Art and showing art

One Night Stand

Last Saturday in Santa Barbara there was an opening for a show called "One Night Stand".  It was a fund raiser for Art From Scrap and I heard it went very well.  Lots of money made for a viable ecological and art education facility.  I was not able to attend as I was sick in bed, not wanting to do anything- a cold caught from my family after attending my family reunion and hanging out with my mom and sisters in San Rafael, CA.

I noticed on the website for Art From Scrap under "The Morning After" heading, that a not so great picture of the piece I entered was up, indicating that my piece did not sell.  I am not too sad about that (lest the hurt to my ego), because I really liked the piece I did, and since the "unveiling" is over I can post a picture here: 

This is a tribute to how I, in the very far past, felt after allowing myself the frivolous encounter of a One Night Stand. 

I thoroughly enjoyed making this piece- something I started in Michael deMeng's class.

And though, in my life I have made choices that have not been to my greatest benefit, I am here to say that life is good, that this moment is an opportunity to make a great choice for me, that I have everything I need, including a fabulous husband, kids and extended family and that I love making art!!!! 

Faces in Enamel

I'm painting faces with enamel again.  I have been meaning to get back to it as I have sold all of the faces I made previously. A kind patron, who admired my work this past December at a show in San Francisco, Bazaar Bizarre, has requested a ring in her size. I have spent the last few days making some faces for her to choose from.  It is not an easy process, painting with enamel, as there are many variables involved in getting a good face.   I have a large pile of not so great pieces that go along with this assortment of little beauties.  That is the price for not practicing the craft.   I have learned my lesson.

 Aren't they sweet?

This is a great book if you are interested in learning about enamaling

I've come out of the closet

I have now become a minister of the Universal Life Church, a non-denominational ministry.  Though I am not Christian in the traditional sense, my sister asked me to officiate her wedding and while doing research I found this site and decided the time had come for me to join my calling. I am a healer and why not take on this form of vestment.  Please do not think for one moment that I am making a joke, as I am very serious about the responsibility of this title.  According to the Universal Life Church web site, I am now legally able to officiate at weddings, funerals, baptisms and absolve sins.  This last part seems intriguing as I am not a proponent of "sin" certainly not the "original Sin" as I was not brought up with this sort of dogma. However, I am aware that there are many people who have been brought up to believe in this idea, and if anyone wants me to help them feel better about themselves in the face of God I am happy to help.  And though I write here that I was not indoctrinated into a religion that expounded on "Sin" per se, I was brought up in the US of A and one cannot help but have a helping of sin laid on one's plate.  For me the work of absolution comes in getting to know one's self, deeply, so deeply that you discover the source of any dis- ease you feel in your life.  We are our own best prosecutors and persecutors, the inquisitor in our head is alive and well.  Until you are ready to meet it head on with honesty and integrity and a lot of forgiveness and love, the inquisition lives on!!!
The following is a practice I have been doing for quite some time which helps me to feel strong and vibrant everyday:

 I state over and over this affirmation:  I am perfect I am whole, I am strong, I am powerful, I am loving, harmonious, happy and healthy.

Say it at least 15 times and then through out the day anytime you are feeling low energy.
They say that we think over 60,000 thoughts a day!!!!  And a lot of those thoughts are negative, so I try to put this little jingle into my mind for those moments when I am not consciously aware of what I am thinking.  Over the years it has become a mainstay in my extraneous thoughts.