Ok, technically I’m still on vacation :)
But this
announcement, just released today is too good to not to share with you, especially for those of you who might want to get in on the FUN, ASAP!!!
I already cannot wait for September....you should really come play with us, really!!
In the meantime, back to my regularly scheduled vacation....
Goodness, it seems I’ve left you since last Thursday. Usually I like to at least pop in and wish you a happy weekend. But as you know before you go on vacation there is a lot to do, and it seems that when your work for yourself, there’s even more than "a lot" to do. But then you arrive at today when you’re ready for some time away and it’s all worth it. *sigh*
Thank you so much as always to my beyond loyal customers who came over to the
shop update last Thursday. All of your packages are on their way! Thank you to my students
"in the fish bowl", who are making this experience of teaching an e-course beyond wonderful, even more wonderful than I could’ve hoped for. Thank you to those of you continue to come visit me here....ok now I’m just carrying on, but if you visit here often you know I carry on in my sentimentality from time to time. I’m just heading into this vacation feeling especially grateful for so much.
The painting above was painted by me at the age of 15. You can see my signature at the bottom along with '88 for the year. I thought it was a nice image to leave you with because, this lady in white looks like she might be on a vacation of her own, yes? ~ and time away for me is always a chance to reconnect with myself and that is what I’m most looking forward to in the days ahead.
I wish you a wonderful week, and happy 4th of July if you are here in the states and I’ll see you back here next week. xo
8 x 24 in.
Remember the days when you couldn’t wait to see how much taller you’d gotten? When you marked your height on the wall? Well as you may already know, we have "growth charts" now {and beautifully designed, adorable ones at that}. In fact this sweet little group of friends is becoming a "growth chart" for my
licensing company. In a few months they will be cheering on the little ones as they get taller! And in the meantime, you can purchase the original painting for sale in my newly updated
"large works" gallery.
I’m keeping this post short and sweet on this Creative Thursday, because it’s a full day ahead. Time for class 2 in the
fish bowl!! and I’m meeting you over at Etsy @ 3pm for the
shop update. See you then!
5 x 5 in.
I’ve been stealthily releasing a few originals via the daily paintings list. And I say stealthily because I had released the
images here on the blog a while back, but had not yet released the original paintings until this past week.
Twinkle is one that is being released for sale today while simultaneously making its first appearance here on the blog. Now that that’s all sorted out :)
I was painting today, and I have a whole new series percolating... I have to say that my teaching of the e-course and the questions I have been asking of my students, I am also asking of myself. And I feel an evolution of creating happening...although I don’t yet know what that looks like. Ever since just before my trip to Squam, and then of course Squam multiplied it, I have this, for lack of better words, "bunch"of inspiration within me that is desperately trying to find a new voice and home...in the meantime I’m playing with new blog headers.
Just thought you might want to know I’ve decided to have a little shop update this Creative Thursday @ 3 pm PST. For those of you wanting vases...here you go!
Apparently I bring a lot of joy to the babies out there, and honestly, I couldn’t think of a better audience.
wishing you a happy weekend & happy father’s day to all the dads!! xoxo
{thank you to Stephanie & Kerri for letting me share the adorable Lucas & Koko with you}
by Cheryl
Or that they cannot "paint".
Seeing as how it’s Creative Thursday, there’s no better day than today to share a bit of what my students created at Squam.
I’ve spent the better part of today deep "in the fish bowl" as it is also the official start to my e-course ! ~ so my words are limited ~ and I’d also love to let the creations speak for themselves.
by Marianne
What I will say is that never before have I been so moved by a class and so in awe of my students. I’ve attended many art classes in my day and none have ever felt like this. I’m sure the fact that I was actually teaching or as I like to say guiding this class plus the beautiful location made a difference, but truth be told these creative women were amazing all around, in creativity, in kindness and in support of one another that was generous and pure of heart. I just kept walking through class, saying in "my usual way", "you people" or "you ladies" are AMAZING me. :)
by Maggie
Some of them had never painted a painting before, EVER and everyone left the end of class with a finished painting if not two.
by Kristin, Lucie & Helen
One of the best parts for me was when by accident some of the paintings ended up resting on the window sills to the studio. I decided to start photographing them when I realized that they looked so good together, that lining them all up next to each other would be a perfect way to showcase them. And voila we closed out class with a little gallery show of our own!
by Maureen
It still makes me sentimental to think of how proud everyone was of their work, even those that had to overcome their own inner critic to "finish" their creations. You can see it best in the photos above that
Laurie May captured.
Thank you again to my students. It was an honor share the day(s) with you.
{And a special thank you to Laurie May for graciously sharing her photos with me. Sadly, I realized I did not get nearly as many as I’d hoped ~ too busy ooohing & aaaahing over my students, I guess.} As I continue to re-acclimate after my time at Squam and the months of non-stop shows, teaching and projects begin to subside ~ I’m left with a new burst of clarity and an intense longing to get back to my life.
Getting back to my life means many things at the moment. One is to have my weekends again, or at least a couple of days a week where work is off limits. Another is to basically enjoy my home more than a place to sleep, snack, and clean up between projects. I want to experience the summer evenings outside before it becomes fall. I want to be more present with Sean and my
co-workers. And finally I want to create for me, not that I don’t do that already but I spent the better part of the last few months preparing for shows, for galleries...and I’ve realized that creating in this way is different.
While I’m incredibly honored for the invitations to show my work, I’m just going to go ahead and say it, I think after it is all said and done, I’m ready to return to the way I began. Funny isn’t it? You have all of these ideas about where you want to go, what your career is supposed to look like, with a lot of expectations about how all of that is going to unfold; and in the end most of it turns out different than you planned and sometimes you realize that where you were going was really just a journey to return you to a place of appreciation for what you already have. But for this awareness alone, it is always worth the journey, because you wouldn’t know if you didn’t try something new.
And speaking of new, I’ve been preparing for my
e-course beginning this Thursday ~ which I am very excited about!! In fact preparing for this e-course has been another gift for me to re-align with my original intent behind my creations, this business and my life as it now stands.
It’s commonplace for me to have these bursts of clarity, I’d say pretty much every 4-6 months... but this time is slightly different. I’m officially on the other side of accomplishments and experiences, I imagined, hoped for and pursued for some time ~ and all I can say is it’s an interesting place to be....and I think I’d like to dip my toe back into daily painting...
If I saw you today, I’d give you big bouquet of Farmer’s Market flowers. happy sunday.
6 x 6 in.
Seems I left you with quite a few words this week, so I’ll keep this post short and sweet.
Just a little painting I finished that will be showing at Black Maria Gallery’s
Swoon group show opening tomorrow night here in L.A.. Some very cool art! {I know, I got a sneak peek when I dropped my painting off}
wishing you a happy weekend. My big plans...I am hoping to finally get my suitcase unpacked :)
also available as a print at Etsy 
photo courtesy of Laurie May Coyle
You know those moments when you feel like you’ve come home? And not in the literal sense, although it can feel that way too, but the kind of coming home where you meet up with you? Where you finally arrive on the path that you envisioned for yourself, sometimes even years before?
When I was a little girl, not only did I draw, paint and create, but I taught. I can still remember teaching my friend Patty in a pretend classroom in my childhood home here in California, at the age of 6. It came natural, and Patty was an attentive, gracious and dedicated student ~ although I have a hard time imagining what she might have learned from a fellow six year old :)
kellen & I ~photo courtesy of Laurie May Coyle
This year’s June session of Squam was my invitation to meet up with another early dream: to teach. And to say that the entire experience met my expectations is an understatement. Attending Squam superseded my expectations in every possible way.
Not only is the location one of the most beautiful places on the planet, but the people who choose to attend, are some of the most beautiful people on the planet. I’ve never attended any gathering where I felt instantly, genuinely connected to so many new friends. Well I’ll just say it, I’ve never attended a gathering where I left feeling like I have 800 new BFF’s {phraseology courtesy of Laura, who is definitely in the top 10 BFF’s :)}
my Nirvana girls ~ photo courtesy of Laura Nelkin
I know there has been a lot of reference to "magic" in many of the conversations we had, and in many of the blog posts I read following our four days together. And I know a person who did not attend might feel skeptical, as I once did. I mean really how great can it be? But there’s something going on at this gathering, that is special. For this I credit Elizabeth, the founder, for whom an entire blog post in appreciation, would not be enough. When you create and live with a powerful intention, that intention will carry you while profoundly influencing all that you accomplish.
As I sit here next to Sean while we watch the basketball playoffs, he leaned over and said, "What are you writing?" And I said, "I’m writing my blog post about Squam, and there’s so much to say I don’t know how to say it all." As my official in house writer, he said "Maybe less is more." And while I was informed by yet another BFF and best Squam roommate ever Betz, women communicate 20,000 words a day while men communicate 3,000, I think Sean’s suggestion may be right. {because honestly this post could turn into a small book, if I go on}
I know those of us who attended have all struggled with how we can fully describe the experience we shared and the truth is we can’t. If you were there then you already know. And if you plan on attending Squam in the future, as Elizabeth so wisely encouraged all of us, keep your expectations minimal. Attending Squam will be for you alone to experience in whatever way will be best for you.
With that said, the location was gorgeous, the food was delicious, the company inspiring and beautiful. Personally, my cabin mates at Nirvana were like dear friends I have known forever and my students many of whom were also my cabin mates were amazing in their grace and talent.
I know that the influence of Squam will continue to be shared in many blog posts to come but for now...
I will never again believe anyone who say’s they are not "creative". I will forever believe in the magic that life holds.
And since my man who I’ve been missing for the last week, just asked me when "will my blog post writing be over"? I will stop gushing and close by saying that chocolate accompanied by wine in plastic cups, a good dose of honesty, LOVING everything, a lot of staying up until ungodly hours accompanied by serious laughter and a house mouse are the life moments that are forever cherished.
Something about my experience at Squam allowed me to show up as the best parts myself, and now in the days that follow, as I assume my life as before, I am just trying to keep that feeling going.
xoxo
{But not really}
I had 4 of some of the best days of my life at
Squam. It’s true.
And what happens when I have these kinds of "full beyond words" life experiences, is that I become overwhelmed with emotion and temporarily unable to express anything written.
Having just returned home late last night, I had hoped that my first post back up on the blog would be more than the few words I will leave you with. But the other truth is re-entry is harder than I thought and exhaustion has set in.
I promise to be back soon with more on my time at Squam.
But now it’s time for a very, very long nap.
to my Nirvana peeps and my amazing students, I miss YOU already!
"a bunny sees hope in the moon" 5 x 7 in. {original is sold. now available as a print at Etsy}
A quick announcement and a quick hello & goodbye before I head out for the week to teach at Squam.
New tiny originals are
up! If you’d like to see them in person, you can pop by the show opening here in L.A. this Friday June 5th 8 - 11 pm @ Living Room at 3531 Sunset Blvd. in Silver Lake. Finally an Enormous Tiny Art opening that I could attend, and the irony of course is that I will be in New Hampshire (the location of all the other openings thus far) instead of L.A. :) Otherwise, you can also preview and the purchase the new paintings right here
online. As per usual, I’m honored to be in the company of
artists I admire. I hope it will be the first of many ETA’s here on the west coast.
a little series I like to call "hey there’s a peep in my photo!" 3 x 3 & 3 x 2 in.
Alrighty then, I’m off to teach! {can’t believe the time has come!}A little nervousness, crankiness of trying to do too much before a trip, is mixing with excitement and anticipation. All the usual fanfare before a new adventure. See you at Squam for those of you heading there too! Otherwise I’ll meet you back here next week, unless I can’t resist sharing some of the adventure here on the blog before then, which may very well be possible...have a great week!! xoxo
