ARTFUL GATHERINGS

Theatre/studio/yoga

This morning I spent in my studio trying to finish the numerous projects I have started. I seem to be having  issues with finishing things. I keep letting new ideas distract me. I guess I am avoiding the  fine detail work. This afternoon and evening I spent at the studio/theatre. Yes that is me (when I was not taking this picture) behind the star. Now if I only had a picture of the yoga studio..... you would always know where to find me.

Today

Art is the only way to run away without leaving home. Twyla Tharp

I spent the day in my studio. Oops.... was having so much fun with this painting I forgot to pick Megan up from school. Thank goodness the school is close so when she called and said where are you?.....I was not far away.

Some more images from the rest of the day

Ash wednesday

 

Today is fat Tuesday and tomorrow is ash Wednesday. Even though I am a cafeteria catholic (The term Cafeteria Catholic also, à la carte Catholic or CINO = "Catholic In Name Only", is applied to those who dissent from Catholic moral teaching on issues such as abortion, contraception, premarital sex, masturbation, and homosexuality. from wikipedia) I have always been enthralled  by the tradition of  Ashes to ashes dust to dust.....From the English Burial Service. Adapted from the Biblical text, Genesis 3:19 (King James Version):  "In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return."  

   I may spend the rest of my life quetsioning organized religion but I will never question the authenticity of Mary.....for me in my life.

words

Today I am enjoying a wonderful Sun day at home. Playing in my studio with my computer and other art projects. I am enjoying delicious smells from the kitchen where Allison and Pat are cooking chili. My goal for this day is balance.

I love words. I love to read . But I have find writing somewhat difficult. I struggle with the correct words to portray my thoughts. I have had a recent interest in poetry ..... I lean towards lyrical poetry. I feel I miss the meaning in free verse. So to my delight a dear, wonderful, talented friend has starting writing lyrical verses for which he has allowed me to use in my Art work ( I have not officially asked but he has not complained). Thank you Charlie for allowing me to use your beautiful words......(Maybe one day he will let me share his blog with you my cherished readers.)

Empty spaces

Today I am taking some quite moments and contemplating life and all its complexities of emotions..

Empty spaces, i have loved       

time and time again

reaching for the unshone light

in hearts and souls of men.

 Op'ning shiny parcels of the words they fear to say

teaching them to speak themselves

so they can walk away.            

All my prayers to Gods above       

a love for me to send

each brings closed souls to me

I open them, love ends.

Perhaps it's me I wait to love

my own soul, to embrace

seeking light from dreams denied

to fill my empty space.   By Charlie Smith

I am pondering life today and this poem spoke to what I am seeing and feeling around me. I love this poem it so beautiful but heart wrenching. I see so many people who are filled with sadness, the light in their eyes has dimmed or has turned to grey. What happens to certain people as they grow older? Does their brilliant light dissolve as their dreams die?

Can we help those around us to shine again?,

House

An exert from The House with Nobody in it by Joyce Kilmer

But a house that has done what a house should do,
a house that has sheltered life,
That has put its loving wooden arms around a man and his wife,
A house that has echoed a baby's laugh and held up his stumbling feet,
Is the saddest sight, when it's left alone, that ever your eyes could meet. 

So whenever I go to Suffern along the Erie track
I never go by the empty house without stopping and looking back,
Yet it hurts me to look at the crumbling roof and the shutters fallen apart,
For I can't help thinking the poor old house is a house with a broken heart. 

I love these colors. Especially the blue against the coppery brown and a hint of green.

Peace

We shall find peace. We shall hear the angels, we shall see the sky sparkling with diamonds.   Chekhov

Love

Love, in its early transformation, 

And only love, may so design it
That the self flows in pure sensation,
Is all dissolved, and found at last
Without a future or a past,
And a whole life suspended in it. May Sarton

Texture

The texture of my days feels like...

Where have I been. I have been busy. Nothing productive just little bits of this and that...

 

(beam us up Scotty they are all idiots down here.)

At this very moment I am waiting on hold with my insurance company to see if they offer disability insurance. I have a feeling I will be listening to this prerecorded doctors office music for awhile. Prior to this phone call I had a" lovely" chat with a woman from the Social Security who made me feel like I was trying to commit a white collar crime. This woman's attitude was she was on to me and was she going to prevent it. The moment when I almost dropped the phone was when she reprimanded me for filling out on the online application. Apparently Allison, the one I am trying to get services for  was supposed to fill out the form. Now I am a semi intelligent adult and I found the application confusing as hell so how was Allison supposed to decipher the application. 

 All I am trying to accomplish is to make sure my daughter, who is developmentally challenged, has medical insurance when she turns 21. I had could rant for pages but it would accomplish nothing. 

Enough with the diatribes of my life, how about some pictures when life was simpler....