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Celebrating Each Step...looking back on August 2010

Glittering Shards: Celebrating Each Step...looking back on August 2010

Glittering Shards

Sunday, September 05, 2010

Celebrating Each Step...looking back on August 2010


Welcome (back) to Celebrating Each Step, a monthly space to help us...              

                                        stop              breathe               take stock                    

                reflect on the path our feet have walked in August

                                                                       acknowledge the struggles

                                    celebrate the achievements and successes...

                    and share with each other what we have actually managed to do!

This space is an antidote to rushing and diving headlong into the next thing on the to do list. It is an attempt to momentarily slow down the speedy pace of life that stops us from looking back and celebrating what we have actually achieved because we are so focused on the path ahead and how much there is still to do.

I saw my first red leaf fall a few days ago...so at least for us here in the Northern Hemisphere, the start of September is ushering in all the signs of autumn. (For those of you in the South, I hope you are enjoying the feeling of life about to burst all around you!). Isn't it funny how the seasons carry mood?

Talking about moods, I was at the Greenbelt Arts Festival last weekend and went to a meditation that was being run by the Salesians (I am part of the worldwide family of ex-Salesian School pupils and was so happy to stumble across them here!).  As part of the meditation, we were encouraged to look back over the month of August and map our moods using Millers Mood Mapping. I have not come across this tool before and thought it was really helpful. It helped me step back and monitor my energy levels and degrees of positivity / negativity  in given situations over the month. By doing so, I could make connections between things and make some mental shifts. It's a very simple tool. Give it a go.

My August has been quite creative but never as much as I would wish. I finished my Moonscape commission (which my client was really happy with - yay!) and have started my first piece this year that is not a commission but one that I am doing straight from the heart  - its very personal and there is story behind it which I will explain one day soon.

 That in itself has been a big step for me...to continue the process of digging deep into my own soul for the source of my art and then connecting this to the wider world in physical form and in making connections between my own story and the stories of others.

In August, I also met the most lovely lady, Hayley, who is the author of several Slow Guides - on how to live more slowly and purposefully in cities (so far she has done Sydney, Melbourne, Dublin and London). Anyone who has followed this blog for any length of time will understand that this kind of thing makes me hop with excitement (slowly, of course). In fact, one of my early blog posts back in 2005 was me waxing lyrical about the Slow Movement having read Carl Honore's In Praise of Slow.

As well as being an author and generally creative bunny, Hayley knows web development like a second language (particularly Wordpress which I am shifting everything to) and she is kindly sitting with me in the process of combining my web site and blog into one.  What an angel she is. Having developed my blog and site incrementally over the last 8 years, I now know what I want it to look like and what I want it to do which invariably involves major redesign. This has been on my "To Do" list for months but since meeting Hayley, her enabling presence has helped me to start.  I am so grateful as I would have got stuck in at the first hurdle if Hayley hadn't been with me! I have many more steps to go with this creative endeavour.  In the meantime, I have twiddled with my blog this month so that all the resources available on it are easily accessible from the left hand column. I have also done a small section in the right column with my favourite posts - ones which I think are worth reading as they containing some gold nuggets. Do have a browse, especially if you are new to this blog.

September beckons...my focus will be art making, as I work towards my participation in the Wandsworth Artists Open House and my first solo art show at the Sprout Community Arts Gallery (hopefully involving a whole section of mosaic art which I will help a local group of refugee teenagers make). As part of my making this month, I will finally indulge my long standing desire to create mosaic jewellery...yippee.

How about you? Tell us about your August...your moods, your endeavours, what you achieved and how it was on the way. What are you plans for the beautiful month of September? Would love to hear...so either write a "Celebrating Each Step" post on your blog and post the link below so we can visit you...or just let it all flow in the comments section...no matter how short or long.

Here's to September, to making connections with each other and creating a supportive, celebrating community together. x

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posted by Concetta at 10:23 am

14 Comments:

  • Well August was a real challenge for me because I was ridiculously busy at work and thought i simply wouldn't have the energy to do any drawing or any creating but it turns out that my dedication to mastering the art of drawing kept me going and I did more drawing than ever! So I'm really happy to know that I didn't falter and kept going regardless of how busy I was.

    By Anonymous Veronika, at 5 September 2010 at 10:42  

  • Oh well done you. That is really inspiring Veronkia. There's wisdom in that whole "create every day" movement isn't there? I must admit, since starting the Artsits Way, writing my morning pages (ehm...most mornings!) has become beautifully habitual, like having my coffee!

    By Blogger Concetta, at 5 September 2010 at 11:00  

  • hello you, your posts are so delightfully jam-packed at the mo!

    Looking forward to seeing your solo show :)

    Well, my steps include getting my 'live' art workshops together for the open house, writing newsletter number 2 and delivering, preparing for experimental art e-course 3, and recently I have decided to go back on an art/photography course too, to get some inspiration and hang out with others and learn a few new skills hopefully . . . Am deep in to making new work for the Wandsworth Artists open house too.

    Amelia.x

    By Blogger Amelia, at 5 September 2010 at 13:06  

  • How exciting about your solo show! All the best, Concetta.

    My August was, in terms of being creative and making more, I am not sure if I have done enough as I wanted it to be, with lots of excuses like building studio, extra summer scheme at work etc. But I think the best thing I have ever done was "reaching out" to people. I am a shy person in nature and that can cause trouble to get out there. Last month some artists like Veronika, Katrina and Lily kindly gave me an opportunity to talk more openly and meet up. This is a huge step for me. It was like practicing my courage. I hope I can build up more in the future. xm

    p.s.
    Talking of which, I am coming down to London on 25th &26th this month. It’s going to be a bit squeezed schedule but if anyone can spare time, I would love to meet London artists. (I shall post in FB, maybe?)

    By Blogger makiko hastings, at 5 September 2010 at 13:50  

  • Hi Lovely Concetta! What a great post! I certainly did not do as much as I hoped. But I did get an etsy shop up and running and a website. its very basic. but its there. I did it on iweb which is very easy to use indeed. I got paid for 2 commissions too. must indeed remember to keep an eye on the progress as well as the eye on how far there is yet to go.

    By Blogger HowtoBEaCOOLoldLady, at 5 September 2010 at 15:56  

  • Looks like we always hope to do more than we do - I certainly have unrealistic expectations of what i can achieve in one day for sure. Mmmm...Maki, would love to meet you when you come to London, sure Amelia would too (trip to London Morya??!). Building a studio is major Maki - hard work but so worth it eh? And boy Moyra, good for you on etsy and website. Fantastic! Send us your links!

    By Blogger Concetta, at 5 September 2010 at 21:41  

  • Hello all ... In celebration of my August ... I would like to give myself a big pat on the back for seeing and understanding when my life gives me natural hints. Such as an online interview publishing on the first day of back to school. Life often give us hints of how and when we should proceed , but so often we listen with no follow thru. I did a better job of following thru on the whispers in August, Now I'm armed with extra ears for September.

    By Blogger Sonya McCllough Lockridge, at 6 September 2010 at 00:52  

  • My August was filled with wonderful and fulfilling creativity. One big celebration was seeing my work at the shelves of a local shop. :) How exciting about your solo show! i am soo happy for you and all the best, sweet Concetta. Have a lovely merry happy week and love to you!

    By Anonymous jacqueline, at 6 September 2010 at 02:12  

  • That's a good reminder Sonya...good on ya and do share the link to the interview, would love to read it!

    So cool about getting your work out there Jacqueline - so good! Have you taken pics? x

    By Blogger Concetta, at 6 September 2010 at 20:20  

  • ah...fall leaves already?! taking my first trip to the us east coast 1st week in oct.- i hope i won't be to late??!!

    By Blogger Kerri, at 8 September 2010 at 23:22  

  • That Hayley sounds like a wonderful woman to know, in so many ways. I wish I had a Hayley in my life. It's nice to hear you celebrating. I think we all need to remind ourselves to celebrate once in awhile! I think I might make a Celebrating the Summer post, because I've accomplished so much after taking Kelly Rae's class!

    By Blogger Suzanne, at 12 September 2010 at 20:21  

  • Over here from TJ.... and thrilled to have found your blog.

    This one really struck a chord:
    It is an attempt to momentarily slow down the speedy pace of life that stops us from looking back and celebrating what we have actually achieved because we are so focused on the path ahead and how much there is still to do.

    Word.

    My August was filled with my "buttkicking-grief-mission" and resulted in a ton of artist trading cards, two mosaic-boxes, a renovated kitchen and an order for a sewing-machine (my first!). Along with a bucket of snotty tissues I have made it through and will probably spend September enjoying the fruits of my labour (plus getting friendly with the machine).

    You reminded me to take a step back for a sec and celebrate what I have achieved. Thanks for that. Will definitely be back.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 13 September 2010 at 16:20  

  • Yup, leaves definitely starting to fall here Kerri! Post the link to your Celebrating Summer post Suzanne - would love to read and celebrate with you (and thank you for all of you doing so with me ;). MySkyTimes - so lovely to have you here and big big pat on the back for your buttkicking - I respect you very much (can't beleve how much you did in one month!) Autumn seems a good time to get the sewing machine out eh? (PS what is TJ???)

    By Blogger Concetta, at 15 September 2010 at 13:21  

  • Oops... TJ is referring to this lady's blog: http://studiomailbox.typepad.com/. But later, I realized I came here via TJ and Amelia... stumbling through blogs I mix things up.

    By Anonymous Skytimes, at 16 September 2010 at 10:49  

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