AFFIRMATION STICKS AND WHY I DO THEM! © SAUNDRA LANE FINE ART

"My Best"

A gift, but they are $45

Yes, I do commissions

"My Best" is my latest affirmation stick.  This one is a gift for a person that I needed to send a little hug to and a little I'm sorry for not being very understanding...sigh...I had a day of days not long ago and she was just in the path...sigh...I wish I had better control over my days sometimes...I'm working on it! 

 The reason I STARTED doing them was I had all these dowels that I didn't know what to do with, so I began playing...I started wrapping them with different materials...well, that wasn't enough, so I found some pre made affirmations at my local craft shop and that was fun...so they were born...AND THEN, it hit me that if I wanted to tailor these to people who might need a little boost how would I do it...and I figured out a way to write my own...or use a pre worded one with a little color and font specificity...I like both ways of adding an affirmation, so I'm doing whatever speaks to me...My favorite way to do these has been to take commissions with a little info, and tailor it to specific people...but, when no people are forthcoming at the moment, I just make them and if someone connects all the better!  I put these sticks on gallery wrap canvas as shown above and on barn wood...but who knows what material for a background will come to me next! 

WORDS with my work has begun to be more and more important to me.  I played with it in my early works that now describe a bit of a familiar to me style as in my 24"x12" "Aspen Lights and Shadows"...the whole phrase is "aspen lights and shadows weave through"...It seemed important to me to describe my experience with the aspen stands I had walked among.  I realized it was harder to market and sell these works because not only does it have to appeal subject wise, color wise, design wise, but then also PHRASE wise...I still do these on my 2D works, but not as often for the very reason I described...but I still have a need to include the word or phrase as I can...

So, on I go creating, and coming up with this or that to express myself...whatever I seem to be inspired by at the moment is where I land in my studio.  My wish for you all is that you

FIND INSPIRATION WHEREVER YOU MAY HAPPEN TO FIND YOURSELF!!

ADDING WORK SPECIFICALLY CREATED FOR LUNA'S MANDALA © SAUNDRA LANE FINE ART

"Worthy"

12"x4" x 1.5" deep gallery wrap canvas

$45

Available at Luna's Mandala in Conifer

Continuing on with my work specifically created for Luna's Mandala this is a "long skinny" (as I like to call them) version of my affirmation sticks.  Again, they are wrapped dowels with an affirmation thrown in to give it the meaning intended!  "I am worthy of my dreams" is a powerful statement that reminds us that we are worthy..to keep dreaming! I've included some peridot and lapis stones in the mix pulling together this powerful little reminder!

 "The Beauty of Existence"

24"x6"x1.5" cradled panel

$95

Available at Luna's Mandala

This very special "journal page" like painting is created specifically for Luna's Mandala.  Words have found a way into my paintings a lot lately...I'm drawn to the added power they can hold when added with the visual.  The photo doesn't show it but a peridot has found its way into the center of the poppy.

FIND A WAY TO INSPIRE!

"DREAM CATCHER", AND TWO AFFIRMATION STICKS © SAUNDRA LANE FINE ART

"Dream Catcher"

Acrylic on textured gallery wrap canvas

$45

Available at Luna's Mandala

This is one of several pieces I'm doing as a special series specifically for my gallery at Luna's Mandala.  If you have not been up to Conifer to see this special space I hope you do soon!  Luna has a wonderful store that includes original artwork from local artisans...jewelry, wonderful organic and trade free clothing, minerals, crystals and MORE!  I love the atmosphere at Luna's Mandala...it is CALM and INVITING!  She is wonderful about making everyone who stops by feel like they are the one and only!  SO, I am pleased to do work that "fits" in when ever she asks.  "Dream Catcher" is one such piece!  

ALSO specific to Luna's are my "Affirmation Sticks".  These fun little bits o art are my way of reminding us that we are important, and we need to remember it!  I create these affirmation sticks by wrapping a dowel with hemp, leather, and other bits of this or that and then add color and such with beads of different stones.  Then comes the affirmation.  I will use metal pre printed ones if it fits, but if it doesn't fit what I want to say I make my own and encase it in two part epoxy for a permanent application. 

"Do Your Best"

Affirmation Stick

$45

Available at Luna's Mandala

"do your best and let that be enough" is something I say to myself ALL THE TIME!  I think women often push themselves to do so much and then spend so much time regretting that it wasn't enough.  THIS affirmation is for a woman like this!  We need to remember, OUR BEST IS ENOUGH!  Thus the birth of this piece!This wrapped affirmation is attached to old barn wood and is ready to hang!

and, is if that wasn't enough, the little reminder below "truth" should be enough to cement that thought in our minds...IT IS TRUE!  BEST IS BEST! lol (by the way, things coated with epoxy are hard to photograph...the glare is not something I can avoid for straight on shots...i promise it isn't "glarey" in life!) 👍

"Choose Happy"

Affirmation Stick on gallery wrap canvas

$45

Available at Luna's Mandala in Conifer, CO

 "Choose Happy" was a no brainer for me...we are living in some stressful times right now, so I wanted to bring some bright color and a reminder that we CAN "Choose Happy" to make our day tun around.  This Affirmation comes to the person who needs that visual reminder to turn their frown upside down to quote a long loved phrase! 

I will continue to create these fun reminders to self as I am inspired to do so!  We all need to remember to be kind to ourselves!

FIND INSPIRATION WHERE YOU CAN!

"BE THE CHANGE" latest affirmation stick added to my ETSY shop © SAUNDRA LANE FINE ART

"Be the Change"

Affirmation Stick

$28

Available through my ETSY shop

"Be the Change" is my first customized quote affirmation stick. I enjoy using the pre made quotes I find here and there, but on this one I took the quote "Be the Change You Wish to See" by Gandi and customized it on paper and then covered it with resin so it would be firm enough to attach to my dowel. This makes these affirmation sticks a customizable item for me! YAY! This is wrapped with canvas, leather, wire with beads added. These affirmation sticks are meant to be a reminder that you hang near your work station or anywhere else you need a reminder to, as in this case, BE that Change You Wish to See in this world! This dowel is apx 12" long and attached to a piece of barnwood. 

 In the detail of the swag you will see Howlite chips, silver bling and even a canvas bead.  I use these for a bit of color, texture and well, design fun!  I've also added the Howlite beads to the dowel as you can see.

WHY do I make these?  Well, as I have said in the past, I need a switch up now and then to clear my creative pallet so to speak.  Not only do I love working with lots of different media and objects in my artwork, but I love the words that can so often speak to that part of us that needs a bit of a boost.  For me, to look at a dowel for instance and think..."what can I make with this?  what can I do to create something new?"  I find that in the process of creating something new, it frees my creative spirit and helps in my paintings and other creative aspects of my life.  

I highly encourage you, especially if you are in a slump of any kind, to take an object and let your creative brain take over...make something new, do something different with it...it is FUN and often will free you from the slump and get you back on track again!

BE INSPIRED IN THE SMALLEST OF THINGS!!!

NEW ITEMS LISTED ON ETSY...© SAUNDRA LANE ON ETSY

"Don't Worry Be Happy" canvas basket

Available through my ETSY shop!

Check out the 7 new items I've added to my ETSY shop today!

and...another affirmation stick!

HAPPY CREATING!

AFFIRMATION STICKS; A FUN WAY TO BE REMINDED © SAUNDRA LANE GALLOWAY

"The Journey"

14"x2 1/2" over all  Wrapped dowel 12"

$28

Available through my ETSY shop

These affirmation sticks came from my packing!  I found all these dowels and before throwing them out sat for a minute and wondered what I could do with them.  SO, wrapping them in leather, jute, hemp, yarns...whatever worked with my theme...and then adding some metal detail and there they were!  The 12" dowel is attached to old barn wood.  Just a great little way to be reminded of what you need to be reminded of.  Hang them in a spot where you can see them every day...that's where affirmations do their best work! They have saw tooth hangers on back making them ready to hang!

"Creating Yourself"

14"x2 1/2"; dowel 12"

$28

Available through my ETSY shop

Same process, different affirmation.  The stones in this one include Lapis Lazuli!

It is always important as an artist to experiment...try new things...play with materials...this is just a great example of doing just that!  Take some time to play!

HAPPY CREATING!