Just a quick thought for a Tues...
I've just been strolling through Pinterest, getting my daily dose of Art, when struck by the idea of how much is "wrong" with some of the drawings and sketches. Having been surrounded by Art critics all my life, from the teachers who insisted we color in the lines only and the teenager who laughed at my four year old drawing of a dog with four legs; all on the same side, I shied away from Art unless I could get it "right". Never mind feelings or inner passions to put that pencil to the paper or just splash those watercolors on, there was a "right" and a "wrong" way to do it. To avoid those critiques, for too long I only attempted what I knew would be correct in a linear and predictable sense.
How empty would Pinterest be if those unbelievably talented artists had thought that way?
Let's all be a little freer with our inner artists. They want to get out and play!

Moving On

Wednesday again!
What a long strange Spring and Summer it's been so far. When I returned from the Phila. Doll and Bear Convention in May with all the good intentions in the world, I had no idea what was waiting for me. It's a good lesson on how circumstances that we think we have under control can rule our lives for as long as we let them. As the writer Isak Dinesen reflected " I think that the world was made round so that we could not see too far around the corners..."

To put it simply, the stray cat situation here had taken on a nightmare quality; too many hungry cats with a sudden explosion of kittens to find homes for, too much well meaning interference from passing "helpers" since we are right on a busy street, and my own rescued 9 month old Mooshie taking all of my time and funds to ensure that her spaying didn't get swept under the rug.

 

Then a string of three deaths involving close friends all happened within a few weeks.

Enough said about that dark period.

 

In between I had decided that a studio renovation had to take place to give me some grounding. Nothing picks me up off the floor like a good hands on mess that promises a light at the end of the tunnel.

In my usual way, I had underestimated the length of the mess and the upheaval involved, even though by anyone's standards this was a mini renovation, just a new room sized carpet, new shelving and a new coat of paint on my long worktable.

It's always interesting to find out what one has squirreled away in about ten years or so.

All of this flotsam and jetsam had to be packed and labeled, basically stripping the 13' x14' room down to the large pieces of furniture too heavy to move.

 

Thank heaven for that furniture lifter set I invested in as I was doing the bulk of this myself.

When I found a bargain on a beautiful grey piece of carpeting that measured 12' x 19', I had charged ahead in my heedless way and bought it, reasoning that I had fifteen days to pick it up and would worry later about the logistics of cutting and fitting it...

my neighbor's wonderful son who works for a billboard company got it home for me and brought it in, and there it stayed, rolled up and tempting, for the next month while I excavated and packed.

 

 

So two weeks, some bruised toes and many pulled muscles later, here we are.

 

Ready to get back to work, though I'm still moving things back in. Actually I'm trying to figure out a way NOT to... now that I have them out I find I don't really want them back!

 

I hope things are sunny where you are, and if you are looking for a distraction from whatever isn't, I recommend a small renovation. At least if things don't straighten themselves out you will have a happy little place to retreat until they do!

Until next time,

Happy Creating.