Deborah Friedson

I delight in you

deborah — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 01:38:53 +0000

painting in progress

I love the water. It refreshes me. It heals and comforts me. It carries me and holds me up. My life flows like a gentle river, steady, swift and sure. As I immerse myself in the process of painting, I renew my commitment to live with intention. I contemplate ~ the river doesn’t stop flowing to ask which direction to go, nor does it pause to decide if it should crash against the rocks or simply drift around. And I remember, so it is with me.

The warmth of coffee, the warmth of a compassionate heart

deborah — Sat, 22 Sep 2012 15:16:27 +0000

The warmth of coffee, the warmth of a compassionate heart

I am reworking a painting about the warmth of coffee. However, it really is about so much more ~ the sensation of relaxing, truly letting go, taking time to be totally present, sharing secrets, comforting a close friend, sharing a moment of intimacy…

Painting on heavy watercolor paper creates the opportunity for major overhauls.This painting sat for a long time because I did not like the colors. Washing a layer of watercolor away has revealed the original core of the painting. I now have a fresh view and a new opportunity to recreate this painting from my book for an upcoming fundaraiser at Ophelia’s Place* in Syracuse, New York.

*Ophelia’s Place is a non-profit organization committed to empowering individuals, families, and communities to redefine beauty and health through initiatives that increase self-esteem, improve body image and introduce alternatives to dangerous desires for perfection; and to providing outreach, advocacy and educational services to those impacted by eating disorders, disordered eating and body dissatisfaction.

The challenge of self-care

deborah — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 18:49:58 +0000

I embrace the skin that contains me ~ the challenge of self care

I am practicing loving myself. This is very hard for me to do as I listen to the tapes in my head which repeat how much I am not enough. I intentionally use the word practice as I tell myself that I am enough and worthy of self-love. Each day I begin again, to respect and acknowledge those old tapes, while I create new patterns that express self acceptance.

I love skin care. It is my hobby. I enjoy applying cream to my body and noting the sensation of my skin drinking up the moisture. ~ The only problem is I do not like looking in the mirror. This creates an interesting conundrum for me.

Integrating art for healing and embracing products that heal and protect the body is a natural fit for me as an artist and writer. Feeling beautiful is another thing altogether. I know I can “live life beautiful”. My goal is to truly feel it.

This stage one of my new painting on the theme of self acceptance…..

Unexpected Joy

deborah — Sat, 30 Jun 2012 13:00:19 +0000

Painting commissioned for a cherished bulldog.

This piece was created from a photograph and designed to capture the personality of a unique and playful family member.

An invitation for healing

deborah — Mon, 25 Jun 2012 01:05:27 +0000

One of the most amazing gifts of life is the possibility of healing. Healing is mysterious and miraculous. Encountering suffering from grief, injury, illness, anxiety or loss can be an opportunity to repair the body, mind and heart ♥.
Taking care not to struggle against the pain ~ but experiencing and acknowledging that which presents itself truly allows the capacity to heal.
Although this seems counterintuitive, it is actually an act of lovingkindness towards oneself. Loving ourself as we do others is one of the hardest things to do… and also the most important. ♥ This is why I sign my book The Woman With The Elephant Heart, “in healing” ~ to represent my daily commitment to practice living with the intention of healing.

~ inspired by and adapted from the beautiful teachings of author Jack Kornfield’s “Guided Meditations for Self-Healing”

Celebrating moments that don’t last ~ the impressionist’s view

deborah — Mon, 07 May 2012 00:58:07 +0000

My favorite painter is Claude Monet. His water lilies speak to me. The colors draw me into a world of calm and quiet. I want to be there! It is goal of mine to visit Monet’s garden at Giverny and look to see if I can view the lilies as the artist did ~ capturing one precious moment in time.

I intentionally write and paint near a large window that overlooks my garden. It keeps me grounded and aware of how nature is always changing. It reminds me to savor “this moment in time”. I honor the present moment with gratitude and an awareness of the blessing of today.

Home is where my heart is

deborah — Sun, 06 May 2012 01:04:34 +0000

I am working on a new painting. I want to capture the essence of the love that lives with in my home. I feel safe in my house. It is my haven. It is small and cozy and the colors make me feel calm and comforted. I don’t have any formal rooms. I grew up with a plastic covers on our furniture and I swear I still have the indentations in my thighs. I had to carefully peel myself off the couch. I didn’t want my own home to be like that and it isn’t.

The architecture I chose in my painting is actually not my house, but the feelings reflected within are. This painting is a stretch because I am more comfortable working with organic shapes. It is a good challenge for me. My new painting honors my older son Andy who just got engaged. I am so excited to have a daughter to love. My home is richer already.

“Our Home” will be exhibited at Symmetry Gallery upon completion.

Philanthropy ~ a present I give myself

deborah — Fri, 04 May 2012 01:01:42 +0000

It truly is much better to give than receive. I don’t wonder why I survived my accident, but I am grateful. I took that gratitude and dedicated it to the profits of my book and paintings. I donate as much as I can to my community and beyond, in the form of works of art. I currently have over sixteen charities displaying original art, prints and books. It is my way of giving back because I survived. It is a way to make a difference in the lives of others who have suffered or are suffering. It is my way of saying, you are not alone, I have been there too and together we will not only survive, we will thrive. Having a commitment to philanthropy gives me purpose and quite simply it feels good.

Dance with Me

deborah — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 19:07:49 +0000

Painting commissioned as a birthday gift.

Letting go takes practice

deborah — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 01:10:30 +0000

“In the end these things matter most: How well did you love? How fully did you live? How deeply did you let go? ~Your purpose in life is to find your purpose and give your whole heart and soul to it”

These words by Buddhist teacher Siddhartha Gautama resonate with me. My book, The Woman with the Elephant Heart, is my personal journey towards the goal of truly letting go. It is hard to do. Sometimes, the ~ what ifs ~ simply fill my mind with doubt. When I redirect my thoughts to being in the here and now, I find I am able to live with intention and let go. This is a behavior I practice over and over again.