Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Living With The Power of Flow and Synchronicity

A few years ago I read a book called The Power of Flow. It easily became one of my favorite books because it is all about Synchronicity. Synchronicity, according to Wikipedia,"is the experience of two or more events which are causally unrelated occurring together in a meaningful manner. In order to count as synchronicity, the events should be unlikely to occur together by chance." I love Synchronicity! And I especially love it when it happens to further one's goals and dreams along.

This ties in with my use of the spiral in my paintings. The spiral, to me represents energy. It also can represent Flow! Flowing energy! To me all things in our universe are connected. Everything is in a relationship with everything else. This conviction is based on the fact that everything is made up of energy. I show this with the use of the spiral and glowing elements in my paintings.

I started thinking about synchronicity again because just yesterday I was having a conversation with someone about marketing plans. And then just 20 minutes later when I checked my email...there in my in box was some information on marketing plans that was very helpful! I love it when that happens. When you're thinking of something and then the next phone call or next bit of information that comes your way is exactly what you need!

In the Power of Flow, they tell you just what you need to do to start living in what they call being a "Flow Master". Some of the attributes are:
1. Commitment
2. Honesty
3. Courage
4. Passion
5. Immediacy
6. Openness
7. Receptivity
8. Positivity
9. Trust

I won't go into depth on these attributes cause you'll just have to read the book yourself to get the full impact. But I do recommend it as inspiring reading!

Have you had some synchronicity happen to yourself lately? I'd love to hear about it!

Saturday, July 4, 2009

A July Night With An Artist's Day Notes


I AM GRATEFUL
for a fun Artist Reception Opening
tonight at Mandala


I CAN SEE
light reflections in the window

I AM HEARING
Cody, our dog, snoring :)

I AM WEARING
orange and black

I AM CREATING
a new encaustic painting

I AM MISSING
my slippers
.
I AM HOPING
to get to bed soon...it's late!

I AM PLANNING
to work in the garden and plant
some flowers tomorrow


PHOTO TO INSPIRE
Evening Sunflowers and Tulips

Six new colorful, whimsical bird paintings



I've been painting whimsical birds on wood box frames. I like the way they came out not only because they're colorful and fun but also because one can set them on top of a piece of furniture OR hang them on the wall. I like that one can display them in different ways. The sides vary from 1.5" to 3.5" and I've painted different things on the sides. Some have white dotted spirals and one has colorful swirls.
Below are the images of all six. I'm making some giclee prints of them and will have them available soon at my Etsy Shop.


"Red Raven Brings A Field Of Dreams"


"The Enamored One"

"Anticipating The Journey"

"One Lives In An Enchanted Garden"

"Watching the Wishing Well"

"See How Far We've Come"

Friday, June 26, 2009

June 26th An Artist's Day Notes

I AM GRATEFUL
Summer has finally arrived!

I CAN SEE
Sunshine!

I AM HEARING
some phone conversation in the next room

I AM WEARING
hot pink and black

I AM CREATING
six new bird paintings

I AM MISSING
mountain bike riding
.
I AM HOPING
to have a Moonheadmama painting at auction next week

I AM PLANNING
to put up our tipi on Sunday

PHOTO TO INSPIRE



Tipi magic.

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Titles and Poetry For My Art

I've been asked how do I title my paintings? Sometimes the title comes before and some times after a painting. My paintings inspire me but so do words! A snippet from a conversation, a line from a song, a poem I've read. Words are everywhere! They consume us with thoughts, they're in advertising, they help us communicate! But the most inspiring words to me are those that have a lyrical quality. Like a poem perhaps.

Some favorite painting titles of mine are "She Pinned Things To The Earth, So They Wouldn't Follow Her Around", "View For Two Under The Moon", "He Felt The Light Go To His Heart", "She Built Her Nest With Flowers and Bits of Sky".

There is a funny story that goes with one title. I was showing an image to a friend of mine and she said something, and I thought she said something else, which wasn't what she said at all! I thought she said, "She Was Charmed by His Weaving". Nope. I was totally off! We laughed. BUT, I loved the words and decided that would be a perfect title for one of my small bird paintings I had just finished.


Awhile ago I decided I wanted to create a book of my paintings to go with some of the poetry that I've read and written and also that some of my friends have wrote. The book is still in the works. But I thought I would share this wonderful poem written by James Jordan, a customer who purchased one of my paintings and then commissioned me for another. Upon seeing and reading the title of my raven painting below, he was inspired to write a poem. His wife Catherine was the editor and the poem is below.

The Owl Wouldn't But The Raven Would

'Twas a dark night in Ravenwood
The night when Owl came out to call
Why did Owl go to Ravenwood?
To meet the Raven dark and tall

Croaked Raven to Owl "What's afoot?"
Hooted Owl "There's dark arising
And evil ones have come to moot,
Ravenwood's peace they're threat'ning."

"Behold! The flocks in panic fly,
And smoldering trees turn to smoke,
As fire burns bright in the sky."
Raven shrugged his feathery cloak.

Soon Raven asked with heavy sigh
"What to the flocks does this bird owe?
My warrior days no longer nigh,
Why tell me of this tale of woe?"

Owl gestured at the huddled trees
"Would you see this fair wood dead?
Turn your back and take your ease?"
Raven bowed his grizzled head.

"Heroes must stand forth" Owl hooted
"Who else to save fair Ravenwood?
Who else to brave the darklings mooted?"
The Owl wouldn't, but the Raven would.

-- Poem written by James Jordan

Friday, June 19, 2009

June 19 - An Artist's Day Notes

I AM GRATEFUL
for good friends

I CAN SEE
pine trees and snow capped mountains

I AM HEARING
Van Morrison's "So Quiet in Here"

I AM WEARING
dark green and blue

I AM CREATING
colorful, whimsical bird paintings

I AM MISSING
my friend Peggy in Alaska

I AM HOPING
to put some more art in my Etsy Store

I AM PLANNING
to go kayaking this weekend

PAINTING TO INSPIRE

An older painting of mine, Cosmic Garden II

Friday, June 12, 2009

June 12th An Artist's Day Notes

I AM GRATEFUL
for an art studio I can spread out in

I CAN SEE
my desk has too many papers on it

I AM HEARING
the rumble of thunder

I AM WEARING
light blue and dark blue

I AM CREATING
my Art e-Newsletter

I AM MISSING
a black ink cartridge for my printer

I AM HOPING
to try some encaustic painting

I AM PLANNING
to send out my e-Newsletter next week

PAINTING TO INSPIRE

An early 1994 colorful painting of mine

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Whimsical and Colorful Raven and Crow Paintings

I like to paint ravens. They might be crows but I like the word "raven" more. So for me, it's ravens. My newest ones are of ravens sitting in trees. I've been studying native american symbolism regarding the raven/crow.

For this blog post, the info on symbolism I gathered comes from whats-your-sign.com. They have so much info on their website, I find it very fascinating!

Basking in Moonlight
24" x 9"
Acrylic on Wood
Unframed
$425

In Norse legend, the raven is symbolic of mind, thought and wisdom. And in native american folklore, whats-your-sign.com says "Highly enthusiastic, and a natural entrepreneur, the Crow is quite a charmer. But he/she doesn't have to work at being charming – it comes easily. Everyone recognizes the Crow's easy energy, and everyone turns to the Crow for his/her ideas and opinions. This is because the Crow is both idealistic and diplomatic and is quite ingenious. In nurturing environments this Native American animal symbol is easy-going, can be romantic, and soft-spoken. Further, the crow can be quite patient, and intuitive in relationships. Left to his/her own devices, the Crow can be demanding, inconsistent, vindictive, and abrasive."





One Raven Looked to Another
24" x 9"
Acrylic on Wood
Unframed
$425


Two Ravens Protecting the Moon
35.5" x 27.5"
Acrylic on Wood
Framed
$850
And they say "other Native North American tribes saw the raven as the bringer of light." And that is what influenced the title of my painting below. I didn't even know that about the raven until I read it on the whats-your-sign website.

Raven Lights The Sky
27.5" x 19.5"
Acrylic on Wood
Framed
$815

Two Ravens Sit and Reflect III
Image Size: 6.25" x 6"
Acrylic on Paper
Black Frame w/white mat
15" x 12"

$225

We took some cool photos of crows on our drive back up Baja to Oregon. The below pics were taken at Playa Escondida on the Sea of Cortez. They'll be good references for me when I do my next crow/raven painting. I love the bottom photo cause he looks so magestic. He looks like he's on the look out like a sentinel.





Friday, June 5, 2009

June 5th An Artist's Day Notes

I AM GRATEFUL
that we had a wonderful time traveling back to Bend

I CAN SEE
snow covered mountains through the window

I AM HEARING
quiet

I AM WEARING
light blue and dark blue

I AM CREATING
images for new paintings

I AM MISSING
warm, sunny weather

I AM HOPING
to get my art studio organized by Monday

I AM PLANNING
to go to the Opening tonight
at Tumalo Art Co. gallery

PAINTING TO INSPIRE
Shimmer and Shine

Art and travels back to Bend, Oregon

We packed up the house with our things and all my paintings and art supplies, got the dogs all settled in and headed North. We had a great trip traveling back up the Baja and California!


We stayed in a charming little hotel in Loreto called La Damiana Inn. It is right downtown and the hostess was so friendly! We got to have the dogs in our room too which is always a plus. There were lots of beautiful artwork throughout the Inn and highspeed internet in a cozy seating area with lots of cool books to browse through.

The next day we found an amazing beach called Playa Escondida to camp at.


It had beautiful views!


It's located between Loreto and Mulege on the Bahia Concepcion. It is usually full of RVers in the winter months but for us it was deserted. We piched our tent and hung out in a Palapa shack and stayed for 3 days! Just 7 dollars a night.




It was very fun. We kayaked.

The snorkeling and swimming were fantastic.



I got some inspiring shots of Crows for future paintings.


I made a seashell mobile to hang under the palapa. We decorated with feathers and seashell art and hung the mobile up. We left our art in the palapa when we left to inspire others.
We then left and stopped in Mulege for lunch. It is a sweet little town too. Continuing on....


Cactus were flowering in the desert.


The skies turned gray and it got a lot colder when we hit Guerrero Negro. We missed the sunshine and our deserted beach! We got a flat tire which slowed us up for a bit. But we ventured on toward the border crossing. We got a bit turned around in Tijuana. We were headed toward the Otay Mesa crossing because we heard it didn't take as long. After a few wrong turns we found it! We were about an hour in line and crossed with no problems.

In San Diego, we stayed at our friends Randy and Gloria's place and had a nice visit and went out to dinner with them. Although one of Greg's bags was missing and we think it got stolen off the truck while we were at dinner.


The next day we traveled up California. The weather was cloudy with sunshine in spots.

We found a beautiful camp spot in Northern California with a mountain view. Then on to Tahoe the next day.


We stopped for a picnic lunch on the shore of Lake Tahoe and let the dogs out to play. It was gorgeous but a little too cold to go for a swim although the water was beautiful and clear! Next we stopped at one of Greg's favorite spots called Steamers Restaurant in Kings Beach and Greg gave me a tour of some of the neighborhoods. Then we went to Truckee and camped out. Greg showed me where he used to live and the next day we played tourist in downtown Truckee and went to the local Museum and learned the story about the Donner Party. We drove way up high into the mountains to see some gorgeous views of the town and surrounding area! The next day we drove to Klamath Falls and spent the night. And the following day we arrived home, sweet, home! With the grass a foot tall and our house a bit chaotic from moving, there was a lot to do to get organized. It's been cloudy and rainy since we've been back in Bend but it sure feels nice to be home!

Saturday, May 23, 2009

May 23rd An Artist's Day Notes

I AM GRATEFUL
for finding The Damiana Inn in Loreto
to stay at


I CAN SEE
our dogs, Cody and Belle, crashed at my feet

I AM HEARING
the sounds of downtown Loreto

I AM WEARING
black

I AM CREATING
plans for camping

I AM MISSING
Bend, Oregon

I AM HOPING
we find a great camp spot around
Bahia Concepción


I AM PLANNING
to go snorkeling

PHOTO TO INSPIRE
"Baja Beach Sunset"


Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Reflections on preparing to leave Todos Santos, Mexico

This week Greg and I are getting ourselves ready to drive back to Bend, Oregon. We came to Todos Santos in Baja the beginning of December last year. We didn't really know what to expect regarding living in Mexico for a period of time. We hoped that we would like it! But I would say it has met or exceeded our expectations! We've had a wonderful time! Six months living in Baja! Wow! It's been a lot of fun, with some adventure, great memories and a lot of work! We've done tons of work on the house and garage. Inside and out. Below are a couple before and after pics.

BEFORE

AFTER

BEFORE


AFTER

I've had a wonderful time being able to paint in my outdoor studio above the garage under the palapa. I feel very grateful to be able to paint everyday and work on my online business these past 6 mo. I feel blessed to have been able to experience this lifestyle.

PAINTING IN THE OUTDOOR STUDIO

And I've created a bunch of new paintings. Some are on my website for sale and some will be shown at the Tumalo Art Co. in Bend when I get back.


NEW PAINTINGS

I'm going to miss taking the dogs to the beach and watching the sunset from the patio above the garage.

TAKING DOGS TO THE BEACH

SUNSET VIEW

But we're looking forward to getting back to Bend. I can't wait to start helping at the Tumalo Art Co. gallery in the new space at the Shoppes at the Old Mill. I get updates on the move and the artists are working hard at painting, installing lighting, etc. and getting ready for the Opening in June.


NEW LOCATION OF TUMALO ART CO. GALLERY IN BEND.

Greg and I want to have a tipi raising party when we get home. I bought myself a tipi a couple years ago for my birthday. I painted it and furnished the inside and it is a very special place to spend time in. We took it down before we left so we'll put it back up when we get home. (If you want to know more about where I got my tipi, go to http://www.tipi.com)

OUR TIPI IN BEND

So we're doing a lot of reflecting this week. Thinking about how things have changed since we've been gone, how we've changed, how the casita has changed, how our online businesses have changed. Wondering how Bend has changed in the past 6 months. Soon we'll find out.



Friday, May 15, 2009

New Moon Mama Painting with Milo Moon

"And the Stars Smiled
Down For Sure"
Image Size: 14" x 11"
Acrylic on Paper, Unframed
I painted another Moonheadmama painting with Mama Moonhead and baby Milo Moon. I wanted to use soothing ocean colors and show the stars. A segment in the Moonheadmama story has the stars smiling down.

I'm still playing with the story of course. But ideas are coming to me all the time. I write down story notes so I can remember them. The notes are great for when I do my paintings. And that way when the story is written I can refer back to my notes.


Remember a portion of the sales of the Moonheadmama paintings goes to Acres of Hope, a non-profit helping homeless women and children.

May 15th Artist's Day Notes

I AM GRATEFUL
for beautiful, clear blue sky today

I CAN SEE
the new garden that we made
in front of the casita


I AM HEARING
the wind

I AM WEARING
black and blue

I AM CREATING
a new bird painting

I AM MISSING
my levis

I AM HOPING
to get all our projects done before we leave Todos Santos

I AM PLANNING
to have new updates to my website in June - Stay tuned.

PHOTO TO INSPIRE


"Refeshing Ocean View -
Todos Santos Beach"

Thursday, May 14, 2009

Bird Greeting Cards


Birds, Birds, Birds. I do love painting these small creatures. Just this morning we were watching a small brown and white speckled one that comes to our yard often. He's a chatter box as well. He looks almost like a speckled dove, well, not really, cause really I'm not so much into what kind of bird they are but rather, I'm more into creating an imaginary bird from what I'm seeing. I let their essence soak into my memory and then I let my imagination take over. I can change a brown bird into a purple bird or speckles into dots. That's the fun I have with my painting! I make up a story about them with my art. The title is also fun to play with. I've put a lot of my bird paintings on Greeting cards. You can see them at my online shop at GreetingCardUniverse.com.