Tag: ART

4 Reasons why Reinventions can be sweeter than Easter Morning-no candy involved!

Times they are a changing…
The weather, the earth, the world….it’s enough to make my head spin!

Come gather ’round people
Wherever you roam
And admit that the waters
Around you have grown
And accept it that soon
You’ll be drenched to the bone
If your time to you
Is worth savin’
Then you better start swimmin’
Or you’ll sink like a stone
For the times they are a-changin

Read more:  Bob Dylan – The Times They Are A-changin’ Lyrics | MetroLyrics (and hear the song)

Dylan famously goes on to write the next verse about writers and critics, followed by politicians, with the last stance about mothers and fathers. So timely!

The times certainly are ‘a-changing’, Bob Dylan is now the recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize for literature—first time for lyrics, as opposed to a novel. It was said that it is “perhaps the most radical choice in a (Noble Peace Prize) history stretching back to 1901.” (reason #1)

Spring brings Easter, Passover and I am sure there are other holidays of spring renewals that I don’t even know. Spring is busting out with colors- greens, yellows, pinks and red splashes all around! (reason #2) I’ve been thinking a lot about changing, or ‘reinventions’ as I am now trying to call, and view, all the changes. As a child the world is always changing, we are continually learning, and trying all different hats, paths, and ways all the time. That’s a good thing. As an adult constant learning and forward motion is still a good thing. That said-constant change is not easy. However, I hope I never stop learning and exploring. Curiosity didn’t kill the cat. Curiosity does keep the soul, mind, and body alive! (reason #3)

For myself, all these ‘reinventions’ are global as well as very personal. It feels like a spinning top at a dizzying speed. How about you?

…and speaking of changes…
A new kind of Botanical Beauties has come to town! I’m having fun with flowers in new ways (reason #4.) Stay tuned as we see together what and how this develops.

BBB3 is Expanding
There’s a new bird in town! Click on the image to see it larger.

For more about Bob Dylan.

Read more:  Bob Dylan – The Times They Are A-changin’ Special Memory By AmandaH | MetroLyrics

http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/03/29/521898666/bob-dylan-agrees-to-accept-his-nobel-prize-during-a-tour-stop-in-stockholm

True Friendship

 

“Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born.” – Anais Nin.

In regards to creativity, and in her case writing,  Anais Nin  also said – “You must not fear, hold back, count or be a miser with your thoughts and feelings. It is also true that creation comes from an overflow, so you have to learn to intake, to imbibe, to nourish yourself and not be afraid of fullness. The fullness is like a tidal wave which then carries you, sweeps you into experience and into writing. Permit yourself to flow and overflow, allow for the rise in temperature, all the expansions and intensifications. Something is always born of excess: great art was born of great terrors, great loneliness, great inhibitions, instabilities, and it always balances them.” – Anais Nin.

…I would like to add that great art could also be born out of great joy, and the excess of goodness. It can come forth just because it’s bubbling out of you. It can be created to be shared or created for oneself. I don’t believe there are hard and fast rules about where art comes from other than it is most likely inside that person, and needs to be expressed. It’s as individualist as the person, the artist, who is busy forming it. However, I DO agree with Anais Nin, creativity often happens when you “Permit yourself to flow and overflow, allow the rise in temperature, all the expansions and intensifications.” 

My inner circle, my community, myself, lost a very dear friend today-she embodied ALL the above. A wonderful woman. A very full spirit filled to the brim with amazing creativity and art. A true lifelong wonderful friend. She will be missed terribly by many, and will always be with me in my artwork and spirit. Here’s to the life she shared with those of us lucky enough to have been in her circle. Here’s to Deidre.

Deidre Artwork
Artwork by my great friend, Deirdre.- a.k.a. DDKW.

 

 

Are they all Beauties? Is their a Beast?

Beauty and the Beast?
Beauty and the Beast?

I have been thinking about water, waves, the sounds of the waves, the oceans roar, and then back to the stillness that water can have. The ebb and flow of it all. It’s almost magical how the water flows in and out of the sea onto the sand, continually restoring itself, and laps up on the shore again. Continual replenishment!  If only it were that easy for us. Maybe it is? The other two big topics on my mind lately are happiness and friendships. The connection to all this is I actually got to go to the beach/ocean, and share three days with three wonderful friends. We laughed a lot, and a few tears were shed as well. Some were caused because we were laughing so hard, and some were of sadness – all were water!  All good. All cleansing. All replenishing to the soul. It was truly a respite for us all- the ocean, the warmth, the love of such close friends, the good times, the sounds, the sunshine, even the rain, the whole “ball of wax.” It took us almost 2 years to finally make that weekend happen- it was worth the wait. (Thanks to- you know who you are! ) The above large Horseshoe Crab had washed up to the shore along with about 15 others- I have never seen anything quite like it? All within about 50 feet of each other, and only in that one spot? We were wondering if they were all coming ashore to lay eggs? Again, the cycles of the water, the ocean. How odd that these animals had to bump, jostle and wait for the next wave to make their way to the beach sand. I’m sure their is a life analogy in that somewhere!

Added to the top layer of the above image is another image- this one of a 17th century piece/fountain head- spouting water. The face made me smile for the expression of the eyes, and eyebrows are most amazing. And yet, it fits- it somehow all ties into the fluidity of life, the water that we all need to sustain ourselves. The flow, the rhythm, the cold, the hot, the ocean, the water glass, the shower, the cup of tea/coffee, the waves, the sounds-and back to the oceans roar. An amazing face, a spiky crab, and Moe (Minister of Clean Water in my magical land of Botaniumaus.) All beauties to me…but as we know-Beauty is in the eye of the beholder! I am pretty sure the same is true for sounds.  Crashing, jumping, or gentle waves-sounds that truly soothe my soul. What’s your soul soothing sound?

Letting go…..

Letting go…..This seems to be thread that I am continuing. I have been writing about doing your personal in-body housework.  Suggesting we all should be doing our ‘work’ all the time, not to wait until Jan 1 to set up a bunch of resolutions, to think about things we want to/need to change about ourselves, our ways, our behaviors, our patterns, or even our lives. Could it be I can’t let go of the subject? Ha ha… The truth of the matter is that I think this is a never ending process as humans who are paying attention and continuing to grow as adults and “good” people. I am sure of two things. One is this is not the last time for the subject, and the second is that once you let go of one thing, the next one pops up almost instantly!

Full Rainbow
Heres to self process of discovery, the joy of hope, and the wonderful feeling if you find the end of a rainbow!

I read a quote recently that said, “You will find that it is necessary to let things go, simply for the for reason they are heavy.” Author unknown, it was a Facebook post, and I apologize for not being able to give credit where credit is due.  I was talking the other day with a dear friend about the very topic of letting go. She said/asked, “How do you do it? How do you let something go?” I translate that to: Part one – How does one come to terms that the “it” is just too heavy… and not serving any positive purpose to your day/life? Part two – How do you process the “it” and what do you do release it? I wish I knew! I think it’s a cluster of thinking, asking yourself questions, acceptance, self love/ respect, and a large learning curve of self discovery. In another words, a lot of hard personal work! We each have to figure out what we will do with these new thoughts and realizations? How are we going to store them in new positive compartments?  Or are we done with them and can truly throw them away? Baffling, for we all hang on to things, physical and mental, imaginary and real, that we no longer need but are afraid (?) to let go for some reason.

We will never be clear of all these “it’s” but if we can shorten the list, lighten the burden, and figure out what the core is, if we work really hard, and a little luck never hurts, even it’s just for the purpose of distraction, then we just maybe can let go of “it,” as well as the “shoulds” and ought to! Again, I remind you, as well as to myself, to what I refer to as open palm living. Embrace the new, the unknown, the adventures of the day, of our paths, of our personal journeys. Let go of the things that serve no positive intent and purpose. The earth does it with its equinox, the seasons and nature do it continually, and our calendar says here’s a new chance, a New Year. Welcome to 2014. Good luck to us all!