The True Spirit of the Season

When the economy took a dive a few years ago, our family decided to simplify Christmas. My husband and I suggested to our adult children that since they were all experiencing the financial strain, we would curtail exchanging gifts. This included gifts to office staff, neighbors and friends. Only the small children in the family received but a simple gift from us. 

What a difference this made in how we spent the days leading up to Christmas! There was more time to bake cookies, play Christmas carols on the piano, relax and take in the spirit of the season. As a family, we picked names of needy children from a tree and bought gifts for them instead of ourselves. There was no longer the rush around town, shopping, wrapping, mailing, stressing and exhaustion. This has now become a tradition in our family and we have made a point to focus on those in need, reaching out in places where help is essential.

My brother Kip and his family were the blessed recipients of a group of thoughtful and generous friends who came to their aid after a stressful 2,000 mile journey from Mexico to Colorado. Read about what they experienced just a few nights ago,  on Christmas eve in their mountain town of Carbondale.  Kip's blog, Tacosandbeyond.com. tells the story of how a group of wonderful friends came together to create a magical Christmas, complete with a fresh live decorated Christmas tree and a pot of hot soup on the stove.  Their cold, dark, empty, newly rented house came alive with the grace and goodness of loving friends. This story will amaze you and inspire the giving spirit within you. The loving kindness of this small town community in the Rockies is unlike any I have ever known.

The Mystery of Inspiration

Last night at White Horse Black Mountain in NC we attended at concert by four-hands pianists Daniel Weiser and Philip Liston-Kraft. It was a dramatic performance played by two gifted musicians. They wow-ed the audience with their talents. The last piece performed was Rhapsody in Blue by George Gershwin.  The pianists provided a brief history of how the piece was composed while Gershwin road a train from NewYork to Boston.  He became mesmerized by the rhythm of the train wheels bolting across the tracks, composing the piece in its entirety from start to finish on that relatively short ride. It was pure brilliance.

This story brings to mind the question....where does inspiration come from? Throughout my career as an art professional, I have been blessed with visions of unborn creations that have appeared in my minds eye. They are indeed a gift,  and I have made every effort to acknowledge their appearance and bring them to reality. 

Nearly two years ago while visiting our daughter in New York City, I was moved to photograph some bare tree branches against a grey cloud-filled sky. Those photos were the first attempt at bringing forth a new series of work that was finally born just this past week. The process was two years in the making, but the time spent was worth the wait. I am calling the new work The Angel Series. Sometimes we have the creative vision but are unsure of the process leading to the vision. Patience is the key. Here is:

                                     






Angel Series, Guardian of the Evening Skies.

Do you feel creative?

A message on Facebook that came recently from an old high school classmate inspired a thread of  conversation in my head about who feels creative and what inner conversations have they had about being creative. Colyn wrote, "sometimes I think I'm an artist without permission."

Last spring, after months of research, I gave a lecture at a gallery that carries my work on the subject of creativity. My intention was initially to help those who consider themselves creative to release a creative block, or to simply allow for more ideas to flow freely. What I discovered in my research is that we are indeed,  all born creative. Creative thought is generated by the right hemisphere of the brain, which also governs emotion, sensitivity and abstract thought, while the left hemisphere is scientific, logical, organized. Often in childhood, some individuals are encouraged to focus on left brain activities, such as science experiments or building projects. Other children are encouraged to perform creative activities such as coloring with crayons or learning to dance.  My theory is that if children are encouraged to try a variety of both left and right brain activities, that they will carry a balanced, more non-dominant brain with them into adulthood.

So you say, "now I'm an adult and I can't even draw a stick figure!" Well, I'm here to tell you that you CAN. You must simply exercise the right hemisphere of your brain on a regular basis. Begin by doodling or painting simple images. But, most importantly, don't allow FEAR to overtake your determination. In time, creative thought will emerge and become stronger. And you will see a change coming over you. You will observe that while you are doing a creative activity, that you feel calm and relaxed, even at times oblivious to the world around you. That is what artists know as "being in the zone."

I have the good fortune of being part of a creative people's forum that explores the creation of art quilts and related subject matter. One of the participants, Nina Marie Sayre, has a blog called "Off the Wall Friday" in which she invites anyone with a subject relating to art quilting to submit their blog.  ninamariesayre.blogspot.com/. Its a great way to "share the love" and I encourage all of you out there who are feeling weak in the creativity department to find a forum where you can connect with like minded people. It will bring you inspiration.

Blessings.

Loving Kindness

Now that I'm old enough to have accepted wrinkles as a trade for wisdom, I know that probably one of the most important acts that can be done on a daily basis is to treat others with loving kindness.  Did you ever consider what a single act of loving kindness might mean to someone you have never met?

For many years, I walked across the parking lot on my way to morning workout, passing others who were returning to their cars from doing the same. Many walked with heads bowed, some walked and talked on their phones at the same time, some seemed as if in a daze. None of those people spoke or even smiled. One day, about 6 months ago, I decided that I was going to step up my "kindness quotient" and spread it around over the course of my day. I began to say "good morning" to people in the parking lot on the way to workout, or just smile to someone I encountered. I was amazed at how people reacted in a positive way with the same enthusiasm as I had. There were, occasionally a few people who barely muttered anything audible. Some even were so stunned that they didn't even look at me and pretended they didn't hear. But, for the most part the responses were positive.

Think of it this way: There may be someone out there who lives alone, speaks to no one all day, is sick or in pain, or otherwise has little contact with fellow human beings. You might make their day if you offer a hand, pick up something they dropped, or even just flash a gentle smile on passing.

We must all take responsibility to make this world a better place. Staying inside your little world will only cause you to think more of yourself. Stepping out, reaching out, giving of yourself and all your unique talents and skills will generate more love. The positive energy will begin to spread to others and across your town and country to far reaches of the world. We will become a better human race when we all love and care for one another.

After all, that's why the Beatles wrote the song lyrics "all you need is love".

Now, just do it.

A Gift to the Those Who Create

A Message of Encouragement

I am an artist. A visual artist. I was born an artist and will always be an artist. Those of us who create know that creativity is deeply embedded inside our souls. It can't be removed, suppressed, denied or ignored. It  is busting to get out and make something new every single day of our lives. Who are we? We are painters, sculptors, photographers, film makers, culinary artists, media artists, choreographers, writers, actors, composers..... the list goes on and on.

The problem is, so many of us struggle to be seen and heard. The gifts that we wish to share with the world aren't always being tapped into. We can't find someone to listen to our demo tape or exhibit our paintings or finance our film. What we all need is an ounce of some small morsel to keep us going, the fuel to keep on producing, despite not being seen or heard by the world. What we need is HOPE.

On this beautiful autumn Sunday morning, I give you hope. The gift of encouragement is what all creators need to hang in there, despite a weak economy, despite natural disaster, despite depression or distraction or financial distress. I am telling you right now to keep on keeping on, because if you don't continue to keep the creativity fires burning, it will eat a hole inside you! In the words of the brilliant Dr. Brene Brown, "Creativity is not benign."
Never let stagnancy of your creative goals erode your self esteem or lead you to question your life purpose. Somewhere out there, in the great abyss, lies opportunity. It will come. In the meantime, keep using that precious, wonderful gift you have been so blessed with: creativity.

Be Like a Rainbow


This week an extraordinarily beautiful event occurred, one that will remain embedded in my memory bank for years to come.

 Outside the west facing window just after dawn, down into the valley only a few hundred feet away, a rainbow was born. It was a massive column, intensely brilliant colors of the spectrum, coming straight out of the earth seemingly just within reach. It shot straight up into the sky. I was in awe of the massive size of it. I felt as if it was so close that I could wrap my arms around it. The colors were indescribably intense, glowing with a power and mightiness that I can't begin to describe. The light around it was changing minute by minute. I rushed to prepare my camera to record the event which I knew would be gone within seconds. The visibility of the land behind the rainbow blurred as the light to the right of it intensified.  To the left, another rainbow appeared, this one just as large and colorful, but less intense and distinct. As quickly as they were born, they began to dim into the soft morning light, leaving me filled with rapturous joy at having witnessed such a rare occurrence.

We never know what exceptional experiences lie just before us. Live your life for the moment, leave the past behind and expect great things in the future.

Be like a rainbow, with genius, power and magic in your spirit.

Gratitude

Not a day goes by that I neglect to be thankful for abundant blessings.  Gratitude is the key that unlocks us from a space of anxiety, stress, depression and negativity.  It changes how we perceive the world around us.

     "He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those
       he has. " Epictetus

When we begin to look around our world and recognize every detail of people, places, events and things which make us safer, and smarter and better people, a new light shines upon us. Today, I am thankful for:

    the innocence of a child, the rainbow in the valley yesterday, a delicious lunch, reconnection with an     old friend, a smile from the mailman, social media that connects me to artists working in my field           who gladly share information, a cool, windy day for a change, a vehicle that transports me, hope for
    something better to come, a warm comfortable bed to rest in,...........the list goes on and on.

The magic of gratitude is that the more we appreciate,  the more things we notice TO appreciate, the better we feel inside about our world.

I am grateful for the opportunity to share my thoughts through this blog. Begin your list and see the magic happen.