Journaling

What a beautiful Saturday.....the wife and I took a day trip to check out some art. This old historic town is having artisans around the square every second saturday of the month.
Some were weaving and some painting. Not many there yet because of early summer yet but it will grow. This is there second year for it and were had a good time walking around and even going in some of the old stores.
These older towns that aren't very big have a tough time of it. It's good to be able to use the arts as a possible platform to draw people there. But people must remember to support them or they can't keep coming back.
We got back and sunshine and trip had me up and rearing to do some art. So playing around I came across a full size, 15" X 22", watercolor I did in Colorado before coming down ill. This was at about the 10,000 ft level. It was beautiful up there. So I hope you enjoy the art and think about what is written here. This is journaling....YES YOU CAN DO IT! God bless

Art Tip #3

Hey Friends,
It's another wonderful day.......had rain all night and some wonderful thunder. Thank YOU GOD for another day. Hope you all have started writing and maybe doodling.
In the future we will get into Visual Journaling. The medical field has some books out on this and I will share that info in time. But the tip for today is this.
Take a few minutes before writing and meditate on the day, your feelings, and things that are going on around you. Once this is established in your mind start to write about the most important one and then think of a color you would apply to that situation. Now ask yourself if this situation needs changing and if so, HOW?. Write that down. Having done that HOW do you see how you would feel with it fixed, write those feelings and thoughts. Now what color would it look like to you fixed? Keep this in your mind for any future thoughts toward that situation until it manifests itself changed.
This is what is called sometimes as a paradigm shift others call it visualizing the outcome you want to happen. Either way the release of healing process will start to take place in your mind, spirit and body.
Now get out their and journal and send me your comments.
I do have a separate blog of just my art and some others. That blog is to show art that you can copy style or ask questions specifically art related. Here it is... The Pointed Brush

Art TIp #2

Hey friends, Hope this finds everyone well. Did you do any journaling or doodling lately?
The medical field of art therapy has plenty of proof about journaling and imagery [doodling]. It's proven to be one of the most therapeutic we can do for ourselves.
Finding drawings on cave walls thousands of years old tell us people were using images long before words. It is proven today that images are still more expressive a language than words will ever be. Remember the saying "A picture is worth 1000 words". It's true.
So, what does this mean to you and me? We need to get off our rear ends and get to writing and doodling. Tell others about this or this website and get with the program.
Some say how do I doodle? Start scribbling....scribble the trash can..your coffee mug....a flower...chair..lamp.GO FOR IT!
Others talk about color....well think about it for a minute...umh..We get our colors from our feelings and this is why we doodle...to express your inner thoughts to the outer environment. For instance if I was going to say, 'I feel sunny today', what color do you think I would color my stick person? What about the other stick person you drew and you wrote, 'they are green with envy'. What color would that be??? RIGHT....green. You see out getting in touch with our images can express things so much better than the words sometimes. But the two work well together.
I got my chemo pump off this morning, you know the needle out of my chest. Well, what color do you think I feel right now? RIGHT ON! pretty sunny right now.
So I went out and picked a sprig of Azelea and did a quick ink pen drawing and colored it with watercolor....does it look like I feel? Sunny and all warm and happy inside from my experience this morning? You bet it shows that. This is what we want to do at any given time of our day or week is get it out there so we can HEAL on the inside and help someone else who may go through your experience.
GOD BLESS!

Art and Doodling

Here's a new little sketch of the Missouri River. It's approximately 6" X 8" at the most..
It doesn't take much for a quick sketch once you learn. This happens to be watercolor. Some people like using watercolor and others don't. Try colored pencils, crayolas, or just plain lead pencil. Whatever you find that works for you. There is no right or wrong and no picture is better that someone else...it's just different. Never compare yours to mine or others because our experience is different and just like our handwriting, no two are alike. Now get out there and get with it and leave a comment. God bless.

Journaling

How many of you have gotten your new journal books or gotten the old one out and dusted it off? This site is about the healing process that comes from journaling and doodling.
It's about you not me so start writing every thought that comes to your mind about the situation you are going through.
This site is about going thru cancer.....that can mean a whole host of different people:cancer survivors, caregivers, nurses, parents, spouses, children, pastors, neighbors and etc.. So get on board and start commenting on anyone of these blogs I have written. We need your comments to get this thing kick started. Please sign up to be a follower on the follower box and tell others. About the easiest way to get to this blog is to remember my web site and punch the correct button, Ricky's Blog. There are other buttons of my art and another where I am a correspondent for Sketching in Nature Blog.
Share with us what you may be writing about. These journals are not the same as a diary where you might confess to murder........... it's expressing your feelings and thoughts about the cancer situation and your part in it. The healing comes from the writing process.
Please remember some of you may never written before like this but please trust me and start.
I will try to get some more sketches up for those of you who want to embellish your pages with calligraphy, pictures or try your hand at doodling. Ask an art question if need be that's what this is all about.............Expressing ourselves and gaining healing and a community of like kind friends.

Chemo Treatment

Well here I am again with a chemo week. I was in the chair for 4 hours yesterday and I 'm wearing the pump until tomorrow. Can't wait to get it off.....if you know what I mean. They did a blood test yesterday for tumor markers in the blood stream, I think they call it CEA. Anyway it comes back tomorrow and we'll get the results. The number has been rising which we don't want. Nothing I can do about it except believe GOD to give me the Grace to deal with it...and HE always has and will. That's one of the nice things about being a christian. Tomorrow is another day. Please feel free to comment and tell us your viewpoints on things.
You don't have to have cancer or had it. We welcome those who are or have been caregivers and anyone who wants to share a comment that will benefit us all. God bless.

Face the Devil

I pray this finds all of you well. The rain keeps coming down but I have my journal to write in and doodle. Thank God for it because my buddy came by my house to tell me some news. He has been dealing with cancer from Agent Orange [Vietnam Era]. They told him there is nothing more to help him and he has a few weeks or month to live.
You can imagine how the rest of that converstion went while standing in my driveway. This is the cold reality of cancer. Again this is the reason for writing your life down for yourself and those you wish to say something to but can't face to face. Someday they will read it, trust me and you will be happy knowing it was said.
They will know your thoughts on how the day was going for you and even may see a doodle or two of something that will touch them. Cherish it , they will forever.
Please ask any questions or comments and this includes from anybody who is following this blog. You do not have to be a cancer survivor for input.
Our caregivers may want to take up journaling also to share their side of this horrible disease. God bless.