Eyjafjallajökull volcano erupting. Photo by Sverrir Thor.

It all started with a volcano erupting. Our airport closed and so business people were getting taxis to take them further south in Europe (for huge amounts of money) in the hope of catching their flights or getting to their destinations, and because of that, traffic on ground was crazy. Trains, busses, cars and subways came to a halt. So I showed up late for an important phone conference. “I’m so sorry I’m late, a volcano just erupted”.

“No, no, no, thankfully it’s not anywhere close to here, it’s Eyjafjallajökull on Island, but it still has an impact on lives here in Sweden.” I thought about firebirds, the Phoenix and dragons and after the meeting I talked to friends and family who had trips, dreams and hopes planned.

Next there was a power cut. And it lasted a whole day. I couldn’t use my computer to finish my illustrations and icons for clients who were expecting them. And I wasn’t able to communicate with my clients to tell them what was going on. I couldn’t get out on the internet, my cell phone was out of a charge so I couldn’t use that and my phone runs on the broadband so that was out of sorts too. Cut off. No communication. Until late in the evening when I found a wobbly bar stool in a hotel with a broadband connection. By then I could use a drink. Or two.

Then Marmalade Moon went offline. Just to add some spice and excitement to life. And my blog was gone for five whole days. I don’t like to point fingers so I won’t leave an explanation to what happened. Let’s just say the dog ate someone’s homework, and that I’m very happy that I could restore my site yesterday. I felt so disconnected without my blog and missed you all! It was like my window to the world closed. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank you for visiting, and a huge thank you for all your kind e-mails of support when the site was down!

Next, I had to spend the weekend catching up on work, since I was behind on my illustrations because of the power cut. So I couldn’t go to the weekend course I’d signed up to and paid for, to draw and paint dancers in movement.

I almost forgot this, it turns out that I have to buy a new printer to be able to make prints of my new paintings! Why? My five-year-old printer is too old to want to talk to the latest operative system for the Mac…

Oh, and it snowed today! Come on, it’s the end of April!

It’s week seven of The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron hosted by Suzy Greaves on The Big Peace Blog. This week two interesting topics are in focus. Perfectionism and jealousy. And with all the events of the week I can definitely say that I’ve had to let go of any attempts at perfectionism!

Isn’t it ironic that this week when I’ve felt so cut off from the world, we’re recovering a sense of connection? We’ve been learning to accept the possibility that the universe is helping us with what we’re doing and to expect the universe to support our dreams! That’s not exactly how I’ve experienced this week… although the power cut was a reminder of just how much we rely on electricity and how much participating in an online community means to me. I suppose one can say, that I did recover a sense of connection, in a very real way!

Before I sign off, here’s a quote from week 7 of The Artist’s Way that I found particularly interesting. “To the perfectionist, there is always room for improvement. The perfectionist calls this humility. In reality, it is egotism. It is pride that makes us want to write a perfect script, paint a perfect painting, perform a perfect audition monologue. . . . “A painting is never finished. It simply stops in interesting places,” said Paul Gardner. A book is never finished. But at a certain point you stop writing it and go on to the next thing. . . . That is a normal part of creativity – letting go.” What would you do if you didn’t have to do it perfectly?

Tags: communication, community, courses, illustration, imperfection, prints, technology, The Artist's Way

iPhone photography: The ice on the lake has melted!

It’s so easy to feel energised and inspired when spring is here! The quality of light and the longer days. And the ice on the lake has melted! When it snowed at Easter, I was afraid that I’d have the same news update for the rest of the summer, Ice in May, Ice in June, Ice in July… But spring is here, the birds are singing and the days growing longer.

Here are some of the things that inspire me just now and that I’d much rather do than fiddle with my uncooperative printer. Especially after having spent the weekend setting up my new online shop.

• Participate in Lisa Sonora Beam’s free online workshop in five parts, for how to make Mini-Journals. Here is part one Mini-Journaling to Max Your Creativity: Day 1 of 5 and part two Mini-Journaling to Max Your Creativity: Fear Itself, Part 2 of 5 of the workshop.
• Work on my new painting. It’s got to do with honey and hot summer’s days.
• I’m still thinking about what Julia Cameron writes about “the virtue trap”. “For an artist, withdrawal is necessary . . . We strive to be good, to be nice, to be helpful, to be unselfish. We want to be generous, of service, of the world. But what we really want is to be left alone. When we can’t get others to leave us alone, we eventually abandon ourselves.” It’s week six of The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron over at lovely and brilliant Suzy Greaves’ The Big Peace Blog. This week we’re recovering a sense of abundance.
• Go for a long walk along the lake and stop for café au lait and croissants at Petite France. Buy some fresh bread and apricot jam to bring home. Bring a sketchbook and doodle, sketch and write.

In fact, why not? Why not just pick something here and do it! Alright, I’m taking the day off to do something creative for myself.

Tags: courses, inspiration, spring, The Artist's Way