joyouslybecoming

(S)elf (P)ortrait Wednesday

I have so much to catch up on here with you since my last post what has turned into weeks ago now. So much has happened and I will be sharing about it in the next few days with pictures and words. My time in Valley Ridge was magic as always, bliss, all of it. My students were exceptional and the energy was wonderful - I'll be sharing some of their beautiful work here too. For now, I'll leave you with photos of the most interesting and exciting show going on around here right now - we watch out the window with baited breath, waiting to see who will leave first, this suddenly very overcrowded nest. 

the rest of the class sample projects

A cardboard box built entirely by hand using layered cardboard, masking tape, and lots of Elmer's glue. The box is light but really sturdy with wooden napkin ring feet. 

The inside, where your very special treasures live...

A wall shrine constructed of cardboard, collage, paints, and encaustic wax.

the house from the previous post, doors closed this time

Do you wonder what or who is inside this door?  You'll just have to wait and see....

Postcard sized artwork fits into this wallhanging, constructed to easily change out artwork when you wish

Cardboard and encaustic butterfly box - put in a chrysalis, open the lid, and you may find a butterfly...

I feel really happy with these projects and more fascinated than even with the possibilities of cardboard combined with encaustic, acrylic, and oil based mediums. Let the explorations continue! Have a wonderful weekend and thanks for stopping by.

a little art and thoughts on rejection

"Oh soul,
you worry too much.
You have seen your own strength.
You have seen your own beauty.
You have seen your golden wings.
Of anything less,
why do you worry?
You are in truth
the soul, of the soul, of the soul.”  -- Rumi

I find myself luxuriating in the moments of these early June days. The weather is warm and sunny and the depression that often plagues me in the spring and fall is now completely gone - such a relief and joy, such gratitude I feel for this time. 

I loved creating the piece above - there are a couple more I also did in this series that I'll show you soon. They were created as class samples for my Artfest proposals, of which I found out this week, were not accepted, so next year I get to be student for 3 days, and take classes from the amazing teachers that Teesha will unveil shortly on her website. 

I must admit, initially I felt the sting of rejection when I got that news, but I'm happy to report that within 24 hours or less, I felt calm and clear and truly trust that it is as it was meant to be. I feel like sharing about my experience, because so many of you who read this blog are artists and teachers and put yourselves out there to the various venues with your proposals and your artwork, and have also experienced the disappointment of not being chosen, of rejection. 

After getting the news, my intention was to accept and allow feelings and thoughts to arise, and to take note of how much of my distress was ego, and how much was (??)  What I noticed in myself were these things: initially my feelings were hurt, for about 15 minutes i took it personally, even though, deep down, i knew it wasn't. Once I got through that, it's like it had to just filter through my physical body, and I was aware of the sensations, the heaviness, the heartache, the fatigue, the thoughts that tried to come in saying that "I" was rejected - those thoughts I quickly recognized and quieted, reminding them that it was my class proposals, not me. 

Within about 10 hours, I noticed I felt some happiness for the spaces that were open for someone else to teach, remembering that every time I get accepted to teach, that means there is one less spot for someone else. I found that focusing on that aspect, that thought, made me feel generous and grateful for all the good opportunities I have been blessed with over my lifetime, specifically during the past several years in my art life, for those openings I have slipped into. I don't choose to live my life as a competition, I don't need to come in first, or to have the label "teacher" or "artist" in order for me to enjoy the creative process any more deeply. Honestly, I think those labels can actually be a hindrance if we are not very vigilant with our motivations and intentions on a moment to moment basis.

 A part of me feels appreciative of this opportunity for "rejection" as it has given me a valuable opportunity to step back, examine my priorities, where my art interests, curiosities, and discoveries are going, my ideas and notions about who I am and why I make and share my art, and why I teach. It has reminded me to stay true to my innermost intentions and not get caught up in the thoughts and activities so seductive to the ego. 

Today I feel grateful for all of it, and feel a strong trust that just as the Tahuya River eventually ends up in the ocean, so all things flowing through my life are heading towards something good.

SP

"The miracle is not to walk on water. The miracle is to walk on the green earth in the present moment, to appreciate the peace and beauty that are available now."  Thich Nhat Hanh

Immersed in the music of  this group, my favorite of all their CD's is this one.

a waxy journal page

I'm working on creating a cardboard journal that is tall and narrow -  7" x 16". This is one of the pages. There are a total of 6 cardboard pages, the rest are signatures made from recycled papers and fabrics. I'm almost done with the front cover and I'll show you how it turned out when I am. 

Enjoying the warm sunshine and music from one of my favorite artists, including this version of a Leonard Cohen song. 

I'm back with my new IMac

Wow, what a machine! I really still don't know what I'm doing, but I did manage to find my way around enough to post here - that says a LOT for the intuitive nature of this amazing machine. I'm more impressed than I imagined I could be. 

Grandkids LilyAnne and Ethan, and his friend Cory were here for the entire day on Saturday. The boys were busy digging a giant hole much of the time, looking for buried treasure, and I spent luxurious moments attending to LilyAnne's every whim. I gave her my undivided attention, for most of that time, following her around, delighting in her delights, and exploring the world and emotions through the eyes of a 2 year old. Such a treasure children are, the keys to those locked up rooms inside us, those places where everything is still a mystery and our imaginations are free to roam into every corner. 

Most of yesterday was spent setting up the computer and transferring some files and just trying to figure out the basics. I did get a good bit of time in the studio last night to work on class samples for the Cardboard Journal Class I'll be teaching at Valley Ridge in just over 2 weeks. I'm so excited about it - both getting to spend time again at beautiful Valley Ridge Art Studio with Kathy and Bill as well as the the actual class time with students, teaching all I can cram into two days about creating one of my favorite artforms. There still are a few spots available if you happen to be free to attend and are interested - we'd love to have you! You can find all the class and registration information here.

And although time has almost run out to sign up for my week long workshop in Orvieto, Italy, you still have a few days to jump on board. So if you've been hesitating, or been on the fence about it, now is the time. With the airfares to Europe so unbelievably cheap right now (from $400-$600 round trip from Charlotte NC to Rome, Italy)  in addition to the great currency exchange rates, this really is a golden opportunity for your Italian dream vacation. During the week we will immerse ourselves in the local sounds, sights, smells, and tastes of Italian culture, incorporating these experiences and impressions into personal artwork housed in your homemade mixed media journal or treasure box. Go here to read all about Orvieto, Italy, and what is in store for you in the workshop, as well as the numerous activities and events in store for you, planned by hosts Kristi and Bill Steiner of Adventures in Italy.  

our computer is hosed

I wanted to let you know, especially if you've been trying to get ahold of me, I'm unable to use the computer - it's been infected by a horrible virus that over-rode 2 anti-virus programs we use. we've been trying for days to fix it, had it to the computer wizard and thought it was, then mysterious russian instead of english websites appeared, google in russian and eventually no search engines work at all now. Tomorrow I drive to Seattle to get the Mac we've been dreaming about - no more PC! By the first of next week, hopefully, I'll be online again. Till then, have a beautiful week and thanks for stopping by!

SP - things are looking up

little violet, spreading her magic

it takes about twenty minutes

Walking in the woods

slowly surrendering into You

your eyelids flutter immense skies opening

a reflection of our light and rain.

young budded vines grass the yearning

with compassion

evoking every blade with the promise of passage

to the sun, and dreams that float

on bright green wings.

A sea bird calls

the river endlessly recedes

enduring, bending, reflecting

singing its eternal song on the beauty of

letting go, letting go, letting go.

Sophie

Thank you all for your interest in and support of Sophie and I during this stressful time waiting for the biopsy results. My intuition told me it was serious, that is was cancer and the biopsy results confirmed that it was. The good news is though, they feel very confident that they were able to get all it of during surgery and that it hadn't yet spread into the surrounding tissue.

I can't tell you the relief I feel, how thankful I am, i can finally let out that big sigh i've been holding in and just relax. Long may her days be, running through the field, exploring the woods, and being right by my side.