I am sinking into art and loving it.

I am expanding my artistic comfort zone, discovering new-to-me tools and artists that are bringing an entirely new creative energy to my usual mix.

I'm two weeks into Pauline Agnew's Draw and Paint What You Love, Part 2. In case you missed it, earlier this year Part 1 had me busting through artistic comfort zones and producing art I never thought I'd be capable of producing.

This second e-course is proving to be just as transformative as the first one, opening me to yet new creative possibility.

Here's a glimpse of what I've been doing so far:

I made marks to the sound of jazz. It made my soul sing.

I sketched something from my studio. I resisted this and found it frustrating, which probably means I should practice it more.

I learned new techniques that led me to painting a photo of Cassie I'd been wanting to paint for a while. She's still a work in progress (I think); I still can't believe I even got this far!

Then, through Pauline's lessons, I explored technology and how it could help me in my art.

In the process I discovered that I LOVE making digital art. I'm hooked!

More digital imagery, the possibilities are endless.

I am learning a LOT and frankly I'm a wee bit overstimulated. But that's OK, I can take it.

For more information on Pauline's e-courses, check out her website. I highly recommend them.

It was shortly after noon, I was chopping onions for lunch. Mozart played gently in the background. I turned and noticed the sunlight falling perfectly on five Chinese Lanterns – also known as Japanese Lanterns or Winter Cherries – I'd left sitting in an old juice glass.

I dropped everything and grabbed my camera.

About thirty minutes later I was blissed out and had over 100 photos of Chinese Lanterns on my memory card.

It works every time: camera play as a way to mindfulness.

For those thirty minutes I was oblivious to anything except my point & shoot, the scene in front of me and the spikes of creative inspiration that came as I sank into the experience.

There was acute awareness of the contrast between the saturated colour of lanterns and the soft colour of the walls behind them, of how the sunlight traced the contour of the pods when I shot from a specific angle, or how the lines and shapes filled the frame when the distance was “just so.”

During, I felt giddy, energized, and completely in the moment. Afterward I felt happy, still energized, and at peace.

Camera play as a way to mindfulness. It works.

Try it, and reap the benefits.