Friday, August 10, 2012

Brave, Bravo and Being an Artist


Mystic Tree
encaustic and paper on birch 9x12
Still playing, still experimenting and cut lots of little leaves out of book pages
Have you ever thought of the difference between BRAVE and BRAVO.  one letter, really.  When we stand and clap and shout Bravo!, aren't we in a sense recognizing a brave act by the person we are celebrating?  Brave acts come in many packages and when we look at it in that sense - it takes a brave act to be on stage, to perform our best, to be an athlete or an artist. 
So, what exactly is being brave?  What is a brave act?  I think if we give this some thought, we may come up with all kinds of definitions and examples.  But, what if we look at the brave acts that we each accomplished on our own - just today.  Being brave is anything that we accomplish that falls outside of our own comfort zone.  Just showing up and being in your studio is a brave act.  Why?  Well, because you are allowing yourself to create - good or bad, experimenting and playing and by calling yourself an Artist.  Count your braves today.  Count all of them as big or as small as they may be and in all aspects of your day.  Yes, it takes a brave act to stand up and show off your creative talent and not let it hide away.  It is brave to be an artist.  It is brave to be a Mom.  It is brave to face a challenge.  Now, give yourself a standing ovation - BRAVO!  and repeat.... every day.
BRAVO!  Brave acts, well done!

48 comments:

  1. This piece is amazing. I keeps me looking and staring. And your patience to cut out and handle all those little leaves! Bravo, brave woman!:-) I love your thoughts about bravo and brave btw...

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  2. Being brave is such fun! Imagine what a dull and uninspiring world we would live in if nobody was brave enough to try new things.

    This painting does indeed look very mystical. I was completely drawn to it. It has a huge amount of power.

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  3. You are so right! There is bravery in the small things that sometimes takes more bravery than the "big" ones. Your tree is fabulous- those leaves are my favorite part of it!

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  4. Loving your mystic tree with all its wonderful leaves. Am definitely going to be brave this weekend as am trying out a new style of painting which is alien to me.... its all such a wonderful adventure, Happy PPF, Annette x

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  5. Your mstic tree is just wonderful, a tree to sit under and dream! Valerie

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  6. What a great post. It's taken me nearly half of my life to find the courage to let myself "be" an artist. I love your tree. The cut leaves are amazing, and I love that subtle pink in the background.

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  7. This is super. Never thought of the difference that one letter makes in these two words. I had a super shitty day yesterday, perhaps today I'll find some braveness worth a round of applause. thanks for sharing.

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  8. Love your mystic tree. Would love to sit there and paint or read. Nicely done and I love what you had to say. Bravo to you!

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  9. this mystic tree is simply stunning - how much time must you have taken to cut out all those tiny paper leaves! I love the colours you've used and how it suggests sunrise (or sunset) against the bark on one side. A really beautiful piece.

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  10. Love your comments about brave and bravo, Marji. And your mystic tree is beautiful. I love to see what artists do with encaustics. Faye

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  11. Wow..totally gorgeous..your tree is very powerful and very healing..mesmerizing beauty!
    Victoria

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  12. We should say more bravo's daily. :) Fabulous tree painting! I just love the texture.

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  13. Holy-moley! All those leaves, what a job(well done, by the way!) This is really beautiful.

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  14. Bravo to you for this wonderful creation ~ Wow! (A Creative Harbor)

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  15. Absolutely love the texture in your work!

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  16. I have just started to use encaustic again - not that I was ever an expert - You inspire me. I love your tree.

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  17. Nicely done. could paint the leaves green and make it your Money tree. :)) Wouldn't that be nice. lol Now Bravo..for pasting all those many leaves on. :) HPPF.

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  18. I feel like you wrote this just for me, since I just announced on my blog that I am an artist. It was scary. I've never actually said that before! But I've decided to own it and make it true. I do love your tree. I'd love to see it in person, where you can really see the layers of the leaves and paint. Encaustics are so hard to photograph to do them justice so I'm sure it is even more wonderful in real life.

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  19. I adore the tree...and your post as well - I suddenly feel kinda brave!

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  20. So pioneering and adventurous! Wonderful idea. Have a nice artsy weekend.

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  21. I see a lot of things in this piece. . . that is something I always can enjoy, it makes for mystery and answers. Blessings, Janet PPF

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  22. I Love the book page leaves, the whole painting is quite incredable. Very brave indeed very bravo too.
    My brave today was submitting to be a featured artist on PPF. Who me? Novice painter that I am. Novice drawer too. Yes, brave! I give myself a bravo for following through. My whole art experience short as it is is full of brave attempts at putting myself out there and doing.
    Again, your art is stupendous!

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  23. Your mystic tree is incredibly beautiful. Bravo to your talent and patience in creating such an awesome piece of art. It does take a lot of bravery to share your art (and thus yourself) to the world. Bravo to all of us!

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  24. Thank you Marji for the wonderful inspiration. Brave and Bravo. I love your entry so much! We are all brave in our own little ways. And when I think of my story I am thankful to have chosen this path.. to be an Artist no matter how difficult it is. What makes me brave is God who gives me strength. Your painting is absolutely wonderful. Love the colors and the texture:)

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  25. Last year I cut hydrangea petals out of book text and it was one of the most painful things I have ever done, I completely underestimated how long it would take, though I loved it when it was finished.

    I love this so much. So much inspiration. Thank you for sharing.

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  26. Love love love this! Just awesome, the composition, the colors - just love it! :)

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  27. Such a magical tree! Love the falling printed leaves ...

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  28. Brilliant painting and post!
    Thank you for the inspiration!!
    ♥♥♥
    Happy PPF!!
    Mary
    Mixed-Media Map Art

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  29. Your tree is frigging awesome!!!! Love your whole post :0)

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  30. First let me say your encaustic piece is absolutely STUNNING!!!! I so wish I could see it on person. I LOVE IT!! Secondly, Marji...thank you for your wisdom filled post...it's exactly what I am learning...to not be afraid!! This is so amazing to be reading this post! I will come back and reread this and have bookmarked it as it's just so profound. Thank you and Bravo to you!!

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  31. I love your art and your philosophy. Blessings!

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  32. Love the muted colors and the depth of your tree. Such inspiring words as well. Thank you for sharing.

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  33. Love it and the words of your post too. Happy ppf

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  34. Bravo to a very beautiful tree! Lots of detail creates a mystic look.
    Nancy

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  35. beautiful encaustic painting. I never thought about what brave actually means, I like the definition and what it stands for!

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  36. Love your tree, so beautiful colors and I think your portrett on topp is so beautiful too.

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  37. I totally love your tree, it is amazing with all its details and the warm light around it!!!

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  38. Inspiring, both the post and the painting!

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  39. Extremely inspirational!! LOVE your tree so much, and the words will ring on all week!! Bravo and thank-you great post!

    Hugs Giggles

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  40. stunning piece - wow the patience and the muse!!!!
    Bravo indeed for a brave idea! So inspiring.
    cheers, dana

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  41. How wonderful! Both your words and the Mystic Tree. Such truth and inspiration in the post. The tree is so dreamy, I really wan tot learn encaustic sometime... Bravo!

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  42. What a wonderful post. Quite thought provoking. I love the tree with those wonderful cut out newspaper petals, what an excellent idea!

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  43. Wow - this is awe-inspiring. Bravo to you!! Your post really made me think. Thank you for your inspiration, talent, and bravery!

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  44. Very beautiful! Love the leaves of book paper.

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  45. oh, your painting is awesome and the words were EXACTLY what i needed to hear at this moment.
    Those leaves cut out from book pages are amazing...absolutely beautiful. xox

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  46. Fabulous piece and post! BRAVO~~~ xoxo

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