Wednesday, May 19, 2010

clay happy






I have always loved clay, and truth be told, I always thought I'd get into making pottery. Perhaps someday, but in the meantime I will continue to collect inspiring pieces from other artists. I am not sure if it's the connection I feel to art or the connection to the mud of the earth, or something else entirely, but eating, drinking and decorating my home with handmade pottery makes my day so much brighter.

Here are some of my favorites:

Chirpy Birds Sugar Pot by Julia Smith

IMAGINE Earthy Latte or Soup Mug by Crop Circle Clay

Lotus Flower - Breathe- Mug by Terra Works

Two Tumblers by Mud Stuffing

Royal Blue Mug by Darrielle's Clay Art

Five nesting lotus bowls by Whitney Smith



Monday, May 10, 2010

the gems of life




When I was a little girl, my mother would send my sister and I outside with a set of Audubon field guides from time to time so we could keep ourselves busy trying to identify trees, birds, plants and rocks. Some days we'd take the books into the forest in back of our house and look for edible plants to dig up, some days we'd watch the birds visit the bird bath outside our kitchen window, other days we'd collect leaves from the many trees on our property...and then there were the days I was convinced I would split open one of the rocks I had collected to discover it was really a gem.


This anecdote quite obviously provides a glimpse into the roots of my nature-loving ways, but it is the less obvious piece of my existence that can be gleaned from the tale that actually called this memory up for me today. Those Audubon books suddenly came to mind when I picked up the hunk of amethyst that sits on my bedside table (one of many gems that sit there). I recalled all the times I sat in my driveway, by the side of the river, or in my backyard, splitting open rocks and hoping to discover its guts were made of gems instead of stone. What warms me is knowing that no matter how many rocks disappointed me back then, I always believed I'd find my gem eventually....I believed in finding beauty inside otherwise ugly or plain pockets of life, I believed in finding whatever it was my little heart was looking for at any given time, and no amount of disappointment or failure ever kept me from believing.

The image of that little girl with her rocks is so precious to me, and she has never left my soul. It is that little girl piece of me that has allowed me to manifest all my dreams into reality. I continue to live my life in search of the gems I know I will find along my way, and over the years I've begun to find them more quickly and more frequently. In my experience, it is the strong ability to "believe," regardless of failed attempts or other people's disbelief, that leads to a life filled with gems. And the interesting thing is, I still appreciate the rocks that are simply made of stone, because they are just as important.

It's no wonder that I have decorative vessels filled with both (rocks and gems) placed throughout my house....a subtle reminder to appreciate all of your experiences and all of your attempts, all the while maintaining your faith in life, in yourself, and in the realization of dreams.

xo

Friday, May 7, 2010

the emotion of politics












Yesterday was another exhilarating day at the House of Representatives in Hartford, CT, bookending my experience since I first attended on opening day of session this year. And I have to say, the excitement level, dizzying pace of action, and pulse of this colorful alternate universe, were utterly palpable.

It's not surprising, given my personality, that what affected me most about the day was the emotion. There was the unexpected humor when session opened with superlatives being given out, such as "best dressed representative" and "best facial hair of a representative." There were the countless bittersweet moments as longstanding members took their final bows and voted on their final bills on their last day in session after decades in office. There was awe and admiration in moments of recognition, such as applauding the 99 year old man who has worked counting the ballots on every election of his working life...he will turn 100 next week (and still work the coming election).

Like anything else "human," yesterday was an experience of shared emotion. And although I was merely an observer in this strange world, I can liken it to watching a sports game: you don't have to be a lifetime fan or even watch the game from the beginning; you can simply find yourself sucked into the crowd by the contagious quality of the experience. You feel a vicarious sense of triumph, excitement, exhaustion, and camaraderie...you feel part of something.


Monday, May 3, 2010

cupcake



I'm looking at my pile of photography gear today thinking "I really miss my buddy!" There is simply no end to what Cupcake and I can create together and that is something I could use a dose of right now. Sure it's important to grow, motivate and create as an individual artist, but working with someone who has just as much passion as I do, in addition to a steady stream of new and interesting ideas....well, it's just incredible. It's the artistic version of a high. I feel completely present and pulsing with life, my true essence freely available and lit up. It's an experience that feels completely real and completely right. Anything is possible...

Well, I sure am looking forward to my week of adventures with Cupcake this summer!