Daily Sketching and Story Telling is My Magic

One day not too long ago I decided I really wanted to invite narrative and story into my art; something I had not been able to do since I was very young when my goal was to be the youngest published author/illustrator ever. Once I decided this I sat down to write something and an entire sci-fi story just poured out. Since then I've been painting one illustration a day to try and flesh out the characters and to see where they take me. I started out painting children, but then realized that I rarely ever paint children! I also wanted this story to be for adults and children so was happy to switch over to painting adults, or maybe they're teens?

As I write the headline for this article I realize that I haven't yet analyzed why adding story to my life is helpful. Well, for one it's therapeutic to paint daily and to make those paintings part of a narrative and then to tie that narrative into my own life. It helps me deal with difficult emotions and it gives me subject matter which adds meaning and depth to the piece. I hope that all of that makes it interesting and entertaining not only for me, but for you as well.

I also found it interesting that when I mentioned my storytelling to my buddy in New Brunswick, he suggested I also try seeing if I could turn my life into a story because it was fun.  I like that idea and am trying it out. What about you? Do you see your own life as a story?

A Few Developmental Sketches from my Brand New Sci-Fi Story

Lost by Kathy Crabbe. Gouache on paper, 2016.

My Star (Space Twins) by Kathy Crabbe. Gouache on paper, 2016.

About Kathy Crabbe

Kathy is an artist, writer and soul reader. She has kept a diary and a dream journal since she was a very young girl. At age 8 her goal was to be the youngest published author/illustrator ever. Kathy graduated with a degree in Art History from Queen's University in Kingston, Canada and a diploma in Graphic Design & Illustration in 1992. After graduation she moved to Southern California where she became a full time artist and soul reader. Her work has appeared in We’Moon Datebook, Sage Woman Magazine, Art for the Soul and San Diego Women’s History Museum. She has taught and mentored at Wise Woman University, Mt. San Jacinto College and HGTV along with starting a writer’s group and artist’s circle in Temecula, California. 

Why I Quit Social Media

On January 3rd I made a bargain with the Divine and so ended my social media addiction to posting and sharing my artwork and life (except on my BLOG!)

I found myself way to caught up in getting "likes", attention and comments on what I shared; mostly my art. I don't want my work to be influenced by "likes". It takes me out of myself and into caring waaay too much about what others think of me and my work. This is dangerous territory. One can lose oneself too easily by going down this rabbit hole. And I wanted myself back; my quiet spaces, my fumbling artistic explorations, my intuition, my spirit, my self.

Since quitting social media posting, time has expanded and the pressure has lifted. I still paint at least one painting-a-day but no longer share it every day. I thought I'd lose my commitment because I was no longer being accountable to "My PUBLIC". HA! I'm still accountable to ME. And my public can wait until I'm ready to share.

So thank you DIVINE for forcing my hand and coming through for me once again when I needed you.

Want to try this yourself? Simply ask the Divine, your HIgher Power, your higher self, or whatever, for help and then JUST...STOP...POSTING. Could be for a day, a week, a month, and see how it feels. Journal about it. Be with YOU for a change, it's lovely here.

More articles on addiction to social media can be found here.

If you're looking for further guidance into yourself and your soul's purpose please consider a Soul Reading, Past Life Reading or Astro Report. Click here for more info.

The 52 Project, Chiron Return (on turning 50 this year) and 365 Leftys a Day

I am painting a Lefty-a-day for 52 weeks (365 days) as part of Riverside Art Museum's 52 Project using my non-dominant left hand (and my right hand occasionally) and posting work-in-progress on my Instagram. The 52 Project is RAM's newest "Art Make" enterprise, where a group of creative people find inspiration and motivation from one another while working on a 52-week, self-directed art journaling project. The goal is to help develop the habit of capturing inspired ideas and being more artful on a regular basis with an option to write an exhibit/project proposal to submit to the museum and have a 4-day exhibition/performance during the summer of 2016. If interested you can join in at any time.

Interestingly enough I started The 52 Project  two days before the beginning of my Chiron Return and the exact same day as starting painting Lefty Talismans

Astrologically speaking, Chiron Return (when the planet Chiron, otherwise known as 'the wounded healer' returns to the same position in the sky as when you were born) is a time where the original wounding re-surfaces. If it's going well it's a time of deep peace and completion; a spiritual coming of age (according to Astrologer, Martin Lass in his book about Chiron). I won't go into past lives and how the wounds I've experienced before have re-surfaced, other than to say that I'm learning about Faith yet again.

I'm will be documenting weekly progress here on my blog to summarize what I've learned during the week. You can follow along at The 52 Project

My goal in doing The 52 Project is to take a complete break from selling my art and focusing on the 'business of art' to instead focus on making the art and truly figuring out what the hell I'm trying to say.

Right now I'm quite overwhelmed with all the many websites and social media platforms I have. Don't get me wrong, I love them all; playing around online and social networking is a hoot, but I need to streamline. I envision my online world in one year after completing The 52 Project (May 3, 2016) and my ideal vision involves a new and uber streamlined website and just one FB Page plus an Instagram account. I see myself focused, with one primary online style and successful; whatever that means I can't tell you right now and I'm not defining it either.

When I painted yesterday's lefty-of-the-day I painted a Goddess (Goddess Love - see first photo below) and

I realized that even if no one else on the planet likes it, I DO and that counts more than anything. There are enough folks painting 'popular', 'trendy', 'political' stuff, I need to paint what I like. ~ Sketchbook notes, June 6, 2015

Week 5 Leftys

Talisman: An object marked with magical signs and believed to confer on its bearer supernatural powers or protection...completion, consecrated object.

Consecrated: to make or declare sacred; hallow...4. To dedicate to some service or goal.

My Instagram - work in progress

My Blog posts documenting weekly progress

About Kathy & the Leftys

Kathy Crabbe is an artist and energy reader living in sunny SoCal with her husband and pet muses, Abby the big, shaggy black dog and Djinn Djinn the small, scruffy one in an adobe home they built themselves.

Kathy is painting a Lefty-a-Day for 365 days (The 52 Project) and posting all works in-progress on Instagram