An Artist Retreat

As my vision of a perfect little Cape Cod getaway with my very overworked spouse started unraveling, I needed to come up with Plan B. I had rented a small one bedroom cottage within walking distance to a town beach, and it was too late to back out - and why would I want to?

I decided to go and spend the week on my own, something I had never in my life done before. Mixed feelings of excitement, nervousness, anticipation, but mostly giddy joy took over my mind and body.

It was a major bucket list item I never knew I had! Knowing myself as I do, I needed to build in some structure to each day, but not too much. Got to find that happy space of having an activity along with some time to “just be”.

Photography is my first love, so having the freedom to roam around the outer Cape towns of Eastham, Wellfleet and Provincetown would be my destinations. Having just learned a new stitch technique from a workshop I took, I thought that combining those two mediums would would be the perfect artistic exploration for my time alone.

I decided that I would choose my favorite photos from each day, trace them onto linen panels, and outline stitch in black thread. This fit in nicely with my goals of getting outside to enjoy the seaside scenery as well as quiet meditative work with my textiles.

I completed the 4x4” linen squares and had my photos curated and tagged and even managed to journal my experience - when it occurred to me that I had created a travel scrapbook. It took me a few days to figure out how to assemble the textile book, but finally arrived at printing the photo onto fabric and placing the stitched version side by side on each page. Add a bit of reference journaling and I had myself a unique, artistic and one of a kind treasure of my 1st Artist Retreat.

My inner child….

I am in my mid 60’s. I am, for all intents and purposes, a pretty stable and happy person. However, I have been doing some internal work on myself and have discovered some core characteristics of my “Child'“ that I have let get buried under the weight of life as a wife, mother, daughter, employee, friend, grandmother and all the other roles I have held in my adult life.

It’s precisely that I am in my mid 60’s that I want to invite my Nature/Animal Child back to the table. I don’t have any reason not to engage this archetype that I was born with to take her rightful place front and center in my life again. There was a time when I was taking care of 4 rabbits, gerbils, riding horses, collecting fish, begging my parents for a dog or a monkey, and dreaming about living on a farm.

It’s been 6 years since my beloved Maltipoo, Gracie died at age 12. My daughter is constantly after me to get another dog. But I don’t want to be tied down with a dog. I have 2 grand dogs that I can get my dog fix from.

I am going to start small and buy a couple of fish. Put them in my art studio and see what happens. That feels right.

My mantra for 2023 is “keep it simple” in all aspects of my life. So..…what could be more simple than a couple of beautiful fish?

I am excited to re-engage my inner nature/animal child this way and I know it is just the beginning of beautiful new chapter.

Intentional Reflection

January is almost over so now is a good time to look back and see how I am doing with my 2023 intentions. This is the time to get real and access my progress with open eyes. Do I have the same enthusiasm to make the changes I promised to make January 1st?

• journal often - I find it enjoyable and a healthy practice

• meditate in the AM - to clear my head and gain clarity

• exercise often - to be fit to play with grandchildren

Can I sustain that internally - week after week, or am I dependent on someone else to push me? Am I being realistic in mind and body? One thing I do know is my almost 63 year old body is warning me to spend more time on the “exercise often”, which is always a double-edged sword with me. I do too much too fast and end up with a sore back or pulled muscle. When will I ever learn to take it slower - slow and steady wins the race! Currently, I am nursing a bit of a sore back from bowling. It was totally worth it, though!

I will allow myself a pat on the back on the journaling and meditation front. Not every day, but many days I complete these items, and I do think there is something about doing those “morning pages” that gets the worries out of my head before I start the day! I also really enjoy the Chopra App - my favorite teacher is Roger Gabriel.

So, 2 out of 3 - not bad! I like the fact that I am writing this down. It keeps me focused and helps me to remember my “why” in setting these goals.

What are your goals and how are you doing so far in 2023?

Endings and New Beginnings

Christmas is over and the holiday rush is winding down. Today is clean up day, both in my house and in my mind. Having just completed (2) year long courses in Photography and Creativity - the end of December is a natural time for me to evaluate where my creative journey as taken me. For many of us creatives, our “artistic journey” is our “life journey”. They are intertwined because a true creative never stops thinking about it. The “class” may end, but the lessons percolate and the inspirations continue to appear if I am willing to see, hear them and feel them.

Another wonderful benefit to taking creative courses are the teachers & students I have met along the way. I have been so very lucky to follow my intuition and sign up for the classes that are a right “fit” for me at that time. The teachers/facilitators I have been blessed to learn from this year are Laura Valenti in Gathering Light, and Jane Dunnewold in Creative Strength Training. Both of these women, in their own unique ways and styles have managed to make online courses very personal and fulfilling in ways that have allowed me to delve very deeply into my own creative self and grow. This is a true gift, as stagnation is not a friend of the creative mind. I am thankful to have crossed paths with these wonderful women, the generous co-learners I have met, and I am excited to continue exploring my art and my creativity in the coming year.

Snowy Owl 1st Anniversary

One year ago today, the Tuesday before Thanksgiving 2021, I woke up very early and went to Sachuest Point to shoot. It was unplanned and it was mainly to clear my head as I was in a big funk. I got there very early and started walking the trail along the ocean. I was concentrating on the interior landscape as I love the burnt orange grasses at this time of year, and I was looking for deer camouflaged in there. I was not too far along; and for no other reason that I can explain, except to say it was the universe aligning - I turned my head to the right and found myself face to face with a Snowy Owl. He was looking directly at me with his soul-piercing yellow eyes. I have never experienced anything so mystical and spiritual in my life. I immediately started shooting photos and he then flew away, with me shooting as he flew to another area in search of food. It seemed to be in slow motion but in reality was probably 25 or 30 seconds. He was a male juvenile, brown spots over white body. I remember being very surprised at his wingspan. It still gives me tingles to this day when I think of it. He is my muse now and I will forever be grateful that our paths crossed that November day. Whatever small problems I was burdened with melted away when I witnessed Nature’s glorious beauty.

my mystical Snowy Owl - Rhode Island

Calm Before the Storm

The months of October & November are a busy time for my family. Most of our birthdays and anniversaries are during these 2 months. We also have been blessed with 3 Grandchildren born during these months as well - the newest just 2 weeks ago! In order to maintain sanity, we will need to figure out a new normal to celebrate all these occasions as well as the traditional Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. I am thinking we will need to simplify and keep in mind it’s the getting together that is important, not so much the elaborate parties that counts! This shot was taken early one morning on my walk down by the river. It will remind me to keep life simple, appreciate the people, not things, and if the *** hits the @@@, always remember the sun will come up tomorrow to start a new day!

Autumn in New England

It is the same every year. The sun sets earlier. The air after dinner is cooler. People start talking about getting their blankets and sweaters out the closets. Of course, the question of when you will turn your heat on is the big topic of conversation on those first few chilly nights. Everyone knows most New Englander’s will never turn on the heat before November 1st. The older I get, the crazier that sounds to me! Autumn is my favorite time to shoot photos of flowers and fauna. I am not afraid to say I sometimes like the decaying hydrangeas just as much as the beautiful summertime blooms. There is something special to me in the wheat-colored grasses, the golden, rusts, and browns of the leaves, and fading perennials getting ready to fade away until the next Spring. Here are a couple of photos I have shot on walks around this month. I will enjoy this short season before the long winter arrives, making shooting outside all but gone. Enjoy your October!