cycles of life

One can find beauty in all the cycles of life, not just the full blooms we all admire.
There are surprises to be found, unexpected beauty within all these challenging times..
we just need to be open to it.

Feathers in the Wind

June 2, 2012

2-4

Masterpiece Framing

243 Halstead Ave.

Harrison, NY

Preparing.

New show with new work... Mandalas, Assemblages and Illustrations by John.  I love doing these shows, but there is so much that needs to be done and time is s p e e d i n g  up towards the opening.

Art reception for the children's work is tomorrow evening and my focus is finishing that up..

one more board!

And then...

it 

is

me 

time!

Life is so full sometimes.. ok, most of the time.  

If you are in the area please come by to see our art :-) 

just beneath the surface

Just beneath anything...
just below the water, emotions, lies something that wants to be revealed.
Like the seed just beneath the surface of the soil, waiting to be born into it's full potential.
Just beneath the skin, a wonderment of what we are made of, in awe of the Mystery.
I quiet the mind, hoping it will be revealed.. waiting ... I know you are there.
I keep removing the clutter, removing the dust, peeking through this film of superficial things, in hopes of speeding up the process.

I sow those seeds of ideas in creative soil, tend to them with grace and honor and truth... and wait to see what will blossom.  Only time will reveal what is just beneath the surface.

My most beautiful thing

I spent most of the day working on the art show.  When I'm not creating myself, I am working with kids and encouraging them to create.. they don't really need much of that though.  What they need is the space and the materials.  This is the most beautiful thing.. their faces!  Watching them create with total abandon and joy and that is what we as artists aspire to.. to create as a child again, unfiltered, without doubt or judgement, spontaneously and filled with joy!!!

My Most Beautiful Thing

Today begins a blogsplash on My Most Beautiful Thing and today for me it is about
Self-Expression
You can go here to learn more:

http://www.writingourwayhome.com/2012/04/my-most-beautiful-thing-blogsplash.html
You might want to join in or read other blogs.
Fiona is also giving away her book on kindle...

Today as I woke to the sun streaming in through the sky light, playing with the crystals hanging and creating rainbows on the ceiling, I thought how delicious it is to awaken here in our bed.. our wonderful comfy bed.  I savored it for a while and picked up a book beside me.  I am surrounded by books. I love books.  I love that there are people out there that can help me put into words what I am feeling or allow my mind to ponder some new thoughts.  Deep gratitude goes out to those who write professionally.
Self-expression.. our gift to the world.  What wonderful glorious gifts we each have: writing, singing, painting, creating in so many forms that fill our world with beauty.
For me, creating is the time I can listen to my inner voice.  Silence surrounding me, I listen.  I create.  I bring into the world something that did not exist before, but it is in the process of this creating that brings me such bliss.  It is my beautiful thing.. most beautiful thing to do.. to create from my heart.. from my soul.

Ch ch ch Changes...

I was no longer able to use blogger.. because I just wasn't keeping up. One is always required to "upgrade" with everything... no longer able to get comfortable with the status quo.. And if you don't decide to play along, you get cut off.
I tried upgrading with IE but without luck.. always seemed to be a problem with something, so I went to google chrome... so far, so good.  Getting used to changes sometimes is so tiresome!
But I went roaming around and realized I was definitely missing out on some of the bells and whistles on some sights..
Anyway, I'm going to blog about beauty in the coming days. More info later.. still checking out the "newness".

Art of the Young Child Reception

The show is up and the reception was fun. Parents brought dishes from their country of origin. From Italian cookies to Mexican flan to Chinese dumplings... and lots in between to try and fill the belly..

The kids came and played.. twirling around and filled with excitement

Sampling those colorful goodies..

Chocolate covered strawberries being a big hit!
The exhibit is filling the halls of the Harrison Municipal Building and will be hanging until middle of May. It includes the artwork of close to 40 children.. 38? 39?

and captures in photos.. by me.. their process of creating

along with some inspiring quotes.

This is the 6th year.

It was originally inspired by Ginny Carpenter, then a director of the Harrison Children's Center. I had been doing the Youth Art Month show in March and Lola Geiger the president of the Center wanted the kids to be included.. but I could not do it.. instead, the next best thing was to have a show of their own!

Ginny and I discussed it and agreed to do it.

Unfortunately Ginny became ill and passed and I did this show in memory of her.

It was such a success that I was asked to continue.

It grew so big, we had to divided the two centers into two different shows.

So now I get back on the horse.. and put together the West Harrison exhibit that will be in May.

It is a joy and

I thank Ginny for getting it going...

Allowing

There are many things I get back from working with children. For one, it is about the process, and allowing the process to reveal what needs to be revealed.. allowing the story to unfold.
The process unfolds in the doing.
Sometimes I feel things need to evolve and it doesn't come fast enough. What I mistakenly do at times is wait for the idea to come. Instead, what life and art teaches, is that it comes while we are doing.. when we do the work. Here is where it begins to unfold, little by little. Here is where the joy in the journey, the process of creating, has it's magic.
It is in allowing the work to come forward, to speak of what and where it wants to go, rather than in us pushing. We push too hard and that's when things break.
If I do not pick up the brush, or the marker, or the unassembled pieces... there will be no unfolding, no moving forward. We move and change as we do the work.
We cannot stay in our heads.. thinking it through.. we can only work through it and discover what needs to be said.
Let your art speak to you.
Allow the voice to be heard.. your own true voice.

Mandala dreams

Children's art show is up.. finished it all yesterday and it allowed me some time to do - finish- a mandala. I needed it. So much focus and attention on one thing to the exclusion of everything else gets pretty intense for me. There was a time factor this year that brought me to a state of panic and I had to cut back in some areas.. not something I really enjoy.. skimping.
It's one of those times when I come to the realization that I need to "let - it - go"... which is so hard when aiming for perfection. oh well.
But it's time to move on.
The other half of the show on the other side of town... that needs to be focused on as well as some side jobs and my own art for our upcoming show in June.
But with this big show and taxes out of the way.. I feel I can breathe a bit deeper.
When the opening, a gap comes... my mind begins to question... Now what?
Where to focus.. mandalas? Painted? Bigger?.. or assemblages.
There is no great call in either direction and that is sort of a dilemma... so I just did the norm for now.. the small mandala.. the meditation practice of "doing". See what comes up.. I need to be quiet and listen. What wants to emerge from within...

A detour in creativity

In dire need of some escapist reading, a friend recommended Debbie Macomber's books... and off I went to the library. I'm usually reading books on yoga or art or some type of spirituality self-help book, but I needed to sink my teeth into a story.. lose myself in some other character.

Debbie Macomber's books did not fail me.

I started out with the Blossom Street books and fell in love with Seattle and took up knitting!

They inspired me to learn or relearn to knit and went to my mom for a refresher course. I revisited both knitting and crocheting and started out with some squares for a blanket, then started a scarf.

Halfway throught the scarf, it changed. Not a scarf anymore, but instead, I created a bag. I crocheted the strap and then embellished it with other stuff. How could I not?

Every once in awhile I need to go off on a tangent - create something other than a mandala or painting. Usually when I do this, my mind goes back to mandala or painting with a fresh start.

Ideas build, images form. A new idea for a painting is formed.

Reading Macomber's books is like a mini vacation. Just what I need and she's got plenty to keep me there for a while.

Art Reception

Yesterday, I had an opening reception at Heaven Colors Art Gallery in Harrison. It's a new gallery that opened in November on Harrison Ave. I noticed it when I took a different route to work and while stopped at the light, I noticed it.
John and I began our search for the next place to show within the area, so I looked at this as an answer from the Universe :-)
I went to work very excited, eager to tell John about my new discovery. I went in that Saturday, brought my samples to show Angel, the owner, on Sunday and we took it from there.
It was a quick.. very quick.. decision.
No mailing went out, but luckily info went to face book, the Patch and the Daily Harrison with the help of a good friend.
What I have been extremely grateful for is the support I get from friends. It humbles me to see how open and giving many people are and I feel very blessed.
The weather report tried it's best to stress me out, but even that too work out for the best.. no snow on the ground at all. What little that fell early in the day disappeared.
We had such a great turn out - sold cards - and had a great time.
If you are in the area, stop by to see Angel. She may be sitting near the window painting. She is warm and friendly and as a new business owner, it would be great to give her a warm welcome.
I am thrilled to have an art gallery back in town. Ironically, there was a gallery years ago in the very same place where I bought a Ralph Bernabei print.
Life is good :-)

Saturday's Stones

A day for the senses.

First you called me by smell.

Taste.

Such sweet bliss.

I moved through the afternoon with touch.

Cold. soft. smooth.

playing. shaping. molding you into form.

Soon you will be filled with love

and nourishment.

Sweet touch.

An offering.

Today's small stone

Capping the paint cups from class, back and forth from table to table.

Cleaning up, wizzing around the room, when the most spectacular sunset

captured my eye and took my breath away.

I Stop... Get the Camera.

I took pictures until the brilliance faded.

2 Stones in a Row

Yesterday I went into the art room, thinking it would be nice to have a small book to write these "stones" in.

Three small black moleskin books

and one with purple glitter.

Small enough to fit in one's pocket

and Big enough to carry

project ideas, sketches, quotes

and dreams.

Awareness of my mind,

sorting, unsure,

gathering together

these ideas flying through my mind.

Unclear... Uncomfortable.

I jumped from one idea to another.

my mind was just not settled..

I did not have my mandala time.

I will just have to "wing it"....

January 2nd's small stone

Morning light draws my attention to the wall in front of me.

Vision board, boxes of art supplies are highlighted

Chimes outside tell me there is much more than a gentle breeze.

The distant sound of a train mixes with the wind, they meld together and then it is only the chimes..and then silence.

Then it is mandala time.

Another small stone - intense present moment awareness in yoga class.. closing my eyes in bridge pose, I felt so present... no longer the teacher, but the student.

I felt so very blessed.

River of Stones

One of my intentions this year is to take some time for myself... balance the work with the time to stop, relax, become more aware and be in the present moment. Actually, I intend to be present to all of it... and like anything else, that takes practice.

One way to stay on track it to make a commitment.. to be accountable, so I joined the group (see side bar) River of Stones.. click on the link to learn more and maybe you will want to join in.

What better way to be present than through the lens of a camera. For me, it draws me in and makes me look deeper and appreciate all that this world has to offer. It helps me to find the extraordinary in the ordinary. It helps me to see it ALL as a miracle.

My stone:

Today I woke at 7:55

Greeted by my husband, delicious coffee and crow.

The Sun rose over the house and I let it's light warm my face

until it hid between the trees.

Then I knew it was mandala time.

Walking at the beach and surprised by large groups of people

swimming on the first day of a new year.

I like warmth and comfort

and looking at things with a fresh new eye.

An encouraged Path

Saying good bye to the turtle altered spice bottle.

The show at the Mamaroneck Library was pretty successful. The Altered Spice Bottles received the most attention. I sold some framed mandala prints - 2 of my favorites - and some cards.

The cards are something new for me. The exhibit at Masterpiece Framing and the Wainwright House gave me the impression they would sell, not as well as I had anticipated, but enough for me to keep at it.

I sold one that had my son's digital image on it and that was one of those "feel good" moments.

She bought it specifically because of the image. Kudos to Jake!

Winding down this year and reflecting on all it held for us, we both did well in the art department. We both sold our art, encouraging us both to stay on this path of creating and putting it out there into this world. Putting one's art out there and feeling the welcoming response to it, gives us the encouragement that we have found a path that we can share.

We both love to do art and it is true that when you follow your passion, money will follow.

It's more than money though... it's the knowing that someone values your "being", your soul.

When someone has a piece of your art, that have a piece of your soul.

Thank you.

Namaste'

John's reception

John's reception was yesterday, Sat. at the library in Harrison. It was wonderful to share it with friends and family and some delicious baked goods from my friend Jennifer. YUM.

some of John's earlier pieces. If you are in the area, it's up until Dec.2.

Window Painting in town

Children and Adults came out to decorate the windows of downtown Harrison and West Harrison on Sunday. A beautiful day with the sun shining, it was a joyful sight to watch everyone have fun.

A Work in Progress....

I'm taking an online course with Donna Iona Drozda. I love following her blog while following the phases of the moon. Working with the moon is learning to live with nature's cycles.. to everything there is a season.

As I have been following her lessons, I've been putting my images and ideas on to paper and canvas. The art show is hanging and I now need to refocus on my art again. I planted my vision seeds during the new moon. Each new moon, I write my intentions in a journal... and I usually leave it at that. This class is keeping me on track... following through with my ideas. Give birth to them. Those seeds that have begun to send a root down, they look like sperm, ready to fertilize and nourish my idea. 2nd Chakra.. creating that vision. I'm still home, working on this idea, playing and creating...until I am ready to take it outside.

mmm. who do I take it to? how do I present it? is it good enough????? notice those seeds that have sprouted?? it was while painting them, that I began to see them as question marks.

There is the challenge.. to move beyond those self doubts, beyond questioning things so much that I drop it. I want to nurture the seed/vision. Tend to them lovingly, gently.

It was during this quarter moon that I realized how energetic I became and how much I got done out in the world. Awareness. Being in Community. Those roots that grow deep into the earth mingle with other roots. They join together, in unity and those roots become stronger. We need to take our gifts out into the world, move beyond those self-doubts.

I realize I do not need to know how things will play out. Experience has taught me that life unfolds in unexpected ways and it's easiest to flow with it. Allow it to happen. Being aware, in tune with it, is like icing. Yum.