Exhibiting at Artusiasm Art Gallery

Exhibiting at Artusiasm Art Gallery

Last night a new art gallery in Toronto opened with a standing room only crowd and I was happy to be among the 70 artists participating with my crazy fun piece ‘Becoming Truly Alive’. Artusiasm is the new gallery and creative event space, owned by the most adorable, passionate and dedicated to the Toronto art scene couple I’ve ever met – Tanzina Amin and Carlos Rodrigues.

I am looking forward to becoming one of their regular roster of artists they support and work with in the coming months!

Here are some photos from this event… first up with Toronto artists Alex Scovino and Gaya Karapetyan…

Announcing Beautiful World’s Canada Legacy Project

Announcing Beautiful World’s Canada Legacy Project

Last year as I dived deep into asking myself what type of an artist I really wanted to be and what legacy I wanted to leave behind, this idea for a BEAUTIFUL WORLD PROJECT whispered in my heart. A project devoted to lighting up the world through art by celebrating a full expression of the truth and beauty of humanity and the planet that gives us life and sustains us.

It took several months to find the courage to commit to this mission because I knew I would have to completely let go of expectations of how it would be received and follow the call of my heart and what intrigues it, no matter what.

I dipped my toes in with my Toronto passion project. Now, I’m ready to go bigger with the next phase. Way bigger. Celebrating all of Canada in a body of work that will displayed in an exhibition in the Fall. I’m dedicating my entire year to this project, which wonderfully coincides with Canada150 !!

Honestly, this idea came to me BEFORE I knew that 2017 was a special year for Canada!

I’m excited to really get going upon my return from Miami next week!

Becoming truly alive…

Becoming truly alive…

I had recently completed my first passion project painting—something that became so much more than I imagined it could be. It was a very intense experience over several weeks, but it was also incredibly rewarding—liberating in fact. Creating a life changing epiphany, revealing that only by living in full appreciation of each and every day do we experience true happiness. A happiness not dependent on some future desired outcome.

Becoming Truly Alive—is an ecstatic expression of living joyfully, celebrating the freedom that comes when you free yourself of worries and live in the moment. Wake up! Make right now the most wonderful moment of your life!

“This is now. Now is.

Do not postpone till then.

Spend the spark of iron on stone.

Sit at the head of the table.

Dip your spoon in the bowl.

 

Seat yourself next to your joy,

and have your awakened soul pour wine.

 

Branches in the spring wind,

easy dance of jasmine and cypress.

 

Cloth for green robes

has been cut from pure absence.

 

You are the tailor,

settled among his shop goods, quietly sewing.”

~ Rumi

Becoming Truly Alive by Kiernan Antares

Becoming Truly Alive 30×30 in by Kiernan Antares

 

Stop waiting for Friday…

Stop waiting for Friday…

“We must wake up to the marvelous reality of life.

We must begin to live fully and truly, every moment of our daily lives.”

~ Thich Nhat Hanh, You Are Here

 

I think this is something we all hope to experience, to be and do – living fully every day.

I’m getting there more and more and more…

But, I think it’s required me to let go of more and more and more… anguish, guilt, frustration, anger, disappointments, holding on to things so trivial that end up taking up way too much space.

The more I practice forgiveness and choose love instead, the more I find an inner happiness building solid grounding.

There’s more to it though. Since following my vision, which I’ve turned into a passion project, and completed the first phase; the Toronto Painting Revealed life is opening and expanding.

And, two things are happening:

  1. My confidence in following my impulses and ideas are growing and these are creating some really cool opportunities and experiences, which has in turn…
  2. Allowed me to realize that good things happen and bad things happen, it is the natural order of things, but when we’re living the joy of following our heart’s desires and serving something that is greater than us, that is true fulfillment. It comes from inside, feeling good about what we’re doing without expectations, and is not dependent on what is happening around us.

Letting go of the fruits of our efforts leads to trusting more, being more, and living more fully.

Lightly child, lightly…

Lightly child, lightly…

“It’s dark because you are trying too hard. Lightly child, lightly. Learn to do everything lightly. Yes, feel lightly even though you’re feeling deeply. Just lightly let things happen and lightly cope with them. I was so preposterously serious in those days…Lightly, lightly—it’s the best advice ever given me. So throw away your baggage and go forward. There are quicksands all about you, sucking at your feet, trying to suck you down into fear and self-pity and despair. That’s why you must walk so lightly. Lightly, my darling.”

~ Aldous Huxley

I could write on this, but why really? It is enough. It speaks volumes.

It is perfect for this exploding passion I have discovered in the simple contrast of shades of black and white – blended and bold. Well, actually it is Payne’s Gray, but who would know.

I anticipated diving into the glorious deep rich colours of Autumn, instead I feel drawn to experimenting in a lighter touch of colours, contrasts and composition…at least for now.

The Maker

Kiernan