10 inspiring women you should be following

     In light of the Women's March this past weekend I thought I would put together a list of women who inspire me. Some of these women I have looked up to years, some are new. They are actresses, business owners, poets, artists, yogis and activists. Most importantly they are women who are inspiring other women with their platforms and their messages.

Oprah

A post shared by Oprah (@oprah) on Nov 20, 2017 at 11:39am PST

     Even before her epic speech at the Golden Globes I loved Oprah. From the time I was a little girl watching the Oprah Winfrey Show she made me believe I could do anything. She has always represented so much more the success and money, she represents hope. There was no way I could make a list of inspiring women and not include her.

Adriene Mishler

A post shared by Adriene Mishler (@adrienelouise) on Jan 19, 2018 at 8:17pm PST

     Finding Adriene on YouTube literally changed my life. When I was looking into yoga I stumbled upon her channel and I've been following her ever since. Her videos are so much more than just yoga, they've forced me to sit in my feelings and evaluate how I'm feeling and why I feel that way. Finding her put me on a path for a healthy life, mentally, physically and spiritually.

Rupi Kaur

A post shared by rupi kaur (@rupikaur_) on Jan 18, 2018 at 6:07pm PST

     When I read Rupi Kaur's first book Milk and Honey I felt like someone finally got it. It was as if she was in my head writing all the things I didn't know how to explain. She has inspired me to start writing again and be completely unapologetic about how I feel.

Sophia Amoruso

A post shared by Sophia Amoruso (@sophiaamoruso) on Jan 20, 2018 at 12:50pm PST

     Sophia Amoruso is the embodiment of hard work pays off. She didn't come from money and she didn't go to college but she is a major success story. When I read her book #Girlboss  it made the idea of achieving success seem a little more realistic. I felt like I could relate to the way she started. She made me realize that I didn't need a fancy degree or a trust fund. I just need to work hard, show up and treat people with respect. It's such a simple thought but sometimes you just need to hear it from someone who has been where you are.

Muniba Mazari

A post shared by Muniba Mazari (@muniba.mazari) on Jan 21, 2018 at 4:38am PST

     Muniba Mazari's story is so inspiring. When an accident left her paralyzed and wheelchair bound she didn't give up. She changed her entire life and decided to stop wasting her life being unhappy. She is now a speaker, artist and humanitarian. She uses her story and platform to help others and inspire others to do more.

Danielle Brooks

A post shared by Danielle Brooks (@daniebb3) on Jan 12, 2018 at 8:33am PST

     You may know Danielle Brooks from OITNB. Aside from being an extremely talented actress, singer and performer she is an inspiring voice. She uses her platform and notoriety to speak about important social issues with so much passion and grace.

Dana Falsetti

A post shared by Dana Falsetti (@nolatrees) on Jan 17, 2018 at 9:55am PST

     When I started following Dana Falsetti I felt empowered. It was the first time I saw a woman with my body type that was completely unapologetic about being who she was. She made it ok for me to feel ok about my body. For the first time ever there was someone that looked like me living a life I had only dreamed about.

 Nayyirah Waheed

A post shared by @nayyirah.waheed on Jan 22, 2018 at 10:07am PST

     Nayyirah Waheed is the kind of writer that makes you feel all of the uncomfortable but necessary feelings. Her writing is raw and heavy but uplifting at the same time. Salt. is a book I think every woman needs to read. It changed how I look at everything, from the world around me to my opinion of my own body.

Ernestine Johnson

A post shared by #iACT 🎬 (@ernestine.johnson) on Jan 22, 2018 at 7:38am PST

     Ernestine Johnson is an actress and activist. She radiates confidence and power. Whether it's through her online platform, when she's speaking or on the front lines of protests she inspires me to do something. She makes me think about what I can be doing in my everyday life to make the world a better place for everyone.

Meghan Tonjes

A post shared by 🔸MEGHAN TONJES🔸 (@meghantonjes) on Jan 17, 2018 at 12:39pm PST

     Meghan Tonjes is a YouTube creator that has used her channel to talk about real issues. She talks about everything from politics to inequality to body shaming. Her channel is not just her talking to a camera, she has created a community of people and a conversation.

What I listen to while I’m creating

     Music has always been such a huge part of my creative process. I cannot draw, paint or write in silence. I can look at my pieces and tell you what bands and songs I was listening to while I was working on them.

     Sometimes the playlist is inspired by the pieces and sometimes the music inspires the art. I feel like I couldn’t create without a playlist of what that series of drawings sounds like. I know it sounds weird but I envision the two together. When I listen to music I don’t just listen to it, I feel it, it’s an experience. The same goes for my art, I experience my art.

     I’m fascinated by what other artists listen to while creating. I feel like the music you are drawn to and the music that sparks ideas says a lot about you. It lets you see a very vulnerable side to people that they may not talk about. Music is such an personal thing. So if you were ever curious about what I listen to while I’m drawing, here is my weird mash up of a playlist. It’s all over the place and at some points doesn’t really make sense but then again, that’s how my brain works.



                                             

     

     I don't think I ever stop looking for inspiration. I find being an artist you look at the world differently than other people. When I look at someones face I don't just see their face. I see light, shadows, textures and undertones. I notice the smallest details no one else takes the time to see. Because of this I'm always collecting inspiration. That being said, no one is immune to artist block.

     I go through periods of time where I'm so inspired I can't get pieces done fast enough. When this happens I try not to take these moments for granted and I write them down. That way I have a notebook filled with ideas.

     There are times when I look through those notebooks, I try to will myself to just start sketching and see what happens and I still just don't feel that spark. Instead of packing it up and waiting for inspiration to find me, I have a few ways to get myself motivated.

     Before I dive into this, I'm not above scrolling through Pinterest to find inspiration. I think technology has given artists so many resources and it's a great tool. That being said, there is something about books that can never be replaced by apps. I love looking through and buying coffee table books. There is always a stack on my table ready for whenever I need inspiration.

     Random fact about me, I love fairy tales. Not the animated kids versions, although I am a huge Disney fan. I'm talking about the old, creepy stories that were in no way meant for children. There has always been something about the dark magic in these stories that gets my wheels turning. I am guaranteed to come up with something after reading a few of these stories.

     Like I said before, I love buying coffee table books. I also love art books. There is something about looking at someone else's art that gives me so much inspiration. I have a pretty decent sized collection of art books but I only keep a few out at a time.

     Right now I have a Frida Kahlo book out on my table. To tell you the truth, I don't think she'll ever be switched out and if she is it will be for another Frida book. For me Frida isn't just one of my favorite artists, she's one of my favorite humans. I could go on and on and probably bore you with all the reasons why I love her. When I look at her art I don't just see self portraits and bright colors. I see sadness and courage. I can feel what she felt while painting them. When I look at her work it doesn't just inspire me to create art, it inspires me as a woman.

     

     Another random fact about me, I love ballerinas. From the time I was a little kid I've loved them. The way they move so gracefully has always made me want create something beautiful. Watching them dance, looking at photos or paintings of them brings me so much inspiration. If you are looking for ballerina paintings you can never go wrong with Degas. He was the master of capturing their movement with the most beautiful color pallets.

      When I talk about ballerinas I can't leave out this book. I have owned this book since I was in elementary school. Before that it was my moms. It's so old and beat up but it has always been my favorite book for drawing. This book is where I learned to draw figures. I would pull it out as a kid and just try to copy the figures from the pages. I still do this. When I have nothing to draw or I just cannot think of something I look to this book. Sketching ballerinas from this book takes me back to when I started and I was so excited to learn.

     I love the vintage feel of this book. From the head shots of the ballerinas featured to the ads for the ballet. These types of books are the types of books I look for when I go to second hand book stores. Books like these can never be replaced with technology for me. There's something about drawing from a book reference that takes me back to my roots and reminds me why I started.

     I love hearing about what inspires other artists. Let me know what inspires you!

How I make overnight oats

     We are in that time of year when everyone is trying to get healthier. We all follow a pattern of getting super inspired, looking up recipes and making promises that you are going to eat healthy every day from that day forward. The problem is, at least for me, I become overwhelmed and give up.

     When it comes to eating healthy some recipes or meal planning seem so unattainable. Now, I am not an expert. I am still trying to figure all of this out and I've fallen off track many times. I want to start adding realistic recipes and meal planning that I actually eat. Meals that are easy and affordable so that eating healthy doesn't feel like a giant undertaking.

     Overnight oats in my opinion are the easiest place to start when it comes to meal prep. It is fast, easy and cheap. Plus, it is a great base to add anything you want or anything you have. I always start with a drizzle of honey for sweetness. After that it's really what I have. I've added nuts, fruit, coconut, peanut butter or even dark chocolate. The possibilities are endless!

     I like making enough for two days when I make these. I've seen other recipes say they make them for four days at a time. I've tried that, I'm just not a fan of the texture after day two. I put the mixture in the fridge in a larger container, scoop out what I need in the morning and add toppings! I like mine cold but you can absolutely heat them.

     I don't even know if this would qualify as a recipe, as it's only two ingredients but here it is!

1 cup oats

1 cup almond milk (I like a little extra milk)

     Let me know if you make these and what combinations of toppings you use!

   

Let's talk about Logan Paul.

     For those of you who haven't heard about this situation here's a very brief overview. This week Youtuber Logan Paul uploaded a video of himself in Aokigahara Forest (suicide forest). The video shows a partially blurred body of a suicide victim while Paul and his friends laughed and made jokes about dead bodies. He has since removed the video and released an apology.

    I wasn't going to talk about this situation but the more I'm seeing this story I feel like I need to address it. I didn't want to talk about Logan Paul and his disgusting video because I didn't want to give it any more momentum. I'm aware that I'm not a huge presence online but the more everyone talks about him the more relevant he becomes, whether it's negative attention or not. All that aside, this needs to be addressed.

     If you have read anything I've written you probably already know how I feel about this situation. As someone who has struggled with mental illness, I'm disgusted by the entire thing. From the actual filming, to the decision to upload it and then the "apology". I am angry and I could go on a rant about how he's a terrible person but what does that solve? If we all bash him and don't actually talk about why this is so disturbing in a few weeks this will be forgotten and nothing will be accomplished.

      The glamorizing of suicide forest has been going on for years. I don't know if it's because it's in Japan and we think the neon colored culture we see in photos makes suicide forest cool or we've just become desensitized. Either way the people that die there are still people. People struggling with mental illness. Take away all the stories and legends and look at this place for what it is. It is a place that humans, people just like you and me go to end their lives. The popularity of suicide forest turns these people into numbers. They are no longer people with families and friends, they are now a part of this fantasy that we glorify. Japan and suicide have been talked about in the same sentence for so long that we forget that they are individual people and their stories matter. Suicide forest has become a tourist attraction, as if it isn't real, like it's just another crazy thing to go visit in Japan.

     Videos like this make a joke out of mental illness and suicide. This mans story now becomes part of click bait for views. His story of losing his battle is completely lost for internet fame. He becomes a prop, because again they're in Japan in the famous suicide forest. His body is no longer a dead body, it's part of the tourist experience.

     I think there is a point in the careers of "internet stars" when they become detached from human connection. They forget that real people are watching their videos and they have a huge responsibility. Especially with channels like Pauls that are made up mostly of children. We are in the middle of an mental illness epidemic, more specifically with  juvenile suicide. So now you have made those children who are already having issues and that look up to you feel worse about themselves.

     In his apology he talks about wanting to start a healthy conversation about mental health. If that was his intention he would not have been making jokes and laughing. I could have understood if he went to suicide forest and was moved by it and wanted to open up a conversation about mental health and self harm. That’s not what is happening here. He wasn’t sorry when he filmed it, he wasn’t sorry when he uploaded it and honestly his apology felt more like a “sorry you feel that way” kind of response. He realized that he had to say something and spin the situation. There are so many ways to approach the subject of mental health and this is not one.

     I hope that if there is a shred of a silver lining in this situation it is that this opens up a real conversation about mental health. Maybe the more conversations this sparks, the more people will open up about their own issues. I worry about the people that this sends backwards in their treatment and journeys. I will be completely honest, even as someone who has owned their issues, this had an effect on me personally. I have almost been that man many times and I have lost too many to suicide. It shouldn’t be taken lightly and it shouldn’t be made into a joke.

     If you are reading this and you are having issues with your mental health talk to someone. Do not let stunts like this make you feel bad about yourself or deter you from getting help. There is no shame in struggling with your mental health. You are not alone.

Suicide hotline

1-800-273-8255

Or text CONNECT to 741741