Category Archives: exposed

THE ART OF HUMILITY: THE PORTRAIT OF DORIAN GRAY BY OSCAR WILDE

by in America, art, Artistic expression, exposed, Fear, Freedom, Portraits, respect, Sanity, Social, story, Toxic people, Uncategorized and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Disclaimer: this is a post with a political opinion that is my own. Please do not continue if you agree with President Trump’s recent comments on Charlottesville. I accept everyone’s right to their beliefs.

My blog is an artist blog and after the events of Charlottesville last weekend I saw the President in an Oscar Wilde novel called “The Portrait of Dorian Gray”. It’s a classic story of a corrupt narcissistic young man who barters a deal with the devil to remain youthful and handsome forever. It’s a story of “it’s better to look good than feel good “. Dorian Gray has no humility. A wealthy society man who cares only about himself he commissions a portrait of himself. He fantasizes about how great it would be if he could remain youthful while the painting would age as each year passes.

I recommend the 1945 film with George Sanders and Hurd Hatfield as Dorian Gray.

Dorian and Trump are no different and I am watching the President deteriorate as each day passes. Dorian becomes more self centered and corrupt. He is engaged to a society woman but she is too proper to deflower before marriage. He engages a lower class show girl to satisfy his sexual needs lying about his intention to marry her. When she becomes pregnant he murders her. His portrait meanwhile gets more grotesque as he becomes more evil. He hides the painting in the attic to avoid seeing the truth of who he is.

I see this happening to Trump. The murder of Heather Heyer is the blood on his hands because he has dog whistled the neo nazis, the white supremacists and the Ku Klux Klan to become bolder. And how narcissistic of Trump to not acknowledge her death. To not go to Charlottesville to speak to her parents. He said more good things about the extremists and not one word about Heather. SHAME ON YOU NARCISSISTIC TRUMP. YOUR PORTRAIT IS SHOWING YOUR SINS.

I’VE BEEN NOMINATED FOR THE BLOGGER RECOGNITION AWARD!!

by in ADHD artist, art, Art value, Artist, artist block, Artistic expression, Authenticity, Being Famous, drawing, exposed, The Bloggers Recognition Award and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

After a month of chronic arthritis in my leg and not being able to walk I was debating if I could ever think positively again.  Forget being creative.  Of course my ADHD brain went into “I’m a failure “.  

   

Then Friday I received a comment from one of my incredible blogger followers Mitch Teemley of The Power of Story saying he nominated me for The Blogger Recognition Award!  

Check out Mitch Teemley’s blog.   https://mitchteemley.com

Amazing because a year ago I didn’t have any idea how to do a blog.  I just lost my art website because I couldn’t afford the monthly fees and it was old and needed sprucing up.  I wanted to try doing a new one with WordPress but ended up with a blog for some unknown reason.  Go figure.  So I decided to play with it and tell my story of how I came out of a 30 year artist block where I stopped doing any form of creative work until I turned 50. 

The rest is history.  I spent my school years with untreated ADHD and learning disabilities so I never understood what grammar was.  I was confused by prepositions and what the heck is a verb anyway.  I never went to college because I couldn’t take tests.  I was successful in art in High School but was afraid to pursue it.  The rest of my life was trying to make money as an ineffective secretary.  Hiding from the world and living a life unlived.  

In 2002 at the age of 50 I finally was diagnosed and treated for ADHD.  I returned to becoming the artist I was meant to be.  I am blessed to have been successful by taking risks to bring out my art.  I began selling paintings.  Doing many shows in NYC from 2010.  I lost the secretary job in 2009 and burned all my office suits that made me look like Hillary Clinton.  

Since then I have created a business “Fearless Creativity Art for Arts Sake”.  I engage people who think they have no talent that they do.  Art will save people from worry.  It saved me during my childhood trauma. 

And all this is a result of my spiritual practice. My faith is stronger then any adversary. I trust God and help others.

TIPS FROM MY BLOGGING EXPERIENCE OF THE PAST YEAR:

  1. Just have FUN.  Authenticity to share my life story of becoming the artist I was meant to be was the motivation. 
  2. Don’t try to be famous.  It was not important that the Internet world would discover my talented writing.  
  3. Forgive yourself if you fall off the writing cliff.  I would miss weeks of posting and thought I could never start again.  But I forgave my inconsistency and found that my followers didn’t judge me. 

     

    NOW I AM NOMINATING THE FOLLOWING BLOGS FOR INSPIRING ME:

    1. Certainline.wordpress.com – the art of drawing 
    2. VisualAtelier.wordpress.com – art, design,photography 
    3. Cedricramey.wordpress.com – art, travel, fashion, lifestyle 
    4. Oneblessedfool.wordpress.com – faith, freedom, imagination 
    5. Pmuink.com – Daily Doodle 
    6. Orchidslantern.wordpress.com – art and stories of life 
    7. Michaelehrhardt.wordpress.com – original art 
    8. Impliedspaces.wordpress.com – digital art 
    9. Saidsimply.wordpress.com – thoughts of life & stuff 
    10. Ambiguousbrush.wordpress.com – wonderful drawings 
    11. Storyofthefootloose.com – a talented pen writing well 
    12. Littlefears.co.uk – short stories & art
    13. Fugitivedreamblog.wordpress.com – inspiring muses of the past 
    14. Izzyink.co.wordpress.com –  a journey into the world of illustration 
    15. Histolines.wordpress.com – history 

    Blogger Recognition Award Rules

     • Thank the blogger/s who nominated you and provide a link to their blog

     • Write a post about it the Blogger Recognition Award

     • Briefly tell how your blog started

     • Give two pieces of advice to new bloggers

     • Select 15 bloggers to give this award to. 

    THANKS MITCH!!!

    THE DR. SEUSS THEORY OF MY LIFE

    by in ADHD artist, art, Art Challenge, Art value, Artist, Artistic expression, Authenticity, depression, Dr. Seuss, drawing, exposed, Fear, Freedom, media, Paintings, landscape paintings, winter, snow, Central Park, snow storm, New York, outdoor art, professional artists, Reading, respect, Self love, Social, story, Uncategorized and tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

    I purchased Dr. Seuss’s “Oh the Places You’ll Go ” 15 years ago.  It’s my favorite inspirational book for what life is about.   So this morning my daily writing practice turned to the voice of Dr. Seuss.  

    “OH THE PLACES YOU’LL GO…” 

    Oh the people 

    you’ll meet 

    It’s a journey worth taking 

    But it’s not a small feat 

    Though you may want to quit 

    Hide your head in the sand

    If the fear takes over

    You can hold someone’s hand

    So be courageous and go towards the light 

    Never use avoidance 

    To deal with your plight 

    This world isn’t pretty 

    In fact it is sad

    When you keep giving to others 

    It negates some of the bad


    As an artist standing at the turning point 

    Not knowing how far

    Keep being creative 

    Be the artist you are

    KEITH HARING-ARTIST OF NEW YORK CITY SUBWAYS 

    by in 1950's photography New York, art, Art Deco, Art treasures, Art value, Artist, artist block, Artistic expression, Authenticity, Being Famous, drawing, exposed, Famous artists, Freedom, Hidden original art, Keith Haring, media, NYC subways, Paintings, landscape paintings, winter, snow, Central Park, snow storm, New York, outdoor art, professional artists, promotion, Social, story, Subways NYC, Uncategorized and tagged , , | Leave a comment

    Keith Haring began his art career at my subway stop on 96th Street and Lexington Avenue number 6 train.   

    I remember the first baby drawing on black unused ad space.  A few stations away another.  I knew something was happening. BUT WHAT??

    Weeks passed more babies with more levels of complexity.  More creatures too.  I kept watching a growing art phenomenon in the subway.  This was late ’70s early ’80s.   I feel so lucky to have been witness to the emergence of an artist who was really exploring the canvases of the city.   History before my eyes. 



    I WAS LOST AND MORE WAS REVEALED 

    by in ADHD artist, art, Art Challenge, Art value, Artist, artist block, Artistic expression, Authenticity, Being Famous, Competition, Competitive, exposed, Fear, fear of people, Freedom, Loneliness, media, Money, Paintings, landscape paintings, winter, snow, Central Park, snow storm, New York, outdoor art, professional artists, promotion, Self love, Social, Uncategorized and tagged , , | Leave a comment

    A lot has been revealed in the past weeks.  I faced a lot about myself and how my purpose was morphing again.  I’m not making things happen.  There was the ADHD gear box.  I was in neutral. Thinking of so many great things but not being able to engage and complete the ideas.  The result was what I created an artist block.  I stopped my art and got lost in the distractions to avoid my vision.

    AVOIDANCE!!!   A corrupting thread in my life based on fear.   

    I’m facing the fact that creating an art business is work.  I can’t wait for the perfect action to take and have the expectation that it will be the answer.  I need to keep being a doer.  Every day.   

    One thing I started to do was paint again.  An artist has to keep honing their skills.  Also I am embarking on going back and renewing my drawing skills.   I’m playing with creating a character of myself in drawing.  Art has to come first and then I will be able to create my art business.

    ART FIRST!!!!

    image

    ANNOUNCING:  MY BLOG DO-OVER

    by in ADHD artist, art, Art Challenge, Art value, Artist, artist block, Artistic expression, Authenticity, Being Famous, Competition, Competitive, Digital Art, exposed, Fear, fear of people, Freedom, Homeless artist,, Jealous, Jealousy, Loneliness, media, Money, Paintings, landscape paintings, winter, snow, Central Park, snow storm, New York, outdoor art, professional artists, promotion, respect and tagged , , | 3 Comments

    The last few weeks have challenged who I am and where am I going as an artist and blogger. It was not pretty but definitely enlightening to say the least!

    Crashing and burning is a sign for me something needs to change.  That thing is usually ME.  

    I was trying to learn how to be a successful blogger and business owner.  After listening and researching hundreds of podcasts and listening to an overload of coaches who had different versions of the basic idea (you need them to get it) I found myself concluding that I am a definite loser at the game. 

    This morning was the culmination of my life as an artist blogger business owner. . . “I’m a recovering starving artist!!

       
     I froze and lost all belief in my vision and gave up on everything that I have done successfully.  

    So Fearless Artist Blog is really about getting my courage back.  Acknowledge my imperfections of learning disabilities and ADHD but not let them take me down.  

    I will keep challenging and celebrating ME.   Face the world and speak my truth.  Define my success of perserverance and let my voice about art is for everyone ring out.  

      
       

    BEING LARGE AS AN ARTIST 

    by in ADHD artist, art, Art Challenge, Art Students League, Art value, Artist, artist block, Artistic expression, Authenticity, Bronx, Digital Art, exposed, Fear, Freedom, media, Money, Paintings, landscape paintings, winter, snow, Central Park, snow storm, New York, outdoor art, professional artists, promotion, respect, Riverdale NY, Self love, Social, Uncategorized and tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

    I have been on a journey in the last year plus creating a business that promotes art for arts sake. I am a 64 year old woman artist who came out of the cave in 2009 when I was laid off of a 20 year job as a legal secretary.  I didn’t know that this was the start of being reborn. 
    I was a slave to the belief that art would never support me.  I was 50 years old when I finally broke my 30 year artist block and came back to joy of who I truly am.   I have not gone back to the security of a corporate job since. 
    THIS IS NOT AN EASY TASK!!   Especially with ADHD and learning disabilities.  However, I finally became the artist I was meant to be.   I didn’t think twice as I took the actions to be showing my work.   There were many times I was the only woman and the oldest artist in a group show.  But I knew I was a good artist. I never compared myself to others and was able to engage all the artists as comrades.  

    For the first time I stopped trying to be better than others.  I am an artist among artists.  So I can be connected with people whatever age they are.  I feel I can be any age in my mind.  I have the joy of living. 

    So my business is about engaging people to be creative.  I’m teaching iPad painting classes around the Hudson Valley in New York.  I got my first iPad in 2011 for my 60th birthday.   I found art apps and my world of creativity exploded. I have become a more prolific artist with this technology. 

    I’m the Pied Piper of iPad art and I’m finally being heard.  I was co-curator at an exhibition on digital art with a focus on iPad painting.  I’m teaching workshops at gallery.  The Riverdale Press gave a good review of the show.  The community is aware of my name.  

    Here is my mission statement for Fearless Creativity Art for Arts Sake:

    “FEARLESS CREATIVITY is about art is important for everyone. Creativity is not just for the talented.  The mission of Fearless Creativity is to engage people who believe they are not creative by participating in non-judgmental art classes using traditional art mediums and technology with iPads and smartphones.  In doing art for fun and expression they will experience a psychic change in how they are in the world.  Today’s world is a fearful place.  More than ever people experience worry and depression.  The result is high levels of cortisol consistently destroying health.  Art soothes the mind and helps us solve problems creatively.  It reduces stress and lowers cortisol so are health improves.  Our lives expand, love increases and we have hope. “

     

    Created by Jean Messner on iPad using ArtRage app

     


    ART IS EVERYWHERE!!  THE BRONX IS BEAUTIFUL!!

    by in ADHD artist, art, Art Challenge, Artist, Authenticity, exposed, Fear, fear of people, Freedom, Homeless artist,, Loneliness, Paintings, landscape paintings, winter, snow, Central Park, snow storm, New York, outdoor art, professional artists, promotion, respect, Self love, Social, Subways NYC, Uncategorized and tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

    Yesterday I was in a pity pot about how awful my life is.  I’ll never be successful with my creative business and I will end up living in poverty.   AND I DON’T HAVE A VALENTINE!!   HYSTERICAL!!!

    I had to meet my ex-husband in the city in -15 degree weather.  I hopped onto the 1 train and continued to cry under my two wool scarves.  Then I peered up from my hide-out and noticed a young couple across the way happy to be together on Valentines Day.  THIS CHANGED MY BRAIN!!   I ACTUALLY THOUGHT IT WAS A WONDERFUL PICTURE!!  I ASKED IF I COULD TAKE THEIR PICTURE FOR MY BLOG.  

    I FORGOT ALL MY PROBLEMS AND NOW KNOW THAT PEOPLE ARE SO MUCH A PART OF MY LIFE AND ART. 

      

    I’M BACK – THE FEAR OF WRITING A POST 

    by in ADHD artist, art, Art Challenge, Art value, Artist, artist block, Artistic expression, Authenticity, exposed, Fear, fear of people, Freedom, Loneliness, media, Money, Paintings, landscape paintings, winter, snow, Central Park, snow storm, New York, outdoor art, professional artists, Self love, Social, Uncategorized and tagged , , , , | 7 Comments

    Well it is very hard to come back and post after my last post.  Being transparent with my ADHD in my last post brought up a lot of emotion.  That is the nature of the beast.  Doubt and shame.  Also every day I didn’t post made it harder to post.  I kept listing “post on blog” every day and avoided it.  

      
    My whole life I ran from the world.  I had many good ideas and people behind me.  I couldn’t bring them to fruition and disappeared.  I left many things that could have been profitable behind me.  I NEVER BELIEVED IN MYSELF.  

    Today I am facing my demons of running away.  I will keep trudging the creative path that is divinely given to me.  

    I’m back on my post and I will keep doing this post.  I’m not perfect and perfectionism is will kill me.  

    GETTING BACK ON THE HORSE!!!   I’M A SUCCESSFUL ADHD ARTIST TODAY!