts. It’s free and every comment or recommendation is helpful for the growth of this project.

I hope you’ll return to WISDOM AT THE CROSSROADS PODCAST often to pause and reflect on your personal journey toward mindfulness. Together we’ll seek wisdom at the crossroads where action and presence meet. 
Until next time, Amanda xoxo

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”We grow where we are planted”

MINDFUL MANDART MOMENTS  continue with this episode of self care that brings the meditative practice to the forefront. 

This instalment was inspired by a trio called “BLOOM” that were introduced in Episode 14 on the Podcast. The meditation in this Mindful Mandart Moment is a guided meditation that inspires us to visualize the conditions we personally need to bloom, flourish and thrive. 

In the snap shot above I was heading towards a favourite Australian Beach on The South Coast. It’s one of those places that brings me back to myself, that allows me to exhale, to pause and to reflect. While visiting family overseas I am taking the opportunity to refill my creative vessel. Creativity has long been my road to presence as are places and spaces that resonate for us personally. This one, for me, brings with it, the comfort of memory.

Agapanthus, Sydney 2022.

These tall girls bloom on top of elongated stems in rows and clusters. They are very hardy in the landscape I grew up in and remind me of my sisters circle garden at the farm, once overseen by “Rosie”. They definitely grow wherever they are planted.

With this short meditation we continue the journey to connect to our world, to experience where we are, wherever we are. Together we are reminded we grow where we are planted within the context of the choices we are free to make. 

“Sisterhood : Middle Child”, Detail Acrylic on Panel 18” x 24”, 2022

Shapes bloom into floral references all the time on my painting wall. None are intended to be representational in the traditional sense but that doesn’t stop them from self seeding in acrylic. In colour they bloom and grow..

What’s a Mandart?

For my regular listeners thank you for joining me. Your continued support means the world to me. If you are new to the podcast, the Mandart is a personal reference. The Mand of Mandart is a contraction of my very long name, and Art is what I do and have done since 2001. I am a soul practitioner operating a visual arts practice in Winnipeg, in the middle of Canada. And now, a podcast host making connections through art and life.

Mindful Moments are designed to bring us back to the present. Creativity has always been my avenue to presence whether I am painting or creating with textiles. Detail; above from “Composition” 2020

What is a Mindful Mandart Moment?

MINDFUL MANDART MOMENTS  will be appearing in episodes 34-44 on the podcast. The meditations that usually pair with the back stories of studio practice are coming to the foreground in this series to be the focus.

The meditations I share are really moments of self-care designed to help us to pause and to be present, to make ourselves available to the creative magic all around us through the action of slowing down.

Detail from “CHILD’S PLAY” Rhyme: Resonance. 20” x 20” dye sublimated poly satin, painting, machine and hand stitching, mounted on panel.

This detail comes from one of the 16 panels that belong to a body of work called “COMPOSITION” that I exhibited in St Boniface in 2020. I am sharing some of the details with this episode because the process for me was all about personal growth and allowing an idea to bloom.

This detail highlights one of the incidental blooms I found in my painterly marks that were enhanced with stitch. Hand work allowed me to slow down.

Why be mindful?

Mindfulness has become a mainstream term in recent years. The practice of paying attention is what I like to call it. By being mindful we can help ourselves to feel centred and it can also help us to self-regulate our emotional responses, to balance stress and anxiety. And that its a great skill to foster in our busy world.

While I am away in my original landscape filling my cup with inspiration I wanted to keep our mindful rhythm flowing. I thought a weekly dose of mindfulness might help us all to pause when too much of anything gets to be too much.

This Stargazer Lilly bloomed in my front yard last summer. This is the same species as the bloom that blew my mind during the first summer I spent in Canada. I was awed by the size, resilience and fragrance of this amazing bulb that I had previously thought could only be artificial.

In this episode…

This episode might be a short few minutes of reflection within our meditative practice but the question it poses is definitely worth some thoughtful consideration within the context of the choices we personally make. I hope the practice inspires your personal practice and encourages you to grow.

The garden often inspires my work in colour. This bouquet made on Vancouver Island during Articulation’s spring show is waiting to be considered for my future still life project of smalls..

Sometimes the garden can become a literal container for inspiration. On a spring visit to Donnington, on Vancouver Island this lovely space became my outdoor office for a day.

“What conditions do you need to bloom?”

I came across these magnificent blooms outside “Sydney Modern’. “Flowers that bloom in the Cosmos” by Yahoo Kusama, stainless steel and polyurethane paint. Commissioned for the Sydney Modern Project

The end of her artist statement reads…” I want to share this passion with you. Let us rejoice together, shouting out thanks to my flowers forever, from earth with all my heart.” These dynamic flowers are definitely blooming where they are planted.

Thanks for tuning in to this episode on the player inset above or anywhere you listen to your podcasts. Time is valuable and I really appreciate you spending some of your time with me. I hope you are complimenting your own meditative practice by joining in with my examples.

Please feel free to Invite a friend to join in for this weekly self care project if something within it resonates for you. It’s free and every comment or recommendation is helpful to the growth of this project.

Getting inspired at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney while taking in the Do Ho Suh Exhibition

I hope you’ll return to WISDOM AT THE CROSSROADS PODCAST often to pause and reflect on your personal journey toward mindfulness. Together we’ll seek wisdom at the crossroads where action and presence meet. 

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What’s a Mandart?

Welcome and thanks for joining me

I’m Amanda Onchulenko. I am a painter, a textile artist, an author and your host for wisdom at the crossroads podcast. The Mand of Mandart is a contraction of my very long name, and Art is what I do and have done since 2001. I am a soul practitioner operating a visual arts practice in Winnipeg, in the middle of Canada.

Mindful Moments are designed to bring us back to the present. Creativity has always been my avenue to presence.

What is a Mindful Mandart Moment?

I am excited to be sharing what I am calling MINDFUL MANDART MOMENTS  for episodes 34-44 on the podcast. The meditations that usually pair with the back stories of studio practice are coming to the foreground in this series to be the stars of the show.

The meditations I share are really moments of self-care designed to help us to pause and to be present, to make ourselves available to the creative magic all around us through the action of slowing down.

Detail from “Wonderland”

Why be mindful?

Mindfulness has become a mainstream term in recent years. The practice of paying attention is what I like to call it. By being mindful we can help ourselves to feel centred and it can also help us to self-regulate our emotional responses, to balance stress and anxiety.

I’ll be taking a break in real time from the studio as I travel back to my original landscape. While I am away filling my cup with inspiration I wanted to keep our mindful rhythm flowing. I thought we could pack our sense of humor a little patience and a weekly does of mindfulness to help us all to pause when too much of anything, can really be a little too, much.

Detail from “Breeze at Bay”

Meditation offers an opportunity to rest. The process in this episode inspires us with a visual description of the unseen support that surrounds us all, all of the time.

This episode is all about acceptance. It was inspired by “Enlightened at Beaver Bay” which I discussed in episode 3 of the podcast. Feel free to scroll back to take in the full episode and share in the backstory of a large work evolving in response to a quintessentially Canadian summer landscape.

In this first episode of mindful moments we are encouraged to be mindfully present.  

It was actually the very first meditation I channeled as I began to gather my thoughts for this podcast.

I love this Channelled Meditation. It came about when I was first contemplating ideas for this podcast and the message then as now, does not get old.

This one is an opportunity to rest for just a little while as we focus on rhythm and the support and inspiration around us in the seasonal rhythms of our lives.

I am accepting of all the incidental moments I am discovering on my travels. Like these monumental Frank Stella’s When we explore unfamiliar surroundings we are really and truly present.

I discovered these in the foyer of Grosvenor Court in circular Quay, Sydney on the day I loaded this post. A discovery like this one gets me excited.

“Cones and Pillars” 1984-1987 oil on magnesium

“We each balance our own needs in individual routines, functions and activities, even if that activity is the seeking of stillness.” AO

I love the details I discover in the painting process. A single mark can carry such weight. Some are inspiring others are a challenge but I accept all of them in the process.

Thanks for tuning in to this episode on the player inset above or anywhere you listen to your podcasts. Time is valuable and I really appreciate you spending some of your time with me. I hope you are generating your own meditative practice by joining in with my examples..

Please feel free to Invite a friend to join in for this weekly self care project if something within it resonates for you. It’s free and every comment or recommendation is helpful. to the growth of this project.

“At rest we each need to gather our human resources, to halt the pursuit of ego driven action, to accept where we are right now in the present moment.” AO

I hope you’ll return to WISDOM AT THE CROSSROADS PODCAST often where together we’ll take a short pause seeking stillness, as we seek wisdom at the crossroads where action and presence meet. 

All best, Amanda

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Still life sounds a bit like an oxy moron doesn’t it?
For someone who struggles to colour in the lines a little contained floral action can’t help but to be big on personality.
What was once a ‘false start’ is now a studio companion with a cheeky personality despite her bland title, “Active Still : Purple”

The meditation in this episode also pairs action with stillness and takes us on a contemplative journey. Join me for 14 minutes of self care as we navigate a snow covered labyrinth and learn the paths we take might not always be clear but a thoughtful walk can bring with it, a little clarity.
Tune in to your own intentions at 7:00 in the recording and allow this virtual journey to lead the way forward where the universe will help us to know and understand what we need to know and understand.

“ACTIUVE STILL: PURPLE” Acrylic on Panel 30’ x 40” , 2010

“ACTIVE STILL: PURPLE”

To end off our second season I am keeping with my intention to share the backstories of works that are available and for this episode for a change of pace, we will be chatting about a still life. I don’t paint a lot of still life’s but I thought  a still life painting, particularly one called an active still  might help to reinforce the idea of presence that has followed us through the first two seasons of the podcast.

Today’s feature is 30” x 40”’s of a painting called, imaginatively. “ACTIVE STILL: PURPLE”. I don’t know where such a bland title came from? I was clearly lacking in energy when it came time to labelling this one? It’s hard to accept that I couldn’t find at least one synonym for purple: amethyst, periwinkle, mauve, to jazz it up a purple but here it is?

 The name might lack some lustre but the composition makes up for that lack with its cheery disposition.

STILL LIFE: ALPHA, Acrylic on Panel 11” x 14”, 2022

The still life genre, by definition describes a work of art that depicts mostly inanimate subject matter. This style of painting flourished in the Netherlands during the early 1600’s, though was not limited to that period.

When we generally think of a still life painting descriptors such as inert gentle and quiet come to mind.

“PAINTED LADIES” from Episode 3 Season 1. Acrylic on P{panel, 24” x 24”, 2020

I’m not known for colouring in the lines or for creating inert and still arrangements.  My still life paintings tend to have some personality in keeping with the difficulty I have colouring in the lines. They are an arrangement of shapes and lines contained in an interior but I called it an active still for a reason. The marks that describe the subject are energetic and loose and keep the eye travelling. The composition unlike many works of the genre is not imbued with a subtext of symbolism; it was simply an exercise in composition.

The bunkhouse at the cottage doubles as overflow accommodation but I like it best when its my studio and it is strewn with the tools of the creative trade.

 Adding energy to a still life to create an “active still” is the result of a few little tricks coming into play.

 Colour for one is important. In any composition I tend to use a colour in multiple areas across the surface. This helps to encourage the viewers eye to travel as it picks up the colour cues.. The composition or structure of a painting follows some prescribed formal patterns. I tend to use those as suggestions rather than rules and encourage compositional features to be a little off to encourage visual energy on the surface. I also employ devices such as angular motifs or pathways between elements that move with a diagonal emphasis. All of these tactics combine to add personality to what is considered to be a still life painting of a group of inanimate objects.

“JAZZ: LA DANSE LA MUSIQUE” Acrylic on Canvas, 18” x 36” x 2 panels, 2020. This pair walked off to their forever home one lovely September WAVE weekend.

The painting ACTIVE STILL: PURPLE is 30” x 40” of acrylic on panel which means she is no shrinking violet. This piece began with a sketch that didn’t make it completely off the paint wall. At the time I may have considered it a false start that was relegated to the back of the bus until it ended up where it is today.

To refer to a particular painting as a false start I should clarify is not always a negative label. Sometimes I am not satisfied where a particular piece is going and I do abandon it. Sometimes something might be left unfinished when a painting period ends or I take a break around my families schedule or school holidays. Sometimes its intentional and sometimes Then its not so much that I didn’t like what was happening instead it might just mean time away from the paint wall has led me down a different path and I want to start off with a fresh vision. Sometimes abandoning a work  is intentional and sometimes  a painting start just gets lost in the studio shuffle or calls for more rest than the average bear.

Active Still:Mini Alpha the big question is always to frame or not to frame. This little treasure was recently framed in a hand made and hand leafed wood frame. Like pearl and a little black dress we can’t go wrong with a gold leaf frame. Like putting your earrings or mascara on, framed this little piece is ready fro anything.

 Still life as a subject is not something I general lean towards though during this past summer I painted a few still life’s in the Sweet Suite 11’ x 14” series.

  “Mini Still: Alpha” was one of that group. This little guy was a favourite that I had intended to find a place for in my personal collection. Instead she found herself a new home in quick time. Unlike the bigger ACTIVE STILL IN PURPLE, the sweet suite example was begun and completed at the end of a painting period when my painting muscle was flexed and in a comfortable rhythm. She flowed on the substrate in soft and easy marks, built in some energy with diagonal elements in the composition and settled with a reduced colour palette. She has travelled a long way from the shores of Lake Winnipeg to her new adoptive home. I hope the energy of the prairie and my purple lilacs from the side yard at the cottage breathe freshness and lighter into her new surroundings year round.

I’ll admit I am too self conscious to paint in front of anyone or to dive in to a facebook live. For now this is me at work in the early layers

 Active Still in Purple unlike “Mini Still: Alpha”, is hanging close to home. I’ve found her a spot in my tiny studio and enjoy her enthusiasm each day when I walk into my “office”.

She witnesses both action and stillness throughout my day and is a reminder that colour can bloom in all seasons on the Canadian Prairies and our summer contained and captured in this way can keep blooming with energy and enthusiasm forever.

I am always hopeful to paint a series of still life and i collect inspiration for the time when I can get to that project on my list.

Inspiration is never a problem. I’d like to institute the 14 hour day and the 8 day week.

If you are local and find yourself in my neighbourhood and want to stop in to meet my Active Still: Purple by all means bring your cup of joe and settle in with me for a moment in her presence.

I’ll have a Tall Decaf Americano with Oat milk if you are offering.

Active Still inn the Studio with actively blooming studio friends

My studio has beautiful light that encourages me and my orchid friends to bloom. This pic was taken from my meditation chair which also doubles as the lunchroom.

Before we get started on the Labyrinth walk meditation that I have paired with today’s theme of “active Stillness”, take a quick minute to acquaint yourself with the diagram of the Carol Shields Memorial Labyrinth in Winnipeg. It didn’t quite look like this during my inaugural visit, snow covered.

Diagram of The Carol Shields’ Labyrinth in Kings park, Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Given that the constant in this world is change I thought it would be nice to spend a little time being present together in the meditation.

Join me 7 minutes into the recording only. Press the arrow in the player at the top of this blog to listen in. The meditation this episode is 14 minutes of self care.

Walk to the labyrinth alongside the Red River in Winnipeg.

It seems we have reached the end of todays backstory. Thanks for tuning in to this episode. I really appreciate you spending some of your valuable time with me. I hope the images are helpful and that you are finding something of your story within mine by listening in to the podcast, or catching up through this blog.

If my work or words inspire you please consider sharing the podcast with a friend or writing a review on Apple Podcasts. You can listen to the full episode on apple or anywhere you get your podcasts or press the arrow in the embedded player at the beginning of this blog.

Thanks for joining me. Hope to see you next Tuesday.

All best,

Amanda

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WISDOM AT THE CROSSROADS PODCAST.

SYNOPSIS S2E12
Tom Thomson and the Canadian Group of Seven were not the only adventurers and artists to fall in love with delicious destinations like Honey Harbour and Blueberry Island.
Listen in to todays episode to Channel the backstory of a pair of cousins inspired by a twilight boat ride through a quintessentially Canadian landscape.

Around every corner in Georgian Bay granite outcroppings, wind sculpted trees and quirky bunkies and boathouses connect generations of families to each other and to their summer destinations.

The meditation is 12 minutes long in this episode. It’s all about gratitude: for invitations to summer cottages and for our ability to be and do. In this instalment of our evolving process we turn our focus inward, we choose acceptance over judgement and give thanks to all the parts of ourselves.

Our travels might take us far and wide but we can always come home to ourselves with a little self care. Find it at 11:44 in the recording only.

“GEORGIAN BAY: AUDIENCE” 36” x 36” Acrylic on canvas, 2021

Thanks for stopping in to share in some of the backstories of my work evolving. Given that this season is trying to focus on presence I have reminded myself to introduce you to work that is presently available.

“Channel and Audience” are the topic of this conversation. This pair of 36” square canvases evolved out of the commissioning process and have been out of sight and out of mind “resting” in a board room at my husband’s office under the heading of sneaky storage.

AUDIENCE Bunkhouse Beginnings 2021. The gesso under layer was joined with some blues to get a sense of sky growing in the background from the very beginning.

 My client is a former Winnipegger now living in Ontario. She has been a wonderful advocate for my work and I was very happy to undertake a project on her behalf. This client has a summer connection to Georgian Bay which is a beautiful place to connect with if ever you get the chance. Georgian Bay was made familiar and famous by Canada’s Group of Seven Painters and Tom Thomson who were inspired to explore and define the area during painting excursions in the 1920’s and 30’s.

When my husband and I got married at The Winnipeg Art Gallery we made our vows surrounded by a dozen or so iconic Canadian Landscapes by this group. So technically I could add my Romance with this landscape was consolidated way back then.

This little 16” x 20” acrylic on canvas was part of the Georgian Bay series of 2012

Some years ago our family had an opportunity to accept an invitation to the area and we too fell in love with this ruggedly beautiful landscape. It really is a magical place. Georgian Bay Islands National Park’s website describes it “as the world’s largest freshwater archipelago-Home to boat access native preserve situated where the windswept white pines and granite shores of the Canadian Shield turn to dense, deciduous woodland.”

They don’t mention that around every corner is yet another glorious vignette of bunkhouse or boathouse tethered to, perched precariously upon, or nestled cosily amongst, rocky outcroppings and an oasis of wind sculpted trees.

Our journey to our host’s cottage began at “Honey Harbour”- and yes, that’s it’s real name. It was late in the day when we arrived so the boat leg of our journey turned into a magical sunset ride to Blueberry Island, and no I am not making up that idyllic name either. Seriously there is little wonder this rugged terrain inspired adventurers and artists alike.

“Red Rock” was one of the favourites of that group. I was happy to come across it recently in the office of a client and friend.

My little elf camera at the time almost wore itself out before the weekend had even begun. On arrival at the island our family of four were thrilled to discover we would be staying in a little orange Bunkhouse.  The Bunkie straddled a slick curve of granite. It was nestled amongst  white pine and was just out of earshot from the main cabin which was perfect in case our rambunctious family got too loud for our generous hosts. Thank you Kevin and Eileen, our family still smiles at the memory of time spent on your island paradise.

These are the intentions that were the beginning of this pair

At home after that family trip I painted a series of smalls which were fun and spontaneous memories of an iconic landscape drenched in summer sunshine and shaped by the elements. In hindsight I am really glad I worked on that earlier series when the visual memories were fresh. 

As a side note I should share that despite my  best efforts to be organised with my data base of imagery I was pretty upset with myself when my camera card collection, stowed for safe keeping in the pocket of my camera’s cover, accidentally found itself tumbling aggressively around in the jaws of the garburator. I seriously wish I were making this tidbit up.

This new commission brought memories of that lovely weekend back into focus and I was excited to get started on this new request. The subject catered to a landscape my client was familiar with and also took me back to my own memories and experiences with this landscape to draw on despite that unfortunate kitchen kerfuffle.

Deciding if a painting is finished is always a challenge. In fact without looking at the actual finished paintings I will admit that I am unsure which is the finished version. Proof I guess that the composition was working and IK could have rested my paintbrushes at many intersections along the way.

The choices I make for surface and sizes can be deliberate, they can depend on availability and also on the client’s needs. I was glad my client chose a 36” square for this project. The square is a shape I return to often.  Jumping between shapes and scales can be disruptive so it was comfortable to be continuing with the rhythm of a consistent shape.

It was the end of my usual paint period so getting this project started took me out to the less familiar paint wall of the bunkhouse at our own cottage in the early part of last summer.  My Lake Winnipeg view provides a vastly different landscape to the Canadian Shield of Northern Ontario but I had a water view and time on my hands so the process was all about play.

GEORGIAN BAY: AUDIENCE” Acrylic on Canvas 36” x 36”, 2021

To begin with I focused  the shapes and structures of evergreen trees and began building some depth of colour with simple washy marks. I was also experimenting in the bunkhouse at that time, playing with ways to record short videos of my work in process. It might have been kind of funny to witness if you had wondered by and walked in the door during that little experiment.

Life lived in the details. I have a fascination with compositions within compositions and the texture of marks on the surface

The marks tend to separate into independent structures when we get up close to them. These details belong to the third composition that moved back to Georgian bay.

 I am all the staff I have in my Mandart Studio Practice so without a second or third set of hands I was getting creative stacking, propping, and even taping my iPhone to chair legs, beer pong tables, and windowsills. The video mandate included a clear directive. I didn’t really want to appear on camera. Instead I wanted to try to illustrate the process of the work evolving. I’ve posted a couple of reels but some actual training might be an idea. Note to self despite Cathy Heller’s encouragement…“Don’t give up your day job Mand.”

GEORGIAN BAY : CHANNEL Acrylic on Canvas 36” x 36”, 2021

The videos aren’t great but they do give a sense of the brush at work pushing acrylic paint into the primed canvas. I’ll try to add one to the show notes on the blog but if not just know that I usually try to cover the whole surface to begin with. In this case I wandered from that tendency by adding layers of colour based originally on elements in the subject. Layers of colour like moments of memory added up and as I added more fresh canvases to the paint-wall, the project turned into a trio of 3, three foot squares. I was reminded why I prefer to experience a landscape and take my own photographs for visual reference if at all possible. My client’s snapshot was taken in poor light and without any notes or my own contextual reference was difficult to read. Thankfully I have talented techy daughter who worked some Photoshop magic for me that allowed me to get a clearer sense of the location.

add video here

“CHANNEL” Ghost sketch beginnings, 2021. I will often change my mind and begin again. Elements that show through to the surface from the under layers can often inspire me to take the painting in another direction.

In the end this project ended up as a testament to Canadians and their pure and loving attachment to place, particularly the summer landscapes that support and inspire generations of family interactions. I usually restrict myself to a pair of options for a commissioned project but in this case but in adding the third you can probably guess I was having fun with my walk down memory lane. The painting that moved out to that lovely Georgian Bay landscape to take up residence amongst those windswept pines and precariously perched bunkhouses was the one that more closely reflected my client’s lake experience.

GEORGIAN BAY: CHANNEL” .almost finished?

The remaining pair, “Audience” and “Channel” moved onto the back of my cottage for the weekend WAVE events (www.watchthewave.ca) after their sibling moved out east. One of the questions they inspired there was how long does it take to paint a painting? I have to admit I don’t have a consistent answer to that very common question. I tend to work in periods. At the beginning of a painting period the first works start out a bit rusty, I’m a bit tentative with the marks I make as I get reacquainted with the rhythm of the process. I like to compare a painting period to a runner training for a marathon. At the beginning it’s a bit of a grind until you develop a rhythm but once the runner gets through some training and is closer to game day form the movements are easier and more fluid. As I get into a painting rhythm I get more confident with the way I handle materials , I loosen up and get more expressive in the way I apply the paint and also less judgemental about what I am seeing evolve on the paint wall. Less gets to be more.

The pair can be seen hanging out on the back of the cottage during a WAVE weekend.

In the case of these three Georgian Bay paintings the work in progress spent some time at the cottage in the bunkhouse during the beginning of the summer but they also trekked into the city to hang out at the studio on the paint wall where they were finished. During that block of time I was in summer mode at the lake and in between I was finishing a few other pieces. It’s hard to attribute a specific period of time to any one painting. Instead we could probably say they were part of a body of work that evolved over the early summer of 2021.

Spending time on the paint wall in either location lends a consistency of choices that apply to several works painted during the same time period. They might not have been painted as a triptych or diptych but they do end up as cousins because they evolved out of a particular time period together or shared a common subject. “Audience“and “Channel” are definitely cousins and could in a pinch work as a complimentary pair or even hung together as their subject flows in a neighbourly way.

The bunkhouse serves many purposes. It houses overflow guests on busy weekends, WAVE visitors and serves as my summer studio. I like to paint there more than I get an opportunity to do so.

Among this pair “Audience” was the first born. Her presence on the paint wall invited  “Channel” into the equation and both pieces returned at one stage or other to the inspiration gathered on the route from Honey Harbour to Blueberry Island on Georgian Bay. They have been listed as favourites by many WAVE visitors but so far have remained as visitors themselves at my husband’s office in “The ZOOM ROOM”. Note I did not say they went to a BOOM BOOM room; they reflect paradise but did not star in Bachelor in Paradise. In the Zoom Room they make a compelling Canadian audience to legal trials in real time where they have inspired others to travel to this magical landscape, hypothetically, during Covid-19 restrictions.  

The Bunkie is playing peek a boo in the top left corner of this snapshot taken from the front yard at the lake. The paintball in the bunkhouse, my summer studio affords a view to the action at the lake from a secluded distance tyhgrough the side yard garden. Its a great place to work at play.

So, this brings us to the end of this week’s episode. If my work or words inspire you please consider sharing the podcast with a friend or writing a review on Apple Podcasts. You can lalso find me on instagram @mandartcanada. type me a heart or say hi there to help the algorithm to see me.

Listen to the full episode of the podcast on apple or anywhere you get your podcasts.

Thanks for joining me. Hope to see you again at the crossroads where action and presence meet.

All best,

Amanda

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WISDOM AT THE CROSSROADS PODCAST.

A backward glance inspired the name of a big bold square that came together like the magical arrangements in the colourful child’s toy. There is nothing childish about this confident shapely girl who fledged the nest early but left a playful lasting impression.

The meditation paired with this episode is 14 minutes long toda. It came about organically at my dining room table where it was unusually, recorded live. Quiet moments engaged in a simple repetitive action took me out of my own way as a composition with words evolved.
Join in at 8:45 in the recording to add your own colour to this arrangement

“KALEIDOSCOPE” 48” x 48”, Acrylic on Panel 2021

In previous episodes of the podcast we have chatted a bit about FLOW, about the painting process, and how for me that tends to develop into a rhythm. I am often reminded, Art imitates life imitates life. In everything there is an ebb and flow, whether that is seasonally, annually or even daily. My studio practice is my regular work day and probably like yours it follows a similar ebb and flow pattern.

For instance, regardless of the season, as I get more settled into my routines and the physical motion of painting becomes a more familiar and comfortable process, smoother and more confident marks tend to be more attainable.

Each painting session encourages a more relaxed process that keeps me present, in the moment, where I am an arm’s length from the action of solving a compositional problem in colour. I also trust myself more, allow myself to make choices and then make another one if the first one doesn’t go as planned. When I am more consistent with my studio time and I allow less distractions to eat away at my work time I get more confident with my process and in turn make marks that are and more effective with more efficient results. 

Inspiration is everywhere. This snapshot taken in an incidental green space in Old Montreal. It provided a beginning, only. What a painting evolves into depends on the choices and marks I make in the process. There are no guarantees.

Developing a studio rhythm within a particular body of work seems to be important. We’ve talked about shapes and how I often go through stages of working on multiple panels of the same shape and size for a period of time.

The square for example has been in (literal) play for a lot of the last year or so. 48” squares have been available in cradled panels firstly which isn’t always the case given recent manufacturing challenges.  I’ve been partnering these large squares with a twin to become a diptych. For those wanting to know why I don’t do triptychs with 4 foot panels, it’s because my little studio can only handle a pair. 4 feet x 8 feet is pretty much the extent of my painting space right now and though I have been known to paint myself around a corner adapting to Covid- 19 shut downs, I don’t need to deal with that again.

The composition takes it cues from original intentions and/or any inspirational imagery that I am attracted to. It becomes an evolving process. Here are some early marks that helped to build the under layers.. Its all about building and often without scaffolding

 Before I began “Kaleidoscope”, todays featured painting I’d been working on a pair of diptychs that had gotten to that teetery point where they aren’t quite finished but need some time to percolate before I can take them across the finish line. At that point I want to continue to paint but also want to avoid losing the magic that is fermenting in the current works in progress. On days like that it’s a good thing to have a naked unprimed canvas or panel of the same size to get painting on.

I was drawn to the warm choral pink in the top right of this developing painting. Its generally accepted that warm colours bring a sense of space forward and cooler tones recede. Colour theory comes with some rules but we don’t always have to follow them

 I love the beginnings where the action is fast and fluid, and my physical movements as well as the paint really do flow. It’s a period during the work of art that has no attachment to outcome. Initial marks, for me, are all about freedom and the simplicity of being present in the creative process until the alarm goes off and I have to pack up and go home.

Choosing a subject to paint.

 So where does the subject come from I’ve been asked. In this case we had recently been to Montreal exploring the waterfront around Old Montreal, we came across a temporary gallery or exhibition space and just outside of it was a public space: part incidental green space, part wild/ native flowers and part volunteers, i.e. weeds.  It’s all about perspective right; weeds might mean a totally different thing to you than they do to me. I don’t actually call anything weedy, I prefer naturalised…

The painting process is a process. Any composition becomes a visual equation to be solved. This painting evolved comparatively quickly on my painting wall. Relationships between elements seemed to flow and my biggest concern was trying to avoidt destroying some of the lovely details that began to present themselves. Painting can often be an exercise in restraint.

Anyway, I took a few snap shots as visual documentation of the moment before we continued our cobblestone walk back to the hotel. Much later I revisited those snapshots in passing and used a group of them to help give an initial structure to this very new composition that was just getting started on the paint wall.

Having been previously painting with disciplined regularity the mark making becomes way more fluid and the results encouraging. And though I didn’t have a formalised plan when I began beyond a backward glance at those miniature incidental greenspace snaps on my iPhone, I did allow the composition to lead the way.

I tried really hard to avoid overpainting. When I did feel the magic happening I forced myself to walk away, before I took it too far and lost the simplicity of it. Leaving well enough alone may have been my biggest accomplishment with this painting. It’s so unlike me.

I love life in the details. This snapshot gives a more realistic view of the shapes and textures I am working with from my arms reach perspective.

 I liked the looseness of the shapes and colours that suggested instead of described the subject. I liked the strength of the composition and the dominance of purple and periwinkle which differed from what I had been working with in the previous paintings.

It’s good to switch things up sometimes, to go with the flow and accept we don’t always have control of a composition. Painting can be a humbling experience we might think we have control of a situation but a few extra marks can change the tune of a composition really quickly. And not always in the direction we plan. On other occasions a painting in process can lead us to a new and unexpected result. Less can actually be more. And that’s what I think happened with “Kaleidoscope”.

Life lived in the details. This one of my pallete. Simple but does the job.

The marks tend to separate into independent structures when we get up close to them

My friend and framer of Chicken Coop Productions had seen some developing work on the paint wall through the end of 2021 and the early part of 2022. It’s funny sometimes in the past when we were both tenants in the Exchange District, I would ask for a critique from this once upon an environmental design grad. This is a person with an engineer’s mind who is a deep critical thinker and who has handled the work of legends in the Canadian art world for years. Opinions are always honest.

In response to my request for a critique I would sometimes get a raised eyebrow which was code for, your not really asking me are you? You know how they say not making a decision is also making a decision, well, the same applies to this non response. It had the power to clearly let me know that a particular work still had a long way to go before it was ready for public consumption..

 At other times, particularly with my art quilts he would be enthusiastic and very complimentary. On a rare occasion he would waltz in to my studio from his own across the hall and proclaim he was going to buy something. Most times I would have just given the piece to him in trade for framing or in gratitude for the support and encouragement he offered but he would insist and need an official receipt for his records.

I was pleased to learn “kaleidoscope” was to be the newest addition to his vast collection. This client and friend has made some beautiful handmade frames for various pieces over the 20 plus years of our association and I look forward to seeing what he eventually adds to this one that he now owns.

While I am never actively trying to replicate an inspirational image I will confess to taking lots of photographs in my daily travels. This one of spring blooming alliums in my side yard was a likely subliminal reference for “KALEIDOSCOPE”

The title for this painting came about while I was in the process of working on the “Wonderland” pair. The term had come up as a suggestion from a friend on social media and I had filed the name kaleidoscope for later use. The name just seemed to fit this particular painting. Sometimes a name can be symbolic or personally coded but other times something just resonates and we go with that.

Work and Play. What we label the parts of our day depends a lot on our perspective. My husband was in another city (with me) for work but we took some culture breaks together when we could. My work is generally about play and I kept that theme in mind while away exploring galleries. This is his experience of “CHROMATIVE by Ryan Buyssens of Sarasota Florida.

Our meditative self care break takes a different path in this episode.

In the meditation that follows in this episode I began talking out loud to myself and my iPhone as I helped a daughter do some repetitive work on an installation mock up for her masters of architecture program. It was a time consuming and mindless assembly that she enlisted my always willing help for. My contribution to the project involved colouring small acrylic tiles with permanent marker. Her plan to dye them died as her trial pieces melted and fused into a molten clump on the stovetop. Colouring worked and though it was time consuming and repetitive the process had a way of taking me outside of myself in a meditative fashion.  I hope you’ll listen in on the recording.  

Recording the meditation with a pre plan and while colouring at the dining room table was an experiment of sorts for me. I involved me giving up some of the control I have held on to. Negotiating the technical challenges of this podcasting project has taken me way out of my personal comfort zone. In this meditation the sound may have some interference but going a little more with the flow helped me to get out of my way, to allow the process to flow instead of feeling the need to be totally prepared with a written text.

I’d love to know how it comes across for you.

This is me at play in the Contemporary Jepson Centre in Savannah Georgia. Here we discovered Ryan Buyssens interactive work, “CHROMATIVE”, 2017 and had fun conducting the Kaleidoscopic play.

Where do you find your inspiration?

Travel for me is always a great inspiration. I love to explore and experience the work of others. In Savannah Georgia I came across the work of RYAN BUYSSENS from Sarasota Florida. “CHROMACTIVE, 2017, utilizes the properties of light to create a changing interactive experience. It employs the reflection, refr=action and movement of coloured light to transform the gallery space into a kaleidoscopic experience.

Perspective: In real time as this episode was being published my landscape was freezing and I spent some time the previous weekend photographing my MANDART FUZZY BLANKET samples at the lake. The breeze was brisk and I really appreciated the cosy warmth of the fireplace coupled with this cosy “ Napper” when all the fun was over. (ie when I could no longer feel my hands) The lesson, Listen to your body kids! This is a no frostbite zone. The double sided blanket shown is version 1 of 3 Mandart Blankies. Coming in the spring to a pop up or your inbox.

It seems we have reached the end of todays backstory. Thanks for tuning in to this episode. I really appreciate you spending some of your valuable time with me. I hope the images are helpful and that you are finding something of your story within mine by listening in to the podcast, or catching up through this blog.

Join me on the recording only for the meditation. Listening in is as simple as pressing the arrow in the player at the top of this blog, to the podcast page on my website or simply listen wherever you get your podcasts.

The meditation this episode is 14 minutes of self care. It begins at 8:45 in the recording. If my work or words inspire you please consider sharing the podcast with a friend or writing a review on Apple Podcasts. Your support would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks for joining me. Hope to see you next Tuesday.

All best, Amanda.

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