I am LOVING the artwork of Charmaine Olivia !! She is a self taught artist residing in San Francisco’s sunny Mission District. I think SOMEONE likes drawing ships and indians possibly as much as I do! So inspiring….
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Those closest to me know I am not much of a book reader. Although it is something I’ve always wished to be. Well, a book reader AND a writer. One of those knowledge hungry girls who can get lost in a 600 page novel and articulate her thoughts on paper with clarity and ease. Unfortunately that never came naturally for me. When reading, my imagination would get the best of me and I would have to re-read each page a few times before getting back on track. When writing, instead of writing words I often ended up with pictures. I suppose I can thank God we were all created differently, each with our own unique gifts and talents. (right!?)
Leeana Tankersley is one of those women I wish I was a little more like : smart, funny, thoughtful, reflective, and inspiring. I was honored when she asked me to read and review her first published book titled “Found Art”. Given my track record with books, I was a bit nervous in taking on the challenge and felt somewhat “under qualified”. But I pushed aside my insecurities knowing there was something good to be learned here. Totally unfamiliar with what the book was about, I instantly assumed it was about art (given it’s title). And by art I mean the kind of art I know about – paintings, drawings, sculptures, ect. But come to find out, it was really about a different kind of art altogether. The art God is busy creating from the scraps and the cast-offs of our own lives. Any one of these scraps might be a discarded item, but collaged together, they become something entirely different. Art emerges from the carefully collaged odds and ends. God takes the unlikely moments of our lives and pieces them together into something of beauty and worth.
Found Art is a memoir of Leeana’s experiences as the wife of a Navy SEAL, living in the middle east for her first year as a military wife during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Leaving everything she knew, she embarked on a journey of self discovery and renewed faith in a place very VERY far from home. Although her story is very different from my own, I found much of what she wrote about to be very relatable. She talks about her frustration with the perfectionism of our culture, dealing with change, the pains of war and death, and finding true passion in God. Her emotions are raw and genuine, and her story will encourage anyone who finds themselves in difficult and unfamiliar situations. In the beginning pages of the book Leeana writes “While the story is literal, it is also figurative. As you may well know, foreign territory doesn’t only exist ten thousand miles away; we can find ourselves in unknown countries without going anywhere.” Isn’t that the truth!?
Beauty often emerges from our areas of greatest weakness and pain. One quote that rang true for me was “Pain, like no other place perhaps, is where our art is born, where our stories are written, our canvases brushed, our scores composed. Though we so often want to deny the discomfort, suffering is one of the few things that can lead us to the place where we find the God we so desperately longs for”. I have goosebumps even writing it. It is easy to fall victim to pain. But God gives us the opportunity to grow, to learn, and to rise up and become a stronger person because of it.
Thank you Leeana for being so raw in sharing your story and reminding me that although my life may not be perfect, God is molding and shaping it into something beautiful. We all have a story to tell.
You can read through a few of the pages of FOUND ART HERE
And also her blog post a few months ago on me and my art - “Creating”
I am in the process of decorating my home office…FINALLY…after about 2 years of living here. Sad right? But I suppose late is better than never. I have gotten comfortable with my bare walls and lone computer desk. It gets the job done but I am in desperate need of some inspiration. Here are a few workspaces I am inspired by. Can you tell I am into the vintage industrial craze? However, I can tell you right now my office will NEVER be as clean as the ones pictured. My creative process tends to get a bit “cluttered”! I am loving all things Restoration Hardware. I actually just gave in and bought the drafting table I have been obsessing over for the past few months (last picture). I am anxiously awaiting it’s delivery so that I don’t have to draw hunched over on the floor anymore. Although I am worried I have gotten so used to it that a big beautiful drafting table just might never get it’s use! (Nonsense! It will be perfect.)
What workspaces are you inspired by? Any creative home office ideas you’d like to share!!?
I recently came across the lovely artwork of MELISSA CASTRILLON. She is a freelance illustrator and Designer from Cambridge, England. I love the sketchy nature of her work…the fine lines and soft color palette. More and more I seem to be leaning toward softer muted hues when it comes to artwork (including my own). It may be just a phase I am in…but I am LOVING it. Yet another “illustration inspiration”.
You can browse more of this goodness on Melissa’s FLICKR.
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All of us at Jedidiah have been big fans of SURFING THE NATIONS for quite some time now. Surfing the Nations is a non-profit, volunteer-run organization dedicated to humanitarian action, locally and internationally. Surfing the Nations is dedicated to preventing substance abuse in Hawaii, and also sends groups of volunteer surfers to developing countries such as Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, China, Egypt, and Israel in order to promote the sport of surfing as a healthy alternative for youth.
Surfing the Nations believes that surfers are an untapped resource to serve our local and outer island communities. Their message is to influence the upcoming generation of surfers to “give back” by serving and meeting the needs of local communities.
Just a few weeks ago they held the 4th Annual Freedom Surf Contest. This is an annual surf contest sponsored by Jedidiah in Queens, Waikiki, held mother’s day weekend. It is a two-day event, promoting “A Drug Free Hawaii”. In having this contest Surfing The Nations goal is to raise awareness of substance abuse prevention and rehabilitation issues in order to reverse the devastating affect that drug and alcohol abuse is having on the people of Hawaii. Every year I have had the opportunity to design the contest t-shirt and (this year) poster for them. Surfing the Nations is an inspiration to me and a motivation to get out into my own community and give back. We all have something to offer. See the video below to get a glimpse of the event!
Freedom Surf Contest- A drug Free Hawaii from Surfing The Nations on Vimeo.
Surfing the Nations has done a lot of work in Bangladesh over the years. Gum for my boat is an alluring documentary that touches on the redemptive power of surfing and the work that Surfing the Nations is doing in Bangladesh. This short feature tells the story of how a group of underprivileged kids are making a difference in their community, and how the surf club they started is the catalyst for this change. This film was produced by the incredibly talented Russell Brownley and stars our very own Kahana Kalama 
Gum For My Boat: Surfing In Bangladesh Trailer from Jedidiah Clothing on Vimeo.
For more information and ways you can help visit SURFINGTHENATIONS.COM