How to have more fun in 2023

Me Yellow is one of the most joyful colours I know Spark of Fun

“Spark of Fun!” is my first completed artwork for 2023 and echoes my mantra for the year ahead. Spark of Fun began its journey over the period of the Covid feardemic, the baseboard was the workbench used by all the people that attended my Create Amazing Abstract Courses….each one of them leaving the spark of joy and pure fun they had in my happy gallery (Art@Rangitane). This truly original piece radiates pure joy ….these lovely memories of happiness are fused protectively within layers of pure beeswax and pure-pigmented coloured beeswax to create a love-capsule of joyful memories and provide the most amazing scent and shine.

This never-to-be-repeated piece will bring endless years of fun, joy and bliss to your home or workplace!

“Spark of Fun!”
Encaustic, pure pigment, NZ organic beeswax, acrylic, graphite
on board
1100 mm x 2000 mm
2023

DM if you want this glory-filled piece or visit my website:
https://shop.cassandragaisford.com/product/spark-of-fun/

Yellow is one of the most joyful colours I know.

I’ll be sharing a video about “Spark of Fun!” i

the next few days. The truth is any colour can spark joy if you love it! You may also enjoy this video where I share the joy I found in the quiet strength of black.

“So much talent Cassandra!! Keep sparking delight!”

It was so lovely to receive an email from one of my new collectors and recent participant of my Create Amazing Abstract Courses

“Hello on this horrid wet day. Today was my first real chance to unseal all my paint and brushes I bought after our workshop. I can totally relate with your idea of painting summer on a yucky day. I’m still finding my own style and that might take a while – lots of playdates on the horizon for me as I with on finding my flow. I do know I love flowers for my subject matter so that’s a start.

I didn’t have a plan with this painting and I’m not being too stingy with the paint haha so very out my comfort zone which I really am enjoying. Here’s the start of my summer garden that I’m going to work on the next few days.

I love watching your videos and progress of your amazing commissions – so much talent Cassandra!!

Keep sparking delight!”

I share some memories of times that I’ve shown up for joy despite really bad ‘weather’—physically, emotionally, culturally, economically or something else. That’s what art can do. Joyful art washes away the storm clouds of everyday life and transports us to a happy place. I hope you enjoy this video. You’ll see some painting demonstrations, and learn more about the stories behind my art and my artistic philosophy—namely, the importance of creating with love and joy

“Do you need a passion?”

Someone asked me recently, “Do you need a passion?” As I share in my book,

How to Find Your Passion and Purpose: Four Easy Steps to Discover A Job You Want and Live the Life You Love, yes!

Following your passion is the key to success

The feedback I’ve received over the years has been a validation of my deepest belief that following your passion is the key to success. This, combined with strengthening your creativity and imagineering skills, is one of the most magical, empowering and practical things you can do to manifest your deepest desires.

As I did back in 2015 when I pursued a dream to publish my books on Amazon. Within days of the release of my first book in the Mid-Life Career Rescue series: ‘The Call For Change’ my book became a #1 bestseller on Amazon in the category of Work-Related Health. The link to the paperback and eBook is here >>

And four years on, it’s still selling strong and helping thousands of people all around the world.

Book two, Mid-Life Career Rescue series: ‘What Makes You Happy’ was met with similar success. In less than 24 hours of release, it also became a #1 bestseller. The link to the paperback and eBook is here >>

It’s also confirmation of the benefits of working with purpose and the importance I place on helping people feel happy. Your health is everything! Be sure to value it. Now.

You may also enjoy my blog where I discuss why you need the power of passion to follow your heart: https://www.thejoyfulartist.co.nz/why-you-need-the-power-of-passion-to-follow-your-heart/

This post was inspired by one of the cards I drew today from The Art of Life Inspiration Deck, Ode to Joy. As I share in my book by the same name:

Give up on sorrow.

Swim in bubbles of joy.

The painting accompanying this chapter is Ode to Joy. I created this piece in response to yet another lockdown and the postponement of a planned and much-loved artists’ trail in our community. I was wondering, as we all were, “When will this nightmare end?” I dialled up my happy playlist on Spotify and painted in response to the following lyrics:

“It’s my choice to be joyful. I’m giving up on sorrow”, Trevor Hall, Jupiter’s Call.

As I write, (Jan 17, 2022) here is a real example of manifesting joy despite the sorrows in the world. Last night, I couldn’t sleep. This whole Feardemic fiasco and the crimes against humanity that play out every day masquerading as concern for citizens’ health, keep me awake. What to do? It’s easy to feel powerless.

I can’t change the fact that a healthy, Covid-free world-number-one tennis champion (Novak Djokovic ) was being deported as a criminal from Australia. The reason given? The fear he may encourage others to question if having a vaccine is right or necessary or the only ‘cure’ for them. I can’t change the fact that a caring New Zealand man (Brian Tamaki) was arrested for speaking and showing up to preserve the democratic freedoms of others to choose what goes into their bodies.

I do the only thing I can do. I paint. I show up for joy and hope that I bring joy to others’ lives too. This is also the strategy Monet employed when he created his giant Waterlilies during the war years. He couldn’t change the war, and he wasn’t going to run from it. Instead, he painted through it. He became obsessed with creating beauty and wanted to gift this to the world.

The day before I wrote this chapter I showed up for joy and joy rewarded me. Even though Northland and The Bay of Islands was in Red (the New Zealand Government’s highest Covid alert setting), businesses were closing all around us, and people were afraid to travel here, I opened my gallery anyway.

Not only did a family who visited a year ago from Christchurch come calling and want to commission a piece…but another couple paid a deposit on a new piece.

I manifested another huge large-scale art commission in beeswax after visitors to my gallery came to see another commission I had just finished and wanted to buy it straight away.

I told them that the 2.5 m commission they loved had been made especially for a lovely local family and there was no way I was selling their special painting. Another artist might’ve done that but not me—even though they offered to pay more money. Instead, I did a little home visit, saw their wonderful place and thought “I could do something truly exquisite just for them.”

And I did! You can view the finished artwork on my commission page—https://www.thejoyfulartist.co.nz/commissions/

How can you swim in bubbles of joy? Maybe it’s by commissioning a joyful piece of art from me. LOL

Ode to Joy

Acrylic on canvas with passion

Come and paint with me.

Indulge in a little art therapy and bring the thrill of painting, colour and a new hue to add a cool change to your life.

LEARN TO PAINT AMAZING ABSTRACTS: SUMMER LOVE THREE-DAY ART RETREAT February 17 to 19, 2023. Arriving Friday, February 17 and departing Sunday, February 19. Details and enrol here (3 spots left) DETAILS HERE: