Laine Holman Art Studio: Ellen's Book

My paper arrived and I am excited to get back to work on Ellen's book.

Let me tell you a little about this amazing project.

Ellen is my guru, gal-pal and kindred soul. Our spirits were cut from the same celestial cloth. One day some time ago she asked me to illustrate a special book she had written, or that had, as she recounted it, come through her. It just wrote itself as she put pen to paper, as so many inspired words do.

I have told many folks a big hairy no to illustrating a book for them. If I commit to that, I want to get one of my many stories done first. But when I read the text of Ellen's story, I HAD to be a part of it. I was so moved and touched by her text, and it spoke to my heart, as it has to anyone I have shown it to.

Back then I had an 18 day time limit to illustrate the book back then before Ellen would be off on a plane to take the book to her friend, a gift to honor an amazing emotional and spiritual healing journey. I delivered the 16 paintings to her at the last possible minute, having spent 14-18 hour stretches painting in those last few days.

Flash forward several years, and Ellen has had the opportunity to show our little book (if I may be so bold to call it that, it's really Ellen's) therapist friends, all of whom have shown an interest in buying many, many copies as soon as she had it published.

There was only one thing standing in her way!!!

Me.

I was unhappy with how some of the paintings had turned out and wanted a chance to spend more time getting them up to snuff. But with 5 (uh, oops, add one) SIX kids and life and all, I put it off. It wasn't just my busy life. There was some clogged spiritual pipes that I needed to work on before I could get the art work to flow out of me. I can't explain it, but every time I thought about working on it, I felt stifled and foggy.

I had to first polish off two other huge commissions that had been in my way. My shame over how long I had put them off put them in line ahead of Ellen's book.