Another artist trading card I’ve created for my Visioning ATC deck. The concept of value was inspired by the below quote and an intention I work hard on to remember:
“Oh, my friend, it’s not what they take away from you that counts. It’s what you do with what you have left.” ~Hubert Humphrey
For the last few years I have been practicing a year end tradition of creating my “revo’lution”, a process where I identify concepts that I want to focus on more and bring into my life during the upcoming year. I then create images in response to these concepts and make an annual revo’lution book as a visual reminder of these intentions. As 2010 starts to come to a close, it is time for me to reflect on my revo’lution I crafted for this year, as well as start to think about what I want my 2011 revo’lution to look like.
Below are pages from this year’s altered board book and what I wanted to bring into/focus on during my 2010 life:
Here’s a brief summary of my revolutionary actions during 2010:
Create: My hopes for this intention was for much energy, vision, and meaning for creating, making, and doing in 2010 in the form of art-making, writing, through technology, and opportunities for connecting and collaborating with others. This year brought much to be enjoyed related to this effort! Whether this included organizing an Artist Trading Card (ATC) Exchange with Art Therapy Alliance members, participating in my first Fatbook project with local area art therapists, creating a life changing book from handmade paper of transformed pulp, making more mini films, creating issues of FUSION, or continuing to engage the art therapy community through my love of social media and technology, there has been a lot of new ideas, great energy, and creative activity this year.
Dare: Having the courage and strength to be true to myself and what I find to have meaning, truth, and purpose in my day to day life, relationships, and work often required difficult, but necessary choices throughout this year. These challenges have ultimately helped bring a calmness, happiness, and liberation I am grateful for and hope to continue in 2011.
Balance: This intention is always my biggest need. Choices I put into motion towards the end of 2009 did provide an authentic grounding for 2010. On-going lessons of letting go, detachment, and being mindful of what/who/where I wanted to invest my energy, time, and focus proved to be important decisions throughout this year.
Encourage, Learn, Wonder: When I created the images for these intentions I wasn’t too sure about how or why the appearance of birds ended up as part of my revo’lution. I think the repeated theme of letting go surfaced many times over throughout this year to help me explore the power (and freedom) of new ideas, possibilities, and move forward/fly free in my own professional and personal growth, which was at an important crossroads. I am thankful for this process and important friends that supported and mentored me to make these discoveries and embrace these lessons throughout the year.
Sustain and Transition: These two intentions had a significant impact throughout my 2010, as I started to make future decisions related to balance, moving on, and to zero in on ideas, causes, and efforts I believe in to create change, hope, and positive energy. I look forward to this focus enhancing my community building with The Art Therapy Alliance and Art Therapy Without Borders, as well as my clinical work as an art therapist with youth who have experienced trauma and loss.
As I re-look at the above reflection, I am struck at the power of decision, action, and choice in much of my 2010 revo’lution and how this has influenced (for the better) my year, present life, work, and relationships. The results of this are an excellent way to begin 2011!
Creating is already underway for my 2011 revo’lution- More to come on this soon…
creativity in motion 
You must be logged in to post a comment.