Early-morning writing

What it’s like, for me, to write in the early morning.

The inspiring advice I recorded in my journal is from the late poet, Jane Kenyon.

Gratitude

A writer friend, Dee Ready, has kept a gratitude journal for more than 20 years. When she was diagnosed with sight-threatening eye problems, she realized she’d never once written that she was grateful for her sight. Knowing Dee, her oversight is due to her vast appreciation for her family and friends, good books to read, gardens that grow, her cats, and more. http://cominghometomyself.blogspot.com/

Another memorable mention of gratitude was from Dave Cornell. Dave is a motivational speaker and coach whose focus is on cultivating courage, professionally and personally. Dave revealed during a presentation that when he and his wife went through bankruptcy due to both losing their jobs within 13 months, they kept a gratitude journal. Through the distress and anxiety of their experience, Dave described the positive value they gained by recognizing the good things in their life. http://www.cultivatecourage.com/

I’ve gained lessons from Dee and Dave – to not take anything for granted, but rather to be grateful. Also to be grateful for the things that don’t go my way; for challenges and stressful circumstances, knowing I will learn something from them, if only I approach those times with an outlook of gratitude.

Gratitude vs guilt
During Hurricane Irma, and during these days following that destructive event, I am grateful to live in the Midwest, away from the devastation of tropical storms. But my sister and her husband live north of Naples, Florida. If anyone can come through a catastrophe, my vote would be solidly for them. They are prepared for any eventuality and they work well together.

Now, when they are among the 7 million Floridians who don’t have electricity, the good news is that they are tired but well, and although there’s flooding outside their home, inside it’s dry. I’m so relieved; so grateful. But I feel guilty that our electricity works, our water is clean and available, our streets are clear of debris, and stores and offices continue to operate in a “business as usual” model.

I also feel helpless and inadequate. Beyond donating to the Red Cross, I wonder what to do that would be helpful. Perhaps I can answer my own question by being grateful, and recognizing all that I have for which I can express gratitude.

While I was vacuuming

Instead of placing one piece of paper on the inked palette, I grabbed three scraps & laid them in place over the inked palette & Ostrich fern leaves.

As I was vacuuming up dust and dead bugs on our porch, I thought about how we spend our time. Housekeeping and life’s daily chores are necessary, and can even provide a contrast to the more challenging activities in life. In fact, more than one artist has written about deriving comfort and time for reflection from the doing of life’s ordinary tasks. But if you are a maker—a creator of something that didn’t exist before you started your creative process—keep at it. Your “making” of something is making a difference, surely for your own satisfaction and joy.

Illuminating mistakes

On Saturday, at the reception for an exhibition of my nature prints combined with lettering, my friend, Linda, asked how I’d created one of the collages. The one to which she referred (shown below) was the most complicated. I wasn’t sure I could explain the process of putting it together. It’s not a matter of being cagey; not an unwillingness to share “the family recipe.” No, it’s more a matter of being so absorbed in—or dazzled by—the colorful, patterned possibilities of the prints that I lose track of tangible factors such as time, process, sequence, and decisions.

In fact, the method I use is to make copies of the original prints, then tear them apart and position them onto the substrate (support surface). When I’m satisfied with the composition, I take a picture of it. I then unassemble the collage, numbering each piece. When I start to assemble the actual collage in which I use the original artwork, I follow the numbers, putting piece number one in place first, followed by the second piece, and so on.

Do you wonder why I came up with this plan? Naturally it’s due to another lesson learned “the hard way.” Of course, I pasted a piece to the substrate that I’d intended to place on top of something else. The piece had this lovely, ragged torn edge that was now never going to be seen because it would be covered by something else. I mourned my foolishness for a minute, then got going. Hey, there are more illuminating mistakes in my future!

Two distinct prints came together to create this collage. You’re seeing the whole, “raw” collage here. I cropped it to make A-2-sized note cards, and it’s exhibited in a square frame. The translation of the rubber-stamp seal is “Wisdom,” a quality for which I’m always longing for more. • Yoga sutra IV.22 from Bernard Bouanchaud’s book “The Essence of Yoga.”

Making supper

While making supper tonight, I heard Garrison Keillor on public radio’s Writer’s Almanac program. Keillor was reading this quote from the late Steve Jobs on the Apple co-founder’s birthday (Feb. 24): “Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.”

Strawberry leaves

An exhibition of my prints with lettering

From now until April 10, 2015, many of my prints are on display in the serene space at One Yoga Studio in south Minneapolis. During the year since One Yoga Studio’s art curator invited me to show my work, I continued to explore the beauty of nature’s shapes, sizes, and patterns.

Ten of the pieces are collages that are the result of combining portions of prints and some of my favorite yoga sutras. The lettering created a focal point for the print—and unity occurred. Focus and unity are some of the tenets of my own yoga practice.

I’m honored and pleased to present my work at One Yoga Studio and am grateful to the community there. I’m also grateful to curator Katherine Pohlman; my friend, fiber artist, Sandra Brick, who introduced me to Katherine; my nature printing teacher, Sonja Larsen; my Viniyoga teacher, Laurie LoPesio; my husband, Dan; and my family, friends, fellow artists, customers, and students. A reception for viewing and visiting will take place on Saturday, March 7, from 6:45 to 8:15 P.M. Please stop by.

I’m beginning to combine lettering with some of my nature prints.

Risking adding more clutter

As I think about clutter, I’m reminded of two quotes. One is from a black, bound, blank book in which I recorded pages of favorite quotes while I was in college. This is from page 272 in Cancer Ward by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn: “Order in affairs maintains peace of mind.”

The other inspiring comment is from Susy Pilgrim Waters, a mixed-media, collage, paint, and paper artist whose work I admire. You can see her comment on her blog: “My brain feels much better when my desk is TIDY! So I dream on….” Susy’s quote.

Clearing the clutter

An artful friend stayed home last night to clear the clutter in her studio. Another creative friend reserved a book from the library that addresses dealing with clutter. The three of us agree that we are more creative if our workspace is in order and we have a clear space on which to begin our next project.

Many Americans admit they have “too much stuff.” In fact, have you ever heard anyone say “I have just enough stuff”? The book my friend reserved is on Amazon’s list of Best Books of the Year for 2014. You may be familiar with it; the title is The Life-changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondo.

It’s the same book about which my husband emailed to me this link: http://althouse.blogspot.com/2015/01/unbelievable-as-it-may-sound-you-only.html

As it is with many decisions, balance is what many of us are trying to achieve. How do we dedicate enough time and thought to avoid an accumulation of clutter without becoming overly occupied with this activity?

Prairie Smoke (Geum triflorum) leaves

Happy new year

Happy fresh, new year to you. This time of year and Labor Day are the two times when many people get inspired and consider making changes, improvements, or fresh starts.

The most inspiring material I’ve read in a while is the interview on the Daily Paintworks blog with Minneapolis painter and teacher Kat Corrigan. I think you’ll be inspired and uplifted by Kat’s candid, generous, disciplined, ebullient approach to being an artist—and to life itself.

Is it important for an artist not to have favorite works just as parents shouldn’t have favorite children? I don’t know the answer but I will admit that I’ve always liked this muted blue print of unknown leaves. The paper is the Sprinkle Gold Sumi-E-like paper made by Pia (a Paragon Product) that Liz from Wet Paint encouraged me to buy. The little gold specks are on the top surface of the paper. I’m now printing on my fourth roll of that paper!

Happy holidays

Thank you for stopping by my space yesterday at the Womens’ Art Festival. Creating artwork would be a lot less fun, worthwhile, and profitable without people to admire it, ask about it, and purchase it. I and my fellow artists appreciate your curiosity and patronage.

The new venue—the Colin Powell Youth Leadership Center—was favored by artists and guests as having good lighting, better parking, and a pleasant atmosphere compared to the previous location. The hourly music, provided by women musicians, was magical, particularly the women’s choir which creats an atmosphere of being in the presence of angels.

With yesterday’s event being my last for this season, I’m now focused on preparing for Christmas. We started with dog baths today which were preceded by vacuuming and laundry and will surely be followed by baking—and eating—cookies.

I wish you a merry and meaningful holiday season including Hannukah, the winter solstice, Christmas, Kwanza, and even Festivus (“for the rest of us”), created by Kramer, Jerry Seinfeld’s neighbor.

Some festive images for this wintery season.