The Joy of Creating Art

My cousin, Karen, lives in Eden Prairie. I visited her home today while her husband, Bernie worked on my car. While I waited for my daughter to pick me up, I sat in Karen's "outdoor studio". There was a cute little metal table with two chairs and all the equipment she needed...brushes, paint, water, a paper plate for a palette, paper towels and her raw materials...smooth stones. Karen had all she needed to create her wonderful, whimsical pet rocks. She gifts these little creatures to her "children" on the bus route she drives at the end of the year. The kids have even started bringing pictures of themselves and their pets in hopes that Karen will make them a special portrait. Her little creatures grace her garden; peaking from knots in driftwood, perched on rocks and a school of fish swims in front of a pot of pansies. They are really cute.

Today was a good reminder about the spontaneous joy of making art. I have been in the midst of preparing for shows and trying to launch products and I have forgotten to have fun in my studio. I have been busy trying to second guess myself as to what products will be most profitable and writing a business plan. Even tho these things are important, I think I need to do more creating for creating sake. Get the ideas out of my head not because I think they would sell well but because these ideas need to be free to become the art they are to be. I love the quote, "Do what you love, continue to do it and it will take you where you need to go."

In Karen's "studio" today there was a peacefulness. The birds were singing, someone was mowing their lawn, the smell of flowers was in the air. There was a simple joy. It was a good reminder. Next week I think I'll take my sketch book outside to my beautiful gardens and enjoy creating something alfresco.

Thanks Karen for a nice visit, for the tour of your studio and for the reminder of the joy of creating.

Spreading Joy One Topiary at a Time

Have you seen this special on HGTV, A Man Named Pearl and His Garden? It is an incredible story. His accomplishments are remarkable and his motivation are so commendable. If you can't catch the entire story on HGTV, I've linked this post to the web page where you can view the gardens. Not only is his work extraordinary...but he created it from cast off plants! It's a story of one man's determination and how each of us can make a difference, working for peace and love in the world. Bit by bit, inch by inch...or in this case leaf by leaf.

I'm Back

I'm back! After a bit of a hiatus, and problems with the server, I am finally able to post to my blog again.

Winter doesn't seem to able to loosen it's grasp of Minnesota. I love Winter, but I am really over it and very ready for Spring. I have started herb seeds on the heated floor in my studio. It's my first time and I find it fun and addicting. I'm looking forward to getting some tomatoe seeds, peppers and maybe I'll try some perennials, too. It's Spring in my studio in spite of the Winter Storm Warning that we have in our forecast. Hope you're enjoying sunshine where you are reading this.