The Power of Hello

There is so much in a smile and a hello. It's simple, yet so powerful!

A sister-friend and I sat in my office (Starbuck's) tonight and struck up one conversation after another with those that sat down next to us. I honestly can't take the credit. She opened up the conversation with all of them, and I asked the multitude of questions to keep the conversations going. 

As a result of doing some conversing, I shared this blog and even gained a massage client. I didn't have any of my business cards on me. I know...shame on me. So instead I put my blog information on a napkin. I told Jerry that he may want to keep that napkin because in a few years it is going to be worth a plenty. It rolled off my tongue so easily and I meant it with my whole-heart. He mentioned that artists didn't make it big until they died. I explained that that happens in lots of cases, but there are plenty of artists (including myself) that are deemed successful before death. 

The plenty won't be for me alone, but for the youth that I have such a passion for. I look forward to being able to provide a safe haven for children and young adults to be able to learn about all aspects of the arts. I'm not sure how it will materialize, but I am so sure that it will! 

I finished adding the final touches on the small painting that I was working on. It's hard to see the copper details added, so I added a close up picture. I'm pleased. It's a colorful piece that reminds me a bit of stained glass. 

I was supposed to have some sketches for today for the large piece I am working on. While I don't have any sketches, I am sure of how I want to execute the project. I have the concept and the color scheme to some degree. I won't make any more promises as to when I will have sketches. They will be posted as soon as possible. 

Smiling and saying hello to the average stranger proved to be a good thing today. If others are receptive, then I am open to starting a conversation and allowing things to progress from there!

Corner of Gratitude:

Pleasant conversation

Pearls of Wisdom:

"The last thing I'd learn, well into my career, was how to get on, how to say hello, how to get in with the audience."

~Phyllis Diller

Your Thoughts:

When is the last time you smiled and said hello to a stranger?

Until next time...

Freedom Friday: Paintings For Sale

FREEDOM FRIDAY!!!

Good Day Folks! You may have noticed that I took the time to change things up a bit on Friday (because I can)! Instead of Flashback Friday (we worry about the past too much anyway), from now on Friday's post will be FREEDOM FRIDAY!!! This means that I can post whatever on Friday...new or old. Whatever I fancy!

Last post I made mention that I was going to be making room for new creations. Since I don't have a website yet (I'm working on that), I decided to post what I am selling here. Everything that is posted is 50% off. I don't frame my creations. I like the unframed look a lot better. However, every piece can be framed if you fancy to do so. I will ship these items if you need me to, but please know that shipping and handling costs are not included in the sale price. If you are interested, I will also send you a document on more information about the piece including the size and medium. 

INQUIRIES:

Comment on this post with your information

email: exo31art@gmail.com

I also said in the last post that I would be showing you all the progress on the other two paintings that I have started. And I am sad to say, I won't be able to do so today. Yesterday was more hectic than I planned. Your artsy gal filled out an application, which was very lengthy. More lengthy than I expected. I look forward to the potential opportunity. There will be more to come about that.

So since I didn't get to share that with you all today, it looks like that will be on the docket for Monday's post. It's the weekend, and it looks like it will be a lovely one. Enjoy the time...each moment of it. Choose to smile instead of frown, and look at things with the glass half full instead of half empty!!! Remember...life is always worse for someone else. Enjoy the side of grass that you are on :)

Corner of Gratitude:
Blessings in disguise

Pearls of Wisdom:
"Freedom is nothing but a chance to be better."
~Albert Camus

Your Thoughts:
What are you going to enjoy today in your new found freedom? If you aren't free, what steps can you take to get to that place of sweetness?

Until next time...

Making Room

Oh the creative juices are now flowing and as I stated in the last post, I am on the "good foot". I recognize that since I am now on this new "good foot" I have to make room for the new. 

Last year I started this blog in order to catalog my journey for a new chapter in my life. The chapter that is open and honest about the ups and downs of this creative life that I live. I decided to start off blogging about my first solo art show. 

The art show was great! I had lots of people come out and support the vision that I have been given and ultimately what I feel to be part of my purpose and this journey. However, I still have pieces of work left here in the studio that I need to move out in order to make room for the new pieces that I have been so fervently creating. 

That means that it is time to have a BLOWOUT SALE for you all!!!! Yes, that is right, I am selling most of my pieces at half price. I am also going to be doing some giveaways for certain pieces. This is a milestone for me. I feel like a proud mother sending her children off to bigger and better things. I will miss seeing them, but I am super excited for them to have loving homes!

I'm making some headway on the small piece that I posted on Monday called, "The Sun is rising, and I'm Doing the Same". The drying process for this piece is a bit longer than I expected. I am using gloss and acrylic enamel. One is oil based and the other water. As we know oil and water don't mix, but the gloss enamel is working beautifully as a top accent layer. I covered the canvas with pages from a French dictionary, which shows on the outside. I decided to keep that little detail visible. The final touches will be put on this evening and I will be posting the final piece here on Friday. 

I haven't started putting anything on the larger canvas that I started on Monday. That will be started next week. I woke up with a bit of a different concept, and now I am torn between the two. I will be posting some preliminary sketches of some ideas on Friday as well. Perhaps you all could let me know what you would like to see painted first!

So I am making small strides on this journey daily. I like this new found "good foot" and the idea of making room for the new. It's liberating to say the least!

Corner of Gratitude:

Liberation

Pearls of Wisdom:
"A Path seemingly delayed is not delayed at all, but re-routed in the direction GOD intends for it!"
~Me

Your Thoughts:

What do you need to get rid of in order to make room for the new?

Until next time...

The Good Foot

After an amazing week of coming off of the mountain, I have finally been able to slowly crawl out of a funky space. I'm on the upswing...on the good foot. I have been taking the time to get in tune with the Creator and leave what I am unsure of at His feet. I trust that He can and will deal with them accordingly.

So today I started fresh with some new paintings. It's been a long time since I have been in my studio and today was as good of a time as any to get back to basics. I put together a frame a few months ago and yesterday I stretched the canvas and put the first coat of gesso on. Today I put the final coat of gesso on and tomorrow I will start the preliminary strokes of paint. This piece will be a bit over 5 feet tall and a foot and a half wide. I'm super excited for this one!

I also started this small piece that will be completed tomorrow. The inspiration for this piece came from a project that I gave to my students. I was teaching them the difference between tint and shade. I've always been intrigued by color gradation. It comes out in a lot of my abstract pieces and today came out in this one.

I'm creating and stacking at the same time. The pieces that I am creating don't have homes as of yet. And still I create. I have to figure out how to move what I currently have to make room for the new. Until then, I will still create knowing that I am moving in the right direction.

Corner of Gratitude:
Motivation

Pearls of Wisdom:
Diving into deep water can be scary, but the plunge becomes less scary when you know how to swim.

~Me

Your Thoughts:

What steps have you taken to prepare for your dive?

Until next time...

Freedom Friday

It's Friday folks! It would normally be Flashback Friday, but today I feel like calling it FREEDOM FRIDAY!!!

I didn't post on Wednesday as planned due to sheer exhaustion and trying to get back on track from a fabulous few days.

A group of friends (that I consider family) and I took a short road trip to a place called Cuomo's Cove in Windham, NY. There wasn't much on our agenda to do, except getting in tune with God while enjoying each others company. And we did just that!

While there I had some time to pray about what the next steps of my journey was going to be. I didn't get anything that was complicated. The simple instruction (as it has been before) was to just go back and do what I was told to do in the first place. Shocker...NOT! With tears in my eyes I continued to ask for the faith that I needed to trust Him with my whole heart, still unsure of what exactly that meant. 

I still don't know what it means, but I'm attempting to make the effort (for the 1000th time) to show up every day in some shape, form or fashion. I'm working on becoming the type of person that I want to attract. That means that I need to go after my purpose with tenacity. That means that I need to be focused with lots of appropriately aimed ambition. 

A good trip with great reminders!

Corner of Gratitude:
New Beginnings

Pearls of Wisdom:
It's okay to try, try, and try again even when the outcome doesn't seem so great!

Your Thoughts:
Have you hit  your reset button lately? What is different this time?

Until next time...

Flashback, but not Friday: 86 & 2

Hola Compadres! Okay..that's from me wanting to brush up on my Spanish, but has nothing to do with this post! 

As a matter of fact, I decided to do a FLASHBACK, but obviously not on Friday this past week so that I can post today instead of Monday (you all will see why on Wednesdays post). Next week we will be back to our regularly scheduled program.

This flashback is circa 2009 and is about my Graham that has passed. I've been thinking about  her a lot lately. It really doesn't have anything to do with my art except I am a part of her and she me. All that means is that I may have picked up some creativity from her.

So here goes:

I don't think that I would have ever thought that the numbers 86 and 2 could have been so much alike. Yes...they are far from one another in numerical sense, but when talking about age, I am convinced that they are much the same.

I had the opportunity to take care of Graham all by my lonesome last week. My mother had the luxury of taking a vacation (a word that is foreign to me-a whole different blog). We usually take turns....I am home engaging Graham during the day and mom takes care of the evening. There are a few moments where Graham has to fend for herself for a couple of hours while we take care of business in order to keep the lights on. However, last week I had her around the clock....breakfast, meds, nap, snack, lunch, nap, snack, dinner, meds, sleep, and stories that I have heard a hundred times before in between. We did well together. We went to the stores, although she stays in the car (unless it is for food), and she even let me cut her hair.

So, I have decided to list the things that are so similar between the two ages:
-They need balanced meals, often with snacks in between
-They are sometimes messy eaters
-They wake up every morning before you do and knock at your door - Graham no longer does this, but she did in the beginning
-They take lots of naps
-When going out, they have to be monitored. If not, they get lost
-They need and love to be catered to
-They talk a lot, telling the same story repeatedly
-Time flies when you are with them-for various reasons
-They think that they are the boss
-They are set in their ways with no desire to change
-If they don't get their way, they get cranky
-They some times have to wear pants to hold their water (pull-ups or depends)

Corner of Gratitude:
Having amazing influences in my life 

Pearls of Wisdom:
Legends are created from those that come before us. 

Your Thoughts:
Who has come before you that has inspired you to be who you are?

Until next time...

Yup...I Don't Know What To Do

This thing called, "I don't know what to do" is attempting to haunt me like what the old folks call a "hank". I've been doing my best to fight it with zeal...the good fight. But the last few days have been filled with lots of questions. 

I've been thinking about what I would do if I had a disposable income. In asking myself that question, naturally I thought that I would say creating something (art, music, crafts...the list goes on and on). I ultimately believe that to be true. However, I wondered if I really thought that to be true, why have I been having so much trouble keeping on task? 

It's not a hint of depression. I've been there and know how to identify that as such. I don't believe it's fear. I've reconciled in my mind that this gift/talent is from the Creator. He will do with it as He pleases. I've never been one to be lazy, so I don't believe it is that. There is no block of creativity. Ideas continue to flow. So I come up with a big goose egg as to what I'm really doing. 

I have come back to the practice of writing post-it notes all over of prayers and promises. I put them in places where I have no choice but to read them on a daily basis. My favorite place is the bathroom. Tons of colorful post-its surround my mirror, and I read...take in...ingest the phrases and scriptures as I wash my face and brush my teeth.  The most recent ones have everything to do with purpose. I need the encouragement more than ever right now. 

The answers will come. I am unsure of the moment of their arrival, but I am sure that they will come. There is nothing better to hold near and dear than hope!

Corner of Gratitude:

Hope

Pearls of Wisdom:

"Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is to not stop questioning."

~ Albert Einstein

Your Thoughts:

How do you fight past your "I don't know what to do" phases?

Until next time...

Preparation

Today I got a late start. A 12:30 pm late start to be exact. I didn't intend on getting such a start, but it ended up being okay anyhow. 

Some posts ago I mentioned a list of things that I was trying to accomplish this year. Here I believe I only listed my artistic goals. However, there were some personal and spiritual goals that went along with that previously mentioned list. Today I began to prepare in order to make some of those goals a possibility. 

I've always liked to send and receive what we call "snail" mail today. Call me old-fashion, but I love going to the mailbox, reaching in and pulling out more than just the multitude of bills that come for me. It's extremely exciting. And what better way to show a friend or family member that although you don't talk on a regular basis, you still love and care about them dearly? 

So I've decided that part of my personal goals are going to be to send out two handwritten letters a month. I will send them to my sisters, my niece and nephews, friends and family that live far, and friends and family that live close. I will send them to whomever my heart is led to send them to. 

Being the crafty one that I am, I wanted to make sure that the folks that I was sending letters to got something extra special. The extra special started with the envelopes today. I used other envelopes that I had as templates, and created my own. It was a fun little project, and I have made enough to last me for at least four months. 

I'll be doing a lot of stamping and doodling on these letters that I will be sending out. I will be sending my first one out this week, and quite frankly, I am ecstatic!

The night is not over. I still have a few things that I need to accomplish before laying my head on my pillow, which includes applying for a few jobs, and having some quiet time. No complaints here though...a late start calls for a late end. 

Corner of Gratitude:
Sense of Freedom

Pearls of Wisdom:
"For one human being to love another; that is perhaps the most difficult of all our tasks, the ultimate, the last test and proof, the work for which all other work is preparation."
~Rainer Maria Rilke

Your Thoughts:
What does your preparation phase for a finished work or goal look like? What do you do to become prepared in order for the manifestation of your final product?

Until next time...

Your Mount Rushmore

It's Friday and that typically means that it is time for Flashback Friday. However since my sleep schedule has been really off, my Wednesday post didn't happen. So today you have a new post to read!!!

I was listening to radio talk this am and a subject that I have been thinking about came up. That subject was mentorship.

The speaker (who was a pastor whose name slips my mind) spoke of the importance for mentors to help keep us on the right course. Surrounding yourself with those that have the ability to push us to the next level in our purpose and destiny.

He spoke more about that of the spiritual matter (which we all need), but as he was speaking in that manner all I could think of was about   those destined to aid me along in mu creative journey. I've been thinking about mentorship in this area for quite some time. I have to state honestly that I don't have the first clue in where I should start.

I need that person(s) who has the time and talent to pour into me. I need them to be able to show and lead me with a soft heart, but a stern fist. That means they aren't moved by my temporary bouts of procrastination and feelings of inadequacy that I may go through. They will know and understand that my sometimes need for control last only for a moment and is really a defense mechanism.

I suppose there is nothing to it but to do it...hit the ground running and searching for that person or persons. I'm ready!  They will teach.  I will listen and learn. It may be difficult at times, but a necessary component to my journey. 

Corner of Gratitude:

Those that help others

Pearls of Wisdom:

"The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires."

~William Arthur Ward

Your Thoughts:

Do you have a mentor? If so, what drew you to that particular mentor?

Until next time...

About More

It's a new week and I am beginning to understand that this journey that I am on is about much more than my creativity. Perhaps it is less about my creativity itself and more about what the Creator can do through my creativity. It may be about the lives I can touch and perhaps change through my work.

This new revelation seems quite simple, and I suppose for the most part it is. This mind frame keeps me from feeling so much pressure to be perfect. It keeps me from being fearful that I'm not measuring up to "them"....whoever they are. It reassures the validity of my individuality and uniqueness. It says that despite of what I feel, I AM doing something right!

I can actually say that I am excited about what lies ahead now that I feel a bit more at ease! I'm not sure of the next steps. I'm taking things day by day. However I do know that the steps taken today will make for a grand tomorrow!

Corner of Gratitude:

Revelation

Pearls of Wisdom:

"Cease trying to work everything out with your minds. It will get you nowhere. Live by intuition and inspiration and let your whole life be revelation."

~Eileen Caddy

Your Thoughts:

What could be the "much more" of or behind your purpose?

Until next time...

Flashback Friday: The Smallest of The Small

It's that time again folks....FLASHBACK FRIDAY...albeit a day late!

Yesterday wasn't a day that was filled with anything over the top exciting. Sketching didn't take place like I planned and phone calls that I was scheduled to make fell by the wayside. However, there was still a sense of gratitude for the smallest of things. So I decided to take you all back to a post that was written in 2010 about just that...gratitude for the small things.

Here goes:

What a great day! There was noting in particular that happened, but it has just been a great day! To be alive is great! To have great health is great! To be in right mind is great! To have a phenomenal family (including biological, friends, and spiritual) is great! To be able to see, hear, smell, taste, love, laugh, cry, and feel (among other things) is GREAT!!!! I think we often bypass the simple things in life and look for the complicated luxuries. The truth is, simple things become beautiful luxuries when you remain grateful for them!

So in my gratefulness, today I was thankful that I am still in my creative niche. Thank YOU DAD that you continue to give me a plethora of ideas daily. Thanks for my grind and that I always strive to give back to YOU!!!

Corner of Gratitude:
The smallest of the small

Pearls of Wisdom:
A mind set on gratitude for the small things is a mind that is ready and available to receive large things!
~Me

Your Thoughts:
What tiny blessings are your mind set on today?

Until next time...