Art is Long...

One day I saw this picture on facebook and loved it right away!!! I think it's such a cool picture, and describes both sides of the brain so well.

Obviously, I'm a right brained person, sometimes I do feel like creative juices flow like that in my head. 

I love being creative! It brings so much joy in my life! My second semester of college I had this amazing professor said that us artists are lucky to be creative, and that we should be grateful for such a godly talent. She said we are like Heavenly Father and Jesus who are the greatest creators. Wow! I thought, how cool is that? I have a godly trait.

I also had another professor said something else that stuck with me, he said, "Every time you touch that canvas you are creating something that has never been created." Again, wow, that hit me hard too, every time I do art or take a picture I have created something new to the world. 

Even though I love art and being creative, there have been times when I wasn't so sure and that I was discouraged and started second guessing myself, and wondering if I should pursue something else. I felt that most my senior year. Yeah, probably not the best time, since I was working on my senior project, and have been working hard to get to that point of my school career. The thing about the creative world is, you get critiques, you get different opinions, and sometimes people just don't like your style. It's hard not to take it personally, but in my senior year I did. It was hard when I would work on a project for 40 hours and display in class with other students work and I didn't get a sticky (sticky is where every student puts a post-it note on their favorite project, and some would get tons, while others didn't get any) also if your project didn't get a sticky, it didn't get a critique, we didn't get to talk about, basically it's not good enough to acknowledge it, at least that's how I felt, and after working so hard, it hurts. 

Most of my projects didn't get on the wall in the Spori building. That discouraged me...

I got a lot of Bs in my art classes when a lot got As. That discouraged me...

One critique another student said "Did you even think about your design?" Ummm... no of course I didn't, I just worked on it all week without thinking about the design.

Poor Dustin, there were a lot of tears that semester ( I was pregnant too, so that didn't help). 

I started thinking, if students don't like my work how can professionals out there like my work?

I was getting to the point where I wanted to quit my senior project (which was my goal since high school) and just get my degree and be over, but one day someone made a difference, it was just one person that appreciate my stuff and said I was good, and that has made the difference for me.

It was around February of my last year in school. A lot of times at BYUI they would send many artists from the country to speak to us in seminars and sometimes they would even do work shops. Well this time it was Armand Baltazaar (probably slaughtered that name) and he was from PIXAR and DreamWorks, and he had a very impressive portfolio.  He did a workshop for us where he showed us how he paints backgrounds for movies and he spent all morning doing it and I loved every moment and just soaked up the amazing information, and his amazing painting skills. 

Than we had a break and we were to continue with the workshop that afternoon. When we were heading back to the workshop I notice a lot of students getting all their pencils, papers, computers out and notice Dustin was doing the same. I was wondering if I missed a memo, so I asked Dustin what was going on, and he said that we were going to draw and Armand was going to look at our stuff and give us feed back. WHAT?????? 

"Well, I'm leaving. There is no way I'm having this PIXAR  guy looking at my stuff" I told Dustin. I was too embarrass about my art you see. I asked him to take me home because at the time I didn't know how to drive our stick shift, but about time I found out what was going on it was too late the work shop started. O SHOOT!

Dustin told me I better start drawing since I was there anyway.

Armand Baltazaar gave us an assignment to do Red Riding Hood with a twist of Western style or Gangster style. So he wanted us to sketch and come up with different ideas as if we were doing concept art for movies. Everyone was sketching away excited to show the PIXAR guy stuff they are made of, while  I was so timid and thinking "what am I going to draw?" I started thinking of his advice from earlier, and started sketching. Armand went around and started giving people feed back, and finally  he reached to Dustin and I, we were second to last. He really liked Dustin's stuff and liked how he was pushing the characters and gave him some good feed back. Than he came to me. 

O MY GOODNESS, was I nervous. I started showing him my sketches, I did some storyboard shots, and I had some character work done as well. He asked me what I wanted to do with my art, I told him I would love to illustrate children's books, and maybe go into the entertainment world. He than asked would I do character design or environments? I told him I wasn't sure yet. Than he responded, "Well, you have a good start for both, keep it up, you have potential."  I have potential? I started feeling better.   

Dustin gave me a smile and said "See, I told you were good." 

After Armand talked to everyone he had us put our stuff on the wall so other students could see and so we could discuss about them. Only half of the crowd put there stuff up, I didn't because I thought my stuff wouldn't compare. 

So we discussed about all the artwork on the wall, than when we were finished Armand said. "Some young lady didn't put her work up on the wall, and she had some really good artwork." he looks at my direction and I turned behind me thinking it was the girl behind me, than I look back at him and say "me?" and he laughs and says "Yes, you! Your stuff is good." Than he tells the audience what was good about my sketches. I couldn't help it I just started crying, in front all of these people, I just couldn't stop the tears just kept coming. Dustin asked if I was ok and I said "He liked my art, finally some one liked my art." Out of 100 students he remembered me! My teacher came up to me afterwards and said I should be happy that someone from PIXAR remembered me and that was a huge compliment. 

And that one person had made a huge difference in my life at that moment. 

I also had many teachers that encourage me as well. I had Nolan Parson for head drawing, and one day he asked to talk to me after class about my grade. I was a little nervous, since he told us that he was going to grade us according to the professional art world standard, so to expect Cs. So can you understand I was a little nervous? When I talked to me he starts " Your grade right now is a A-, if that's ok?" YES, I think I can live with that. He continues to tell me that I have great potential and wonders what I'm thinking for my future career. AWESOME!!! And he's a Parson, and all the Parson's are amazing artists. Leon Parson painted the temple murals for the Rexburg temple, to just give you an idea!

Another thing I love about art is, that you are always growing and improving. I always like looking back at old artwork and see how far I have come. Art, or any creative thing is hard and a long process, hence the my title "Art is long". Not only art but life, can have it's up and downs, but if we remember that we are sons and daughters of God we will remember our potential and not to be discouraged. Also to remember we can make a difference in someone's life. 

 It did for me. 

I Have a Blessed Life!

I've been wanting to post about this for a while,  but I just haven't yet because I knew it would take me a while! But this last month I have felt truly blessed and just been truly happy!

I really don't know where to begin, so I will just spill my guts, so it will probably not make sense and not flow well... so that's me warning you!

First thing, life is just hard. It's amazing, fun, has it ups and downs, unpredictable, and everything else. We all go through trials. Through facebook,blogs, and other sources of interacting I have seen many of my friends go through some hardships.  In these last few months I have had a friend lost her father, a friend who lost her husband, a friend that had a miscarriage, a friend that can't get pregnant and has been trying many years, a friend that has had health issues and didn't know what was going on, a friend that has gestational diabetes when she is pregnant... and many more. But what has amazed me is seeing these friend's attitudes towards these trials, they look at the positives, they come closer to our Heavenly Father, they see his love and they grow from these experiences. I have learned so much from them, and they have taught me to appreciate my life and what I have, and to have a better attitude and outlook in life.

As I mention in a previous blog that I have been focusing trying to do more fun and memorable things with Thomas and Dustin, well I have also tried to focus more on ways to make my marriage better, and change my attitude in a lot of things, and I have been happier and more excited about life.

I have also tried to converse with the Lord more and have him in more in my life, too many times I get "too busy" with being a mom that I forget to thank my Heavenly Father for all that he has given me. He truly has blessed me and I have seen him touch my life so much this last month, things have been working out better, things have been clicking to place, basically I just have seen blessings all over that how can I not post how grateful I am to be blessed! I have an amazing husband who is a great companion, supporter, and everything else. I have a beautiful little boy. I have great family and friends. Everyday I get to do what I love, I get to be with my little boy, I get be an artist, and I get to be with my husband, how can I not love life?

Anyway, there are more things I'm grateful for and more I wanted to say but it's getting late, and this cold that I have is making my head stuffy so it's hard to think but I wanted to least say that I'm so grateful to my Heavenly Father and this gospel, the Lord's plan is truly the plan of happiness!

I really should put a picture of Dustin on here too, because he's such a blessing in my life but I didn't get a chance to get a picture with him tonight liked I planned! So maybe another post I will....

One full, fun, & blessed week!

This last week we have had a lot of blessings and fun. 

When we moved to Pennsylvania 5 months ago we only brought what we could fit in our car, so when we moved here in Florida we didn't have that much. So for the last few weeks we had a blow-up bed and a pack-n-play for thomas, and two stools and that was our furniture. We were planning on getting our furniture from different places but we needed to save some money first. Than a week ago someone called and told us there was a couple that was getting rid of tons of stuff for free, so Monday we went to check it out and by the end of that night we had, a bed, office desk, recliner, microwave, vacuum, and much more for free! We couldn't believe it! Than Tuesday I got a new rocking chair from my mother-in-law. Also on Tuesday, the mail man kept coming with boxes and I didn't know what they were and when I opened them up there was some kitchen knives and bunch of kitchen stuff! I started crying, because I couldn't believe how blessed we were, but I had no idea who sent all this stuff than I get a text from my sister Nicole that said: "Did you get my packages?" I couldn't believe it, in the matter of days our apartment was all set up! The Lord blesses us through other people!

Also this week we got to do a lot of fun things. There was a family that Dustin knew growing up that were here for vacation, so they let us swim a couple times at their resort, so that was a lot fun, Thomas loved it! Also this week we got my season pass to the Seaworld parks so Thomas and I went three times this past week and every time I forgot our camera, so no pictures, but we are five minute walk so we will be going a lot so we will get pictures in the future.  Than Saturday we went to Disney World for the Star Wars weekend. It was a lot of fun, we got to see many Star Wars characters but we just took pictures with Darth Maul because he's my favorite bad guy and we came right as he came so there wasn't a huge line. The guy was awesome, and Thomas thought he was funny. We also got to ride the Rock and Roll roller-coaster  which is one of my favorites! 

Even though this move has been somewhat hard on me, I really can't complain because I have a lot of fun here. I mean I get to go to theme and water parks all the time and I do. Everyday we go and do something, and next week we are going to Aquatica water park which I hear is awesome. Also we have a lot of fun couples here, so I'm glad that we are here even though there is a cockroach here and there, and we have no money it's been a fun adventure. 

I thought this guy was awesome, made me what to watch the movies again.

Thomas & I in Hollywood Studios.

I had to put these last two pictures because he is sooo cute, and to show how messy he can get.

It's Been a Good Week!

These are just some pictures of my new hair color!

First thing I just want to say is that I have been truly blessed! This weekend I had so many people come and comforted me! Seriously, I didn't realize how lucky I was! So thanks to all my friends and family, you're truly blessings in my life.

This last weekend I colored my hair in dark brown with a red velvet tint to it! It's super fun, I like it, my mother on the other hand said: "You have a purple hair! Why would you ever want to do that!" I love her still!

Than this last week Dustin and I had a good chat, and we are back together! And wow! Did I miss that kid over the weekend!! We both agreed that was the longest weekend and life was just not the same!!!! It's amazing what communication can do! So that happened this Tuesday, so the week started of really good.

Than today I found something out that I have been dreaming about since I was a senior in high school and it was my goal ever since I heard about it! I made it the BFA Art Program!!!!!!! I'm so excited!! I have been working really hard to get in this program and I was way nervous to turn my portfolio in because I barely made the cut off line credit wise and I knew that I was competing with some really good juniors and seniors! But Brother Huntsman (my favorite art teacher in the whole wide world) gave me the thumbs up, and said "shhh" because technically I'm not so post to know until a week or so! It's pays to be the art secretary!

So life can get any better than this!

When Life brings you lemons, you make Lemonade

So life goes up and down, I have learned that through out my life especially the last 2 years! There are times when life seems like nothing can go wrong and you have everything figured out, than there are times where you feel like nothing will never go right!

So there have been some bitter times in my life and some trials I have had to go through. And there are times when I handle the situations not well and other times I handle them better. But the last 6 months I have come to realize that your trials can become your sweetest moments in your life.  

About 8 months ago I went through something that I wasn't sure how I was going to make it, than I came to the conclusion that this trial was either going to break me or make me, and I decided to let it make me, and I never been so blessed in my life. I decided to not focus on my problems but to listen to others and help them with their trials and try to be everyone's best friend, and it's made the hugest difference in my life because I have discovered some amazing friends. Later I slowly came to realize that I couldn't be happier, and that you can conquer anything when you're close to the Lord and when you serve others.

Well now I'm back to similar experience that I was in 8 months ago, and what's interesting is sometimes when you're at your lowest you start to see the blessings that you have surrounding you. For example my parents and my friends, they are amazing, they are already helping me through this trial.  And since I have gone through this before I know that I can make it, but this time I have been blessed even more and I'm anticipating what will I learn through this trial, and anxious to see what I can be because of it. 

So what do you do when life gives you lemons? You make Lemonade!

I Have Been Blessed so Much!

I have been thinking lately, a lot actually, how BleSSeD I am! Life has been really good, the Lord has really watched over me! I wake up every day with a smile on my face and thinking how lucky am I!

Here are some blessings that I have:

1. Great parents that love me so much and have been my best friends the last couple of years.

2. My siblings, I just love them to death! What a blessing they are!

3. For all the people that I have met in my life, I think we meet people for a reason, they help us throughout our lives! And I have met some InCReDiBLe people that have truly made a difference in my life.

4. For my amazing teachers who truly care about me and who want me to succeed in my life.

5. For my talent in ART, art is my passion and I don't know were I would be if I didn't have my art.

6. For the tender mercies the Lord gives me so that I can keep going.

7. For all the embarrassing moments (and I have a lot) that I can look back on and laugh.

8. For my religion class that I have this semester!  It's truly amazing I think I  cry every time I have that class! 

9. Not going to lie..... NUtEllA is for sure a blessing! That stuff is aMAzINg!

10. And of course for this GOSPEL! And my Savior!