The smell of trees. We’ve spoken about Agastya before, in this post – A new haircut. This poem is based on a very particular line that I wrote for him in that post. I hope you enjoy this! Do comment, a lot. Literally. “He missed his people and the way they smelled like different kinds…
I love people who lead their life from their heart. I try, well really, I feel at my best when I listen to my heart and lead a life from a place of love. I think we all come into this life feeling our way with our heart, for the most part. Don’t you? I mean, yes, it’s true some lead more with their brains and all of that good stuff, but… don’t you FEEL better when you live a heart-felt life?
I create art from the heart. I know some artists whose vantage point begins from the objectivity of their minds. If I really dissected it, I believe you cannot separate your mind from your heart, and the sweet-spot is teetering, somewhere right in the middle! Teetering on that high you achieve when you are living a balanced existence, in the moment, in the flow, that sweet dance between your heart and mind, working simultaneously, creating the flow that we all strive for as artists.
My Oil painting “Heart” above came from a process of feeling the flow, extemporaneously and impulsively. I typically begin a painting by haphazardly throwing caution to the wind and lobbing some paint onto my canvas, pushing it around until I see color, shape or form that peaks my interest. I work spontaneous and for the most part, fast.
I took a couple of my oil paintings, Heart and Forest, and merged them into an “ArtDesign” in the layout App from Instagram. I feel making art and writing has a way of keeping me in constant re-invention or re-vision. It pleases my need to satiate my excessive and constant desire for stimulation of the mind. I love the journey, the adventure, the discovery. Ultimately it’s the process I am hooked on. I’m sure many of you can relate.
I love when I work in oil paints. I love the viscous thick feeling of oil paint. It feels alive and it responds in a physical, almost alive manner, or – to my physicality the best. However, it can become challenging to wait for it to dry. So, for this I like to switch between both Oils and Acrylics. The quick drying time of acrylic allows for my fast spontaneous art and the more physical and demanding nature of oils satisfies the need for a longer adventure. Similar to short content verses long form content in writing.
We need both experiences from time to time. At least I do to feel balanced and whole.
I Love great Food as you can see from one of my blog categories. I especially appreciate the history, culture and diversity of world cuisine, great food photography, food science etc.. This blog happened onto one of my food posts and I’m glad they did. What a fantastic blog! Give it a look.
The word Istria may sound rather exotic to some, it surely did to me. Other than the vague idea that the place is somewhere in Croatia (as I was told), I knew close to nothing about it. And yet, we decided to jump at the opportunity, and move there – because why the hell not. And glad we did, I can tell you that much.
Olive branches.
I like to think of Istria as an olive country: from whatever point you choose to look, you will probably see an olive grove, or an olive tree at least. A village, town square, seafront alley, parking lot perhaps – the olive trees are everywhere, somehow highlighting (if not stating boldly) the identity of the region. A region where life without the olive oil would be, well, unimaginable.
Coming from Poland, I grew up with butter, lard and other (mostly animal) fats, with…
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I am reblogging some of my earlier food posts.This is a fantastic roasted chicken recipe. When I originally wrote this post my wife, was my fiance’!
This is one pretty Bird! My fiancée’ has perfected the art of roasting chickens. We found this great recipe (and we have tried it twice thus far) in my Bon Appetit magazine. I will post the recipe at the end of this blog post.
Mmmmmm….mmmm, they are a great looking pair of legs.
Hey, hey no picking!
Sweet Plum Tomatoes, to make us a nice salad.
Crisp and fresh!
I whipped up a fragrant and light ” Lime vinaigrette” to toss into our salad.
Jalapeño and scallions ready to sauté with rice, for our last side dish.
Saute scallions, the peppers, and olive oil with a fresh squeeze of lime juice toss in some white rice and season with salt and pepper.
Tasty stuff!
Finger licking’ , down home, crispy and succulent roasted chicken with salad and jalapeño lime rice!
Woo! Hoo! Good Eats.
Yum Food!! Yum Art!!
RECIPE
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The act of making art is complicated, but I found a fantastic method to uncomplicate the process that has struck a chord within me. I follow the idea that Abraham Hicks– one of my favorite guru’s – has instilled in my brain. Go with the flow, go downstream!
Some time ago (last year) I lost my job and began this fantastic journey back to my artistic soul, for which I sputtered and spattered along with, for many a moon. After deep contemplation – as we all do when bad things happen – I made a vow to focus as an artist, solely on my artistic path. At first this was uncomplicated, I picked up my pastels and went to town. Boom! The magic happened. I was going with the flow, going downstream. Before I knew it, I went through all my art supplies and had a small fun new collection of artwork. I was back on deck, flying high on my artistic horse.
Until…
I had no more supplies and no more money. Crap. Now what, I thought. So as misery set in once again, I took to my iphone and searched. I searched and searched some more. Then I came across the Layout App from instagram in my Apple store. Simple? Yes, but, oh how the lightbulb went off in my brain!
I started playing around with this tool and creating what I call ArtDesigns, using the photo’s I had of my original paintings and pastels. I came back to my artistic flow once again, but this time it was almost too simple. This original oil pastel is called “Bowing Down to the Universe”
Of course, because it was so simple, I questioned the legitimacy of this tool. I was so snobbish with myself, I almost failed to see the sheer beauty in it. Solution! duh… and it is free, fun, easy and a whole- lot- less- messy. The clean up has always been my least favorite with painting.
I am making some interesting abstractions and designs using my original artwork as a base.
This ArtDesign is called “The Universe Hovers Above #1”, it was created in the layout App from my original acrylic painting (below). This painting was created originally from my oil pastel, which is the very first piece in this series.
The process allows my desire to work fast and clean and abstractly to flourish – with a feeling of satisfaction and an excitement to create more.
This ArtDesign is called “The Universe Hovers Above #2” and below you will see a patterned abstract – almost non-objective piece – called “The Universe Emanates”
I am satisfied with this little collection for now, however, don’t be surprised if I expand on it. That is why we are all on this beautiful planet – to expand.
All Images ©Jay Mora-Shihadeh
If you would like to see more of my art and ArtDesigns visit me on instagram https://www.instagram.com/jaymora_art/
And if you want to purchase my art and ArtDesigns on products or framed prints visit my art shop on Society6 – https://society6.com/artdesignsjaymorashihadeh
Shut out the hustle and bustle for 15 minutes, and dig into a good story.
via Take a Break from December with the Year’s Best Longreads — Discover
I’ve had many a night duking it out with my bed. Insomnia is a problem for many of us, especially creatives. Often, I turn to the ‘tried and true’ book for calming my mind and seducing me to slumber. The blue light from my iPhone keeps me awake, so I prefer to go back to basics with an old-fashioned book.
Poetry is a great choice for perusing, as our minds are most creative in the wee hours.
I have several poetry books to choose from, however, this is one of my favorites: Acquainted with The Night, Insomnia poems.
Edited by Lisa Russ Spaar and published by Columbia University Press
This is a fine collection of some sweet-little-gems, by some FANTASTIC Poets. Some of them well-known and some a bit more obscure (well, at least to mwah)
Inspired by this little book, I penned this poem in the throes of my sleepless agony one night, or shall I say one morning!
Insomnia
My heart is racing
tap, tap, tapping on the moon
this night is a bore
the quiet stillness
I abhor
forget the blinds
up in the sky, pull-
pull them down
around, around
silly night, you cannot serenade me
seducing me into your spell
I fell-
I fell into my mind
to forget to sleep in time, not mine.
Forever, ’til the end
only this silliness
to contend
around, around
forever and more
the quiet stillness
I abhor.
©Jay Mora-Shihadeh
Here’s a list of some of the Poets who reside under the covers of this sweet little book.
This small hut is closing in, on me
anxious energy burning within
the boring stale air
the household chores
contemplating the dirty bed sheets
that litter my floor
the broken record of weather, news, skipping
frozen in time
snowbound blues, all boxed in
NOT amused.
Over-consumption
stuffing my moods
with winter’s brew and howling winds
pacing this room, milking
the season, dry teats depleted
shriveled with fever
icy bones re-heating the leftovers
of last night’s abhorrent gloom
feeding my anticipation of
winter’s impending doom.
©Jay Mora-Shihadeh
I lean towards blogger but also want to write and learn this craft as much as possible. I am a mix.
Due to the rising work of LadyRedot.com and MiddleMe.net, I have no choice but to recruit freelance writers for LadyRedot’s travel articles.
As I interviewed some of the freelancers, I noticed that there is a great disparity between a writer and a blogger. Leave professionalism aside, I have encountered both noobs and experienced writers and bloggers. Many whom I realised that they don’t know the differences between these two: freelance writer and blogger. I’m no expert here but I’ve engaged enough clients and freelancers to perhaps throw some light to the differences.
Content
As a freelance writer, you will probably write in different genres. The popular genres you will touch on are romance, mystery, adventure and mystical. However, there are other genres that widely sought after in the commercial market such as advert writing, IT articles, eCommerce descriptions, SEO write ups, rewording, thesis and biography.
As a blogger, you…
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This is an abstract I created called “Spinal”, probably representative of how my back felt one day! Part of my Yin Yang series.
Oil pastel on watercolor paper.
Guess I was feeling better this day! Haha. I gave this one to my Chiropractor. (no seriously, I did) It is simply called “Spine”
Related articles
©Jay Mora-Shihadeh
I call this “Owl” can you see him? I love pushing around the paint, or in this case oil pastel, until an abstract form appears that I am satisfied with.
Here, these little eyes appeared reminding me of an owl. Owls are my all time favorite bird. They are mysterious and beautiful, and I love to come across one in the daylight. A rare but awesome sighting.
©Jay Mora-Shihadeh
spill onto the page
with fluid abandon
Reaching
grappling
touching
delicate impressions
Shaping
smoothing over
astute interactions
Sculpting images
that emerge
unexplained yet
graceful
Suffering
knowing
you are almost there
Always.
©Jay Mora-Shihadeh
I love this. I fully believe that the written word is NOT dead. And my wife and I talk about this all the time, and even if it is DEAD I don’t care,I will never give it up, and besides, it will revive as everything seems to do.
I wonder if Apes ponder these life questions, after-all, we descended from them, right? Apes do look so human, just sayin’.
So, at this point, we all know the digital divide, but I feel I must weigh in on this, and throw my opinion into the mix. However, for me it isn’t the digital divide alone. No. It’s much larger and been plaguing humans for millennium (not millennials, haha kidding). In my world , my mind, my experience – it is that point I’ve reached in my life – where I’m either choosing to evolve or decline. Simple yet profound. But reality.
So my experience , as is many people’s experience, is aging and the digital divide. The digital divide is the discussion of the age-old-social-injustices – inequality, the have’s and have not’s, the socioeconomic divisions, ageism, gender inequality etc. – that have plagued us humans for eons. In the animal world (like my Ape friend above) it’s ‘survival of the fittest’. My son (a millennial) and I, feel passionate about changing the digital divide – this Ted Talk sums it up the best.
Adrian (my son) is a classic tech nerd, he is getting ready to graduate with a degree in computer science. Some day he may work for one of those ‘mega-lithic-tech’ corporation’s. We’ve talked at length on digital responsibility and the collective accountability the developed world has. The responsibility the Tech industry has. We feel passionate toward creating digital equality.
The responsibility to address this digital inequality we face today and bridge the enormous gap we have as a society, is our social responsiblity to the world. And, it is democratically sustainable, and frankly, long overdue. It is a real problem for older folks who have little, none, zilch, zero, nada tech skills (or desire) to learn new skills. Yet, if they live ‘tight to the belt’ with minimal resources and need to work, instead of retire. Or are older and still of working age, having to adjust to this new-school-tech world, to float above the water, or else sink to the bottom. Their world is spinning fast and they must learn to play this new techie game in life, to make end’s meet. This is wrong. Life should be easier for them. Why make it harder?
I find myself (at fifty-three) cursed by the digital divide, in my opinion too soon. Shameful, because many, many folks are trying to wrangle with this problem, and believe me, it’s a problem. But the other side of this, is the resource question, or shall I call it what it is…the poor people. ‘The divide’ is nothing new to them, they’ve lived this reality for years. Add to this, the current and longstanding, social-economic injustice problem, of the digital divide, and you’ve compounded the injustice. This is detrimental to solving poverty, here and worldwide.
Artist’s (such as myself) experience this phenomena, if they choose to stick with their hand to mouth art practice(s), and live the starving artist’s (dream) which can be a (nightmare) economically. Oddly, this is what I aspired to as a young artist. In Art School (at that time in my life) this was the norm. We snubbed technology, we were trained to live with a paintbrush and palette in our hands, not a computer. I know, some chose to embrace the digital revolution and joined the ranks of digital artist’s, illustrator’s, and photographer’s, but, seriously, a great many didn’t. They built their dreams based on the old school, old world artist lifestyle. And when many artists returned to school to learn desktop publishing and web design, many other artists, who loved the act of working with their hands, doubled down and rejected this new art form. I am one of them. The rugged, starving artist, romantic, but broke.
Today, I feel I have sputtered along over the years, patching together my techie skill set on my own. I have done pretty well, considering I did it alone. Still, it is an exhaustive process for me to keep it up at times. Let’s be real, I grew up different from today. We didn’t have a computer in tow – everywhere we went. That isn’t the world I lived in. I am a baby born at the beginning of the Generation Xers. Today, it has become ever-present that I must keep treading water, with computer in tow, or I will sink. Having the computer skills I have taught myself, and continue to learn and peck at, has been invaluable. A new and emerging, dare I say, LOVE of digital design and digital art – which I have poo-pooed for decades now – has gotten me riled up, excited again. I am becoming ‘the sponge’ I was in Art School, wanting to learn every technique available. Of course, it comes down to resources. What is realistic and what is folly. That’s what us artist’s do best though, dream.
I don’t know, maybe it’s the HRT, maybe it’s the getting older thing, but I love making art without getting paint all over me (well, honestly, it’s the clean-up I loathe). Haha, I guess with my transition, I’m changing. I love painting, don’t get me wrong. I’m still a painter at heart, BUT, I feel I’ve grown and opened myself to all artistic tools now. Whereas in the past I was stoic and rigid, rejecting of the ‘new school’. Evolving from the ‘old school’ isn’t as bad as I feared. Challenging? Yes. But that’s okay, I’m up for the challenge.
As far as the divide, I do feel it is imperative that the digital divide become eradicated from the face of the earth immediately. Humans can do better than this. In order for the world to thrive, we must care for others. Division and greed must die off, and social responsibility, social justice, must prevail. It must prevail – not because it’s trendy, not because we are greedy, creating wealth off a shallow trendy idea of ‘Digital Equality’ – but because literally – we should want better as loving human beings.
This is really helpful for new bloggers and anyone trying to understand SEO
I believe in the cliche’, if you build it they will come — gasping? I know…wretched, but true. I believe in this overused term, of course, until my own panic sets in and fear leeches into my psyche!
I battle this most everyday. Artists and writers everywhere face this demon.
I recall one of my favorite cartoon characters, The Great Gazoo from The Flintstones. Gazoo represents this emotional, spiritual, crises of the conscience. A little space alien, appears above Fred’s shoulder. He’s lecturing him on — what’s right and wrong/good and evil — evoking fear and panic in Fred’s mind, playing upon his guilty conscience.
Abundance comes in many forms. One thing is certain, if you panic, abundance becomes restricted, delayed, suppressed. If you start the day with clarity of purpose and faith in your ability to remain calm, things begin to manifest. Abundance presents — not as money (however, it can and many times does) but as flow.
What is Flow?
It is the excitement and expectation that what you create today is good, purposeful, beautiful, delicious, charming, in fact — it’s great!
Haven’t you had this experience?
When you paint, write, sing, cook and everything you create is amazing!
That’s flow –that’s abundance — that’s money!
Photo by David McBee from Pexels
Abundance shows up as a peaceful knowing that your spirit is free. Creativity is purpose and innovation. You will have gratitude for your clarity, joy in your creation — that’s the ultimate reward!
When the juices are flowing you feel the most alive. I do.
Panic, worry, doubt and fear — these feelings present as a spiritual crises of your soul. Your flow stops, sputters, chokes, and your creativity/abundance — stifled.
These feelings happen to me on a regular basis. Anxiety sets in — am I wrong? Should I, would I, could I? — blah, blah, blah. This is the look on Fred Flintstones face, the anxiety and panic. He thinks, am I making good decisions? Struggling to regain his sense of clarity, his sense of spiritual truth.
Truth is… making art/writing/being creative, sets my personal point of reference back ‘True North’. I wrestle with my anxiety by creating my art. If I surrender to the flow, the spirit, the force, the magic — however you want to label it — abundance prevails. Making art/writing/being creative, has been the ‘set point’ in my life. Without this clarity, this purpose, I would fail miserably in life.
I struggle with this strange notion that if I’m not working a job, bringing in lots of money, then, what I do isn’t legitimate. After all, society perpetuates and rewards this ideology. This truth has been hard to digest at times. However, by seeking calm and clarity (and most important) by keep building and tending to the garden of my creativity — I know the fruits of my flow is the reward.
Like Fred, The Great Gazoo is with me. As good spiritual leaders do (okay, okay he’s a cartoon character) but I like him, whatever it takes… Gazoo is with me, helping me to find clarity, calm and truth. I won’t surrender to panic and fear, rather, I will use it to forge a path to greatness, a path to abundance.
Photo by Frans Van Heerden from Pexels
I recently came across an excellent resource for freelance writers by Laura Yates of blogging.com. Laura is a writer, coach, and podcaster who has been blogging and writing in the niches of fashion, beauty, relationships, and personal development since 2009. You Won’t Get Anywhere by Standing Still – Finding Ways to Progress your Writing Career As Tom […]
via Finding Ways to Progress your Writing Career — Nicholas C. Rossis
Poetry reblog from 2012 about my grandmother
Tateh and CeDe ( my grandfather) circa 1937
Our Storyteller
Upon the landscape of your face
tumbling from the folds of your laughing brow
and between the creases of your weathered jowl
I see the history of Palestine.
I see children playing under olive trees, and goats
grazing on grass. Your eyes sparkle and sing, as though
you were still a child running through the dusty
rock strewn roads of Ramallah.
You are laughing with your little sister, escaping
from the neighborhood boys you were teasing; taunting.
Perhaps one of them a young Hanna Shihadeh, our grandfather;
at least these are the stories you told us.
I delighted, relished every word you spoke
of your life. I saw magic in your eyes
when you enchanted our hearts
with your stories of Palestine.
You – solid, sturdy and present.
You – soft, strong and pliant.
You –…
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Photo by Kat Jayne from Pexels
That pivotal moment came – after personal tragedy
I was Twenty years old – lost, depressed, and confused after my cousin Billy committed suicide. We were close growing up as children. Billy’s suicide was the dark storm that wrecked me. As a child of the 1970’s and 80’s, drug use was commonplace with teenagers. Billy became an addict and succumbed to the effects of this lifestyle at a young age. He shot himself in the temple. A common (and preferred method) for men. Billy was twenty-one years of age. And, as I said, I was twenty. I was no angel either, however, I wasn’t an addict. Instead I was in danger of becoming an alcoholic. At the time of Billy’s suicide, I was in the process of getting my act together. Daunting at best, as I had little (to no) resources or support. I proclaimed to myself – I would avoid going down that same path ever, ever, EVER.
Kicked-outta’ the house and living on my own (after graduating high school) life was difficult for me.
Photo by Min An from Pexels
I found a single room (in a Boarding House). The Glenside Inn, located in the town I grew up, was a restaurant and bar with single rooms upstairs and a shared bath. The Inn became my home for a bit. I found full-time work in a print shop – an old vintage print shop. The shop, in operation since the 1940’s, was still (at that time) using those old typeset letters and burning metal plates for the printers.
Photo by Wendelin Jacober from Pexels
Available today as collectibles on ebay https://www.ebay.com/itm/250-Vintage-Lead-Typeset-Letterpress-Block-Letters-In-Drawer-1-4-3-8-/113272846465 .
Ha! No secrets here, I’m an OLD man! Okay – I might be overdoing things a bit… however, millennials such as my son might agree with this.
But – I digress.
My job at the print shop was to shoot the mock-up’s, develop the film and burn the metal plates that attached to the large Heidelberg printing presses. Of course, back then, the graphic artist did all the mock-up’s by hand – cut and paste (pre-digital) – an acquired skill and tedious to boot.
What got me jazzed was the grit and grind of the shop
The cool-looking, large plate burners – the graphic artist, angry and stressed – cutting/pasting/smoking – the piles and piles of cut up papers and magazines, stacked messy and high on the drafting board. Yellow dingy windows – the dark and dirty factory atmosphere – the frenzied pace of deadlines – the photography – the typesetting – the wooden print shop relics – and the humongous LOUD printing machines. All this chaos, captured my fascination. I became transported back in time.
After working all day, alone and depressed in my room, I started to draw again. With weekly trips to the library I found art books to study, copying Picasso’s and Van Gogh’s – determined to learn more. I developed a love for abstract art, and began experimenting. I drew my little sister’s elementary school pictures, dogs, abstracts and strange, distorted self-portraits.
No matter what – I wanted to BECOME an artist
This was a bold awakening for somebody that had NO real direction in life. My parents education level – both of them high school dropouts – struggled to raise us kids. Unspoken yet expected – the norm had been – you would somehow GET A JOB when you graduate.
J-O-B’s – weren’t enough
So…I enrolled in night school at Penn State University’s satellite campus. I had no idea what I was doing. I muddled through the process. I spent time planning and studying financial aid (still mystified) I pressed on. Attending part-time at night, while working full-time to pay rent. Art classes during the day and Liberal Art classes at night, I succeeded in bringing my grades up. The daytime art classes were my favorite. My art teacher mentored me, showing me how to get a portfolio together. This was invaluable.
Ultimately – I transferred full-time to an amazing art school
The University of the Arts in Philadelphia, I couldn’t believe I was there. The whole experience was super exciting and new. Considering, at first, I snubbed the idea, I wasn’t sure I wanted to earn a degree. I believed I would find an artist community and be self-taught. However, that idea folded quick. And without this experience, I might have ended up with my own personal tragedy. Following my passion saved me. Four years later, I graduated, earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts and a certificate in Art Therapy. Eager to conquer the art world and live my ARTIST life, I succeeded.
The after artist’s life (so to speak) is a whole other story…
© [Jay Mora-Shihadeh] and [artistfromtheinsideout.wordpress.com], [2018]. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material, artwork, or photo’s without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to [Jay Mora-Shihadeh] and [artistfromtheinsideout.wordpress.com] with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
Frustration is an unsettling feeling, undoubtedly.
For years I’ve dappled in poetry and blogging. I’ve been skirting the edges of this craft (this art form) since my early days in Art School. Today I feel a calling, a force within, a palpable frustration in my need to write. Why?
Perhaps it is the voice in my head shouting at me to speak! Periodically afraid to voice my opinion in written format has been directly linked to my fear of commitment. AHA!
I literally was just informed of this by that voice in my head again. LOL! I perplex myself at the same time as finding myself quite brilliant. Seriously, I fear committing to an opinion or “story” as I might have to act on something. Well, at least that is the silliness I tell myself. I want to remain open I think, as an artist I should be open. This is the battle, the battle for clarity and fair-mindedness that stalks my psyche. Strange? I know. Stranger things there are though, ’cause people are their own worst critics.
And storytelling (by the way) is an ancient art form that has been handed down through our bloodlines, our bones. It’s a natural human condition (in my belief) that relay’s messages from within. To seek and tell one’s story, or to be sought out by our inner voice to tell one’s story. Poetry grabbed a hold of me the same way. I heard voices in my head (over and over) that wouldn’t shut up. I felt compelled to grab a notebook and pencil. Lo’ and behold — poetry spilled out. I felt possessed. Mesmerized, I didn’t stop for several years. Same as my urge to pick up a brush and paint suddenly — telling a story visually, expressing an emotion, depicting a scene. No different.
Back to Frustration. Frustration about pivoting my art form. Where do I start? I know other artist’s and writer’s have the same problem. Painter’s stare at blank canvasses, as writer’s stare at blank pages. So it goes. To pivot or not to pivot? That is my question.
I want to master my pivoting. If I can master the pivot, I can effortlessly succeed. Right?
Frustration will cease to exist if I just pivot from it — Ha! (In fantasy world) Frustration is key to understanding my story — understanding the road to take, the story to tell. Pivoting is part of creating. Sometimes tackling the beast of frustration to the ground, is how I proceed with creation. Frustration/Creation. Sounds good to me. I’ve learned to listen to the voices in my head. So, I forge forward. I write. I paint. I pontificate. And I frustrate. But I create, and that is what I live for. Now…what should I write?
©Jay Mora-Shihadeh
