Just the Same

Sometimes when I paint a piece, the inspiration comes from the music I’m listening to when I’m working. Just the Same was painted while listening to KT Tunstall’s album, Eye to the Telescope, over and over. Many of the songs lyrics are a part of this painting. They helped me create a composite story and face. The song that resonated most true for me and during the making of this piece was the song Universe & U. I really believe that the people in our lives are there to teach us about ourselves. Thank you, Ms Tunstall, for putting to music, the story of friendship.

"Universe & U" by KT Tunstall

A fire burns
Water comes
You cool me down
When I'm cold inside
You are warm and bright
You know you are so good for me
With your child's eyes
You are more than you seem
You see into space
I see in your face
The places you've been
The things you have learned
They sit with you so beautifully

You know there's no need to hide away
You know I tell the truth
We are just the same
I can feel everything you do
Hear everything you say
Even when you're miles away
Cause I am me, the universe and you

Just like stars burning bright
Making holes in the night
We are building bridges

You know

When you're on your own
I'll send you a sign
Just so you know
I am me, the universe and you

Just The Same

Nowhere Fast

I wanted to do a piece about the ridiculousness of listening to your own thoughts. I mean really. When I am aware enough to acknowledge the differences between the ego and the spirit the way Eckart Tolle observed when he had the thought “I can’t live with myself anymore”, I find my ego is pretty clever at letting the negativity, the doubt, the frustration and the anger creep back in. Luckily, my spirit knows enough to keep bringing me back to the present moment. I know that “Your judgments about others become YOUR prescription for how to live.-Byron Katie.” And I know that “only when you dwell in the awareness in your relationships, can you rid your ego of the wanting.-Eckart Tolle” I am learning everyday that “Once you see the ego for what it is, it becomes much easier to remain non-reactive toward it. You don’t take it personally anymore.-more fabulous Tolle” Like the woman on the left, I am ready to turn this ship around in any direction it needs to go. I am ready to go along for the ride.

Nowhere Fast

Gift Horse

“Looking a gift horse in the mouth” is one of those expressions that always made me laugh, so I googled it. Turns out, horses used to be evaluated by their age and their age was determined by their teeth, specifically, how ‘long in the tooth’ they were. I find it ironic that this has evolved to become an expression for “being grateful for what you get.” Is it essential or prudent for us to determine a value on the things given to us? Is it necessary to determine a worth on the things that are ‘gifts’? Is this level of evaluation actually being ungrateful? Maybe we should stop looking our gift horses in the mouth and instead start looking them in the eye and just saying “thank you”.


Gift Horse

Piecing It Together

“Piecing It Together” originated from a photo of my grandmother Helen and her sister, Julie, working on a puzzle. On the back of the photo, in my grandmother’s handwriting, she wrote “1943 and still at it”. The image and the quote got me thinking about how we spend are lives doing just that; piecing it together and figuring it out. The silhouetted bird represents the things we do and think that hold us back and prevent us from seeing the complete picture. The irony of it all is that the key to piecing together the big picture is usually hiding right in front of us in plain sight. This 4' x 6' painting is charcoal, acrylics, fabric and paper collage on 6 wood panels.

Piecing It Together

I Am Willing

If being what you already are is step one, then the next move in my mind was to get rid of what was not me. Willing came about after painting over 2 unsuccessful past paintings and letting the flow take me in a new direction. My last piece, Be What You Already Are, was so tight and controlled, so the pendulum swung in the direction of messy. It was a joyous experience. I didn't think. Just painted. The letters for 'I Am Willing' can be found in small scrabble letters (giving me a 16 point sentence) and the face grew out of the work that now lives beneath the paint. We are both surrendering and smiling.


Willing

First Day of School

Well sort of... Nate started school today. Nick started 2 weeks ago, so I had a jump start on my first new work of the school year. The collage and drawing were done this weekend, and I painted today. It came flying out of me like a cork from a champagne bottle. I'm back.

The painting is called 'Be What You Already Are' which is a quote from Eckhart Tolle. The piece is about shedding the ego, youthful expectations and the roles we play, and uncovering the true spirit that resides underneath. Finding yourself. Again. And Again. And Again. I took the mask of Mom off for a whole 3 hours today. And the spirit of Mom underneath is still smiling.


Be What You Already Are

More Tea

After Nick woke up and saw what was going on, he wanted to be in on the action...........

My Cup of Tea

I've always said that any day in the studio is a good day. Today was one of those days. Nate and I spent the afternoon painting, while Nick slept peacefully. Both of us painted our version of "My Cup of Tea". It most certainly was.

On The Issues

Check out my work on the online magazine;
http://www.ontheissuesmagazine.com/2010winter/2010winter_poetry.php