Art Journaling/Playing

So in Natasha "the Mad Cartwheeler" Reilly's workshop, she got us to write an old-fashioned self-introduction, so below this is what I've written. (But this is not the most exciting part yet) You can read about her here where she blogs.

My name's Eva and I'm from a faraway place in Southeast Asia call Malaysia where it's summer all year long. (I can almost hear wows from all of you hehe) I'm a self-taught artist who has been on this artful journey for 3 years nw. B4 I had the courage to pursue full-time painting, I worked as an English/creative writing/drama teacher and tutor in gender studies, and also a filmmaker in a women's organization. I'm also a certified art therapist and is working towards facilitating workshops soon. But right now working on my artpieces is most important to me as I'm holding my 1st art exhibition in this coming May! Yay! I'm also pursuing my masters in english literature in a local university, am working hard to complete it so I can focus entirely on art.I'm 27 years old and am single, my true love is painting at this moment and I'm devoting much time and effort to make my dreams come true! I've never been to USA but sure hope I save enough to fly there someday and attend workshops and meet inspiring artists-teachers-kindred spirits!

It's like a sort of compressed summary of labels about what I do previously. Very factual information. And then Natasha got us to rip those papers of and rewrite "Who I am" without the labels of our religion, work, nationality, sex, married status, definitions that put us into boxes rather than allow us the freedom to "be".

So below is what I rewrote what "I am" made of, and I had so much fun I almost manage a cartwheel.

I'm the gaze exchanged between two lovers,

where no conversation is needed, and silence says everything.

I'm the smile of a new-born baby,

full of innocence and ageless knowing,

I'm the wisdom of the owl's gaze,

I hold all the mysteries and wonders since the most ancient of times,

I'm the full moon on a cloudless night,

guiding lost souls home,

so they may rest their fatigued bodies, mind and spirit.

I'm the rich sweetness of a cup of hot chocolate,

filling the belly with a glorious lust for life.

I'm the strength of my mother's hand,

toiling hard so her children may be fed.

I'm the sunlight dancing on my father's torso,

when he washes his car, gently humming to himself,

lost in the dance of his own private moment.

I'm the warmth in the palms where my grandmother

held my hands to walk across the busy street

I'm the memory of my grandfather's pampering love

the way he carries me on his lap,

where I relish being his favourite grandchild,

I'm the songs that sings of the ocean's secret inside a seashell

that has travel across the sea

and come home to its mother's shore,

I'm all the intricate designs of fallen snowflakes

melted away on a palm of a stranger

who has glimpsed and appreciated my beauty

I'm the rhythmic beating of all hearts,

I'm the air, the invisible force connecting everyone's inhale and exhale,

I'm the breeze that misbehaves,

waving my unseen fingers to make tree leaves sway

I'm water to quench a traveler's thirst

I'm so much,

and I'm just beginning to understand.

I'm so vast,

and I've just starting to comprehend.

The writing has got me an "AHA" moment. I suspected that besides having superpowers in painting, I might have a buried and sleeping superpower that awaits to be awakened and the superpower is writing! tada~ especially poetry!

She got us to randomly picked out from amongst prompts and I chose "sensational" and "give". So in my art journal page I coloured my hands pink which meant I give love unconditionally and freely and I give gold which means invaluable goodness, whether through my intention to help, or to paint and touch hearts in sharing my art, whether it's to pick people up when they're down, or hugging/ gently soothing them.

And my journal page look like this. Quite "Zen" like. The papers of labels we made out of ourselves we ripped it and I sticked onto the page outside the palms and coloured over it with purple and turquoise to indicate I'll let the wind of the Universe blow away my false identity so I can be renewed and free!Even though I was working on these home alone, but I had so much fun and felt absolutely like I was back to my childhood, licking an ice-cream while I played with my colours. Just being fully immersed in the creative process and enjoying the moment of experiencing creating is so healing and make me feel so alive! I can't wait to start another's teacher workshop and sharing my progress with you all!