Expressive Souls - A New Adventure!

Hello my friends.
I am feeling my way around a new adventure. It's very exciting. It's a bit scary.

This blog, IndigoMooneMusings was my first blog. My first attempt to share, to connect, to create out loud, in cyberspace ... and now, another form of expression is unfolding.

Ever since I entered into that deliciously complicated part of life called adolescence, I have wanted to paint. To be an artist. But I didn't allow it. Because I don't think I even knew it. And for most of my adult life I have convinced myself that ART is what other people do. People that went to art school. People that doodled on every available surface since they first picked up a crayon. People that dyed their hair bright bold colors. (Fascinating assumptions here...)

See, I didn't do those things. Because somewhere, for some insane reason, I didn't think I could. I thought for a very long time that I was only meant for practical things. Like bookkeeping. Because, you know, well, I was good at math and could balance my checkbook.

Over the past 10 years I have taken very tentative steps towards reclaiming creativity in my life. It started with belly dance. Of all places. And through that dance my steps have become very strong, even strides I'd say. And through dance, I gave myself permission to be creative. To create. To find beauty. To be bold. To risk. To lead.

As I allowed creativity to find expression in my life, I also let ART seep in, in tiny bits and pieces. Taking that first ever Art 101 class at the community college. Exploring water color. Making collages. Discovering the wonderful world of mixed media. And now, this year, trying ART journaling.

And now it's official, I have decided that ART will no longer just seep into my life. It is time to let it FLOOD in! To pour into and out of every ounce of my being. All I want to do is eat, sleep, and drink ART. No more waiting. Certainly no more thinking that ART is for other people.

I am an ARTist!

I have so much to express. My soul has a story to tell, a song to sing, beauty to create, and so much to share.

This blog, even the name, Indigo Moone, has been a huge part of this unfolding. A wild and creative name that took me out of Tracy, and into a whole new place in my life. But now I'm ready to be Tracy again. To integrate this wild and creative self into my life in every way, not keeping it separate from who I have been. And from who I am meant to be.

So won't you join me? In this new place, this place that has always been there, waiting until I was ready. And I am ready.

We are all Expressive Souls.
How does your soul express itself?

http://expressive-souls.blogspot.com

Share this new adventure with me!

Much gratitude and love for the journey!

tracy

A Dream Come True

I did it!!!!

More than three years of dreaming of this, and I did it!

I participated in (and passed!) Paulette Rees-Denis' Collective Soul One belly dance intensive. Whew!

It was all I had hoped it would be, and more ~ learning from Paulette, connecting with other dancers, a chance to improve upon what I've been doing for the past 10 years, being inspired by a wonderful teacher, having fun, laughing, being challenged, visiting a new place (NW Oregon), and dancing, dancing, dancing!!!!

Paulette also has a new store in town with her husband Jeff, the Cultivator General Store, so I ate some fabulous food too!!!

I'm definitely overwhelmed by all of it, the traveling, the intense learning, being away from home ~ re-entry has been hard. But, am I glad I did it? Oh my gosh, YES!!!!

It feels like from here, new horizons are opening, new opportunities will appear, life is going to hold some big changes. I am so ready!

But for now, here are some photos of my awesome adventure!!!!


The Bike Inn/River Hideaway, where I stayed, Clatskanie, OR.

Self-portrait at the Cultivator General Store

The most adorable couple, Jeff and Paulette!

In front of the studio in Portland ~ Cayte, Sarah, Brandy & Kat ~ where we also had evening classes after dancing all day in Clatskanie!

We made it to the ocean, ahhh, beautiful!

The fabulous Paulette and her humble and elated Graduates!!!

An image found in Portland that says it all!

30 Journals 30 Days ~ An Interview

Playing along today with the AMAZING Connie Hozvicka and her 30 Journals 30 Days Love. Everyday this month she has interviewed an Art Journaler, and now on the 31st day of July, she is featuring all the Lovelies that participate in her workshops, e-course, etc. Here's my interview, of ME! Thank you Connie!!!

•How long have you been Art Journaling?

I just started a couple months ago. I can't believe I didn't discover it sooner! I have loved collage projects for a very long time, and I've kept a written journal for years. But to find this place where all of that can be combined, adding in painting and drawing, where permission is granted to do ART everyday... it's just simply amazing.


•How has Art Journaling impacted, changed, or enhanced your life?

It has changed my life in every way imaginable. For just about all of my adult life I have believed that ART was for other people. For people who followed a certain path. Who were encouraged from a very young age. Who actually earn a living from it. And so I always hesitated to create. And now, here, through ART journaling, I have learned that ART is for everyone! Expressing ourselves though ART is exactly what it is about. It is not about product. It is not about pleasing someone else. It is all about process. About permission to make a mess, to try new things, to experiment, to find joy in the middle of all of it. To release pain. To tap into the very depths of our Soul. I now, finally, have found freedom, freedom to express my soul's desire. This is HUGE. It's MONUMENTAL!

•What are a few of your favorite Art Journaling materials?

I have fallen deeply in love with gel medium for texture. I also love acrylic paint, magazine pics for collaging, sparkly gel pens (LOVE sparkly gel pens), paint pens in general, textured paper, and I think I'm just discovering a love of stitching my pages!

•Who are some of your favorite Art Journalers?

I first came across and have been so inspired by the art journaling of Teesha Moore.

Sarah Whitmire has some lovely prompts she generously shares that I thoroughly enjoyed.

And now, the most wonderful Connie Hozvicka and her Art Journal Love Letters!

•What kind words of encouragement would you say to an Art Journal newbie?

I don't think it can be said enough ~ there is no wrong way to do ART journaling!! You can use whatever materials you want, whatever techniques you want, whatever paper you want. The idea is to express yourself, the good, the bad, the ugly. The beautiful, the inspired, the messy!! Give yourself permission to put color to paper. To glue. To scribble. Expresss yourself. It's all GOOD!!

•Where can we contact you...give us some link LOVE!!

My blog is here: Indigomoone Musings

I'm on Facebook: Tracy Carlton

I tweet here.

I have another life as a belly dancer here: Kundalini Belly Dance

And, big secret, a new slowly emerging not really ready, but sharing it here anyway adventure: Expressive Souls

•Short Bio

I am a dreamer, a dancer, an ARTist, a risk-taker. I am a recovering perfectionist and an emerging shaman. I am building up the courage and also a plan to take flight from a good but not-my-Soul's-Expression job into a life where dreams are real, creativity is queen, inspiration is generously given, connection is woven, and LOVE is shared.

So looking forward to sharing this journey with you!

Permission

I have been bitten by the ART Journal addiction, or I have fallen madly in love with ART Journaling. Or, I have become OBSESSED with expressing myself through my ART Journal. Luckily, I am still taking time out to eat and sleep. I'd quit my job in an instant to ART Journal all day. Oh sure, I suppose there's a chance I'd get tired of it eventually. But it's a chance I'm willing to take.

So I haven't much been in the mood for writing. Which means this blog. My time has instead, been devoted to painting, collaging, drawing, getting messy, exploring, dreaming, processing, creating, and in general, spent in absolute BLISS!

And I joined another e-course, Art Journal Love Letters, with 4 weeks of ART Journal prompts, and a wonderfully loving community of fellow artists, and it ROCKS! Connie Hozvicka is truly amazing! Please go visit her at Dirty Footprints Studio.

In finding ART Journaling, I have found permission to be an Artist.

An ARTIST!

This is HUGE!

For the past, oh, 25 years or more, I put off creating any visual art because, well, I wasn't an ARTIST. You know, someone who doodled their way through grade school, went to art school, studied art history, wore black, and suffered. Because in my mind being an artist was about an identity. And of course, more importantly, it was about creating something OTHER people would like. Or admire. Or BUY. No bad art allowed. So I feared even starting.

Luckily I finally, in my late 30's, did start painting. And it was grand! But still, I would hear some friends, either artists themselves or related to artists, talk about REAL artists and REAL art. And well, no way was I one of those. I dabbled. I crafted.
It was a hobby.

All by OTHER people's definition.

And then came ART Journaling. And you know what I learned? It's not about what you create. It's about the PROCESS of creating. It is personal. It is playful. There is no WRONG way to do it.

How frickin' FREEING is that?

Finally, I have permission to create.

Sing hallelujah to that!!!

And you know what?

I AM an artist.

And here are a few of my creations:

Thank you for being here along on the journey with me.

Won't you create with me?

Summer Rituals

It's summer. And it's HOT!

Our summer ritual, put on hold for a couple years while we tried to sell out house, is to sleep outside on our deck. We have some friends that would join us, mosquitos, so we use a screen tent to preserve our sanity and our skin.

We've also embraced eating outside. Creating outside. And of course playing outside!

I absolutely love this about summer!

What summer rituals do you have?