Blessed With Work – My Instagram Roundup

When I look back through this roundup, I see the blessings of work! I love my job and all that God allows me to do every day. I enjoy this work, and while I am so busy some days I cannot believe where the times goes, I appreciate every moment.

My most favorite movie of all time is “Return to Me.” Have you seen it? One line from that movie is “I’m blessed with work.” I LOVE that line and that sentiment. I think too often people use the word “busy” in this negative connotation. They hide behind it as an excuse not to communicate or do the work required to be in relationships. (“I’m too busy to respond to texts or calls.” “I’m so busy with my schedule I don’t have time to meet you for coffee.”) ____________ They use it as a bragging point. (“We’re so busy with the kids.” “I’m so busy with work.”) And we use it as a way to lift ourselves up and push others away. ____________ Being blessed with work, as the line from Return to Me implies, means that God is taking care of you. He’s giving you work, a paycheck, a way to spend your days, a way to learn about the world, and a way to use your gifts, whatever they may be. ____________ I’ve always found ways to fill my days, but when I was in my 20s I didn’t always look at them as blessings. I volunteered to work long hours at jobs I hated as an excuse for not being ready to have a personal life. It was too scary to “put myself out there” and get serious about love and life. So I was “busy” with jobs that did not fill my soul. ____________ Today, I am blessed with work! It is not just because of the creative life (which incidentally pays less than my corporate gigs) but it is the joy of MAKING TIME for people and things. I don’t have anymore time than I did in my 20s when I worked a gazillion hours a week and came home every night exhausted. But I do have relationships that I MAKE TIME for, a marriage that I make time for, a creative business that I make time for, and while balance is always a challenge for any of us, I feel fulfilled when I make time. We all have the same amount of time in a day, but the question is, what are you willing to make time for? ____________

A post shared by Cherie Burbach (@cherieburbach) on Jul 29, 2018 at 6:55am PDT

*That Light. An Original, Mixed Media Painting ________________ *She is surrounded by light and flowers and lace. _________________ *8×10 on canvas. Gold frame. _____________ *Signed, titled, and dated on the back. _______________ *This piece was created using acrylics, inks, lace, and other ephemera for a stunning mixed media effect. A wire hanger allows you to hang directly on the wall without special equipment. _____________ https://cherieburbach.com/product/that-light-original-painting/

A post shared by Cherie Burbach (@cherieburbach) on Aug 14, 2018 at 6:00am PDT

I’ve been looking back at some of our older booth setups. It’s interesting how things have evolved. I cannot believe it’s been just three years since I started this part of my art journey. The shows have helped me transition from being a full-time freelance writer to a full-time artist. My booth has changed quite a bit. Check out my blog post ( https://cherieburbach.com/2018/08/15/the-evolution-of-our-booth/ ) for the pictures. ____________ I think it’s important to see how far you’ve come sometimes. I’m not one to live in yesterdays but for things like this, I like seeing the early attempts at setting up our booth. Even when I’m looking at art I’ve done in year’s past, I see “my style” but I also see progression. Each day on this earth teaches you something. I truly believe that. So each painting you do reflects the growth of your mind and heart. ____________ Reflecting back on things like art can show you how far you’ve come, which is important in this “I want it now” society. We seem to want to “be artists” quickly. But we forget the real blessing is in the practice of it all, in doing the art, not just the finished product but in each brush stroke, in each daydream or emotion that helps you create the image. Every piece of it is part of the process and part of what helps you become this person you were meant to be. ____________

A post shared by Cherie Burbach (@cherieburbach) on Aug 15, 2018 at 11:49am PDT

Cherish the friends who pray for you as earnestly as they do for themselves. These are your prayer warriors! https://cherieburbach.com/product/prayer-warrior-original-painting/

A post shared by Cherie Burbach (@cherieburbach) on Aug 13, 2018 at 6:57am PDT

Varnishing originals today.

A post shared by Cherie Burbach (@cherieburbach) on Aug 12, 2018 at 3:13pm PDT

Thanks so much to everyone joined me last night during my FB live thingy on mixed media process and what goes into some of my pictures. Do you have a question you’d like me to cover in an upcoming video?

A post shared by Cherie Burbach (@cherieburbach) on Aug 10, 2018 at 6:32am PDT

NEW: Original art available in the shop. ____________ *10×10 inches on canvas board. Sides are painted black and thick enough to allow picture to stand on it’s own on a shelf or hung on a wall. No special hanging equipment is included. ____________ *She is filled with music and love and always wears purple flowers in her hair. ____________ *Signed, titled, and dated on the back. ____________ *This piece was created using acrylics, ink, oil sticks, lace, papers, and other ephemera for a stunning mixed media effect. ____________ *All rights reserved by © Cherie Burbach ____________ As with all my original artwork, this is a one of a kind piece that will not be repeated. ____________ On top, I applied a varnish coat to protect the painting from the elements so you can enjoy it for years to come! https://cherieburbach.com/product/purple-flowers-in-her-hair-original-painting/

A post shared by Cherie Burbach (@cherieburbach) on Aug 8, 2018 at 3:53pm PDT

It was great to speak with Carolyn Edlund about how I make money as an artist and all the blessings and challenges that come with running a creative business. Please check it out! ____________ I share all the revenue streams I’m using, my thoughts on selling your work while keeping your artistic standards in place, and how to deal with criticism and praise. ____________ https://www.artsyshark.com/2018/08/08/how-i-earn-a-living-as-a-full-time-artist/

A post shared by Cherie Burbach (@cherieburbach) on Aug 8, 2018 at 7:20am PDT

A picture I painted last year for my dear friend Jan. Love this girl! It was so fun to paint something that reminded me of all the things we did as little girls playing together and now, as adults reconnected in friendship.

A post shared by Cherie Burbach (@cherieburbach) on Jul 31, 2018 at 5:39am PDT

NEW ART FOR SALE:  Her Earnest Prayers. An Original, Mixed Media Painting by me, artist and writer and Cherie Burbach ____________ *12×12 inches on canvas. *Professional framed, including wire hanger for easy installation and hanging. ___________ As with all my original artwork, this is a one of a kind piece that will not be repeated. ____________ *The summers of our life can be carefree and light, but there are times when the sun’s blaze pounds down on us, causing us to get lazy and bored with our blessings. The words “her earnest prayers could not be withered by the blaze of the sun” are included on the tree’s base. ____________ *This piece was created using acrylics, ink, oil pastels, and other special papers for a stunning mixed media effect. ____________ *All rights reserved by © Cherie Burbach ______________ https://cherieburbach.com/product/her-earnest-prayers-original-painting/

A post shared by Cherie Burbach (@cherieburbach) on Jul 30, 2018 at 6:09am PDT

Been able to carve out studio time here and there before making dinner. It’s been heaven. Truly soul-filling. Most times my days are spent working to make money at this crazy art thing, but I never take the value of studio time for granted. ?

A post shared by Cherie Burbach (@cherieburbach) on Aug 1, 2018 at 2:22pm PDT