Dabbling in Video!



A Leslie Stoner Story from Alicia Palaniuk on Vimeo.

Thanks to the lovely Moorea Seal I recently discovered Skillshare: an online global community centered around creativity, collaboration and learning by doing. Its such a cool resource. I was so excited I signed up for two classes right away. One of them is a three week lesson on how to create a Video Portrait. I've been really intrigued with video as of late so thought I'd just go for it and take the challenge. This is my first go. 

Leslie Stoner is my aunt by blood and muse by luck, I suppose. She's a very talented and established encaustic (pigmented bees wax) painter all while raising two incredible little human beings. I may be biased but she's created a hell of a life for herself and is totally kicking butt at it. It was an honor to create this little video of her.  

Breathe.

 

Last weekend my great grandfather Oscar Stanley Risland turned 95! Family far and wide celebrated his life and reunited once more.

While there I, finally after 30 years, took the time to soak it in. Took a little selfish time to breathe for myself. It was incredible. It's the silliest thing to say aloud. Yeah, sure, take a deep breath and it will help calm you and put you in the moment. But for the first time, it actually worked. And it felt wonderful. Try it sometime. See what happens.

Also, I rode a horse. So perhaps that helped.

Happy breathing!
xo

On Turning 30.

Welp, it happened. The number that has been pulling at my emotions the last year has, in fact, arrived. I am Thirty ladies and gentleman. I'm not the only one it's ever happened to and not the only that will ever go through it but boy did it get me thinking. It's one of those milestones you have expectations for. One that implies a status level or security platform of some extent. One that, I thought, would find me in a very different place. But after much intentional reflection I'm proud to announce that though its not where I expected, I'm happy to be here. In an exciting community of creatives, emotionally more in tune with relatives, artistically alive and inspired, and closer every day to accepting and loving me for me. 

So here I am, cowboy hat perched, boots laced tight and ready for the next step, whatever it may be. With a little less pull on the reigns to where I think I should be, and openly in the moment for what is. 

A ginormous and heart felt thanks to my dear friends and family for helping me get to this place and for celebrating me like they have. I.am.so.damn.lucky.