I'm back, sort of...

As any of you who visit my blog know, it is as much about my life as it is about my art, and life is changing for me these days. Although I will not go into great detail, I do feel a need to share this, so that those of you who stop by will understand why my blog and my art have been a bit neglected lately. My husband and I recently decided to separate, and although we know it's the right decision, it was not one we reached lightly. I thank you all for the comments, friendships, and support that have made blogging such a wonderful experience for me, and as the dust settles and I am able once again to focus, I will be sharing stories of girls weekend and many other adventures in my art & life.

A mini vacation...

I am off to join my sisters and (pictured here) my niece, for a vacation on Martha's Vineyard. I will return next week, with fun stories about our girly week adventures.

Bloom...

Everyone should have the opportunity... to bloom. stretch toward the sun. open, awaken, show your colors.

This post was nudged along by one of my sisters. She informed me that although my digital collage was great in the previous post, she was bored. I hadn't posted in awhile.

"Please, I know you have a lot going on, but your blog needs new material. I'm bored."

I have volumes to say, but my blog is not the forum for this topic at the moment, so I will leave you all with this painting -- hopefully the last in the "sad and doleful expressions" category. I think it was life, manifesting itself through art. My face, imposed on their faces...more later.

Digital recycling...

While I'd love to post a new piece of artwork to my blog every day -- or even every week -- time does not always cooperate. By scanning an existing piece of artwork (in this case an ATC I sent to a swap), I can alter it in Photoshop to create a new digital piece...

And since I'm on the topic of Photoshop, I am going to ask for input. If you could take a Photoshop class (or Photoshop Elements), what are the top 3 things you would like to know more about? ...I may be planning such a class, and this will help me to focus the class plan.

My ta da list for May...

The month of May is always incredibly busy for me, and I'll bet for most everyone. The outdoors beckons, both for enjoyment and for maintenance, and yet indoor chores don't cease. Maybe it's because I am a Libra, but I am always striving to maintain a balance - between indoors and outdoors, work and play, solitary and social. This month, my ta da list reflects how I am trying to lead a balanced life...

I taught 5 art classes - 4 at Stampassion, and one at the senior center;
I began taking regular weekly yoga class --one of the best things I've done for my body in ages. It really works out the aches and pains that creep up on this 40-something bod;
I read three books: The member of the wedding by Carson Mccullers, Possible Side Effects by Augusten Burroughs, and The curious incident of the dog in the night-time, by Mark Haddon;
I worked on plans for new summer classes - a class called stamp & collage on canvas, among them;
I planted herbs in my container garden - I love to watch my garden grow and to reap the benefits of its little harvest;
I participated in an ATC swap, themed "all keyed up;"
and I set aside two whole days for plain old artistic experimentation - so far, I used those days for painting, but I have lots of plans to fill these days

I have discovered, with the help of my creative coach, that I am very good at achieving artistic goals when they are obligations -- like class plans, which have hard and fast deadlines, but I am not so good at making time to just play. This is something I've struggled with for a long time, so I am trying to show up for one day a week, just for experimenting. The results be that I discover a new technique or idea for a class, but right now the goal is just to play, with no specific result in mind. For someone who likes a well-trimmed lawn, and a tidy house, and all the laundry folded, and all the chores checked off of her list, this is really not easy -- because the chores are never all finished.

That's where maintaining a balance is sooo important to me.
Work AND play.
All of life is duality.