Working from the Inside Out

I have been taking an E course recently 

called Inside Out

with Shannon Kinney-Duh

of A Free Spirit Life

it is a six week journaling course

and we are finishing week four right now

inside one of my journal pages

I have learned so many things

and my journal pages are filling up

with truth and heart thoughts.

This course is more than just art journaling

there are so many writing prompts,

free writing exercises, setting intentions, 

interviews with beautiful souls,

yoga exercises, fellowships, chat time

and so much more.
It has been a journey of self exploration.

words that spoke to me

affirmations

I am grateful to myself for taking the time

to settle into this course,

receive all that I am meant to take in,

and learn new and fun things,
and to Shannon for creating such an experience

I let go of other things so I could

concentrate on this experience,
for it has been so worth it!

I am having so much fun with the creative exercises,

I keep looking at my journal pages,

over and over again!

time for some poetry thoughts

envisioning

I think this course came at the perfect time for me

things just happen to work out that way.

I was needing some direction, some clarification,

some creative fellowship,

but I have received so much more!

This course was a gift just for me 

and each and every morning

I look forward to seeing what

Shannon has brought to us for the day.

fun journal exercise

a love letter to self

Valentines Day Page

my favorite ... mind mapping

I feel that everything is as it should be lately.

I am exploring new horizons,

learning more and more each day,

opening my heart and mind,

letting go of fears and doubts,

writing deeper poetry

hmmm . . . I wonder what is next?

Pay attention, be astonished, tell about it

Mary Oliver

Donna Lee

A Poetry Moment

Simplify

Sometimes our lives become so difficult

We rush from here to there

never taking the time to truly 

slow ourselves down

What a gift we give to ourselves

when we can just Simplify

the way we live

the way we over commit our lives

Simplify your time

don't pack so much into one day

Simplify your mind

let go of unwanted thoughts

Slow your pace of life

way down

you won't be disappointed

with what you see will happen

Simplify your wants and needs

clear out unwanted things

for there is so much waste

just look around and see

To Simplify your pace

can be a personal gift

try today to see the beauty 

you have been missing every day

The Blending of Art and Poetry

 My local museum ... a treasured get away!

Have you ever heard of Ekphrastic Poetry?

Well I hadn't before until I was challenged by

my local Poetry Society

to study the technique and write a poem
about a piece of art from the museum's
latest gallery exhibit
"New Waves 2013"
This certainly excited the artist/poet in me!

Ekphrastic Poetry is writing a poem about

an inspiration that comes from a particular work of art.

There was a new exhibit at MOCA

(Museum of Contemporary Art)

here in my hometown of

Virginia Beach, VA

It is special to me already 

for this is where

my son and his wife

had their wedding reception two years ago!

I have also participated in Art Shows there

and have taught art classes in their Studio School.

So off I went on an Artist Date with myself,

to see the new exhibit and pick just one piece of artwork

that would speak to me

to write a poem about,
I didn't think this was going to be easy.

There were so many beautiful works of art

during the new exhibit
I had no idea which one to choose,

but I was then drawn to a very large

collaged canvas

entitled

"A Midsummer's Night Dream XVI"

I admired the piece because it was a collaboration

of art students from Norfolk, Virginia

guided by artist Tim Rollins;

they used watercolors, fruit juices, india inks, 

rag papers and metallics to paint and tear

different shapes of papers into flower images,

of course being a collage artist myself,

I was immediately intrigued by this piece!

I stayed in front of this work of art for quite a long time,

jotting words and phrases that came to mind,

trying to create a poem from the intense image

that was in front of me.

I then discovered beneath the pasted flowers

were the words and script from

Shakespeare's "A Midsummer's Night Dream",

it was the underlying groundwork

placed onto the canvas first,

then the flowers were carefully pasted on top of the script,

a hidden gift for me to discover,

It really did take my breath away!

So yes I did create my poetry this past Sunday Morning,

yes I did come to the Poetry Reading at the museum one evening

and yes I did share my poem out loud!

What an incredible experience it was.

Hearing your own voice reading your own words 

coming through a microphone

out loud to others

can be daunting!

I learned a new technique in my Poetry writing

and I loved the experience of it all.

Especially being able to combine two things

I am passionate about,

Art and Poetry

And yes I did find time to practice a little

Self Portraiture!

I am always learning

always reaching

always trying something new!

Step out of your comfort zone,

try something totally new

you won't be disappointed!

Life is just full of creative adventures

but you do have to look for them,

don't stay in the same boring place all the time!

Look inwardly and Reach out 

experiment with what life has to offer

Your beautiful self can do it!

Donna Lee Zeppieri Wynn

My new day workshop . . . "An Artful Spirit"

"Envisioning" This is truly a dream come true in the making!  Decided to step out of the "attend" retreats and actually create one!  My long time creative friend Suzan Thompson and I have been envisioning something we could do together for a long time,  the time to step out and actually do it is finally here! We are going to have a day of mini art workshops on a Saturday in March, at a beautiful hotel in Virginia Beach . . . wide open room, beautiful lighting and lots of work space! (Actually it is the same hotel they have Art and Soul in April!) We are going to create collage on canvas, watercolor and doodle, and create small journals! You will actually go home with some finished artwork! Come and let your inner child play for a day. I just wanted to share it on my blog, it actually makes it a true reality. It is good for us to wish for something actually envision and dream about it, then actually bring it into reality. Just wanted to share this opportunity with you, and wish you the most beautiful week ever!

Invitation to An Artful Spirit Workshop Hi! Donna Z. Wynn & Suzan K. Thompson invite you to...   Play and Create With An Artful Spirit Saturday, March 2, 2013  from 9am to 6pm At the Virginia Beach Resort Hotel http://www.virginiabeachresort.com  Make it a retreat weekend!  Contact the hotel - just $89/night (+ tax) for participants!  Needing a transfusion of play and creativity to rejuvenate your life? Want to connect with others and feed YOUR artful spirit? We've planned a one-day retreat with  3 mini-workshops for you: The Spirit of Journal-Making Artful Collage Wabi Sabi Watercolor Just $66 for the 3 mini-workshops + $33 for materials (what a BARGAIN!!!) = $99 for an art-filled, spirit-infused playful day! Register soon!  www.AnArtfulSpirit.com  (Spaces limited) Who We Are Donna Z. Wynn www.gentlethreads.blogspot.com  www.100poemsjourney.blogspot.com  www.etsy.com/shop/yogiknitgirl  Donna works full time as an Optical Manager for a successful Eye Practice in Hampton Roads.  She considers being a Mixed Media Artist, Poet and Photographer her creative life's calling!   She totally enjoys watercolors, journaling, knitting socks, mixed media collage, photography and anything creative!  She has written her own blog "Gentle Threads" for three years and it is where she shares her creative stories and poetry writings. Donna has taught art classes for MOCA in Virginia Beach (Museum of Contemporary Art), private art retreats, individual art instruction and was once a part owner in Blue Skies Gallery, in Hampton, Virginia. Sharing her art knowledge with others is a joy and she considers it to be an honor to enlighten others to the world of personal discovery through their art experiences.  Suzan K. Thompson www.wabisabiartist.com  www.90WabiSabiDays.blogspot.com  www.Toolkit4Transformation.blogspo t.com Suzan works full time as a faculty member at Old Dominion University, teaching in the graduate counseling program. Even though she has taught clay jewelry-making, water color, and "Finding Your Creative Self" classes at places like MOCA and the former Ghent Studio of Fine Arts, Suzan never really saw herself as an artist.  She considered herself a creative person for a very long time, but only when she found out about the philosophy of Wabi Sabi  in early 2011 was she able to truly claim this truth: I AM an artist! The three basic principles of Wabi Sabi are: Nothing lasts. Nothing is finished. Nothing is perfect. Suzan loves to create sacred space for others to find their own wabi sabi artful spirit.

Wishes . . .

Journal Play

Wishes come in so many ways . . .

we wish our friends well

we wish for things we can't have

we wish we were thinner

we wish we were better at something

we wish we were like others

we wish we had more time

we wish things were a different way

so many wishes . . .

This week's photo prompt

with 52 Photos Project 

was (you guessed it!)

Wishes

I have been journaling a lot lately

so I decided to express just one of my wishes

onto the journal page . . .

"My wish is to just let go of self doubts and fears"

Yes even at the age of 55 years young

I still am finding myself with self doubts and fears.

I wonder why it is we are so hard on ourselves

and never feel that we are good enough?

I am working these thoughts out with myself,

so thank you Bella

for reminding me about wishes

this week!

I must have it on my mind,

because I have a Pinterest Board

entitled

"Donna Lee's Wish List"

there I have found things from

fancy shoes, to a trip to Paris,

having a potting bench,

going to a private little cottage

to retreat and write,

to owning a pair of red sassy boots,

to fitting into a sexy red dress!

Please click on the link above

it will take you there!

By the way, never doubt this

Wishes certainly do come true!

I did get my Sundance boots!

I wish you a beautiful weekend

full of happiness and wishful moments.

Donna Lee

A Poetry Moment . . .

Poetry and Artwork

 inspired by Shannon Kinney

from my Inside Out E Course

Trust

The process

Your heart's yearning

The journey you are taking now

Other's love for you

Warm friendships

Your own intuition

The artistic process

Trust

That you know what's best

for you

In your dreams

Most of all

trust 

in YOU

It's Been a Quiet Week

I honestly don't know where this week went!

I have been practicing slowing down

Simplifying my walk in life

this week has been extremely good.

Staying home working on some

artistic projects

Time in my studio painting journal pages

Not much television

(what a time waster!)

I must admit I did watch the 

season finale of

Parenthood

(OH how I love that show!)

I am becoming more and more

of a home body

love to go from my knitting,

to doing a little laundry, 

to perhaps writing a new poem,

having a cup of tea,

taking a nap,

whatever,

just being home makes me happy.

I was able to finish those two socks

for my daughter n laws

I wrote about 

and I am just beginning a new

knitted Caplet design

just for me!

There is something wonderful about

beginning a new knitting project!

Casting on those first stitches is fun.

My sister and I went to my local knit shop last weekend

and I got some beautiful new yarn for this pattern.

I found this designer on Etsy

This is what I am starting:

We are expecting a snow storm today

here in Virginia Beach!

So it looks as though I am in for my weekend,

I am not complaining!

Of course Sunday night will be

episode number four of

Downton Abbey!

Find time to be still

Find time to be creative

Find time to listen to really good music

Practice some self care

Most of all find time 

to slow your beautiful self

D O W N!

Donna Lee

A Poetry Moment . . .

Greet Yourself . . .

With early morning light

Come and greet yourself here

See your wonderful self

for YOU are waiting there

Take a deeper look

a long and searching glance

at the Self that stands

before you now

Greet yourself in love

protect 

what lies in front of you there

Greet yourself in peace

There are moments in our day

when we choose to not see ourselves

for we choose to look away

 look even deeper, if only for today

Greet Yourself

in this quiet moment

for you will find that

YOU are still waiting there

Making journals

I recently treated myself to an online course

entitled "Art Journal Conversion"

with Roben-Marie Smith

what a treat this course has been for me!

I have followed Roben-Marie for

quite awhile and I absolutely

love her style of painting!
There is nothing this creative lady can't do!

I have had so much fun creating wonderful journals

using materials I already had in my studio, 

some mixed media paper, stencils, inks, paints,

whatever I could find!

I even learned to use Modeling Paste,

something I had never used before, 

but now am hooked on what fun it creates.

This was a quote I put on the cover of my poetry journal

I created

"She lives her poetry out loud each and every day"

I wanted to make each journal personal.

This was a canvas duck cloth I created

along with the journals

so I could have some creative book tabs!

I had so much fun with all of this.

Here is my Poetry journal and see the little tab there?

Each journal is hand sewn with a signature of various papers inside

I used newsprint, watercolor paper,

bristol paper and sketch paper sheets

for the inside pages!

This was a piece I created during Mindy Lacefield's class

"Paint Your Story"

so I decided to make it into a special journal for me

(this one carries a special place in my heart

cause I love my Mindy girl!)

Here I added a scrap piece of newsprint

that I used as a blotter sheet

Roben-Marie had suggested this in her video

(a surprise page inside the journal)

I love the way it turned out!

All I had left was to get out my sewing machine

and do a little free form stitching on the tabs.

What fun this class was for me

and I am not done yet!

I love creating

I love painting

I love learning something new

and

spreading my creative wings!

Roben-Marie shares all of her knowledge

so freely with you,

I encourage you to take this class

if you are interested in creating these beautiful journals.

Once you sign up you always have

access to the class!

Now each time I begin writing,

it is going to be hard for me to choose

 just which journal I want to write in!

Have a beautiful Friday

and find some time to be creative

during this weekend!

A Poetry Moment . . .

Hello Self!

Each day is a new beginning

of learning something new ...

a challenging task

finding a new word

writing a poem

learning to reach out to others

Each day I say "Hello Self"

I am practicing
self care

self love

self acceptance

so today I am excited at what will be

Life is so full of wonder

if only you will see,

just look into the mirror

say hello

ask yourself

"What is needed for me today?"

Saying "Hello Self"
is always a good thing for me
for I like the image I see there,
I am learning to dig way down deep inside
I am growing
I am loving this girl she