Posts in New Work
Things that I'm noticing …

Four years ago, I began to photograph sidewalk cracks. The patterns caught my attention.

I noticed them.

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Six months ago, sidewalk cracks became an obsession. Every day I noticed new patterns. It was as though the sidewalks were speaking to me.

I envisioned painting a series of “Sidewalk Moments” abstract paintings.

My practical persona chimed in, eager to paint something that could reach more people, so I waited.

Recently, I noticed heliconia in yards where I hadn’t seen them before.

Eager to paint the flowers, I decided to incorporate the sidewalks with them, thinking they’d be a neutral background allowing the showy colors to shine.

HelSidewalk 1.jpg

A puzzled friend asked,

”Why sidewalks?
What are you trying to say?”

I thought I was simply painting patterns until it dawned on me while talking with Mari at the Art Kiosk at the Hilton —

I’m painting stress fractures!

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That’s when I realized that the cracks in the sidewalks are showing me the ways in which the fabric of life has been stressed

for - so - very - long.

It’s true of the world as a whole,
and of each of us individually.

Stress comes from the inside and the outside; from “underneath,” through underground movements in the earth, in our thoughts, the stories we tell ourselves — and from the movements “above ground,” in our outer world.

When we grow and stretch internally, we rub up against the outside world and feel stress.

HelSidewalk4.jpg

We've been under compounded, compressed stress for 14 months; we're becoming inured to it.

Not a good thing.

Self-care is crucial. Even more than self-care, we must become aware of the stories we’re telling ourselves and one another.

Are your stories helpful or hurtful?

How do you feel when you tell them?

If you’re feeling a thrill of adrenaline, you might be tapping into collective fears.

True fear is an important feeling.

Heliconia Sidewalk is currently with the photographer/printer. Soon to be found in the Abstract and Fresh Paint Florals Portfolios

Heliconia Sidewalk is currently with the photographer/printer. Soon to be found in the Abstract and Fresh Paint Florals Portfolios

It’s good to know the source of your fear.

Fears generated by stories vs. things currently present in life can be detrimental to our physical and mental well-being.

Stretch Your Comfort Zone

Whenever we plan to start or try something new, stuff happens — often a natural result of adding one more thing to an already busy life.

Like a seedling pushing the dirt out of the way before it can break through to the sunlight, whenever you embark on a new thing — be it a painting, an exercise routine, a new recipe, a new class — a new way of doing anything in a new way, some part of you rebels.

If you hear yourself think I don’t want to!” or even “NO!”
you can be sure your inner 2- or 3-year-old has a different opinion.

Some part of you feels uncomfortable.

A new honu (turtle) painting begins. The honu on the left is going down to eat.

A new honu (turtle) painting begins. The honu on the left is going down to eat.

Depending upon the change you’re making to your daily routine,
you might feel excitement, trepidation, or anything in between.

Habits and routines are great. They act as on- or off-ramps,
helping to ease you into, through, and out of your days.

Habits help create your comfort zone
— and sometimes they lead to boredom & inactivity.

As a creative, consciously evolving being, you crave change.
You want to mix things up a bit, try something new, certain this
new thing will put some spice or pizzazz into your life.

Then, right before, or at the onset of your adventure, you realize the
ramifications of what adding something new to your routine really means.

OH! The disruption!

You might feel an internal earthquake, or a tsunami
of emotions flood your bloodstream.

When adding something new to your schedule, trade-offs
have to be made. Something has to go!

You’re uncomfortable. What you were thinking when you added “xyz” to your schedule?

The honu are more visible as the painting evolves. The center honu is turning around.

The honu are more visible as the painting evolves. The center honu is turning around.

15 years after earning a degree in Art Education, I took classes
in graphic design at the local technical college.

I was SO excited to buy fresh supplies, set up a new drafting table,
figure out which classes would fit into my work schedule, and go to class.

Imagine my horror when toward the end of that first class,
I heard the instructor tell us what our homework would be!

Homework?

I’d completely forgotten about homework
and hadn’t factored it into my schedule!

I ended up dropping one of the two classes out of necessity
and learned a valuable lesson — something’s got to give!

Fortunately, the class I kept led me to my next, better job/career,
which is where I stayed until moving to Honolulu to paint in June 2000.

You are resilient.

Simply remember that “freak-out moments” are transitional phases. They pass.

Lean into your transitions to really FEEL them (emotions only last 60–90 seconds).

Then BREATHE, before reassessing your situation.

Your breath is your doorway to your
calm Inner Wise Self & to your Future!

Breathe — that’s what these honu do … they dive down to eat & rise up to BREATHE

Breathe — that’s what these honu do … they dive down to eat & rise up to BREATHE

Comfort zones are meant to be stretched,
not snapped into submission.

When you stretch them incrementally each day, you’re more likely to weather
the bigger stretches that circumstances beyond our control require.

Please do something new today — just for a stretch of it.

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Then breathe and give yourself a hug for stretching.

Inspiration Paints the Way

I depend upon grace, beauty, and inspired words to keep my emotional life, and therefore my physical and creative life, on an even keel.

I look for, and find reassurance from the world around me, reminding me that I am loved no matter what. Daily, I see hearts formed by tree roots, rocks, and leaves. Hearts peeking out to remind me that I’m mot alone in the massive world.

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Still, I often forget — that’s why I need daily reminders!

I'm okay with that because I’ve learned to seek out reminders on my daily walk. In this way, I actively participate in my physical and emotional well-being.

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I’m not looking for Big Leaps forward, although that might be a good idea. I look for little things, the things most people don’t notice, to guide my way. That’s where I find inspiration to begin again with each new day.

Yesterday I shipped four paintings off to my photographer/printer (he’s been on Maui during the pandemic). Wow! Four paintings all finished this past week.

Which means, it’s time to begin again, from scratch, on something new.

Tentitive titles:  “Miles to Go”  and  “Exponential Potential”  Do you have a preference?

Tentitive titles: “Miles to Go” and “Exponential Potential” Do you have a preference?

Having more than one painting in progress at once, allows time for me to “get stuck” if I don’t know what to do next or my energy flags. It permits time for me to allow one painting to dry while I work on another. It eliminates delays if I don’t know what to paint, but I have the time, and want to paint!

No matter how many paintings I seem to have in progress at once, they often finish up at the same time — or near-enough the same time that they get shipped off together, leaving me with a blank sheet of paper.

Colors of Love

Colors of Love

Then it’s time to look for fresh inspiration to paint my way forward once more.

Exploring Personal Symbols

Ever since painting “Hitch Up to Your Own Special Star” I’ve been collecting “tropes” about stars.

The painting feels like it belongs on the cover of a book of star stories.
Please let me know if you have one to share.

I’ve yet to write a successful star story — other than my own, and that one’s a work in progress. Still, I’m enjoying the collection process and am hopeful something fun will come of it.

Recently, I woke up with this in my head:
”Twinkle, twinkle, little star
How I wonder what you are.
Up above the world so high
Like a diamond in the sky,
Twinkle, twinkle little star
How I wonder what you are.”

With that, I knew it was time to begin a new star painting.

Stars-1W.jpg

I’ve long said I’m a “hearts and stars kind of gal,” meaning I like all things related to hearts and stars.

These iconic images are my personal symbols.

To begin, I sketched several stars on watercolor paper. Then I added texture and paint and let it dry.

Stars-3W.jpg

Each painting is an experiment. I never, and I do mean NEVER know how it will turn out.

I have a keen awareness of color, which helps me keep them bright.

I learned how to design a page in my previous work life — another key component.

Color and Design are two essential elements I stress in ALL of the classes I teach.

This painting was created with the intention of turning it into a jigsaw puzzle.

That’s why I kept painting and painting and painting, finding more and more stars (and hearts) as I painted.

One of my very very good friends reminded me of a song this morning that illustrates why this kind of painting feels important to me.

On the surface, it’s a sweet little painting, a painting without much substance — different from some of my other paintings.

Please enjoy this version of “Accentuate the Positive,” music by Harold Arlen, lyrics by Johnny Mercer

Remember:
We’ve got to accentuate the positive
Eliminate the negative
Latch on to the affirmative
And don’t mess with Mr. In-between.