Equality for Everyone

 Can you imagine a world where everyone, everywhere is equal -- No judgements, No prejudice, No Laws keeping anyone from being who they truly are?

Let’s imagine that world, and create it.

Years ago, Russian artists had to hide their “real” art under their beds and in closets to protect these precious paintings because they were not “allowed” to paint anything but religious paintings!

The Impressionists broke out of the “mold” of puritan art and even through all of the criticism and doubt, they opened the the door to paint outside and to paint what they saw, not what they were told to do.  They made History by following their hearts.

Today, paint from your heart and take a chance -- no limits -- just be “YOU”!!!!

And I imagine a world where we are all equal in everything we do! 

Let me know how you are doing!

And I wish us all PEACE!

"Peace"

36 x 23 Oil on Ampersand Board

Diane@DianeLeonard.com

Stretching Ourselves

 After my total hip replacement last February, I literally had to start over with little baby moves and stretches to let my muscles and ligaments start working again.  It was a long and slow process as I began to learn  to walk again with my new hip.  Almost like teaching a baby to walk!  With help from a physical therapist, a nurse, and my sister, I began the process of healing.

A year later, I am fine, and yet I am still doing small movements to stretch those muscles that had atrophied.  Now that I am back at the gym, I can feel my strength returning.

And yesterday, as we were snowed in, my sister was showing me some intense yin yoga stretches that you hold for two minutes.  As you hold a pose, you can feel the “Ahhh” as your muscles begin to stretch.   While I was holding a long and great pose, I thought of how I have to keep stretching myself as an artist to keep myself loose and to keep growing.  Sometimes, it is a painful process to grow and stretch yourself, and as you do, you can feel that “Ahhh” as you learn new methods and figure out how to get that paint on the canvas the way you want!

And, sometimes, beginning again, is a good thing!

Here is a quote from Ray Chambers, a philanthropist who is creating programs to make our world a better place.

“Live in the moment

It's better to be loving than to be right

Be a spectator to your own thoughts, especially when you become emotional

Be grateful for at least one thing every day

Help others every chance you get.”

And let me know how you are doing!

"Bliss" 7 x 5 

Oil on Ampersand Board

Diane@DianeLeonard.com

                                                             

Finding Love

How often do we self-sabotage ourselves, pick on ourselves or find fault where there is none?  Our negative self-talk follows us around and around and around and it takes away from our true selves -- Pure Love!

I found myself walking out of Stop & Shop the other day,  doing just that -- first, I lamented to myself that:  I was alone, then I found issues with my neck, then something else, and when I got to the fact that I even have “brown spots” (what am I a dog?),  I literally burst out laughing and laughed all the way to the car!  It was a revelation of how often I “pick on” myself instead of saying loving and nurturing words.

An excerpt from the book “A Return To Love” by Marianne Williamson that was also used in the speech by Nelson Mandela quotes:  

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate,

Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.

It is our light not our darkness, that most frightens us.

We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?

Actually, who are you not to be?

You are a child of God.

Your playing small doesn’t serve the world.

There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that

other people won’t feel insecure around you.

We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.

It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone!

And, as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other 

people permission to do the same.

As we are liberated from our fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”    

       

Well, why not Me?  We can choose every day -- be happy or be sad -- it’s a choice!  Let’s face it -- happy is certainly a lot more FUN!

So, let’s correlate that to our art or whatever creative endeavors we aspire to do -- look for the good -- look for what you love (I am talking to myself here) and there it will be -- right in front of you -- start with that and the joy will also be there.I live for the day when I only say  nice things to myself !

I say a truthful compliment to one stranger every day, and the smiles that I receive bring so much joy to me.  Try it -- there is always something special about everyone.  And in Art, there is always a compliment to be had!

It’s easy to find Joy and Love in everything you do -- choose it!  

And let me know how you are doing!

Here is one of my paintings that I painted in pure Joy!

"At The Lake", 12 x 9, Oil on Ampersand Board

Diane@DianeLeonard.com

                                                                       

Elvis

Did you know that there is a satellite radio station named Elvis -- that just plays songs by Elvis?  Isn’t that amazing!!!  Elvis touched so many people during his life, and he is still touching our hearts with his music.  And long after his death, he is still revered and remembered in our world.  I love listening to his sweet voice and his songs of love.

He is the most impersonated person on this planet -- there are even contests about him.  And, you can get married by Elvis in Las Vegas!

Here’s a question -- do you want to be famous now or when you are gone?  

Some of our greatest artists did not become famous until after they left this earth!  Legacies of the life of Vincent have touched our lives and we see the “genius” in his work.  Other artists who struggled with poverty are still alive in this world as we discovered their creative genius after their passing.  Amedeo Modigiliani -- watch the movie with Andy Garcia -- was so poor and his paintings now grace the walls of so many museums.  Paul Cezanne opened the doors for artists such as Picasso and so many others by stretching himself in his art.  He was laughed at for his paintings, and yet when we see them now, we see the beauty in nature that he saw and then painted.

We all have genius inside ourselves -- each in our own way -- today I celebrate the creative genius in all of us!

Paint from your Heart!  

All of the self-help books say the same thing -- love what you do and you will be rich!  Isn’t it better to be happy now!

Okay, here it is -- I want to give my art to the world so that when I am gone, I have spread joy and happiness through my art.  So many of my collectors write to me and tell me that I have brought them joy -- that truly makes me feel so wonderful.

Here’s to feeling wonderful and blessed today and every day.  And I am changing my name to Elvis!!!!!

Please let me know how you are doing!  

This is a little painting that I did several years ago, entitled, "Loving thoughts" !

                                                "Loving Thoughts"  12 x 12  Oil on Canvas

Diane@DianeLeonard.com

You can see my work in giclees and prints and cards at:  http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/diane-leonard.html

Defending Your Art

I found myself defending my art last week.  I have been working on two paintings for a long time now, and after wipe outs, sanding them down, wiping out again, sanding them down again -- whew and then starting over and over again -- thinking -- I got it NOW!  I can do this -- I can paint these with ease!  NOT!

These are commissioned paintings and I want them Right!  I want my collectors to love them -- but do I love them?

My sister and her husband keep asking me when they are going to be done.  They have given me deadlines -- and of course, that doesn’t work either.  Then they asked what is the matter -- and I found myself giving reasons why they are not done.

And so it is -- they are not done because I have too much pressure on me to paint to please someone else, and not myself.  And, consequently, I wasn’t feeling confident and I wasn’t having FUN!

There is no time in Art -- creating is a passionate pursuit and the joy of a painting comes from painting from your heart!

A dancer practices a new dance until they FEEL the movements -- a singer sings a new song until they FEEL the music and even a golfer must be “In the Moment” to truly play the game.

And so with Art -- you have to be in the painting and feeling it -- not thinking about each stroke!  Then you will please yourself.

Paint from your Heart!

I think I will try a new Brush today and see what happens!

"Little Sunflowers"

12 x 9 Oil on Board

This little painting just happened -- and I love it!