I drove from Colorado Springs to Taos, New Mexico last week and was in awe of  the colors of the landscape. As I drove through the San Luis Valley the willows along the creek beds were a stunning burnt orange with a touch of magenta.  The trees told the story of their ancestry by displaying their personal colors on their branches. .  They were either a cool gray or a deep rich butterscotch that glowed against the cerulean sky.

The colors of the fields were soft with muted sage greens, grasses that looked like melted butter, quiet grays that went from cool to a contagious warm.  Even the deep sienna’s were dulled by the winter snow.

The winter colors….luscious sophisticated neutrals. Not a single bright color disturbed the eye.  The mystery of the winter landscape is one of quiet thoughts.

This makes one realize the importance of those marvelous “quiet colors” in our paintings.  They are the colors that hold a painting together and allow the entertaining colors to sing in a loud majestic voice.

As the colors of the landscape move from winter into spring  I can’t help but think about the goals and dreams we had at the first of the yea\.  It is now that we take these dreams and make them go from a possibility to a reality.

I have done a lot of planning this winter and can’t wait to put my plans into action.  Plans are different than dreams or wishes….having a plan means one must take action.

Taking action is where the rub comes in….action means I must get out of dreaming and “do”…yes “do” what I planned.  Taking action is the hard part….dreaming is easy.

I’ve got my goals, my intentions, my monthly plan, yearly plan, number of paintings needed to be completed to reach my financial goal……..oh dear…..it is now time to put down the pencil and get to work.

This is usually where the problem arrives in my mind…..It is called OVERWHELM ! Where to  begin…what to do first….the big “how” comes into play.  If I have a great idea then the “how to accomplish that idea” raises it’s ugly head and down goes the dream.

This year I will let the “how” rest while I go forward and trust the  “how” will arrive in due course of time.

What are your dreams that need to be placed on the action train…..go girl!!!

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!

This is a very welcoming church filled with old fashion acceptance.  Here all are welcomed.  No judgment.  It was refreshing.

The El Pueblito United Methodist Church isn’t necessarily a pretty church from the outside.  The building is plain with a very tall turquoise cross at its entrance.  The building has had several lives….it was a gas station, bar, cafe and now a church.

This  little church by the side of the road has what they call a “shared table”.  They serve 500 – 600 hungry men, women and children, every other week.

Steve, the pastor, talked about getting back up on the horse after falling off, never giving up, always trying again and again.  This is so true for artists.  We go into our studio and sometimes fail in sharing our vision.  Our colors are dull, the design doesn’t work, our subject matter is boring….why didn’t we notice that before we decided to paint that still life?  The next day we go into our studio again.  We are determined to wrestle this painting to the ground and by golly, we are going to win.

This is the determination needed to be a successful artist.

I felt full of peace that Sunday morning.   Outside in a field  filled with the colors of autumn, sun dancing on the newly cut grass, violin music playing…………pastor on horseback sharing the love of humanity.

The photos in this blog were taken by photographer Lenny Foster http://www.lennyfoster.com

Check out his website for gorgeous photos of “healing hands”

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.

Here is the class picture from the workshop in Taos last week.  Fabulous people who joined creative thoughts and produced many wonderful paintings.  It always amazes me when a class comes together as this one did.  They were supportive of each other, painted with all their heart, each suffering silently in frustration with the newness of some of the painting ideas yet growing in leaps and bounds.  I have other pictures but am having trouble getting them accepted so will share them later when the problem has been solved.

Taos was unusually hot so we took off early one day and went  to Arroyo Seco to see this lovely town and indulge some Taos Cow ice cream.  Sitting outside on the porch of the Taos Cow  eatery we laughed and shared stories that normally would have been been left untold.

While in Arroya Seco the gals shopped and enjoyed the diverse opportunities that awaited them.  A trip like this awakens the visual spirit.

Workshops are gifts we give ourselves

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.

Time to witness the birth of an evening.   Time to become one with the universe.

When we take this time to become part of the universe we become  more real as an artist.  We actually see…we look….we are aware.  This is when we are whole.

Take time this week to look….beyond what is normal…..be silent…be still….absorb and breathe.

Enjoy the journey to the inner part of YOU.

Much love

gwen

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”.

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.

So what was I contemplating about?  The new year….2009.  Last year was a tough year for me with lots of losses.  2009 will be welcomed in with vigor and determination.  I asked myself  “Exactly what do the artists need that come and study with me?  How can I help them open their hearts and allow the knowledge of their greatness enter?”

Maybe you can help me with this.  What areas of your art would you like to improve?  Is it the business side, the technical side or maybe the confidence side. Give this some thought and in 2009 we will cover these topics and conquer what holds you back.