Quiet Vigilance

Sometimes you have to take several steps backwards to gather your thoughts. As an effort to regain some inspiration, I went gallery hopping last Friday. As serendipity would have it, Barbara Waterman-Peters was attending the collective gallery. We had a wonderful discussion about artwork and she took a look at my portfolio. She enjoyed everything but encouraged me to continue my exploration of my yellow nudes. My last set was done when I was living in a similar situation, so it followed that they would be a logical avenue to shake my current moody slump. With rejuvenated energy, I went back to my yellow nudes. I discovered, they have never really went away, just took a break. Now I have a huge array of subject matter and direction to keep my days filled with painting.

As of the time of this post the Original is available for sale. See if Original is Available.

New Flowers in the Garden

Dillon and stopped into Walmart yesterday after his eye appointment and as I pulled into the parking lot he asked me "Are we going to go look at the flowers?" Caught off guard by the question, I said sure, we could go look at the flowers. As we were browsing the flowers, Dillon found three plants that he insisted must be added to our flowerbeds. One was Creeping Phlox - "Amazing Grace" then he insisted we needed blue added to the garden, so he picked out Lithodora - "Grace Ward", some blue Lobelia and a few Marigolds.

When we were finished shopping we were waiting in line to check out. The lady behind us observed Dillon placing the items from our cart onto the conveyer and he was carefully moving the plants. She made the comment "Ladies and their flowers." and he looked back at her and nodded, catching the comment, I looked back at her and as Dillon was looking down, carefully continuing his cart unloading, I pointed my finger toward Dillon and mouthed "Their his plants." She said "oh!" with a laughter in her voice and asked Dillon if he liked gardening. He said "yeah, I guess" and she said, "You did an nice job picking out those flowers" He looked at her perplexed and said "These aren't mine their my moms!" I had to giggle.

As we walked back to the car, Dillon asked me "Why did that lady think those were my flowers?" I told him I had told her that you had picked them out so they were his. "Oh, No those are your plants!" he insisted and I told him. "It doesn't matter what you say, I am always going to remember that those plants as yours. Ones you insisted needed to be added to the garden. Gee, Dillon you even brought up that we had to go look at the flowers today and then was determined to have the ones you picked out! So like it or not, those are your flowers." He protested a while... He is currently quite disappointed in my belief that those are his flowers. Despite that he made no protest in helping me plant those new additions. So, I think as time goes by he'll enjoy his contribution to the flowerbed... I know I will.

It has been a late year for blooms, but I have a few more flowerbed photos . - click here to see!

Out in Left Field

Out in Left Field - Acrylic on Canvas - 12"x12"
Have you ever felt completely out of sorts. Kinda out on your own, waiting for that ball to actually be hit toward you... ahh, then you know the feelings that is shown through this painting and the kind of day that I had today.

I have anxiously waited for spring so I could sit outside and paint again... spring has finally sprung and then for some mysterious reason on the most beautiful day of the season so far, it seemed that I could find all sorts of things to do other than paint. The laundry needed to be done, there was a pile of laundry that needed to be stored once again in the trailer, oh, then the trailer needed to be vacuumed (yes, I guess it needed to be done today... not!) by the way, my son needed a web cam installed TODAY! No he didn't! Oh, then I noticed this or that needed to be cleaned or done... finally around 1:00 I decided that was enough of cleaning and doing I really NEED to paint.

I could have been out around 10:00 and gotten one heck of a lot of painting done, but apparently I had a need to put it off. OH, the frustration with myself! So, here are the results today. My son looked at it and said it looked sad. I really didn't think it looked as sad as it does weary and weather worn. What do you think?

As of this posting this pieces is for sale. See if Original is Available

Spring Surprise - Acrylic on Canvas 24"x24"

Today was a beautiful day to paint outside. I really enjoyed the sunshine and the breeze.

At the time of this post this piece is for sale. See if Original is Available.

Anticipation of Spring 20"x20"

I believe I am finally starting to turn around my late winter funk. It started with the flu and strep combination and dipped low with a fibromyalgia flair. I usually have a bad turn on my FM during the change of the seasons but this year with the bout of flu initiating it, everything really has hit me hard this year. I am so thankful to have the gumption back! I finally convinced myself to sit down and give painting a whirl once again. I will be getting back to my Five Element Tarot Series very soon but I need to blow the cobwebs out of my brain and paint jars. I figure that a few expressive pieces to add to my Kansas Wildflower Series wouldn't hurt. My intention is to get some steam back into the creative and take off again with the 5ET series, so dear friends of that series hang in there with me.

"Anticipation of Spring" is here and I am pleased that it turned out well enough for me to post it.

At the time of this posting this piece is for sale. See if Original is Available.

My Aura

This weekend I went to the Mind, Spirit, Body Fair here in Topeka. They hold this fair twice a year and it's always fun and interesting.

Every year I pass by a colorful booth boasting to photograph your aura. I have always wanted to do it so, this year my new sister-in-law and my brother went with me and I told them about my interest and they encouraged me to do it with a bet... I asked them what color my aura was going to be. They both mentioned blue and purple... I told them I thought it was going to be like Damion's, Black LOL. I only said that because I had no idea what color to expect. Then, while I was sitting in front of a dark background waiting for the photo to be taken, my brother asked my sis-in-law what color she saw, and she said yellow.... imagine that.

I thought the reading was fun, interesting and telling. being that my tolken color is yellow, I paint extensively with yellow I don't think that I've painted anything without putting a yellow undercoat at some point in the piece. Not to mention my yellow figures from a few years back.

If you haven't been seen this kind of thing, here is a description:

AURA IMAGING FROM AURASTAR
YOUR ENERGY FIELD

Surrounding every living being is an electro-magnetic energy field known as an aura. This field vibrates and fluctuates at various levels. The frequency of the vibration determines the color of the aura. The intensity of the vibration determines the intensity of the aura. The frequency shows your inner state, and this is what we measure.

HOW IT WORKS
This unique state of the art camera measures and then records your auric field. The bio-feedback collectors send messages to the computer to print out the description of your aura. From this information and the translated energy analysis, the camera records your aura on Polaroid film.

WHAT THE COLORS MEAN
The colors represent the different vibrational levels in your electromagnetic field, each being a particular aspect or having a particular meaning for each person. This is determined by your physical condition at the time, your emotional state, and the thoughts that you are thinking. Your spiritual, chemical, cellular, social, and genetic being all influence the aura. Your aura changes as your physical, emotional and mental state change.
AURAS ARE NEITHER GOOD NOR BAD. THEY ARE MERELY THE ENERGY FIELD AROUND YOUR BODY AND THEY REFLECT THE CONDITION OF YOUR EXISTENCE.

COLOR INTERPRETATIONS
These colors in your aura may indicate the following:

Red- Activity or movement, passion, sexuality, masculine energy, leadership qualities, strong will, vitality, motivation, generosity; forceful or stubborn nature, anger, rage, fear. Red is the color connected with the reproductive system.

Orange- Artistic creativity, compassion, sensitivity, harmonizing, healing; uncertainty, impressionability, naïveté. Orange relates to the adrenal glands.

Yellow- Intellect and intelligence, personal power, scientific minded, independent, ingenuity, mental agility, self-starter; controlling, judgmental, perfectionism, stubbornness, anxiety or worry. Relates to the spleen and the life energy force.

Green- Healing/teaching energy, renewal or change, magnetic, abundance, calming; physical discomfort, deception, distrust or doubt, naïveté. Relates to the thymus and immune system.

Blue- Communication, learning, calm and peaceful disposition, emotional health, faith and trust, inner-voice certainty, clarity, integrity, creativity; melancholy, immaturity, obsessiveness, spiritual arrogance, cold personality. Relates to the thyroid and metabolism.

Violet- Intuition and psychic ability, spiritual activity or information, trance mediumship, transmutation, therapeutic healing, protection; heart or stomach trouble, arrogance, superiority. Relates to the pineal and pituitary glands.

White- High spiritual development, consciously applied protection, natural healing, high metabolism; shyness, scattered energy, stress, tension, nervousness, chemical presence.

Here is how mine is read:

Left Side (future)
The color on the left side is normally the vibration coming in to your being. The closer it is to you, the sooner it will be felt. A few moments, hours, or as long as a few months.

Green is a growth color. it brings spring to mind. Like the new grass popping up out of the dark soil, small leaves stretching out from the barren branch-ends, as the last days of winter slumber fade and the renewal of life begins. Your future will be a growing time, a time for renewal, life springs forth. You are bringing in the healing energy to your life.

Center (experience)
The color seen over your head is what you experience for your self now. It is the color that would best describe you. If the color is high, it could mean aspirations, or what you wish to be.

--Spontaneity-- would best describe you. Yellow corresponds symbolically to the welcome warmth of sunlight. and exhilaration. Variability, expectancy originality, smiling, are the qualities most important to you.

Right Side (expression)
The color on the right side is traditionally the energy being expressed. The vibrational frequency most likely seen or felt by others around you. Many times, your friends will think this the energy that you are made of. However, it is what you are putting out to the world.

Healing energy being expressed. an expression of firmness, of constancy, and resistance to change.
--Elastic tension--.Possession is regarded as increasing both security and self esteem.
The person putting out this vibration is willing to work, to gain wealth in terms of educational, cultural, or physical attainments.

And I do have to give a plug for the guys who offered this cool service:

For more information on Aura's and what they mean, or for information on parties, programs or other private bookings of the AuraStar Camera, contact us at AuraStar, 3217 SW Westwood Ct. , Topeka, KS 66614, or telephone 785-273-2762

Action - Number 3 in the Five Element Tarot Series

Follow the artist’s “Fool’s Journey” as Michelle Leivan creates and re-conceptualizes the traditional Tarot into a 100 card deck.

As a sojourn of the soul, each painting explores the connection to the global consciousness revealed by the symbolism within each card. Witness the evolution of creating a volume of inspired archetypes as seen from the 21st century.

Action - The Only Way Out Is Through

Having discovered his bliss our Folly is now eager to make it all happen immediately. He rushes into his journey and discovers Action: Number 3 in the Five Element Tarot, typically the Empress.

Sitting in the shade of the Spiritually Healing Echinacea, quite obviously full with child our gracious lady holds in her hand the Scepter of Responsibility, symbolizing the acceptance of our actions as our own. Keeping the Cornucopia of Bounty nearby and protected by a Key of Knowledge as a necklace, she sits comfortably on the cushioned ground representing the promise of riches that our pursuit of happiness can contain.
Upon her head she wears a Crown of Success reminding us that the expression of our future will be seen in this world but will also affect our spirit.

With a gentle and motherly smile, our Folly is instinctively drawn to Action and her lesson. Like any mother, she can see his enthusiasm and eagerness to manifest his destiny today. She passionately instructs him that just, as it takes 9 short months to create a child a lifetime is filled in being a mother to that child. In the beginning all things worthwhile start delicately and require patience, nurturing, love and attention to reach greatness.
The journey has just begun and we must gather a lifetime of lessons as we learn them and apply them to our path to realize our fortune. Skill and Intuition can help lead us toward our bliss, but to truly immerse ourselves into life fulfillment and for the process to enrich our daily life, we must have an unwavering internal passion to pursue your goal.

With this new deeper understanding of what it takes to reach his destiny, our young Folly resumes his journey with a newly discovered determination for his path.

Do you have the passion, persistence and stamina to work through to your destiny?

Attract the carefree life with Action apparel and merchandise offered by Leivan Originals using this image and the phrase "The Only Way Out Is Through."

As of the time of this post the Original is available for sale. See if Original is Available.

Double Whammy

Oh, so I bet you've been wondering where I've been, and when is my next video will be out. Well, maybe not, but I thought I'd let anyone who is interested know I've been hit with the double whammy. Flu and Strep throat. I have been pretty much struggling to stay semi lucid.

It all hit me about noon on Wednesday, decided to lie down for a while, by 4:00 I had a temp of 103! It's all been down hill from there. I went in to the doc's office they tested me for both strep and the flu and I won the lottery.

So I guess I'll be getting to the next video as soon as I recover.

Cure for Cabin Fever?

Our family has belonged to Berkshire Country Club for the last few years. I know this sounds fancy, but when we joined it was pretty much a golf course and that was it. After his deployment in 2004, My husband wanted to join, he loves to play golf and this would give him the opportunity to play anytime he pleased. It wasn't an extravigant cost for the entire family... so we joined and he has benifited greatly. I do like to play golf, although I'm not any where close to good, it is fun just to whack that little ball! LOL The picture on this blog was from a couple of years ago, but I haven't changed that much, although I have lost a few pounds, I still have the belly ponch and the pancake butt.

Late last year the club upgraded their facilities and put in a fitness center. I was excited about the new facilities and was looking forward to going in and checking things out. It took me a little time to gather up the courage to go in, I know it's silly, I belonged to the club I shouldn't feel intimidated, but I was. Life catches up to you and 40 is just around the corner, as you can see, I'm no where close to the picture of fitness and I had images in my head of completely buff men and itty bity skinny women all doing their thing and my rolly polly self .... well you get the picture.

Recently, I learned that my natural mother and sister had purchased golf clubs and they have invited me out for a round when the weather finally turns warmer. So, I have been excited to get out there and warm up my golf swing for that reason too.

Tonight my son told me that a great friend of mine, Kim and her son had finally joined the club were going to be there in about 30 min. Oh, now I have to face my fears! I had asked her to join around New Years. We were talking about New Year's resolutions and fitness was on both of our lists. Well, so here I was trying to figure out how to say no, and the look of excitement in my son's eyes, I just couldn't say no. So off we went to check out the club!

It was awsome, beyond their 18 hole golf course, they now have a gym, all sorts of fitness equipment, pilates, yoga, fitness dance and a half a dozen more classes all complementary to the members. A private hot tub for the ladies! Also available for a cost is massage therapy, personal fitness training. Pretty awsome and everyone was quite pleasant... I felt like a fish out of water but if I stood a few moments looking perplexed, someone - not even a person who worked there offered to help.

It looks like I have found a healthy alternative to my cabin fever! Dillon is very excited and wants to get up first thing in the morning and go work out again... we'll see how motivated he really is... If weather permits I do want to go and warm up my golf swing at the driving range tomorrow afternoon and check out the Zumba fitness dance class (hopefully they will be as much fun as bellydance classes were a few years back.) Isn't it funny how life gives you signal after signal and nearly beats you to death until you get a clue.

Hopefully by summer I'll be fit enough to be able to wear a bathing suit without feeling like a beached whale and have the energy to keep up with my guys!

Frustrated Mother of a Millenial

Ok, so I covered intuition last weekend... Well, my intuition has been on the yellow to orange alert that last few months. My 14-yeer-old son fights my simple requests on every turn! Ok, I know he's a teenager... they are all rebellious. But I'm not talking rebellion; he's a great kid, good hearted and smart.

What I'm talking about it plain out stubbornness. I often spend 3 hrs. trying to get him to do a 5-15 min task. If I don't nag every 30 min. or so it will never get done. So I am stuck getting almost nothing done myself because I have to micromanage this young adult! I know I don't like doing some of those chores either, but when they need to be done, they need to be done, if I do them, it's done. But, being a good mother, I feel I need to teach him that everyone needs to pitch in to make the house run... and as a result the house isn't running, it's a disaster area because he diggs his heels in and just simply doesn't do it. Boy is this situation steping on my bliss!

Well, I discussed this with one of the customers at the shop... "Millenials" had come up in conversation. Being a teacher she seemed to know a little about them. I also discussed it a bit with my brother who said "Back in the day when I was young..... " I had to stop him there I'm not old enough to understand that kind of talk. LOL

So I turned to my computer, and did a little research.

There was quite a bit of information out there. Wow, computers do a lot to those developing brains. One very fascinating document described the difference between a child's approach to the computer vs. an adult.

"To interact effectively, he/she must be able to take in what is
on the screen in a whole-brain fashion, registering the whole screen with all
its different information as one interrelated body of information. Simply put,
the right brain detects the general and specific patterns and decodes the
symbols while the left brain analyses and decides on the logical next action.

Adults new to computing look sequentially at the screen, taking
a relatively long time to shift their gaze bit by bit from one part of the
screen to another, often zigzagging around in a rather panicky fashion while
they wonder what is relevant and whether they will damage anything. (I sadly
identified with this even though I am comfortable with computers.)

Children do not sit down at the computer with any preconceived
notions of technophobia or fear of failing the challenge, so they learn far more
quickly to make this whole-screen assessment, and then focus speedily on what
and how to do it. For this to happen, there are thousands of unconscious
calculations taking place within a second."

http://archive.wcape.school.za/mm99/cd/conf99/proceedings/106/index.htm

Wow, to be in a computer geared mind! Then I happily discovered an outline of the differences of Generation X (which I am supposedly a member of) and the Millenials.

Generation X

• Born 1965-1976 - 51 million of us

  Accept diversity

  Pragmatic/practical

  Self-reliant/individualistic

  Reject rules

  Killer life

  Mistrust institutions

  PC

  Use technology

  Multitask

  Latch-key kids

  Friend-not family

  (I can relate to most of these
  descriptions)

  
  

Millennials

• Born 1977 – 1998 - 75 million of them (So I know I'm not the
  only mother going through this!)
  
• Celebrate diversity (Diversity of choices of whether or not
  you listen to your mother? I'm into divergent thinking but it's gotten over the
  top.)


• Optimistic/realistic (I'd have to argue with the realistic
  part. Or he hides his understanding of reality. I'm probably just another
  game.)


• Self-inventive/individualistic (this is why they also call
  this generation the "me" generation.)


• Rewrite the rules (here, he rewrites my rules, by just not
  doing what I ask to do. He plans his stubbornness carefully.)


• Killer lifestyle (Well, this explains why his motivation has
  taken a vacation, he's killing me here!!!)


• Irrelevance of institutions (I suppose I am an institution
  then???)


• Internet (Social Networking is how he communicates!)


• Assume technology (Yeah, like if he had an X-box instead of a brain he'd be happy.)

• Multitask fast (No kidding here, he can play x-box games,
  chat to his friends and watch TV all at the same time. But it takes him 3 hrs to do a 15min chore; maybe I'm not giving him enough to do at the same
  time!)


• Nurtured (he's definitely that being an only child!)



• Friends = family (Oh, I see, if I take away his technology
  that he uses to spend time with his "family" then I'm depriving him of his
  "family," --- I tell ya, he's going to be a orphan if he doesn't start stepping
  up.)
  http://www.abanet.org/lpm/lpt/articles/mgt08044.html
  

Wow now that was eye opening! Do I sound too Generation Xer there?

The same article did give some mentoring suggestions as well for these Millenials:

• Structured, supportive work environment (I beleive he has
  this)


• Personalized work (the trick is to get him to understand it
  is personal)


• Interactive relationship (Interactive as I nag!)


• Be prepared for demands (Oh I know about the demands),
  highexpectations (for who, me or him?)

I suppose I have been looking at this problem in the wrong way. He'll have to experiance some Generation X practical discipline and let him figure out an interactive way around it without rewriting the rules and come around to celebrating the diversity of his own mother. LOL

Anyway, I am sure we'll see this through, but it's the getting there that is making my yellow and orange intuitive alarms scream. But according to the lists above we aren't all that different. Just a bit of change in the perspective.

Here is another interesting site but I found little connection with my situation or my other research. It talks about them being a "we" generation and how they want to make an impact on the world. At this point I don't believe this is on my son's agenda, unless he can save the world with an X-box controler. http://www.youngmoney.com/careers/career_trends/050315

Intuition number 2 in the 5 Element Tarot

Now that our friend Folly has acquired skills to continue his journey he finds himself in a quandary. There are so many things that he could do, how is he to decide what direction is is best for him?

Fortunately, the next encounter on our fool’s journey he discovers Intuition: Number 2 in the Five Element Tarot, the traditional location for the High Priestess, and this little lady does justice to that convention symbolizing instinctual, supernatural, secret knowledge.

Intuition - Five Element Tarot Painting

The Inner Voice Knows Our Bliss.

Now that our friend Folly has acquired skills to continue his journey he finds himself in a quandary. There are so many things that he could do, how is he to decide what direction is is best for him?

Fortunately, the next encounter on our fool’s journey he discovers Intuition: Number 2 in the Five Element Tarot, the traditional location for the High Priestess, and this little lady does justice to that convention symbolizing instinctual, supernatural, secret knowledge.

She knows the many uses of the tools given to Folly through Skill and can provide the understanding to use his unique talents to begin his destiny.

She silently guards the sunflower which is filled with the secrets of the spirit and all the inner mysteries of life and promises that these mysteries do exist for those who seek them.

As with many ancient goddesses, she is virgin, she is powerful and sacred. Protected by the crossed Creative Wand and Logic’s sword that forms a V a symbol of all that is feminine.

Although she is capable of the esoteric she is grounded, shown by the humbling veil covering her head. Also, her neck is decorated with the worldly pentacle showing she is able to illuminate in the present what you may not already know.

Two pillars stand behind her representing the duality within each of us and the positive and the negative possibilities of our discoveries and knowledge.

She sits on a pedestal in a meditative stance, reverently channeling the intuitive into her cup. Drink from it if you are willing to draw from her inner wealth.

Folly is awed by this beautiful and mysterious lady when she already knows his quandary and she offers him a drink her cup and in that act provides him a direction that combines his newly acquired talents with a direction that will fulfill his spirit.

Is there something about yourself that you are overlooking? What is that little inner voice is trying to tell you? Are you willing to drink from the cup of intuition to gain a deeper understanding of your destiny?



Attract the carefree life with Intuition apparel and merchandise offered by Leivan Originals using this image and the phrase "The Inner Voice Knows Our Bliss."



As of the time of this post the Original is available for sale. See if Original is Available.

Kansas Wildflowers Book Published.

Kansas Wildflowers.

By Michelle Leivan

Book Preview

Although I am quite obsessed with the Five Element Tarot Series right now, I am not giving up on my Kansas Wildflowers... just waiting for spring. :) So in anticipation of spring I had to make a new product that will help you enjoy spring early! I might even say... A perfect Mother's Day Gift!

I have published a book featuring my Kansas Wildflower series. It's called "Kansas Wildflowers: Take a Trip in Impressionistic Beauty on the Tallgrass Prarie." It has 7"x7" pages and it comes in hardcover and softcover. You can prieview it in the link above.

Cultural Changes and Copyright Protection.

Ok, so I wanted something profound to talk about today...and I found it. Here is a video that discusses the antiquated copyright laws that are currently on the books and how our kids live daily on the wrong side of the law. Great food for thought.

The website it's on, www.ted.com describes the video as:

Larry Lessig gets TEDsters to their feet, whooping and whistling, following this elegant presentation of three stories and an argument. The Net's most adored lawyer brings together John Philip Sousa, celestial copyrights, and the "ASCAP cartel" to build a case for creative freedom. He pins down the key shortcomings of our dusty, pre-digital intellectual property laws, and reveals how bad laws beget bad code. Then, in an homage to cutting-edge artistry, he throws in some of the most hilarious remixes you've ever seen.the website it's on descibes it as:

Watch the video first then read my thoughts:

This was an awesome video. I think it is a extremely pertinent to the changes in our culture due to technology... I love the history he presented and the "common sense" that is lacking in our culture in general.

Making my art "freely" available for non-commercial use gives me no qualms what so ever. I started offering desktop images of my new paintings for free... if they sign up for my email update list. But if they would show up in a "Walmart" commercial... unlikely as it is, I'd be litigating.

The concept of "re-creating" lends credence and homage to what is fuel for the new remix. The saying, imitation is the highest form of flattery... goes a long way in this argument.

His final point, of people knowingly living outside the law and not caring... that is something to be considered. Especially when it comes to our kids.

I think that the laws are always antiquated. In a Ottawa County in KS, there is a law on the books still that once they release you from the county jail they must provide you with a horse and a gun. I believe the county has been violating that law for quite a while. (Heck, in KS we can't even get past the science evolution theory vs. creation theory debate.) So, I think that antiquated law will be there for a while yet... until someone holds the county liable for a horse and a gun when they're released from jail.

There has to be a happy medium with this debate. I believe "common sense" change in the order for the day. But many times a subject as touchy as this is like arguing with someone about their religion. (Evolution or Creation anyone?) :)

Unexpected Upshot...

Last night I was posting on an artist forum and was responding to someone who had seen my videos and it occurred to me that my Five Element Tarot series has some unexpected upshots for me. Kinda like the Pink Trojan Bunny! (If you haven't seen "Spamalot" or Monty Python you might not know what I'm talking about.) Anyway...

What I discovered is that each of these pieces I'm doing have a life lesson within them... just for me! It is like looking into my own soul. I have noticed that with each piece I am gaining deep inner knowledge about myself. Painting has always been a personal thing, I reap benefits on a number of levels, the main one being keeping my sanity.

In the past I was inspired by people around me... my Feminine Desert series dealt with young women and the issue of co-dependency. It was an issue I had dealt with myself and wanted to reach other young women.

With this new project I intended to explore the subject with less personal involvement and a more academic perspective on the symbolism and the images being something that everyone can understand... rather than a mystery as I believed it to be when I first discovered the Tarot.

Well, I was wrong... Apparently this is a journey that I am to undertake and discover not only hidden ideas in the Tarot but also my inner being.

With Folly, I started this endeavor - much like the young fool and jumped in with both feet. It was exhilarating. I worked through some personal intimidations and discovered I had nothing to fear.... (but fear itself of course. LOL) I am still trying to get comfortable in front of the camera... that has never been something I have been comfortable with... it's odd hearing yourself... You spend time editing a video of yourself... you start to notice things you have never noticed before... I had no idea that I had such an accent... and I hear influences of other people in my voice and speech patterns. Oh well, I guess it's just me a conglomeration of all that is around me.

The last one Skill - I have always taken for granted my skills and talents... I discovered that I need to honor them and be grateful for them... that if I put as much effort into my own projects as I do my other commitments, like my job... they will pay off and I can enjoy the process.

Over the years, many people have told me how hard it is to get your art exposed never mind try to make a living with it. And my art work always has taken a back seat do to that mentality, everything else was "more important." My new attitude is: well, yeah, it is hard, so what, the boss expects hard work too.... why not spend my hard earned time and learned talents to produce something that I enjoy doing and other people will enjoy too. Isn't that what the arts are all about? Communicating with our fellow man. Whew, got the courage now! *grin* So in a nutshell, with Skill I've learned that it's a crazy situation unless you take control of your own destiny and use your talents to not only uplift others but also yourself.

As a result this project has become somewhat of an obsession of mine.... Ahhh, what a great journey! Looking forward to the rest of the ride! Hope you'll see it through with me.

FYI (the picture posted here is from a picture board, you know the ones that you put your face in a hole and take a picture to become part of the piece. We are supposed to be looking at a Giant Pink Trojan Bunny! LOL It is was sitting in front of the "Monty Python's Spamalot" on Broadway in NYC. In September of 2006 my family and I went to NYC for my art opening there... we also took a vacation and spent a few days there, our one huge indulgence was to see a live theater show... "Spamalot" won the unanimous vote... I would recommend it to anyone with a sense of humor. Ahh, fun times.

That Strange Feeling....

First of all today I want to send out a huge "Thank You! and Congratualations!" to Sage who bought 3 paintings today! I hope they bring a lifetime of enjoyment to you and yours! And your support of my art is much appreciated!

Now that isn't the strange feeling I intend to talk about but it sure is exciting. On to that strange feeling....

Since the beginning of my new obsession... the Vlog and the Five Element Tarot, I have had a really positive feeling for my goals on this project. The objective clear, the ideas free flowing, it is just a great place to be for me mentally and spiritually. What's even greater is that I have been getting feedback! Some outright contact such as emails from people I haven't heard from in a while and then some quieter and more subtle, like subscribers to my Vlog and my Blogs of people I do not know. This is just exciting and adds to that positive feeling I've had for this project from it's inception. Thank you all who have been sending me feedback in all manner, I love it.

Once every 6 months or so, I "Googled" and "Yahooed" myself. If you haven't done it yourself, do it...it's fun! I do it because I forget all of the artist portfolio sites I've posted my work on (there are many) and it's good to keep up on what's out there. I know I blogged about doing this with "Five Element Tarot" just recently but that was to see if I was getting somewhere with my current efforts. Searching for myself, that's a different matter - it shows a full history of where I've made a mark on the system.

It used to be that I had a few links, my website of course, and the couple of sites that I have my artwork posted on (like d'art, art.com, cafepress, etc. it all depends on how well they promote the site and if I'm looked at on the sites. I have spent years posting on artist portfolio sites... they are great but I didn't get hit often enough to end up on a top search ranking.) and then there are some obscure link from the newspaper article I was mentioned in or some group I belong to, etc. these you can find on the 5th or 6th page of a search.

Well, yesterday, I decided to check it out again... What spurred me this time is that someone had found me through d'art website. My site tracks refurral URL's, the page that sent you to my site. So I wanted to investigate where I was out there again. It had been a while since I did it, so why not...

I was struck dumb... On Google, my work, my website, my new vlogs, and such took up nearly all of the first 6 pages. On Yahoo, I have most of the first 3 pages!... just amazing this thing called "The Web." I had no idea how quickly prolific you can get out there on the web. What a strange feeling... knowing that I'm that accessable, finally. I have spent a lot of time and effort over the last few years trying to "market" on the net. Just to have my name out there, and it takes a lot of finesse to get people to pop in and take a look at what you do.

This whole thing makes point toward positive thinking and creative manifestation... what ever you focus on just gets bigger... positive or negative... I am so thankful that the positive is going strong.

Now, to get known well enough that people can actually recognize the last name Leivan without doing something illegal. Then I'll be in! :)

Skill - #1 in the 5 Element Tarot

Artist re-conceptualizes the traditional tarot deck to 100 cards. Here the #1 card in the Major Arcana is discribed.

Skill - A New Five Element Tarot Painting

Discover and Master Your Talent!

After a precarious beginning, our Folly discovers a character that can provide him with the basic tools to begin his journey, Skill: Number 1 in the 5 Element Tarot deck, holding the time-honored location for the Magician.

Pictured here, our journeyman’s master has such confidence in his skills that he can rest easy holding the most basic building blocks of life in his hand, DNA.

He studies at the world’s table adorned with a Pentacle of Permanence and strewn with the other 4 of the 5 elements, the tools of his craft that he knows well, the Book of Knowledge, the Torch of Ambition, the Pen of Decision and the Lock of Security. Do not mistake his relaxed posture for laziness, at times most of the work can be done before we even lift a finger through our logical plans.

His beloved cat enjoys the sunny day and the breeze through an open window, reflecting the confidence and learned skills of the master. This whole scenario amazes our fool who willingly offers all of his possessions for the Skill of the master.

Quickly the master gathers these meager items and manipulates them for Folly, Revealing all of the directions that life can take, once he has learned the proper expertise.
Folly, delighted with all of this continues on his journey with renewed confidence – but these new skills can only take him so far.

What do you see in this character? Are you willing to learn how to use the tools given to us by Skill?

Attract the carefree life with Skill apparel and merchandise offered by Leivan Originals using this image and the phrase "Discover and Master Your Talent."

As of the time of this post the Original is available for sale. See if Original is Available.

In the Top 3 --- Thanks!

This morning I did an internet search for my key word "Five Element Tarot" and "5 Element Tarot" and in just a short 24 hrs. I managed to get ALL TOP 3 positions out of 91,800 on Google and within the TOP 3 out of 1,130,000 on Yahoo! Some feat considering there is a world of competition out there!

In case you don't know, positioning on these sites are due in part to activity. So that means, dear readers/viewers you have put me at the top! Not that easy of a feat! THANKS!

This project is catching fire and that's great news! I'm so excited about this news. So please keep tuned in and we'll have fun!