Just as my energy was beginning to lag someone sent me this

Now I'm wishing I had a few of the vitamins he's on.

Fading Rituals

Mixed Media on Canvas

6"x6"

SOLD

This week as far as work goes (the art kind) ...will be a write off. 

 My inlaws arrive on Monday for my daughter's graduation and then leave on Wednesday for Toronto.  Wednesday I start cleaning the house and grocery shop for the second shift as my family arrives on Thursday.  They depart on Sunday just in time for my inlaws to show up for dinner on Sunday night.  Come Monday all goes back to it's usual comforting pulse of silence....o.k. maybe not silence as I forgot the girls are off school for summer break........you'll find me working in the garage.

Things have been slow lately and I'm simply trying to finish up two pieces to deliver to Carol Currie for the Thunder Beach Show on July 17th.  Other than that I've been kind of wandering around doing my best to reorganize and purge my house of "stuff" that seems to have collected in drawers I never find the need to open.  I know there's junk in there so that's why I never open them.    The rain here seems to be relentless and day in and day out it seems rather gloomy.... not good weather when it comes to being inspired..sunshine is my drug when it comes to creativity.

At the moment I'm  reading "Committed" by Elizabeth Gilbert and am really enjoying it.  If you read "Eat, Pray, Love" and think this book will be anything like that..."it's not".  I read many of the reviews on Amazon and thought the people that didn't like it were looking for a sister book to EPL.  This book stands on it's own merit and as far as I'm concerned she's a really good writer.  It's frank and honest and 

gives you a sobering look at marriage as a whole.

Anyway, I'm off.. ..time for a bit of meditation as my practice has been lagging lately

Today the rain didn't stop until about an hour ago which fortunately gave me enough time to head outside and visit my newest obsession.  O.k., obsession might be far too strong of a word but I am totally fascinated by this ......

This spider is living just outside my kitchen window and I can't help but check in on him multiple times a day while I'm doing the dishes.  Now I know most people find spiders creepy and generally high on the "yuck" scale but I just happen to be a freak so I find them awesome.  Snakes creep me out so to each his own.  Yesterday a fly got caught in the web and you should have seen that spider move.  I watched as he wrapped it up and saved it for a midnight snack.... it was better than You Tube.  

Other goings on outside are that my pepper plant is doing exceptionally well as is my basil, parsley, rosemary and thyme (hey, that's part of a song).  Instead of planting the herbs in the garden this year we decided on putting them in planters on the deck as we just seem to use them more often that way.  

Hope whatever your doing in your corner of the world is making you happy.......

Enjoying The Outdoors

A Moment in Solitude

Work in Thread, Wool, Silk and Paint

Available at  The Village Gallery

Framed

I'm moving my work supplies outside today as it is simply gorgeous...too gorgeous to be inside but I still need to work so out I go.  It will be an interesting change of pace to step outside the box of my studio and I do mean box... it feels as if I'm rapidly outgrowing the space in which I work as I can barely turn around without bumping into something.   I'll take my ipod (can't be without), my cup of Earl Grey (used to be coffee but it makes me too nuts) and the current piece I'm working on and just enjoy being in the fresh air.  

It feels as if I've hit a brick wall lately when it comes to work which according to my friend Ellen is completely natural.... she said "ebb and flow, these things are cyclical.  It'll be back"  So perhaps what I need right about now is  a little push and some sunshine on my face to feel that old mojo ... I'll let you know.

Time is tight today so I'll leave you with this........I so wanted to be her when I was sixteen years old.  Loved the hair, the voice and the whole California vibe....  I still sing along in my studio but there's only one of her....

Not sure how much studio time I'm going to get today as "household" tasks are once again getting in the way.  Washing windows,  laundry, washing the floors..... yuck...necessary but still yuck!  Think I may bake some cranberry muffins as well just to treat myself.

Speaking of food, last night I made the most incredible potato salad in the history of potato salads.  I've never been a big fan of the dish mostly because of all that mayo which is far too creamy for my likes.  But yesterday I came across this recipe which had won a "potato salad" contest... who knew there were contests for potato salad but none the less it was "amazing".  Holly even took the tiny bit of leftovers to school for lunch today.  If your interested........send me an email and I'll send you the recipe.  I also made a tomato/avacado/feta salad with maple balsamic dressing which was yummy too.  Have no idea what got into me  but it sure tasted like summer.....

On the art front which is what this blog is supposed to be about not movies and food but I do so enjoy digressing....

Check out Carol Currie's blog for an update on the Thunder Beach Show on July 18th.   Great line up of artists such as Rod Prouse and John Hartman and of course Carol herself who has done an incredible job of pulling this all together.

Newest Work

Click on the photo to see a larger image

To Breathe Into It

Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Canvas

18"x36"