Use Your Heart Up

Have you ever loved something or someone and they let you down? And maybe you decided that you were going to guard your heart against being hurt again? And that maybe you would save a piece of your heart, afraid that you might use it all up before you die?

I have found that if you love a human or an animal that eventually they are going to let you down. They are either are going to leave you, die on you or disappoint you at some point.

I decided a long time ago that I wanted to die with a used up, beaten up, bruised up, banged up, worn-out heart. I want to love with my heart to the death. Because in the end- I'm going to get a new one to replace it.

Don't get me wrong. There are boundaries to be set with certain types of individuals. But how they LOVE is their responsibility and how you love them is yours.

Don't be afraid of getting hurt, just give it all away until it's used up. What are you saving it for anyway?

Signed: odd chick

Spring Palette

My spring palette has sprung! I'm still loving faces and the practice has been wonderful for me. This little spring chick (9X9 wood panel) sold in less than 24 hours after painting her. How fun is that??

But you know what is really cool? I'm getting emails from my daughter of sketches that she is doing in her NEW journal with her new colored pencils I bought her and they're awesome. She has a very stressful job and I kept worrying about her when I would hear tension in her voice and in her life. I know that sketching and doodling can sooo relieve stress and if our artful journey taught her that then WOOOHOOO! so worth it!

It is so true that ART can be that healthy drug-of-choice and can bring healing to our lives. It takes so little to put pen or paint to paper, but it gives back so much more.

Sweet Farmer just bought me 8 more wood panels so I gotta get busy!

Art is frozen ZEN - R.H. Blyth

An Artful Journey

I and my lovely daughter, Joli, just returned from an Artful Journey. This is a new little mixed-media piece on watercolor paper on which I practiced some interesting techniques. You can certainly see Kelly Rae Roberts' influence on this piece. Kelly Rae Roberts and Mati Rose are two amazing artists that lead us through 3 days of collage on steroids! The room soon looked like a large pinata full of paint and paper had exploded within, and it was non-stop painting, inspiration, laughing, stamping, sticking, some good tears, more laughter and lots of hugs and "you go girls" everywhere.

I will forever be grateful that Joli and I took the initiative back in July of 2009 to sign up and take the journey together. We made amazing new friendships with women from England, Canada, and Australia, and all over the United States.

(Can't wait to introduce you to their blogs and art!)
I'm a little overwhelmed with the feelings, friendships and the creative spark this kind of retreat sparked in me. It will take me awhile to process. My mind needs unpacking and the new truths I've learned need to be over-turned like fresh compost in a new rose garden - slowly, with intention and gratefulness.

I'll be back soon to show you what is blooming in my head.

A Girl at Any Age

I've been practicing little folk art faces because I took an on-line class from Sharon Tomlinson whose art really speaks to me.

This represents the GIRL at every age. I turned 50, my daughter turned 30 and my mom turned 70 last year. I needed a little painting that would represent that special year for me.

This is a heirloom photo we had made by a local photographer to also commemorate the occasion.

We are a close trio - we talk with one another almost every other day and share our lives and our hearts and our hurts. With me and Mom, its always been about the little one (the beauty in the middle). Whatever we can do to make her journey better in this world you can bet one of us, if not both of us, will step up to the plate.

She is the new and improved model and she passes on the female goddess of our tribe, and the best of both of us.

I'm taking her to An Artful Journey in 3 days to San Jose, California as a special gift and time to share together. We should have lots of fun stuff to show you from that adventure with Kelly Rae Roberts and Mati Rose.

Did I mention that I am feeling like one very blessed girl?

Seeing RED

I'm so into RED right now! It has made crazy creative. I had to paint these roosters and their red beards and cones, and then give them heart effects from FLIKr.

It could be my new red heart I got to decorate my coffee table and to remind Sweet Farmer that he makes my heart beat faster when he walks into the room.

Or it could be this crazy new wine topper my daughter gave me for Christmas. It makes me think of her and her wild, wonky style

Or maybe it's this new red rooibos tea that I combine -cinnamon and orange and pomegranate -that warms my heart!

This is the only decent red flower I ever been able to paint. Getting real vibrant red is harder than you think!

But LOVIN' RED right now!

My hope is that one of these things will make you SEE RED. and get your heart geared up for Valentines.

Madonna Madness

If you live in New Mexico long enough and look at art books long enough, and you love art, and try your hand at art- it is my opinion that you will eventually be driven to paint a Madonna figure.

I had to try my hand. And I know this is only the beginning for me and finding my own elusive Madonna.

There is something hauntingly sacred and mysterious about the Madonna image- maybe because she's imprinted on our minds from thousands of years of art. Apart from the worship of her, I think she represents the image of all mothers, the all-nurturing, and mysterious sacredness and divine collaboration of creative beginnings of all things. Pretty powerful stuff.

Of course I had to mess with mine. I am seeking to close the gap between what I can create digitally (of my own paintings) and my skill in art (I'm taking your advice Steve) because I always like the images I manipulate better thank my basic painted image.

If you want to see some really inspiring art from a Texas artist , Rene Alvarado, who was from Mexico originally, check this out. He totally inspired me.

I would love it if you would leave me links or blogs of others who you think paint awesome Madonnas (including your own) because I love to look at them.

Workshop with Virgil Stephens

I just had the perfect opportunity to take a drawing class with Virgil Stephens who is a well-known New Mexico artist who does fine drawings and oil paintings. His wife is his perfect companion and team-member and they both put on a efficient and enjoyable workshop in Ruidoso. He is looking for more students if you are interested.

We all did the same drawing (mine to the left)of this model's photograph who also happens to be his daughter. Virgil was extremely helpful in pushing us past our limitations and towards more perfection in our drawing. I had never had much practice with charcoal and now I feel much more confident.

I am the one on the far left.

It was fascinating to see everyone's creations and even new artist produce a portrait of which they were very proud.

It was a great reminder to me how very important drawing can be to great art.

Virgil does the best horses. This is a large oil painting and representation of his excellent drawing and painting skills.

There is snow covering the farm and it is cold and stark outside my windows. I love looking back at the fire in my living room while I paint and feeling the warmth and security within my cozy home.

This large painting represents the color and edginess I need to add to my setting.

When it comes to my art, I feel like I'm unlocking something within.... Like I'm getting closer and closer to where I want to be. I feel like I've been down a long hallway and I've tried so many doors, and even stepped into the rooms and experimented with so many ideas. But now, I feel like I'm entering spaces that feel more like where I'm suppose to be. I still don't know where I'll end up, but at least I feel I'm heading in the right direction.

It is like the wood-fire in my living room. Except it warms and excites my very soul.

Even in this winter season, and a season of life that may be colder and harsher, I hope you are finding some warmth within as well.

Exuberance

I think I will name her "Exuberance" in honor of the New Year 2010. She's a little white-headed, with more white roots showing everyday and she only has wings because she likes to soar with the wild birds rather than the angels. And even though she's middle-age and slightly chubbier than depicted, she still has dancing toes and a wiggle in her hips.

She's well aware that the new year could hold mishaps and sadness, but she will keep her heart open and pink metallic polish on her toes and a secret passion in her soul and learn to shake her booty like Beyonce.

And she will spread love like a little farting fairy laying it on as thick as grape lipgloss until it shines so bright it looks like liquid sun shine.

She's an odd chick but she will know her by the the joy that sticks to her bones like watermelon bubblegum.

Don't try to stop her or she will kiss you like a slobbering toothless baby and you will have to grin and bear it.

(fluid acrylics, shiva oil sticks, and black gesso)

Just be good.

I went to church today.

I finally felt inspired to paint again. It felt good to get the art journal out and a couple of tubes of paint.

I had just gotten out of the habit. Like going to church.

But it's what inspired me. I felt contemplative and sensitive to everything around me. The music was beautiful and the babies, sweeter. The stain glass shown more brilliantly and my little town showed up in their finest to celebrate and worship something beyond ourselves and our stuff.

I was raised to be good- to be good to myself, other people, animals and the environment. I'm one of those people that have to work at being good. Sweet Farmer was born that way and it comes more natural. But me, I have a natural naughtiness that takes some work to overcome. I get out of the habit.

The Man above reminds me of who I am and who I want to be. He's very real to me. Not like a good-luck charm or a spiritual Santa. He was a real man whose feelings, thoughts and realities were recorded by real men. I believe in his reality of the world. I believe that he gave us a glimpse of who God is and how much he wants to be re-united with us and how much he wants us to have great lives until we all get together again.

I'm glad I have a Center (besides me). A Person to go to that grounds me (besides Sweet Farmer). A place that speaks of community and rising above the mundane.

Today reminded me to be good.