Today, I just wanted to reach out to some of the talented illustrators, that I know. We visit one another, spend time in each other’s colorful blog world and reach out to one another with thoughtfulness, warmth and downright gut wrenching laughter!
When Linda Hensley, sent me this, I thought it was a good time to do something fun and show my appreciation of these artists.
First, I want to thank Linda Hensley, for giving me this award. Linda writes and blogs over at: http://lindahensley.blogspot.com. She’s a thoughtful and informative writer and an amazing illustrator. Linda adds value to the blog world! So this wonderful artist has given me an award! Yeah, thank you, Linda!
There were some rules for picking up the award, why, Linda, why? Rules…ugh! :) The rules for receiving the award:
- Thank the person who gave you the award.
- Write a post about it.
- Answer the questions below.
- Pass it on to 10 bloggers who you think really deserve it and send them a message to let them know.
So here’s some miscellaneous stuff you didn’t want to know about me! :)
Q & A:
01. My favorite color: Orange & Turquoise – never could choose between them!
02. My favorite animal: I should say my daughter’s cat, Oscar, but we have a love/hate relationship! So I have to say my German Shepard, Keisha, who has gone to doggy heaven!
03. My favorite number: 3
04. My favorite non-alcoholic drink? Limeade
05. I’m a member of Facebook and Twitter
06. My passion: I’m not sure there’s enough time to list them all! I’m fanatical about My family, Women and Children Issues/Advocacy; The Elderly, The Environment, and Art, which is not last or least!
07. Getting or giving presents? I love both equally!
08. My favorite pattern? I don’t have a favorite.
09. My favorite day of the week? Friday.
10. My favorite flower? Sunflowers, because when I see them the make me smile, no, matter the mood, there’s something about their brown faces and bright yellow/gold flower hair, that brings out the best in me.
10 Favorite Bloggers:
I hate choosing just 10, because I love so many, but here goes this time around:
5) Josh Pincus -http://blog.marshotelonline.com. He is always over the top, and his posts has me laughing out loud with memories and amazed at his knowledge and research!
9) Roberta Baird -http://www.robertabaird.com/blog. She is the only illustrator who can get me to look at a mouse, longer then two seconds! Her illustrations makes the child in you dream.
Sharon has given me a beautiful award, which I want to acknowledge here, also so that you can see her beautiful style and of course to end this blog post in vivid color as well. Thank you Sharon!
I’m truly blessed to know so many talented, amazing, fun-loving and caring artists. It makes life bearable and memorable!
Appreciate your friends, they are your extended family.
I sit today, at the hospital with my Mum, spending time with her. I sit as if, I am awaiting for the beginning of a concerto, I know it will be bring me to tears, but it will also give me a sense of peace and beauty. My mother’s faith is great, as she always says, “everything begins, with the true maestro.”
There use to be a time when she and I would have days and days of play time, where all we would do is create art projects and play with toys: Barbies, Legos, Puzzles, Games, watch “Little Bear and Land Before Time”. Now I have to steal time for pixs and hugs!
No illustration or painting can stand up against my beautiful creation except her brother, my first beautiful creation!
This Saturday is strictly family time, I’m hoping for a few good snuggles…:)
My soul has an absolute and relentless need for trips into enchantment. It requires, enchantment like the body needs food and the mind needs thought to survive.
But, I am bombarded daily, by a culture who prides itself on disapproving and explaining the sources of enchantment. Our society is always explaining away every mystery, one after another, under the guise of sophistication, the need to grow-up and the need to appear intelligent. As if indulging in the imagination, is not any of these things!
I often wonder, is this why American culture is so obsessed with the fear of aging? Instead, we only need to hold on to all things that keep up carefree, naive and questioning…the magic of enchantment.
Feeling philosophical or not today, cultivate your enchantment…daily…it improves the quality of life.
On my artist date today (a date with myself and art, outside my studio); I ran into an old acquaintance. It was a brief and lovely encounter. But what stood out to me, was when she asked me, “How are you?” I blurted out that I was in flux. When I saw her puzzled look, I quickly smiled to put her at ease, since the word “flux” sounds chaotic to some. Yet, it best describes where I am right now.
The word, Flux means “continuous change, instability; constant movement. I sometimes take the meanings of words from the dictionary and in order for it to have meaning and relevancy to my life, I add a spin on it. Flux is one of those words.
Why, because when I think of continuous change and being an adult, over 50, flux can be a scary word! The unknown is still scary to us of a certain age, because now when we come up against it when we feel vulnerable. Vulnerability means no defense mechanism and damn, that’s even scarier.
But I’m looking at this another way, flux as being vulnerable. Vulnerable is the beginning of being open to change, continuous change…flux. I am embracing flux, as a challenging, exciting adventure, for which in the middle of my life, I am so ready for!
Embrace your flux; you earned the right to be vulnerable, it may be leading you to a higher level of self awareness.
In peace.
P.S. Brene Brown at TED, looks at “vulnerability” and why it’s a great thing!
It wonderful, when you put something out there in the world! The Universe comes back to you with a multitude of wisdom!
I posed my question of “How do you choose what online seminars and webinars to pay for? Do they work? Or do they just make money for the presenters?” I knew that this year, I needed more information on my next steps in my art world! As usual, when we ask a question, we want a quick answers, not thinking that, when I’m posed a question, I think before answering. Here is a wonderful different approach!
Maria Brophy, a fabulous art coach, featured my questions, in regard to:
I’m glad that Maria Brophy chose to answer my question, too. It gives credence to the fact that there are great answers out there and as the questioner, you need to get as much sound advice as possible to make the best decision for you. I love Maria’s direct honest, no nonsense approach! Both coaches gave me good and solid advice. As I move forward this year in making my resolutions real, I will be able to make great choices!
Maria Brophy is a wonderful coach, she is the marketing guru for the success “Son of the Sea” Artist Drew Brophy, whose work is world renown in those tropical places we all love! You can find Drew’s art at beautiful beaches around the world! Maria’s incredible insight is a value to all artists! It is worth your time to invest in a visit to Maria’s website.
So artists, business entrepreneurs and friends, I have now garnered more answers, so I encouraged you to look deep for your marketing answers, because there are some wonderful people out there to help you navigate those sometimes shark-infested waters. Thank you Maria for all your help!
Indigene Community(www.indigenecommunity.info) is a new organization developing participatory urban multi-home, co-housing and economies based in indigenous practice for modern living.
It is wonderful to share the same ideal with Indigene Community, which is understanding heritage can give us the tools to move forward in our lives and in our communities. At Indigene Community art is featured for recalling primary human values. Indigene Community will be featuring me as the first artist to their Indigene Community website!
While doing some cleaning and dusting, I came across a bag of pretty autumn leaves. I love the colors of autumn. I remember taking these leaves from a beautiful tree. So of course I stopped cleaning and looked for the photos of the tree it came from.
I’m one of those people that look at trees and always see people or some sort of magical creature, so I usually stop and snap a photo, since it’s usually on the road and I don’t get a chance to sketch and explore it until I get home. I find trees fascinating. Here’s a reference photo:
Well, to make a long story short, I never finished the dusting (the cleaning is ongoing)! My creative flow took over and I spent the next few days working on this image. Here she is, a dryad, a tree spirit, I’ve named her “Autumn Leaves”. Autumn is a part of the “Goddess Series”.
January is an ideal month for getting your office together, since it is after the holidays and everyone seems to be in recovery mode. It also helps that it is (7) seven degrees Fahrenheit outdoors! My creative flow is up 1000%.
Perfect hot chocolate weather, that’s where I am, indoors, warm, snugly, creating and happy!
As an artist, you create, enjoying the process and wonder at the end result (at least, I do)! When your art work finds a home, you miss it, but you know it has gone to a place where some else wants your creation to rest.
I received this picture (taken with camera phone) from a collector in Indiana, showing me where “our girl” lives.
I love the unique way she has formed a mediation alter out of it. Another wonderful idea for my goddess art. A way to salute your womanhood!
Thanks Lucy, you’re a doll to send this! :) May you continue to get the joy and peace you deserve.
In rearranging my studio nook and painting, life was chaotic! When you’re working on a new painting, that you have to stop and start, there is that feeling of deja-vu! Yet, you know it’s all real…lol!
This is the beginning of the painting. I put several different symbols around the main part of the painting…and then…I changed my mind…and erased the symbols.
I’m feeling the main character, but the symbols are eluding me.
I was rearranging the studio as I painted, you know trying to multi-task and get as much done in the window of time I had.
But, back to the painting…
I erased all the surrounding symbols and redid some others things and finally, it felt like it was flowing.
I’m still in the preliminary stages, but I think she and I are feeling the flow on this.
There was a mad dash by me to get everything in order before the new year. I’m superstitious like that, whatever state your home and business is in, is how it’s going to be for the new year. So for me, the control freak that I sometimes am, everything was straightened up, dusted, cleaned, reordered and finished!
No…everything was not completed, but there a sweetness in what was completed, and you know life goes on.
Deja-vu is now reality and chaos to order! Now that’s a great beginning!
Today, I just wanted to reach out to some of the talented illustrators, that I know. We visit one another, spend time in each other’s colorful blog world and reach out to one another with thoughtfulness, warmth and downright gut wrenching laughter!
I’m truly blessed to know so many talented, amazing, fun-loving and caring artists. It makes life bearable and memorable!
I sit today, at the hospital with my Mum, spending time with her. I sit as if, I am awaiting for the beginning of a concerto, I know it will be bring me to tears, but it will also give me a sense of peace and beauty. My mother’s faith is great, as she always says, “everything begins, with the true maestro.”
There use to be a time when she and I would have days and days of play time, where all we would do is create art projects and play with toys: Barbies, Legos, Puzzles, Games, watch “Little Bear and Land Before Time”. Now I have to steal time for pixs and hugs!
My soul has an absolute and relentless need for trips into enchantment. It requires, enchantment like the body needs food and the mind needs thought to survive.
