The good thing about Broken Hearts

So today I was cleaning my art space and I came across a simple spiral notebook and inside I found a page titled "Quotes I love" There was one down at the bottom of the page that caught my eye " Do you know the best thing about broken hearts? They can only really break once, the rest is scratches." - Carlos Ruiz Zafon It made me stop and think about broken hearts. Particularly about my broken heart. I thought about loss, being a Hospice nurse for many years I helped many patients make the transition from this world to the next. Personal loss both physical and emotional. Many pets during my life. And then i think about Andrew, my baby son, the one that changed me. It was at that point i truly knew what a broken heart felt like. The rest for me was just childs play. Working my way through this broken heart has been quite the journey. I have so enjoyed receiving Heart art in my mailbox every month. It has helped my heart, knowing the intention of the project i hold it very sacred. Here are the very pretty and very sacred HEARTS for JUNE.

June Hearts

We have a wonderful library system here in Hamilton! Each month I like to see what new books have been added, lucky for me I noticed this one right away and put it on hold. Creative Quilts from your Crayon Box I had so much fun with this tecnhique that i made these mixed media art quilts from my Balanced Heart Project friends. Word.....Fabric crayons work better than regular crayons and oil pastels work great~! And surpriseingly after i melted the crayons I took my black Faber Castell fine line marker and wrote the word "BRAVE" and the fineiner did not clog up. Amazing considering it wrote over crayons. (I also tried my Copic, my prisma, my uniball and they all wrote perfectly.) This project was really outside my artistic zone. I think it would be awesomely cool to do a whole quilt with these hearts, a crazy heart quilt. I have so many fun ideas for this melted crayon techique. And here is picture of all the hearts that the other artists created for me, for the month of May Aren't they gorgeous! Imagine after 6 months how wonderful they are will look. L. ANg

ANg's creations!

Here are my amazing heart offerings from ANg for May. I am grateful, they are glorious. Love, cathy

ANg, Cathy here. This is one of my hearts to you for May. You talk about healing, I think this project is a good example of an interesting way to bring it on. You've reached out for help and we showed up. I find that I am thinking of motherhood and loss and your sweet babe, as I wonder what to create, as I do create, all along the way. My hope is that as we all do this with you for these number of months, that our energy will somehow swirl out there with yours and maybe water down the pain, and add in some relief space acceptance love, and whatever you personally are hoping for. From miles and miles away I send you love.

May 22, 2012

A couple weeks ago its was Mothers Day. The little blue forget me nots were in full bloom. My heart was ok. I made hearts for this project. Its interesting living with a broken heart, its interesting when you can actually feel the healing. Please don't get me wrong I miss Andrew alot. I now know healing does not mean forgeting and healing does not mean that everyday will be perfect. It just means I have more interest in living, loving and believing in the power of a healing heart and i know that grief,joy,and healing can all be honoured at the same time.

Hearts for Els,Anita,Cath and Meran. My heart friends.

L.
ANg

The Heart of the Matter by Els

As you may or may not know, I am currently in the process of moving from one town to another. This is a process in which I have participated approximately 50 times in my life so far, and I'd really like to stop soon, please.

Trying to find the soul of the Balanced HeART within me whilst moving has been interesting.  Because I don't have the time to sit and stew, I have had to set my inner Art Department the task of discovering what I had to say as well as a method of saying it, and then just get on with my daily chores.  For awhile I thought nothing would emerge, so I came up with a backup plan or two.  Then, while sorting and packing, I opened a drawer and found two beautiful little 4x4 masonite boards, and I knew the direction I needed to go...

What emerged, as frequently seems to be the case, was interesting, then turned into a dreary muddle, but finally some of what was in my heart and head began to appear.

Only Time Will Mend the Wounded Heart
4x4" masonite, watercolour and acrylic

The first piece is titled 'Only Time Will Mend the Wounded Heart,' and shows the endless clock ticking away the painful hours of healing a torn and bleeding heart.  Because I so admire the intense honesty of her self portrait work, I am very pleased to say that it brings Frida Kahlo's art to mind, though that wasn't my intent at all, nor am I comparing myself to her.

The Heart is as Delicate as Lace,
and Precious as the Purest Gold
4x4" masonite, waxed tissue and acryli

The second square is titled 'The Heart is as Delicate as Lace, and Precious as the Purest Gold.' Using a waxed tissue heart and a delicate impression of lace as the centerpiece, this piece depicts the sheer delicacy of the heart of an unborn child, surrounded and protected by a field of the purest gold that represents Unconditional Love.

To the Moon and back

"Fill your heart with love, joy and happiness. Peace will follow. Understanding will follow.

And THEN give to the world from the overflow"  So often we give and give, but we are giving from the well of our hearts, we have forgotten to take care of ourselves.

So please be gentle with yourself, be brave and strong. Be unique and creative. Fill your heart. Then give.

L.

ANg