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The Lifelong Journey of Creation: From Childhood to Retirement

In every stage of life, the act of creating plays a crucial role in fostering personal growth, well-being, and a sense of fulfillment. Whether you're a child exploring the wonders of imagination or a retiree embracing newfound leisure, the importance of creating remains constant. From our kid camps to our classes at assisted living facility we know the significance of creativity at each life stage contributes to a rich and fulfilling existence.

Childhood:
Nurturing Imagination and LearningIn the early years, children naturally gravitate towards creativity. Encouraging artistic expression through activities like drawing, painting, and storytelling not only fuels their imagination but also lays the foundation for essential cognitive skills. Our kid art camps create a safe and encouraging space to help kids thrive.

Adolescence:
Self-Discovery Through Artistic ExpressionAs individuals navigate the challenges of adolescence, creativity becomes a powerful outlet for self-expression. Whether it's writing, music, or visual arts, engaging in creative endeavors helps teenagers discover their identity and cope with the complexities of growing up. Many of our classes are open for teens. We encourage parents to bring their teens and treat the classes as a time to bond over creating.

Adulthood:
Balancing Work and Passion ProjectsAmidst the responsibilities of adulthood, it's vital to carve out time for creative pursuits. Whether it's a side hustle, a hobby, or a passion project, creating allows adults to maintain a healthy work-life balance and cultivate a sense of purpose beyond their professional obligations. We believe our classes can help with this by bringing creativity and community together.

Midlife:
Renewal and RediscoveryAs individuals reach midlife, the need for renewal and rediscovery becomes apparent. Engaging in creative activities can be a rejuvenating experience, providing an outlet for stress relief and a means to explore new interests. Whether you’re in the chaos of parenting and just needing a break to recharge or you’re an empty nester trying to rediscover who you are we feel embracing activities outside of your comfort zone to be beneficial.

Retirement:
Embracing Leisure and Artistic PursuitsRetirement marks a new chapter of freedom and leisure. Creative activities during this stage not only offer a fulfilling way to spend time but also contribute to mental well-being. From painting to writing, retirees can explore a variety of artistic pursuits to stay mentally active and socially connected. Staying connected after leaving your work family is important and we help connect you to others.

A Lifelong Journey of CreativityIn conclusion, the journey of creation is a lifelong endeavor that contributes to personal development, mental well-being, and a sense of purpose. Regardless of age, embracing creativity enriches our lives, fostering continuous growth and satisfaction.

By acknowledging and promoting creativity at every life stage, we can ensure a fulfilling and well-rounded existence. So, whether you're guiding a child's first steps into the world of art or exploring your creative side in retirement, remember that the act of creating is a timeless and invaluable pursuit.

SO EXCITING!

4/18/2023

I have been accepted to an artist residency in the Champagne region of France at Chateau Orquevaux for the month of April in 2024. Only 20% of applicants are accepted to this program. If you know me you know this region of the world has been a bucket list item and this residency is a dream come true.

Originally built in the early 18th-century in the  in the style of Louis XV, Château Orquevaux is a private residence now owned by the Attias family. Ziggy Attias is an artist, award-winning filmmaker and the founder and director of the Chateau Orquevaux Art Residency. Attias took on this project in the hopes of creating a community and home for artists of all mediums, backgrounds, and stages in their journey. The residency has grown remarkably over the years and artists from 125 countries have applied.

All  Artists-in-Residence will be awarded
The Denis Diderot A-i-R Grant
upon acceptance to the program, the grant will be applied towards partial cost of  the residency. You can read more about this here on their website.

Each resident has a private bedroom, private art studio, and meals provided.  Artist-in-residence programs and other residency opportunities exist to invite artists, academicians, curators, and all manner of creative people for a time and space away from their usual environment and obligations. They provide a time of reflection, research, presentation and/or production. They also allow an individual to explore his/her practice within another community; meeting new people, using new materials, experiencing life in a new location. Art residencies emphasize the importance of meaningful and multi-layered cultural exchange and immersion into another culture.

I’ll have art for sale over the next year at the studio in Perry, online through my Instagram, by taking on commission pieces, and in Macon at The Web to help support this month long experience, please follow along on this adventure at @caraheardart on Instagram.

image via reddit

A look ahead… 2023 the year of trusting the process.

12/9/2022

Each year I think through what I want less of next year, intentions I want to set, and a word that encompasses all of that to keep me on track.

2022: Peace
2021:
2020:
2019: Grace
2018: Harmony
2017: Balance
2016: Unfuckwithable

I can’t remember past 2016. Also, notice 2020 and 2021? I have literally blocked out so much of the trauma I don’t have any memory of those words for those years. So basically it was just Survive. Likely 2020 was Fine. My mantra was “I am fine, this is fine, everything is fine”.

Do you set intentions? Pick a word or mantra?

If you’d like help setting your 2023 up and working through the shit, sign up for Art Club on December 31st where we will make vision boards, work through intentions, set them, and pick a word of the year using my “special” brand of hippie dippie sarcastic positivity. Let’s grow, open up, and release what doesn’t serve us. Let’s set boundaries and intentions.

Look out for coozies coming soon with this Trust the Process graphic. Use it as a great reminder. I look forward to sharing another year of creativity with you and hope to raise a brush and a beverage with you soon.

Cheers!

Cara

Simplifying

5/12/2022

Now that we are almost a half a year in to having downsized to just the smaller Perry studio, I can say, without a doubt, this was the right decision.

When you start a business, the goal is always to do more, get better, get bigger, grow, hustle. Then, perhaps after several years of that a global catastrophy happens. Perspectives change, debt develops to keep everything afloat, stress reaches a level of unknown preportions.

I LOVE the service we provide, I HATED 2020 and 2021. The excrutiating pain of running the business was overwhelming and likely permanantly damaging due to the trauma of it all.

I am so happy to be out of the lease in Warner Robins, and at home at our smaller, cozy studio. I feel like this studio is just exactly what I pictured for Lush Art from the beginning. But then life happened, and got in the grind of becoming "more".

Were those sold out nights in Warner Robins with 42 painters profitable? Hell yes. But were they often enough? No. And could we do those the last couple years? No.

Now we top out at 15 and I like it. I like that I have time to connect with everyone in class. I like that keeping up with inventory is easier. I like that keeping up with classes at one location is easier. I like that life is easier. I like that classes sell out more regularly. I like that it is more consistent and stable. I like this life of less hustle and more creating. Less noise and more creativity. Less bills, and more debt pay down. And by the end of the year we should be back to being in the black.

So if you have worried about the changes that Covid made in your business or life, but shockingly figured out some things during that time that surprised you. Make sure you are making room in your life for the changes you want to see, and not just going back to the grind because it is what is expected.

While there are benefits to growing and achieving there are also drawbacks. What makes your heart happy? Do more of that! Make room for change. Allow expectations to change. Allow less to be more.

Have you not visited us at our Perry location? Do it! It feels like a tree house, like an escape from the world. It feels like a hug and I swear it has boosted my creativity!

Cara

What is art? Why are art classes for you? Let me count the ways...

9/22/2021

“The most sacred place dwells within our heart, where dreams are born and secrets sleep, a mystical refuge of darkness and light, fear and conquest, adventure and discovery, challenge and transformation. Our heart speaks for our soul every moment while we are alive. Listen... as the whispering beat repeats: be...gin, be...gin, be...gin. It's really that simple. Just begin... again.”
Royce Addington

My why. I love seeing people push themselves. I love to encourage people to breathe outside their comfort zones. I love making people laugh and relax and forget their worries.

Lush Art is where I truly learned how to just be me. As I am. And I wish that for each of you.

If you need a happy place, if you need a hobby, if you need help finding yourself, if you need a night off of thinking, if you need a community, if you want to support a dream. Come in and paint. Take the day off.

And remember it’s not about the painting, it is about how painting makes you feel.

Just begin. I’m still learning. And growing and I want that for you.

-Cara

Let them be little

7/20/2021

When you bring your children to paint. Let them be little. Don't harass them. Don't belittle them. Encourage them. Let them know mistakes happen. Embrace those mistakes. When you're going through their stuff when they graduate or get married 10 or 15 years from now, do you want art they did with their little hands and hearts or art you did for them when you took the brush from them?

It is something I see all the time, and this is your friendly reminder that art isn't suppose to be perfect.

Starting in August we have quite a few kid classes on the schedule. We would love for your child to join us! We have options from preschool through adult! Don't forget to let yourself play too!

#letthembelittle #Lushart #paintwithlushart #lushonmain #perrydise #perryga #perrygeorgia #paintinginperry #heartneedsart #artstudio #robinsregion #robinsafb #houstoncountyliving #artistsofinstagram #artclasses #learntopaint #visitperry #perrypivot #perryproud #artofPerry #artinPerry #lushartwr #explorewarnerrobins

Shout out to entrepreneurs

3/25/2021

The last year has been hard on us, to bring in extra income (and not lose my mind) I am creating a series of intuitive paintings to sell.

I like big canvas and I can not lie. Yes, this is me standing behind the canvas. It’s almost as tall as me.

I bought some great, big canvas today. I have (2) 30x48, (2) 20x24, and (3)15x30, and some girthy (6)12x12.

If you’re looking for statement pieces, there will be some for sale soon.

The goal is to have these available at Art in the Park the first weekend of May in Perry.

However if you want to preorder and request colors, you can. But the subject will be part of an intuitive series of paintings. Think rainbows and roses and mixed media and layers upon layers. What does intuitive painting mean?

Intuitive painting is an opportunity to explore the inner self through the creative process in a safe, critic free environment. ... The main premise of intuitive painting is to tune in to your own unique creative process whilst releasing attachment to meaning, control, expertise or final product.

30x48 $312, preorder 25% off
20x24 $176, preorder 25% off
15x30 $180, preorder 25% off
12x12 $96, preorder 25% off

DM me on Instagram @paintwithlushart to claim a preorder.

Shout out to entrepreneurs everywhere who are working in their pjs when they pour their afternoon iced coffee.

I sometimes bitch about owning a business but there are great benefits like wearing what I want, when I want... and also drinking on the job.

Ok, I’m going to stop contemplating an Only Fans feet fetish page and go shower and get ready now because I have two studios to be at today, an interview, and a class to teach.

What’s an added benefit to your job?!

Begin. Start. Try.

3/18/2021

If we wait until we are good to start something, we’d never begin.

Ask what if. Don’t say if only. It’s where creativity thrives.

I heard this on A Beautiful Anarchy Podcastsnd it really stuck with me, “The hesitant artist will create hesitantly to the degree if we think we can’t, we won’t.”

Begin. Start. Try. Make those your anthem. Not
Expert. Master. Perfection.

I think often about what my life would be like if I hadn’t picked up a paintbrush 13 years ago. I honestly can’t imagine. I don’t feel like I even relate to the person I was before. Yes, I had a creative outlet in doing hair. But it’s not the same. Doing hair you’re at the mercy of what the client wants. When I get to just paint for the hell of it, without worrying about anything else. That’s where the magic happens.

Let us help you find the magic hiding in your life.

March into Creativity

3/4/2021

What are you doing for yourself next week? March is all about taking control, marching headfirst into creativity, and allowing art to thrust you into a new way of thinking.

Can you run before you walk?
No. But you can paint before you can paint. Let me say that again. You CAN paint before you can PAINT. Meaning you just have to start. You’ll improve, gain confidence, have room for making it your own, experiment. But first you have to start.

At Lush Art we break a painting one of our artists created down in such a way anyone can follow along. We do this so you can gain skills to develop either a new hobby or a way to destress from your normal day to day. And sometimes both happen. We even had some regulars who went on to join our staff and make money from their creativity.

Don’t forget to take time for you, if you’ve been wanting to take a class. Stop and go look at your calendar. Find a class that can work. Book it. Put it in your calendar because YOU are a priority. YOU deserve time to create.

“The secret to so many artists living so long is that every painting is a new adventure. So, you see, they're always looking ahead to something new and exciting. The secret is not to look back.”

Norman Rockwell

Self Love vs Self Care

2/8/2021

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A post shared by Cara | Lush Art | Art Studio (@paintwithlushart)

Are you confused about if there is a difference in Self Care (a word everyone is throwing around) and Self Love? Self Love is our theme for February.

Above is a clip from my IGTV, where I talk with Lori Gaylor, MS LPC about this and more.

I have strong feelings that they are very different. Self Care to me is getting your hair done, getting a facial, going for a massage, making that doctor appointment you have been putting off.

Self Love is what comes from within and is what encourages you that you are worth doing the above things for yourself without guilt, or at least with less guilt.

I also feel like there is a difference in Self Respect and Self Love. For example, I think someone like Kim Kardashian for sure has self love, does plenty of self care, but I'd question if she has self respect. I think anyone can have self love, it doesn't require being a good person. Self respect requires character, which requires awareness and some people either choose to not be aware of their actions or they just don't care. It is also hard to have self respect if you don't respect others, laws, etc.

It would be hard for a criminal to possess self respect when they don't respect laws, the people their actions affect, but it is certainly possible for them to love themselves in their unawareness.

Join me on Thursday, January 11 at 2pm Eastern (or anytime after for the replay) as we continue our discussions on Self Love and this week our topic is Friendships. I will be talking with my BFF for over 25 years.

Do you need more self love, self care, or self respect in your life? You may even need more of all three. Leave any questions below.

Cara

Let go of Guilt

2/2/2021

Why is a paint place showing me mascara?

This month is about Loving Yourself and I love a good mascara. I’m almost 42 and have probably been wearing mascara for almost 30 years.

It’s taken me this long to accept the fact that I LOVE travel sized mascaras more than full size. And I always feel guilty because by weight, they’re more expensive. I went to Ulta a couple weeks ago and told the girl helping me that I like them better and she said “Me Too!”. I’m not alone!

Then I saw an article, or post, or something in the last week that said it’s much better to buy the travel size because they last about as long as you’re suppose to use a tube of mascara. So they’re cheaper and healthier and I know people think it’s crazy but they work BETTER!

Why am I sharing this? What do you feel guilty of doing? Maybe it’s time to let that shit go. It may be as simple as a travel mascara or as heavy as major trauma. But it may be time to ease up on yourself a little bit.