Mondays........

Lost & Found

20"x20"

Acrylic on Canvas

Some people view Monday morning as quite motivating, you know, the start of a clean slate, brand new week to make things happen.... I clearly am not one of those people but I've got to kick it into gear as there is laundry to be done, work to be started and finished and the floors need a good washing.  What I really feel like doing is sitting outside with a good book but it's not going to happen today.

Yesterday I was checking in on Rita's blog and she was talking about good books for summer reading.  I think I mentioned a few posts ago how I had finished Elizabeth Gilbert's "Committed" and enjoyed it.  I also picked up "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" only because everyone kept telling how I just had to read it.  I never really like going into a book that way as the expectation is just far too high and at the end it just doesn't seem to measure up but I'm keeping an open mind.

So other than this little pathetic piece of "fluff" I've thrown out there I really don't have anything much to say...apologies all around.

Oh, but I will be heading to Midland on Thursday to take up my work to Carol Currie for the Thunder Beach Show

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

The Blue Door

I just completed this piece a couple of hours ago and have decided on the name "The Blue Door" maybe not too creative but descriptive none the less. I've thought about doing an entire series on just doors. Something so intriguing about what may or may not be behind them. This was inspired by a photo I took of a doorway in Sinta, Portugal. I love the rough, textured look of the stone on the walls and the beautiful potted flowers on the stoop. So very welcoming!

Today the sun is finally shining which always puts me in a good mood. I heard snow and ice were on the way tonight but in this moment I see sun and I'm hangin on to that.

I'm also figuring out my dinner party that I had elluded to last post. I read Eat, Pray Love before it became the sensation it is now and loved it. Since everyone I know is now reading it, I decided to have a dinner party for eight of my friends who are just finishing the book. All women from a variety of backgrounds and careers but all good friends for sure. Kelly will be there of course (anyone who has been following along with my blog will know Kelly), Judy who works in management for the actors union in Toronto, Joan who is finishing up her PhD in archeology, Liz works with troubled teens, Anna owns the local newspaper, Sarah Jane works in career counselling, Amy works for an engineering firm and Marilyn is the founder of the Livingstone Theatre Project and who is also leaving for Africa at the end of this month. What an interesting group.
Everyone will be assigned a dish to bring for dinner. The meal plan will revolve around the three places Liz Gilbert visited during her year long trip...... Italy, India and Bali. I will be making the pasta (ok, Tre Sorelle will be making the pasta, I'll just be picking it up), Kelly is bringing Tiramisu, Joan will prepare a Balinese appetizer, hoping Liz can do her fabulous Indian Curry. That's as far as I've gotten but will throw the rest of it together today. I absolutely love dinner parties..........delicious food, good wine and a continual flow of great conversation. Cheers,

The View From Here

Hmmm.....I really love Sundays.

John has taken off to the archery range for the day, both of the girls are headed to friends and I have a full day stretched out in front of me. I will probably work which may sound strange to some but working makes me happy. I experience great joy when I'm in my studio "figuring things out". I call it my place of meditation as I find when I am "creating" nothing else comes into my head. I am just in that moment. May sound corny but it is absolutely true. Today I'm working on a small piece, it will probably end up being 8"x10" once it is matted and framed. It is a wildflower garden with lots of daisies. I'm also working on a piece that was inspired by my trip to Toronto a few weeks ago. I will post both when they are completed and you can let me know what you think.

Last night we attended a small party for my friends Andy and Laurie who are due to get married in August. Lots of fun, lots of laughs and lots of food. I only ate a bit of the salads as I was still feeling full from the late lunch we had.........a veggie burger (trying to be good) but then blew it with the fries that arrived on my plate. I did not ask for them but figured since they were there I would eat just a few...... well, a few led to all. That plate couldn't have been any cleaner had I licked it. My pants are not feeling any looser these days. Anyway, both Andy and Laurie are coming to see me today to pick out a piece of my art which will be my wedding gift to them.

I am currently reading a great book "Eat, Pray, Love: One woman's search for everything across Italy, India and Indonesia" by Elizabeth Gilbert. It is touted as her spiritual memoir. I am not that far into it as of yet but I am already loving it. If you get a chance check out the "Thoughts on Writing" section on her website. I love this quote

"I believe that – if you are serious about a life of writing, or indeed about any creative form of expression – that you should take on this work like a holy calling. I became a writer the way other people become monks or nuns. I made a vow to writing, very young. I became Bride-of-Writing. I was writing’s most devotional handmaiden. I built my entire life around writing. I didn’t know how else to do this. I didn’t know anyone who had ever become a writer. I had no, as they say, connections. I had no clues. I just began"

I think that is so beautifully said.

Hope your having a good weekend too