I've Positively Got the Rhythm!

I've positively got the rhythm!

Veronica Roth asked recently on her blog, "What are you doing do get the rhythm in our lives and art?"

I have been getting my rhythm by dedicating myself to quality time with my family, friends and myself.  I have promised myself that I would not waste my art time on watching television. I have promised myself to help others and myself grow as learners.I have promised myself that I would use my time to reflect and create art on an on-going basis.

That means turning on my iPod and finding rhythm in the music.  That means turning on my counter top water fountain and finding rhythm in the flowing trickling water.  That means digging through my drawer of ephemera, and finding the rhythm in the colours, patterns, images, feelings associated in them.  That means spending time every day creating to maintain the steady beat.

I have found rhythm in my new journal.  My kindred spirit, Michelle, has sewn a heart for me using some burlap that I gave her.  I have glued that onto the front of my journal and am going to create the rhythm of my heart on each page, Whether it be including an actual heart on each page, a quote that makes my heart skip a beat, a colour that makes my heart jump for joy, an image that calms by artsy heart or even lines that replicate the rhythm of my heart, the heart metaphor will be included on each page in my new journal.

 I purchased the journal in an art store on my first visit to California to visit my son and his beautiful family.  My heart was so happy being there.  I get great rhythm just thinking about spending time with them in that dreamlike place.  Every time I touch the journal, my heart is reminded of the time we had there together, experiencing California with my wonderful son, daughter in-law and my delightful granddaughter.

The quote on this journal entry is the last line of the Helen Keller novel I just finished reading to my grade ones,  It is also a quote from a plaque that my husband and son gave me for a gift one year.

I so enjoyed reading the book to my grade ones.  They experienced so many emotions when I read about Helen's life to them.  The had so many questions.  The laughed when she was able to go the circus and pet and play the exotic animals. The youngsters oooooed when she learned to spell and read.  They the clapped when she spoke and said, "I am not dumb any more." They cried out when they learned that Annie Sullivan was once blind and she was sacrificing her own sight to help Helen. They clapped when she graduated from university and she wrote words on her paper. A few had tears in their eyes when Annie and Helen passed away at the end of the book.

Every day my students grew excited to learn something new about this inspirational girl and woman. They felt she was so smart and intuitive and motivated.  In the beginning, Helen was a wild little thing with no focus.  Pure stubbornness, and spoiled to the core.  With the love, discipline and dedication of her teacher and herself, she became a tame, determined woman, willing to learn, grow and help others.  She found her rhythm and that rhythm lives on today!

I asked one of my students what her favourite part of the book was and she responded, "I am going to draw a picture of when Helen Keller helped the soldiers from World War Two." Some of the soldiers who lost their sight, hearing or arms and legs, had lost hope, their rhythm, and Helen helped them regain their rhythm by showing them that they could still live good lives, even with the new challenges they encountered.  If she could live a productive life being blind and deaf, so could they.



The ephemera that I included on my page seemed to accompany the rhythm of the quote.  I dug my hand into my bag randomly, and the things I pulled out seemed to all connect to the quote.  The tag from Santa, reminded me that even though he is unseen, his love is deeply felt in my heart.  Each year he fusses and chooses meaningful gifts that reflect his understanding of our family.

The writing belongs to my dad.  He addressed an envelop to us at Christmas time a few years ago when he was well.  I don't even remember saving the envelope, but it jumped right out of its bag and changed the rhythm of my heart.  This was our first Christmas without him.

I had to include the photo of him waving with his fingers.  I could always feel his love every time he gave me that signal.  I still feel his love in my heart every time I see that photograph.  The quote on the photo reflects the Helen Keller quote perfectly.

I also included a collage of words that I created for his card for the funeral.  I think it captured how many people felt about him in their hearts.  Even though he can no longer be seen or touched, he can still be felt in our hearts.

A young buddy of mine said something wise last week.  She said, "I would never let my friends down, so why do I let myself down?  Am I not as important to myself as they are?"  A very sage question to ask, don't you think?

I think we now have the rhythm!

Thanks, Veronica Roth for the challenge.  Keep the rhythm by checking out other artists' interpretations of the Rhythm Challenge and Paint Party Friday.