Creative Spotlight: Lara Cornell

March 4, 2015 Nichole McVeigh

I met Lara Cornell through - yet again - Jen Lee's Indie Kindred Creative Community. Can you tell I really resonate with a lot of creatives there? The liberal use of colour and words in her mixed media work drew me in straight away, and I knew I had to feature her on Embody Your Muse.

Though Lara felt drawn to painting for years, fear held her back (something many creatives can relate with), and it took a rough emotional patch for her to actually connect with that calling in 2013. She decided to try a course with Brave Girls Club, and learned that she loved creating art! And, create art, she most certainly does - even while working a full time job, caring for her family, and going through yoga teacher training! Lara says, "It's in my soul," and I think that shows.

Creative Spotlight: Veronika Bond

December 17, 2014 Nichole McVeigh

I met Veronika Bond through, yet again, Jen Lee's Indie Kindred Community. If you can't tell by now, this is a very vibrant, creative community! Since meeting Veronika, I've found that she writes for Rebelle Society, a favourite online magazine of mine! Her latest post is "7 joys of living your truth". I hope you'll check it out!

On her website, Veronika says that she spent the first 40 years of her life searching for a home in various cultures and countries and eventually found what she was looking for within herself. The last 17 years of her life have been spent mainly writing about the creative process, but she doesn't write about the process in the way of ideas; rather, the ways we constantly create our own lives and the universal principles of the process of creation. She is working on a series of books that will be four volumes in all when finished (plus workbooks) - The Solo System - that speaks of human consciousness and the creative process happening naturally within us. She says it can be used as a companion for the heroic journey.

Creative Spotlight: Stephanie Sharp of Blissful Heart Studio

November 5, 2014 Nichole McVeigh

I met Stephanie Sharp through Jen Lee's Indie Kindred group, and as I love inspirational quotes, fell immediately in love with her work! Quotes show up in both her mixed media art and jewelry consistently, and as you'll see from the first photo below, on her inspiration door as well. Stephanie's inspiration door also contains artwork that inspires her along with notes from friends that buoy her. I so appreciate this idea, and am planning to use it in my workspace!

Stephanie's love of mixed media was born out of a longing for something to pour her heart into after a significant move in 2009. Gratefully, she found and participated in "Spill It", an online art workshop facilitated by Carmen Torbus, and really expanded from there. Her work at this point is mainly in mixed media clay and jewelry making, but she enjoys fiber art, printmaking, and watercolor, and she explores every art medium she can. Stephanie's greatest love is creating art that inspires and moves people, and sharing her passion for creating by teaching art to people of all ages. What an inspiration.

Creative Spotlight: Michelle GD

October 29, 2014 Nichole McVeigh

I met Michelle Dzema through Jen Lee's Indie Kindred group, and knew right away that she would be a great fit on Embody Your Muse. As writer and photographer, Michelle's work is calming, and deeply intentional. She "believes there is beauty in tiny moments and healing power in image and word," and that shows up consistently in her work. Michelle contributes to some interesting spaces online, and you can find links to them here.

Artistic since youth, Michelle became serious about her art a few years after the birth of her children. Photography and writing were ways for her to mark time - practices in creativity and meditation - and could both be done in small packets of time. And the opportunity to do just that was, and is, very welcome in her busy days; inviting a slower, more meaningful approach to life. Ultimately, becoming a mother inspired, and continues to inspire, her creatively.

Mindfulness is very important to Michelle, and it's something she aims to practice day-to-day. Gratitude Week 2014, a free program Michelle facilitates, runs Monday, November 10 to Sunday, November 16. I hope you'll check out this special way to practice mindfulness.