Your Brain on Art

I am completely honoured to share a new project I am involved in:

Branch Out Foundation was created by Crystal Phillips after she was diagnosed with MS and her desire to bridge holistic health with conventional neuroscience. Her hope was and is to help minimize neurological symptoms and reduce pharmaceuticals (the latter of which has traditionally received the research funding). 

The Branch Out Foundation has partnered neuroscientists with artists to render a response to Neuroscience research. Learn more about our upcoming fundraiser and showcase of these collaborative projects > Your Brain on Art to be held at cSPACE King Edward!

For the upcoming brain art event, I am collaborating with Kyle Mayr and his research on a Ketogenic diet and reduction of pain in spinal cord injuries. I spent a few hours of the past days learning and visiting with Kyle, his team and the lab at the Foothills Medical Centre (FMC), where it all happens!

See more on Crystal, Kyle and the other neuroscientists, in link below.

Stay tuned, and if you can, support this beautiful foundation and it's research.

#REALTALKFRIDAY – “I WILL BE OKAY”- originally posted StandOUTPublications.com

SOP: Your name is Paula Timm and you are a great artist. Explain your background.

PT: That is very kind of you to say, thank you. I grew up around creativity, both at home and at Waldorf school. These early influences ensured that creativity was in my bones, though once in public school, institutionalized art instruction gave me ‘art scars’ to last a lifetime. The Teacher(s) gremlins of comparison, judgement, and ridicule made a profound impact on me which kept me from pursuing art as a vocation. This feeling, of not good enough, prevailed in every facet of my life. 

Not one to give up easily, I pursued employment that complimented my interests but grew my confidence with on the job training. My early resume was filled with roles such as Event Coordinator, Graphic Designer, Purchaser, Retail Manager, Bartender & Caterer.

In my mid twenties, I found myself chronically ill, I was diagnosed with two auto immune diseases – ulcerative colitis and celiac disease. I was already entrenched in the ‘too busy’ routines which intruded on my creative pursuits. 

Fortunately, while convalescing at home, art was what I turned to in order to pass the time. 

It was then, during the ebb and flow of sickness and health, that I saw my pattern emerge. While sick I would make time for art and would allow my dreams of pursing a creative life to bubble up. While healthier, I would slowly allow the grind of work to wear down my creative dreams for the security of regular pay check.

SOP: What happened recently that truly gave you an experience of a lifetime?

PT: My illness took me through 15 years of unsuccessful drugs and remedies and I continued doing jobs that sometimes gave me a glimmer of a creativity. It wasn’t that I was unhappy; it was that I wasn’t living the life that I had secretly dreamed of having.

I had no other drug options and I was frail, I was scheduled to have my colon removed and to be fitted with an ostomy bag. A surgical mistake occurred and my life changed forever. I was in ICU, on life support, and just waking from a drug induced coma; but with the knowledge that I had to live my life with creativity or joy. 

Seven years have past and have been a culmination of physical recovery, integrating an ostomy, intense Post Traumatic Stress exposure therapy and developing my career as an artist.

As if this wasn’t enough, I did this all with the awareness that I would someday require an additional surgery to remove my remaining colon. I, and my doctors, gave me as much time as possible to allow me to prepare myself for this major surgery. 

I am now just 5 weeks post op from this much anticipated surgery. Made possible with years of therapy, art making, dream pursing and of course all with my supportive awesome husband, family and friends at my side.

SOP: How did the situation change your perspective about life?

PT: Through this, literal and figurative rebirth, I came to learn just how much of my life was spent suppressing emotions and its inherent cost to me physically. Although cliche, life is precious and fleeting, my near death experience emphasized the necessity to heal my fear and shame beliefs through self expression.

I started to make decisions through the lens of ‘creativity and authenticity’ to make certain that I make wise decisions which developed my dreams into reality. I started by connecting with the community, sharing my work and facilitating art classes. Immersed in the arts community, the next logical step was to open my own studio. Not only a place for me to create, but a space for me to inspire others to help find their own creative voice. I now operate my dream studio at Calgary’s art hub cSPACE King Edward.

SOP:  How did you use your passion of art through this experience? (Will include some of your fresh raw artwork you did during recovering times)

PT: In short, without expressing through art and writing, I might not be here today. I definitely expressed ‘out’ how I was feeling through the meanderings of art making or the of cathartic process of writing. 

I make (art) depending on my ability to create. When physically limited, I make art on my iPad or in contemplative moments with my sketchbook.

When in the depths of therapy, my emotions have found safety in detail, layers and surreal collage. Most recently, in preparation for the most recent surgery, my art took an abstract turn – providing its own healing with expressive marks and comforting colour.

Still in recovery at home, I am creating on an iPad Pro, testing new boundaries of marks, abstraction and colour. With the worst behind me, I am both anxious and curious to see the next phase, yet to reveal itself.

SOP: What lessons do you have for our readers to learn about this story?

PT: I am sure each person will take away what they need from my story. However, if I had a message to impart, it is for you to know that your story can be rewritten too- and hopefully without all the drama and trauma of mine! 

We have such tough inner critics which hold us back from expressing – be it art, words, or emotions. I hope that I can inspire others to consider attempting the journey to connect with their own self expression.

SOP: Will you do a series of art about this whole experience as a story? If you do, we will keep update with you 🙂

PT: I will do a series/book on my life..and something which I have contemplated and attempted with some apprehension. My guess is until the book is experienced fully the book can’t be written. Thanks for staying tuned! 

happy new year and new me!

Just a quick note to say that I am healing super well and I am back at the studio for 2018!

classes start January 9th! hope to see you there.

oh.. and did you notice the new digs? we switched to WIX.. which is uber exciting because that means five years has passed since I committed to an creative+ joyful life! I recall wondering if taking the sale on the five year domain and hosting was crazy! well it might still be.. but I just signed us up for a few more yet again! so we are in it for the long haul! 

here's to conquering fears and seizing the day!

happy new year.

pj

Neuron Forest: The Art + Science of Life, Art, and Earth

 A Neuron Forest for the Trees

How is a forest similar to a neuron?

a comparison of my art above and a wiki image of a neuron

Fascinated by the recent conversation I had with two Neurologists, from University of Calgary, about a piece of my art as they saw not a forest but a bunch of neurons. I did some research on how neurons compare to forests.. and I now I am even more amazed. 

from WIKI, "A neuron is a nerve cell that is the basic building block of the nervous system. Neurons are similar to other cells in the human body in a number of ways, but there is one key difference between neurons and other cells. Neurons are specialized to transmit information throughout the body."

from WIKI," The forest is a complex ecosystem consisting mainly of trees that buffer the earth and support a myriad of life forms. The trees help create a special environment which, in turn, affects the kinds of animals and plants that can exist in the forest. ... Plants provide habitat to different types of organisms."

Lastly, a short while ago I listened to a podcast on a Canadian Forester (female too!). She made a discovery on trees and forest communication. It seems that different species of trees in the same forest (limitless in size), send nutrients, health warnings, and when they are about to die, they send their carbon and minerals out to the rest of the trees. Listen to the full episode link below.

http://www.forestry.ubc.ca/…/podcast-radiolab-from-tree-to…/

The weather outside is saying SUMMER but the calendar is saying FALL!

For me, Fall reminds me to get creating after months of enjoying my garden....here are just a few of the upcoming classes I have planned to share with you. Stay tuned for more interesting artistic experiences and follow my Facebook Artist page.

Mixed Media @ Calgary School of Art, Cactus Art Building, 531 Manitou Road SE

Thursday Mornings 9 am – 12:00 pm

October - June    You can start anytime!

8 classes for $240

12 classes for $300 -two classes FREE!

(does NOT include art supplies or GST)

Discover your inner artist- learn the basic principles of composition, acrylic paint, image transfers and a variety of mixed media techniques. A great class for those creative bugs who ‘think’ that they are not artists. This freeing technique of combining found images, doodles, texture, and much more allow the budding artist to find their own unique style.

In this class you will learn how to strike a balance of realism, texture, whimsy to create your own mixed media art. Paula Timm will demonstrate her innovative techniques using beeswax, markers, acrylic paint, acrylic mediums, gels, pencil crayon, markers, torn paper/found image techniques.

Please contact Paula to register and pay for your class today. Limited spaces remain..book now.

Mixed Media Photography @ Studio C, Art Central Building, 100-7 ave SW

Monday Mornings 9:30 am – 12:00 pm

October 7 - December 21

12 classes for $139.50

(INCLUDES art supplies and GST)

Capture and alter photographs of yourself and the world around you! Learn how to apply these images to canvas to create your own whimsical portrait or landscape. Supplied digital cameras will be utilized in studio and on the street to capture everyday objects that can be transformed with mixed media. Students will learn basics of photography, using digital editing and light tablets. We will also use mediums such as beeswax, acrylic paint, gesso, coloured pencils, and pastels!

Please contact Studio C to register and pay for your class today. Limited spaces remain..book now.

paulatimm.com

The Next Gig..weird or what?

This entire journey of being open to opportunities has been a practice of being open to possibility. So I muster up my courage and I tweet my experience, I post my intentions, and I blog my desire! and in turn doors and windows are exposed. I love it. So simple.

As serendipity works, you just never know how and why things come together as they do, but they do. I literally stumbled on my first and recent exhibit with Studio C, by stumbling into their space and having a conversation with Facilitator, Wilmer Aburto, which ensued further conversations with Studio C's manager, Colin Menzies.

Opening night of Layer Cake Dreams, Characters, & Scenes
Featuring Antonio Vazquez-MacKay, first public paid performance!

The latest serendipitous moment is a relationship that was founded by the twittesphere, I saw a Call for Artists by 'Community Cultivated'. I did a quick google, loved what I saw, wrote an email and voila! I am officially announced on their bill. 

The 411 on 'Community Cultivated': two artist gals, busy at day jobs/artists by night, noticed that it's a hard knock life for artists, created an event to promote artists and give back proceeds to the community. All silent auction funds raised are divided as follows: 80% to the artist 20% to the charity of their choosing. Which happens to be Studio C's ArtRecruits program, which I happened to facilitate a class in February of this year.

I make it sound simple, but there is a lot of research, tweetsearch, and planning..but it's been fun and it is working for me. I have read online articles teaching how to's: artist branding, writing an artist's cv, and plain old noticing 'what everyone else doing, that works'...

Whether you are staying open to possibility in human to human conversation or tweeting your heart out. My advice is to be in the moment, pay attention, and be ready for opportunity. 

So my next art gig is June 15, one night affair, bands, raffles and ten artists showcasing their works to be sold via silent auction.

Stay tuned for more information on how to get involved with this event or contact these awesome grass root gals at:

• Community Cultivated Blog
• Community Cultivated Facebook
• Community Cultivated Twitter

saskatchewan prairie

Learning Picasa!

Picasa is a free program that does a lot of the hard work for you! I downloaded the program, it found all my photos on my computer, and then I made this fun collage. Oh and if you blog, then you upload from Picasa to your blog, Oh! the fun I will have.
 

and then I found out that Picasa has a fun editor called Picnik..Look what else I made! Countless hours of fun.