9/11/13 9/11/13

30 in 30 growing gardens 5

9/8/13 9/8/13

petite garden 2

I'm playing catch up to get my paintings because I fell behinf technologically getting the paintings into into Leslie Saeta's 30 in 30 blog site,

so enjoy this one and on her site!

Always love to here thoughts, ideas, suggestions and how you connect with the work!

9/7/13 9/7/13

petite garden paintings 1

This is the beginning o my 30 Paintings in 30 days challenge! !

The first of 30 paintings this month!

This is the first time i have done anything like this. It is a rugged schedule, but well worth it!

I'd love to hear from you! Use the comment field below!

9/3/13 9/3/13

Oh yeah... A 30 day challenge!

I am thrilled to be beginning this challenge offered by Artist Leslie Saeta . Three hundred artists are participating!When I first saw this, I was afraid it would be too much at this time of year. Then I sat down and asked myself when would be a good time?

The answer? Painting every day is my meditation. Why not commit to it now? persistence, being consistent are keys to creating great art!

I have been sketching and painting the garden all summer and will be painting small in oil.

Can't wait to start the process this morning when I get up and plan my day.

Check back! I am starting a new page in my portfolio blog to which I will be adding a painting each day. You can also go to Leslie's site above to see 300 other paintings each day!

9/2/13 9/2/13

new series: growing gardens

Gardens are ardent metaphors for the act of growing. As the impossibly petite seeds sprout into the abundance of summer and survive to provide beauty and food, there are also casualties. Some dry out, or get mildew and fungus from the dampness. Alpine strawberries get nibbled by our dogs. The abundance of growing and dying is so evident there. When Hydrangeas are blossoming in indigo blue and deep purple jewel tones, we cut them to bring that moment of beauty into our home.When they die, we compost them so that new plants will grow next year. When one row of lettuce becomes bitter and dies, we plant anew. when the stringbeans complete a bountiful harvest for the season, the plants die, their reason for being in the earth is done.

And so the process of life in the garden moves in cycles.The gate? It is important to celebrate the entrance to our garden with a sign of passage.

8/28/13 8/28/13

Create your life both on & off the canvas…like Eric Fischl

Well, I certainly wasn't prepared for the self introspection inspired by this book when I decided to read book “Bad Boy: My life on and off the canvas”, by Eric Fischl this summer. I chose to read it on the recommendation of Alyson Stanfield from ArtBiz, I should have known it was powerful because she has a passion for helping artists taking action at believing in the sustainablity of their own creativity. Thank you, Alyson! 

The book is well written and hard to put down. Eric writes about his life and how it expressed itself in his paintings. His honesty about both is clearly expressed and revealing. It was helpful for me to draw inspiration from his courage and persistence in the face of much adversity as he was growing up. It was also instructive for me to see how he continued to allow his work to be dictated by his intuitions, regardless of whether it was acceptable. He put his inner voice first and let it lead him.

He was fortunate to nurture some truly honest, supportive friends who support him, especially his wife, April Gornik, the esteemed American artist.If you are reading this blog, you are interested in how to access the creative process. The way Eric perseveres in his lifelong attempt to discover meaning from his life and transform it is truly inspiring!  Reading his life and art story, will help you to see the artist in yourself and encourage you to listen to it, nurturing the creative abilities within YOU. I know it has done that for me.I will leave you with a link to Eric's interview with Alec Baldwin, which summarizes much of the book very well.

Be sure to let me know here what you think of the book and what part of it or of this blog has helped you to trust your creative instincts!!!!

8/27/13 8/27/13

What inspires me?

Allen's garden!As I walk into the gardens on my way to the studio I find myself pausing to look around. I always find a corner, a little tunnel in the vegetables, an arching tree with light filtering through the leaves like large sprinkles of snow. Thus patches of green are transformed into unexpected glimmers of glowing citron yellow.

and then....

Inspired by the magnificent John Singer Sargent Watercolor at the Brooklyn Museum, I approach the paper with glee, splashing it with watercolor and confidence. Have no fear! His watercolors have freedom, transparency and joy! The light is effervescent, the compositions invite you to look forever. Never fear, you haven't missed it! If you can get to Boston the Exhibit will be opening October 13th in Boston at the Museum of Fine Arts.

Back to the experience ofjust spending the time looking.....and painting..... centers me.

8/12/13 8/12/13

How safe are you from losing your creativity?

Let's take a good look at the amount of time dedicated to coming up with new ideas,sometimes by simply giving myself a moment to be still and listen. Being creative is a way of thinking, not just for painters and sculptors, but for any person who is making a mark on the world we live in.

If you are like me, time is increasingly sifting through my fingers as I ace to keep up with scheduled events. impetus to act is increasingly directed to me from outside of me, so little time is available for acting and thinking from within. My studio time is my time to "make things", is in danger of being chipped away!I'm not only talking about making a painting, but about any time I need to make something creative with my hands,like sewing, making that delicious new salad (or cookie!), writing a note by hand to a friend, knitting,taking a walk just tho think, reading a book...just add your own favorite use of time.

It takes great effort to fit time in for creativity today. And yet it is truly essential to our survival. Being creative

"make or cause something to become; to bring into existence.

In order to create new things, we must learn all we can by first, observing. Strengthen your observation by paying close attention to what you see, smell , taste, hear and touch or intuit or "feel in the pit of your stomach". Then reduce that observation or abstract it down to its simplest and most crucial elements. Working on new ideas begins with these two actions, according to research by Robert and Michele Root Bernstein in their book called "Sparks of Genius".

This thinking tool is incredibly important in any field or stage of life, wouldn't you agree? You can make an investment in your creative output at no cost, right now!

Let me share two simple ways to begin to make room for expanding your ability to create what you imagine.:

1 Decide what you want to create.2 Find the best time available for that project3 Finally, Choose a place to work.

Try this with one small thing you would like to initiate! I would love to hear how it works and if you discover other ways of discovering ang expanding the creative impulse in your life.

For instance, I love to read in the late afternoon,before I prepare dinner. I prefer painting in the early morning and drawing wherever I am in my sketchbook. I like to write in the evening as well, or in the early morning. Taking a walk is crucial for stirring up ideas when I can't seem to find a solution to a problem.

3/12/13 3/12/13

looking into the interior

Be the first to see recent work! See my latest work of all kinds, from the journal stage, to drawings, watercolors, oils and pastels., I am so happy to get you inquiries, observations and response to work.!

Enjoy my latest work...I'd love to know what you feel about the work!

3/11/13 3/11/13

Be creative about losing an hour

Art making is not as idyllic as it may appear. Sure, you are your own boss, but ordinary life interferes.There is always something more impending to do.

Like what, you ask?Well, first of all, family, job, daily necessities, all require energy and time. Without balancing basic needs such as hugs, communication, making good nutritious food, exercise and a good night’s sleep and cleaning and organizing a house, a person wouldn’t be able to find their art supplies or his clothes.

I started to get a little suspicious of my intentions when I found myself searching for golden retriever fur tumbleweeds under my furniture and thinking about lining my shoes up differently. These are good cleaning practices. Not necessary to spend priority time on them though. I faced up to the fact that I could make better use of my time and was perhaps in need of a different approach.

There are only 24 hours in a day, right?I realize that for a while now, I have been having trouble achieving that very crucial balance between living life fully and making time to be creative. Understanding that time crunch is currently viral,, I scoured my bookcase and internet for suggestions...yes, I know... chewed up more time...!

How to make more time?I incorporate these changes and it seems to be helping:Think of life in the center with several different radiating threads representing whole areas of your life. The number is variable. I chose;A rtS piritualP hysicalI ntellectualR elationshipsE nvironmentR iches

Decide what needs to be done daily, weekly, monthly, etc.Prioritize my time.Limit my time for each item, including creative time. This sounds counterintuitive, but it works!Use an organizer to remind me of my goals. Either computer or paper will work. I use both.Allow for adjustments when needed.

Right now, my biggest problem is that in “springing ahead” to daylight savings time, we have lost an hour!looking at the bright side, we'll get it back in the fall.I’ve made time for writing and reviewing my blogs tomorrow after drawing and meditating!

Send your comments suggestions, aha moments my way. love to hear the way you balance the life.

10/28/12 10/28/12

How an unplanned storm can foster creativity

It’s Sunday eve on Long Island and we are anticipating the storm that has been traveling from the Caribbean up the coast. I checked with the older people and singles in my neighborhood to make sure that they had food and shelter. I made the run for groceries, nuts and fruits and water and we put away anything outside that could become a projectile in the fierce winds.

Now we am tucked in our home, hopefully safe and sound.

My mind begins to think of all of the things I could do with this unstructured time???

This is my list. I have done some, but not all. It is the process of exploring my options. Choosing is by its nature, creative, because it shapes who you are becoming and how you are getting there.

With electricity

Seed, cut and roast the fresh pie pumpkin that is waiting on my tableRoast a whole chicken.Make pumpkin muffinsMake chocolate chip cookies.Vacuum up the dog fur before we lose power.Take photos of the beautiful leaves that fell.Write this post on my computer.Make delicious leftovers with left chicken & the last Italian green beans from our garden.Check in with my strong and handsome sons in various east coast hurricane affected locations.Catch up with my two lovely sisters and feisty mom on the phone.Speak with my wonderful fiend, artist & mentor, Ben Frank Moss on the phone.Answer my cousin, Marie’s email from France, wondering if we are ok.Listening to Dave Matthews, Mumford & Sons and Jeff Buckley singing Halleluja

Without electricity

Meditate.OBSERVE the changes in atmosphere and the way things lookRead Steve Jobs.Read Gerhardt Richter’s writings.Read an article in Image, journal of art, faith & mystery.Do yoga.Study my french verbs.Walk the dogs before the winds and rain get stronger.Sketch in my art journal.Draw interiors of the rooms in my house.Paint the interiors, as I meditate on rooms as physical symbols of how life is organized.Write a note to cousin Stephanie, also in France.Design my Christmas cards.Plan Thanksgiving dinner.IMAGINE myself participating in the great privilege of voting next week.Spend time just being with my dear one.

Can’t wait to hear how you decided to spend that valuable time!

10/23/12 10/23/12

Discover the creativity within you...

Waking up each day has always been a gift and an adventure for me! I find joy in the possibilities of the minutes and hours I have been given. Although each day brings with it changes and detours, the most amazing journeys that I never imagined reveal themselves.Like magic, I can change the day by changing my perspective. What was a deficit before can become an opportunity.

Being an artist, and practicing daily with pencils and paint has given me to the skills and courage to create with the material available to me each day. It can be as simple as finding something in a refrigerator or pantry that previously appeared uninspiring a moment before.Or it can be the incredible journey of creating a painting or discovering a solution to a problem that will change life for the better for many people.[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9-SYa_82TI]

Creativity expert, Sir Ken Robinson recently spoke at a Zeitgeist Conference about the far reaching importance of creativity on education and on our future.

8/22/12 8/22/12

laundry holds light!

Laundry always attracts me to draw and paint its lovely folds and shadows. Translucent light emanates hope I am unsure if this is complete. Part of me loves that state of beauty "in process"!

Laundry always attracts me to draw and paint its lovely folds and shadows. Translucent light emanates hope I am unsure if this is complete.

Part of me loves that state of beauty "in process"!