Haiku My Heart Friday

Hear joyous waves of sound.

Rolling throughout the woods:

Cicada Opera.

The cicadas are holding daily and evening concerts here in Middle Earth. I drift off to sleep hearing their song. We greet the morning sun together, I with my open heart and eyes, they with their unceasing song. I know it is a song of love and life. Some find it annoying. they can't hear other things for the opera going on outside their windows. For me it is such a celebration. I want to dance to the rolling cicada songs.

I painted this a few years ago as a rather large thank you note to a dear friend and her husband. She is now facing a challenging procedure that involves a gift of life from her twin sister. I ask for your prayers. Her name is Cindi.

Please join the rest of the amazing hearts on this weekly celebration of poetry, art and life at Rebecca's inspiring blog.

forgiveness

Sometimes we just have to take a deep breath and let go of all the prickly, painful locked down stuff we  carry in our hearts. It took me a long time to figure that one out. I actually once thought that carrying around anger was a mark of some sort of toughness. I didn't understand it was just dead weight.

I have been thinking about foregiveness a lot lately. First, I am painting for challenge that has exactly that theme, but the reason I responded to the challenge in the first place is that I truly did want to consider the ins and outs of forgiveness. when we hurt, we want to stop the hurt. So we run away, self medicate or do something mean to make the person who hurt us want to run away. We don't face the fact that we are hurt. we don't think about simply feeling that hurt, seeing it for what it is and then releasing it, letting fly away from our hearts and thoughts and moving on to gratitude for the things that are good in life.

It's decision, really to choose to focus on what is good in your life. No matter how many hurts we are faced with, we also have many, many blessings...even if that is just that there is a warm cup of tea in front of you or that the sun is rising in an especially lovely way.

I have three other canvases going right now. Obviously this is a big topic for me.

Of course, I have a few other things going on: My new Saturday class at the St. Louis Artists' Guild is a go and I am very excited about that.

I am doing a painting demo at Michaels for Grumbacher on Saturday.

I do still have a surprise for you at the beginning of July.

Oh, and my friend, Rebecca over at Recuerdo Mi Corazon is holding a wonderful event:. Some wonderful  artists have donated works for this cause. You can win an amazing original artwork and help the children of Oaxaca. Rebecca is an angel for arranging this and her website is always rich and delicious. Please visit her there.

Postcards from Paradise

Like my friend Dorothy...the one with the red shoes...Paradise is mostly located in my own backyard. It's a short trip. I can make it in my pajamas and robe. Packing a lunch with some fresh lemonade is a cinch. Of course, my fuzzy friend , Demi doesn't fit in a picnic basket...but she's right there beside me....

Please visit Rebecca at Recuerda Mi Corazon for more amazing Postcards from Paradise.

Haiku my Heart

The Garden tools wait.

Cloud paintings fill the Spring sky.

Enchanted I watch.

My heart has been outdoors, wandering amongst the trees and flitting about with the wild birds. I see new hatchlings in the nest by my door. They get bigger everyday, along with my plants and herbs. Such richness. I may be the richest woman on the block!

Please go to Recuerda mi Corazon for more haiku wonderments and links.

Rainy Days

Truth be told...I would rather be outside than inside, but sometimes we just don't have much of choice. The rain and thunderstorms running wild in Middle Earth are a little scary and call for indoor graces. These are my kitchen chimes...a gift from a precious friend. she knows I love butterflies and light and this gives me the magic of both. When life gets too wet and rainy, I can always give the chimes a bit of a nudge and lovely music fills my kitchen space......life sounds brighter.

Of course, a nice cup of tea in the rosiest of cups along with a buttery pink cookie can brighten up any week of rainy days.

Let's see, music, tea, a sweet for inspiration. the rest of this day will be spent here in my art nest all dry and warm. There is a new painting on the easel waiting to be finished; a brand new sta-wet palette that just arrived yesterday to keep my paint nice and moist in between trips to the basement.

Ah, the wonders of Middle Earth!

A Quiet Place, A Sacred Space

Everyone needs a quiet place. A place to think and dream. Most importantly, we need that space and silence to be able to hear ourselves. There are adventures, wonders and amazements deep within every single one of us. Most of the time we are so busy going here, doing this, doing that, and we never connect with that quiet place that is really what we are all about.

In my heart of hearts, I know that this Sacred Space is where I connect with God and receive the gift of life that goes out into the world as my art work and teaching.

 I know my God is a creative God and blesses us all with that same creativity, though it manifests in different ways with different people.

A Sacred Space of silence is my gateway to creative living. It doesn't have to be long or in any particular place. the gateway is in my own heart. In your heart,too.

I am very interested in knowing what your Sacred Space is and how you create it for yourself. Do you share it? I sometimes do and it is a rich thing to do. Tell me true.

Laughter in the Attic

More than once, I have been introduced to visitors at the St. Louis Artists Guild as the one in the attic where everyone is laughing. It's true. We are a noisy crew.

I am honored to be working with a phenomenal group of women every Monday morning. They light up my life. Their work is amazing and their spirits even more so. We hold class up in the attic of a wonderful old building in Clayton. The elevator doesn't even go up there, so they trudge up the stairs dragging bags of goodies and art supplies

Most of them have been with me for almost a year now and no one is getting bored!  Especially not me. We recycle old books, mostly from the library sale table.  In fact, we have an exhibit up right now at the Richmond Hieghts Memorial Library through June1.
It's a knock out exhibit. I just provide techniques and they take that information and fly with it.

Now we have added a Saturday Class, which will be for folks just starting on the Art Journal journey. Mondays will still be for more experienced Art Journalers. Anyone who has taken one of my classes is welcome to jump in on the Monday group. Those wondering what all the giggling in the attic is..can join in on Saturdays..we still meet in the attic. Leave a comment if you would like more information.

In the meantime...my Monday group absolutely ROCKS.