Artist Way Week 8

Watercolor 5 by 7 140 lbs Fabriano

Early patternings
As a child I grew up surrounded by creative people. Such as Jan who blew glass in her garage, Claudia who did sculpting, needle art, and theatrical costuming, Writers and photographers people who painted, sewed, sculptors and other artists. Being creative was normal, my parents are my especially supportive of my art. I remember my Mother teaching 600 children each to make an apple head doll. Frequently after school in our garage my mother would be helping neighbor children work on their art projects.

As an artist my health has been my biggest challenge it feels like it knocks me down strangling artistic progress.

I had a very supportive environment I started selling a few pieces and teaching art classes.

When I married things changed. My ex viewed art with contempt a blocked creative himself. Within six months of marriage I was completely blocked not seeing or understanding what was happening I remained blocked for a number of years. Eventually returning to my art when he was out of town for long periods of time.

Tonight as I paint my hands shake a side effect of medication. I search for a balanced fulfilling artistic life but life seams rather scrambled.

Mug

Watercolor 5 by 7 on 140lbs Fabriano watercolor paper

While sitting at the table water coloring, I stopped for a break and a cup of coco then, I quickly sketched the mug.

Eggs and Chickens

Watercolor 5 by 7 on textured clayboard

Years ago I raised chickens I ordered 100 baby chicks from Murray Mc Murray. They came in the mail. I raised them in my son’s old playpen in the kitchen. After the chicks were out on their own we threw the playpen away. The chickens were some of the most entertaining pets I ever had. My ex wanted some for the table. For a couple of weeks before butchering. We feed the birds cracked corn and powdered milk. My father-in–law came over and butchered a couple dozen of them for me. I wrapped them up in freezer paper then put them in the freezer. I fixed some for dinner by far the best chicken I ever tasted nothing like what we get from the store. I decided it felt to much like eating my pets I thought they were just chickens I hadn’t realized they were pets. The next day I took all the chickens out of the freezer and gave them to my friend Barbara. They may have been the best birds I ever ate but I still wasn’t eating them and I certainly wasn’t going to cook anymore of them. Later a friend of mine gave me a Lt Brahma rooster for eating, so I named him La King. In spite of the name he became one of my favorite birds, he grew up to be a magnificent rooster in charge of the chicken yard.

Green Pear

Watercolor 5 by 7 on 140lbs Fabriano cold pressed watercolor paper

Looking out the window at the snow, ice, and gray sky a beautiful and very cold scene, I thought I should paint it but I felt a strong resistance to painting all that coldness deciding instead to paint a red apple, in the following days I continued to paint other fruit then I added some vegetables. Painting the fruits and vegetables is meditative, keeps my mind calm and the small 5 by 7 size doesn’t tire me as much as the larger pieces do. This is new for me because I have never liked working small. Small pieces tend to lack presence, but they are good meditation.

The Best

Snow, snow and more snow, the fluffiest, prettiest snow I’ve ever seen. But it has interfered with our travel plans, so we are staying another day at the bed and breakfast. Jack made cranberry-walnut pancakes for us; the best pancakes I’ve ever eaten ever.

Cold Cold

Visiting Massachusetts today, staying at the Collage Town Inn , a bed and breakfast. Jack and Charlotte are very gracious people; they both have a gift for making people feel at ease.

We decided to visit Plum Island. It’s a bit of a drive from here but it’s been over a month since I’ve been to the beach. This time I am wearing layers of clothes over my long johns so hopefully the cold won’t be chasing me off the beach.

Stopped at the Massachusetts Visitors Center for directions. I bought a Mountain Dew from the soda machine then decided to visit the women’s room. Imagine my surprise to see a gentleman in the women’s room. I made a hasty exit with as much dignity as I could find (not much). I have to pay more attention to what I am doing! I am glad to say that that was the worst of my day…. Well … the cold was pretty bad….

I saw Starlings, Robin, Mocking birds, a Longspur, a Red-tailed hawk, Greater-black backed gulls, Herring gulls, Canada Geese, Crows, Goldfinch, Mallards, Northern Harrier Not a good day birding!

The beach was cold. Cold. Cold. (Maybe a bit more than cold.) Long Johns didn’t help --- well they probably did help but it was so cold that I didn’t notice if they were helping.
It was so cold our lips turned blue and our faces turned purple (not my favorite style of makeup)

Walking back up from the beach CD hurt his ankle. Slowly working our way back to the car, griping all the way about the ach in our fingers, toes and noses, it was looking like a really bummer of a day. It is amazing how warm a cold car can be when it lets one get in out of the wind.

The sun was beginning to paint patterns on the water as we started back toward the gate. We stopped when we saw a lot of people with scopes, binoculars and cameras staring motionless at an empty field. Pulling off to the side of the road we wandered over hoping to discover what had captured their attention; sure seemed to be a very big empty field. One of the women, who we sort of met at the Audubon Nature Center, told us there was a Snowy Owl out in the field. She told us that the Snowy Owl had caught a goose and offered to let us look through her scope at the owl. How can I express how impressive it was to see such a gruesome site of an owl gorging himself on goose…. He turned his head and looked straight at me as though he actually knew we were there. The only word that comes to mind (all things considered) is still Awesome. My son says that Owl has skill.

Artichoke

Watercolor on 140 pound paper

Tag

Meme Artist Way---

1. Four wishes dreams and desires
a. I wish I felt brave enough to travel alone
b. Wish I could find a writers’ group I could join.
c. Wish I felt good enough to teach an art course.
d. Wish I had an apartment in Manhattan.
e.Wish for serenity harmony light and joy for all.
f.Wish I could visit my family in Texas.
g.Wish I knew whats the point whats the meaning of life?
h.Wish for a cat.
i.Wish for another baby
j.wish to be musical
You must have noticed that this is more than four but after I finnished my list I thought since I am wishing why stop at four.
2. Four Imaginary Lives
a. A Beach Bum
b. Naturalist
c. Botanist
d. Writer
e. a snowbird
f.a puppet maker
3. Four things I should change
a. My weight
b. Walk more
c. Decorate my room
d. Paint more
4. Four people I admire
a. Candi – grace poise vibrancy – she has a beautiful spirit
b. My brothers DK because of his endurance his ability to accomplish things and the way he can always find the answer to anything I want to know. WB because of his calmness,and his compassion.
c. My dad – the way he is calm and the he makes a difference in the world
d. Peter Goldbeck - makes a difference in peoples lives
5. Four things I like about The Artist Way
a. The morning pages – I hate doing them – but they make me more creative and I get used to them the more I do them
b. Reminds me to relax about things and encourages me to try new things
c. Inspiration of the AW community.
d. So many great blogs to read.
6. Four things I still hope to get out of the Artist Way
a. Write more
b. Community with other creatives
c. Inspiration
d. Creativity

Now I am going to tag: Myhealing journey, Changingplaces, Blue Dog, Endment

lily

Acrylic on black clayboard 5by7

acupuncture

Waifan invited me to her classes ground round for an acupuncture treatment from one of the class instructors.The instructor gave me a treatment for my stomach, liver, kidneys, spleen and hearing. The instructor and the class asked me all kinds of questions like, does my stomach bother me, what color is my urine? Did I fell hot or cold? Was I close to my parents, was I the eldest child? Did I have any food cravings? How long had I had problems with anxiety?Then she had me stick out my tongue so everyone could see it. They talked about my tongue apparently it has a few faults one of them being its the wrong color (why do I find that amusing?)The instructor took my pulse then she talked to the class about what was wrong with my pulse.After that about half the class took turns taking my pulse. A personal record for the most people I've ever had take my pulse in ten minutes if only I had thought to count.
I felt a tiny bit self concise, But the class was very nice and everyone was very friendly.
I feel differently after my acupuncture treatment today than I did yesterday, yesterday I felt completely blissful, today I feel serene, calm and very peaceful.

Clam Shell

"Be certain of nothing, for let it be understood that as soon as you are certain about anything you may be certain you are wrong." Kenneth Meadows

Today

Started the day off by sleeping late. Made such a big rush to get things done and get ready to leave but I was late for the ferry and had a long wait for the next one. Fortunately the subway only took me about twenty minutes so I was on time to my appointment at the Swedish Institute

Wow! Acupuncture was fantastic! I feel surreal; nobody could really feel this good. Waifan, the acupuncturist, put needles in my head today. Oddly enough they felt pretty good. One of the needles she put in my left wrist made my fingers feel numb but as soon as she took it out the numbness went away. Waifan invited me to come back tomorrow for a acupuncture treatment at their grand rounds; I am looking forward to that. I feel wonderful! Acupuncture is amazing!

Afterwards I walked by the Regional Thai restaurant. Every time I walk by it I think Tai sounds so good but this time I turned around and went back and ordered some of their vegetable dumplings and a cup of tea. I am amazed that I actually ate in a restaurant alone. I eat in coffee shops or get food to go when I am alone. I think this may be the first time I went out to eat by myself.

It was 3:30 so the place was pretty close to empty. The waiter gave me a window seat; the food was attractively presented; the waiter was gorgeous. As soon as I had ordered I wondered what had possessed me; I wasn't even really hungry. But I am already looking at the menu I took with me asking myself if I want to try the spring rolls or the red curry vegetables next time. They have a vegetarian steak - grilled tofu steak with mushrooms, lime leaf and red pahang sauce. What is red pahang sauce? There is even a lemongrass beef salad. I am making myself hungry and I just ate! I feel like I have been so self indulgent today. Maybe this should count as an Artist date. Can Artist dates just happen or do they need to be planned?

Feather

Acrylic on clayboard 5by7


about clayboard
http://www.ampersandart.com/

A Laughing Matter

This evening I was going through my mailbox and where I found this e-mail that someone sent to me two years ago. It made me laugh then and it made me laugh again today. Maybe you will enjoy it allso.

WOMAN'S PERFECT BREAKFAST
She's sitting at the table with her gourmet coffee.
Her son is on the cover of the Wheaties box.
Her daughter is on the cover of Business Week.
Her boyfriend is on the cover of Playgirl.
And her husband is on the back of the milk carton.


WHO DOES WHAT
A man and his wife were having an argument about who
should brew the coffee each morning.
The wife said, "You should do it, because you get up
first, and then we don't have to wait as long to get our coffee."
The husband said, " You are in charge of cooking
around here and you should do it, because that is your
job, and I can just wait for my coffee."
Wife replies, "No, you should do it, and besides, it
is in the Bible that the man should do the coffee."
Husband replies, "I can't believe that, show me."
So she fetched the Bible, and opened the New
Testament and showed him at the top of several pages,
that it indeed says..........

"HEBREWS"