With the kinks worked out about reducing the dpi, making sure it was a jpg and  finally uploading the photos, I can now show you how much fun the  Glorious Abstract class had.  The photo above shows the class with our class mascot, Emma.  They are standing outside the Stables Gallery and workshop space.  What a group of great people!

The space at the Stables is roomy and perfect for creating.  The gals brought their I Pods so music saturated the air.  There wasn’t any way for people to not be creative……being in Taos, absorbing the light, smells and textures of the surrounding area.  When you have a room filled with those who are wanting to learn and are willing to put their egos aside, try new things, be open to failure so they can succeed…..you have the makings of magic.

Of course the shopping in Arroya Seco was a fabulous way to relax after a long day of painting.  Ice Cream at The Taos Cow made the afternoon perfect.  A soft rain fell as we sat outside on the porch of  The Taos Cow and shared our thoughts.

Not everyone is privy to this energy as they are not yet awake.  It is like when you purchase a new car, all of a sudden you see the model you just purchased everywhere.  You have awaken something within you that was asleep.

Opening our brain to new things is one of the most important aspects of the creative life.  Learning new techniques,  a new way to hold the brush, how to blend colors,  finding a new surface to paint on when you get bored with canvas or paper.  When I am writing there are times when only a pencil will do.  Interesting how our bodies tell us exactly what we need and if we are connected to our feelings when we are painting we are told many things to improve the painting.  Of course, the problem is we over ride this information and we struggle with getting the painting “right”.

Go to the studio today and as you paint relax into the creative flow.  As you are painting remember when that feeling comes that shouts “use red”, but you know red does not work at this place in the painting…..use red!  Trust your gut and give it a try.  We grow when we are willing to take chances.  We grow when we are not afraid.  We grow when we no longer care what others think.

Today…..grow.

First, during a regular walk with my dog Emma I tripped over a small tree trunk.  Tripping while going down hill isn’t recommended.  Not able to recover my balance I slid down hill on my face and body…..also not recommended.  When the slide ended I knew I was not a pretty site…blood, skin hanging and eye glasses destroyed.  Left ankle swollen, right knee too big to be within the normal range.  Emma, was attentive and worried.  Arriving home was a huge relief since it was a two mile walk.  I kept wondering ….where was my Berqa (face veil) when I needed one?  Not being one to horde pain pills I reached for the bottle of wine while cleaning the destruction.

Second, the final move into the new studio space is now over, packing for the trip to Taos took time and effort plus the healing process for the huge knee (required being drained three times) took its toll.  It actually sounds worse than it is but the good news is …… I HAVE GREAT BONES !!!!  No breaks …wow!

I am now in Taos where time moves slower and life is more centered.  This is exactly what I need.  Slow, focused, clarity, peace …all  mine to soak into my soul.

What did I learn from my experience….slow down !  Be aware. Be present.

Another thing  the fall did was remove  confidence in myself.  I never gave walking a thought….I just walked.  I now feel I need to think and  be aware of what is around me when I walk.   We walk automatically but sometimes our radar is off and we fall.  When we fall we lose confidence.

In relation to being an artist how many times have we lost our confidence when we have been rejected from a show, when a friend, neighbor or colleague makes a statement about your art that makes you feel less than you are.

Loss of confidence takes us down a peg but if we are able to look at the situation we can learn a valuable lesson about our self.

Being an artist is a gift we give ourselves.  We are all creative but few people actually say…”I am an artist”.  Being an artist requires a lot of things…..courage to try, courage to put your creations before the public, courage to listen to the comments about your art, courage to believe in yourself.   Maintaining this courage requires we stay focused and centered within ourselves.  This is why a lot of people just won’t take the effort to be their best as it take tremendous effort.

I am now back on track.  The sun is shining,  birds are singing, my dogs are happy, my children and their children are safe and healthy……life is good.  I  look forward to hearing from each of you and sharing our journey of self discovery plus finding that place deep within us that screams “YES”.

This is my studio. This is my last studio.  It may be for a day or twenty years…..but it is mine.  It is filled with soul.  It is filled with an infusion of creativity that screams “Welcome”.   It has come to me with open arms.

Last night I painted the cold gray concrete floors with a warm transparent Terracotta stain then  a layer of  vibrant Tuscon Gold.  They merged into joy.

I have waited a lifetime for this  passage…. childhood, marriage, birth, children, divorce, sorrow, death, disappointments ( in self as well as others), caretaker, widowhood, success, sickness, transformation…..only to arrive at the gate of “myself”.  How lucky can a person be?

I drink a glass of wine to the birth of who I am….I drink a glass of wine to life….I drink a glass of wine to YOU.

The Tao Te Ching teaches personal empowerment. Tao means the journey of our lives, Te means our essential nature and Ching means a sacred book,  It is made up of three characters “to go” ” straight” and “the heart.”   The Tao is a journey of discovery and fulfillment that comes straight from the heart.

To create we allow our heart to be open …wide open. Having our hearts open also requires us to be centered.  Being centered means that we stay in touch with who we are at a deeper level.  It means becoming more aware of our own energies, values, and priorities. We as artists are the luckiest people in the world.  We have the privilege of going within and finding out just who we are.  Our creations reflect no only who we are but how we think and  feel.

So, when you go into your studio how important is the act of creating to you?  Is it just a job or do you feel you must create or die.

What does integrity mean to you?  Does integrity mean something different in your art than with yourself?

Integrity as a concept has to do with perceived consistency of our actions, values, methods, principles, expectations and outcome .

Integrity means the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles that you refuse to change.

Integrity means to complete what you say.

Integrity means you stick to your personal code of conduct….what you have decided  is right or wrong.

Integrity means honoring yourself.  It doesn’t mean you have to “feel” like doing the job or even like the job…..it means you do the job because you gave your word.

Saying and doing are two totally different things…..integrity is doing what you promised.

Integrity is a skill….it is developed over time.  It is developed with experience and observation.

Integrity must be maintained.

Integrity gives us a foundation from which to draw on for future projects.  We automatically know our strength because we have proven it to ourselves  (this one is really important)

Integrity is our secret back up system.

What is artistic integrity:

• Always painting with passion
• Never copying  but taking ideas and tweaking them to make them our own
• Being original….not normal
• Having the courage to take a chance
• Always remembering your artistic vision comes from your life, your thoughts…..your courage
• Creating a painting because it comes from your soul and not for recognition or prizes
• Being willing to be scared….to create on the edge
• To continue creating when doubt in yourself appears
• Doing your very best each and every day

These are but a few…..What are yours?

“Integrity is doing the right thing, even if nobody is watching.”

Today is a snow day.  It is beautiful outside as the flakes fall in their personal graceful pattern.  I have declared  that today is a  “be kind to yourself” day.  So what do I mean by this?  Today is a day to take a look at who you are and how you perceive yourself.

Yesterday I went to my book club group. Ten women of different areas of interest and intense intelligence.  Our book club is different than most as we don’t have a designated book to read.  We come together to share the books that have touched our hearts and minds.  Our illustrious leader, Ann, made a suggestion that changed the whole afternoon.  Instead of telling about the books we read we would pick out the central idea of the book then  tell one or all of the following……did it inspire you, make you think differently, make you think at all, or we could have a discussion about what everyone thought about the central idea.   Wow!  What an afternoon!!!  The conversation was not only stimulating and educational but revealed layers within each person there.  We became more transparent, more vulnerable,  more accessible.  I felt we opened up the gates to a deeper relationship…..all with the purpose of growing ourselves.  It is wonderful when you leave a group filled with inspiration, excitement and acceptance.

In order to grow ourselves as individuals we need to love.  I know you love others…..your children, your friends but what about yourself?  How about yourself as an artist?  Do you love being an artist?  Do you love to paint and create?  Do you believe in your ability to do meaningful work?   I ask these questions of you because they are questions I have had to ask myself.  The answers are not always pretty but must be addressed.  In order to create from within our soul and heart we must love ourselves for who and what we are.  We have worked hard to get to where we are.  This doesn’t mean we are always pleased and sometimes we wish we had taken a different turn along the way.  What it does mean is we took the turn that brought us more information about ourselves and our art.

Take time today to look in the mirror and say  out loud….I love myself.  In doing this you open yourself up to the juicy part of living and creating.

Enjoy your day.

I usually blog each Monday but this past Monday was my birthday.  I decided to give the whole day to myself.  No computers, no emails!  Birthdays should be a day you give to yourself the gift of celebration, belief in self while wrapping yourself in love. On my birthday I always give myself a gift. I try and find something that is beautiful and makes me feel  special…..this year it was a gorgeous soft cadmium yellow scarf with curled edges that looks and feels like spring.

My puppy Emma gave me a great gift…..she went to doggy daycare for the day!!!!

As I age I look back to see the patterns in my life.  We all have personal patterns ….  some are good, some bad.  These patterns teach us who we are.  The patterns we develop in our ever day life also flow over into our creative life.

This past weekend I taught a Collage and Design workshop to a group of gals who fed my soul. The energy of the group seemed to grow as each day progressed.  Collage papers were everywhere. Laughter, frustration, laughter, frustration.  The collages were stunning and the smiles told it all.  Some were already into creating but others awakened a sleeping giant within their soul.  Watching as a whole new world is being born is a treat like no other.

I will be teaching workshops in Taos, New Mexico this summer.  They will be posted  soon in case you are interested.

This situation causes one to look into their own soul and question their beliefs and their purpose in life.  We as artists are lucky.  We know what we are passionate about.    We are privileged.  No matter our circumstances….we are privileged.  With privilege come responsibility.  It is our responsibility as artists to continue our passion, to share, teach, create, encourage other artists and want-a-be artists.  In doing this we fulfill our mission as individuals.  This is our way of giving.

“We change the world not by what we say or do, but as a consequence of what we have become”

Dr. David Hawkins

One realizes how incredibly simple yet complex the mind of a dog really is. They read you in simple terms….are you gentle, are you kind, will you take me home? Some, such as Scout, the pit bull in this blog, searches for kindness. The eyes show sadness, lack of trust and yet there is that eternal hope that only a dog has. It doesn’t take much to make a dog happy.

Our art reflects what is inside of us. This is why it is so scary to enter shows, show our friends our paintings ….. what will they think? I have decided we must learn to love with the heart of a dog. Just accept love and give love without question. Love our art, love the process of creating….love the creature we are.

Get in your studio and paint. Let me know what is going on with you. Stretch, grow and believe in yourself !!!

Don’t forget to take the survey ( link is below) if you haven’t already done so. Thanks