Flourish and Splat

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Homer, GA
Flourish and Splat

Serving Third Culture Kids and their families to nurture social emotional health thru coaching and art processing.

09/01/2024

I'm doing research and I'm super excited about data these survey questions might result in!
Will you help?
If you have workplace experience then you're eligible for this survey.
It'll take 20 minutes and be such a valuable contribution to this research.
My goal is to equip leaders with insights that empower them to lead better.
Here's the link: www.surveymonkey.com/workstressors

I don't have any access to the backend while the survey is happening (a friend is running it on their account) so leave me a comment to let me know you took it! The support and encouragement means the world!

10/29/2021

I love painted paper. And I love painted paper because it's messy. And life is messy.
Painted paper is paper with paint on it. Really though, we can be even looser than that. It can be paper with crayon or oil pastel or anything on it. But paint tends to cover a lot of paper in a quick and dirty way and that's why it gets the claim on painted paper.
Painted paper is often a process artform where we get to focus more on the process of creating than worrying about what it looks like when it's done. It's a chance to play with new materials and techniques and discover what there is to be discovered.
Then painted paper can be used in other works of art, adding dynamic layers to your creations.
Ready to paint some paper?
Think about something. Anything. Maybe your passport country.
Grab some paint (or other supplies). (What colors are you choosing?)
Put it on the paper (How are you putting it on the paper? Where are you putting it?)
Grab something unexpected. (i.e. an old card, a q-tip, a flower, a fork, bubble wrap, tin foil, toilet paper, a random lid, a lightbulb)
Use that to move the paint. (How are you using it? Do you like what it's doing? Are you adding paint or removing paint?)
(How is your processing about your passport country coming out in your art?)
Set your paper aside to dry when you're done. Create as much as you want. Painted paper is very useful.
I'd love to see what you create! Send me a picture when you're done.

10/26/2021

You know, the opposite of joy isn't sadness; it's bitterness. You can be in the midst of great sorrow, great chaos, great mess, and still be able to claim joy. It's not an intuitive thing but it is a worthy discipline to be mindful of. Joy is a character trait, not a fleeting feeling. It exists even when emotions obscure it from us. We just have to remember it's there.
And make space for both.

10/23/2021

Today is my first born's birthday! Rutabaga is seven today.
My little love inspires me in so many ways. ❤️
Here's a throwback to this kandinsky inspired portrait of him I painted in 2019.
Watercolor and permanent marker on photo paper.

10/22/2021

One of the reasons that art is such a great tool for emotional processing is that it gives shape to chaos. When something happens that needs to be processed, usually there's a chaotic turmoil happening within us. When we choose not to focus on whether our art is right or wrong, we can be free to release that chaos and put it on the page. The very process of doing so gives order to the chaos, inviting our logical left brain to engage with our emotional right brain, resulting in balance.

10/20/2021

One of my clients shared about some precious relationships that had started to have some drama around. The metaphor of a clam started to form. This clam had a lot of yucky stuff all over it, sharp barnacles, slimy seaweed, but inside is still the precious pearl. It was too precious to discard so she holds it in her hands, barnacles, seaweed, and all.
I love metaphors and drawing them out is a great way to process what's happening in a situation. Sometimes the metaphor fits great. Sometimes we realize that the metaphor we were using isn't really right because _____________. No metaphor is going to be an exact fit, but as we spend time processing, we gain a greater awareness of the situation and subsequently a greater self-awareness.

10/17/2021

We just arrived in Egypt!
I offer art processing sessions to globally mobile children and adults *virtually*, so no matter where you are in the world, feel free to reach out about sessions. But if you're in Egypt especially, I'd love to connect and maybe even meet in person!
Send me a message!

10/14/2021

Neurographic art is meant to be reminiscent of our brain neurons. In this art processing activity, settle yourself in a comfortable position with a piece of paper and a permanent marker. Think about what it is you want to process. Recall what it is. Observe the emotions you have. With your eyes closed, starting off the page, bring your marker onto the page and draw a single scribbly line in accordance with what you're processing. End by bringing the marker off the edge of the page.
Now go back over your art and smooth out every sharp angle, turning them into curves. Allow yourself to focus in on this softening and regulate yourself as you work.
When you're done, sit back and determine if it needs more lines. If so, add them.
When you're done, go back and add color. (What supplies will you use? How will you add color?)
When you're done, sit back and determine if it's finished.
Mine wasn't, so I did another layer using drawing gum instead of permanent marker and I used a paint pen to color in instead of mildliners. I ended with a third layer of permanent marker and paint pens, not filling in all the spaces to reveal the layers underneath.
When you're done with yours, I'd love to see it! Send it to me or tag me!

10/11/2021

There are studies on the effectiveness of art processing and they found that those who learned something about themselves in the process of making art were more likely to have lower cortisol levels (that's the stress hormone) after their session.
Luckily, self-discovery goes pretty hand in hand with art.
Jackson Po***ck was known for throwing paint with reckless abandon, but nonetheless, he painted what he is. He found mindfulness in the process of painting and learned more about himself.
Art is a rhythmic process that settles our minds as it gives space to process. It's within that space that self-discovery waits.

10/08/2021

The other day I mentioned my love for abstract art, so today let me share an abstract family photo.
Here we are putting together a puzzle. You can see on the right, my son triumphantly holding up the piece he was looking for. My husband is laying next to him, head propped on his hand. My daughter has her legs crossing and is leaning forward over the puzzle with high energy. In the foreground you can see my legs and my palm print.
Try this project yourself!
Think about a time you were all together as a family. Where was everyone? What were they feeling? What position best represents them in that moment?
Use washi tape or painters tape to tape down a piece of multi-use paper. Use a permanent marker (I recommend ultra-fine tip) to draw each person. Use a single line to draw their arms and shoulder. Use curvy lines for the fluidity of movement. Use sharp angles to communicate rigidity. Use a single line for their spine. A single line for both their legs, starting at one ankle and up and down to the other.
What details, lines, shapes do you need to add to finish the scene?
Use watercolors to paint the image. How will you use color to show emotion?

10/05/2021

Last week, we were talking about how artistic expression is rooted in our past. Today let's talk about painting "life". So many people get caught up in what art is supposed to look like. They believe they're only a good artist if it looks hyper realistic. But it's not about the art. It's about processing life.
I remember watching the cartoon Doug, and his sister Judy was a beatnik artist who was obsessed with suffering because that's what made a great artist. But it's not actually the suffering, it's all the emotions. It's capturing *life*.
That's one of the reasons I love abstract art so much is because we can pull away from our conditioning telling us it needs to look like *something* and just focus on what it needs to feel like.

Do you get caught up in the "art"? What strategies have you found to help you move out of that?

10/02/2021

Swirly is a pretty well known TCK book. I love that the colors (representing the cultures) don't blend but stay distinct. Seems perfect for a fluid art pour!
Draw your silhouette onto a thick piece of paper or a thin piece of cardboard. (How do you want to be posed?)
Pour your paint colors into a small cup (what colors will you choose to represent each culture?) (I used tempera, but you can use acrylic, too!)
Grab something to pour over (this could get messy!) I recommend a sheet pan. Put something under your silhouette cut out so it's not sitting on the surface. I recommend an eraser. Pour the cup of paint over your silhouette. You may want to tilt the cut out to coax the paint to spread in the directions you want it too. Don't move it after you're done. Just leave it to dry.
Prepare your background. I chose a globe with the countries colored in and architecture symbolic of each place faintly in the background. (Where does your swirly person need to be?)
When your swirly cut out is dry, glue it onto your background!
Then take a picture and send it to me!
I'd love to see what you create!

Address

Homer, GA

Telephone

+17574770173

Website

https://flourishandsplat.com/

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