I decided to challenge my creative practice, try something I don’t normally do.  Usually I like to work more intuitively, painting, drawing,  making art about whatever needs to come out in that moment.  This is my comfort zone, to work without a directive or plan. For some that is daunting, for me it is freedom.

This week I joined a free art challenge over on my dear friend Connie Solera’s blog.  I have taught in her online art journaling course 21 Secrets before and adore her way of engaging others in creativity. So I have been following along with this #21Embody challenge which is the prequel to the 21 Secrets Embody online workshop coming up March 27th.  I’ve been painting in my art journal one body part a day, (Connie introduces a new focus each day) and sharing on Instagram.

Anatomy has never been my strong point. Trying to make something look like what it is slows me down. This is good. Sometimes the attention to detail can slow us down, be more present and focused. Art can do this, help us slow down and be more present. I wasn’t sure about it at first as I ventured to create lungs I felt pulled between life-like and of course adding in my own personality, my voice.

Then with heart I studied pictures and diagrams and began there, allowing my intuition to add life to the painting.

Day 3’s prompt of “back”  brought to mind many metaphors which I toyed with in my mind: you need to have a backbone, I got your back, bending over backwards,  oh and the song “Back to life. . . .back to reality” kept playing over and over in my head. But I wanted to focus on yoga since that has been one on my staple self-care strategies next to art journaling.  I settled on child’s pose, for it’s properties of flexibility, and nurturing self. To me Child’s Pose is a wonderful symbol of letting go of stress relaxing into self, and connecting with that inner child.

When I came to day number 4, “Bones”, it became more personal. Examining the prompt of “bones” and deciding which bones I would focus on led me to explore my own experiences of my bones. Since I was 29 I have been challenged by inflammatory arthritis.  It began in my feet, coming and going as I tried new practices; stepping up my yoga, changing the way I eat, adding in meditation and art. While it is much better than in the early days, it still visits from time to time reminding me to be present in my body.  Focusing on my body this way through art has been a beautiful process. Sometimes we need to focus on the tiny intricacies to see the whole picture more clearly.

I have begun to write about each body part before painting in my art journal, releasing any stagnant thoughts or blocks so as to make room for revelations.  This practice of dumping my thoughts onto paper first to get them out-of-the-way has opened  me to an intimate process of reflection and connection with self.  It has helped me come to  a place of gratitude for my body, pain and all .

It has been a good challenge for me, to step out of my comfort zone this way. Usually I come into my body mainly through my yoga practice. Now I am reminded that I can come into my body through my creative practice by focusing on my body as the subject of my painting.

I look forward to continuing this process for the remainder of the 21 days and beyond.  Perhaps you will join me? Perhaps it will inspire you to step outside your comfort zone and try something new? If you are in need of a more directed and in-depth art journaling practice I recommend 21 Secrets Embody