Karen Payton 

Fabric portrait created while chanting and listening to Krishna Das and his magic music.

My guru is a little jewish woman

with bright lipstick

and sparkling earrings.

We meditate in her beautiful home

with the soles of our feet touching a soft fluffy rug

and a backyard view that can take your breath away.

And when I think of her at random times, I laugh out loud

because she is hysterical 

and kind

and a bit of hard ass

and a fan of the carnivore diet.

Ram Dass says “when you know how to listen everyone is the guru.”

The problem is, I often can’t listen because I am being annoyed, or judgy of others or short sided or a combination of all these factors.

I try not to criticize myself as I realize I needed my guru to come wrapped in familiarity, laugher and red lipstick, in order for me to listen.

About a year ago I went looking for a “teacher”.  Someone to show me th...

My entry into embroidery began with an assignment at NIU, where I was a textiles major. I had the honor of taking classes from Renie Breskin Adams

As a self improvement junkie, I love the idea of picking a word each year and having a new focus.

Every new year feels like a fresh start.  Inner health is the best place to make real changes.  Being kinder, meditating more, making joy a priority, these to me are true and tangible.  I picked a word based on these principles.

My word for this coming year is F L O W.

my heart to flow with love

my spirit to flow without fear

my breath to flow freely

my body to flow in strength

So pick a word!

Have a one word mantra that helps you focus on what you really want out of life. 

Can't think of a word?  Here is a fun quiz: https://www.myintent.org/pages/whatsyourwordquiz​

⚡️💀⚡️Dear John,⠀
Thank you for keeping The Dead alive⠀
⠀
for singing sweet songs to fill the air⠀
⠀
for keeping us dancing in the streets⠀
⠀
for playing in the band⠀
⠀
may the music never stop ⚡️❤️⠀

This fabric portrait is made from an old bed sheet, cotton canvas with colored pencils, cloth pieces that have been dyed with fabric paint, stitches and lots of love.

Like it was written in my soul
From me to you
Tangled up in blue

Bob Dylan, Tangled Up in Blue

The first time I heard these lyrics was through the foam padding of my headphones attached to a bright yellow walkman.  I loved having music in my ears as I trudged through the snow in college. 

This was "back in the day" no computer, no cell phone, so my only vision of Bob Dylan was seeing him on a stage in concert.  There is no denying the power and beauty of his lyrics.  It ignites a creative spirit in me.  He is daring and poetic and an artist to the core - something I admire deeply.

This portrait is made entirely from fabric including - cotton canvas with colored pencil, an old bed sheet and cloth scraps that have been dyed and stitched together wit...

Take a moment with me away from your "thinking" mind and into a state of peace.  Ram Dass teaches us to do this with a simple manta....

I

Am

Loving

Awareness

Imagine if we all went around repeating this to ourselves..... I am loving awareness, I am loving awareness, I am loving awareness. What a peaceful world it would be!  

Since peace starts within, I have been using the manta along with a daily practice of Open Heart Meditation.  But for me, the other tool I use to get out of my thinking mind is to create art.  It's one of the only times I don't need a manta.  I am present in the now, lost in the colors or textures or the song playing in the background.  I created this piece as a gift for the Love, Serve, Remember Ram Dass Foundation.  I am so...

The sky was yellow and the sun was blue....

A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to experience an entire weekend of Grateful Dead cover bands just a short drive from home.  While I was home during a break from the shows, I noticed the sheet on my son's bed had a huge unrepairable rip in it.  I often look for "signs" when I get an idea in my head and want evidence that I should run with it.  The gray torn sheet turned out to be the perfect excuse to make a portrait of Jerry.  

The portrait is made from 2 old bed sheets, cotton canvas, colored pencil, fabric dye, stitches and love.  

Sometimes a piece of art can help us stay grounded the same way a meditation can. Everything delightful is all about connecting our bodies and breath back....

Make your space sacred, let art be your guru!