Change, Adventure and Growth

"Sunrise Over Bird Key"

24"x30" oil on canvas
- by Cindy Mott McGarry

"The world as we have created it is a process of our thinking.

 It cannot be changed without changing our thinking." 

- Albert Einstein

With 2017 almost behind us, hopefully we can all look back and see positive growth in many parts of our lives. I believe some exciting, frightening or even sad changes can gradually bring about very positive experiences, adventure and enlightening growth. In the present moment of huge change it is sometimes difficult to see what it will bring us in the future.

Our move from Raleigh, North Carolina to Sarasota, Florida in February of 2017 was a huge change for our family. We had lived in North Carolina for 30 years! What a beautiful state it is and it holds so many fond memories with family and friends. It also was a place of huge growth. Leaving our family, our friends and our last home of 20 years were emotionally the most difficult.

Since our move to Sarasota we have all grown exponentially in so many tiny and large ways. After rearing my children in Raleigh (my most cherished learning and loving experience thus far on this planet!), making new friends and exploring Florida, I have grown to see the reasons people keep moving down here in droves. The beauty, spectacular weather most of the year, outdoor life with all  of the water, white sandy beaches, wildlife (especially the wide variety of birds, large and small), the many different kinds of palm trees ... and the relaxed and creative energy here are so enticing.

We are now planning another move next month from our rental house into our new home. Next month we will have lived in three different homes and moved all of our belongings twice in less than one year! As I look back and recognize the tremendous growth we have been through, I can see why the changes occurred and that our new adventure will bring us to an even brighter future. Our thinking was changed for us out of desire and necessity ... and we have created our new world.

There will be much more art to share and on it's way in 2018! We will settle in our new home and my art space will be full of light and inspiration! The endless natural attractions here, inspiration, creative energy and opportunities in Florida are awaiting sharing platforms and this blog will be one of those platforms. 

Stay tuned! Happy Happy New Year!

My Website!

Glowing Light

"Lido Key Sunset" 24"x30" oil on canvas

by Cindy Mott McGarry

"There are two ways of spreading light:

 to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it."

- Edith Wharton

This painting, "Lido Key Sunset," was juried into a summer art show at Art Uptown Gallery in downtown Sarasota, Florida. The glowing light of sunsets are mesmerizing to me and capturing the "Glow" of the sun as it lowers beyond the water has been a mystifying challenge.

The lavender, orange and pink colors in this painting helped me to best express the glowing light that I saw in the sky and on the water one beautiful evening on Lido Key Beach. This painting was created with many colors to spread and share with viewers the glowing light of this particular sunset.

After surviving hurricane Irma recently it is wonderful to look forward to enjoying the unique beauty surrounding us again here in Sarasota, Florida.

Wishing you all the best!

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Color as Therapy

"Purple Hydrangea" 16"x20" oil on canvas

Cindy Mott McGarry

"The soul becomes dyed with the color of its thoughts."

- Marcus Aurelius

Have you ever noticed how you feel when you walk into a dark gray or brown colored room? Happy? Scared? Excited? Most of the time we are unaware of how much color effects our mood. For instance, color is one of the most important marketing choices branding professionals have to make about a product. Marketing research shows that 90% of quick decisions to purchase a product are based on color.

Color psychology is an area of research committed to analyzing the behavioral and emotional outcomes created by colors. Each color has its own unique vibration and provides an important function. Decorating styles are heavily based on color. Blue colored walls would be more calming for a bedroom and yellow more uplifting for a living room or playroom. Here is a list of some colors and how they make most people feel:

Blue - calming, tranquil

Red - stimulating, energizing

Orange - happy, positive

Yellow - playful, optimistic

Pink - loving, compassionate

Green - soothing, refreshing

Purple - meditative, creative

White - clarity, purity

Paintings displayed in homes, offices, and hospital rooms can uplift or bring people down. Combinations of color and blending can create a sense of peace and tranquility or a sense of dread. Research also shows that artwork depicting nature scenes and subjects brings about a feeling of calm and or happiness, whereas, abstract art can create a feeling of anxiety.

Color is powerful. It can effect our mood, behavior. and even our thoughts. Color can heal. Therefore, art can be very powerful. The "Purple Hydrangea" painting above is meant to provide an image of nature and beauty which produces a meditative state for viewers.

Enjoy playing with beautiful colors! 

For more information on color psychology Click Here!

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Why Do You Paint?

"Sunset" 18"x24" oil on stretched canvas

by Cindy Mott McGarry

"Color provokes a psychic vibration. Color hides a power still unknown but real, 

which acts on every part of the human body." - Wassily Kandinsky

I paint because I believe there is a distinctive energy transference that takes place through my art.

I believe the love and intentions that I pour into my work is absorbed by those who experience it.

There is a powerful healing, a peaceful kind of meditation, that occurs for me as I paint.  My goal is for people to experience the same sensation when they view my finished work.

Research has shown that patients in hospitals surrounded by art are helped substantially throughout their stay and statistically recover faster.

     

When someone interacts with my art I also want to unleash their imagination.

Creativity heals and moves us beyond where we are presently.

I continually search this wonderful world for beauty that inspires me.  I then harness my energy and imagination to express it uniquely.

My unrelenting drive to paint is best expressed by my artist motto:  “Create, share and heal.” 

Being creative is important and brings challenges and happiness to all art makers and viewers.

Paint away! 

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Letting Go

"Tranquility" 24"x30" oil on canvas

by Cindy Mott McGarry - Sold

"Abundance is a process of letting go; that which is empty can receive."

- Bryant H. McGill

When the time comes to sell or occasionally donate an original piece of artwork it feels like a deep part of myself is going away. There is pleasure in knowing someone else is experiencing joy in living with my painting and a sadness that it is gone forever - a bittersweet feeling. It helps to think about how "Letting Go" is actually a way of receiving.

Sharing a unique creation that holds so many decisions and happy mistakes within itself can actually be a way of receiving a very freeing and loving experience. Knowing every time other eyes view and take a ride through the art . . . experience the colors and energy . . . provides quite a sense of happiness.

"Letting Go" is to receive - to receive happiness in the art of giving. Giving of yourself, your time, your creativity, imagination, your special gift comes back to you in many ways. Letting go is one of the best marketing tools an artist possesses. Thank Heavens for photography, so that the original piece can continue to be viewed and duplicated in many ways - giclee prints, printed on usable products such as bags, pillows, note cards, mugs etc., etc.! Art can live on through printing technology.

Yet, there is still nothing like viewing original art - the richness of color and texture. Each brushstroke speaking to its audience.

Enjoy painting!

www.cindymottmcgarry.com 

Art-Making for Healing

"Bright Happy Apple" acrylic on paper, 5"x7"

by Cindy Mott McGarry

"Art is a constant agent of transformation and is indeed the soul's drive to health."

-Cathy Malchiodi

Art-making is a wonderful tool which can be used by anyone for the purpose of healing. Scientific studies have shown that art-making heals by altering a person's biology and outlook. The body biologically shifts from a state of stress to very relaxed. Emotionally, an attitude of fear changes to creative thinking and inspiration.

Inspiration - Stimulation of the mind or emotions to a high level of feeling or activity.

There is a huge connection between emotions and healing. Changing sad or negative emotions into happy ones creates a happy and healthy body, mind and spirit. Positive emotions have a positive effect on your whole being. If one can find what type of art-making inspires them in a positive way, then this can be a natural and lifelong aid in healing and staying healthy.

Expressive art in any form transforms art-makers and viewers. The subject matter can be as simple as a blade of grass because it is the unique expressive technique of the individual that is original and magnificent in itself. If a person or patient begins creating, finds it difficult to stop, believes she/he went to a different place mentally and felt lost in deep thought, then she/he has most likely found an artistic way to bring about healing.

I believe one way art-making can help a person out of a hopeless feeling or situation is to visualize their goals. This can be accomplished by using their imaginations to express their ideal situation with the use of art supplies. If self-doubt is present, then offering encouragement to see themselves differently (in a more positive light) can help with the whole process.

Heart, Brain to Body Activation

"Blue Morning Glories"  24"x30" oil on canvas

by Cindy Mott McGarry
Two originals Sold
Giclee prints available on My Website!

"The body achieves what the mind believes."

- Jim Evans

So many times I see a painting in my mind, get excited to begin painting, but yet the actual execution lingers ... What I have learned over the years is that it helps to be very inspired before committing to beginning and finishing a painting. Once I feel something pretty powerful it is easier to begin creating.

What gets me inspired are color combinations and how light plays on subjects. A quality photograph with clear value differentiation of an interesting composition can trigger the needed level of inspiration. Once I get my mind focusing on what is exciting about a vision, then the intensity of producing that vision gets stronger. It helps greatly to have the studio space ready for painting, otherwise I can get distracted and the clarity of shapes and colors might run right out of my mind! When using oil paints I loosely lay the dark colors down first ... then quickly lay the focal point in with the darkest dark and the lightest light!

I try to simplify the next phase of the process by sticking with similar values of different colors (medium to dark colors) in shadow areas and similar values of different colors (basically pastel colors) in brightly lit areas. Sometimes I also like to create disappearing lines with gentle blending and use stippling of light and dark in opposite areas to unify the painting.

Heart (Inspiration) + Brain (Imagination) = Body Activation (Hands Making Art)!

Have fun!