Turning Around

It is Monday, and I am in my studio in town. I will be moving out of here after I get home from the beach week after next.
This is such a season of change in my life. My baby boy is in his last week of Kindergarten. I can hardly beleive it. He has grown and matured so much this year. He has learned so much too. He is reading well above grade level, and I am thrilled. I was always able to find escape in books, and I hope he will love them as much as I have.
On Satuday, we are off to Holden beach for a week. It will be my daughter's first time at the ocean. I can't wait to see how she likes it. My parents will be there with me, which I am thrilled about. They are my best friends, and there is noone else I would rather spend time with. We will spend our days walking the beach and playing in the sand, looking for critters and treasure. Holden Beach is one of those quiet places where there aren't millions of people. It is a very restful and restorative place for me.
The piece above is in the journal I started at Art and Soul. I have been trying to give myself time and permission to journal. It helps me keep my peace. I just write and layer over it. It is almost like doing artist pages for me.
Not much else to share. I am in a good space, and hope you are too!

Coming Home Again

I have been away at Art and Soul in Hampton, Va for a week. I am just beginning to re-assimilate into daily life. The trip was exhausting and overwhelming. I met a lot of really fun creative folks. I hope that some of them will remain close friends.

This trip came at a good time for me in my art life. I have made the decision to pack up my rented studio and move everything back home. Having a rented studio space in town has been a great adventure. It has taught me a lot about myself as an artist. I have just come to a point where the negatives are outweighing the positives. The stress and pressure of having to create to sell to make rent is such a burden that I feel it is stifling my creativity. I need to be free to make what makes my heart sing. Also, my kids are not getting enough of me. They will only be small once. I want to be more present for them, and more present in caring for the home we share. I guess the bottom line is that I can't hold everything together- house, family, studio, faith. I am not calling this defeat though. I see it as a call back to the center of who and where I need to be. I made this decision before I went to A&S, but the trip helped me come to a comfortable place with my decision.

The artwork at the top is from a journaling class with Juliana Coles called "Word- the Extreme Art of Lettering." There were a lot of things about this class that did not speak to me or work for me. What did work was a return to working quickly and intuitively. This type of fast, thought free, art play releases my spirit to create authentic work.

Another thing that was reawakened in me was a desire to be more mindful of maintaining the friendships I have found through my artwork. I need to be better at being in contact with the lovely souls I have come to know and admire and love on the journey. So, if you haven't heard from me in a while, don't be surprised to see an email in your box. You are all still precious to me, and I apologize for not making you a priority.