Life is an amazing learning journey. The question is, how do we find ourselves within the Miriam of  responsibilities, pressures, and unexpected moments and challenges that we face.

i was side-swiped by a Kenworth ( a huge freight truck) on the way home from work this week. It was a very scary moment but I was exceptionally lucky, very little damage to the car and the car was still drivable. A minor miracle I think.

A close friend (Jo) told me that the universe was telling me I needed to slow down. Perhaps but a deeper part of me just wanted to get back to my studio and create within my own happy place.

When I am creating, I am so engrossed in the process that the noise in my head from the pressures of life fade and I become lost in the moment.  I Amin the painting and discovering. Every face, every figure, feels like a process of discovering the personality that is evolving and slowly revealing herself through the layers. The pattern is not set and each new medium I introduce creates new possibilities and new challenges. The hairstyles are taking shape through the background inspiration and are not formally designed as such.  I am getting better at just doing what my intuition suggests, even if it means totally re- doing a face so she sits better within the composition and relates across the image to the other people or key images/symbols. These are the challenges that give me energy and joy.

I have been putting a lot of pressure on myself to complete this series of works but at the same time it has meant that I have spent a lot more time in the studio which is my happy place and the still point within The business of the world.

When life is overwhelming, seeking the breathing space of my studio is one of the most healing things that I can do.

Sometimes the pressures of life seem overwhelming.

This week I will complete all of the 6 paintings (2 completed and 4 well on the way for the Burnley Harbour exhibition), complete and check my school reports and organise and attend my daughters medical appointments. Un-fortunately an ongoing issue but hopefully this week will help establish a way of dealing with long term issues.

Life has it’s challenges and the question is how do we achieve balance. Sometimes, doing the things you love and distracting yourself so you can find your centre is the  way to heal and continue to learn and grow.

I would love to hear how you find your balance in life as you navigate your own journey. We are all so different and have our own ways of  finding our bliss and allowing life to flow, even in the most challenging of times.

How do you find your balance and flow?