“Believe in Yourself”

“Believe in yourself and there will come a day when others will have no choice but to believe with you.”  Cynthia Kersey

“Sometimes you cannot believe what you see. You have to believe what you feel.” Morrie Schwartz

“True Art Cones from the truth within” Sandra Longmore

Betty was a beautiful little girl who loved to draw and create from her mind.  She had the gift of creative thought.  Her technical skills were not as perfect as the boy who sat on her left or the girl who sat on her right.  When the art teacher would ask her why she choose to paint the horse blue, she would look up at her with a shining smile and say “I painted my horse blue because he loves to run and when he runs he feels like he is flying”.  Betty’s mother would come early to see how Betty was doing in art class and she noticed how the children who sat beside her were drawing more realistic photographic looking pictures and she would make comments like don’t you think you should color your horse brown or white because most horses are that color.  Betty would hang her head and not make any comment.  The next day she came to class very sad.  The shine had gone out of her eyes and she took out her eraser and erased her blue horse and started to draw a brown horse. She made deep sighing noises and laboriously drew a beautiful brown horse.  When she was finished she looked at the painting and said this horse is half dead because he can’t feel anything but now that I know that tomorrow I am going to paint a red horse.  When Betty’s mother saw the red horse she looked shrugged her shoulders and shook her head back and forth.  Betty seeing her mother’s discomfort looked at her with the shine of courage that only comes from experience and said it is better to create a good feeling horse no matter what color you choose to paint.  Don’t worry mother I know you really just want me to feel good and I always feel good when I paint with my feelings.  A shine filled the mother’s eyes as she took her daughters hand and said I love you so my beautiful creative little girl.

Four Tips for Creating From The Heart

• When you create from the feelings of the heart it will always prove to be true even if others don’t think so.
• When you rise above the opinions of others and create from the sweet spot within the shine will come back in your eyes.
• When you experience remember on the other side of the situation is a lesson that will serve you in the future.
• Find others of like mind whose hearts are open to yours.

No matter who, or what tries to talk you out of your core feelings remember that is where the brilliance that lights up our world comes from and that our world deserves your best feelings. Imagine a life completely original and you as the creative soul you were born to be.  What a wonderful life that would be!

Sandra Longmore is a Creative Visionary Life Coach, and creative thinker whom  is dedicated to the very best of life with enthusiasm, energy and expectancy.

Sandra is committed to sharing her vitality through coaching others to a life of becoming remarkable through personal evolution as a member of MorningCoach Coaching Certification Program and on the Advisory Board of Morning Coach.  She has a certification in Law of Attraction and Vision Board.  Connect with Sandra online!  Share your thoughts or follow her journey She would love hearing from you!

sandralongmore.com

The Creative Life

I am adding to this post today two years after the original post.  I ask myself this question as I looked at my old post,

Is it really that simple to find answer to all things by looking within ourselves ?

We came into the world as a container and have filled ourselves with the diversity of experience of all kinds and a extraordinary variety of emotions like the following gathered from the Abraham-Hicks emotional scale.

“joy, knowledge, empowerment, freedom, love, appreciation, passion, enthusiasm, eagerness, happiness, positive expectation, belief, optimism, hopefulness, contentment, boredom, pessimism, frustration, irritation, impatience, overwhelment, disappointment, doubt, worry, blame, discouragement, anger, revenge, hatred, rage, jealousy, insecurity, guilt, unworthiness, fear, grief, depression, despair, powerlessness.”

Now that our cup is filled with these emotional experiences

We can take a moment to  reflect on what we have learned

We can stop and smell the aroma the intoxicating  brew that all  life experiences mixed together as they blend with the air surronding us.

We can relax and sit back in our chair  and take in the surrounding view as we drink out of the cup of life’s challenges and wisdom.

We can  take life’s brew into our bodies sip by delicious sip tasting the  existance we alone created by the choices we made.

Since two years has past many things have changed I am not the same person I feel more joyful, excited and energetically engaged with life on a moment to moment basis.

Helpful steps to experiencing the emotions you want to experience

Remember you never step in the river in the same place it is always moving and evolving

Put you boat in the river with the idea that you will find a way to go with the current

Coaching helps you reset emotions that no longer serve you.

Remember you were put on the earth to thrive and find ways to feel good that will benefit you and others.

And yes,  it really is that simple to find  answer to all things by looking within ourselves.

Sandra Longmore is a Professional Artist/Teacher, and creative thinker whom  is dedicated to the very best of life with enthusiasm, energy and expectancy.

Sandra is committed to sharing her vitality through coaching others to a life of becoming remarkable through personal evolution as a member of MorningCoach Coaching Certification Program and serves on the Advisory Board.  Connect with Sandra online!  Share your thoughts or follow her journey She would love hearing from you!

sandralongmore.com

Personal Evolution and Instincts for Happy Thoughts

I was driving to Spokane for my granddaughter first birthday and we passed hundreds of areas of trees planted for the purpose of providing pulp for making paper. I was struck by the awe-inspiring patterns of parallel rows of trees as they flashed mesmerizingly before my eyes. All the trees stood strong and straight as soldiers on parade. Each tree planted with precision thriving out of the fertile soil.

The trees were arranged in order of the harvesting needs for their purpose here on earth. First were full-grown trees next rows of trees half as tall as the first bunch and next newly planted trees. Each tree grew out of the same soil and was in different stages of growth.

This made me think about growth in general. The soil provides the same for all and we always have a choice of how to grow and through awareness of this process we can be presented with delight and wonder

Our instincts tell us to do what makes us happy: Kaiya, one year old, is changing daily with new discoveries of her world. She laughs when she touches her toes. She laughs when she stands. She giggles as she slides her food off the tray to her happy dog.

Our instincts tell us to do what makes us happy: My daughter, Niccole, 44, is starting something new. She is going to cooking school. She doesn’t know how this education will fit into her future but feels she is honoring her instincts and can see that it will add value to her ever unfolding style of living.

Our instincts tell us to do what makes us happy. I am like the last role of trees in the forest management systems. Enjoying the diversity of life and anticipating the next higher more evolved step. Every day is a gift and I get to unwrap this wondrous gift one moment at a time.

We were all born knowing how to grow and thrive in this fertile soil like the trees and all of nature. We all possess a sense of wanting to feel good and happy. The methods and way we grow is up to us but they are fully present in each person.

How did your instincts tell you how to be happy today??

Sandra Longmore is a Professional Artist. Art Teacher, and creative thinker whom is dedicated to the very best of life with enthusiasm, energy and expectancy.
Sandra is committed to sharing her vitality through coaching others to a life of becoming remarkable through personal evolution as a member of MorningCoach Coaching Certification Program. Connect with Sandra online! Share your thoughts or follow her journey She would love hearing from you!
sandralongmore.com
blogsandralongmore.com
creativehealthwellnesslifecoach.com

Hawthorne Bridge Portland, Oregon

Have you ever been to a new place where you are completely emerged in beauty, and with the perspective of amazement of abundance  at nature’s bounty?  This is how a plein air artist feels and experiences when they go to new places and paint. Today our group went to a high vista and painted the Hawthorn Bridge in Portland, Oregon.

Plein air: En plein air  is a French expression which means “in the open air” and is used to describe the act of painting outdoors in natural light.  The light and nature are the master teacher for the artist and their creations. I feel it is a direct contact with the great creator, God, or universal force.

We were on the next to the top floor of a parking structure and painted this scene. It was a cold winter day and the energy was busting with the noises of a parade across the bridge and the remains of fall leaves added color and the canvas became full of paint applied with stucato and ligato strokes as feeling of fun ran through my  brush strokes as I applied the paint.  I painted quickly and with the momentum of the energy of cold day, cheers from parade, and inner amazement of the scene before me.

I received a welcome phone after the painting was finished and in my gallery on Fine Art America call from a magazine called “Country Pleasures” with an even welcomer request. The magazine wanted to feature my Art on their cover with five of my other images and a bio in side. What great publicity. I had to scramble to get things in by their deadline but fortunately I was well prepared so was able to do it in just a few hours.

The message here is the Boy Scout Moto “Be Prepared” and hold the intention that you will get those calls of opportunity.

Keeping positive thoughts is where all opportunity, synchronicity, and pleasure is manifested. Anytime we are feeling good and full of the energy of the thoughts that make us strong we are in abundance and the resistance to getting what we do not want is gone. With this wall of resistance taken down abundance of opportunity can find us and manifest. I am so grateful for learning this “Law of Attraction”. I am continually astonished at how well this all works. I use these ideas in both my Life Coaching Business and my Artistic Career and to keep myself happy and fulfilled. I have a good life.

How is this accomplished you ask?

1. Change thoughts to ones that make you strong not weak
2. Find a time when you had the strong thought or look around see the thought you desire and feel it in your body
3. Be aware and stay in amazement at synchronicities
4. Look for opportunities of giving service.

Sandra Longmore is a Professional Artist. Art Teacher, and creative thinker whom  is dedicated to the very best of life with enthusiasm, energy and expectancy.

Sandra is committed to sharing her vitality through coaching others to a life of becoming remarkable through personal evolution as a member of MorningCoach Coaching Certification Program.  Connect with Sandra online!  Share your thoughts or follow her journey She would love hearing from you!

sandralongmore.com

blogsandralongmore.com

sandra-longmore.artistwebsites.com

“Acrylic Abstract”

Daily Creative flow today was a flowing acrylic pour. I already have a lot of ideas for the next step. This way is sure fun. Tomorrow I will develop it further. I am quite excited to see what happens. The Painting is 16″x20″ on stretch canvas.

I showed my students this piece and explained how the technique was achieved and how there are four Daily Painters that I am associated with in the process of daily painting as way of developing creatively through creative self-discipline. This is not work but fun I explained to them and sharing it with others of like mind is like a trip to the candy store every day. To my absolute surprise two students said Sandra, “when I grow up I want to be just like you” I guess that says Creating all the time is a good life. and a good path to follow if it appeals to the youth of today. Art is truly the sweets of life.

“Crystal Springs Rhodendron Garden” Portland, Oregon

Today I joined another Plein-Air Painter, Joy at Crystal Springs Rhodendron Garden in Porland, Oregon. It was a beautiful fall day with foliage putting on a new outfit of golds, orange, and bright red. We both expressed how grateful we were to be in this beautiful setting painting.

Joy is the energy behind the Breath of Plain-Air Group. If it wasn’t for her organization ability I would not have so many wonderful places to go. Being involved with groups helps artist to keep motivated to do their work.

“Daily Painting and Space Shuttle”

Daily painting today was on my Rose painting, 16″x20″, and the view of the gorge from the Maryhill Museum.  I refined the color notes with new combinations.  As an artist I am  always trying to refine my paintings.

I also watched the space shuttle launch and took several photo’s from the television.  I will use these later to paint a painting. News note on the shuttle: CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The space shuttle Atlantis blasted off Monday on a 11-day mission to the Hubble Space Telescope, the last scheduled repair visit before the space shuttle fleet is retired.  It is always good for artists to collect good reference pictures.

“Rooster Rock”

"Rooster Rock"

Daily today was more work on the plein air painting done at Rooster Rock.  I really like how this painting is looking. Oil Painting on 10″x12″ Ray Mar Canvas Board.

“Pastel Landscape”

"Pastel Landscape"

Daily today was a landscape using Nu-Pastels. 5″x7″ I am exploring different color schemes and lighting effects.

“Tulip Maiden”

Daily painting today was a made up portrait.  Inspired by my trip to the wonderful Tuilip Festival in Woodburn.  5″x7″ watercolor.

“Plein-Air Class” Sauvie’s Island”

Today’s daily painting is with Jef Gunn and the “Plein-air Class” on the Dike at Sauvie’s Island.  A wonderful place to paint.

“Cousin Randy”

"Cousin Randy Goggin"

Daily Painting is Colored Pencil Drawing of my  Cousin Randy  for the Art House Gallery Project.  Theme “Everyone We Know”. 3.5″x5″

The Scrap Book Project is sponsored by the Art House and consists of being sent a sketchbook by Art House and then you make the art around a theme.  The theme this time is “Everyone you know”.  Then Art House is taking all the sketchooks on a 6 city tour to galleries and museums across the U.S.  The goal of the exhibition is to encourage anyone to create artwork and build a collective of sketch books made by artists from all over the world.

New Gallery Profilez

Self-Portrait

I have added a new gallery on line called “My Art Info” They feature Artist around the world.  What a thrill to be an Artist and in such inspiring and great company. I have also added a gallery where you can purchase prints of my original work. The gallery is called Fine Art America and you can purchase original art paintings, ,original art canvas prints, original art prints, original art framed prints original art greeting cards, and original art posters.

“Oaks Park Plein Air Painting”

Daily Painting today was the finish of the Oaks Park Plein Air Painting started yesterday in my Washougal Studio.  A great way to spend a Sunday Afternoon with the wood stove warming my spirits that were still high from the painting experience yesterday.  I do love Plein-Air Paintingl

“Oaks Park Portland, Oregon”

"Oaks Park Portland Oregon"

Daily painting today was with Jef Gunn’s Plein-Air Class.  We met on the bluff  in Sellwood above Oaks Bottom.  There was a grand view with interesting large forms, forest, lake, meadow, hills, river, sky but windy and cold.  Jef said it was great at night as well. We are a hardy bunch but decided to set up by the Willamette River near Oaks Park a covered area near the river at the Oaks Amusement Park where  there was shelter.  After a search for just the right spot I set up by the Pepsi machine as a windbreak and started this panting.  Jef said our focus today would by on painting with intention.  It was a gray day and I used Gamlin’s Light, Medium, and Dark  Grays as the underpainting.  The painting is a start and will be finished in the studio tomorrow.