Decide

Since the lock-down began, I’ve suddenly had a lot less time to work on my projects. The funny thing is… I’ve somehow managed to still find time to work on my projects! I’ve had to make a lot of tough choices in order to stay productive. It’s heart-breaking work to have to say ‘no’ to comfortable routines and people we care about, but it helps you to understand in your heart what you need to continue saying yes to, no matter what. The world is changing on micro and macro levels all at once. Even when things “go back to normal” we’re only kidding ourselves if we believe that anything will ever be like it was. I’ve been learning important things about myself during these past few months. Like the other day when a distracted driver almost ran me over in the crosswalk. I learned two things in that one moment. #1, I learned that my crisis response is to freeze, not fight or flight. #2, I learned that I had been taking for granted that a few lines drawn on the street could grant me safety. They don’t. In these times we have to be extra vigilant. We have to observe. We have to look both ways, again and again, even when the lights are green and the little walkie man is flashing. It’s okay to freeze, but at some point we need to start moving again. But when we do, we have to remember that the world has changed, that we have all changed. There will be some things we will miss. But there will be other things that we can rebuild to be better than they were. We have to decide to hold on to that hope.

Bonnie

©Bonnie Kelso and Creating Your Experience

For a limited time I have reduced the price of my coloring books to $7.99. Enjoy!

Check out this new 100 Day Project on Instagram: #TinyLifeLines2020

Going with the Flow

creek

I felt well enough today to write a blog post! Yay! Chemotherapy treatment for Breast Cancer is no picnic, but I did manage to get out to Mt. Charleston last weekend. It was a little frustrating because I could only make it to this little creek. I didn’t even make it all the way to Little Falls, a hike I normal would consider a “baby hike.” With anemia and general fatigue weighing me down at 7,000 feet, I just didn’t have it in me. But it was nice to just sit and listen to the water flow. I am reminded that I too am in the flow of healing.

A lot of what I’m going through emotionally reminds me of when I was pregnant. So much scaling back of all the things a normally love to do. Although I won’t get a beautiful baby out of this deal, I do hope to gain a life in remission from cancer.

My creative projects have had to shift to a glacial timeframe of development as well. This is especially dangerous for a person like me, because when I’m lying down, I think of new things I want to create. I have a growing list of projects I want to initiate, develop and complete once I get through this year of treatment. Even as I am waiting this time out, I am grateful for the experience. Cancer has given me a new awareness of who I am and what I’m here to do. Yes, there is always a bright side, even to cancer.

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Happy Little Trees

Started my day today watching an episode of Bob Ross and following some of his advice as I created my own version of “Happy Little Trees.” What an inspiration he was. Such a lovely person. He always says, “don’t copy me, make it your own. Make the place you want to go to.” I feel like I’ve been there all day, even while I’m roaming around in my urban desert home. I’m still there among those happy little trees. Magic. Thank you, Bob!

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May your day be filled with happy trees of any size.

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!

 

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.

Strength

strength

Strength is the tree that can bend in the storm without breaking. This image from my sketchbook and includes an art card featuring the painting “Tiger in a Tropical Storm” by Henri Rousseau. It’s hard to tell if the tiger is frightening or frightened. I like that about the painting. Sometimes we are both in the face of fear when we are trying to summon our own courage.

I wish you the strength of a tree and the courage of a tiger, or the strength of a tiger and the courage of a tree to help you through whatever it may be that is challenging you right now.

Love,

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.

EverOpenCoverTilt

 

Deep 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.

Quaking Aspens

QuakingAspens

Dean and I were hiking up at Mount Charleston last weekend. The quaking aspens were in peak color. What an inspiring feeling to be surrounded by the color yellow. I feel empowered in the solar plexus and ready to take on the world again! Enjoy!

me

May your day be touched somehow by the color yellow.

Love,

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.

EverOpenCoverTilt

 

Deep 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.

Self-Portrait

I’ve never enjoyed creating self-portraits. But, for some reason I just created one, and really enjoyed doing it! I was suddenly inspired by a weird painting I saw in the background of an episode of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. It was a framed painting of a woman standing next to her cat. In the episode a woman from the 50s is being scolded by her parents for allowing her marriage to end. I was only half watching, because I was really drawn to the painting hanging on the wall of the woman’s bedroom. Even now, I’m not sure what it symbolized.

portraitSM

I guess there’s the stereotype of the lonely woman with no husband and only a cat for a companion. It could have just been there as some sort of subliminal symbol. I wonder how much this has really changed over the years.

Anyway, for some reason I really felt compelled to re-create the image I had seen ever so briefly. I especially liked in the image I saw how the woman was shoulder to shoulder with her cat, like they were totally in this thing together. I drew my current cat, Freeda. She definitely has the strongest personality of any cat I’ve ever been familiar with. Some of you may not know this, but she even has her own blog. Even though I only have one cat, I still proudly consider myself a cat lady.

Soooooo, Happy Caturday!

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> * <

Love,

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.

EverOpenCoverTilt

 

Deep 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.

Shaman

Shaman.jpg

This collage was inspired by an interview I was watching of Joseph Campbell on Netflix, specifically “The First Storytellers.” As a children’s book writer I often look to Joseph Campbell for guidance. It’s part of my mission to create stories that speak of and from the soul within. The interview is really fascinating as they discuss different cultures and how myth is kept alive through reverent ritualistic practices. There was talk about the role of the shaman being a conduit of spirit through a personal psychological experience. He says that artists are the shamans of the contemporary world. Artists keep the myth and mystery alive in our culture.

I thank you, artists of all forms, for expressing the mystery of the creator that resides within us all.

Love,

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.

EverOpenCoverTilt

 

Deep 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.