inner child

For the joy of it!

| Bonnie Kelso

trust

My illustrations are a reflection of my inner child. I can remember drawing my own characterizations of animals since I was in Kindergarten. When I was in the first grade I won a poster contest about listening. I drew animals with big ears. When the teacher announced to the entire class that I had won, I heard a classmate say, “We all know her Dad drew it.” I was horrified and heart broken. It’s true my Dad can draw, but he didn’t help me, not one bit. Already being fearfully shy, I didn’t know how to express my distress over the comment and began crying right there in front of everyone. Over the years I have realized how precious our creative lives are to us. I try to express this vulnerability as well as beauty in my art. My intention as an artist and writer is to encourage people to express themselves creatively and become more resilient to criticism, especially that dreadful inner-critic.

How are you using your creative life? Do you feel like you have one? I’d like to reassure you right now that you do. When was the last time you engaged in a creative project just for the joy of it? Sometimes I feel like we put so much pressure on ourselves to create something amazing that we never even start. It’s true there are a lot of amazing creations out there. The other side of this truth is that these things were created because a whole lot of other things (things that may not have been so great) were created first. So, take the pressure off yourself and create something for the pure joy of it. No expectations. Just joy.

Xoxo,

Bonnie

Bonnie Kelso writes and illustrates books that celebrate diversity, creativity, and all the special qualities that make each of us unique.

©Bonnie Kelso and Creating Your ExperienceVitalize Your Creative Life is a workbook based on a series of classes I designed based on creating from the energetic space of your inner child. In this workbook, I encourage you to rediscover the creative kid inside of you by coloring, scribbling, and even drawing stick figures. This is a very approachable book for people who want to begin exploring their creative life in a playfully spiritual way. Read more…

Paint -> Play -> Discover!

| Bonnie Kelso

 

Enjoy!

x,

Bonnie

Bonnie Kelso writes and illustrates children’s books that celebrate diversity, creativity, and all the special qualities that make each of us unique. Her book EVER OPEN is now available on Amazon in print and for kindle.

EverOpenCoverTiltDeep in the heart of the Everglades, 26 tiny eggs are beginning to hatch in a giant nest under a tall cypress tree. The fourth alligator to see the light of day is about to embark on a classic hero’s journey. Join Baby D as he explores his world through the innocence and wonder of a natural dreamer. Discover what makes him special while pondering what it might be that makes you special, too.

The Red Crayon

| Bonnie Kelso

Dreams are so weird. Well, mine are to me. If I told you about them you would probably find them really boring, so I will spare you that. I did have one last night where it was a dream inside a dream. Those are rare. In my dream I was telling two people about what we were doing in a dream, and yes, their eyes were glazing over as I spoke… in my dream!

Although most dreams are strange and hardly seem worth remembering when the alarm goes off in the morning, some dreams seem to demand our attention. Those dreams feel more lucid and not like a dream at all. There’s something different about the light, the feel, the sounds and the overall intensity of them. Have you had one of these lately? Do you know what I’m talking about?

crayon

Mine was simple and non-threatening. It was a red crayon. It was just lying there waiting for me to pick it up. I remember exactly what it looked like.  It was one of those big chunky crayons, made for little hands. It was new and perfect in shape and form. The tip was an unpressed cone of wax, still shiny from the processing plant. The paper sleeve on the crayon was free of wear and tear. I could tell it had not been handled much, if at all. It was as if this crayon had been perfectly preserved from childhood. My childhood. It was being saved for now. Saved for me to take and use in my 48th year of life. Perhaps in the past I have used other colors. Maybe those have already been worn down past the paper wrapper, but not the red. I’ve never used the red. Why? Is it too bold? Is it too everything I have never felt qualified to do until now? Continue reading →

#the100dayProject

| Bonnie Kelso

So, I just found out about this project that’s apparently been going on for years and it’s basically hijacked my world right now. I’m not even sure where to start… It’s delightfully simple and based on a premise I can totally get behind (because it’s pretty much the same idea behind my 5MinuteCreator ebook). It’s an Instagram hashtag that heroically tries to motivate people into doing something creative every day for 100 days. Special shout out to Elle and Lindsay and www.the100dayproject.org.

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#the100dayProject, Day 4

Okay, so I was feeling really in a slump, emotionally and creatively. Yes, this even happens to Creativity Coaches. It’s something everyone struggles with from time to time, but the difference for me now is Continue reading →

Isn’t she radiant?

| Bonnie Kelso

Cover Tilt

Shaylee was inspired by all you kids out there who are learning how to SPEAK YOUR TRUTH! I am so proud of each and every one of you. Speaking clearly and passionately about what is most important to you is not something that comes naturally to all of us. I am one of those people. I am an adult who has felt silenced over the years due to my own fears of rejection, and I am learning through your example, what it means to speak my own truth through my creative expression. I gladly allow the youth of the world to show me the way. This one is for all of you young ones who need a little encouragement to stand up and be heard, too.

Standing up and cheering you on,

Bonnie

 

Bonnie Kelso is a Creativity Coach who uses Creating as a healing modality. She is the author of Vitalize Your Creative Life, a workbook for engaging with your inner creative child. She also facilitates creativity workshops and classes locally in Las Vegas, NV. She is the creator of the ABCs of Conscious Creating, a guided self-study program that delves deeper into the spiritual realm of your unique creative potential.

 

Radiant

A VITAL Special Friend and Offer

| Bonnie Kelso

I want to introduce you to a special friend of mine. Her name is Verdandi and she is a beautiful ash tree that lives in Red Rock Canyon. I visit her all the time. I lay my crystals around her and clear away any trash I find. I gently touch her weathered bark flesh and give her healing energy. Then I pour whatever water I’ve brought with me at her roots. In return she gives me inspiration and feeds my creative life force. It’s a symbiotic relationship, the kind I would like to offer from my heart to yours.

Continue reading →

Launch: The Star Inside

| Bonnie Kelso

FrontCover2Sm

What does anger feel like? This is the question I’ve been asking myself and others as I have been working on a book and online course that helps people to express anger in safe and healing ways. The image that kept coming up again and again was the star.

Stars have a massive amount of energy inside of them. There is potential for heat, radiation, even a supernova explosion if a star continues to become more and more unstable. On the flip side of this anger (which is a manifestation of hostile energy), there is Continue reading →

Detachment & Your Creativity

| Bonnie Kelso

Detachment

I taught a creativity class last week about “Detachment.” As creative beings, detachment can be difficult. We become very attached to things, possessions, people, memories from our past, our creations themselves…

What does it mean to detach? I used to feel that if I detached from something it meant that I didn’t care about it. Now I realize that when I detach, I allow the object of my attachment the freedom of independence.

Continue reading →