Teacher, Teach Her.

November 27, 2020.Reading time 4 minutes.

If it were ever a mystery, allow me to make it quite clear – I absolutely love nature.

It’s where I find comfort, inspiration, and the persistence to be more of myself with each given moment. It feeds my desire of releasing my inner child through play and laughter. It feeds my desire of balancing a light heart with peace of mind. In nature is where I become alive, and it is through my art where I am able to express my gratitude for life. I take what creates an impact on me, and I attempt to extend a form of flattery by imitating nature through creativity. It’s a cycle.

DMC Original Art is a world of my emotions in color. It’s a world that depicts my deepest frustrations and my highest joys. It’s a world where all of my hopes and dreams seep through my body and onto any blank canvas, transforming them into little pieces of my soul. It’s such a profound experience, and the end result is honorable. Artists literally create from the spirit, and then tangible pieces of our spirits are sprinkled out into the world. We truly become reflections of our environments, and we’re brave enough to share variations of ourselves with the world, as the world so shares with us.

This has been a year of deep gratitude and reflection. It has been a year of collective spiritual pain and disgust. And, in my “gotta look at the silver lining” frame of mind, it has been a year of beautiful growth. This year, I’ve literally witnessed myself evolve. I don’t take this realization lightly. It’s not a simple task for me to look at myself and say, “Wow, you’ve changed so much” and to be quite honest – it’s a phenomenal feeling. From the trees, to the sky, to the stars, I am rooted, but I flow.

My art is my teacher. It’s within each creation that has ever come into fruition since 2012 that has guided me, taught me, and showed me my true self. I’ve learned about what’s been below the surface through the colors I’ve been drawn to working with, the shapes that have appeared in series of paintings, to now even the power of fluid art and resin. I’ve gone from wrapping myself up in darkness and shapes, drawing boundaries of where I do and do not belong, to allowing the colors to blend as they wish, and becoming inspired by their free spirit. I’m proud of myself. I’m proud of the artist I am growing into and out of and I embrace the ongoing flight that will continue as I fly through nature becoming inspired to use paint as my way of giving thanks. I’m so grateful.

DMC Original Art is my baby! It is the world in which I learn the most, and the world that I am so proud to share with everyone else. It’s the world where I have zero rules, zero expectations, and ALL of the peace, love and light. It is everything, and nothing at all. That type of joy can’t be wished for, you just have to keep yourself open to receiving all that you don’t know you want and need.

My mission during this human experience is simple, it is to be in service of my soul. That is the definition of honor. That is spiritual freedom. That is living. That is receiving and giving. That is flow and alignment.

It is.

Perfect Vision

January 1, 2020.Reading time 3 minutes.

The rain is gone. The view is clear. Perfect, almost. It’s time. Measure. Strategize. Set the tone. Dive in. Do the work. Manifest the dream. Prove that it’s possible. Live the life always imagined. Take the risk. Be great. Be Epic.

Dear Mirror:

The love in your eyes runs down long passageways, that stems from your soul. No one could ever find the root. It’s universe. Stars burst. The love in your eyes, magnetize, heart’s gravitating, catapulting from chest, to the source of spirit. Up. Out. There. Somewhere. The love in your eyes spoke my language, finally. We can communicate. Safe, in the open. The love in your eyes reminded me, vulnerable me, it’s more than okay to peek. It’s more than okay to be free. The love in your eyes easily unlocked a door, without trying. Thank you, for cleaning the mirror. I can see clearly. I see, perfectly.

Dear Sun:

Thank you for always shining. Even when clouds thought they rained on your parade. They passed. You were unbothered. You were steady. Thank you for teaching me stillness. Consistency. Your glow is everlasting. Undeniable. You bring hope, and you don’t even have to try. Thank you for being the brightest star. Inspiring me to share my light, regardless of the clouds that trickle through space and time. I am powerful. Steadfast. Similar to the makings of you. You bring the heat, the fire, the light. You do what is only meant for you. No ego. No idea of competition. With you, it is what it is. You are desired, respected, admired, and we couldn’t do it without you. Thank you for providing light. I can see clearly. I see, perfectly.

Dear Self:

“Within you is the light of a thousand suns.”

“It is only with the heart that one can see rightly.”

“You get what you focus on, so focus on what you want.”

Beauty in all things. Color in darkness. I am the light. A responsibility to seek possibilities. I am hope. I am power. I have the key to open the doors. Seeking more, and more. Unstoppable. I can see clearly. I see, perfectly.

The Sun

February 27, 2018.Reading time 4 minutes.

Mae Ra Moe, Thailand. 2018.

Today, once again, from a tent on a beach, at 6:42 AM, I watched with amazement, the sun presenting itself to the day, as each time is the first time. It reminds me of the opportunity we have as people to enter the day, brand new, with style and grace. There were hues of light blue, purple, orange, and pink that were sprinkled throughout the sky, almost as if it were a red carpet for the sun’s arrival. When it happened, when I noticed the first sight of the tip of the sun, I became excited yet again, for something I’ve seen multiple times before, and when it came into full view, just like the ending to a classic movie, I wanted to give it a standing ovation. I almost wanted to cry. Just like that, taking in something so simple, as a sunrise, has reminded me yet again of the possibilities in life.

Phuket, Thailand. 2018

It’s the 27th day, and from the sands of Phuket, I sat still until the spirit moved me to write. During that stillness, so much flashed through my mind. I remembered moments of being in love, moments of mourning, moments of celebrating new life, moments of celebrating personal successes, moments of experiencing new things for the first time, moments of landing in countries I’ve always dreamed of visiting, moments of witnessing my very own dreams coming true. Then I was moved to pick up a book and continue reading, when it hit me.

I’m reading an inspiring story written by Bill Strickland, “Make the Impossible Possible.” This is becoming one of my favorite reads after The Alchemist, The Four Agreements and The Book of Awakening.

In the book, Bill Strickland shares his story of building a dream that he didn’t originally plan for himself, but because he’s a man who simply follows his heart and trusts his intuition, has been led to unveil an inspiring reality that has come to positively impact and transform the lives of many people, people who would have never believed in themselves if it weren’t for the opportunities Bill Strickland was able to present to them – had he not listened to his gut and fought to make all that seemed impossible, possible. It’s a story that reminds me of the powers that lie within the combination of harwork, faith, determination, consistency, and a heart to do good.

The chapter I just finished reading was the fuel I needed to keep the flame burning of all of the new dreams I have for myself, and it said to me ever so clearly that I must not scale back any of my hopes and dreams, because they’re all possible and necessary.

I have goals of connecting with more people, of presenting an opportunity for students to learn in a new way, of reaching new levels of creative artistic expression, of immersing myself in new lands and cultures, of learning new languages and carving a path that will lead me to connect my way back to my roots. There’s so much more to this life, without a doubt, and impossible is nothing as long as the sun is out.

I Am…

August 27, 2016.Reading time 5 minutes.

Brooklyn, NY, 2016.

We all make investments. We invest time and energy in what we believe is important. Well, we should. Everything should have purpose. It’s not always easy, but sacrifice is necessary – otherwise your happiness and peace become compromised. Recently, I decided to solely focus on one particular investment. Myself! I’m on a journey of awareness. I am awake, and paying attention. I am visualizing the life I want for myself, each day, with an understanding that everything has its time.

I began watching food documentaries. It was time to alter my eating habits. I am an extreme believer in the law of attraction, and I knew it was time to align my spiritual being, with my physical being. I became excited in exploring the idea of becoming vegetarian, and one day, vegan. The journey began last winter. I watched Vegucated. I became a strict vegetarian for five months. My weakness is seafood. Currently, there’s a thin line between vegetarianism and pescetarianism. Either way, on this path I am feeling lighter in spirit, healthier at heart, happier with decision making, and at a beautiful level of peace. I am now, and always will be a work-in-progress.

The next thing on my list was to go on new adventures, which equated to quitting my job. I had to create space for new experiences, and my job was in the way. When it’s time, it’s time. Life is too short to stay in one place for too long. The lessons I was there to learn, ended. After my last day, so much began to surface: I participated in an art show as one of two exhibiting artists, spent a month practicing my spanish and exploring Colombia, and started a new job (the one I actually envisioned for myself). The space I created by leaving something I’ve been doing for so long, was filled with dreams come true. I am amazed, but it’s reassuring proof that thoughts are powerful. I am still a work in progress.

I’ve learned to become still, and listen to spiritual messages from the universe. Some of the messages came to me as I participated in guided meditations with Oprah and Deepak Chopra. Some spiritual messages were sent to me as I binge-watched youtube videos of Oprah’s Super Soul Sunday segments. I also became submerged in the Infinite Waters youtube channel, where Ralph Smart speaks on…you know what – just go check it out! Talk about morning energy! To heighten my spirituality, I joined an amazing church here in Brooklyn. It has been life-changing. I am still a work in progress.

Along this journey of self-awareness, to further the alignment of my spiritual being and physical being, I decided it was time to allow my natural hair to grow freely. You may have noticed many photos of me with braids (that was my transition period of eight months). Those braids helped me, tremendously! At the eighth month mark, and just before my 29th birthday, I did the big chop! It was such a liberating feeling, because as with all things – it’s about timing. The chop was right on time. I am still a work in progress.

I have eczema. If you have it, you know how frustrating it can be. I’ve decided to give up the prescriptions. My body care products now consist of natural body oils (coconut, avocado, mango, tea tree, etc.), Shea butters, black soap, and it ends there. No perfumes, no body sprays. I’m learning. I am still a work in progress.

Knowing that God’s plan for me is greater than the plan I have for myself is so inspiring. What a beautiful thing, to be conscious of who I am and work toward becoming a better me, and then finding out along the way that I am attaining so much more than I could have ever imagined. I am always reminded, “All things in due time.” I am…

Children Around the World…

January 18, 2016.Reading time 1 minute.

…are reading Peers, Cheers, and Volunteers. (Photo taken by DMC. South Africa, 2015).

Flashback to January 2012, when I met a school librarian on a volunteer event in New York City. I innocently expressed how much I simply admired the books he had on display in his library, which then led to me inform him that I had a dream of one day becoming a published children’s author. In that moment, the universe conspired. The librarian said to me, without hesitation, “If you’re serious…I know authors, publishers, and illustrators. I can connect you with them. You can make this dream of yours come true.” I’ve invested energy in this idea numerous times before, but that particular conversation felt more authentic than any of my previous efforts. When I got home later that day, I sat down with the intent of writing the first page of a story. It wasn’t until the pen hit the paper, when I had a true realization of the need to craft a realistic fiction, with a message about the impact volunteers create in the world.

Eighteen months later, at the age of 25, my children’s book Peers, Cheers, and Volunteers was published. Thousands of children in New York City, and around the world are reading Peers, Cheers, and Volunteers – a story with universal messages about compassion.

Available on Amazon.com for $9.99. Learn more by visiting the Facebook Page.

All Things DMC

Tag: Law of Attraction