The Joy of Living With Art

“It is good to love many things. For therein lies the true strength. And whosoever loves much, performs much and can accomplish much. And what is done in love is done well” ~ Vincent van Gogh

My partner surprised me with a beautiful silk birthday suit 🙂 in this video, I share my beautiful gift with you and the joy I experience living with art. You’ll also see some of the treasured Sumi ink pieces I created in Hawaii when, after winning the Wai supreme art award, I attended a workshop with Max Gimblett. They are called “the three joys”

As I approach my 56th year on planet earth I reflect on some of the pivotal moments in my artist’s journey.

As I approach my 56th year on planet earth I reflect on some of the pivotal moments in my artist’s journey. In my thirties, I was very lucky to have been able to stay in New York and to visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I was even luckier because while I was there I unexpectedly rediscovered a passion I had forgotten. I share the following excerpt from my Passion Journal at that time (which, incidentally, was bright red!) in the hope that it illustrates some of the strategies I encourage clients who I mentor to try.

‘To see these paintings (Van Gogh’s) makes my heart sing, my eyes sparkle and a smile settle upon my lips. I feel a shortness of breath and my heart rate quickens. I want to take them all in. I love the ones with texture so rich you can almost feel the paint. I have to stop myself from reaching out to touch them. I am flushed with excitement and a thirst that cannot be quenched.’

(You’ll find more tips to help you create a passion journal and manifest your dreams and goals easily in my book, The Passion-Driven Business Planning Journal: The Effortless Path to Manifesting Your Business and Career Goals. Available in ebook and Paperback here—viewBook.at/PassionBusinessJournal)

You have a rare ability to capture an emotion

And so it was that my ‘body barometer’ reminded me of the deep joy and love I feel when I paint. After reading Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way I set myself a challenge to create and sell my art through galleries. I thought it was a great confirmation of the power of passion when an art gallery owner in Wellington, who exhibited and sold some of my paintings not long after I returned from New York, said to me, ‘You have a rare ability to capture an emotion.’

Later I became transfixed with the work of Mark Rothko after seeing his sublime paintings in Paris, France. Their transcendent, spiritual power set my heart aflame. It was then that I began to paint in the colour-field, flow paintings I am most celebrated for.

I entered art competitions as a challenge and was super surprised, and thrilled when I won, The Supreme Prize of the Wai Art Awards. I used the money I won to travel to Maui with Max Gimblett, an ex-pat New Zealander who is a Buddhist Zen master and the only New Zealander to ever have the accolade of exhibiting at the Guggenheim. His Buddhist philosophy and Sumi-ink techniques with the emphasis on spontaneous, joyful gestures had a profound effect on me.

Max was kind enough to write the forward in my first book, Happy@work for Midlifers. You can read more about this book and my interview in the New Zealand Herald, “Self-Made Story An Inspiration to Others“—by travelling to my media page>>

“Guides are necessary throughout mid-life, this book is a guide. Mid-life will not be rushed. Everybody experiences mid-life. It is a sacred journey, a sacred path, the Way. I know Cassandra. I trust her, respect her, and understand that her book is invaluable. I urge you to utilise this book as an inspirational tool and carry it as a treasure. Persevere with your mid-life, bring into consciousness your childhood dreams, as they will become your living realities.”
~ Max Gimblett, Visual Artist

So here we are now, in 2021. I hope you enjoy this inside look into my art and love-inspired home. I love swapping my art pieces around for different seasons, and feelings and mood. At the moment I’m in a very pink floral mood …can you tell?

I talk more about how to keep this high vibration emotion despite what’s going on in this crazy world, in my new release, Think Pink: Overcome Negative Thoughts, Think Positive & Bring More Joy to Your Life. Exclusive to Amazon links below:

Available in ebook and paperback exclusively from Amazon

Have a pink day xx

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