eyes...the windows to the soul.

A new moon teaches gradualness and deliberation and how one gives birth to oneself slowly...Patience with small details makes perfect a large work, like the universe.   --Rumi 

and with that.... here I am....practicing eyes.  I think that if I take the time to enjoy the small details...and really get into the individual pieces, bringing them together will be much more natural...

first...the sketch...with a water soluble pencil...

Just a bunch of lines...that come together...to fulfill a promise to create.  

and continuing with watercolor....I love the glistening wet of the water on paper.  

and continuing still...more. 

and more....

and.... now... to sleep...and close these eyes, until morning.  

Peace....love...and infinite-ness. 



Yet it is in this loneliness that the deepest activities begin. It is here that you discover act without motion, labor that is profound repose, vision in obscurity, and beyond all desire, a fulfilment whose limits extend to infinity. -Thomas Merton 




peace...and love...and creating... zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Everybody wants to rule the World...

Today....

The universe gave me a gift.  :)  But I'll go into that in a sec.

Ahhhhhhh.....Tears for Fears....Everybody wants to rule the world....that song...always...always puts me into a freaking awesome mood....takes me back..I'm a child of the 80's...and that song...brings me back...to summer days...carefree....roaming around as a kid in a smallish MN town :)
...with friends..on bikes...swimming at the Pit...fun..having crushes on boys...back to the time of War Games...and young Matthew Broderick...it makes me smile...and roll down the windows...and turn it up....smiling.... (reminds me of Martin's 50s on 5...it's 80s on 8 for me).

the gift.... 

today, while leaving the grocery store in a hot hurry...trying to do all the errands in time to pick up kids...an older gentleman was in the entrance area of the store, with his little cart....and a small bag of groceries...and approached me, and said, "I need to get to Patterson... I need a ride to Patterson." at least that's what I think he said- I was in a hurry...and I had to ask him what he said.  He said the same-ish thing...I was all a buzz, in a hurry...thinking he was asking for directions at first....so, my mind...quickly processed and I said, "Oh! You need a ride to Patterson? I'll give you a ride!"

Heck ya.... my type of hitchhiker... :)

and so...we walked to the car...with groceries... he got in...and immediately....was....awesome.

We made small talk....his name was Yuri....or rather, Dr. Boris...he told me he was a professor, Political Science.  I mentioned, I too...was a Dr....  :) Linguistics.

He loved it...and talked of linguistics for a bit....me....just laughing...smiling... :)  serendipity.....thanks universe... He told me he was from the Ukraine...and had 6 sons....and a daughter....who used to drive him around everywhere- and even crazy.  (hahaha).

I didn't have to drive him far...it was a quick ride...but he commented on how I was like Churchill....jovial....a picnic, he said.

I dropped him off right by the door, got out...got his groceries...and asked how old he was.  :)
He said, "not, old....I'm 92"   ahhhhh..... I gave him a hug...and a smile... and wanted to get his number....and maybe drive him around....I told him I wanted his number... :)  he laughed...he probably thought I was kidding.


maybe I'll stalk him....now that I know where he lives. :)  hahahahahaha.

what a gift.

and then...my next stop was the library to pick up my painting that was there....and a woman in line for the librarian...had her hands absolutely full of books and dvds....

I asked her, "do you need help?"

she said, "no, I'm ok, thanks..."

me.. "no really (wink), let me help" as i grabbed all the dvds from under her chin....

and....yes.  it was a good day....spreading some love...and sunshine...

and now...the painting....

I think what I am going to do for the next few days is to take a closer look at things that always need attention...and practice.

today....and maybe tomorrow....eyes.


lips.


Lips...just like eyes...can really change a face...expression...feeling...so...here's to really narrowing in on things....things that need attention...things that need to be seen.

and....

and...

and so....

today.....

peace and love...and gifts from the universe...

and young Matthew Broderick...."shall we play a game?"  and the 80s....

fierce

The above pic was taken with horrible lighting...I will post a better pic later.   

I always talk about love...and peace....and bliss...but, what I haven't really talked about is being...fierce....

like.....fierce.

there are so many crazy fun....entertaining surveys out there...like- what song is your anthem? (Justify My Love, Madonna)  or what god/goddess are you? (Aphrodite)....and what is your animal totem? (hawk)....  so so so many....and, ya...they are fun....and maybe they say a little something about how you answer questions- what your tendency is...what you lean towards....what you like...etc.  and that's fun.... but....I answer my questions...with voracious tendencies...

oh..goodness....where am I going with this?

sometimes...I feel fierce....like...I could prey on bunnies....cunning and alive...and thirsty....just for life...and what it has to offer...just....fierce...like a predator...like a cheetah...or a big cat.

god.  you have to....in life.  fight....kick ass and fight for the good you want...I've watched...people who take life...as if they are prey...just....lay down and play dead....or hide in a hole...

be fierce.  be alive...be happy...

ok.... and now painting for today.... :)

using another favorite of mine today, pale orange...moved away from yellow- at least for today. 

  

I like how today's landscape....really feels flowing...and rolling...and curvy....love this pose...and the warm, glow of the pale orange...and the coolness of the blue, washing up to the skin...like a gentle wave.



wet.  

I will continue to work on this...and post an update later, when it is finished.

the lighting isn't that great for the close-up---will have to repost with a better pic.

peace....love...and fierceness... :) I guess I'd say..I'm serenely..feral (with fierce tendencies)...and no...I didn't need a survey to tell me that.  I just know.  :)

tattoo

I'm not sure if this is something that other people experience, but...

once I figured out what I wanted for a tattoo..and where... it just burned in my skin...like it was already there...like it needed to be there.  it was there...I could feel it...and it felt natural....in fact...it felt weird that I looked and I couldn't see it.

and that's how I knew it was perfect...and that there would be no regrets....a commitment.

I had tossed around the idea of a butterfly...maybe a paper airplane...something that could fly...but those things just seemed...oh, I don't know...just not right.  I didn't connect to them.  cute, yes...but- on me...I just couldn't quite *feel* it...they were too...just...not right.

and then I found the viking rune symbol and....it kinda just...fit....where there's a will, there's a way.   (see, XX)

ain't that so true...

tattoos...people have different reasons for getting them...and I kind of think of them as...not just adornment...but a kind of talisman...but it's late...and I'm tired...and I was going to go into a whole big, deep thing about them...but....eff it.  I'm tired....it's late.   just....tattoos are (words, words, insert words, positive messages, etc.)  :)

calling around to different tattoo places got me kind of discouraged...once I knew what I wanted and where...I was determined to get it done...but a few of the really good places I called, were booked for months.

so there I was....driving with Jude- we went to the library, dropped off a painting...and I parked in the grocery store parking lot- made a call to a place I hadn't tried calling before, but knew had a record of being clean- and...bam.  yes, they could fit me in, within a half hour I was driving to the place.

Jude held my hand...because- WOW. that hurt...what a sweet guy (he's four).  and the whole thing was done with the outline needle...however that works....she filled it in with the outliner....and holy....f*&@#....

it felt like she was drilling the ink gun into my ankle- at least an inch deep....and I just breathed....and held Jude's hand...and it was over pretty quick....

and... now...it's healing.....

and this new one, makes it two.   the first is a turtle...a petroglyph style Hawaiian turtle that I did in Hawaii, after I turned in my master's thesis on Pidgin intonation.... (Honu, meaning and Hawaiian people).  So basically, this turtle on my foot a reminder...about my ability to move forward, find my way home...and a nod to Hawaii and respect for the Hawaiian people and culture and language.

here it is with my daughter's feet.

So, the thing is....when I got this turtle....I was 2 days away from leaving Hawaii and returning to AZ.  I had a healing tattoo, and hadn't planned the placement very well, and my flip flop strap laid over the turtle's flipper.  and OUCH....walking through LAX (stop over) and having to navigate that shit show, freaking limping with a damn flip flop strap digging into my ouch-ie skin...son of a.....

needless to say...it did not heal well...and now- i have a very faded flipper...years later...after pregnancies and breast feeding...I couldn't get it touched up...and always put it off....until...

when I got this last tattoo, I asked her if she could fix it....darken it...redo it...  :)   I thought- hey- I'm here...might as well.

and...after getting that tattoo XX.   ummmmmm.  ya...I told her..."Ya, NO...I'm good, I totally don't need that touched up, nope."


So, for Martin...I'm at two...and need 5 more to catch up to you...I think.  I'm not sure I will be able to catch up, but I do have an idea for another small one....but I may need some serious hand holding for that one. it will hurt...but not as bad as a bikini wax....Brazilian.  ugh.  now THAT hurt.
but... you kind of...forget the pain.


so....

peace...and love...and talismans made of ink.  and....I'm sleepy.

<3

bohemian

today...

Just...a celebration of the free spirit....soaring...and beaming...glowing...radiating...just being me...

that is all...radiating....like a hot bad ass hippy sun.... 

today...a mom was having a crappy time, telling me about another mom being crappy to her....  :)  and I made her smile....and laugh....and, bam.  she felt better....and that...is what it is about. love. and not being crappy.  

so....Hi.  

I'm here to be uplifting.... and smile....and make you laugh...and of course...inspire....I'm always here to inspire. 

I've been doing a whole lot of painting the female form...but I really should give the male form a chance.... I dunno...it kinda hit me....why not?  

So...here is a quick sketch....not sure what I will do with this...but I'm sure I will be inspired in some way...

also....

yesterday, I got a tattoo...this is a preview...and I'm sure I will write a post about it, because it isn't something I did on a whim.  I had been thinking about it for a while (see, XX, inguz)

Just a preview...

So, I guess this post is more of a sneak peak of things to come...future posts about tattoos...and paintings...taking a moment to pause...the calm before the storm of activity....

so...hold on to your nuggets.... hold on.  

peace....love....and glowing like a bad ass hippy sun.  

Vision Quest

here it is...

my vision quest...my blog...my journey...alive and kicking...awake...celebrating all the things to celebrate...  <3

on the road...of life...taking in the scenery....enjoying the drive...turning the radio up.

the reason I started this whole thing was to communicate...me...and work my way through my search for what things are...what can be...what inspires me...

here

I inspire...smile...reflect...share...love...spread sunshine and hope and peace and happiness...
find balance...expression...make sense of life...and what not...celebrate the wonders of life...and along the way...I've met some artists who have inspired me...and I've shared my art with communities...and hopefully inspired others....as they have done for me...

someone told me yesterday, "don't hide your flame" ... (thanks Nate).

and I don't intend to... I'm feeling all....flame...and maybe my flame will ignite someone else's flame...

It's been said...I'm a bit of a dreamer (and not always used in a good way)....and this is my space..and my place to dream...and soar...and I wholeheartedly believe that dreams come true...dreamers make this place magical.


find

in this blog...life and potential....and love...art...linguistics...

but above all

love  

because....that's what matters the most...

don't be afraid to shine...and reach for something good...because there is so much good to have...hit the gas and go get it and have fun getting it...and don't let it go when you grab it.



as always...

peace...love...and....love.

splashes of yellow

of color....

I wanted to do this one for a long time...but didn't think I had the patience for the hands...and wanted to wait for the right time....sometimes....

timing is everything...


I'm not sure why I've used yellow so much lately...it's my go-to- high light color...and today, I used green as my low-light, shading color...I think it really complements the brown..and the yellow in this...

the one thing that really struck me about this...is my bracelets.  I really wanted to make them almost...the focus on this piece....splashes of color... as a portal...


and....I usually paint to music...today, Madonna....but- old...1983 Madonna...
The last painting I did, I was actually watching a movie...Silver Linings Playbook (love that movie)... which I think, helped me to paint a little...take breaks...evaluate...paint.  Without several breaks...to let water absorb....and sees what happens...it is easy to overpaint...get things too muddy...

so, today.....Madonna.


First....the sketch with yellow...

and....


starting to paint...

and the studio today....

and now for some close ups...

and the whole thing..... a step back....

The paper is still drying...and the wrinkles will go away...and I'm sure I will do some tweaking and correcting....but for now...it rests.



peace....love...and yellow

radiate...

radiating rays of sunshine....of love...of peace...of creative energy...



I was going to write a post about being feisty....I felt kinda feisty the other day...

but today....


peace and sunshine...  the kind of sunshine that radiates from you...wave after glowing wave...

and when I drove by my trees today, I noticed the two of them....the green one converting to golden sunshiny yellow.  :)  and now they are both all glistening and sunshiny.


I painted last night and it made me glow...and feel all mellow....and sunshiny.


this...from a picture I took earlier....just relaxed...laying in the glow of sun... I thought it an interesting pose...and perspective...

perspective.... it can change....and with it...a whole different outlook...

and lately...I've been painting the last few paintings from this kind of perspective....instead of looking at myself from a pic as if, someone taking a pic of me...these last few are more...from my own perspective...looking at myself.



sun-dripping colors....

Zoey saw this painting and said, 'wow, looks like a sand castle....Mommy Beach.'  



and sometimes, I like to play with the color in an app....to really kick up the colors...just for fun....brilliant colors...colors of autumn.....and sun-soaked leaves.

so...here's to love and peace...and radiating sunshine...

<3  

La Bella Luna

One night...just a couple days before the last super crazy full moon...La Bella Luna.

I was lying in bed...having a hard time sleeping...my gaze rested on....curves....resting in moonlight...and syncopated by the shadows of blinds... with the contrast of white and black...my landscape looked like a zebra....

and as I followed the curves...bright with moonlight....and dark in valleys...

I was inspired....and wanted to paint...and wished that I could, in the dark....and capture that landscape...I would have made the shadows all...watercolor-y bleeding with blues...and purples...


but it was late.... and I had to get to bed...but I kept thinking of it and how I would paint it.

and I began to think of the body as a landscape...in more abstract terms... with mountains....peaks...and valleys.


looking down at myself...I took a pic....and did a quick small watercolor while on vacation....(see, Private Idaho)

but today...and last night... I wanted to do something more...fertile and ripe...celebrating the round...beautiful and round....shape of life.  the perfect place to grow life...the perfect milk to feed perfect life.   La Bella Luna....

I like how...the perspective is...first person...the view of- and interpretation, from the holder of the brush...and the colors...of twilight...

and details..


the right side....

and the left side...I have become quite fond of painting peaks.

beauty...and celebrating life...no wonder why fertility goddesses look all round and full... full of life...swollen with potential....

I hope I can capture the moon landscape again.  With the new moon coming up, it will be a while until I see the full moon again, pouring into the room...  ;) giving birth to new creative adventures...birth...and beginnings...life affirming forces...and all that jazz.

(from the Met Mueseum, Lajja Guari, Fertility Goddess ca. 6th century)  

here's to

Love...and peace....and life.

and banana popsicles....(also banana slurpees will do)....I love me some artificial banana flavoring.