A little bit of the Classics

I've been a bit busy of late with all manner of wonders. My garden is going politely crazy each day presenting me with new delights: purple morning glories, creamy poppies and the prettiest little pansies you have ever seen! this is all edged about with a border of thyme so it is really sweet stuff to be out there propping and winding and watering these wonders.

I did a demo out at the Michaels in St. Charles and have two classes scheduled, they are snowballing with more and more students on daily basis. These are very basic acrylic classes for all those folks who jumped in feet first as far as painting goes, but would like to really master the medium and see what it can really do. The little still life above is one of my class samples, though today we will be painting a lush field of Texas bluebonnets!

I am wrapping up a year long (almost) Disciple study this week, planning a trip back East to visit my beloved brother and his heroic (really) family. this is a real treat and I am hopping up and down. he has just relocated to a mansion (well, I t looks like one) in Havre de Grace, Maryland. If any of you are nearby, please give a shout as I will be there for an entire week and will be hunting down artful adventures while I am in the neighborhood. suggestions are always welcome if you are familiar with Havre de Grace. I am flying into Philadelphia over the 4th of July holiday and beyond!

I will be packing paints and camera so I can promise some yummy Postcards from Paradise. I also have the handsomest of nephews and nieces so of few photos of their happy faces may appear in some form or another.

On top of all of that, I have a birthday sneaking up on me. Oh my! I have a philosophy about that sort of thing: as long as you eat enough birthday cake, the numbers don't matter...and I am hoping for chocolate wonder to indulge in.

Off to prepare for my classes and do a bit of painting for a new exhibit. More later......

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.