Put Aside the Blues and Dance

It is the time of year to look back and see what has unfolded in the past 365 days.
It is the time of year to figure out what needs to be done to make the next 365 days better than the last.

Of course sometimes there is nothing one can do to overcome obstacles of economic, physical, or other stresses. We are finishing a year that saw five months of unemployment, dashed hopes and disappearance of dreams.

The coming year will be one of rebuilding, starting over and recouping the phantoms of hope.

How does one come up with dreams? Come up with new goals and aspirations?

Letting life host optimism isn't always easy.

But I will try again.

I have started countless journals.

As gardeners do after a freeze I will gather my tools and seeds of ideas and sow and reap again. On the right side of this blog is a new link to the Milliande Art Community 2011 Journal Project. With the help of this link I will follow along and join other women around the world as they too put images and words to paper. If you are a woman looking for a new way to start the year you may join also.

The site will post videos which can be downloaded to watch when and if you want.
The site will post ideas and themes for inspiration.
The site will post your and other artists' artwork if you choose to join in.

The optimism is building. I am looking through the stacks to find the right journal for this year's art therapy. Commit is one of the words I will use to bring in the new year.

'Tis the spirit.

“It is not the weight of jewel or plate, Or the fondle of silk or fur; 'Tis the spirit in which the gift is rich, As the gifts of the Wise Ones were, And we are not told whose gift was gold”
Edmund Vance Cooke


A departure from painting canvas or paper. I took a little sabbatical from the norm, for me, and tried out a little dye on silk. Here are the results.

Katrina Painting Revisited

“It was like being in the eye of a hurricane. You'd wake up in a concert and think, Wow, how did I get here?”
John Lennon

I wonder what drugs he was doing? I don't ever remember going to sleep during any part of a hurricane because I wanted to know how I got where I was or how was I going to get where I needed to be.

The painting that I posted several months ago, Katrina, has been chosen for the artistsregistry.com members juried show this month in Orlando at the Gallery at Avalon Island. I will let you know the date for the opening in a future blog post so you can join us for the evening event downtown.

Today was the Trinity Prep Art Bazaar organized by genius potter Dawn Ferguson. It was fun to be with like minded artsy souls and to be back on the Trinity campus where I could enjoy the lake views and be sentimental about the ten years our children spent there. The staff and faculty was well represented by Kym Moreland-Garnett, Dawn Ferguson, Irina Ashkraft and Randi Rolek. A lot of artistic talent among these ladies. Thank you to the Patrons of the Arts for their support of the arts at this fine school and thank you to my wonderful friends who stopped by to show their support too.