Gifts From My Children

Soon I will be having a milestone birthday. Not an ordinary birthday, but one with a BIG number.
60!!! It hardly seems possible that so many years have gone by, and I would have to say that there is some truth to the saying that "the older you get, the faster time flies."

Our children have given me some wonderful and thoughtful gifts over the years. But the ones that have grown over time and become my most treasured possessions are the ones that they taught me. They are truths for all of humanity and should be every persons treasures. They are:

                                     EMPATHY.   COMPASSION.   HUMILITY.

Empathy. Understanding and fully comprehending another's feelings  This means having a deep and insightful comprehension, on a spiritual level of all that someone is experiencing. There is no judging, criticism, or condescending reaction to the individual. It is an act of pure love.

Compassion. A deep awareness of and sympathy for another's suffering.  Throughout a lifetime, we all go though periods of great joy and also of great sadness. It's just the nature of living.  Some of us experience extreme suffering. Loneliness, isolation, self doubt, loss, illness, pain, addiction, and other difficulties leave us empty and afraid. A compassionate human being will reach out to someone in need and offer comfort wherever they can.

Humility. To have humility, one must be modest, not arrogant or prideful. This quality is achieved  by insightful observation of others. It is the realization that we are all born equal and we all go through life and die as equals. There is no one who is better because of money, power, status or achievement. There is no one who is inferior because of lack of wealth, rank, possessions or social status. We are all created with a purpose that is not measurable. We are created as equals and should be treated as such.

So, thank you my children. You have given me gifts that I wouldn't trade for anything in this world.

I am forever grateful for the blessing of you.

A Whole New World

Beauty through the Lens of the Camera

I have been computer printing my own digital photographs on cotton and silk for several months. It has been an exciting process, capturing imagery that can be transformed into fiber art. I never dreamed that the camera on my iphone could produce such high quality images, that I could load them into the photo library in my computer and then "tweak them" so that on fabric they become artistic magic. It's opened up new doors of possibilities for me and re-ignited my creative passions.

But, the most extraordinary thing that I have discovered, is that I see the world with new eyes now. 

A few days ago my husband and I got up before the crack of dawn and drove to the beach on the eastern shores of central Florida with hopes of capturing the pageantry of the rising sun. The beach here is special because the sand slopes ever-so-gently toward the sea, nearly flat, revealing a wide expanse of hard sand on which people run, walk, ride bikes and even drive vehicles. As the sun's orange head began to gently emerge above the horizon, I walked toward the water with the intention of capturing the pattern of a wave softly making landfall, swirling and turning, rolling with a foamy edge before receding. What I discovered was a profound beauty in the nuances of each wave, moving as if part of a symphony of clear water, its movement reaching and then folding back into itself, each wave a new pattern of flowing lines and bubbles. And that was not all! Everything in my midst was profoundly beautiful. There were tiny coquina shells in pale lavender and ecru, gleaming from beneath the froth of each new, drowsy swell. A lone shore bird waded through the shallow surf waiting expectantly for a gift from the sea. The rising sun sprayed beams of color over the skies to the east and the ground below.

In the past few months, had I not had been intentionally stocking my photo library with images for new fiber pieces,  I would not have come to appreciate the wonder and subtle beauty in all that surrounds me. There are patterns of dried winter grasses, bare branches against a stormy sky, shadows on the ground, leaves emerging for the first day of their spring life.

While I appreciate the camera and the insight it has given me, I have even more gratitude for what makes it all possible.

My eyes.

Many thanks to Nina Marie Sayre for generously inviting others to share. www.ninamariesayre.blogspot.com

Give Back

The paradigm shift that I experienced in January is reverberating throughout the universe! I am seeing the word GIVE everywhere. It's on posters at the YMCA, in magazine articles and part of conversations and interviews. I believe this sense of giving is being felt globally, and one that could rock the world.

As I begin to process this concept and what the impact potential could possibly be, I am excited about the possibilities. What if EVERYONE gave just one dollar every month to a cause they were passionate about supporting. Can you imagine the changes that could occur? What if EVERYONE did one action that affected someone or something in a positive way every month? This action doesn't necessarily require spending any money. Could you volunteer to read to children at the school, or could you rock preemie babies in the intensive care unit, or could you spend a day at the animal rescue center petting a dog or cat who's` waiting for a home? Think about what your resources are and make use of what's available.

Here's what I put together recently. Our son is a counselor at an inpatient substance abuse center for men. He called me one day and said that someone had a button that needed to be reattached to his shirt.
Of the many men that come and go from a facility such as that one, many will need a button sewn, a tear repaired or at the very least, have the need for a safety pin as an emergency measure. So I began to collect items from my studio and came up with a sewing and repairing kit to keep handy at the facility for all to use.  I included an easy to follow description of how to thread the needle and reattach a button.

This is a small gesture that gave me a large reward, knowing that I could make a difference in someone else's life.  So, now it's your turn. Dust off the engine and start the cog wheels a-turning....what can YOU do to

GIVE BACK?

The Power of Hope

A Paradigm Shift Changes Everything

Last week I read Belinda Dunn's fascinating, insight-fully written, astrological post for January on her site Astrodelight.com. Her global view of humanity from a planetary perspective fascinates me, and she is usually right on the money. And it really got me thinking.

My last post, a woe-is-me glimpse at a day in the life of an artist, was January-dreary, to say the least. But when I read what Belinda wrote, "Capricorn brings us face to face with what's not working in our lives, " it caught my eye. "The only intentions that have any real, lasting and contributing value are those taking into consideration the whole, aligned with higher purpose and potential for the entire planetary family." This is the month to "align, attune and adapt to your unique and valuable purpose, the great gift of incarnation." 

In 30 years as an art professional, I have learned a lot. Skills, techniques, experiences both triumphant and deeply disappointing, the joy of victory and the agony of defeat have come and gone as all things eventually do. How can I share the knowledge I now have and turn it into something productive? I have long been drawn to working with youth as a teacher and mentor. My 15 years working as a volunteer at ArtHaus, a non-profit children's art organization have reflected that commitment.(ArtHaus.org)  As I continue to read on, wheels begin to turn. "Aquarius is light, free and electrical in nature. It is like a thunderstorm coming to clear the air and reveal an unseen landscape." 

A paradigm shift is beginning to occur. I am beginning to see my value and purpose on the face of this earth changing. I now see that I can give my gift of creativity to the world, not only in the artwork that I create, but in the part I play in the life of a young artist who is beginning to bloom. I can be the teacher, the encourager, the nudger, the creativity un-blocker, the YES, YOU CAN-er! There is an ocean of young potentials out there, and I'm planning on doing my part to see that they realize their creative potential!

Light bulb moment!

PS blessings to Nina Marie for making it possible for us all to be connected

A Day in the Life of an Artist......

No one ever said that being an artist was easy. In fact, no one ever told me that being an artist was hard, either. But, I have found that at times, over my 30 year art career that it can, indeed be difficult. 

Why is it that in any arts related field, there are extremes of emotions? One month you are jubilant over getting that speaking part, selling a new piece, brilliantly creating that next chapter, and the next month you have hit bottom, feeling gut-wrenching defeat, questioning your own life purpose on this planet.  I have experienced the bottom feeder’s syndrome at times over the course of my career, but nothing like what I’ve been going through for the past 9 months.

As a visual artist, I have used sales as my barometer for continuing with whatever medium or style I am working in. Good sales means keep on cranking out the visual ideas. I have to admit that over the years I have changed styles occasionally because I became bored and needed a new challenge. I even changed mediums once, which was a really bold move.  

But this year is different. I have sunk so low that I am asking the universe if my life’s purpose is still to create art? Sales have been poor. I’m not sure why. But, I have heard similar reports from my artist colleagues. I understand that those who purchase my work have a specific taste, and can also afford to buy art at the price point  that mine is currently selling at, and that narrows it down to 1.3579 % of the population.  I have sold well in the past, so why not now? 

Is this the universe telling me to head in a new direction? I am listening for “the still, small voice,” but for unknown reasons, I can’t hear it.

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.