Friday, October 30, 2009

Being with what is

Sitting here drinking my hazelnut coffee out of one of my made-by-an-artist mugs, I am reminded of one of the ten affirmations I wrote down at the beginning of this year.

“I am grateful to have a home filled with beautiful art created by artists and that my prosperity has helped them to prosper also.”

This list of affirmations reflects my hopes and dreams creating a path yet to be. However, in looking around my home, at this very moment, I suddenly realize my affirmation is not only already true, but it was true back when I wrote it in January. The photos of my family and friends in every room, the art of many artists adorning my walls, the autumn decorations that bring the change of the seasons into my home, the cozy-comfy couch that I’m sitting on, even the fall leaf decorated pencil I am now writing with, all of it, came from the creative mind of an artist. As my heart swells with this realization, I sit and enjoy the “Beingness” of it all.

In front of me on the coffee table sits “The Official Scrabble Players Dictionary” with the game “Upwords” that I played with my sweetheart last night. I look up the following sequence of words:

Creative – one who has the ability to create
Create – to cause to exist
Exist – to be
Be – am, are, art, is

Finishing my hazelnut coffee in my made-by-an-artist mug, on my comfy-cozy couch, in my artfully decorated home, I smile and enjoy being with what is.

Colleen is a teaching artist at Colleen Sgroi Gallery & Art Classes on Andover Road in Billerica Center. See too how you can be creative at http://colleensgroi.com

Friday, October 9, 2009

What are you passionate about?

A woman called me last week to ask if I were offering any jobs at my gallery. After meeting with her and talking for a while I asked her what her passion was, if she could do anything what would it be? She immediately said with much enthusiasm, “I would paint!” but then backed down with, “Well, anything to do with being creative”.

Chris and Janet Attwood say in their inspirational book, The Passion Test, “Your passions are like breadcrumbs, leading you on to fulfill your life’s purpose”.
What are your passions? What is your dream come true? What is holding you back from realizing your dreams? May I suggest that you take some time to write down your answers to these questions. As you do, meditate on this passage from one of my favorite books by Marianne Williamson, A Return to Love.

Our biggest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant,
or gorgeous
or talented
or fabulous?
Actually, who are you NOT to be?
You are a child of God.
You playing small doesn’t serve the world.
There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking
so that other people won’t feel insecure around you.
We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.
It’s not just in some of us; it’s in every one of us.
And as we let our own light shine,we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our fear of our own excellence,
our presence automatically liberates others.
And excellence becomes the standard of all our lives.

The year, 1968, the place, Ogunquit, Maine. Two little girls are standing in a gallery, taking it all in.
One says to the other,. “Some day we are going to be famous artists”.
That little girl who spoke of her happy future was me. At the tender age of eleven years old my passion for art was spoken out loud into the universe creating a path yet to be.

I would love to hear what you are passionate about. Email me at Colleen@ColleenSgroi.com Let it be a step to proclaiming your excellence!