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These are a few small pieces I have been working on that embody what I am trying to say in my work -
the quotes are blessings from John O'Donohue's 
To Bless the Space Between Us: A Book of Blessings
All that is eternal in me welcomes the wonder of this day
May I live this day
Compassionate of heart
Clear in Word
Gracious in Awareness
Courageous in Thought
Generous in Love
This is my daily mantra...
It takes courage, conviction and commitment to pursue a body of work, and for me this is my painting. I have been working on a collection of pieces for quite awhile now and after showing them to a friend, whose opinion I greatly value, I decided to have the courage to post them .... they are still works in progress mind you, but here are some peeks at the work. This is a big step for me because my paintings are the most intimate thing that I do - the most expressive - the closest view of who I truly am. So here is to being vulnerable and willing - in hopes that it will give me clarity to stick with it - to believe in it - and to move forward.
I love this picture- for me it says so much as to what I love - colorful, fragrant, delicate roses in a hot pink bucket amidst a hay strewn floor in the barn. I tell ya it doesn't get much better than this.
Except for this of course - my sweet rose smelling horse -Ebony. We went for a lovely walk and cut roses the other day. This is the path to and from the barn that we walk. I know, I know, just lovely isn't it - we are blessed. I am grateful that I was able to see and accept all the beauty around me - it was truly a great day.
A . SEM . BLA . AHGE - and yes that is the way you say it ;) I finished this little piece today and am quite happy about the way it turned out. The coolest part is the little part under the mica - there is a story behind it. Last week I was talking with my physical therapist about how beautiful the hills by our house are lately and how blessed I feel to be surrounded by such beauty - the hills are covered with mustard plant and the yellow flowers are just wonderful over the green hills. He went on to tell me about the parable from the bible about the mustard seed and how appropriate that seemed. So I am working on this piece and I am searching through my stash for something and come across this old page of text - when I look at it closer it is a bible page from "Mark" (I don't own the whole bible this is some scrap pages that someone had given me) so I think cool I will use it since my husband's name is Mark and when I tear it and lay it down I look a little closer at the page and it is the parable of the mustard seed - uh huh- pretty in - ter- rest- ing!
I will remember the day ... On Friday I met my friends Jennifer and Judi at Jennifer's studio in Pasadena - let us just say - beyond Fabulous! It was so much fun to sit around a beautiful space with friends and do art. Then Judi and I did a little shopping at this wonderful store called Dreams of Tibet. The perfect ending was that Judi's husband Steve and daughter Sara made a lovely dinner for us. It was so great to sit around a table with friends with great food and laugh and laugh and enjoy each other so - I love that family and am so glad that they include me in it. I am truly blessed.
These japa mala beads are my find at the tibet store - they are a homage of sorts to my dear Judi as she has worn them on her wrist since I have met her and I wanted to carry the same intentions with me as she does so here are mine that I now wear upon my right wrist.
another twin here as Judi and I bought a pair of tibetan brass hands - one for each of us. Lastly, I got these awesome oragami lotus flowers from Chinatown the other day and placed them on the mantle.
Here are two more treasures from my trip. First this fabulous Crow doll made by LK - I just fell in love with it
and so did my friend
Michele Unger
who decided to buy the "sister" crow
This incredible books are by the writer and illustrator Charles Van Sandwyk
and the photo doesn't do them justice - they are works of art and are published in very limited quantities with care, fine paper, and precision. The drawings are breathtaking and the story heartfelt and sweet - these are treasures that are locked away in a special cabinet - and are to be pulled out only on special occasions and hopefully reading to my grandchildren.
A trip to the Book Store - Novels, and art books, and magazines - Oh My! Here are some of my finds.
Somerset Life
Somerset Digital Studio
Altered Curiosities by Jane Wynn
Collage. assemblage and altered art
The Third Angel - Alice Hoffman
The Art of Seeing - Cammie Mcgovern (this month's book club pick)
Unaccustomed Earth - Jhumpa Lahiri ( one of my favorite authors)
These are two of my favorite finds from my recent trip. This Indian shawl and new Klogs. I love them both for their color and most of all for the comfort they bring me. Turning 40 (I am sure you are sick of hearing me say this but it has brought about many realizations for me so ....) I think to myself there is a fine line between comfort and style. I don't want to look like an old lady but I don't want to look like a 20 year old either. Where do I find my OWN style for who I am now - I must say that NOW comfort is very important to me but I still don't want to look frumpy. How do you develop your OWN style? What is it? What have you learned that you like? I would love to see!
The weekend is winding down - and it has been a great one - The one thing I have learned turning 40 and hurting my knee is to - SLOW DOWN- and enjoy the ride, the flowers, the beach, the sky, a glass of wine. So that was my weekend - it has been glorious weather so we spent the weekend here at the beach - very low tide today so I got to see lots of see life and the tide pools were filled with nudibranchs - large spotted ones that look like something from Dr. dolittle that I haven't seen before. My friday started with an afternoon class at my friend Carol's with Lynne Perrella - I just couldn't leave my kidlets for the weekend after being gone for a week. I am anxious to practice her nesting instncts on my work this week. So I sit here on the deck with a glass of wine writing this and savoring every last bit before the week begins. So glass raised to a good week! Salut!
