Personal Sanctuary

"Everyone needs a sanctuary to gather thoughts and apply personal tools. It's in a sanctuary where a sense of self is daily repaired and polished. Things begin to make sense in a sanctuary. Even for the most limited among us, a sanctuary is where progress is made and work gets done."
Robert Genn

Seeing through tears

It has been a while since I have posted anything. I have been busy but whats new about that. I think the real problem in the last 6 months or so is a lack of words. Sometimes I guess you can say that my brain is blank for whatever reason. A lot of things have changed and a lot of things have stayed the same and have even become better. My art group/business is doing pretty good, while we have not sold enough to remove the title starving artists from our group we are all getting along well. All three of us are growing and learning what kind of compositions and paintings work the best. We are exhibiting continuously.

Jerry has left Stiles Machinery and went to work for a company in Sacramento, CA. He is there now working and trying to find housing for us. Yes before the year is out we will be moved. Our plans are to lease our house out until the market improves so that we can sell it or maybe move back later...who knows at this moment.

Michael and his long time girlfriend Hillary got married on July 5th. It was a beautiful wedding in our backyard on the lake. The day could not have been more perfect. We spent the next week recovering from all the excitement. Mike and Hill left for their honeymoon that weekend.

On Monday the 14th of July they found Mikes best friend dead. It was devastating for the whole family. Ben had been a part of our family for as long as I can remember. He spent summers living with us, he went on family vacations with us. He was like one of my kids. We called Mike at Disney World and broke the news to him. Ben's funeral was on Friday and Jerry flew in from Sacramento and Mike and Hillary flew back early. The funeral was delayed until Mike was able to get there after flying in that morning and having to drive from Detroit. Going to the funeral home for the viewing was one of the hardest things I have had to do. But standing on the curb with Ben's family waiting for Mike to get there was a memory I will never forget. Ben's open casket was right inside the door waiting for Mike to say his final goodbye. The sorrow and concern for Mike was overwhelming. The funeral I thought was as good as a funeral can get. There were many memories of Ben that were shared. He was well loved. Ben had many many friends. He touched so many lives yet the question has to be asked, "How could somebody that was loved by so many people be able to abuse drugs and overdose?" Ben was always there...he just was and I guess we took it for granted. There is a fine line between life and death and he crossed it one too many times and in a way we all sat back and watched. Some tried to reach him...Mike tried. Could we all have done more? Would anything we said or did saved Ben? I don't know...but the one thing I do know is that the only time I personally told Ben I loved him and cared about him was as he lay lifeless in his casket. That is sad. I hope I never have these regrets again. Many lessons can be learned from Ben...his life and his death. I love you Ben.

I have many plans for the future. I am working on several paintings for Bold Strokes. I am almost finished and then I have an idea for a composition for a painting for Ben's parents. Before Ben's death I have had an idea concerning portraits and what having a portrait of yourself emotionally does for a person. In the next blogs I will elaborate more on my thoughts and share the beginnings of my portrait of Ben.

Flower Painting

Here is a new painting I have been working on for Bold Strokes. There will be 3 panels total. Karen and Carol will each do a panel and we will mount and possibly frame this piece. Each panel is 9 x 12. This painting will be on exhibit at Saint Mary's hospital in March and April.

remaining an artist once we grow up

http://bethogrady.wordpress.com/2008/01/26/remaining-an-artist-once-we-grow-up/

I ran across this link/blog this morning and found it very helpful. I struggle with trying to maintain some kind of control with my art. Take a look at the blog and let me know what you think.

Cousins

8 x 10 Oil on cradled panel $99.00
This painting has painted sides and can be
hung with or without a frame.

Quote for today

Today as I was taking care of all the paperwork that I have been putting off I ran across this quote.

Action is the foundational key to all success.
::: Pablo Picasso :::


I am going to work on not procratinating. Just get it done and then it is done!

The importance of Customer Service

Last night I emailed two great and very popular artists, Karin Jurick and Justin Clayton with a question. I really did not expect to get an answer assuming that they were busy and my question did not have to do with a purchase of their art work. It was a question that would help me with my paintings. I was pleasantly surprised that I received an answer from both of them within hours...not days or weeks. That really got me thinking about my own art career and the importance of returning emails promptly. They are popular not only because they are great painters but also because they are great business people. They will continue to be two of my favorite painters.

Adirondack chair in fall oil painting

This is a painting I did several months ago. I love the image of sitting out under a tree with the leaves falling all around. Fall is one of the prettiest seasons here in Michigan.

This was painted in oil on an 8x 10 panel.

$99.00 unframed

Happy New Year

Well...today is Jan. 1st 2008, a new year...a time to make a new start! Let's face it, 2007 for my family had a little too much "excitement". We finished our house and moved in, both of our boys went to war in Iraq, our daughter spent her pregnancy on bed rest before giving birth to our first grandchild. Started a new art/group business, ended the new art group business, started another one, and had my first art exhibit. I have met some really great people and I have met some real strange people. Both have taught me a lot about dealing and handling confrontation. The year 2008 holds promises for a more productive and somewhat calmer year. My boys will be home in Feb. which is the most important thing. I am looking forward to growing as an artist. I am planning a trip to OKC in June for the Parade of West and seeing my mom. I am looking forward to working with my art partners and painting some great paintings. We have several shows already booked. I am ready to go and excited! Are you ready to be bold ladies?

Sometimes nothing works

It has been a while since I wrote and how ironic it is that my last blog was talking about how everything just works. In the last week my whole life has been trying to spiral out of control. I have a control issue...not the kind of control you might be thinking but my control has to do with controlling the way I am treated and the kind of situations I allow myself to be put into. It is no secret to the people that know me that as I child I was put into all kinds of terrible situations in which I had no control. So as an adult I have to remember to separate myself from the emotions that getting into similar circumstances can trigger. I have come a long ways in my emotional growth and now I think I have been given a pop quiz. How will I score?

Sometimes every thing just works

Have you ever had times when all your painting just works...no struggling or "do overs"? Well that has been the way it has been for me the last few days.
Some times I switch over to that artistic side of my brain and can be lost there for several days. When I am not painting I am researching or reading art magazines. I go until I am exhausted only to fall asleep and paint in my dreams. I keep going careful not to do anything to hinder this artistic ride.
Once I start doing such things as paying bills or something as simple as following a recipe...then its over. I don't know how much sense all this is making but I guess it is best decibed as that "place" an artist goes to except sometimes, if I am lucky I can stay there for several days.
The work I have done the past few days has been fun and easy. I am really happy with the way the paintings are turning out.
Lets hope it all continues tomorrow even though I was interupted while writing this and spent the last hour looking for medical receipts...AHHHH!
Well if anyone out there has experienced anything like I have been talking about I would love to know I am not alone!

Sons coming home

Well its Monday and after spending the morning running errands I am back in the studio. I have several paintings to finish and four more ready to start. I hope to post pictures of the finished ones by the end of the week. I feel more on top of things and more mentally organized then I did last week. My husband keeps reminding me not to under estimate the stress and anxiety having the boys in Iraq has on my life. Sometimes I can use my art to escape for a while but it is hard not to be worried. Last week I read a story about a rocket going off where one of my sons works and it took 3 days before I was able to confirm that he was ok. The only thing you can do during those times is pray and trust God to protect them. Very soon they both will be home on leave. I can not wait to see them. It has been 9 months since we last saw them. It is going to be hard to send them back for 3 more months but at least they only have a little time left.

My first blog

Today I set up my first blog. So far I would have to say the hardest part of this is coming up with a name...sounds crazy coming from an artist. We are supposed to be "creative". One of the hardest things for me to do is come up with a compostition for a painting. I lay at night in a semi sleep and creative ideas flood my brain. It is like I have so many thoughts and ideas to put down on canvas but they refuse to come out in my conscience state. It is like a giant roadblock or plug that is holding every thing in. On top of being frustrated sometimes I feel lost. After a long night painting in my dreams I was ready to try and recreate my nighttime paintings. I took a small canvas and started to "scribble" with acryllic. The painting turned into a woman holding her hand out. I feel like I need to paint something that describes the feelings of a mother whose children are at war. I need to put my fears down somehow on canvas and that is where I come to now. How do I express myself with paint.