Well gals…..I am about to share something with you that I have second thoughts about sharing.   So what is it that is such a challenge?

This is a blog about creativity and art but my challenge is not about this ….it is about health.  I want to also be healthy so I can continue doing my art and sharing my thoughts with you.  With this said I am going to tell you what I am about to do……..I am going to juice and eat only plant based foods for three months.

Not a big deal so you think…..think again. I am addicted to Coca-Cola and love salty foods.  I love butter, bread, sweets and many other things  I know will rear their ugly heads when I am in the clutches of desire for something to munch on.

Why am I sharing this with you?  Well, it is really more selfish than being noble…..I need your support.

I am going to keep a journal which I will share with you on my progress.  In three months it will be interesting to see if my blood pressure improves, my restless leg syndrome is better and my energy is on overdrive.  I will be 70 next January 25th and I want to be smoking hot……energy smoking hot…not sexy smoking hot…..oh, you know what I mean.

So, what do I need from you? An email every once in a while to say you are there for me.  Don’t tell me how good that chocolate pie was you had last night….I’m serious!!!

If anyone wants to do this with me feel free to join me and let’s see how we do.  I have attached several websites you can visit and get an idea of how it will be.

It will also be interesting to see how it affects my creativity….bet I am a tad slow  the first week but bet it improves from then on.  Will let you know about this as well.

Thanks for reading and all your support.….now I ‘m going to have my last cookie!

love

gwen

The movie   Forks over Knives……Dr. Oz said about the movie….”I Love It and I need all of you to see it.”

http://www.rawfoodrehab.com

Bet you will never look at a stick again without thinking of sculpture.

Enjoy!

Stick Sculpture

stick sculpture
Close Ties, Dingwall, Scottish Highlands, 2006.
By Patrick Dougherty. www.stickwork.net
Photographer: Fin Macrae.

stick sculpture
Sortie de Cave/Free at Last,
Jardin des Arts, Chateaubourg, France, 2008. By Patrick Dougherty. www.stickwork.net

stick sculpture
The Summer Palace

Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 2009.

By Patrick Dougherty. www.stickwork.net

stick sculpture
Call of the Wild

Museum of Glass, Tacoma, WA, 2002.
By Patrick Dougherty. www.stickwork.net
Photographer: Duncan Price.

stick sculpture
Toad Hall

Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, Santa Barbara, CA, 2005.

By Patrick Dougherty. www.stickwork.net

stick sculpture
Sittin’ Pretty

South Carolina Botanical Gardens, Clemson, South Carolina, 1996.

By Patrick Dougherty. www.stickwork.net
Photographer: David Lewis.

Patrick Dougherty. www.stickwork.net

stick sculpture
Roundabout
Tallaght Community Art Center, Dublin, Ireland 1997.

By Patrick Dougherty. www.stickwork.net

stick sculpture
Crossing Over

American Craft Museum, New York, New York, 1996.

By Patrick Dougherty. www.stickwork.net
Photographer: Dennis Cowley.

Patrick Dougherty uses locally grown branches and often recruits locals to help complete his works. www.stickwork.net

stick sculpture
Around the Corner
University of Southern Indiana, New Harmony Gallery, New Harmony, IN, 2003.
By Patrick Dougherty. www.stickwork.net
Photographer: Doyle Dean.

Combining his carpentry skills with his love of nature, Patrick Dougherty began to learn about primitive building techniques and to experiment with tree saplings as construction material beginning about 1980. He quickly moved from small single pieces on pedestals to monumental site-specific installations. To date he has built over two hundred twenty such massive sculptures all over the world. His home base is his handmade log home in Chapel Hill, NC.

stick sculpture
Ground Beneath, Oulu 1996 – 99.  9.5 m, by Jaakko Pernu www.environmentalart.net

stick sculpture
For the Big Family, 2006, by Jaakko Pernu. www.environmentalart.net

stick sculpture
Beacon, 2002. 4.5 m www.environmentalart.net

stick sculpture
Organ of Hearing, Fiskars 1999 – 03 by Jaakko Pernu  www.environmentalart.net

stick sculpture
Flux by Jaakko Pernu

Jaakko Pernu was born in 1958 in Kälviä, Finland, he currently lives and works in the city of Kokkola. “My working techniques are a direct continuation of the traditional Finnish itch for “hands-on” methods, in which in one form or another, materials derived from nature were always used. I feel that my completed works can be a part of the defined art world of galleries or museums; however, they can also be within reach of the so-called man in the street, who might bump into the artworks by chance along unfamiliar paths. In that instance, you could say that the intuitive ball of comprehension has been thrown to the viewer.” Some in process images here: www.environmentalart.net

stick sculpture
Unen Silta by Jenni Tieaho. www.environmentalart.net

stick sculpture
Flame by Jenni Tieaho

stick sculpture
Tree Bark Snow Foals by Jenni Tieaho

Jenni Tieaho lives and works in Uusimaa, Finland. “My work tells stories about the Finnish forest, lakes the mossy mountains and vast open fields, in an often folkloric, mystical and magical way. Pineneedles, pinecones, hay, moss, the roots of plants or the tree bark weave into stories in which are hidden the powerful expression of nature. They express various, human feelings, longing, closeness, hurt and belonging. Exploration and adventure are the making of art, also a part of me as a person. Art as a way of life is a playful interaction for human beings. It is a language with which I communicate with my own surroundings.” www.environmentalart.net

stick sculpture
By Jonathan Brilliant

The Goldsworthy of the Coffee shop uses coffee stir sticks, the seven inch birch ones from Starbucks, which have the appropriate bend and weave-ability. ‘In his ongoing series of work, Jonathan continues to explore his sense that the coffee shop and related consumer environs are more organic and nurturing than the “real” natural environment.’ jonathanbrilliant.com

stick sculpture
Jonathan Brilliant

No glue or other adhesive is used, the sculptures are created entirely in situ using only tension and compression, so therefore the pieces are not permanent. jonathanbrilliant.com

Treehugger at Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, NY.

“Treehugger Project” by Agnieszka Gradzik and Wiktor Szostalo is an ongoing work of environmental art made from twigs, branches, vines, and other natural materials in the shape of human figures hugging trees. The works represent the artists’ ongoing mission to help people rediscover their relationship with nature. www.pratt.edu

stick sculpture
Silent by Jenni Tieahon of Finland.

stick sculpture
Otters Moors Centre, Yorkshire by Emma Stothard
www.northyorkmoors.org.uk

My main form of creativity is painting and teaching….of which I love!  For years, about fifteen, I have been collecting beads.  Don’t ask me why as I don’t have an answer other than I love the history of the beads, their feel plus their color and shape.  With several boxes overflowing with beads from many countries I finally decided to play.  Play is a wonderful form of creativity.

I quickly discovered that creating a necklace filled with spirit required some major thought and, just like painting, required I be in touch with the real me.  Anyone can put beads together but giving the beads life is another matter.

Why do something different? Diversity in creativity is like anything else….it requires growth. Our perspective about our creative ability is put on the line…..this is true no matter what new form of adventure we select.

I can’t think of anything more important than growth in our understanding of who we are and our ability to take this innate power to a higher level.

I know you have dreamed of perhaps writing poetry, learning to dance, developing a book.  So, I ask you…..what is stopping you?

Here are a few examples of what I have created that have been accepted into my galleries.  They are necklaces that have beads from  different parts of Africa, Thailand, Afghanistan, China, United States, etc.  Each bead not only has its own story but has its own energy vibration.

Let me know what you think……

Choosing a different surface on which to paint doesn’t require we change the “way” we paint……it just requires us to be open to new possibilities.  I will also do Abstracts on my metal surfaces and I know the feel of the oil on the metal will be totally different than on canvas.  Perhaps I will find new way to develop a painterly inner glow in my paintings that is deeper and better.  This discovery process is fabulous!

Another thing trying a new surface does for us is it creates excitement and excitement breaths new life in future paintings.

What new surface are you going to try?  Let me know…

So who is Shea Hembrey you ask?  Shea is a contemporary artist who wanted to do his own international art show with work from 100 different artist.  Instead of asking other artists to join him he decided to invent all of the artists and artwork himself.  His artwork ranged from  large-scale outdoor installations to tiny paintings drawn with a single-haired brush.  This endeavor took him two years to complete.

I found his ability to invent each artists bio extremely creative.  Watch this video and think about how you would create this sort of crazy, wonderful adventure.

Could you do this? I bet you could. When we set our imagination free from preconceived boundaries our vision is limitless.

If you did an art show of twenty artists what styles would you do?  Would they all be paintings?  Think about it and let me know.

With all that has gone on, the drive to Taos proved to be one of my best.  It is such a gorgeous drive and just the right amount of time on the road….especially with two German Shepherds.

The weather in Taos has been cool which has only added to my indulgence of curling up in front of the kiva fireplace with the fire spewing out quiet thoughts.  Each evening I step out to observe the millions of stars that grace the New Mexico sky.

I have discovered that “play time” is extremely important in our creative life. You may already know this but the question is, do you give yourself  time to play?

I decided to paint chairs...why chairs?…..because they are frumpy, hard, soft, rickety, formal, casual and contain conversations that have been told in private.  Chairs lead lives that make me smile.  This painting was done on metal and painted with oil….acrylics would have worked as well.  It was fun using different color combination’s, wacky pattern and perspective gone array.  What a gift to be free and see what happens.  The chair paintings represent fun, play, letting go and just being.

Try painting for fun and see how you feel.  Let me know if it works.  I bet you will approach your next paintings with much more freedom because you gave yourself permission to PLAY.

I have never been in love with a man  who required extra care, being fed special meals several times a day, required being watched 24/7 and  YEE GADS….. the need to be potty trained !!!!!

I am not normally drawn to a man with lots of hair or one who is rather pudgy.

But this one is different.

His name is Wilson.

You are asking……what does a puppy have to do with creativity?     Plenty!

Puppies, kittens, babies of any kind teach us to be new.

To be new we must be willing to be clumsy as being clumsy means you are exploring and never on solid footing.

Being new means never having to apologize for being different, creative, or failing.

Being new gives permission to rest and dream.

Being new presents a life without judgment.

Being new is curiosity in full bloom

Being new allows laughter to come from deep within your belly.

Being new says it’s alright to cry.

Being new invites quiet.

Being new is pure love.

Perhaps we should spend an hour each day “being new” !

Just think how much our creativity would grow!

What is “being new” to YOU?

Life is good!

Energy balancing and palm reading were also part of this class.  May sound silly but let me tell you…..the gals loved the process.

The mornings were crisp yet the days were filled with soft sunshine that felt like velvet.  Each morning before the gals would arrive I would light a fire in the studio wood stove  to take the chill off the room.  When lunchtime came we ate on the patio and shared stories….some of them priceless.

Gloria was our wise woman who shared many wonderful sayings.  She also shared how to end a conversation that was getting out of hand.  Her sage words to the other person were…..”The Victory is Yours”.  Simplicity at its best!

We learned no matter where we live or what jobs we do, our dreams of doing art are similar.  We all want time to create. 

How wonderful to share five days with equal minded women, all glorious in their own right, yet open to share their dreams.

Again…..

Life is good!

T

Have you hear all this before? I remember when I started painting I worked hard to learn.  I felt overwhelmed with all the” must do” talk.  I read the books, took workshops, bought the right brushes, listened to my friends,  who all knew much more than I,  talk about design, and how to visually enter a painting.  So much to learn.

After a while I started entering shows only to find my rejection slips in the mail.  After a  year and half of rejection slips I was not only discouraged but wondered what the judges were looking for.  How could the paintings I was producing be so wrong?

During this period of rejection, I was taking a workshop in Denver with an artist who had just judged a show I had entered.  She started talking about some of the paintings  she had judged and mentioned a particular painting  she didn’t like.  She went into great detail about what she thought was wrong with this painting.   She had no idea who the artist was who had painted the painting but that painting was MINE.

In actuality the painting was good but not great.

Why am I telling you about this?  Because this happens everyday in the art world.  Enter the world of art shows….being judged.  The art world is like any other niche….there are likes and dislikes. You will find a judge who likes only transparent colors or doesn’t like flower paintings because they think they are boring.  It is like flavors of ice cream….to some, chocolate caramel swirl  is better than pistachio .

Remember the song “Shoes are made for walking”.….I think it should be “Rules are made for walking”.  Being creative and taking chances means we goof at times……actually a lot of the time.   To me being different gives me wings, allows space for my breath to flow, provides movement for energy…. it also makes me feel like I am on stage without clothes.

Continue to forget the rules.  Mix muddy colors, exaggerate the design concept, twist the subject matter, dig down and create from a new pool of thought.

Enjoy!

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.