Dare to Try

It's a warm, rainy day and I am home with my sweet dog Chloe.  I am getting ready for a gallery reception and have to hang my work next week though the reception isn't until the end of October.  I am challenging myself to put out work that is different from what I have been doing.  And in between, working on personal projects.  My granddaughter is turning one in a few weeks.  When my daughter turned one, I bought her a beautiful little wrought iron chair from an antique store.  I saved it. My husband cleaned it up and painted it and I made new pillows.  It came out just the way I had hoped.  Sewing is always tricky for me because I never make the same thing twice and all the measuring is annoying to me.  It's always a battle with lots of ripping out and redoing.  I never am sure if what I am working on will come out looking at all like what I picture in my head.  It's like that when I bake as well.  Too much measuring and following instructions.  Cooking is a more creative endeavor for me and I can experiment.  That's why I enjoy collage and abstract painting. There is no recipe,  I don't have to know what the result will be, and I just flow with it.  Well, this is a ramble!  I guess the theme here is dare to try new things and enjoy your creativity.  So, here is Anika's  chair.  I hope this will be passed down to her little girl.

Letting Go

It was a wonderful summer and now I am back in my life.  It is clear to me that I need structure.  One month away was enough for me.  It was filled with family, friends, beach time and lobster.  I was also able to take a fabulous three day book making workshop.  I loved it.  I had summer art goals that I actually met and now I am getting ready for an open studio and a gallery reception, both in October.   Oh yes, and both my grandchildren's birthdays, an apple picking party that I am re-instituting, an Art Garfunkle concert, my 39th anniversary weekend and who knows what else?  I learned a lot about myself this summer, it was empowering.  Mostly it was about trusting myself, honoring myself and letting go of residual fears and life regrets.  I thought I had already figured this out but I went deeper and feel as if I came fully into myself. I learned more clearly how to take a step back and breathe through the rough spots and then let go.  Worrying and holding onto anxt does not serve any purpose.  I remember telling a client who worried a lot to save all his worries up and sit down each evening for 1/2 hour and then allow himself to worry.  The next week when he came in, I asked how it had gone.  He said he didn't do it because it seemed stupid and a waste of time.  "That's the whole point" I replied.  So let go and free yourself up!!!

Take a look at some of what I did this summer:

Paste Painting

 Paste Painting

 Books

Book Sculpture