​Dreamcatchers fascinate me. That so many early people realized the importance of capturing dreams seems to be something we are missing...perhaps something critical.

​This began as a night sky...and remained that way for quite some time. I kept asking it what else it wanted. eventually the two gold circles developed, then the dreamcatcher itself, after several others happened in other works and sketches. Finally the koi. At first I thought they wanted to be attached like feather but then I realized they needed to swim freely through the dreamcatcher...or not. The sky then appeared as water and I could see there was more to what was happening in this image. Was it a koi pond reflecting a night sky with a dreamcatcher suspended, or was in a universe of dreamcatcher and koi? I like the ambiguity as well as the art itself.

​Oh, I do so envy the life of a mermaid. Slipping beneath salty waves, away from a world of anger and hatred sounds comforting to me right now. Last night my last thoughts were for those women who did not get comforting calls from their children, telling them they were safe and unharmed. I slipped into salty tears instead of waves.

I wanted to write something exciting and uplifting today. Something about the Jung retreat and art journaling and the utter joy of painting. It seems my fingers have turned to fins and I just can't write anything that is too shallow lest I get beached and never swim again.

​I know I will slip into the everyday-ness of life. I know the deaths will move into the back of my mind. For now, the energy of grief and hatred swirls around me like a storm. I can only give love to those around me and hope it spreads like rings of water after a diving fish. It's the only advice I have to give.

She's listing a bit to the left in this photo, but this is the mermaid that will be starring at the Jung conference in Belleville this October. She is being donated as a fund raiser so participants can have a go at winning her. I'll be there at the lovely retreat center reprising my art journaling class and attending the conference. They are using another one of my mermaids as a cover girl for the entire conference including 8 foot banners, brochure covers and advertising. I am over the moon with the entire process and happily painting away.

​Funny thing is, this has encouraged me to return to painting from deeper imagery. I'll admit to doing some pretty florals because I wanted to see if I could do them...and I did. In the long run they do remind me of my passionate connection to nature. Now the mermaids take me back to my home on the shore. I was born in a hospital on a river, called Riverview, in a town called Red Bank, all leading into New York Harbor. Beaches were where I grew up and merpeople were part of my everyday. Strong, sensual, hero creatures who could save you from......whatever.

​So now my home is decorated with huge pieces of coral, my bathroom sports all sorts of shells and sea sculptures. I may live in a land locked state, but my soul is soaked in salt water forever.

Sunnies in a jar
oil on canvas
​click here for more info
Ego is a funny thing.
The artist creates,
​Then wants to share that creation with a sense of sharing the joy
of creation and beauty.
Then that nasty little ego says
"How could you?
How could you let go of you creation,
that you worked so very hard on,
your life's blood is in that work,
​your very soul"

​This is true,
and I know of many artist who
hoard there creations,
stacking them in dark corners
or storage units,
waiting for.....?

Releasing your art work
is very much like releasing your children to the world.
There is an element of trust.
Trusting that they will bring that deep sense of joy
and perhaps a sense of beauty to someone else's life.
There is an element of faith that what inspired you, the artist
will be carried forth and inspire
those who would own the painting.

This week I realized that
I have that faith, that trust in all my work.
​I release them to you.

I think I am still decompressing from those 30 paintings!
It's been a wonderful week full of inspirations
and new plans.
The first photo is a painting I started as a demo for my oil painting class
and later finished at home.
My inspiration was a Buddha in Maui that a friend discovered
in a magical orchid garden.
The second photo is from a drawing class I am taking with
Marie Donato at the OA gallery in Kirkwood.
The little sweetie is my grand nephew.
The next photo just shows a slightly cleaner and more organized studio,
​which I spent a good chunk of the week working on,
when I wasn't working on a proposal.
The last photo are some books I am loving right now.
Yep, there's a Chicken soup book in there
and I am loving this one as it is all about reaching your dreams.
"Daily Painting" is one of my absolute favorites and I suggest it in all my classes.and 
"Dinner with Lenny" is just so inspiring. His energy and life was an wonderful example for any Creative.
Ursula LeGuinn has been a favorite since I read her stories to my son,
But then I started reading her non-fiction and discovered a woman
full of spirituality and insight.
Most of these are library books so you don't have to spend a fortune to get this wonderful
energy into your life.

WISHES FOR NEXT WEEK:

• long autumn walks at Powder Valley
• homemade pumpkin bread
• green smoothies for breakfast
• two new paintings
• pump those sales!

Fun links

My favorite planner
Leslie Saeta blog.....the 30 in 30 artist who began it all.
Kimberly Wilson, all round wise woman.
my pinterest page..yes I am a pinterest junkie.


​Have a great weekend!

Oh to relax a bit.
The challenge is over.
Well one of them anyway.
New plans are in the works.
​I'll be working on children's portraits for my Sacred Space group,
a gift and a mission.
​I actually work days photographing children,
​then I come home and want to draw them.
​I create memories for their parents and grandparents.
and I create a pathway for parents and grandparents to show their love for that child
​in a way that will last forever,
for generations.
No cell phone shot will ever do that.
So I'm working on getting a batter camera,
applying for a grant.
​Planning on showing some work at a Fall Boutique.
​There will be some new prints at the gallery in St. Charles,
​Missouri Artists on Main.
​Pease stop by if you are local.
​Check back soon for even more developments!
​

Day 30
So it ends,
WOW.
I am so glad I committed to this challenge.
​I learned I do have the discipline to focus on my art.
​I learned I love bravo brushstokes, but I also love melting edges.
​I remembered how happy I can be in front of an easel,
and how multi colored fingernails are not necessarily a fashion statement.
So I found faith in myself, my art
and the dear people who have followed my journey.
Thank you so much all
my visitors.
Even if I you didn't comment, I knew you were there.
You have no idea how wonderful
that knowing is.
​HUGS.

Day 29
Ethereal Wings
​I think this is a companion piece to yesterday's painting.
They look wonderful together.
I love the soft melty edges contrasted to the harder edges.
​Yummy.

Day 28
Doing a reverse countdown now.
Two more "Wings" and the challenge is met.
One thing I have noticed is how things have evolved
during the course of the challenge.
I wanted to emphasize brush strokes.
Now I'm melting them together.
I still LOVE the textured surface I create to work on.
Another thing...
About every third or so painting,
I create a new "favorite".
This is my new favorite.
I love the transparency contrasted to the textured surface.
​Isn't she graceful?