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Monthly Archives: January 2007

A Word on Depression

31 Wednesday Jan 2007

Posted by carlasonheim in Uncategorized

≈ 13 Comments

adam-eve2.jpg

I’m feeling the need to address this today for some reason. This morning I wrote in my journal that today was a good, but normal morning. “I don’t feel particularly happy or sad… just ‘normal’, and after so many years of being depressed I have to re-learn what that feels like.”

Some of you know that I have suffered from depression my entire adult life. In my late 30s, though, things took a turn for the worse. Honestly, there was a period of time where 3 out of 4 weeks were spent in hopeless despair. I just couldn’t seem to pull myself out of it feeling weepy, tired, overwhelmed, confused, angry and spent.

I started seeing a therapist. At one point he told me, “You don’t have to accept the depression.” When he said it, I couldn’t see how it would ever go away.

Then I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism and the resulting medication literally changed my life: I went from three weeks of depression a month to perhaps one or two days…. I felt so good that I thought I could get off the depression medication….

Uh…no.

But guess what? I now happily and joyfully take any medication I need to keep my depression in check.  I know what it feels like to feel good again, normal again, and if taking a few pills every day works, then I will do my part and take them. I also have been able to take other steps that have contributed to my “not accepting the despression.”

If anyone reading this blog is suffering, please, go to a doctor, therapist, WHATEVER to get the help you need…. You don’t need to accept it.

+++++

The above “Adam & Eve” painting is several years old. I’m thinking of revisiting the theme this winter with a series of paintings.

Modigliani Art Lesson

30 Tuesday Jan 2007

Posted by carlasonheim in Uncategorized

≈ 4 Comments

modlesson11.jpg

I used to teach kids. The above painting is by “Kayla,” a little girl in Wes’s second grade class four years ago. Draw your own! See here for step-by-step instructions…

Dreaming of Birds III

28 Sunday Jan 2007

Posted by carlasonheim in Uncategorized

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

Girls, Musings

pinkbigbird.jpg

This is a detail of a recently finished piece… I’m proud of it! (See the full image here.)

It was at one point last week “wrecked” — the colors were awful (too “Valentine’s Day” for me), and I truly wondered if I could pull it off. I thought out loud (while talking to my friend Karine), “I’m going to pull all the color off and start over.” Voicing that aloud, I went home and did it. And within an hour I had “saved the piece.

Moral: Don’t give up (but you already knew that).

That said, there are many paintings that I DO give up on. I’ve learned to trust myself on that one. If a painting makes me MAD to look at, it’s got to go. If I’ve spent a reasonable amount of time trying to save the darn thing, and it still makes me cringe, I put it in a big plastic trash bag and throw it away.

I’ve never regretted getting rid of the “bad energy” of a hopeless painting.

What are your thoughts?

Free Valentines – Grade-school style

26 Friday Jan 2007

Posted by carlasonheim in Uncategorized

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Tags

Girls, Valentines

valentines.jpg

I thought I’d repost the offer here – shoot me an e-mail at carla@carlasonheim.com and I will send you an 8.5″x11″ sheet of Valentines for you to print out! I promise I won’t put you on my mailing list, unless you specifically request to be on it!

More Fabric Journals

26 Friday Jan 2007

Posted by carlasonheim in Uncategorized

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

Fabric, Family, Girls, Journals

twojournals.jpg

The little mini journal above was designed by Wes (11 years) for a girl he likes (a birthday present). He spent at least an hour picking out the exact right image, the exact right fabrics, arranging it in the exact right order, and then hovering over me nervously while I sewed it… he was so worried that this or that might be crooked or 1/8″ off from where he had placed it that I finally told him a lesson I learned when I was an art director: “Creatives DON’T like to be over-art-directed.”

(Obviously I was gentle about it! It is about a girl, after all!)

Anyway, the new size was a genious idea! Will be offering some in my etsy store soon…

Jumping Ship

25 Thursday Jan 2007

Posted by carlasonheim in Uncategorized

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fairydust.jpg

You made it to my new blog! Please bookmark my blog with this address… thanks! My old blog (for the past year) was at www.justblogme.com/carlasonheim… now defunct. 😦 Self Portrait Thursday!

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Hello! I A Seattle-based artist who works with drawing, watercolor, and mixed-media. Hosts online art classes with 15 talented teachers through Carla Sonheim Presents: carlasonheim.com. Author of three instructional art books. Grateful grandma. Read more here.

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