Category: Guardians

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Creating out of chaos!

Posted on by sue boardman

There’s an old debate among religious scholars… was the world created out of nothing? Or, out of chaos?

I got tired of the fight decades ago and decided to go with chaos as my operating theory. And, right about now, I’m glad I’ve been practicing for a while!

I can’t solve Washington D.C. I can’t solve the Middle East. I can’t solve climate change. At least not all by myself. I can’t even solve all the things in my own body that are – well – grumbling in the moment. And it still feels a whole lot like ass over applecart time.

That doesn’t mean, however, that there’s nothing I can do!!! (Which is good, because I think that would just push me right over the edge!)

And, yes… we’re still re-creating the house. AND we’re making big progress!!! We have two rooms that are far enough along to feel welcoming. Not done, quite yet, but a whole lot better than they were. (Honestly, I’m not sure “done” is a goal for me!)

Here’s the thing… I am creating a microcosm of the world I want for all those we love!

Safety. Choice. Space for expression. An acceptance that change happens and we are capable of adapting. (Indeed, we were created to adapt!) Beauty. Determination. Welcome. Space for grief. And celebration.

It’s a challenge, you know, for a word person like me, to be intentionally externalizing all those things and making space for them in ways that can be seen and touched.

The photo we began with is an updated glimpse at the view from my chair. Precious art. Favorite books. My alter-ego, Daphne, in her rocking chair. Every inch of it… HOPE! (And, yes… there’s a whole lot more space that still needs work!)

Maybe, though, it’s the making space that feels so helpful in this moment. Intentionally making space for things that matter hugely to my spirit, even in the midst of so much battling over who gets to decide who gets to decide who and what matters.

Then, there’s this small piece that insisted on being freed from the closet and put to work.

This piece is titled Reflections! The under-layer holds a quote from Anne Lamott:

So… I decided that the most subversive, revolutionary thing I could do was to…

I’m guessing you understand why it wanted out, just now!

And, when I get right down to it, all this space-tending has a whole lot to do with showing up for my life!

You see, last night I dreamed about half of my next children’s book! It has to do with having choices about what we believe!

For now, though, there is a diffuser to set up with one of my favorite essential oils. Vision. And some more Good Trouble to make!

ps… you can find Reflections! and some of its dear friends available for adoption at FierceArtWithHeart. Fix yourself a cuppa and wander! (And, yes… there’s more to the quote!!!)

pps… stay tuned! Big edit bubbling for one of my most treasured paintings! She’s insisting! And I have to find a flat surface!!!

ppps… ready for some help with what’s bubbling in your world??? My #Medicine Basket is full of tools like guided imagery, hypnotherapy, NLP, Enneagram types, meta-cognitive drawing, huge HOPE and a whole lot of of Medicine Painting! Also, open-minded couples work and marriage prep!!! I have space for just a few new clients AND a very special offer! 6 sessions (90 min each) – Zoom or local – for the usual price of 4… scheduling at your discretion! NOW is the best time for Unsticking Stuck Stuff!!! The next right thing is clicking the link, below…

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Just tell the story!

Posted on by sue boardman

The first thing I learned, in the first preaching class I took, was to always have tissues in the pocket of my robe! (Fortunately, my first practice “congregation” was three good friends at my dining room table!)

That was followed by a lot of academic, traditional stuff to learn. Much of it terrifying. Like the day one of my professors commented that they, “didn’t know where you were going.” In a moment of temporary clarity/insanity, I responded that I didn’t want them to know where I was going. I wanted them to to with me. Gulp!!!

Eventually, though, I got the piece of the puzzle that was missing for me.

Walter Brueggemann thundering, “Just tell the story!”

Not footnotes and debates and endless explanations. Stories!

I was found!!!

Turns out that sometimes painting has a lot to do with preaching, and this has been one of those weeks. You see, I’ve been spending a lot of time back in the land of MSNBC, crying and remembering. And being grateful that we are intentionally able to learn!

The painting at the top is one of the layers of an on-going adventure known as #Abracadabra, which can be translated I create as I speak. (I love that so much!!!)

Frankly, I wasn’t thrilled with where it was at that point, but I was willing to stay on the road. Then, President Jimmy Carter walked into his future. And my painting volunteered to help with my processing by holding space for Jimmy’s own words…

Time out for a bit of history!

I didn’t vote for Jimmy. I was too busy wandering in the wilderness and trying to figure out who I would be and how I would get there when a whole lot of the way we’ve always done it wasn’t working even a little.

Life IS for learning, though, and I have! And so I cried at the replay of Jimmy’s birthday concert. And then the tears really began to fall as I watched Saturday’s Medal of Freedom Ceremony at the White House, live. President Biden and Dr. Biden being gracious hosts for a real cross section of people who had done amazing things in this world.

Eighteen medals awarded. Several of them posthumously.

Hugs and tears and gratitude abounding. Joy at hearing our President, with a huge grin on his face, claim “Kids rule in this house!”

Some of the honorees were, obviously, easier for me to relate to than others. Michael J. Fox. The real RFK. Bill Nye, The Science Guy. Fannie Lou Hamer. And, as Jose Andres, of World Central Kitchen, said… a seat for everyone at the table.

And, then, the ceremony concluded and MSNBC went on to the complications involved in next week’s sentencing of the next President of the United States to 34 felony counts of “illegally influencing the 2016 election through a hush money payment to a porn actor…” (AP).

I don’t know how we’re going to get through the next chapter in America’s story, but I do know it’s going to take a whole bunch of Fiercely Compassionate Rebel Grandmothers, and other wise folks, along the Red Thread!

ps… I suspect Good Trouble will be involved in whatever comes next! Do YOU have some Good Trouble you feel called to make??? Let’s talk! 45 min. My gift. Your next right thing! Just ask the Calendar Elves to hook you up! And, of course, you’ll want a cuppa, something to write on & with, and a bit of red thread if it’s handy. Now is the time!!!

pps… there are changes coming soon at FierceArtWithHeart! And some really good deals now!!! Daphne and the shop elves have insisted on continuing the very special deal on my new kids’ book, A Creation Poem… through Monday, Jan 20. Buy 2 /get a 3rd free… no special codes. Just put 3 copies in your basket and one will be free!

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Let’s light more lights!!!

Posted on by sue boardman

If you’ve been reading along, dear heart, you’ll be pleased to know that “everyone” did, indeed, make it to the mythic stable for Christmas! (Along with a few other sentimental items which make my heart happy!)

The backdrop for our creche is volunteer art from A Creation Poem… “blacker than 100 midnights, down in a cypress swamp” (slb with thanks to James Weldon Johnson!)

I’ve thought about that a lot. Imagine being one of the folks in that rather rag-tag original gathering. No notion of what was coming next… only certain that, somehow, you belonged there in that moment.

And, yes! I – in a very small way – am relating just now.

There are other things in my awareness, as well.

News, though I’m still rationing that!

Dizziness off and on… with the need for new glasses. A very cranky right wrist and hand which makes painting more complicated. You get the drift…

Along with a crazy plan to re-arrange all the rooms in our house. Again! And, no, it’s not avoidance. It’s commitment to meeting new needs!!!

Here’s the real-deal room view from my favorite chair just now! And, no… I haven’t taken leave of my senses! There’s just a whole lot going on inside that needs externalizing. And that means words and paint. (And, bears!)

It also means space! The designated kind! So, the current bedroom is becoming the library. The studio is becoming the bedroom. The living room is becoming the studio. We’re even going to get rid of a few things!!! And, yes – blessedly – the Legendary Husband is on board!

Fortunately, painting and pondering go well together! You see, in several places where I hang out, the notion of intention or words or vision for 2025 has come up.

I like words and intentions way better than resolutions! And, I know it’s a bit early yet, but I’ve also heard The Muse whispering our answers!

I am declaring 2025 to be the year of Fiercely Compassionate Rebel Grandmothers… literal, or volunteer!

(I’m guessing you’ll agree that there’s more hope in this notion than in the “project” some of the folks in the news are planning for 2025…)

The words that chose me are Promise and Persist. (As many times as it takes!) And I’d love for you to join in!!!

What might YOU promise for the coming year?

What matters enough to YOU to empower you to persist?

And, yes… I really would love to know! You can leave a comment if you scroll down a ways, or email me at suesvoice@gmail.com

Here’s another thing I’m thrilled about… the studio revision will give me enough room to actually invite people to paint!!!

For this moment, though, the edges on my #Legend painting, The Time Returns, are dry enough for another coat of paint! She/they are counting on me… and on you! Counting on us to live in a world where promises matter and keep showing up for new knowing.

ps… rest in peace, Jimmy Carter. And rise in power. With huge thanks… he is teaching me, still!

pps… can you feel the intentions rumbling??? The dreams whispering??? Let’s talk! The world needs as many of us as possible on the path to the place where our great joy and the world’s deep longing meet, and my Filters model is going deep and wide! Just ask the calendar elves to hook you up with 45 min. My gift. You bring your notions of joy and longing, along with a cuppa, some paper and markers, or whatever’s handy. A scrap of Red Thread would be welcome. I’ll bring my very excited Medicine Basket! We’ll name a next right step!

ppps… help the Littles you love to start their new year with an inclusive new sense of belonging and wonder! January 6th is the feast day of Epiphany and the word, epiphany, comes from the Greek word which means manifestation!!! The very obliging shop elves insisted on extending the buy 2 – get one free – offer on my first picture book, A Creation Poem… until then. No fancy codes needed. Just put 3 copies in your basket and one will be free! As my old friend, Dr. H. Stephen Glenn helped me learn, “if a teenaged child has 5 adults who will listen to them, take them seriously, and not shame or blame them for their questions, that child is practically immune from ever attempting suicide.” A Creation Poem… is INTENTIONALLY written exactly that way for Littles of many traditions and families! Mattering matters!!!

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My painting is pregnant!

Posted on by sue boardman

Last night, the Muse and I worked on the dove. And added another person toward the bottom. And touched up some colors. Progress… and I knew there was more!

Then, I knew. She is here, becoming… to bring something new into my awareness.

I’m not clear about all of it yet, but it has a lot to do with growth and hope. And, if my own experience with the pregnant thing is any indication, there will be some challenges, along the way! (This is both true and, likely, the voice of the Critic, as well!)

And, regardless of the challenges – and the fear – I’m all in, whatever we’re birthing!

In fact, after the chaos dreams last night, the Muse sent me in search of some comfort. I found it in my box of Mother Mary Oracle Cards… or, more likely, it found me!

Card #1… Our Lady of the Sacred Hearth. There are times, it begins, when we have outgrown our old safety nets. Like a hermit crab that outgrows the little shell and needs to search for a larger home, we must endure a transition that can feel frightening, giving rise to many insecurities.

And, then, this… there are times when growth simply must happen. You are at one of those times in your life…

Just between us, I really, really hope so!!! In fact, I hope that much of the world is at one of those times!!!

Our Littles need for us to be at one of those times!

I don’t expect such a time will be easy. Growth rarely is.

When you get right down to it, though, why else would we be here???

This is a glimpse of another one of my growth-paintings…

The raised hand is mine. And the Hebrew word means, Here I am.

A reminder of my promise… even on a day when it’s way colder than it needs to be and my knee is doing a new painful thing which means my planned pot of soup is on hold.

Sometimes, apparently, growth decides we are ready, even when we don’t feel ready.

And the surprising thing, in this moment, is that, deep in my heart, I can just barely hear a whole huge circle of ancestors – of those who came before us – whispering yes… yes… yes!

Because there is, indeed, more growing to do!

For just a bit longer, though, I think I’ll stare at her and wonder what wonder has quickened her!

ps… right after I remind you that there’s still time to do some deep growth holiday gift shopping at FierceArtWithHeart! The shop elves will be delighted to hook you up with a copy of A Creation Poem… OR, put 3 in your basket and 1 of them will magically be free! Then, choose anything from Original Paintings, Archival Prints, or the Special Collection by my dear friend, August Venuh, and get 25 % off your choices. You just click here to fill up your basket and the elves will do the math! (No codes needed! )They’re really excited to help you, so fix yourself a cuppa and wander in the wonder! It’s time to deck the walls!!!

pps… I’d really love to know what’s calling you! 45 minutes. My gift. You & your big dreams. Me & my medicine basket. A cuppa. Paper and markers… or eyebrow pencils if that’s what you have! Some red thread if it’s handy… to get one step clearer!!!  Just click here and ask the calendar elves to hook you up!

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’tis the season… for strategies!

Posted on by sue boardman

I woke, early this morning, with Little Cindy Lou Who whispering in my ear! (And, yes… I’ve been watching the Grinch!)

Cindy Lou’s voice was not the only one I heard. There was also a voice proclaiming, Fear not! Which is, admittedly, a bit ahead of where we are in the season, but hang with me, please.

Let’s begin with our friends in the photo.

Imagine being out on a hill in the dark someplace, making your living guarding sheep, with not much more help than an eager herding dog from a place far, far away. And the sky splits open and a voice booms – or even whispers – Fear not!

Then, imagine that again, from the perspective of one who has not heard this story their whole life long. One who likely can’t read or write. One who has no idea what will happen next.

And, yes… I’m identifying with that shepherd. Possibly for the first time in all my years of hearing and telling this story! And what I’m realizing is that I am, indeed, afraid, for there are more voices than ever before in my experience who want us to be afraid!

I’m also guessing that I’m not the only one who’s noticed that we really can’t just decide what we want to feel – or not feel – and make it so.

What we can do is to choose strategies. Like the Whos down in Who-ville, we can choose to claim the truth behind that old, old story.

We can do un-fear!

We can use our time and our resources, intentionally, to make the world a bit less scary for some of our neighbors.

We can externalize a whole lot of the chaos we may well be feeling… put it on a really big canvas… and paint hope over it. #abracadabra!

And we can use these strategies for good… no matter what particular version of the story we learned as children – no matter what version we may claim now – if we’re willing to claim that, in the very beginning, it was intended to be good news for all.

We can be the meaning!

It’s not going to solve all the problems right away. It hasn’t solved all the problems, yet! But, that, dear heart, is not our job. Our job is to be good news wherever we can, even when it’s scary.

ps… here’s a great way for you to be good news! The shop elves will be delighted to hook you up with a copy of A Creation Poem… OR, put 3 in your basket and 1 of them will magically be free! Then, choose anything from Original Paintings, Archival Prints, or the Special Collection by my dear friend, August Venuh, and get 25 % off your choices. You just click here to fill up your basket and the elves will do the math! (No codes needed! )They’re really excited to help you, so fix yourself a cuppa and wander in the wonder! It’s time to deck the walls!!!

pps… I’d really love to know what’s calling you! 45 minutes. My gift. You & your big dreams. Me & my medicine basket. A cuppa. Paper and markers… or eyebrow pencils if that’s what you have! Some red thread if it’s handy… to get one step clearer!!!  Just click here and ask the calendar elves to hook you up!

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What if WE are the soup pot???

Posted on by sue boardman

Yep… I have a bit of a soup pot fetish going on! Not the creepy kind!

The kind where an inanimate object is honored for its supposed magical powers. And it’s been with me for for quite a long time, in ways both literal and legendary.

Let’s start with the literal kind. The kind where bones and water and heat and time make healing magic. I think it began for me when my son, who was about two at the time, had repeated cases of strep throat-tonsillitis and was allergic to lots of the standard meds.

One of his docs – the enlightened kind – suggested soup. Not the kind in the red & white can. Bone broth. This was great for so many reasons… including the fact that it was cheap!

I loved my soup pot even more in the years when I had pneumonia way too many times. It felt good and helped me breathe.

Fast forward to my first #Legend painting, early in 2018. Much to my surprise, a soup pot appeared on my canvas and – a couple of days later – a phoenix appeared in my dreams, rising from that soup pot!

Perhaps because it’s about to be #Legend time again, or because fall is great weather for soup, the phoenix has appeared in my dreams again.

It’s likely, though, that the phoenix and the soup pot also have to do with what’s going on in the world around us, what’s becoming inside of me, and the presence of anxiety on my path.

Typically, for me, I noticed the words in my dream, first.

Anxiety is not a character fault. It’s not a diagnosis of doing “it” wrong. Instead, it’s a sign that something matters! What???

And that, dear friend, seems like a really, really good question in this moment!

I’d love to hear what this brings up for you… You can scroll down and leave a comment, or email me. suesvoice@gmail.com

Here’s one of the things that happened since I dreamed that dream…

And, no… it’s really not supposed to look like much, just yet. It did get me pretty close to something that might be called dancing with the brush… which could be something that matters to my currently cranky body.

My physical therapist might even call it exercise! (It’s a 48 inch square canvas…)

What I can tell you for sure is that the process is something that matters. Curious about #Legend??? Click here for all the info!

pps… here’s something else that matters! A way to help our Littles feel included in the story of being. Complete with original art, some tips for the Bigs who are reading aloud, and the very most treasured thing I know! The holidays are coming… just click here to get your copies!

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Between was and will be…

Posted on by sue boardman

Yep! That’s where it feels like I’m standing. And that’s a picture of what it felt like a couple hours ago!

For now, a bit of musing… sitting with my feet up, hoping the power doesn’t go out!

Sunday’s book launch was huge fun! Monday’s doc’s appointment… let’s call it progress. Tuesday – moving. (Joints and muscles!) And, today, hearth tending in the Red Thread Cafe Classroom!

I love hearth tending. It’s a lot like summer camp but without poison ivy and water moccasins! On this day, though, I seem to be channeling the suspended bridge over the Santa Fe River in Florida’s O’Leno State Park.

Exhilarating and terrifying all at the same time. And, according to the elves in my cell phone, closed today because of Hurricane Helene. It kind of sounds like my back yard should be closed today, too, as the early bands of Helene make their way north and it’s full dusk at 3:30pm!

Here’s the “betwixt and between” bit…

A Creation Poem… exists. There are copies upon copies headed here – which is another storm concern! I’m waiting to hear whether I’ll have an exhibitor’s booth at the Decatur Book Festival, on October 5. Not a whole lot of time to plan for something I’m not even sure I need to be ready for!

Just between us… I’m really hoping it works!

For today, though… Medicine Painting. (Which sounds like way more fun than homework!)

There are many notions of how Medicine Painting works and even more about what it looks like.

And, here’s the thing… you don’t really know until you do it! A notion that makes some of us anxious… or, used to!!!

Here’s my favorite part – instead of deciding what to put on the canvas, I get to sit with the canvas and discover what I see as it comes forth! It’s a lot like claiming that I do, indeed, have influence, while choosing to set aside control. Here’s what’s happened since this morning…

It’s been a long road! And the first step was setting aside the notion I learned early on that I was not the artistic kid. Which was a whole lot like realizing that Mom was right about a lot of things, but that wasn’t one of them!

The world feels a lot like that in this moment! And all I know to do is to show up being the me I am now.

So… I told the guy named Steve that I wanted a booth at the book festival if it works out. And then I asked what I needed to know! His advice had a lot to do with where to park and having as many ways as possible for people to pay for books. And art. And then he said the coolest thing…

Give people a way to engage!

You guessed it… dots!!!

So, non-toxic, washable dot markers. They’re round, like finger tips!!! Because if you’re going to write a book about including kids, you need a way to INCLUDE them! Probably a few extra paint shirts, too. And baby wipes.

And, if this whole thing actually happens, I’m going to have two choices about where to make the dots. On a spare round canvas which makes a great home for a peace sign. And, as the next layer of the medicine painting I’m deep in today!

Because more people making dots for Peace and Hope gets the world that much closer to – well – Peace and Hope. To believing that WE can do something to create and claim what matters!

And, you know what???

Even if this book festival doesn’t work this time, I’m already clearer on my Promise. And I’ll have two more books done for next year! (Really!!!)

Here’s the cover for the next one…

ps… just in case you have something you’re longing to manifest in the world, there’s still time – but not much! – to check out Shiloh Sophia’s new, year-long painting adventure called Abracadabra! (I’m so excited!!!) Just click here for all the info…