A timetable for DREAMS

Some days I feel like I am living in a state of panic -

Time is slipping away.

If I haven't made it to my "goal" by a certain day, a certain date, a certain age - then it will be too late.

Am I the only one that feels that way?

This statement really hit home for me for just that reason.

I have to remind myself that there are soooooo many things that I want to accomplish in this life.

So many things I want to try.

So many adventures I want to go on.

So many different ways I see my life playing out.

For example - some days I see myself living on a large piece of property with an enormous garden, chickens, maybe a cow and some goats and within the same week I prefer the idea of a high-ceiling artists loft in the middle of the city with everything in walking distance.

Could you get any more opposite?

I want to get some of my art work licensed; I want to increase the availability of it in stores and catalogs.

I want to see my Etsy site take flight!

I want to sky dive; hang glide, paraglide - anything that involves flight.

I want to scuba dive - I've done it once and I can't wait for more opportunities.

I can't even begin to list all of the places I want to see in the world - but a few of the top sites are Belize, Italy and Bali.

I want to learn a foreign language - preferably Spanish.

I want to take classes in cooking, art, calligraphy, life drawing. . .

I want to own a cottage somewhere that I can escape to on the weekends and paint. It could be in the mountains, on the coast -I'm not picky. Just somewhere "away".

I want to sing in a choir.

I want to sing with a band.

I want to perform on stage in a musical -something I haven't done for over 20 years.

I want to live in a foreign country for a year.

I want to learn how to make artisan breads.

I want to go on a silent retreat and spend my days in prayer and meditation.

I want to live fully every second of my life.

It makes me overwhelmed thinking about it- partly with anticipation and partly with sadness - because I know that I will not be able to accomplish everything on the list.

But the reality is this -

they don't all have to be done at the same time or right away.

Life is a journey.

The process itself is part of the adventure.

And as long as I am always moving forward, then I am on the right track.

As long as I am dreaming and longing for new adventures, I know that I am alive.



JOY!

When was the last time you felt pure, unadultered, real joy . . .

Is "NA" word?

A new mirror celebrating the seasons . . .

So another week has passed and we are beginning to have a few more glimpses that there is hope that the gray and dreary days of winter are leaving.

After a long week of work, I was grateful to face the weekend head on!

I spent my weekend painting in the studio and catching up on household chores.

Really - how can things get so out of control in just 5 days???

But it sure feels good when the cobwebs have been evicted from the tops of the ceilings.

I worked on several items in the studio as I continue to build the inventory.

And then came the errand running and things went downhill from there.

After our son moved out and opened up a room in the house, my husband laid claim and has been preparing to take it over. A fresh coat of paint, some general repairs and he is ready to take over.

A desk is needed - because not only will he be using this as an office/music studio/mancave - but he will be using the space to make prints and other general production work for the business that need to be done in a clean environment.

We scanned some desks on Craigslist - but they were too deep. He wanted a longer and narrower work surface.

So we talked and measured and thought and decided to create a custom work space with 2-drawer file cabinets and an old door.

Where to find a unique, inexpensive old door?

At our local rebuilding center.

So it was time for a field trip - after all, we could go to the rebuilding center, stop by some thrift shops to look for file cabinets and then wrap things up with a trip to the nursery to buy a few plants for a totally seperate project.

What could be better?

So off we went . . .

We drove across town to the rebuilding center only to find out that there was a biking event that had closed off the streets and there was no parking anywhere. We are in Portland, afterall. Strike 1.

We stopped at three thrift stores - nothing! Strike 2.

We drove to GoodWill - it was on the way.

They were closed (long story). Strike 3.

OK - last attempt to redeem this trip - the nursery.

We drove to the nursery, pulled in the driveway and watched them lock the gates.

A total bust of a trip.

We went home - maybe dinner and an outdoor fire around the fire pit would make up for the waste of the afternoon . . .but alas, Mother Nature mocked me and it started to rain! 

Seriously????

OK - not to be discouraged - I made dinner and after, my son and husband and I played a game of Scrabble.

Not on the computer or on my phone -

but at the table with a real board and real wooden tiles!

I made a wonderful play that utilitized touching tiles and created a secondary word . . .and it was on a double word score.  The word???. . .

"na".

My son challenged me.

Although Merriam didn't agree - the other online dictionaries said it was legitimate.

I even wasted a move on my "Words With Friends" game on my phone to make the point that I could use it.

And so . . .due to the little 2-letter word "na" my evening was properly redeemed. Because quick frankly . . .

I kicked both of their butts!!!

And if you don't think "na" is a legal Scrabble word - just remember, everyone is entitled to their opinion. And the utter demise of my entire weekend was dependent on that word.

So - "na" IS a word!

How bout you? Good weekend? What was the high point for you?

Aaaah . . .Vacation!

I took a week off of my day job.

How wonderful that was.

It really is true - we need to take time to decompress, refocus, and reboot.

I mean - even our computers need to be shut off once in a while to clear out the hiccups (yes - that is a technical term :)

I found myself thinking about things like Facebook and this blog - and I didn't feel the need to get on the computer. I pretty much "checked out and unplugged."

Although I still worked hard all last week, it was a change of routine.

We had our sale at the Coast and I drank in the sun, the salt air and the sound of the ocean.

I worked in my yard and planted flowers and cleaned up our outdoor living area.

We ran errands and bought raw materials to rebuild our inventory.

I grocery shopped.

I visited with friends and family.

I went shopping . . .for me.

I went out to lunch . . .and dinner.

I went to the art store and drooled over all things creative.

My husband and I went for drives in our little Mustang and felt the wind blow through our hair.

I sat in the backyard hammock and listened to the birds and the windchimes.

I finally got the shelves in studio hung.

And I painted.

Oh how good that felt.

I finished up projects that were "almost" done. 

Like this chair . . .it's been waiting to be finished for . . .I forget how long.

And this painting that has been waiting for a frame since October . . .

And a few new projects were created - like this large mirror. . .

Yeah - it was a good week.

It makes facing a Monday that much easier. . .

So now that I have caught my breath, it's time to roll up my sleeves and get busy. The summer show season starts in less than a month!

Stay posted for dates and locations.

And keep an eye out for new prints with new themes.

What are you up to?

Art is all around us

As I said in my last post - we recently attended a choir concert. This was a special concert because our high school choir joined to together with Oregon State University's choir. They joined forces and it was an amazing night of music.

But in addition to the music - there was some beautiful art.

The concert was held at the "Grotto" in SE Portland. The Grotto is a catholic sanctuary that is a Portland icon. As a child - it was a place of fascination for me. It sets nestled in a wooded hillside. For years, there has been a large lit cross that sits high on the hillside and can be seen from various locations throughout the city. I actually never went there until I was an adult. It is the location of a wonderful Festival of LIghts during the Holidays. We go there every year to hear our high school choir perform their Holiday music.

The chapel area is made of high ceilings with marble walls and floors. The acoustics are bright and "alive". It is a great location for vocal music. The grounds are a wonderful mix of old and new. I am particularly drawn to the old -Check out their website for a little bit of history. It really is fascinating  http://www.thegrotto.org/about-us/history/

As you emerge out of the wooded walkway, it opens into a courtyard - and carved into the cliff is a "cave" which shrines a life-size statue. Regardless of religious beliefs, you can't help but feel a sense of reverence at the sight. What you can't see is the hundreds of flickering candles that surround the cave on either size.

As you approach the cathedral, Mary greets you on the wall -

Once inside, this is the scene that you see as you look up at the ceiling. This immense mural covers a large domed ceiling. It is showing its age in areas, but I would have loved to been around to see the work being created almost a hundred years ago.

Thanks for joining me on my little tour . . .Remember to keep your eyes open to see the beautiful art that is all around you.

And if you vacation on the Oregon Coast this weekend, swing by Oceanside, Oregon and visit with me and the other artists.

A Few New Pieces

You know how we always talk about how crazy the Holiday season is?

Well - as a mom of four, I beg to argue that late May/June are just as crazy, if not more so!



This week alone we have had 2 major family events, choir concerts, piano recitals and more.

But I wouldn't trade it for anything -



My beautiful "baby girl" singing with her choir

I love the music events.

I love seeing the progress my kids have made in their endeavors.

I love being together as a family.

It is near perfection.

I mean - isn't family what it is all about?

Sharing pancakes and laughs after the choir concert.

And in between, when I have a little time - I have worked in the studio.

The drawback to all of this is - I have a lot of work to complete - and not much time to do it.

So there has been some multi-tasking happening.

And sometimes that is ok . . .

And sometimes, it is not . . .

I am really happy with the way this 12 x 12 canvas turned out. I love the colors and the textures.

I love the bird - different from my normal simple birds.

She seems to have a bit more of an attitude -

but after my husband shot the photo of the piece, I realized that Yes . . .it is true -

I left out an entire word.

REALLY???

Hmmmm . . .

You would think I would have learned my lesson by now.

Do not . . .repeat DO NOT attempt to talk, watch movies or otherwise engage in attention splitting activities while writing words or phrases.

Oh well - I can repair the silliness.

Maybe someday I will learn my lesson.

Then again . . .maybe not. 

Dream Envy. . .

We finally have a bit of Spring hit our area. We have had so much rain and cold and misery it is a welcome sight to have the sun inthe sky finally.

It's sunny. The birds are busy. The air is alive.

So why am I not feeling better?

I'm having a hard time lately -

I want to throw all responsibility out the window and go hang in the hammock.

Read a totally mind-less novel.

Dig in the dirt a little.

Plant some flowers.

Take a walk.

Take a nap.

Get a pedicure. . .

I love having my own art business.

I enjoy my day job . . .most days. (But lets face it - if given the choice I would do my art business full time.)

But I also have been self-employed and am not at all dillusional in believing that being self employed means having all kinds of free time.

It means long, long hours. Hours spent not thinking about anything but the "business".

And I do that. I do it gladly.

I spend long hours in my studio painting, producing, researching. . . doing business.

It's hard for me to stop.

Stop and do nothing.

Last night, I was tired and opted not to work in the studio.

I curled up in bed to watch American Idol. I picked up me drawing pad and pencils and was going to work on a doodle -

and nothing came. I drew nothing. A total blank!

I am hoping this is just an indication that I need a little break and it will come back. I have been pursuing alot of different things and quite frankly - I am tired.

I am vowing right here and now to find a way to balance work and the joys of the warmer months.

I will find more time for things like this . . .

This my daughter and her best friend taking a moment for themselves.

I remember when I was younger and I didn't have trouble filling my days with absolutely nothing!

It was divine.

On this day - all my daughter wanted to do was take advantage and live in the moment.

Focus on what was directly in front of her - a beautiful afternoon (although still a little cool), with the sun sliding into the late afternoon.

We could all learn a lesson from that - focus fully on what is directly in front of us and take advantage of the here and now!

******

In other news - I will be at my annual Memorial Day Sale at Oceanside, Oregon. If you are headed to the Oregon Coast for the holiday weekend - try to stop by and say hi!

And when I am not at the sale, I will be sitting and taking in the view. . .