x-posted to my newsletter + my on line community

Do you know this song? It’s definitely one of my favourites, and even though I’m not *actually* in the love in the romantic sense, I love how perfectly it expresses what a roller coaster ride our emotional lives can be – especially in times like these.

I so often find myself singing this song on a Friday as I do my (searingly honest) weekly recap in my written journal. It’s the perfect companion when I take inventory of what went on throughout the course of a week because it seems to give me permission to feel how I feel about things and embrace the highs, lows, and middles that are a part of all of our lives. Allowing myself to have my full range of emotions without shaming myself over it has definitely been a part of my healing journey. I’m noticing it creeping into my creative journey as well in the way I’m starting to let things be “ugly” and expressive instead of trying to pretty things up for the gaze of others.

Like this girl I painted during a recent Prayers To The Moon.

She was so not my usual fare, but she fell out of my paintbrush AND that “mistake” I made when I gently brushed some of the spray varnish over her face (because it came out of the spray can in puddles) – a move that smeared the black paint pen – would once have ABSOLUTELY devastated me. Not this time, though. This time, that “mess” I made felt *perfect* and added a little “sumphin’ sumphin'” that left me feeling satisfied.

This experience was followed up by someone asking IF SHE WAS AVAILABLE FOR SALE, which threw me for a loop because she’s just this quick little doodle of a thing on 5 x 7 cardstock that I flung out of my subconscious and onto the page during a live painting sesh. I couldn’t understand why someone would want her, and I had to sit with how awkward and weird it made me feel for a bit. And then, I came to the realization that she’s wanted because *she’s honest* and if that’s not a statement that proves that life imitates art, I don’t know what is. All of this to say that I’m done pushing for the “reframe” or the “solution” in my art journal. I want to express it all, and that’s what I’ll be doing from here on in.

In Other News 

Have you seen those memes going around about how THIS IS THE TIME to find the PeRfEcT notebook that will CHANGE YOUR LIFE – a meme that makes those of us with notebook addictions giggle because we have DOZENS, most of them empty…

Well, in my world, we MAKE those and we DO use them. I call them Sweet Trash Journals, and it just so happens that I’ve got a weekend workshop coming up starting on January 6th in which we will explore their creation and maintenance TO THE HILT. We start with a thorough exploration of the best kinds of books to use (cheap composition notebooks, imo) and how to take them from trash to Velveteen Rabbit Style Treasure. This workshop will take place live with me on Zoom so there will be plenty of opportunity to commune and engage AND you will have forever access to the replay so you can revisit it as often as you wish. Click here for details.Please use promo code WILDERLOVE to get a discount

Meanwhile

I put the finishing touches on this yesterday and it sold to a lovely collector before the end of the day (What??!!)

She is the very first lesson in Moonshine 2023, (hint: promo code WILDERLOVE works network-wide to get you 20% off) which begins on January 1st, 2023 with a live activation gathering on Zoom AND this painting tutorial. Get all the details on this life-changing class here. 

If you’re joining me for Moonshine, make sure you get at least 2 big binders because you’re going to need it for all the content I’ll be throwing your way throughout the year.

You can also come paint her with me in Moonshine Lite if that’s more your jam. This is a tier on Patreon that includes EVERYTHING I do over there + a monthly tutorial that combines art + spirituality in a perfect marriage of intention and play.

And, in case you missed it, Life Book 2023 starts IN JUST A FEW DAYS and the 30% off discount ends December 31st! Get details here and use coupon code LOVEART30!

Since retiring Book Of Days, I’m going to have a lot more time to play in the classes I’ve signed up for this year, and I’m really looking forward to building my skills and a lovely body of work in 2023! I hope to see you in there!

Okay, that’s it for me for 2022, y’all! I’ll see you in the New Year!

xo
Effy

As always, if you’d like to touch base, just hit replay to this email. 

P.S. Sick of the Book Of Faces? Totally Over The Twits? I hope you’ll join me in my free online community where you can share what you’ve created in any or all of my classes/offerings and generally commune with lovely peeps of like mind. This is *not* a Facebook Group, so there are no ads, no algorithms to contend with, and no “noise”. it’s just us, sharing our hearts and art. I love it so much. I hope you will, too.

Patreon | Life Book 2023 | Moonshine 2023 |

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