MASSIVE MAGIC

The kind of massive magic that has been taking place around here since my last post makes a massive update of these Studio Notes long overdue!

Alas, because that massive magic has not included a full-time assistant/business manager/nanny/housekeeper, and given the pace at which all of this amazing stuff has been rushing, rushing, rushing into my life, this post is going to come no where near doing justice to life around here lately.  I will try to remedy that soon...like in September...maybe things will slow down in September...or maybe I'll just find that amazing, superhuman assistant that will help this growth process feel a little less chaotic (not that I'm complaining)...

But I digress.  

Let me, for today, share with you some highlights.  

WILDEST DREAM FOR PAINTING (wildest dream to date, I should say! ;)...REALIZED!
One of my goals for the year was to sell a painting for a very specific five-figure sum.  I haven't done that yet, but I did receive an incredible commission for two paintings that totals just $500 shy of that.  Pretty damn close, if you ask me...but I'll still go for my original goal, too.  The year is young and I love the way this is stretching me!

Another goal was to keep going bigger, bigger, BIGGER with my paintings.  Like I-just-wanna-be-able-to-crawl-into-them-kind-of -big.  One of the commissions above is about 6'x5.5'.  Given I'm 5'9"...I'd say I have even enough room left to dance around a bit. ;)  

COACHING DREAMS...REALIZED!
Sometimes people are confused when I talk about coaching and painting in the same breath - but they are so inseparable to me.  Painting is a spiritual process for me and my coaching is as well.  They inform each other immensely and everything I've learned, and I've learned it from scratch, bottom-up and inside-out, in my journey to become not only an artist, but a THRIVING, SUCCESSFUL artist, I am able to use to help my clients create their own dreams, from scratch and stardust and soul and elbow grease.  My art is about soul-making and so is my coaching practice.  

So, it has been incredibly fulfilling to be able to work with clients through my EPIC coaching program.  It's all about soul-making and making a real, honest-to-goodness physical life that is lived from the soul.  It was my dream to simplify and my coaching practice on working with visionary, leading-edge, creative clients who have a deep hunger to live life to the fullest.  And I'm doing it.  It does feel pretty EPIC and I am pinch-myself-grateful.

And the soul-making work of my art and coaching are coming together in a creative collaboration with the beautiful souled and all-around-power-house of a woman and leader, Dr. Mollie Marti.   We have cooked up the most amazing, soul-restoring and making, dream-fulfilling, transformational, and FUN women's retreat called "Wild Soul, Wise Woman," that is taking place in Durango, Colorado at the end of this month.  Why Durango? you ask.  Short answer, because it's magical.  Potently and powerfully sacred and magical.  (I've been there and experienced the magic first hand, so I know that of which I speak! :)   For the longer answer and to learn more about the retreat, you can check it out here on my coaching site.

INCREDIBLY RANDOM BUT OH-SO-THRILLING-AND-FUN DREAMS....REALIZED!
I have a lot of these because they give me so much free energy just to play around in them.  And, as it turns out, the more you turn yourself lose to run free in the wilds of your imagination, the more and more really, amazing, out-of-the-blue, incredible s#&* starts to happen!  

For example: 
I've long dreamed of designing clothes.  Even before I started to paint.  But now that I do paint, I play around with so many variations on how certain colors/shapes/images could be combined with certain fabrics and silhouettes to create stunning, stunning, wearable, designs.  

And then, a few months ago, a friend of mine who started a gnarly lifestyle/clothing brand called WiseFool (I totally feel like a poseur using that word, "gnarly," but you'll see why it's appropriate when you check out his site :), saw one of my photographs and asked if I was interested in collaborating and turning my image into a tank and tee for his wearable art line.  OF COURSE I was interested!  
And just a few short months later, here you have it:  "The Lady of the Lake" tee and tank .
 
And I'm still dreaming of the gorgeous line of dresses...and have started the designs, too, by the way. :)

So, to call this the abridged version or highlight reel is really not even accurate.  But these are a few things that are on my mind right now as I practice surfing this wave.  I also have so much that I've been painting and I do want to share that process and those photos here, but in the meantime, please come play with me on Instagram! (I'm "leahcb1" !)  That is my absolute favorite for being able to share bits and pieces of life as it unfolds and I'd love to see you there!

Before I close, I want to say a big MASSIVE THANK YOU to all of you - my readers, followers, clients, art patrons and enthusiasts, believers, doubters (you fuel me, too :), family (Brad especially!), mentors, coaches, teachers, colleagues, and friends.  You are always and again and again what makes this not only possible but so deeply meaningful and good.  I know I sound like I'm giving an acceptance speech here and, while the party is far from over, I just feel that dang good right now - like I've won an Oscar - and it wouldn't be right to not give gratitude where my gratitude just wants to gush!

Finally, a quote.  I know you've all (kinda) heard it before, but it is just so true and I'm revising it a bit to make it my own.

"The world belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." 
(and thank you, Eleanor Roosevelt, for allowing me to piggy-back...)

The End. (for tonight!)

Love, 

Leah