Our guest today is Lanecia Rouse Tinsley. She is an abstract expressionistic artist whose work includes photography, painting, teaching, writing, and speaking. She is the owner and creator of LARArt Studio and works out of Studio D at Hardy & Nance Streets Studios.

In addition to her own work as an artist, Lanecia partners with the Holy Family Church in Houston, TX, serving as their Artist-In-Residence, as a Spiritual Director and Consultant for the Arts for Project Curate.

Lanecia has been exploring the Japanese philosophy of Wabi Sabi and the related art forms within her own work and the work of her workshop participants. Lanecia hosts workshops exploring the related art form of Kintsugi and has written about that experience on her blog. Wabi Sabi is an ancient Japanese philosophy that honors the imperfect, the humble, the hand-made and the impermanent. It seeks to embrace the beauty found in the changing of seasons, things, nature and in our own lives.

To connect with Lanecia, you can visit www.larartphotography.com and follow her on Instagram, and Twitter @larartstudio. You can also purchase her work online by visiting www.society6.com/larart

We want to hear from you. Tell us your burning tidying questions or share stories about how KonMari has impacted your life. Find us at www.sparkjoypodcast.com and click “Ask Spark Joy” to leave a question or comment for a chance to be featured on next week’s show. You can also join the discussion on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter at @sparkjoypodcast.

In this episode, you’ll enjoy:

• Learning about the Holy Family Church HTX in Houston, TX

• Hearing how Lanecia asked for love to show up while she grieved a painful loss

• How the LAR Art Studio was envisioned and grew over the years

• How Lanecia discovered the art of Kintsugi:
  Essential Information on Kintsugi

• How Lanecia teaches the Wabi-Sabi expressive art form during her workshop:
  The LAR Art Studio Mended Wabi Sabi Pottery Art Experience

• How Lanecia's work with her students has surprised her and informed her work

• How Mark Nepo uses poetry to express feelings of being broken open

• How the process of breaking pottery into pieces and putting it back together as a new object is a powerful exercise

• How the workshop process enabled some participants to make significant life changes

• The parallels between the ancient philosophy of Wabi Sabi and the newer KonMari philosophy

What sparks joy for Lanecia: All the precious moments she spends with her husband, Cleve! Working with her camera and exploring photography as well as listening to music.

Her Parting Words of Wisdom: We all have the capacity to create beauty.

Gems:
“Art was big enough hold my tears and also to hold my vision and hopes for what could be.”

“I’m just throwing out into the universe the dreams that I have.”

“In living, life is going to break our hearts.”

“We are all more powerful and capable than we believe.”

You can find Karin Socci at The Serene Home
You can find Kristyn Ivey at For the Love of Tidy

Special Guest: Lanecia Rouse Tinsley.

In this episode, Spark Joy explores how you can clarify your vision of the kind of life you want to lead and why it’s important step, but often overlooked, in the KonMari journey.

We discuss the why and how of identifying the vision of your ideal life and how it can help you complete the KonMari process to greater success. Your life vision will help you clarify why you want to tidy and how your life will look once the tidying is completed.

Spark Joy wants to hear from you! Tell us your burning tidying questions or share stories about how KonMari has impacted your life. Find us at www.sparkjoypodcast.com, email us at contact@sparkjoypodcast.com to leave a question or comment for a chance to be featured on next week’s show. Join us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter via @sparkjoypodcast.

In this episode, you’ll enjoy:

• Tips for how to begin identifying your vision, making it specific, focused and intentional

• Learning how to break down identifying your ideal life into manageable parts:

  • What is your ideal day?
  • Your ideal moment that would spark joy? Picture yourself doing something delightful.
  • Begin with gratitude and appreciation - what is currently working for you in your space and in your life?
  • Imagine how you would be living your life today if money, time and obligations were not a constraint?
  • Take a holistic look at how you’re doing in each area of your life: Career, Relationships, Hobbies, Spirituality, Health, Finances, Community.
  • Check out the The KonMari Wheel of Impact
  • List the first five life goals (long- or short- term) that immediately come to mind as they relate to those categories.
  • Close your eyes and imagine you’ve reached the end of your tidying journey. Describe in detail how you envision your home to look and how you feel

• We share our own visions and visions of some of our clients from all stages of life: single people, families, couples, downsizers and empty nesters

• How to create your own Vision statement!

  • Get it out of your head and onto another media: diary, Pinterest board, website, blog, Facebook post, anything.
  • Establish a new tradition of creating a vision board and display it proudly in your home

Example of Vision Boards and Statements:
A Goal Setting Strategy That Sticks

Gems:
“The question of what you want to own is actually the question of how you want to live your life”

“I just want things to be different instead of thinking about what that different looks like.”

You can find Karin Socci at The Serene Home
You can find Kristyn Ivey at For the Love of Tidy