Flip-flap of bare feet
Last day of September now
Trees full of black birds.
Art Prescription: As the birds fly south for winter, children spend their final days running in bare-feet. Soon they will need a jacket and gloves. I love the changing of seasons. Like life everything ebbs and flows.
Acrylic and watercolor
Fall meditation
Morning walk, collection, gifts
From nature’s bearings.
Art Prescription: Who doesn’t love a collection? Eyes to the ground on my morning walk, I found much to collect and arrange.
Iphoto:
A mare and her foal
Tender moment by the woods
Motherly essence.
Art Prescription: Spent my morning at the farm riding Finn with my Women’s Intuitive Riding group. I always leave there floating on air, as if every worry in my world has evaporated into the ethers.
I think I’m finished with this mare and her foal. Feedback welcome…
8 1/2 x 11 watercolor
All about romance
You leave a hidden love note
For them to find love.
Art Prescription: After 25 years of marriage I still love a hand-written note from my husband! Even if its “put the clothes in the dryer.” In this day of digital communications a piece of paper with hand-writing speaks to our hearts. We see the individual and their hand, different for every person in the world, like fingerprints.
Index card with watercolor:
Send one to your sweetie https://www.etsy.com/listing/481745573/love-notes?ref=shop_home_active_1
Hot and sour soup
Fresh grated ginger, garlic
Shitake mushroom
Art Prescription: Good for fall sniffles…
Index card:
She sits on the pier
Overlooks her cove, the sea
Comes and goes with tides.
Art Prescription: The seagulls were of course charming…Playing with crayons, so fun!! Try it! Watercolor background and then crayon sketching.
5 x 7 watercolor and crayon
A Digby boat launch
Out into grey-blue waters
Working piece of art.
Art Prescription: Hi folks! Last two days I’ve had technical difficulty, aka got a new iPhone and don’t know how everything works yet!! In the meantime I’ve finished my first Nova Scotia painting. It’s kind-of intimidating to try and capture the romance and color we saw while there.
Watercolor and pen and ink 8 1/2 x 11
Still wet from the rain
Cut delicate pink roses
Adorn a glass vase.
Art Prescription: Oh how I will miss being able to go out into the garden for freshly cut flowers.
Watercolor on 5 x 7 bristol
Book Review
The Art of Play: Ignite Your Imagination to Unlock Insight, Healing, and Joy
by Joan Stanford
When She Writes Press contacted me to do a book review, I did what most people do, I did a search to find out more about them. I liked what I saw and asked for more information. They sent me a press release about Joan Stanford and her new book The Art of Play: Ignite Your Imagination to Unlock Insight, Healing, and Joy. And to my delight her book arrived in the mail.
First I really enjoyed the message and tone of this book as it aligns perfectly with The Art Prescription philosophy. I told my husband, “this is like the book I’ve always wanted to write.” A book about the healing attributes of art with fun prompts to encourage creativity.
The Art of Play invites the reader to return to the childlike quality of seeing the world through our senses. Most important a sense of play. Joan reminds us to listen and pay attention to imagery throughout our day. “Allow yourself to reclaim that lost delight.”
Joan shares her personal journey of rediscovering the joy of making art and talks about ways to overcome our resistance. The book is full of Joan’s poetry and art. I found her images engaging with rich emotion, and her “Process Note,” honest and insightful.
Throughout the book you will find creative suggestions to jump start your muse. This book will resonate with everyone as Joan’s poems and works reflect universal themes of life, growth, fears, loss, and joy. The tips called “Playtime” lean towards art therapy in a way that appeals to anyone wishing to explore the therapeutic benefits of art.
Joan Stanford is a board-certified art therapist and full-time innkeeper who has been facilitating creativity groups for over twenty years, encouraging people of all ages, especially non-artists, to expand their awareness through playing with art materials.
I applaud Joan for bringing this book into print and hope my readers will pick up a copy.
Blossom gone to seed
Beautiful structure remains
Season at it’s end.
Art Prescription: After several busy days working on landscape commissions, I felt the need to do something simple and soothing. My coneflowers have gone to seed and I find them so beautiful. Two simple tools, a pen and pencil. Peaceful.
Graphite and Pen on Bristol
art prescription 