Sprouting

I woke up this morning with a revelation. My whole life has been built around supporting other creative professionals, students, caregivers, and people who don't consider themselves creative. I spend so much time admiring works of art, smelling delicious food, admiring people who plant gardens and attend to them with such great care- that I have hidden so deeply inside myself that hiding and admiring seem like the safest thing to do. Well, we all know what I need to do. Stop hiding....


Title: Little Sprouts
Medium: Watercolor, pen and ink

Cute + Hip= Cutester

In high school- I never truly fit in with any particular group. I was drawn to those in the math club. I was drawn to artists. I was drawn to extroverts. I was drawn to introverts. I knew who I wasn't drawn too. I was drawn to people who were willing to have philosophical conversations. I wasn't drawn to popular crowds. I liked talking to people who sat quietly at lunch tables. I loved the quirky. Well, because I related. I like to have one-on-one conversations with people vs. group settings. I like depth oriented talks. I like to retreat by myself. I like eccentric people. 

Fitting in was never something I wanted. I went through the "I'm trying" phase..but there was always something missing. I realized that I also don't quite fit in with sub categories or sub-groups. I am not a "hipster"- but I love simplicity, art, minimal design with a touch of illustration, quirky fonts, and drinking tea from handmade mugs. I am not just "cutesy" which I get a lot from my delicate, thin-framed appearance. I love minimal and delicate, but also edge. I'm willing to take risks. I also feel like through my image, I get a lot of "Oh...you must be innocent." Innocence can be great for certain things, but I certainly don't fit into just that. Oh yes, thank you for trying to categorize me. 

I guess I'm in this chapter of my life where I'm playing with all parts of my self-expression- my edge, my delicateness, my depth, my playfulness, and my love for all things art related. Not to mention, my family- and son. 

Motherhood has also been another one of those..."You're a mom now, you can't do that." Well, yes I can. I can follow my passion and be the best mom I can be. Don't tell me I can't- because it'll only push me to prove you wrong. 

Let's drink to that ;) 

Tokens of strength

I may not be the best at keeping in contact. But I am always thinking about my friends and family. These small tokens of strength (not yet glazed) symbolize words that friends and family need the most- a small reminder of their inner strength. I hope I can glaze them, string them, and send them off soon.

This process got me thinking about what I need the most as I venture into new territory- courage, risk, love, presence, and belief. These words will be moving me forward when I come across moments where I'm stuck or afraid. Sometimes, all it takes, is a single word to reconnect.

Take a sip of your cup of creativitea and pause. If there was a word that describes what you need the most, what would it be?

3 Full Cups

                                     

There are a lot of things that inspire me. I'm often that person sitting in the back corner of a tea shop, library, class, or meeting- observing. In the most literal sense of the word. I love diluting information, letting it seep in, digesting it, and pouring out what might help or inspire others. It keeps me thirsty and wanting more. I guess, in the most literally sense of the word- it keeps me full. 

I've been on a quest for a few years now to live the most authentically through the expressive arts. To me, - expressive arts is a way of living and being in the world. The more I feel creatively full- the more I can do, act, and be. The less I tend to my creative thirst- the more I feel stuck, blocked, and uncertain.

As I journey through motherhood, I recall plenty of times when sleeping was a process of the past. I remember waking up- patting, shushing- only to go to sleep for one more hour before I had to wake up and go to work. AM and PM got confusing. And I couldn't quite remember what I had to attend too. Creativity. Nourishment. Sleep. What was that? It took about a year before I realized I was suffering as a mom by not attending to my creative needs. I realized that I had this thirst that was depleting slowly..drying up.

Sipping tea paused me. It was hot. I had to wait. Waiting became the very thing I looked forward too. Because during "the wait"- I started to appreciate it.

Motherhood is one of the hardest and most gratifying experiences of my life. But I'm also reminded each day that I don't have to choose between giving my creative being to my son and being one.

My hope is that my creativitea cafe can be just that for others. A place to pause. To wait. To see life through the expressive arts- a place to converse about all arts through the senses (ie: visual, music, story-telling, poetry, writing, dance/movement) and a place to feel a sense of warmth and peace.

Enjoy your cup of creativitea,

--MM

Cup of CreativiTea

Welcome to my CreativiTea Cafe- grab a chair. And some tea. I invite you into my comfortable and warm-hearted space that is filled with all things creative, depth filled, and quirky. All while honoring the sacredness of tea- from family and friend gatherings, handmade ceramic mugs, mindfulness sipping, to the smell and taste of flavor and history as a starting place for creativity. This will be a place I post of my daily observations, mind wanderings, artful musings, and perhaps to inspire expressive arts living.


Welcome to my little, cozy, warm-hearted space. I'm glad you stopped by and I look forward to sharing a cup of creativitea with you.