The Connections Bridgewater Somerville Edition November 2020

I am Joanne Smith Bodnar , a watercolor and pastel artist. Traditional and creative whimsi- cal pieces make up most of my painting subject matter. I have been a painter and an art teacher for over 35 years. Design and color are strong components of my work and I particularly enjoy the challenge of creating imaginative pieces. Music, a play on words, and unusual objects as subject matter in uence the compositions of my paintings. Many of my paintings are inspired by just one object. These are my most fun and challenging pieces. I have exhibited extensively in juried shows, won numerous awards, and have paintings in several corporate and many private collections. I am the President of the Hunterdon Watercolor Society, 2013- Present, and a member of several art societies. Enjoy viewing my work and I hope it makes you smile! I offer adult art classes and create pet and house portraits, and wedding bouquets. Call 908-268-5044 or email joanneart.b@gmail.com Recent Juried Shows Green Mt. Watercolor Exhibition VT - Best Still Life Award New Jersey Watercolor Society Open Shows Garden State Watercolor Society Shows - Nummie Warga Memorial Award Recipient, Members Award Several Honorable Mentions Hunterdon Watercolor Society - Best in Show, First, Third and Honorable Mention Perkins Center for the Arts Tewksbury Art Show - Second Place Center for the Arts in Southern NJ Ridgewood Art Center and many more Corporate Collections Johnson & Johnson, Squibb, Nabisco, AtlantiCare My work is in many Private Collections. JOANNE SMITH BODNAR Music, a play on words, and unusual objects as subject matter in uence the compositions of my paintings. Many of my paintings are inspired by just one object. THE BRIDGEWATER-SOMERVILLE CONNECTION PAGE 8 NOV 2020 - JAN 2021 theconnectionsnj.com APlma7358@gmail.com Is your car ready for winter? If I told you that journaling could change your life … would you make a commitment to practic- ing it? It might feel scary at rst to put your authentic thoughts on paper. I mean what if someone read your deepest darkest thoughts? I remember as a teen, my dad would give us a new dated journal every new year, where we could record our dai- ly events. I was petri ed of that thing so I kept it very simple, only listing things I did for the day. Heaven forbid, I would dare collect my innermost feelings and thoughts in a place where I could be discovered. As I got older and more ma- ture, my journals evolved with me. It became my best friend, my con dant, my healer, my voice. It was a safe place for me to process through life’s ups and downs, to ask for guidance, and to receive answers. It was literally a life changer for me. I give credit to my journal practice for helping me clear my darkest issues. Journaling helps you calm down and dig deep. When you take pen to paper, something magical happens. As we sit and write, we settle down, we calm down and we cen- ter in. Through our own words, we nd answers, a place to sort things out, clarity, and focus. The very act of free self-re ection is a let- ting-go that helps us feel less cluttered, less stuck, more clear, more centered. It opens up doors you never thought possible. Have I convinced you yet? Okay so here’s more. Health bene ts in- clude reducing stress, lowering blood pres- sure, and strengthening your immune system. As a spiritual tool, it deepens your spiritual connection, releases your cre- ative ow, organically improves your writing style, frees up your self-expression, and opens up your throat chakra. No matter where you are, the best way to start is actually any- where that feels right. There are no rules and no one is judging your journal entrees. Consistent practice is the key to reaping the delicious bene ts that journaling brings. Buy yourself a beautiful note- book, make yourself a cup of tea, and look upon those empty pages as an opportunity. Free yourself from situations that weigh you down, circum- stances that hold you back, questions you want answered, or anything on your mind. There are many forms and styles of journaling so you’re certain to nd a style that ts you well. Here are just a few of the many styles you can ex- perience: 1) Wake Up Journal I’ve noticed when I journal as soon as I wake up and I’m not fully awake that many great ideas get born. Before I’m involved and distracted from daily life, things and my thoughts are free to ow, they come out without resistance. This is a great time to let your creativity grow. 2) Good Nite Dump Journal I’ve noticed that a journal by my bedside aids in a peaceful night sleep. You don’t want to clog up your sweet slumber with thoughts oating around in your head. Before I retire for the night I dump all the things on my mind and all the things I’m worried about doing the next day. Right there in my journal and out of my head so I can rest up. 3) Gratitude Journal I’ve noticed that the more I am aware and take note of all the good that is in my life the more grateful I become and that’s always a good thing. Keep a designated Gratitude Book and jot down what you’re grateful for as a reminder. 4) Question Answer Journal I’ve noticed when I am bothered about something and need an answer; I can get it from my journal. I write the question on top of the page and in silence close my eyes and write what comes. This is also a way to speak to your guides, your source, to God. I trust the answer will ow into my pen and onto the paper and it always does. 5) Sacred Soul Journal I’ve noticed that waking up in the wee early morning hours is a sacred time. While everything is still, I sit up in the dark, not fully awake, grab a pen, put it to paper, and just let it ow. This is a time when your ego hasn’t kicked in to involve itself in your writing. What you get here are raw goodness and deep stuff. It’s one of my favorite ways to clear things up and deepen my spiritual connection. 6) Speci c Category Journal You call it. Category journals are super fun and a great way to discover more about your- self. What do you want to compile in one place, what do you want to notice, what do you want to explore, what do you want to create? Category Journals are perfect for that thing you want to focus on. Imagine a Creative Journal, an Idea Journal, an Inner Child Journal, a Nature Jour- nal, Your Life Journey Journal, a Sketch Book Journal, a Prayer Journal, a Dream Journal, a Travel Journal. Make journaling part of your life habits and watch the magic begin to happen for you! Rosie is a Spiritual Counselor who teach- es Self Love-You-tensils & Spiritual Essentials. If you’d like more about journaling visit her blog at rosiebattista.com or join Rosie’s week- ly Journaling Group for connection and clarity. rosie@rosiebattista.com for more info Okay so here’s more. Health bene ts include reducing stress, lowering blood pressure, and strengthening your immune system. As a spiritual tool, it deepens your spiritual connection, releases your creative ow, organically improves your writing style, frees up your self-expression, and opens up your throat chakra. No matter where you are, the best way to start is actually anywhere that feels right. There are no rules and no one is judging your journal entrees. Consistent practice is the key to reaping the delicious bene ts that journaling brings. THE JOYS OF JOURNALING By Rosie Battista I’m sure you’ll agree, this year s been quite a show stopper. It’s become clear t here’s not much we can do to control the world outsid ourselves. I bet there’s not o e of us, who 5 years ago, would have correctly answered “where will you be in 2020?” Topsy turvy to the point of sometimes f eeling even unbelievable, you may be look- i ng for a way to remain calm in these chaotic t imes. What we thought was real, is not. What we thought was not, is. Everything i s different. With everythi g different and upsid down, how do w remain right side up? Feeling p ace and calm is an inner game. Like me, you probably had a plan and expectation for how your year would go. We can never be sure of an outcome, even when we have a rm plan in place. Part of feeling peace and calm is the ability t o ow with whatever is. The other part is working with what we o hav control of which is our ability to choose i nner peace and calm. The state of peace is available to all of us at any time we need or want it. The in ounces is an often recommended amount to drink -a squ eze of lemon and a splash f pure cranberry juice is added fun. • Soak it up! Soak in the tub - add some Epson salt, lavender for an even more relaxing feeling. 3) Space -Create a sacred one! • Designate a box, a corner, a chair, a ta- ble, a room as your very own space. It can be as simple as a tray or table you turn into y ur sacred alt r -place favor- ite meaningful t kens d trinkets that you love -crystals, ro ary b ads, rocks, bells, statues, hotos -you nam it -it’s your space. When you need to retreat and calm down-your space will be wait- ing for you to relax into. 4) Place -Clean it up! • A clean and orderly place helps create inner calmness. If you don’t know where to start -pic a drawer and cl n that. Then pick another one and clean that one. Change your sheets - rear- range you r cabinets -clean the fridge -sort your art Ou deepest knowing is our intuition, our wisdom, our connection to the Divine. Whether you call it “the Universe, God, or Higher Power, its very essence is REMAINING CALM DURING CHAOTIC TIMES by Rosie Battista The Sleeping Naked After 40 Lifestyle