My Blog has moved! Please visit my new website www.rosaphoenix.com

pencil drawing by Rosa Phoenix

I've moved! Please visit me at my new website www.rosaphoenix.com


I'll keep this site up so you can look through the archives, but new good stuff is on my new site!


Hope to see you there.

Rosa Phoenix Art Studio Opening in October 2014

Hello folks,

I'm moving on to do do more great work! 

In 2012, I started teaching art classes, just to try it out. 

I discovered that I have a real gift for teaching, and I love the community that I form with my students. 

What began as an experiment in life has become a full-fledged passion.

As I quickly found myself to be in great demand as an art teacher, that passion turned into a career and a calling.

Now I'm taking the next step, which is opening an art studio of my own where I can teach classes.


Rosa Phoenix Art Studio will open its doors on October 25, 2014 in Phoenix, Arizona with a beginner pencil drawing class for adults. 

I'm offering 20% off the price of the class to celebrate the grand opening. Click here to register.



I also have a new website and new blog. I've had a wonderful experience here on blogger for 5 years! But it's time to move on. I will keep this blog up so anyone can visit the archives.

I do hope you will visit me at my new place!

www.rosaphoenix.com

Tiny Desert Treasures

a tiny creature, hidden in plain sight!

"Nobody sees a flower really; it is so small.

We haven't time, and to see takes time -- like to have a friend takes time."

- Georgia O'Keefe

We all notice the big, bold, showy displays of nature, like the Grand Canyon or the Milky Way galaxy or Niagara Falls.

But the smallest things are just as miraculous and awe-inspiring. 

Most of the time we don't notice the daisy growing out of the sidewalk crack, the ladybug underneath the leaf, or the little spider spinning her web in a dark and forgotten corner of the house.

But if we took the time to see, we'd realize our world is teeming with treasures, just waiting for us to notice them.

Do you see the tiny frog in the photo above? (I apologize for the poor photos, they were taken with my camera phone.) Maybe you'll see it in the photo below.

He is perfectly camouflaged among the dirt and rocks, and he was sitting perfectly still! Look just above my thumb.

This is a little desert frog! One of the frogs who lives in the desert pond, who was jumping about after the monsoon rainstorm.

Here's a tiny clump of blue wildflowers on the hiking trail.

I have always loved tiny things! When you see them, it's like you found a hidden treasure!

And here's a really tiny little flower (sorry it's blurry! I need to remember to bring my real camera next time!)


After I saw these wildflowers at North Mountain Park this spring, I went to the Visitor's Center. The volunteer there was complaining loudly that "nothing is blooming this year!" 

But when I showed her my photos of tiny wildflowers she didn't say anything else. 

The most lovely and exquisite treasures are sometimes hidden in plain sight. 

The observant person will find them.

Teach and Learn, Pass It On

succulent rose

pen and ink sketch 

by Rosa Phoenix

Students are back in school now, with fresh school supplies and sharpened pencils. It's officially time to learn.

The truth is, the time for learning is . . . always. Not just during the school day or the school year.



Learning is a state of mind. 

It's being receptive, open, interested, curious, willing to explore, ask questions, make mistakes, experiment.

Learning means growing and developing as a person. 

Learning means keeping your mind alive.

Learning isn't over when you pass the test, graduate or earn a degree or certificate.

It continues on the job, in your daily life and interactions with others, and in your observations at all times.




A teacher once told me: "the best way to learn something is to teach it."



Since I began teaching art 2 years ago, I have found this to be true. 

Teaching motivates me to learn as much as I can, so that I have more knowledge and skills to pass on to my students.

My students teach me, too. 

I've learned art techniques from my students, and a lot of other things too. 

In a group art class, we all teach each other and learn from each other.



As a teacher, I stay humble. 

I'm not a fan of the authoritarian style of teaching that some of my early school teachers adopted to keep students controlled. 

I don't pretend to know all the answers, or use my knowledge to gain power over others.

I stay humble because I don't consider myself to be an expert or a master who knows it all. 

Rather, I'm just like my students: an artist on the journey to improve my skills and learn more.



I teach because I enjoy sharing the benefits of art and the creative process with others. 

Creating art helps me to be a happier, healthier, better person, and I want others to experience this too.

I also teach because so many people want to learn. 

Since I moved to Phoenix, I've found many people who want to learn art skills . . . and very few artists are teaching them. 



If you have a skill, even if you don't feel you have mastered it, I'd encourage you to teach what you know. 

Don't wait until your skills are perfect. That day will never come. There are people who want to learn now, and through teaching, your skills will improve, too.

If you enjoy something, teach others, so that they can enjoy it too. 



Share it, give it, pass it on!

Sketchbook: San Francisco

 

 Ocean Beach, San Francisco

pen and ink sketch

by Rosa Phoenix

Ah! Nothing like sketching on the beach, on a rare warm and sunny day in San Francisco!

It's important to refresh, renew, and see new sights. Travel is important for artists, to be stimulated by new scenery and experiences. 

This summer, I was thrilled to take part in Urban Sketchers' 2nd Annual West Coast Sketch Crawl in Portland, Oregon.

I'll be posting more sketches from my trip, so stay tuned.

I've been practicing drawing, and I can see that I have made a lot of improvement. Sketching has helped me a lot. I look forward to sharing what I've learned with my art students.

Teen Drawing Class @ Revival Art Collective featured in The Downtown Devil

I'm teaching a drawing class for teens at Revival Art Collective in Phoenix, Arizona. It made the news!

Arizona State University's student news agency, The Downtown Devil, followed my class and did a feature article on Revival Art Collective and my wonderful students.

Click here to read the article.

How I Won the Love Lottery (and you can too)

Although I’m single now, I feel like I have more love in my life than I’ve ever had before ...

I feel like I won the Love Lottery!

This is a pretty big deal for me, because it wasn’t so long ago, that I struggled with depression, self-hatred and even suicidal thoughts.

If it is possible for me to cultivate great love and happiness, then I think it is possible for anyone.

Love is really about feeling deeply connected – to others, and to the world.

You don’t need a romantic partner to feel it. You just need to open your heart.

What allowed me to open my heart to love, 
was practicing the 5 tips that I’m sharing with you.
This is my Valentine’s Day gift to you.

1. LOVE YOURSELF
2. STOP PUTTING LIMITS ON LOVE
3. BE CREATIVE
4. SHARE YOUR PASSION
5. BE KIND

    1. LOVE YOURSELF

Isn’t it disappointing when others don’t give you the kind of love that you would most like to receive?

You can’t control what other people do. If there’s something you want, you’d better do it for yourself.

Are you treating yourself well? Are you taking care of yourself and your life?

Give yourself the love and kindness that you desire and deserve!

Are the thoughts that you direct toward yourself loving and kind?

Or do you have an Inner Critic who is hell-bent on attacking you? Pay attention to when this Inner Critic starts bad-mouthing you, and shut it down! 

When you love yourself, you take good care of yourself. You look after your health and well-being, your body, mind, surroundings and belongings. You seek out and cultivate happy healthy relationships, and walk away from those who don't support you.

Caring for yourself makes you feel strong and vibrant so you are up for the challenges, and able to help others.

   2.    STOP PUTTING LIMITS ON LOVE

If love means feeling deeply connected to others and to the world, then that means that love is limitless.

Why must we define love so narrowly, that we believe it must look a certain way, act a certain way, come in a certain package, or happen in a certain series of events?

We’re all familiar with the Hollywood and fairy tale fantasy of love and romance – complete with the kiss and “happily ever after” with the Princess and Prince Charming.

In this fantasy, both Prince and Princess merge with “The One” – their soul mate for life, who will be their eternal source of all love.

This is a cute fantasy, but it’s only one, super simplistic, concept of love.

What if, instead of searching to find love in “The One”, you sought to find love in “The Infinite” – seeking to find a love connection with every person you meet?

What if you aspired to love:

not just one other person, 

not just members of your family, 

not just friends, but 

the entire world? 

... including animals, plants, mountains and oceans, the stars, moon, and all of Nature, and all of existence?

It may sound radical, but this is the love I seek.

This is mystical love, universal love, or some might call it spiritual love.

And no, I haven’t gotten there yet! Not even close. I fail every single day.

But I’m working on it! I have my moments.

I've discovered that, just by opening your heart to this potential, it is possible to feel a constant flow of love in your life . . . which you will never get from focusing on just one other person.

Challenge your heart by loving more every day!

Here is an experiment to try:

Before going to sleep, visualize your heart shooting laser beams of love in all directions. These laser beams will strike other people in the heart, and bounce back at you!

See what happens in the next couple of days.

   3.    BE CREATIVE

Your creative self might sing, write poetry, act, tell jokes, dance, cook, sew, tell stories, build a house, start a business . . .

In creative mode, all your senses come alive. You become a sensual, feeling, perceptive and receptive, complete human being with a unique gift.

You allow others to see your true spirit, which is necessary to make authentic, loving connections.

Everyone is creative in some way. If you don’t feel creative, you just haven’t given yourself enough opportunity to explore that part of you, and find the mode that is your own unique creative expression. 

Start learning about yourself! Experiment, explore, try something new!

   4.    SHARE YOUR PASSION 

Whatever it is that you love – share it with others.

Connect with other people who appreciate the same things you do. 

Create your community.

Inspire each other, teach each other, support each other. 

This is your tribe. You need each other.

   5.    BE KIND

You aren’t the only one who wants love and connection.

Out in the world there is a sick person who wants a comforting touch; 
a homeless person who would like a genuine smile; 
a child who needs words of hope and encouragement;
a friend who needs someone to listen.

It doesn’t take a lot on your part to brighten a person’s day, or even change a life.

All it takes is kindness.

photo by Abdulhamid Al Fadhly

Let your own heart be the greatest source of love in your life. 

Watch it open and grow like a flower, and see what happens.

Happy Valentine's Day!

How do YOU create more love in your life? Please comment below!

2014 Art Classes in Phoenix, Arizona

 rose

pencil drawing by Rosa Phoenix

I'm teaching drawing and painting classes in Phoenix, Arizona. 

I'll be teaching a kids class at Revival Art Collective: Drawing for Teens. This class begins on February 1. Register before January 18, take 20% off the class. Use discount code: EARLY.

Register here: www.tinyurl.com/teen-art-RAC

For my full class schedule, please visit my website: www.rosaphoenix.com and click on Classes. 

Please contact me if you have any questions. 

It's a new year, a blank canvas we can paint however we like!

Let's make it beautiful!

Your Presence Is the Best Present

moonlit elven magic

photo by doctor oblivious

(that's me in the photo on last year's Winter Solstice, 

spinning lights around the full moon!)

What is the greatest gift you can give to others?

Do you think you can buy it in a store, or online?

Is it a thing?

The best present is your presence.

In this world full of technology, distraction and multi-tasking, giving your full attention is a very rare experience.

Anything that is worth doing, is worth doing with your complete attention. 

If you are driving, just drive, and keep the road safe. 

If you are cooking a dish, put good intentions into it, and it will taste wonderful. 

However, if you are distracted, with your mind elsewhere, you could make mistakes, you could mess things up, or you could miss out on something important that someone is saying.

 

My friend Tom always says: "Be here now." 

And sometimes he also says: "Just be."

It sounds so simple, but it's actually very difficult. 

The mind likes to distract us and scatter our attention every which way. We like to feel important, with so many things to think about. 

But the most important thing is being right where we need to be right now, doing the thing we are doing. And if what we are doing isn't important, than maybe we need to examine why we do it at all.

When you're having a conversation with another person, do you feel the difference between when they are truly listening to you and responding to what you say in a thoughtful way, and when they are playing with their phone, texting, thinking of other things, or tuning you out?

Which way do you prefer to be treated? 

Which way makes you feel honored and important?

I'm working on bringing more of myself (attentive, present, open, honest) to every interaction, and as I do that, I feel others responding positively and in similar fashion. 

Relationships improve, bonds strengthen, and communities form this way.

Being present is the gift I give to myself and others.

Coyotes Sketch

coyotes

sketch by Rosa Phoenix

On my hike today I saw, and heard, many coyotes. They were singing, howling and barking in the desert mountains at sunset.

Their song has a haunting and eerie sound. If you've ever heard them, you know what I mean!

Earlier this year I made a sketch from my memory of three coyotes singing.

Where I live in Phoenix, Arizona, there are many nature preserves with hiking trails, where you can see beautiful plants and animals of the desert.

 

Thankful

pumpkins and gourds

watercolor painting by Rosa Phoenix

It's Thanksgiving in the U.S.A.!

It's the day we get together with our family and friends, give thanks, and celebrate the abundance of the harvest!

I love the autumn season. At the market I bought many pumpkins, squash and gourds. I love the bright colors and unusual shapes. They are simply brilliant!

Giving thanks for what we have, and sharing what we have, is a good way to celebrate, every day.

 

What's Holding You Back?

Rose

pencil drawing by Rosa Phoenix

In my work as an art instructor, I hear it all the time:

"I'm not an artist."

"I'm not good at art."

"I can't draw / paint / make art / be creative."

Recently an elderly lady told me that when she was a very young child, she had loved creating art! 

But when she got to kindergarten, she saw that many of the other kids there were much better at it than she was. 

As a result of comparing herself to others, she stopped drawing and making art.

I thought this was incredibly sad.  

The poor woman had stopped doing something that she enjoyed, and had deprived herself of this activity for more than 60 years, because her inner critic told her that she wasn't good enough, at the age of 5! 

Unfortunately, we got interrupted, just when I was about to tell her that drawing is a skill that anyone can learn and improve, at any age. 

The lady walked away, and I went to teach my class of people who (thankfully) know better than to let their inner critic stop them from doing what they want to do!

 

Life is short, and it goes by quickly.  

We make plans for a future "someday", but things often happen to thwart our plans.

What are you putting off for a future someday, that you could be doing today? 

 self portrait

ink drawing by Rosa Phoenix

 

Let me tell you about myself.

I was born an artist. As a child I drew and painted all the time. I dreamed of being an artist, and I was supported and encouraged by my family.

The voice of my inner critic was very strong, however. 

Although other people thought my art was good, to me it never measured up to the vision I had in my mind. The defects I saw in my art stood out and created a feeling of shame within me. 

I won prizes for my art when I was a teenager, but it wasn't enough to overcome my sense of inadequacy. 

I didn't think I was good enough to pursue art further, and so I stopped painting and drawing.

I moved to New York City to attend university, and there I found myself surrounded by many artists. I felt overwhelmed by the talent around me. 

Comparing myself to others, I felt like I was out of my league. I kept my artistic side hidden, and did other things. I studied writing and literature, but, just as with art, I lacked the confidence to pursue it.

After university, I ended up working in offices, working overtime to just get by. 

I frequently burned out, growing bored by the routines, drained by the long hours, irritated by office politics, meetings, and spending all my energy doing work that I cared little about.

I had the idea that I could "moonlight" and do my creative work during my free time, but at the end of the day I was so tired I just wanted to eat and sleep, and then I'd wake up and do the same thing all over again.

I watched my childhood dream of being an artist get crushed in the gears of the corporate machine. 

The combination of workaholism, lack of self-care, and grasping at various mind-numbing activities and substances to distract myself from feeling the pain of my existence . . . led to a crisis with my health. 

I became extremely weak and sick, and was diagnosed with autoimmune disease.

If I continued on this path, I would literally die.

I couldn't avoid any longer. I had to face my pain, my pushed-away dreams and my fears.

I began making art again because I had to.  

"I'm not good enough" didn't matter anymore. My spirit needed to do it. 

Making art helped to heal me when I was sick, sad, depressed, grieving and confused. 

I didn't care anymore that my drawings were bad, from having not practiced for 15 years. Drawing soothed me when I was nauseous from medication, when I was having anxiety attacks, and when my heart was racing and I was afraid I would die.

As I began to recover slowly from my illness, and re-discovered my love of art, my re-awakened creativity blossomed. Beautiful visions and ideas began to pour out of me like a fountain.

There was a person in my life who was very close to me, and often when I shared my dreams, ideas or art, he would criticize it, or he would say "You can't do it."

As I grew stronger, I began to believe in myself and have more confidence. 

Art became my passion once again. 

I created in spite of my inner critic, and in spite of my loved one who was a critic also.

My father died suddenly and unexpectedly, and this shock sent me the message that life is not meant to be taken for granted. Life is meant to be lived, and not wasted doing things that don't matter to me.

My father left me an inheritance. I spent this money to go back to school, to learn digital arts, and I taught myself graphic design from books. I bought a computer and art supplies, and rented a small private art studio where I could paint, design and make things.

I wanted to make art my life. I felt that I had already died in my life, when I got sick, and now I was being given the chance to start over. 

It was like a rebirth, and for this reason I re-named myself Rosa Phoenix -- for the bird who rises from its own ashes. 

As I was growing and changing so rapidly, I got feedback from other people in my life. Some positive, and some negative. Some people seemed uncomfortable, envious or threatened by the changes in me and the shift in my priorities and attention. 

These people didn't support my growth or my new vision of myself and what I wanted my life to be. Including my closest loved one.

I had to let my old life go. Even the people I loved, I had to let go, in order to grow.

It wasn't easy. It was the most difficult thing I've ever had to do.

I won't let anyone hold me back now, including myself. 

 dream of running

ink sketch by Rosa Phoenix

The rewards have been so great. Art is worth all the pain and difficulty I've been through.

Now I work as a teacher, helping others to discover and express their own creativity. I'm able to affect many lives in a healthy and positive way. I'm staying healthy myself. I'm being true to myself.

I'm proud of myself, for surviving, and for accomplishing many wonderful things. 

I'm incredibly grateful for the life I have today. It's my life, the one I've always dreamed of.

I feel like a lucky person. I am thankful to be alive and to have been given another chance to follow my dreams.

Believe in yourself. Follow your dreams. Live the life you yearn to live. 

Don't let anything, or anyone, hold you back.

Don't worry that you aren't good enough. 

There are people who need you to share your unique gifts. 

Teach them what you know, and they will go from there.

  

Kids Orchestra Japan

 

Young musician of Kids Orchestra Japan
in Oakland, California U.S.A.

My friend, Junko Suzuki Parsons, founder of the band Cyclub, created Kids Orchestra Japan, a project that involves kids in Fukushima, Japan and Oakland, California USA.  

The children will work collaboratively to play music together, creating a cross-cultural exchange of friendship, art, music and education.

Junko and her band Cyclub are currently working with kids in a public school in Oakland, California to learn music that they will eventually play together with young musicians from Fukushima, Japan.


Below, a few of the young musicians in Kids Orchestra in Oakland, California.
 

Junko is from Japan and has been an anti-nuclear activist for many years.  

When the March 11, 2011 tsunami and Fukushima nuclear disaster struck Japan, she was heartbroken for her country. 

Me (left) and Junko Suzuki Parsons (right) 

Junko's activism took on a deeper sense of urgency, as she watched events unfold, first from a distance in San Francisco, then she traveled to the disaster area in Japan and toured with her band Cyclub.

Junko has organized many benefit events to help the Fukushima victims. She now feels that it is incredibly important to reach the children of the disaster area, as they will be the ones most affected.

The band, Cyclub, her communities in Japan and the San Francisco Bay Area, and many concerned people in Japan and the U.S.A. support her mission. 

"Shining in Da Sun" album by Cyclub

CD cover illustration by Rosa Phoenix

The next generation inherits what we leave behind. 

Let's show them that a better way is possible, by educating kids about health and the effects of contaminants in the environment, and by empowering them to build bridges with art, music and cross-cultural collaboration and dialogue.

Children need hope to survive and thrive.

Learn more about Kids Orchestra Japan.