How to Live Art in Every way-Everyday! III

Week 3 of the Art Everyday Month Challenge has just ended. I am both elated and humbled by the process of creating art everyday and living life as art. Have a look at the nuggets of the week in review.

Day 15:The Art of Cooking
Emphasizing fun, and functional cuisine, I whipped up an Asian inspired satay. Fresh, organic, locally grown veggies, met coconut oil, tamari and seasonings. Firm tofu chunks sizzled, plump shitake mushrooms simmered and the aroma of fresh ginger and spices filled the air. Served over a bed of buckwheat soba noodles, this dish was YUMMY! A full sensory experience for the whole family and prepared with so much love.

Day 16: The Art of Step by Step
Gone are the days when I would skip meals, working day and night on a creative project till it was done. Now, I am satisfied to savor and celebrate each step along the path of creation, even if it means leaving something unfinished. Take for instance, a Holiday card idea I jumped into creating. Step 1 (last week), I painted two large pieces of paper, one blue, one green).
Step 2 (last night), I cut out circles and land masses, Step 3 (today) I put them together to make Earths on postcards. Step 4 and beyond, I will respond to whatever else wants to be born of these little Earth cards. Creating over the course of many days, and allowing each step to guide me to the next, engages me in a the mystery of the art process. Sometimes I will have 3 or 4 artsy projects like this going at once. Often, I have no idea where I am headed or when and how they will complete. I simply show up and let the art move through me, just like an improvised dance or song.

Day 17: The Art of Seva
This practice is an offering of selfless service for the sake of love itself. Today, Kenya and I went to Casa Maria Soup kitchen and volunteered preparing food. Over 500 people, including 200 families are served there daily. I loved talking with other volunteers and being part of the stealth team of super focused, loving people with one intention: Feed the hungry. I am so delighted to have the One Love Alliance community service events there before and after Thanksgiving! If you are local join us! All the details are here. The dignity, kindness and raw life experience I witnessed looking into the eyes of those we served was deeply touching. Was I in service? Or was I the one being served? Both...that is what completes the circle and makes Seva a true art.

Day 18: The Art of Pretending
Master artist, Talia is my primary model and guide in the Art of Pretending. We built an elaborate two room Veterinarian's office (made of blankets and chairs). We brought out ALL of her stuffed animals and pretended we were pet doctors, carefully treating, loving and boarding each of the animals with their specific ailments and special needs. With animals still at rest, the scene changed and we went outside. Talia spread out a sleeping bag, and placed our entire chopstick collection in a circle ("pretending" fire wood). An orange book cover placed over the chopsticks became the fire. We taped white pompoms on the end of chopsticks and voila, we were camping and toasting marshmallows over the campfire. This heightened my awareness of the role of imagination in the art of manifesting and creating reality itself.

Day 19: The Art of Space Tuning
This is a fusion of feng shui basics and power cleaning. The key to making this an artistic project, is the love of creating sacred, beautiful spaces, along with the joy of letting go of all clutter and stuff that no longer serves you. Today, I did just that. I filled up 6 bags of donations for our One Love Alliance service events, scrubbed, cleaned, cleared, rearranged, swept and uplifted the vibes in my home sanctuary. A fine tuned space, infused with love, is an intimate expression of our creativity and our inner life.

Day 20: The Art of Forgiveness
You know the power of this one. True forgiveness is an art. On both sides, it requires truly dropping the fight, the mood, the grudge, the inner contraction. In our family, this art is often accompanied by the Art of Repair: Re-establishing connection, emotional safety and loving trust. Long live these golden words, shared with earnest intention, "I love you, I am sorry." So simple, and so profound. This art is always more beautiful when practiced with genuine eye contact, affectionate touch, deep breath and a relaxed nervous system. Today, this art process colored my day brighter and led to another favorite, the Art of Beginning Again. Sometimes, my patience is thin, my tongue is sharp, my tone is biting and my gaze and touch are harsh. I am so thankful that I can stop, pause, apologize, flood my cells with breath and love, and begin again.

Day 21: The Art of Completion
Today, I made the final touches on a series of 18 "Peace" cards that I began last week. After so many steps of painting, tracing, cutting, pasting, writing, coloring, outlining and mounting, they are finished. I am grateful. The simple act of seeing a creative project through to completion (however big or small), builds trust in our ability to fruit. These cards are ripe and full of love!

How has your week been, fellow life artists? Please comment and tell me what you have discovered about living your lives as art, everyday, and everywhere. All love, G