Happy Valentines Day

  I spent the day with a very dynamic group: The Innovative Art Alliance.  We are a diverse group of artists that come from all over south eastern Ohio and northern West Virginia.  Our monthly meetings are all about networking and sharing. One of our members, Diane, has ALS, (also known as Lou Gerhig's disease). We have slowly been witness to the loss of use of her legs, then her arms. She is an amazing creative woman, who despite her ever increasing limitations, continues to not only lead us, but inspire us with her ever present courage and wisdom. It has been quite a while since she has been able to put a needle to fabric, but that does not stop her indominable spirit. Her creative outlet has become her thoughts and her words. She shared a few of her poems with us today.  One poem in particular resonated with me. It talked about how we spend our lives trying to be "good enough", and that, at some point we need to realize we are, what we are...and that is perfect for us!  It reminded me of the old Amish quote, that we are " too soon old, too late smart."
   On this day of hearts and love, I am sending out all the love and healing energy I can muster to you, Diane. And thank you for giving me permission to be who I am.

Have Art: Will Travel

   I have found that when I travel, I feel completely "naked" if I don't carry along some art projects on which to work. Most of the time this is easy, because I usually have a few pieces in process that are laying about the studio. At other times I find myself frantically pulling something together to take along.
  The easiest thing to bring is hand work, because, usually  I don't have a sewing machine at vacation destinations. (Although I have been known to pack one) Handwork is never a problem, as I love to do it.
   Below is an example of a piece I just took along on a recent trip. It was a quilt sandwich that I created to practice thread tension and various stitches on the machine. I liked the looks of it, and decided to do a little beading and will perhaps add some hand stitching as well. At any rate, this is what it looks like so far.

click on picture for a close up view

     I also try to never be without my camera or my sketchbook/journal. This is true on a daily basis as well as while traveling.
   What about you? Do you have certain things that you feel at loose ends without on a daily basis?  If so, what are they?

Painting On Location: Who Knew??

  The on-location class I am taking is really a lot of fun! Who knew I would feel comfortable sketching and painting in the middle of a restaurant? That was our assignment this week: Go to a coffee shop and draw and paint what you see. I chose my local Starbucks. I love the atmosphere there anyway, and they have my favorite tea, Tazo Zen, so I was golden!  The oatmeal got a little cold while I was doing my thing, but I ate it anyway. This could actually turn into a weight loss study. By the time I finished painting the muffin, I was no longer interested in eating it! The only real problem I had was that I attempted to drink my paint water a few times! Ha! Fortunately I caught myself.
  I plan on hitting a few more coffee shops/eating establishments for more inspiration. ( There goes the weight loss theory ). And I am looking forward to the next prompt. Stay tuned for more sketching adventures!