This was an original hand written piece written with red ink. Poem style with a Virginia Woolf-like flow of free style.
World - Soul is a weaver Spirit is the eternal tapestry of reality. Spirit is dynamic intelligent energy. So it is not motionless, but the spirits activity is lined in the quarters of time and space Spirits tapestry is vibrant the most beautiful of realities other than the one the forms within the spirit pure and transparent, each being part of the all and all being Weave of spiritual forms forms come and go and weaving proceeds. Role of the soul/getting and giving, ceaseless weaving. This is it. Written with the subconscious, with red ink and powered by soul of Sarah Opat
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Talking Stones began as a blog to share journal entries with eye balls and souls like you. This next blog post goes back to Talking Stones' roots in the general idea of sharing a stream of consciousness. This site creates a digital sandcastle of ideas and motivations and friendly creations. Here's a recent journal entry found my purse in Chicago.
Why now. Why now in This moment do we choose to be somewhere else, somewhere out in the past or future in some disbelief of worry. Why. Why in this moment can we just let go. Let go For five seconds. Live now. Live now. Live now For tomorrow you might die in the past. So it goes the story flows into another beautiful segment of life. Ah peace Peace to you Peace from me Peace of mind to you. xoxo Sarah O. Chicago artist, Beatriz Ledesma paints a world of understanding through abstract shapes and elegant patterns using oil. Her creations dive deep into emotional, spiritual, and intuitive energy work. She studies tribal symbols from both northern and southern tribes from Argentina in South America.
Ledesma has a magical way of blending oil paint to creates a soothing effect to the viewer. The balance of color and darkness varies with each creation. Her use of light and darkness adds a harmonizing contrast of black with colors. For more "word for thought" on Ledesma's creative process, read the full artist review here. Find more of her work online here. The essence of looking inwardly benefits all artists. The simple act of breathing with awareness and exhaling all stale emotions. Closing the eyes, practicing the act of being. As the human race weaves like DNA through the day, one faces adversity through the act of constant looking outwardly.
The challenge for today and the next, is to look inwardly with a direct light of focus. Take five to ten minutes to embrace stillness in a peaceful area at a time best suited for one's schedule, morning or night. Devoting time for stillness allows the soul to wake up to this moment, allowing the artist mind to embrace the true essence of being. Practicing beginners mind, the act of seeing the moment as fresh, new and embracing the constant changing essence of time creates space for the mind rest in stillness. As much as one looks outwardly in day to day living, imagine the breakthrough when one stumbles upon the infinite spaciousness of the mysterious soul. This my friend, dear artist, is a beautiful practice: Looking inwardly. The breakthrough of looking inwardly comes from silence and allowing one's essence to be still. Embracing the ever changing moment, welcome the soul into stillness. The challenge is to listen to the hum of the universe while appreciating the energy of the soul within this space and stretch of time. With Gratitude, Sarah Opat Talking Stones, silk weaving writer Canadian visual artist, Vicky Lentz translates unhindered insight from nature onto several mediums. She creates abstract and contemporary work using steel, clay, acrylic, oil paint, and mixed media on canvas.
The aesthetic of nature inspires Lentz to create from a place of silence and organic movement. She creates limitless, abstract sculptures, paintings, 2-D creations in her studio surrounded in the woods, and public installation pieces displayed in Montreal, Canada. Lentz listens deeply to the hum of the universe found in the forest surrounding her home in Canada. Living in nature allows for her creativity to connect through different mediums to communicate a new vernacular of abstract art. Lentz shows regularly in exhibitions in eastern Canada. Her work has shown nationally, internationally and in the United States in Maine and Chicago, Illinois. Lentz continues her growth in her art career to a national level, outside her home province. Ingrid Mueller Art + Concepts represent her work currently in Fredericton and St. Andrews, New Brunswick. Lentz also completed an artist residency at the Beaverbrook Art Gallery this year. The creative process for Lentz flows with the organic rhythm of life’s cycles. She creates colorful vibrations from the abundance of her environment. A fallen tree in the woods became her art installation in nature. She wrapped the branches in colorful yarn. She connects the fluid aspect of ever changing, constantly in motion, transforming, atoms in motion to environmental canvas, paper, steel, and mixed media. Her color choices pop off the wall and satisfy the viewer with an abstract smile. Lentz translates her experience in nature as an abstract language on canvas. Each painting overflows with the essence of organic fulfillment and projects a spacious quality of measureless wisdom. The organic shapes within her art comes through a juxtaposition of unique sculptures in nature, paintings oozing with spacious texture, and public installation pieces where viewers become a part of the creative atmosphere. Lentz’s color choice beams a light of exploratory contemporary expression. She constantly tries new techniques and materials to express her experience authentically in the world of abstract art. “I go through phases of color in my work. Sometimes I use recycled metals, rusted metals, bouncing from a neutral color palette to full on color,” said Lentz. Lentz introduces an abstract energy through the portal of her personal experience within nature. The issue in today’s society highlights the lack of connection with nature. Lentz brings awareness to nature deficit disorder and challenges the viewer to feel the natural organic qualities within her art. She zeros in on the organic detail and intertwines lines of the natural ebb and flow of the universe into her work. Her paintings drip with creative flow and allowance of positive space to compliment the negative. She creates a silent dialogue of abstract imagery on canvas and through sculptures. The simple line work and brush strokes evoke satisfaction and euphoria. Living deep in the woods allows Lentz to access the silence in the space of nature to enter an alternative flow. This energy is transferable to the work Lentz creates. She uses communion with nature to inspire the ebb and flow within her paintings and sculptures. The texture remains remarkable on canvas. She speaks a language of pink lemonade daydream meets a modern twist of honey dipped blues. The line work and jabs of brush marks speak a contemporary language of organic soul meets space captured in time. As Lentz introduces her upcoming series “Deeply Listening”, she brings the richness of silence to life on canvas. Her use of mix media patterns creates a satisfying feeling of spaciousness within her work. Lentz views nature as a transparent holographic image to inspire her vessel of work. She goes inside the petals of flowers with observation– Going inside the cells of a petal. Trying to refine by connecting and listening, everything becomes vibrational – A connection to the environment. “Human condition is not what we live. Going deeper to what’s around us. Not being rushed. I am a witness. My purpose is to be present,” said Lentz, “As an artist, I can transfer what I’m experiencing onto canvas or by welding steel,” said Lentz. “Original art has vibrations to pick up on. I am here to express the life around me in a sensitive way,” said Lentz, “My art allows you to glimpse the connection.” Art NXT Level has allowed Lentz to continue to flourish as a successful artist through creating a community of like-minded individuals to ask questions, get feedback, and connect with artists internationally. “Networking is such a big part of growing an art career and it’s not easy in a small town,” said Lentz, “I searched online and found Sergio’s program, Art NXT Level, and felt really connected with the authentic way these people really care.” “Art NXT Level constantly gives me something to learn,” said Lentz, “I find it so helpful to ask questions, get feedback on my work, and talk to other artists.” “Having a community is really important when you’re trying to make a career in art. I have been a member of Art NXT Level for a year and a half,” said Lentz. The abstract world of contemporary art welcomes the success and deep rooted stillness found within Lentz’s work. She defines a new meaning for mixed media, abstract and contemporary artwork through creating stillness within a world of chaos. Each creation remains fresh and pure. Lentz creates from the center of truth, nature, and beauty. The truth revealed in nature translates the message of organic beauty within Lentz’s work. California artist, Letty Del Val Peters transcends time and space using visions from the spiritual realm to inspire her work. She practices mindfulness, transcendental meditation, and paints multidimensional patterns mixed with realism onto canvas. Peters original roots touch base in Orange County, California. She currently resides in a small town called Fraint in central California with her family. Peters spiritual gift to channel messages, visions, and angelic figures in the spiritual realm roots in her daily practice of transcendental meditation and bible study. As Peters celebrates her first solo exhibition with the “Symbol of Peace” series, she plans for her next series, “Messages from Heaven”. The success of her first solo exhibition ripples into her neighborhood in California. She sold over 25 prints and three original works within five hours from her “Symbols of Peace” series. The genesis of the creative process for Peters “Is to stay present in the moment and allow the spiritual messages to come through.” When the fires were running rampant in California, the news covered a story highlighting a family burning alive in their car and showed the burnt baby car seat. Peters was in awe of the terrors of the California fires. She found herself praying at night. “I prayed for angels to protect the people and animals in danger,” said Peters, “Then a vision came to me as an angel standing on a cliff looking at the fires. I sketched the vision that night then painted it the next day and named it, Silent Watcher.” The painting, Silent Watcher, sold during her solo exhibition. Peters shared personal stories, spiritual visions with other Californians during the exhibit. She received responses from the audience how they saw animals in the shape of smoke in her painting, Silent Watcher. Peters creative process remains pure and authentic. She sketches visions and spiritual messages as they arise in the present moment then, paints on canvas with acrylic. Peters often infuses watercolor and markers to add a mixed media flavor to her work. She starts with quieting the mind and practicing transcendental meditation. “I meditate before I paint,” said Peters, “I want to be completely present. I want to feel the energy come from within and transcend into physical reality.” Visions of angels come to life on Peters’ canvas. Her personal story of touching the essence of angels began when she was young. “When I was five years old, I got separated from my parents and lost in a market place in Mexico,” said Peters, “A young teenage boy saw me panic with fear when I was lost, walked up to me and held my hand. His face was glowing and his presence was so peaceful. I was no longer in panic. Everything was at peace once he took my hand. He then walked me into a police station, this glowing beautiful boy, and told me to sit here to wait for my parents. Eventually, my parents arrived. The police told my parents I walked in alone. They did not see the glowing teenage boy holding my hand. The young teenage boy was an angel.” Peters, now 50, paints with the same peaceful feeling she had when holding the hand of the angelic teenage boy in Mexico at the supermarket. She sees angels. She paints angels. She is a channel for the spiritual realm. “As I walk through this spiritual journey as an artist, I shine my light to others. Everyone has the same soul. We are one,” said Peters. Spiritual visions reveal themselves to Peters through her practice of prayer, transcendental meditation in nature, and at her local Buddhist temple. “I believe meditation is a portal. It helps with any type of anxiety or stress. I remain settled and centered to create from a place of peace,” said Peters. Peters is active member from Art NXT Level and took on Sergio Gomez’ “small works” challenge. She was a computer programmer for 20 years and let go from her job two years ago. Shortly after, Peters found herself immediately buying new canvas. She then researched and found Art NXT Level to catapult her career. “I started with a challenge Sergio gave us, the small work challenge,” said Peters, “This taught me a lot about persistence and diligence as an active artist. Art NXT Level has taught me how to meet my goals and to create a timeline as an artist. In essence, artists work for themselves.” “Sergio guided me in the right direction. He gave constant feedback and answered all my questions. I am forever grateful,” said Peters, “He’s the catapult that pushed me out into my career in art.” Her “Symbols of Peace” series comprised of ten different pieces, communicates the sound of the universe as vibration coming out to the masses. This series captures the movement and vibrations of sound within the universe. The piece within this series, “Primordial Sound”, came to Peters during meditation practice. “The vision came to me when I was meditating at the Buddhist temple,” said Peters, “I felt the symbol of OM, the sound of the universe.” Peters continues to practice Christian faith and Buddhism. “I’ve lived and read numerous spiritual books. I understand it’s all interconnected – All these faiths are connected,” said Peters. Peters art transcends time and rewires the viewer’s mind to see angelic visions and messages on canvas. Follow Letty Del Val Peters art through instagram: @Letty_Delval
For all art inquires email: [email protected] Chicago artist, Kelly Mathews brings authentic truth, political, and social injustice frustrations to surface through her art. She works in layers of encaustic and large scale image transfers.
Mathews describes encaustic as “painting with beeswax”. She has exhibited at the Zhou B. Art Center, 33 Contemporary Gallery, solo exhibitions, group shows, holds space in private collections, and currently a feature artist at Highland Park Art Center. Mathews grew up in a small town in Iowa and studied film and video at Kansas City Art Institute in the late 1980’s. She professionally competed and showed Arabian horses for 25 years. “The Arabian horse is living art,” said Mathews. She has since retired from showing horses professionally to return to art full time. Mathews artwork raises conversation in social and political injustices. Her recent project “Resist Fear” was a public engagement piece. She used large panels where people wrote down personal fears. The panels then go through a literal and figurative transformation. Mathews took the panel and buried everyone’s fears with black wax writing “Resist Fear”. She pours the letters using encaustic. The raised words jump of the page and into the psyche of the viewer. This project allowed for Mathews to put fear in perspective and release the attachment to fears. “This was probably the biggest growing experience,” said Mathews, “I really got out of my own head and realized the things that control my life, my fear.” She learned about the fears of others getting deported. People shared the fear of losing everything, their home, family, and jobs. This was a humbling and ground breaking experience for all members involved in the “Resist Fear” project. Mathews is a recovering addict and bipolar. She uses these challenges to inspire and excel in her art career. “Art has been the most stable aspect in my life,” said Mathews, “I was not diagnosed with bipolar disorder until my late twenties”. She has recently submitted works to “The Ryan Licht Sang Bipolar Foundation”. Creating art allows for Mathews to see the beauty in challenges. “No matter how ugly that topic may be, there is beauty in the way it is communicated visually,” said Mathews. Mathews continues to allow art speaks volumes in the world of yearning for equality. “All men and women are created equal,” said Mathews, “I find it incredibly frustrating — The social issues. Social injustice or any kind of oppression is very confusing to understand the thought process behind it.” “Art helps me find a way to communicate when words aren’t’ found and people are no longer really listening,” said Mathews. Mathews creates art to exercise frustrations of any kind of oppression in the equanimity of this world. She shares her experience being a part of Art NXT Level, a professional development for artists, as “invaluable”. “Once I retired from training horses professionally, I was going into full time art,” said Mathews, “Since I went to art school in the 80’s, my resources were limited.” “I was looking for an online mentorship platform and found Sergio through Art NXT Level. He has answered and continues to answer any questions I have,” said Mathews, “Sergio and his wife have helped me create a professional artist website using word press, a free platform." “Through joining Art NXT Level, Sergio helped get my first exhibition and continues to help me grow through giving feedback on my work,” said Mathews. Art NXT Level has allowed for Mathews to grow as an artist. “I would not have known where to begin if it was not for joining Art NXT Level,” said Mathews, “Now that I’m getting shows and gaining credibility, dreams come true.” Art has allowed Mathews to break through the political and social injustices adding a whimsical touch of encaustic to share her truths with society. Utilizing the technical qualities of encaustic, half chemistry, half creativity, Mathews continues to grow and evolve as a professional artist in Chicago. Teala Marie makes moves in the world of henna as she designs her own platform of opportunity, Miss Henna Marie, as an artist and entrepreneur in Chicago. As a female artist, Teala shines an ancient light of inspiration as she intertwines the intricate beauty of time captured in henna designs. Through her business, Miss Henna Marie, Teala embraces the power of her amplified imagination and designs creations on human skin.
Miss Henna Marie has the soul of a gypsy infused with a brave artist full of courageous gifts and insights. Teala works as her own boss. She started her own henna design business, Miss Henna Marie, in 2017 and gratefully looks forward to the New Year in 2019. Teala has taken her designs across the country while her boyfriend's band went on tour out west. "In the summer of 2017 I was confident enough to leave my day time job and pursue my passion for Henna full time," said Teala, "I had countless events lined up and I made the leap to take my craft seriously. It was my most successful summer that built my brand and got my name out there. I couldn’t be happier". For the wondrous and curious, henna is a plant based material mixed with essential oils to create a paste with the ability to stain. "Mahboob Salon in Naperville supplies me with the best all natural, high quality henna. They make it fresh for me every time and I have such a great relationship with the owners and employees. A truly wonderful business. Plus, if I purchase enough Henna I gain point to get my eyebrows threaded, who wouldn’t love that," said Teala. Teala has a consistent flow of clients and weaves a busy pattern for future events. "I have worked at countless festivals, events, yoga studios, boutique shops, and in-home parties. Each year it grew bigger and bigger," said Teala, "I first began my journey as a Henna Artist in 2014 at Summer Solstice Indie Music and Craft Beer Festival in Yorkville, Illinois. Since then, this path has paved a way for many new and exciting opportunities". The human body is a canvas for Miss Henna Marie. "What began as an experimental art form for festivals has become my livelihood," said Teala, "Using the body as my canvas and natural materials as my medium, I have been able to design works of art with a lifespan". Teala has an acute focus to detail when it comes to designing henna tattoos. Her soul remains present and pulls threads of intelligence together from alternate dimensions as she creates each individual henna design. Teala travels the creative realm to create a life of her dreams. She travels to the west coast to infuse private parties, coffee shops, yoga studios, and other events with her ancient form of art. Henna Designs by Teala Marie offers custom temporary tattoos with an ancient medium, whether it is a special event like a festival, street fair, bridal or baby shower. "Traditionally, when henna is used as a body art it has organically, detailed line work with intricate patterns and symbols," said Teala, "When I picked up a cone of henna for the first time it became very natural for me to create designs that could impress my customers". "I believe what sets me apart are my larger designs. In the summer I have many customers wanting full leg, full arm, or both feet," said Teala, "The bigger works really seem to shock my viewers, and it is such a creative challenge for me". The transcendence of henna allows the wearer to appreciate this form of art as a fading memory. "For me, the Henna’s lifespan is my favorite part," said Teala, "The movement of the body, the shapes and contours it creates- the way it has an ombre effect staining from dark to light. As it begins to fade the memories of its creation are brought back to life. Its spirit disappears into your body and you are a blank canvas ready to create again." Teala shines as a divine, generous, wondrous, gypsy traveling soul transcending time with her divine, feminine energy, intelligence, and henna designs. Check out her next event here. Book an appointment with Miss Henna Marie today and feel the elegance of wearing ancient body tattoos. Teala's design translates to an organic language of healing and embracing the divine flow of the feminine. - Sarah Opat, writer for Talking Stones Pricing:
Contact Info for Henna Designs by Miss Teala Marie:
A word from the henna artist // Teala Marie: "I am a Henna Designer offering up custom designs at a wide range of events, festivals, appointments, and parties. I specialize in original designs. Many of my customers tell me to go for instead of picking out a specific design. They enjoy seeing what my mind comes up with in that moment. They are fascinated by how quickly I work and how steady my hand is. It makes me feel very proud having customers come back countless times for new designs. It lets me know they appreciate the work and are getting good results." - Teala Marie, founder/creator of Miss Henna Marie Chicago visual artist, Sergio Gomez paints the cycles of life utilizing the human figure mixed with washed hues of emotion in his exhibit, “Observations” at ACS Gallery, Zhou B. Art Center in Bridgeport this fall 2018.
Gomez travels with his work internationally. The exhibit, “Observations” remains part of the larger, series “Cycles of Life”. The larger series has exhibited internationally in four museums, Mexico (Cuernavaca and Queretaro), Romania, and Italy. “This series represents the ending of a chapter,” said Gomez, “These paintings have traveled across the world with me, along with the changing seasons”. As the year transitions forward, the international series comes to a close. “Chicago remains this exhibit’s fourth and final location,” said Gomez. “Observations” ties up the stencil series for Gomez. The collection demonstrates the cycles of life from 2000 to 2018. Introspection in the mind’s eye remains the focal point for this series. Gomez makes his mark on this series with repetition using stencils as flowers inside the minds of individuals on canvas. He pours a pure mixture of soul and emotion into his creations. “I am throwing away my stencils after this series,” said Gomez, “I wanted to show how one idea can be done in different ways, transitioning through multiple seasons. Now, I am ready to move forward”. This series allows Gomez to create a temporary space of introspection inside a force of nature, improving the gaze upon the concept of life. Each piece overloads the viewer with sacred, organic geometric flowers infused with capturing the human experience. The texture Gomez releases onto the canvas remains forgivingly, ground breaking and humbling. Each painting drips with emotion and observational introspection on the self. The endeared focal point of the human figure has no defiance of race or age other than pure, natural existence. The exhibit, “Observations” challenges the act of introspection and demonstrates the cycles of life. Gomez drives the idea of inception and acceptance of blossoming reality to inspire his creations. “I find myself painting my own figure. I can almost trace my own likeness,” said Gomez. He paints the existential experience of organic transitions of life infused with emotion. The artist adds a transcendental wash of meditative colors in the background of his paintings. The auras of the human figures emit existential emotional bliss. Gomez said, “This series involved a heavy flow of water and drips for texture.” Gomez takes the viewer through the essence of time and captures the organic energy of the human experience embedded with flowers. The male figures in his paintings represent himself through inception involving the repetitive force of nature and use of shadow. Gomez captures the essence of stillness in time tied to flowers inside the Jedi mind of human connection. Gomez paints a captured moment, released with layers and drips of emotion onto raw canvas. The energy of each painting emits a divine washed away background of color mixed with a focal point of human perspective. Gomez has a way with creating texture using stencils to create paradoxical flowers and drips of elegance. “Sergio has a connection with expressing his emotions through art as a male,” said gallery representative and Director of ACS Gallery, Renee LaVerne Rose, “To express emotion through art amazes me, as a woman.” “The energy is bigger than life in his exhibit, Observations,” said LaVerne Rose, “Sergio is incredibly humble. If you see his work, you can see how he has evolved”. This series blooms with introspection and organically shows the transitioning seasons of the self. As the exhibit, “Observations” peels off the walls at the Zhou B. Art Center; the artist brainstorms his next idea. Find and talk to Gomez at his next art exhibit happening on every third Friday at the Zhou B. Art Center on the fourth floor. - Written by Sarah Opat for Talking Stones. Perhaps the most infinite wonder is how this moment matters. To the soul, the moment is just in front of us, all around us, twirling magnetic energy into motion. The wonder lies in the question, "What can one do in all this wonderful bliss?" The moment allows us to be ourselves. The intention of learning from the past comes from acceptance of change. "The easiest part is being you. It's the rest of the world that's the hard part, Being you is the most beautiful most pure thing you can do. Let yourself be you and never let that be the hard part about life," retired interrogation California man.
Sometimes the most important aspect is to let go of expectations. To release any attachment to holding on, or letting go of being indecisive. Playing mind games with oneself is toxic to the brain, heart, and soul. Feel free to just search for your feelings. Feeling this moment inside the human body. Maybe ask the body, "How can I let myself feel this moment without judgement?" Maybe the answer lies in just letting go of the constant train of thought and taking a walk into the sensations that lie awake in the body, the toes, the neck, shoulders, maybe the stomach. Check in with how the body feels in this moment. This is truth, this is nature, this is beauty. Your thoughts are not the truth of the moment, but actually feelings inside the body. Perhaps listening to techno trance and trip hop helps spark up authentic feelings for a free flow atmosphere. If you're waiting for something to happen- "You go from place to place no knowing" "Dreaming with my eyes wide open" "The mind tries to resist" "Into the system" - Techno trance Bleed into the moment. Satisfaction comes in feeling and being in the moment outside of thought. Yet again, this moment feeds the brain into transforming ideas into a digital world of creation on talking stones. (Laughs) Tapping the foot to techno music on a Saturday night alone in the living room. On the floor lies a white sheet of paper with over 20 red lip stick stained kisses all over it. On the top of the paper bleeds the black ink words of Sarah Opat. She wrote, "Self love". Loving the self is one of the hardest things to learn. Since society forgets to teach this lesson. We spend so much time thinking, and forcing our actions into this world without loving our soul. Take the time to place your hand on your heart and feel the warmth. Feel the shared love from your heart to your brain and into your magnetic, vivacious soul. xoxo Sarah Opat |
My CallingWriting for artists, as an artist. Va va voom. A new way of reading art news in Chicago // Denver. Thank you, dear ones. Archives
November 2020
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