Flying a Fish, in my "Perfect Town of Imperfections"

I am planning to post forever the results of my July Mural Marathon, of doing 3 murals in 3 weeks,( the "Jerusalem Wall" being one of them), but that will have to wait.

"Imperfection" is the theme of IF fo this week.
In my perfect art world, imperfection is the key to creativity.
The more it seems impossible or most likely to come out imperfect, the more I wanna do it!
In real life I am a perfectionist. I feel I can't create anything until the house is spot clean and my desk uncluttered, and all my children's needs are met, so I can have peace and quiet to do my work.. Yeah, well, keep on dreaming right..My desk looks uncluttered for less then 24 hrs and then back to style ala "Einstein".

Reminds me of the Wallgreens commercial of the town call "Perfect". Don't you love those? :)

In My "Perfect" town of imperfections, the happy little girls with checkered hats and ruby red Birthday Party dresses fly Gold Fish in afternoon golden starry skies..

What magical things are happening in your "Perfect Town of Imperfections" ?

This second image was enhanced by using GIMP program for the first time.
I have no idea how I did it........... Have to learn more about it..

All images are copyright © 2011 Malka Michaela Barshishat
and are not to be used in any way without permission.

Thank you.

Where have I been? .....Asleep

Hello everyone.
I am weeks behind Illustration Friday and it just so happens that this week's theme is "Asleep".
Yes, my pens have been asleep as I have been busy caring for my lil' ones while trying to get used to my new part time job. I started working as an Art Teacher, out of all things, in all girls yeshiva. Who knew?
It came out of the blue and now I am challenged to come up with weekly arts and crafts projects for grades from Pre-1A to 8th.
I never taught art before. To my surprise, I felt like I have always done it and both teachers and students were happy. Thumbs Up!
It is quite a psychological challenge as well. I increased my  respect for all the teachers out there ! So if anyone has a petition to sign for teachers to be respected and paid more, I'll be glad to sign it!

Bellow is my IF entry for this week. I love babies and I so I draw them.
This is an ACEO card, drawn with archival Sakura Pigma Micro Pens on acid free Strathmore Vellum paper. You can find more of my ACEO's here.

Illustration Friday: LESSON

There is a lesson to be learned from a rose that breaks through a concrete...

Everyone I know well or have recently acquainted has been struggling more than usual. Going through some incredible life changing experiences.
Battling with a serious illness (G-d forbid), stress, financial issues...
Depression due to just things going wrong.
Unexpected outcomes despite all the hard work one puts in.
Natural disasters continuing to occur worldwide...

Whatever belief or religion we do or don't  follow, however we react to our challenging situations, we HAVE TO  remember even a motionless heartless concrete can crack open and let a life sprouts through.
We have to have faith...

I drew this in 2006  for Dr. Sherry Reiter's poetry therapy seminar, based around Tupac Shakur's poem.

I challenge everyone this week to look around:

How many miracles can you see?

Illustration Friday: BOTTLED

For this week's illo I have chosen a drawing  I made in 2009.

It was designed to accompany a story called: "The Woman Who Plowed Verses", in Dr. Sherry Reiter's captivating and healing book: "Writing Away The Demons: Stories Of Creative Coping Through Transformative Writing".

It is a collection of stories by those who, while in crisis, took up a pen and paper and wrote stories, poetry, memoirs, and more in order to cope with their dilemmas ranging from addiction to cancer.

Dr. Sherry Reiter, LCSW, one of the pioneers in poetry therapy, is a uniquely gifted writer, practitioner, and educator for her pioneering work as a therapist using writing and poetry for wellness. For workshops, lectures, or training, you may contact:  www.thecreativerightingcenter.com.

The story accompanying this drawing is about a woman, professional calligrapher, who suffered tremendously in a relationship with an alcoholic. She used writing to successfully overcome her struggles and start anew. 

Below is an excerpt from her chapter.

"…He deceived me from the beginning. Yes, I was gullible. I was lonely and hungry for some intimate personal attention. He was a magnificent, well-practiced liar, and I must confess that I wanted to believe everything he said. . . He was not what he appeared to be — a healthy, creative artist who was a bachelor. In reality, he was a married alcoholic whose work life was rapidly spiraling downward from inattention and irresponsibility. He kept his 29-inch waist by drinking and hardly ever eating. He lived on sugared coffee and straight-up gin which he bought in the jumbo size twice or three times a week and stored behind his workbench, and which he drank from first thing in the morning to the last thing at night . . ."

 

*  *  *

Copyright © 2011 Malka Michaela Barshishat, All Rights Reserved.

Addictions in any form CAN be treated. With will, the right tools, guidance and support. 

If successful, it changes the lives, both of the addicted and those around them.  Everything happens for a reason.  A repercussion of one's acts, a lesson to be learned, even often ever so painful.

But there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

If anyone reading this is experiencing such challenges or is close with someone who does, I highly recommend Dr.Reiter's book in helping to overcome these hardships (sherryreiter@yahoo.com).

Blessings...

Illustration Friday: DUET

This illo was inspired by a photo of twins.
When I think of duet, I imagine the perfection of two little heartbeats in mommy's tummy.
Complimenting each others rhythms. Synchronized...
And continuing to do so even after birth.

Illustration Friday: Swarm

People say, you should not have expectations..
I say, you have to have expectations, just expect the unexpected!

When I was about 6 yrs old, I spent a few weeks of summer vacation with my family in a rented cottage. It was a small colony of about ten cottages, ten families, no electricity, just kerosene lamps.
My mother used portable gas stove to cook her delicious melas on, and we took "showers" outdoors, under an iron water well pump.
Me and my sister ran around, smelling of summer sun. Trees and grass and buzzy bees and birds everywhere. Endless outdoors adventures. Exciting summer storms, that kept us indoors playing cards and board games, mushroom hunting..I could go on and on..wooonderfull summer!

One morning I woke up to find our grassy cottage front swarming with hundreds of orange butterflies.

They were all gone by mid day, besides one.
For some reason, one butterfly stayed, and followed me the whole day.. I think I gave him a name.
He flew away into the sunset right before my bedtime. I couldn't fall asleep. I got so attached to him.

The following day,  he was nowhere to be found.
Suddenly, while I was playing in the grass, he came out of nowhere and sat on my shoulder!
I froze and called out for mom to come and look. I got up slowly and he stayed on me while I walked around. I felt so special!
Two more weeks till the end of the summer vacation in the cottage; he came back every day!

I was heart broken when we had to leave.
The following summer, I couldn't wait to see if he was back...  :)

This drawing is based on my memory of this one magical summer encounter.

Illustration Friday: Layers

Layers of Love.
From partner to partner.
From parent to child.
From child to its mother. Mother and father.
Sister to brother.
Contagious like a smile. Growing.
And traveling from one to another...


Tough topic this week.
I had in my mind everything form the layers of onion, to earth and winter clothing; even layers of character and experience with years.
Spending some valuable time with my kids this weekend, reminded me, when I was pregnant with my second child.  I asked a friend, how did she feel when her younger son was born. Did she divide her love? Did she feel more love toward her new baby?
She said, her love just got bigger.

With each child my love only grew. It is amazing how the creator keeps on layering our love.
How there is just more to give each time we do. True unconditional love is just bottomless.
And the more we get love, the more we give love and the more we give the more we get.

Layers upon layers upon layers..