Currently speechless

"There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, Than are dreamt of in your philosophy."

Hope and silver linings

The last few weeks have been tough for most folks I know--me included. We all seem scared, sad, and tired. And, although I know we desperately need the rain, my spirit has felt grey and soggy. The incessant Spring winds are just salt in the wounds...

On the other hand, I'm frequently accused of being a Pollyana. I can't help it. My drive home today was spectacular. Yes, I'm on a four-lane highway, disgustingly increasing my carbon footprint. But I'm also driving along the San Francisco Bay, where on any day I can see several species of birds--hawks, egrets, crows, gulls to name just a few. Here I am, in a brief interlude between storms, in one of the most beautiful places in the country. The clouds are stacked miles high in a tribute to Charles Courtney Curran. The sun is shining on my left and a rainbow stretches out across the bay on my right. Oh, and the music on the radio? Perfect. It doesn't matter what it was, just fill in whatever you like for your ideal soundtrack.

"I think it pisses God off if you walk by the color purple in a field somewhere and don't notice it."

Yellow Yarrow, Yellow Jacket

Bulbs in a mason jar

Musical interlude

Sometimes I have to remind myself that, even if I'm not in the studio with paint on my hands, I'm still creating. Whether I'm working on my pen and ink drawings, hunting through magazines for words to clip, or photographing anything I find visually compelling I am in the artistic process. (I'm also building a "library" of my own elements to use in future mixed-media pieces, so it's a win-win type of thing.) To that note, while I'm creating new mixed media pieces and waiting for paint to dry, I'm going to post some other stuff for "your listening pleasure".

Truck Stop in Lodi

February Show Information

Crow Entendre

Here's the other piece that will be featured in the Coastside Mixed Media Artist's show in February. This piece is 9x12 and includes acrylic paint, original artwork and digital photography.

Unlocking the Heart

This new piece is 11x14 and includes original pen and ink and pencil drawings, digital photography, and acrylic paint and molding paste.

This is one of two of my pieces that will be included in the Coastside Mixed Media Artists show at M Coffee in Half Moon Bay for the month of February. To find out more about this show watch the Where to See My Stuff space in the sidebar to your right.

Year-end musings

Quite frankly - I'm glad to see this year come to a close. It's not been an easy one - but it has been heeeeeyuuuuge on the personal growth front. In an attempt to get my head around stuff, here are some things that have happened or I have learned in the past year:

• I lost my best friend-sister-cousin to cancer


• I was able to really step up for her when she was sick. (I am extremely grateful for the generosity and caring from my employers during that time.)


• The grieving process is lot like the Grand Canyon. You can't really appreciate the imensity, scope, and vastness of it until your standing in front of it.


• I lost a bunch of weight. No, this was not stress-related. This was a very conscious, present process.


• I am redefining who I am and my place in the world and chagrined to face my own judgements about fat and thin.


• I am continuing to find my own voice in my artwork and discovered that I just may actually have some talent.


• Nature - and life in general - can be messy, smelly, gorey, ugly, brutal, and in your face. And - it's not personal!


• For the most part I actually like my job.


• Although I started out this year a bit afraid of him, I think I understand Coyote a little better than before.


• Tatiana rocks!


• Life really is what happens when your busy making other plans.


• Everything is always changing.


• Skeletons aren't as scary as they used to be - especially when teaching you to surf.


• It's really OK to f-ck up. Really. It's OK.


• It is quite possible that rules really were made to be broken. Especially the ones in your head.


• These last two are intrinsically connected.


• Nothing is ever all good or all bad. Nothings is ever written in stone. There are no absolutes.


• Sometimes it's really best to say nothing at all.