Words Matter: My First Published Artwork!

I knew it was coming but it wasn't completely REAL until I got my copy of the magazine in the mail. My artwork, something I painted with my own hands, in print!

The funny thing is, I didn't submit the artwork, the art director of the magazine found it on my blog and asked if she can use it. The magazine is the May/June issue of Horizons Magazine, published by Presbyterian Women. It accompanies an article called "Words Matter"- about how the words we choose (or don't say) shape our reality and how we experience the world and ourselves. I am very honored to have my artwork accompany this article, as many of you might know, words are very important to me. Almost every piece of artwork I make has a word or words on it that help express the feeling I want to convey. Or maybe just a word that is important to me and no one else. 


I want to thank Tam over at Willowing.ning. It was in her free online class "Art, Heart, and Healing" where I made this journal page. Not only did she teach me how to make a stylized portrait with water soluble crayons and paint, and create some awesome backgrounds (can you say brayer?) but she made me think about how, with inner strength, we can move past those words that have hurt us in the past and heal. Here is a closeup of just the journal page: 

You know what I love? The idea of women telling stories of how words from the past have affected who they are today. Maybe I'll write a book about it someday.  I'll put it on my to-do list.


Happy Hump-day! Have a great rest of the week!