There will be days when the challenges stack up, left and right.

There will be days when it seems easier just to give into the defeat than to keep fighting.

There will be days when nothing makes sense and the fight seems pointless.

And yet...

There will be days when I remember why I do what I do and why I love what I do. Those are the days I live for. The moments that make up those days are the reasons why I continue to overcome the challenges that would see me give up.

I've recently had a bunch of those challenging days gang up on me all at once. Technology is a wonderful, marvelous thing—until it's not working right, a piece of the system changes or has to be replaced. I use an analogy of a spider web. Wherever a spider web is touched, it is felt all over the web. The bigger the touch, the stronger the vibrations.

My camcorder malfunctioned and I was quite annoyed to learn that the maker considered the camera "obsolete" even though it's only six years old. Of course, in the world of technology, that's a dinosaur. When I switched to a new camera, my lighting setup no longer worked well. More changes. Then there was a memory card malfunction. And if these had the only challenges, it wouldn't have been so bad, but life doesn't work that way. There were other challenges, unrelated to work, going on in the background.

A casualty of those "stacked" challenges was my concentration to write and post to the blog.

There are days when I have to scrape pretty close to bottom before I realize it's not a place I want to be, let alone linger in, and the only way for me to realize this seems to be for me to go there.

One of the things that helped to pull me back up and refill my well was a great class at Keeton's. Since it's been so bloody hot here in Florida (and a lot of other places as well), we worked on painting ice cream in our sketchbooks using stencils for the cone and backgrounds.

And, yes, we had a blast! Below are three of the ladies from class with their gorgeous ice cream cones (everyone chose their own flavors) and there wasn't a calorie in sight.

Marilynn, Mary and Gayle

Once again, it was the healing fun of art, the camaraderie of working with others to learn and create art that seemed to restore a sense of balance to my life.

The challenges are inevitable. To some degree, they're even wanted. How boring would life be with no mountains to climb or obstacles to scale?

And I'm sure there will be more weeks when they all happen at once and yet again, decisions will have to be made about whether to fight or give in.

I'm also willing to bet art will be there to save the day!

How is your (hotter than all-get-out) summer going? Are you painting, sketching or pursuing some other artistic pursuit? Please share in the comments!

I don't know about you, but I needed a little extra sparkle in my life today...so run your mouse around on the page and watch the faerie dust fall from your mouse!

Sooooo much fun and a totally time drain, but it still brings a smile to my face! Happy day to you!

The small sketchbook I am currently working in is about 3.5 x 5.5 inches and was suppose to be a watercolor sketchbook. There are no identifying marks as to who the maker might be or what type of paper is in the sketchbook, but make no mistake...it's a PITA (Pain-In-The-Art!).

To say this sketchbook has been a challenge would be to a vast understatement. Years ago, I would have chunked it back on the shelf and forgotten ignored it. However, I'm attempting to finish up some of the PITA sketchbooks I have so I could move on. It dawned on me others may have made some questionable sketchbook purchases that are currently sitting, languishing on a shelf. I thought I'd share some of the ways I've managed to fill the pages without giving up on this journal.

The sketch above was done after wedding vows were exchanged on a dock on a small, private lake. I spotted the tree and knew I had to sketch it. The view below is of the area at the bottom of the page where the sizing(?) is uneven. When I washed over the area with water and pigment, the wash beaded up and was repelled away from the paper. This has happened in random places throughout this journal. And while I like the texture, I would have preferred not to have it.

Luckily, the page turned out okay and it looks intentional even though it was not. Had this lovely spot been somewhere higher up the page, it would have looked bad. Really bad. If you enlarge the image, you can see that the sizing issue goes higher up into the water and into the dead tree.
What do you do if you're a beginner and stuck with this type of paper? It can be frustrating and not a lot of fun to try and get a decent page created only to have something invisible fell your efforts. In the case above, I chose to ignore the "added texture" and just let it stand. Had it been further up the page? I'd have had to pull out the creative license.

Here are some of the ways and things I've done to help get the pages filled:
1) Add pieces of ephemera, receipts, business cards, cut-up brochures and stickers. I cut apart a brochure from my trip to Chocolate Kingdom in Kissimmee and glued it down over a good portion of the page. I also took notes (another idea to fill the page). I doubt if it will show even if you enlarge the page, but the ink bleeds like crazy on this paper and it looks fuzzy.


2) Gesso the paper and paint over it. Using clear gesso* over the paper has several advantages. (*You can use white as well.) Chief among them is being able to paint without fear of uneven sizing showing up midway through the painting process. You can go right over the page or you can use clear gesso as glue to add another piece of paper to the page and then paint over the added paper. I used a deli sheet from Logan's Roadhouse (I dig that quote!), and I let the diluted, white gesso brush strokes show. I then added a little watercolor over the top of that.

3) Paint on another piece of paper and glue it to the sketchbook page. I had some left over Stonehenge "kraft" paper and wanted to use it up. The pumpkin started out a little differently but I messed up the top of the paper with a smear of ink. Rather than tossing the artwork, I cut it out and glued it down. I thought about doing the lettering on the page behind it, but ultimately decided to do the lettering on another piece of the brown paper and glue that in as well. By hitting the edges with a stamp pad, it gives it a more finished look of a border.  You could do the same thing with another piece of white watercolor paper and glue it in the same as a colored paper.

4) Take a break from the challenging sketchbook and work in a different one once in a while. It can slow you down and seriously mess with your mojo if you are working to fill a PITA sketchbook and the pages don't turn out like you want. Rather than wait for that to happen or if you realize you're not sketching as much as you normally would and it's because your resistance to working in that PITA sketchbook, pick up a different sketchbook and "treat" yourself to a couple of nice pages. If you don't have another sketchbook lying around, cut up some paper and sketch on them with the intention of gluing it into the sketchbook later. Never let a hateful sketchbook kill your fun!

5) Try different mediums. Play, experiment and have fun! Maybe the paper is not so good for watercolor...try a different medium. Get out your markers, gouache, colored pencils, graphite and other fun supplies and see what happens. Practice lettering or improve your drawing skills. Play around to see what else might work. Make fun backgrounds and add quotes with markers. Use watercolor pencils and only a little water to see if you can get around a sizing issue.

6) Turn the sketchbook into a "Junk Journal." Every once in a while, the paper in a sketchbook is just...too lame to be saved. Rather than struggle with it, turn the sketchbook into a "Junk Journal." What is a junk journal, you ask? A junk journal is a journal where you draw, practice, try out new ideas, scribble, fail, try again, write notes, brain dump and all manner of crazy things you never intend to share with someone else. And make no mistake, just because it's called junk, it's NOT!

The reason it's called a junk journal is because the idea of a junk journal works best when the paper is cheap so that you don't have any monetary concerns about junking up the paper. And no matter how much you may have spent on that PITA sketchbook that has crummy paper in it, don't be afraid to turn it into a junk journal. You'll still be getting your money's worth, just not in the manner you expected to!

Life is really too short to sketch and paint on crappy, crummy pages on a regular basis, but once in a while, we get caught with a less than desirable paper. If you're just starting out, go ahead and splurge on the nicer sketchbook that's suitable for your preferred medium rather than fight your way through one that fights you every step of the way.

Once you've put in your time, try one of these less than desirable, PITA sketchbooks...it's amazing what you'll learn and what you just might create!

I was recently made aware of Artist Appreciation Month. Have you heard of it? No/ Me either. After doing a little research, I found that the idea had been around for a few years but had not really taken off. Still, the idea had merit and felt like something worthwhile.

The idea is basically to discuss an artist that inspired you in your creative journey. It can be someone famous, someone local, a friend or a family member.

My Story
When I looked back at my own journey, I realized my catalyst to undertake an artistic life began with a visit to a craft fair when I was either 15 or 16 years old. Mind you, my sole reason for attending the event was because my mother told me I could drive if I went and since that was uppermost on mind in those days, you can bet I went! I liked crafts as well as the next female, but I mainly went because I was able to drive. (The priorities of a teenager!)

After arriving at the event, I quickly became bored and wandered off by myself rather than trailing around behind my mother. (Teenage angst showing.) In my wanderings, I came across an artist painting a macaw parrot with watercolors. The parrot was mostly finished as I recall, but what held me spellbound was watching her use green paint to "carve" a leaf out of a white background.

The artist was quite skilled at creating form and shape in one wash. (I learned this much later.) As I watched, she added lights and darks, lifted a bit of paint and suddenly, it looked like I could have reached over and picked that leaf up. It seemed so effortless!

I was instantly, completely captivated, a willing hostage to the magic she was creating.

After watching for several minutes, she engaged me in conversation and explained a little about what she was doing. I have no idea what paints she was using, what her palette looked like, how many pigments were on the palette, the type of brushes she used, the type of paper she was using or whether she had two buckets of water or just one.

All I knew was that I had been witness to something incredible and I wanted to create magic too!

She told me about some classes on the other side of town from me, but I was never able to locate them. I searched for again after I moved to that area, but I had no luck in finding her. I'm sad to say I had no clue what her name was nor did I ever locate her.

I wish I could.

When I walked out of that craft fair, I knew with unshakeable conviction that one day I'd be able to paint with watercolors. I can still see that leaf coming to life before my eyes when I look back at that memory over 30 years later!

The artist engaged me with her humor and willingness to share. She encouraged me to pursue my interest by telling me about the classes. But maybe best of all, she made it seem possible that I too could one day create art.

There were no discussions about how hard watercolor is to learn or how long it takes or anything negative. She didn't put up any obstacles nor did she set herself on a pedestal to be admired by the little people. Instead, she showed me her joy in a simple pleasure.

It took another decade and a few more cataclysmic events before I became serious about the pursuit of my art. I'd always dabbled in crafts, but I believe the idea that I could actually making a living with art, be an artist (gasp!), was planted that day.

If I could sit down and talk with her today, I would thank her for sharing her joy, for demonstrating the simple pleasure of painting without apology for how good or how bad the work was. I would thank her for encouragement to take classes and for planting the seeds that have brought me to where I am today.

There's plenty of negativity out on the web these days. The political arena is heating up with all kinds all balderdash, so how about joining me in sharing your story about an artist or artists that inspired you on your creative journey? If you do, please leave a link in the comments as I would love to read your inspiration.

Self Portrait of My Inner Critic Ink and Wash

It happens to all of us.

We get excited about a new adventure and out of no where, or so it seems, comes this voice to tell us how we're not good enough or smart enough.

It questions who we think we are to think that we could ever undertake such a feat, let alone be successful at it!

Self doubt creeps in and after a while that voice starts to say reasonable things like, "Why don't you wait until you know more, go back to school and get a degree, have more experience, let someone who is smarter than you handle it."

And we listen and we give up our adventure.

And so we stay stuck.

Not to mention frustrated.

Our inner critic has struck again.

Self doubt has killed more creative endeavors than failure ever will.

While the inner critic is simply doing its job, it gets a little overzealous sometimes. It reminds us of all the failures, mistakes, and embarrassments we have ever made in our lives.

If you're like me and my IC, then yours has plenty of ammo too.

And that's fine because that's my IC's job—to keep me safe by whatever means necessary and it has learned over time that I am not easily dissuaded from a course of action.

And it's taken a long time for me to learn how to work in tandem with my IC rather than fight with it or to just ignore it.

Most of the time, I've learned to listen when my IC starts up with its claims of imminent doom or complete mortification because on occasion, its right. My actions are about to lead me off the cliffs of stupidity.

But most of the time, my IC is just being its usual neurotic self and I go ahead with my adventure.

And gosh, what do you know? Everything turns out fine!

Inner Critics aren't the enemy unless they hold us and our endeavors hostage. Their primary tool is fear.

Learn to recognize it for what it is. It's fear that masquerades as reason, as logic, as common sense and when wielded by the ever present critic it is a killer of dreams, hopes, creative efforts and happiness.

Don't be a victim. Find neutral ground and then move forward.

Even should we fail, failure is seldom fatal.

"Fall in Florida" Ink and Watercolor Stillman and Birn Zeta Sketchbook 5.5 x 8.5 inches

In a recent conversation with someone brand new to keeping a journal/sketchbook, I was asked the question, "How do you decide what to sketch? Where do you find inspiration?"

I have to say, I hedged a bit because there is no straightforward answer. My answer was a question, "What inspires you?" 

She shrugged and gave me a look that said she had no idea. She wasn't far enough along the creative journey to know yet.

It's hard when you're first starting out because you're juggling learning how to draw, creating a visual vocabulary, figuring out how many details to put in once you've figured out what to sketch, and then you're hit with another decision to make about how to fill the next page once the one you're working on is complete.

That's a lot to juggle. My suggestions to her went something like this:

When you're first starting out, I don't think it really matters what you fill the pages with but that you're filling the pages.

Before you get mad and leave, hear me out.

I have long advocated quantity over quality. By that, I mean you have to put in your mileage to get good at what you do (regardless of the skill you're trying to master), to discover what really inspires you because how can you know if you've never done this before?

After you've filled a few sketchbooks and your skills have started to develop, you can begin to take notice of the things that excite you and you want to add to your pages.

However, in the beginning, I suggest draw anything and everything even if you don't know how because that's how you'll learn and develop your skills.

It helps if you decide that your sketchbook is just for you and no one else when you take this approach. Decide that your sketchbook is your safe place to play, explore and learn…because learning often means not getting things right the first or the fifth time.

If you're concerned about others' criticism, dedicate the first page with a message that reads something like:

This is my sketchbook where I learn new skills, explore techniques and experiment with new mediums. Sometimes it's messy and sometimes, because I am learning and experimenting, my attempts are not successful. While you're invited into my private world, I ask that you not judge me nor my efforts. 

If you still receive criticism from someone, simply do not show them your work. It's your sketchbook.

With that said, don't confuse criticism with constructive feedback that can still feel like criticism. Look to their work to see if their comments are criticism or constructive feedback.

If you're still facing a challenge with what to draw, look around on the internet for prompts and challenges. Look on Facebook. You'll find plenty and often, you'll find a community that will support your efforts.

Close up of sketches

Take notice of the types of things you are attracted to and would like to sketch even if you don't sketch them well or are afraid to try…those are the things to focus on because the more you like what you're sketching, the more likely you are to continue sketching. If it's not fun, why do it?

I suggest tackling a wide range of subject matter—people, animals, cars, buildings, landscapes, cityscapes, the beach, mountains, and anything else that crosses your mind. You may hate drawing buildings but love drawing the people in front of the building. Pay attention to what excites you and that you yearn to sketch better.

Be sure not to let fear keep you from tackling something that attracts you. It's paper, time and a some ink, maybe some paint. If it doesn't work out, TURN THE PAGE. No big deal.

Sketching, for most of us, is a long evolution…skills, favorite materials, subject matter, it all changes if we stay on the creative path for long. Embrace the changes and keep sketching. It takes time, and a whole lot of pages, to get comfortable with yourself and your skills.

And never, ever, ever let fear keep you away from the page!

Awareness, Plain and Simple
I often get caught up in the hurry scurry of everyday living, only to look up and realize that 2 and a half months have flown by. I suspect a large number of you are the same.

Is this a good thing? Does this mean I'm living in the moment or does it mean that I'm living with too little awareness?

Probably the latter. Unfortunately.

It certainly says that I'm not living intentionally.

It brings to mind the old saying, "The days are long, the years are short."

I was recently lamenting this fact to someone and they asked, "What do you need today, RIGHT NOW, to be your very best?"

"Uh. Um. Ah. Yeah, let me get back to you on that," was my addled response.

"No," they pushed. "What do you need? You already know. Just say it."

The first thing I threw out was money. It's the easy answer. Who doesn't need or want more money? Wouldn't money make everything better?

But it wasn't the real answer, not really.

What I need most is knowledge. Organization is a very close second. Focus and inspiration follow and any one of those could top the list on any given day.

"So get it," was the response.

It Ain't That Easy
That was my immediate thought. It isn't that easy or I would have done it by now, dontcha think!?!

But as I began to mull over the idea, I came to some startling conclusions.

It can be that easy.

I know how to ask questions, I know how to read, research and study. In other words, I know how to gain knowledge.

But...it's not quick and that has been my stumbling block—I want to know what I need to know right now. RIGHT NOW.

Yeah, well, not happening.

I have been (as usual) standing in the way of my own progress.

Sigh.

How This Applies
As Katie said in the comments on the last post, she wants to live more intentionally this year. A good many of us would like to do that, judging by the feedback.

I would go so far as to say that it's not enough to intend on living a year aware/focused/intentionally.

What about the days? The hours? The minutes? How do we live those intentionally?

To think we could live them all intentionally is quite intimidating to me. Scares the mess out of me, actually.

Just like making a masterpiece out of each day, I don't think it's possible to do.

To be intentional every minute?

Count me out.

Instead, I would like to be clear on the intent of my actions and thoughts for the day, for a project, or for how I may approach a given situation. I think by approaching things in this manner, I can let those minutes take care of themselves.

How Does This Apply To You
If you're an creative individual faced with 356 days (or less) left in your 2014 journal, you may be wondering where to go, what to do, how to fill those pages.

I'm right there with you.

If you read this blog on a regular basis, I have to make the assumption that you're creative (even if you claim otherwise) and are involved in some type of creative pursuit.

I'd like to ask you the question "What do you need, RIGHT NOW, to be your very best?"

Not for the year, the month, or the week, but for right now. What do you need?

Doesn't seem quite so intimidating, does it?

I'd like you to take some time and think about your answer. Come back and fill in the poll when you know. You may already know. Go ahead and fill in the poll today.

You can only choose one answer.

WHAT DO YOU NEED, TODAY, TO BE YOUR VERY BEST?

I'd love for you to share your thoughts on what you've chosen down below in the comments, especially if you chose something else. My hope is that we can all learn from each other!

Santa Chickadee in Grey Ink Scrap Paper Sketchbook

Parties, festivities, out and about shopping, cooking, baking, wrapping, celebrating, family and friends dropping by.....and then, done. Over. The week between Christmas and New Year's has always seemed a bit like suspended time to me.  Like we're collectively holding our breath, waiting for something to happen. Like for the new year to begin.

This morning, I felt like our little chickadee, all dressed up, engine idling, and no idea where I was going or what I was suppose to be doing. Out. Of. Sorts. So I do what I always do when I feel this way. I made a to-do list (that's longer than my arm.)

That certainly didn't motivate me. But I didn't/don't want to waste this day or the week.....

...so, I chose two things off my list. I gave myself an hour for each. One was simply cleaning up and putting away some of the extras from the party we hosted and the other was time in my studio to do whatever I wanted—create, clean, paint, scheme, dream, putter, read, etc.

I chose those specific items because I knew they would help to motivate me and because I knew both were guaranteed to make me feel better. Less clutter is always a good thing and my studio is my haven. It makes me happy to spend time there no matter what and I haven't made much time to go in the studio in the last 10 days.

Once I have lunch, I'll pick two more things and set a timeframe in which to work on them. I think one of them is going to be a year-end review of 2010. I'm also going to work on my word-of-the-year for 2011. And who knows, I might even throw out the last of those "sugar bombs" so that I can start to regain my energy!

What are you doing in this week of suspended time?

Below is an image of my studio as it looked back in January, all clean and tidy after the big remodel....
....and it was working fine. Well, kinda. Ummm, well, no, actually it wasn't. Not if I wanted to work on more than one project at the time. Because I only had one work surface. That meant I had to move the current project to start another one and rotate them back and forth. With more than two things on the go, it could get kind of confusing, not to mention messy!

Comfy Studio Chair

 I could (and do!) climb up in my big, comfy chair in the corner to paint or go to the breakfast nook and paint at the table (which I also do a lot). Something had to change, but what? I didn't want to give up my antique drafting table!

I don't know if you've picked up any of the Where Women Create magazines or Cloth Paper Scissor's Studios magazines, but they're full of artists' studios and are quite inspiring. Chris and I have both found some cool ideas for storage in our studios:

An awesome storage solution!

.....continued from A Walk On The Wild Side!

Often, this was the view I had when trying to shoot the images of the deer. They were extremely skittish and so I was shooting from long distances beyond my lens and camera capability.

There was a larger group of deer on the other side of the tree to the left.

This was the more usual view, a full speed run! Look at the deer on the far right and the way her neck is stretched out flat—that's because these deer go under the fence rather than over.


There were eagles' nests every where you looked. They were in the oaks, the pines, in dead trees and in live ones! We startled a couple of eagles out of nearby trees, but none were actually sitting on a nest and there were no fledglings to be seen either. I suspect it was the wrong time of year.

If you enlarge the image to the right, you'll see a red triangle/arrow pointing down at what is left of a deer's back leg. Our guide told us that when they first spotted it, you could also see the deer's rib cage, spine and more of the back hindquarter! Can you imagine a bird large enough to pick up and cart a deer's hindquarter, spine and rib cage up to a nest 40-50 feet in the air?!!! That's a huge bird, not to mention strong!

This is one of the mighty birds taking a rest. Unfortunately, the moss was quite thick and this was the closest I could get to him/her. You take the shot you can!

These guys were quite shy too. (Sensing a theme yet?!) Enlarge the image to take a look at the horns on the fawn colored ram. Something else to note is how thin their legs are when you consider they LOVE to climb! It is not unusual to see the rams and goats up in trees or on top of anything they can climb up on!

I have so many shots that are just blurs or a peek of ears or the tip of tail as the animal disappeared from sight, but it was an incredible morning spent out in some of Florida's untamed wilderness. There were also two different areas with indian mounds from two different settlements of Seminole Indians as well as an old homestead and cemetery of six graves.

Something else we were able to see was an old dip bath (a long concrete pool about 6 feet deep and 20 feet long) built by the state back in the 30's to eradicate a tick disease that was killing the cattle. The cattle were driven up to one end and forced to jump in. They would swim through the pesticide to the other end where there were "stairs" so they could climb out.

An incredible visit with the past! I hope to return. If I do, you can be sure, I'll share the photos!

What inspires you? What makes you excited to create? I have recently discovered that messy, well-used, lived-in palettes inspire me! I've collected images of palettes for years and I always thought it was because of the wonderful colors all lined up in pretty rows like candy at the confectioner's shop. Instead, it seems the possibilities that are waiting to be discovered within the grains of pigment are far more exciting to me.

The messy, well-used look speaks of fun, challenges, and the pursuit of those possibilities!

This discovery came about kind of by accident. I went to move my palette that I use for the Imaginary Trips classes out of the way and as I stood gazing at the messy wells with paint splotches and splatters everywhere, I could feel a light hum begin to sing in my blood! Yes, I know this qualifies me for the lunatic fringe award, but still......there was something about it!

I used to be fanatical about keeping my palette clean.....obviously this is no longer a compulsion I suffer from!! I do try to keep the paints clean, but if I dip into a well with a dirty brush, I no longer panic. I've learned a lot about mixes......and fixing mistakes that way! (Not a recommended way of learning but highly effective.) I do try to keep the yellows clean because there aren't too many things that will spoil a painting faster than an icky yellow.

Instead, I find the "mud" left over from various paintings to often contain just the color I'm looking for! The grays are luminous and quite stunning. Or, if I want to throw in "something different," I'll often reach for leftover pigment from another painting session because I do hate to waste paint. This has led to some very intriguing paint combinations that I probably wouldn't have discovered any other way. Some of them are even successful!

Perhaps that's why I am so inspired by a messy, lived-in, well-used palette—all the possibilities it represents in not only new paintings, but new ways of seeing and combining pigment. Whatever it is, I hope to always feel that energy humming along in my blood whenever my eyes do chance upon my palette.

What inspires you?

Wow, what a ride 2009 has been! It was a super fantastic year for me with so very much accomplished! I've thoroughly enjoyed going over my list of goals I set back in December/January last year and seeing all those items checked off and exceeded beyond some of my wildest dreams!

Of course, I had no idea that Imaginary Trips would come into existence, that I'd be getting a new MacDaddy computer, that I'd win Best of Show or that I would be blessed with so many wonderful new friendships when I wrote that list! It was certainly a year of transformation in many ways and despite the moments of sheer terror, I had a blast!

In reviewing 2009, I realize that the words BOLD and INTENT served me extraordinarily well. I knew that I had a lot to accomplish in the year (far beyond what was on my list in January) and boldness was going to be key to stepping out and seizing new opportunities, pursuing possibilities, trying new things, overcoming old mindsets and reaching for my dreams.

Setting my Intent made me think about how I was using my time, why I was doing what I was doing. It made me question just about everything and especially the usual "because I've always done this" mindset. It almost always turned out that the mindset wasn't serving me well. It had become a rut rather than a well thought out reason for doing something.

I've been pondering my new word-of-the-year for 2010 for a few weeks now, and I even thought I had selected my new word - wealth - back before Christmas, but it didn't quite fit. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with wealth! In fact, I quite like it and it will most certainly be part of the new year, but it wasn't quite right, and yesterday, as I ran around doing my errands, I spent the time thinking about why it didn't work for me.

I thought about all the things I wanted to cultivate in 2010 - health, wealth, fun, friendships, knowledge, skills, ideas, kindness, happiness, opportunities, joy, possibilities, maybe even a garden and wait a minute………cultivate? Cultivate. CULTIVATE! And that's when I knew I had my word! You see, I have so much I want to do, and be, and see, and accomplish in this new year and I realized I needed a bigger word! A word that would encompass all of this and more (as I have no idea what else might be in store for 2010!) WIth this new word in hand I also realized that wealth was a little too myopic. It focused on just one area of my life.

When I looked up the definition, I saw "break up, preparation, raise, grow, acquire, develop, win and improve" - all words that resonate with me for 2010. I also like that it's a verb, an action word, and I do believe this year will very much be about action. Taking action. Making it happen as opposed to waiting for it to happen. And so I begin 2010 with cultivate as my cornerstone, I'm looking forward to a new year full of things that have never been………

And what's your word-of-the-year???????? Please share in the comments or with a link to your post about your cornerstone!

Ancient legend foretold of a sacred time of renewal of the human spirit. The Muses of Inspiration granted a blessing on earth and created a window of time when human beings can create a fresh start. During this phase, all the mistakes, regrets, missed opportunities and errors in judgment are purged from the human memory in the primordial fires. It is a time when all fear of failure is transformed into strength of character and clarity of purpose. With proper preparation and humility we are told the human soul can make a request of the universe and our inner being: to transmute the flame of regret into the torch of dreams fulfilled and ignite the fire of burning desire in the heart of the seeker.

The legend was concealed to prevent its power from being used for less than honorable purposes and was hidden in the heart of each new being born on the earth. Each new baby is born with the spark of truth and the essence of their life's purpose on earth. If the human pursued their heart's desire, the spark would begin to glow and take hold and lead the seeker to success. If the human took the path of least resistance and settled for a less than glorious life, the ember would grow cold and life would be empty, no matter the achievements. There was only one magical time of year when all sparks could be renewed and unite into a glorious blaze of triumph, at the birth of each New Year.

The Legend of the Sleeping Giants
As each year of human existence passed, the flames of truth buried in the hearts of humanity grew dimmer and dimmer. The nine sister Muses, the guardians of inspiration for the human race, were saddened. Did the humans not know that their lives were meant to be a blessing, full of love and abundance? Why did they live like insects, small and insignificant; did they not remember they were Giants, with the power to manifest wonders? Could they not see how beautiful and glorious they are? Why did they choose suffering over joy? How could they create poverty over wealth? Why did they choose anger over love? Did they not know that they had the power within them to create a magical world of joy? It was as if a veil of sleep had fallen on earth and humans became the victims of life instead of the original intention, which was to be the Victor. All a human had to do was follow their heart's desire, protect their thoughts from negativity and focus on love.

The nine sister Muses, being of one mind, declared a moratorium on Strife and set out to create a remedy to aid the sleeping human race. They called upon the qualities of the Ancient Ones to restore balance on earth. They besieged Mnemosyn (Memory) to free the minds of humans from their past. With a blank slate each spirit could start anew. The Muses requested the following gifts to be bestowed on humankind:

• Eros (Love) fills the heart with compassion, first for self, and with that peace comes unconditional love which flows to others.
• Himerus (Desire), who lives in delight, breathes new life on the spark of truth in each heart and renews the passion for life. 
• Father Time granted a window in which humans could purge the past. By the stroke of midnight on December 31st each year, the past must be completed and all issues must be burned in the fires of regret for the rebirth of spirit to occur. 

The Muses called on the collective strengths, wisdom and powers of the ancient Gods and Goddesses to support the humans in facing their fears, making amends and forgiving themselves.

• Zelus (Emulation) granted humans the ability to recognize their gifts and qualities in others and the vision to find their mentors. 
• Cratos (Strength) fortified the human will with courage to face the things that must be faced for the human spirit to grow. 
• Eos (Dawn) promised a new beginning every 24 hours and Helious (Sun) gave warmth and encouragement. Soliel (Moon) promised rest and recuperation of the body.
• Eunomia (Order) reminds humans of the first law of abundance, order in all things, for as within our hearts and mind, so is our outside world revealed.
• Dike (Justice) reminds humans to forgive all debts, right all wrongs and release those who have hurt us. For as we forgive are we forgiven.
• Eirene (Peace) provides the silent mind in which we can hear our inner voice guide us to our unique truth.
• Charities (Graces) endows the human spirit with gentleness, so that we tread lightly on this earth and bless those we encounter.

And when the sister Muses saw the stage was set for a glorious rebirth of humanity, they made this decree:
"Every human who accepts these gifts, lets go of the past and blesses each other with forgiveness and grace will be released from the pain of their past errors. They will be granted the guidance and protection of Metis (Thought) and receive the gifts of Nike (Victory) in the year to come." 

The Muses cautioned humankind to guard their dreams from the effects of negative people and events. 


"Tell only one who will hold your vision as dearly as you hold it when you are nurturing the seeds of possibility. Build a fortress around your mind so only positive thoughts are entertained. The laws of the Universe govern the results. Whatever thoughts you plant will reap a harvest. Be vigilant to plant thoughts of love and positive energy to reap a harvest of abundance."


And so Calliope, the chiefest of all the Muses sent this blessing to earth:

"Children of the Universe, the time of renewal is upon you. By the stroke of midnight on December 31st you must complete the cycle of the past, forgive yourself and your brothers and sisters, be thankful for your blessings and stake your claim on your future."

And with this gift received and acted upon, the embers in the hearts of humankind started to glow and burn brightly. The Muses and the heavens saw our lights burn brighter and brighter as we reached out and touched the lives of all around us. We traded our weapons for plowshares to feed each other, we shared our gifts with those less fortunate and with each life that was renewed with love, the gifts of abundance and joy filled the lives of all humankind.

May this next year bring you blessings of love, health, wealth, passion, companionship, happiness, fun and just a challenge or two to keep you focused!



Note: I've had this legend for years. Unfortunately, I don't have the "source" of the legend and I have no idea who wrote it. However, it's too good not to share! 

It's that time of year……everyone is stressed about the holidays, the gift-buying, what to get, how much to spend, overeating, who's coming over, who's not, and who has had their feelings hurt. Not to mention the expense of the decorating, partying, food, gifts, travel, and everything else that goes into making this the "happiest time of the year." So, enough already, let's try something different………



Stop, take a deep breath and exhale some of the stress. Now, think about what are you grateful for this year. Chances are good that several things will bubble up to the top of your mind in just a few seconds. Write them down! Share them! Celebrate your abundance and your gratitude by blogging about it!

I'm starting with a gratitude list of 10 things (in no particular order). If you're inclined to share your abundance and gratitude list, leave a link in the comments for your blog post! Got more than 10? Share them! Less than 10? Share them! The season is really about joy and peace and love. Let's take a moment to share that with each other! And please invite others to participate when you add your list on your blog!

I'm grateful for……
1. The health and happiness of my family and myself
2. Finding a profession that I really love (teaching) and being able to share what I'm most passionate about (watercolor painting)
3. An imaginary world! (www.ImaginaryTrips.com)
4. Lots of new friends found in the blogosphere and in my own town!
5. The time to nurture those friendships
6. The freedom to pursue my dreams regardless of my gender, age, religion or any other limitation
7. New opportunities that are popping up a regular basis AND being able to pursue them!
8. A great new studio floor (and a clean, reorganized studio)!
9. A great marriage to a great guy
10. Winning Best of Show in the FSWS' 2009 Open Aqueous Show!

What are you grateful for??!!

I had planned to take a few days of downtime. Get caught up on email, reading blogs, banking, cleaning up the studio after the last painting, decluttering the house and just decompressing after the last week of manic painting. Hmmmm, not sure what happened to those planned days but I've already got another painting on the go!

As I am deep into a competition painting, and the rules prohibit me from displaying it online at the moment, I thought I would share with you about a recent experience I had  - the delightful opportunity to meet Gabrielle of Inner Artist in person!  

I'm busy painting mistakes as fast as I can and I'm getting better with every one! At the moment I don't really have anything to share art wise. Perhaps tomorrow. What prompted this post was a recent (yesterday) conversation with someone who asked, "Does it bother you to post your mistakes on your blog?" To which my immediate response was "Nope! Means I'm learning!"