Today, January 13th 2013, was a good day. 2012 had been difficult?; trying?;
stormy?; impossible?; and disheartening. As the year came to a close, I was
looking forward to change and fresh beginnings. Today I was out in the cold
sunshine with my animals, grooming Ziggy, mucking up, playing with the goats
and dogs, and just generally enjoying the life I set up here on my ranchito. Abbakiss
gave me many big smiles and followed me everywhere. Cloud was doing his singular
wandering, as he is a goat with a mind of his own. I looked towards South Mountain
and admired the soft cottony clouds that floated above me so peacefully.
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| Cloudy on a sunny day |
Living in my East Mountain universe gives me solace as I traverse the complicated
world of loss (parents and relationships) and the reality of living in a long term
recession that slices and dices the art and education venues that have been my life
calling. The turmoil of a changing world challenges avenues taken during other
times and stretches my usually pragmatic and creative decision-making abilities.
Immediate solutions and answers seem to escape my mental gymnastics as I
question, inquire, read, and seek the wisdom of others.
But today was a good day as I returned inside my home to make a large pot
of fresh vegetable stew and allow my thoughts to wander. Beef stew aroma filled
the house as I spent the next hour rereading a book by Neal Donald Walsch called
"Conversations With God, Book 3". As a spiritual rather than traditional religious
person, Walsch's books bring a fresh and new perspective to the human mind, body,
and spirit and the mysteries of living on this earth. His quote that "Life begins
at the end of your comfort zone" was inspiring and gave me a push to finish "Hot
Madness" and move forward with projects. "Hot Madness" allowed my
"digital crazies" to flow and I really enjoyed the journey.
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| Hot Madness |
The human spirit pushes us to move along and return to vibrant life. As I look
back on 2012 I remember great difficulty trying to work in my studio after my
mother was placed in hospice care. The world slowed. I became unsettled,
fragmented, and distracted. After her death and memorial, a sunny warm day in
early summer lured me outside with my Sony Cybershot. I headed for the corrals
with no particular thought in my head. As I peered through the lens, my eye
caught my shadows. Hmm, a small tingle of some recognition of interest hit my
brain. I walked around the house looking for new photo ventures, the car mirrors,
my studio door reflections, textures, and colors. At my computer I played with
layers, colors, contrast, and felt for the first time in months a direction and opening
for new work and excitement. Eight months later, the complexity of image and
textures continue to surprise me as I move into more depth and intricacy of ideas.
When I walk into my studio I feel a new anticipation awaiting the day I will be able
to migrate the new work from the computer to my mixed-media workspace.
Life is good!
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| Life is Good! |
