November 5, 2010

AEDM - Nov. 3

To do... to do... to do... to do...

Yesterday, whenever I thought about sitting down to tackle the AEDM challenge, an endless list of things to do kept running through my head. So, instead of giving in to the chore monster, I got creative with a to-do list:


Scary, isn't it? It made me realize why I often feel guilty for sitting down to draw or paint. The final product visualized the craziness and pressure I felt (and often feel) inside my head. I didn't want to leave my mind there, so I decided to go a little further:


Since I had used watercolor pencils, I decided to brush over the whole thing with water. It was therapeutic to just wash over all of those mundane tasks that kept nagging at me, getting in the way of my creativity. And in the end, a mandala appeared (surprise, surprise!). Mandalas are so calming for me and this one showed me that I am still balanced, despite the busyness. It was like a little message from God telling me, "Take some time to yourself, and I'll take care of the rest." Thanks God! I needed a break.

2 comments:

Sarah said...

Anna, I love this... I can completely relate to your to do list. Amazing how you created a visual of that stress... and, the idea that you feel guilty to take the time to do something you love... well, I can relate to that, too. I'm glad the project ended up giving you a better sense of balance (and, I love the final product mandala, too).

Your mandalas remind me of the monks that created the one in sand in the Marshall Center back in the day... nice memory.

Just Jac said...

How awesomely cool is that! Great job!