Dreaming Big, It takes two.

Dream Big

Original Mixed Media by Harmony Lenasbunt 2012

Prints available here

Well, I just returned from the show in Chattanooga.  I am always amazed at the resiliency of my kiddos.  They took the 8 hour trip like champs and handled the busy show schedule with ease.  My now 5 month old spent the early mornings strapped to my front while I hung paintings and organized prints at the show tent, while my 4 year old busied himself with a "scene" of wooden birds he had stolen from my display and hid under one of the tables playing happily for hours.  The show was fun, with lots of great stories heard from various people visiting my booth, and new friends made from the amazing array of talented creatives that were vending beside me.  It was a terrible selling show, as we barely made back the cost of our space fee and our hotel bill, but I always love visiting Chattanooga, which made up for that fact.  My husband and I always call it the "city of wonders" because they always have some totally interesting or off the wall thing to explore around almost every corner in the downtown area, and we have had several family vacations there in the past.  This visit did not disappoint us in the slightest.  The weather, which had been promised to be awful (thunderstorms and constant rain), ended up being a mix of clouds, sun, and perfectly cool, a welcome respite for this heat wearied Floridian.  I was so blessed to also have the willing hands and companionship of my sister, her husband, my brother and his wife along for the weekend, so there was lots of help and plenty of time away from the booth to play with my boys and visit other venders and enjoy the art festival itself.  I actually really hate the selling part of shows, love setting up and seeing it all together and beautifully arranged, but when it comes down to watching people pick over what you created, it just feels odd and I want to be as far from the booth as possible during that part of the show.  I do love the stories though.  How a certain image or phrase sparked some memory for them or inspires a dream.  I love to encourage each person to keep reaching for that place of peace and happiness that they hope for, keep being creative, keep finding joy in little simple bits of life and letting it seep into their souls.  I hope my art can do that for a few people, and I send out my own gratitude to each person that took the time to look at my work and took a piece of it home with them.  You are inspiring my own dream, and so I thank you all.  

XO, HARMONY

Animal Totems: The Bear

Hello dear friends.

I was recently hit with enormous creative inspiration and have been painting up a storm.  This is a feat within itself as I am still operating on newborn baby time.  I did not expect my creative energy to return so quickly and with such force after giving birth 2 months ago, but I cant stop its flow and must just let it channel through me.  I wanted to share with you a bit of what I did this weekend.  This is a piece from what will most likely become a series on spirit animals.  I love the idea that our animal friends teach us about ourselves through their natures.  That we can both relate to them and gain insight into ourselves from their spirits.  They can also teach us how to grow, and be more patient, more selfless, more balanced in our lives.  I wanted to start with the Bear.  Maybe because I feel like a Mama Bear right now, but nevertheless, here she is...

"I have the spirit of a bear.. grounded and strong, 

fiercely protecting that which I love, 

leading others with a cautious mind and an open heart"

Here's the finished piece.  She's quite large (about 16" x 22").  I used vintage papers for the under layers, then kept building texture, color, shape, and design on top.  I couldnt decide whether to add words to this one, so for now she is complete until I change my mind again.  ;)

What other animal spirit would you suggest for the next one?

XO, HARMONY

Be Courageous

 "Be Courageous" Mixed Media Original by Harmony Lenasbunt 2011

It was an unexpected side effect of becoming a mother that finally started to realize that I didnt really have all the time in the world to pursue my passions and create the life of my dreams.  Before kids, I just went along slowly, as I pleased, figuring, "I'll get to that someday."  Then everything went into hyperdrive.  Life is speeding past me, mostly the growing and changing of my now 3.5 year old child and almost arrived little one, and I am trying to stay on board while still holding onto those parts of me that make me feel authentic and true to my heart (mostly creating art).  Sometimes I get stuck at a decision, weighing the options of what I want, vs what I can actually accomplish, vs what my family needs.  Deciding to do shows this season, amidst preparing for baby #2 was one of those decisions.  I am still not sure I made the right one, but we (my little family) survived it, and I definitely learned many things about my limitations and how to ask for help (something I've never been good at).  I am in the middle of another of those decisions again right now.  I am starting to realize that once you create a family you adore, these types of decisions continue to keep coming.  So here I am, thinking about my son, my newborn son due in 16 days, my hardworking and loving husband, and then my desire to create art and pursue it as a lifestyle and buisness.  Should I wait another year and just focus on nothing but family, like I did when my first son was born?  Or should I go for it, pursue my passions, and ask my family to adjust to the changes in "mom's" schedule as we have before?  Is it fair to my second child to be more distracted and busy than I was with my first?  I think I know what the right answer is, because a happy and contented mommy really does make a happy and contented family, but man! this mom guilt thing is powerful.  I am sharing this because I believe that we all face these kinds of decisions no matter what walk of life you are in.  Whether you are a parent, are in a significant partnership, close family or friends, or are a singleton facing the daunting world with a dream in hand and very little direction, we all have our moments of wanting someone to tell us what to do and how it will turn out.  But we will never have that, and so I wanted to encourage you as I have needed to encourage myself... Be Courageous!  While it is perfectly appropriate to be cautious before making these such decisions, we should never make them while influenced by fear or guilt.  So let's be courageous together! What obstacles are you facing this week?  What choices will you take a leap of faith in today?  Be blessed in all of them!

XO, HARMONY

Soul Full Hearts

"Believe You Can" (2011) Mixed Media Original by Harmony 

AH-MAZING!   I did it! I survived the show at 9 months pregnant and am now finally resting for a long lazy morning with my family.  I believed that I could do it, and I did (although I will admit there were points along the way, that I was sure that I would not be ready in time, but wonderfully it all worked out).  We had a good show day, the weather in FL was incredible, my team was stellar, and the crowd was a joy to watch and interact with.  I had lots of plans to video and take pics throughout the day to share with you, but the truth is, I got caught up in the set up and selling process and just plain forgot.  We had a pretty great response once again, and I was so excited to see some familiar faces that I had met in my booth the last year we did this festival.  I absolutely love connecting with other creative women and soulful hearts.  It is the reason why I started seriously doing this and the inspiration behind all of my original works, like these recent paintings.

 "Soul Full Heart" 2011 Original Mixed Media Painting by Harmony Lenasbunt

So now all my boxes and displays are packed away ready for the next show in Dec.   Now I get to take a bit of a break to rest, play, create just for FUN!, and get ready to have this baby.  I am really looking forward to blogging again each day and really appreciate you sticking with me as I took the time I needed to focus on this show.  I will also be stocking my Etsy Site with lots of new things, art journals, wood block prints, lace necklaces, and embroidery pieces, so keep checking for those updates.  If any of you are new visitors to my blog after meeting me yesterday, please leave me a comment or send me an email, I'd love to connect further and hear more about your creative dreams.   Have a wonderful and restful Sunday everyone!

XO, HARMONY

Grow Fearless...new artwork and a message for you.

This is a new painting and part of a new inspirational mixed media style for me.  I have been really evaluating what I want from all this, the blog, the etsy store, the craft shows, the art that I make.  I have some really big dreams for it all, hopefully resulting in the running of a creative retreat center.  Sometimes I get really overwhelmed by how far I still need to go to get there.  Sometimes those thoughts turn into negative voices telling me I wont get there so I should stop pretending that I will.  Do you have big dreams that seem so far away sometimes?  If so, I just wanted to say to you today to keep stretching, dont look back or hold yourself back with your fears, Keep Growing and Grow Fearless!  I think that everyone should live their life free of fear and hold on to a boldness of heart to always move forward towards whatever they desire for their lives.  Just wanted to encourage you with that today.  I am offering prints of this painting at my Etsy Store, if you want to bring one home to remind you each morning to Grow Fearless in your life.   My fearless moment in the next week or so will be putting all this new art I just finished out there for people to see, judge, and decide whether there is a market for it.  It is always a scary moment to put new work out in the public, when I dont know how it will be received, but it is my dream to make inspirational art to encourage closet creatives like I was for so long.  So for every "I dont like it" or "I could make that" comment I will hear at the show, I will hold on to courage and wait for the person that discovers the meaning and heart of my work and gains a bit of their own fearlessness.

Leave me a comment and let me know how you are going to take steps this week to be more fearless in your life.

XO, HARMONY

New Painting! Bloom In Your Own Time.

I've been working on a new series of paintings based on acceptance and empowerment of self.  It's something that has been on my heart for a while.  Maybe it's my background in Family Therapy work, maybe it was all those years working with at-risk teens, and maybe its partially due to my own trauma and drama of navigating womanhood as a teenager and in my early twenties, but I really have a heart for women young and old, reclaiming themselves as powerful, brave, beautiful, and special.  There are too many negative messages in our culture, and I've been wanting to start creating paintings that will inspire and motivate women to love ourselves a bit more.

Here's the first one that I will share with you...

It says "Bloom in your own time, redefine beauty."  I picked these words because I often feel the pressure to keep up with the women around me (in the art world, in the parenting world, in the business world...) in ways that I just may not be ready for yet.   I am still growing, finding myself in my process, and when I am ready to bloom, it will happen in my own time and space that is perfect for me.  I will redefine what is beautiful and lovely in my own way and time.  Do you ever feel that way?

It was made using layers of vintage gift wrap papers, acrylic paints and alcohol inks for the background, then I applied vintage lace remnants and used my own hand carved stamps for the wings.  I hope this message is meaningful to you, or perhaps pass the link along to someone you know that could use the encouragement.  Have a lovely Wednesday because you are so lovely too.

FYI: There is still time to enter my Giant Sponsor Giveaway! I have 8 amazing artist and crafters donating incredible prizes for one winner.  There are lots of ways to enter. Click HERE for more information.  Dont miss out!

XO, HARMONY