Learn how 'The Iron Giant,' 'Shaun the Sheep Movie' and other animated standouts came to be at Spark's annual conference.
Premiering September 18 in West L.A., 'Taking Flight' is a whimsical tribute to the life of Radio Flyer wagon inventor, Antonio Pasin.
For years I have felt clipped down.
Every time I jump to fly I get cut down by my circumstances and emotions.
I have allowed them control of my life...ALL aspects of my life. As an artist this gives me a lot of substance to work with, but it also holds me back. Way back.
I prelude this post with that because I want you to understand where I'm coming from. As a wife to an amazing man (they're rare and I was blessed with one!); a mother to a baby girl who loves to make you laugh and smiles so bright; a homemaker with a solid, strong house we just can't believe is ours; a gift that I truly just adore, drawing truly is my soul; but I've been depressed, unhappy, at my ropes end over and over again, and I'm beyond tired.
I have talked about this before in past posts, it's not a secret that I keep, and I willingly share it because I know I AM NOT ALONE. Especially as a woman. We all suffer greatly with the multitude of responsibilities gifted to us. And I use the word gifted, because I now remind myself "I GET to be his wife, I GET to be her mom, I GET to do what I love for a living!". Wow, amen to that!
Back to what I'm saying...
my point is I'm done trying. I'm finished. Ta ta, bye bye, no more.
It's over.What better time to say that than the beginning of a new year! Here are some highlights of "wow" moments for me about this year:
15 years ago I graduated high school.I am 33 this year, the same age Jesus was when he sacrificed his life for mine.My daughter turns one January 28th.My husband has been supporting us for 5 years.I am at a place where I know now is the time to just stop. Stop trying to take control, stop making excuses, stop thinking so darn hard about what to do, and instead DO IT. Commit to my life.
Commit to my life.
I want to fly. I realized after years and years, the truth behind why I paint fairies, angels, and mermaids (thank you
Kelly for helping me get there). It's because they are free, or at least symbolize freedom. For a mermaid there is no ground and sky, they roam all of it. For a fairy there is not ground or sky untouched, they grace all of it. Angels can transcend time and realms between earth and heaven. Freedom. Flight. I'm inspired and take a deep breath. Amazing.
Commitment.
I purchased the abilities to have a shop on my website, and the whole site will be changing in the next couple of months. I am so excited to see the support from you, my followers, on Etsy, but to be honest the fees are starting to wear at the income I need to bring in for our family. Plus I will be able to offer so much more on my site, including my book, coloring book, and more. I can't wait!
I also purchased my first e-book,
Flying Lessons, by
Kelly Rae Roberts. I must say, I'm floored by how spot on she is as a teacher and coach. She's very airy, in depth, and in tuned with her creative spirit. I had mentioned her in the past (
read Life Inspired post here ), and how she inspires me....oh buddy does she inspire me. Her words, colors, textures, and how she shares being a seeker of Joy, filled with light, hope, and possibilities. As an artist I truly believe there are those of us who are called to be artisans of light. I KNOW I am one of them. I KNOW who I want to be, deep down inside, just waiting for the permission to FLY.
Her e-book not only helps the business end of things (which she lays it all down and hides no detail from you), she goes deep into facing your fears, finding your inspiration, your passion, your quiet whispering voice just waiting to come out. And then asks you to commit to your creative business. Merging both. Being both. Living with the joy it brings. Loving YOU.
Loving me as ME.
My spiritual path has started this year with a bang of AH HA, it's so much more than the e-book. We found a new church home we are so at peace with, the new messages being given, new tools handed to me, and renewed, meaningful relationships. It's all falling together amongst chaos, and I give all of the credit to Jesus. It's scary to say that in the open because I know what is attached to that in so many ways, on so many levels, but as a former practicing witch, spiritually seeking wanderer, and a highly curious person, it is by his grace I am where I am today. I have to squint to stay focused, but I'm committed. Committed to him and my life.
There is so much more for my business, and to share. Changes are coming visually for the blog (it will most likely be moving) and website, my approach, and you may even see just a tad bit of change in how I paint. Look for it, and let me know what you think. I hope you're just as excited as I am.
Happy New Year everyone!
This is my first blog post for ABBA, and the first time this week (it’s Saturday) that I’ve sat down to write something. This is because I’m now, after years of juggling writing and full-time grammar school teaching, a full-time writer.
I know. It’s a paradox.
Since my first YA novel Taking Flight was published in 2010, I’ve worked like crazy to establish myself as a writer while teaching to pay the bills. As so many of us do. I don’t get big advances; I get so-tiny-you-have-to-laugh advances from my wonderful but small Irish publisher. I don’t have a partner so I have only myself to rely on. My headmaster was generous enough to give me occasional leave for events but always unpaid, so I often worked at a loss, reckoning it a necessary sacrifice to launch my career.
I was lucky to win awards for both Taking Flight and Grounded (2012) and people assumed I must be raking it in. They were taken aback when, on being asked if I was going to leave teaching, I replied that I
didn’t let myself even dream about it.
That was a lie. All writers dream. It’s what keeps us going.
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| The Ibby Award presentation |
Last year the Northern Ireland Arts Council gave me a Major Award, which was enough to let me take a career break in the confidence that, even if I didn’t earn an extra penny, I wouldn’t starve. Around the same time I was appointed Writer in Residence at a teacher-training college 100 miles away in Dublin. It meant two days a week away from actual writing, but starvation retreated even further.
In 2011, I had eight months in which to write
Groundedwhile commuting for ninety minutes a day to a demanding job. Not to speak of promoting
Taking Flight. I worked all week and wrote all weekend. I made my deadline. OK, I got shingles along the way but luckily not on my fingertips. The intensity shows in the book, I think, in a good way.
So why, now, with no ‘real’ job, do I struggle to find time to write? I don’t waste time online. I don’t even have a TV. I get up early, though not as cruelly early as in my teaching days. This week, I had a short story to deliver for an IBBY publication. 1,000-odd words, and I delivered late. I never deliver late.
To be fair, I had two days at college, a lecture to MPhil Children’s Lit students at Trinity, meetings with agent and publisher, a day as part of the We Love Books tour of Ireland, and all-day school visit. And to be fairer, it was World Book Day. Most weeks aren’t quite so frenetic.
It’s mostly fear. If I say no to this school event, because I really need to edit my work-in-progress, there might never be another. If I turn down that festival, they will never invite me again. Nobody will.
And of course now that I have tasted the freedom of being my own boss, I never want the prison gates of fulltime work to close behind me again, which means Earning a Living. There’s also the intoxication of the cheques. For nineteen years I took it for granted that my salary would appear in my account on the 28thof every month. It never seemed to be connected with what I actually did every day. Work just was. Money just was.
Now, I’m typing this on the MacBook bought with the earnings from teaching my first Arvon course. When I had to buy two new tyres yesterday I consoled myself with the knowledge that they were paid for twice over by the school visit I had just done. Last week’s royalty cheque is earmarked for an oil delivery. For the first time I’m making the connection between what I do and what I earn.
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| Library visit |
Trouble is, what I do is write. In theory. But the writing brings in least money. I also – luckily – really enjoy the school visits, residencies, workshops, festivals, Arvon courses, etc. And if I don’t write, the invitations certainly will dry up.
This morning I’m sitting at my laptop with nothing to do but this blog post – a commitment I couldn’t have taken on last year. Nowhere to go. Lovely. It feels exactly the way the weekends used to feel when I was at work and set aside Saturday and Sunday for intensive writing time. Which is not quite what I planned, but I’m grateful for it. I know I’ll learn to relax. I’ll learn to say no, or at least, not this month.
And next week I have two days set aside
just for writing. Two whole days.
Sheena Wilkinson
@sheenawriter
I've been painting this week. I was so inspired by Kelly Rae Roberts' book, Taking Flight. I needed a change from color pencil for a while. Here's one of the paintings I worked on this week. Such fun! It's supposed to say "give your dreams wings", but I'm afraid to mess it up. Baby steps here. What do you think?
Here's our little bathing beauty on his first trip to the beach. He loved it.
Sorry I've been neglecting my blog lately. We just finished Spring Break, so I got very little done last week. I've also been working on some things I can't show right now. Here's a sneak peak of something I just finished.
I've also just finished the book
Taking Flight, by
Kelly Rae Roberts. It was amazing. I really just wanted to try another technique to push myself creatively, but I got so much more. This book is part inspirational, part therapeutic, and an all around great read. I plan to try some of the techniques this week. Wish me luck, because my little guy's First Communion and Confirmation are this Saturday.
By: Jerry Beck,
on 9/14/2016
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By: Sara Burrier,
on 1/9/2015
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By: Sue Purkiss,
on 3/12/2014
By: Laura Zarrin,
on 4/23/2009
Very cute. I like it
Fun, Laura! I just started reading that book and am hoping it might inspire me to get more "messy".
Messy is so fun! I mostly finger painted this one. Heaven.
LOVE the painting!
Did you guys go to Its Beach in Santa Cruz?
Thanks, Devon. We went to Twin Lakes.