Arts and Wellness Wednesdays - Episode 124 Podcast

Welcome to the Episode 124 of the Podcast and the Arts and Wellness Wednesdays, and the show notes.

Today I am giving you tips on working with your art journal. and ways in which you can get over the initial fear of working in a book with loads of blank spaces, and get over it you will. Art Journals can also be used where words are hard to find or you want to express yourself in texture, colour, or what ever else you decide to create with in your art journal. If you give it a try you will soon be making your own designs, or even using those ones that you brought that seem so precious on yourself.

31 Art Journal Series

Check out some of the videos that I have created to help you with backgrounds HERE and also looking at a series of art journals I created HERE

On Wednesdays we focus on the Arts and how it can impact our health and well-being. I will be talking with artists, looking at activities that you can do to be more creative across the board and for those who are carers tips and strategies that you can use. I will also be sharing reviews, resources and other insights. I will be looking at the nuggets that the artists share and see how we can apply it in some way to our own lives, what ever your interests.

Check out the Arts and Health NHS Network for information on activities and organisations working in the field. You are welcome to join, it is a FREE resource and if you have any activities or want to talk about your work you are welcome to send me the information and I will see that it gets uploaded. You can create your own profile on the network and interact with other organisations and individuals working in and around the NHS.

For information on arts events in Barbados check out the Barbados Visual Arts event online Magazine Published by Corrie Scott, and also check out the artists, pop up exhibitions and events listed on Bajan Art - https://bajanart.com - also has Exhibition details for Season of Emancipation at St George Parish Church. 9am - 5pm.

You can also find me in other places on social media:

YouTube Instagram Pinterest Website Blog Twitter Facebook

Also take a look at my page on Amazon where I recommend some Art Journal Books for Beginners for you to take a look


I look forward to having you join me, stay blessed and be a blessing.

Podcast Episode 123 - Revelation (Creating in Faith )

Over the past few weeks I had been trying to push myself for change.  There are many things I want to accomplish and many changes that have to be made so that these things can come into fruition.  I shared in my post previously about staring fear in the face and acknowledging your feelings, and that is exactly what I have been trying to do!.  I am not and would never say that it is an easy feat, it isn't, it is not an overnight thing either.  There are somethings that I find easier to do than others.  When it comes to the practical sides of planning and sorting out others I find this much easier to deal with than if I were to do the same thing for myself.  

Listen to the podcast clicking the link above or HERE .  Think about the following:

• What changes in your life are you trying to make
• what words of wisdom have you been given along the way
• What words of wisdom would you give yourself 10 years ago.
• Who are you comparing yourself to? - remember that you are on different parts of the journey
• Who do you admire in your field 
• What advice would you give yourself in 10 years?

This 'perfect', 'got it all together' person doesn't and will never exist.  We all have our strengths and weaknesses, and at some point we will all have a moment when we release an offering in the world that might be less than perfect - so what - we pick ourselves up, we have taken that important step, we learn from it and then we move on.  This is so much better than to not have tried at all and be asking yourself "what if".

Think about what your strengths are and how you are going to be moving forward, ask those difficult questions and think about how you will encourage yourself to get out of your comfort zone more often.

Check out the previous Realityarts Podcast recordings on Wednesdays its Arts and Wellness topics and on Friday it is the Inspirational shorts to set you up for the weekend.  





Stay blessed and be a blessing.

Art Journal Page - Dream, Create, Enjoy!

Mixed Media Art Journal Page - Amanda Trought

I created this Art Journal page in my Gratitude's and Celebration Journal, a journal that I spent time in weekly creating a page and writing out the things I was grateful for that week. It is so important to spend time in reflection, thinking about where you are going, where you are and where you have come from. 

Check out the Video below:

It is important to focus on the things you are grateful for and appreciate, the very things we sometimes take for granted helps lift our spirits and encourage us to move forward in many different ways.

The page was created from that 'dreaded blank page' and we can often get hung up about not knowing what to create, and then allow the 'blank page syndrome, to take hold of us. How do you approach your blank pages? With Fear? or with delight in a new adventure?

Playing with the page meant that applying colour and washi tape and not over think it, the only thing you need to focus on is applying something to the page.

I then added additional layers including stencils, stamps, again just playing on the page with supplies - you will never look at the blank page again in the same way!

I approach each and every surface as an adventure! It is alright to walk away from the page and you don't have to do everything in one sitting.  I came back and then added the image and additional stamps.

Go find your blank page and take some time to play.

Stay blessed and be a blessing!

Inspirational Shorts - Humility

Humility

Inspirational Shorts are a great way for you to get a quick creative reminder at how precious and loved you are.  There is also a need to remind yourself that you have to love yourself unconditionally, with all your faults - no body is perfect despite what they are telling you.  Today's word is Humility, you can listen to the recording on the Podcast below, and also read it to confirm what your heart already knows

Today is a great day for starting over, there is no weakness in change, it shows great strength. You have to have faith and believe that growth will take place, worry not about what others will do or say, but fix your mind on where you must begin and the journey you will take, you hold the keys!

I hope that you have found something that you can take away in the recording today to inspire and motivate you to be all you dream you to be and more!  One day, one action at a time.  Stay blessed and be a blessing.

Chocolate Rain - Review - 100 Ideas for a Creative Approach to Activities in Dementia Care

Welcome to the blog today.  I am reviewing the book called Chocolate Rain - 100 Ideas for a Creative Approach to Activities in Dementia Care.  I found the book to be a great resource and definitely one that you should have on your bookshelf, and be your 'go-to' resource.  I will be updating with the video if you would like to see the chapters and get a feel for the book.

As well as a key resource the book also encourages you to create a list of your own activities and the chapters help you in achieving this.  You don't have to be actively creative to develop the ideas in this book, but high chances are you will end up creative and that's great!

Check out the podcast episode where I talk about the book and share some of my own experience being an artist and carer and developing art workshops and also looking at the impact that art and creativity has on our health and well-being.

 The book is called Chocolate Rain

The book is filled with some really great tips and ideas, and gets you thinking about the things you are doing and how you can be more mindful with someone who may be at varying stages of the disease.  The arts have always played a key role in impacting on healthcare situations in the home or in a care setting, and there are a variety of organisations that work with artists from a variety of disciplines to deliver sessions - from the arts to music, dance, drama and more.

Check out the Arts and Health NHS Network for information on activities and organisations working in the field.  You are welcome to join, it is a FREE resource and if you have any activities or want to talk about your work you are welcome to send me the information and I will see that it gets uploaded.  You can create your own profile on the network and interact with other organisations and individuals working in and around the NHS.

Inspirational Shorts - Encouraging words for your week - Diversity

Welcome to the blog.  On my podcast today, while slightly late I posted an episode of Inspirational Shorts with the title Diversity, and also included some encouragement to help you go about your coming week.  We all need some encouragement from time to time, reminders of how far we have come, how precious we are and not to give up on ourselves.  I hope this short recording serves as the encouragement that comes just at the right time for you.

The title Diversity is a word 'just in time' or 'for this particular time' and it is for you to think about what that word means to you, the things that you are doing, does it remind you to do something, change something.  Does the word speak to your personal life or business life or both.  Take the encouraging words below as a reminder, and every now and then over the course of the week give yourself a reminder as you listen to the recording.

You are precious, a gift, you touch the heart of many. So many miracles have come from you - through your smile your warmth, your heart. Keep believing, patience is the key that comes in many forms and you hold the key to unlock the many blessings that are waiting for you. Everything will come together for good at the right time

Do remember to check out some of the links on the blog, check out my YouTube channel for encouraging videos to assist you in your creative journey.

Stay blessed and be a blessing.

The Print Exhibition 2019

The Print 2019 Exhibition opened at the Grove Gallery, Limegrove Lifestyle Centre.

Met up with some Old Friends and connected with some new ones, both Artists and appreciators of art.  I feel that we are all creative and use it in different ways whether we see in numbers, colours, patterns and every thing else. 

I spoke to an economist on the night who talked about understanding the mind of an artist and their inspiration to create - I was sharing that the way I often work is to lay down colours and see what forms and figures emerge - I thought everyone saw the shapes.  

How do you create, do you relate to seeing shapes, forms and patterns in your work?

The young man said he had never experienced looking at a design or pattern and seeing figures but that he loved numbers and saw the patterns in numbers, that there for me speaks of the way each of us use creativity to express in some way.

Some lovely work on display and it is always great to meet new artists and see how they are motivated to create.

Let me know if you get to attend the Print Exhibition, it is on until 17th August, also check out some of the other videos on Exhibitions in Barbados on my YouTube Channel.

If you are interested in taking a digital creative course Bluprint have an offer of 30 Days of Classes for $1

Stay blessed and be a blessing!

Inspirational Shorts - Authenticity

Welcome to this week's Friday Podcast - Episode 113.

Authenticity 

The doors are opening, are you ready to walk through? The time is coming - you have put in the hard work, you stayed up late and got up early, you made the sacrifices and carried on making your mark despite the circumstances. The time has come for you to look back at where you came from, look at all your achievements, no matter how small, you have come a long way!  Be proud of what you have achieved, be proud of your authenticity.

*  *  *

I thought I would give you an insight for the weekends, and prepare you for Mondays.  These Friday podcasts will be typically under 3 minutes, and just a pit stop.

Each Friday I share with you an insight or revelation and I hope that It will bless you as it blesses me.  Today it is to encourage you to go out and do some exercise, in whatever way you want to do it. have a journal or art journal handy, so that you can either make notes or create something from what inspires you. 

You can check me out on the following platforms,

Amanda Trought on Social Media (Realityarts):

www.youtube.com/amandatrought 

www.twitter.com/Realityarts 

www.instagram.com/realityarts/ 

www.facebook.com/realityartss/