Blog
Falling
In Texas for fifteen years or so . . I fell in love with the live oak trees
And southern culture
When you fall in love you don't look for perfection
you just fall,
without effort.
I fell in love with the way men
And the littlest boys
hold the door
I fell in love with how
Even when I drive badly
No one honks the horn
Live oaks and culture
More to uncover
I keep falling
Brother culture
Where does a brother culture come from? In Taos painting, quiet,I become invisible . . and the sentences, the greetings. . . begin with brother, or sister . There are other ways, words people lead with . . like baby , or sweetie. Words like a hug. Who creates a culture where sentences begin with brother sister sweetie or baby? Where a sentence begins with a word that is a hug. Ellen's “scnooks” or “schnookums” down the hallways. Hug words. Sweetness.
Go out to see the world
Megan gave us a mirror years ago, all carved. It says “ go out to see the world” . So it is like a best friend right there saying that to me, every day. And what stops me? Alopecia, or rather the feelings around it.
One day I went anyway and a boy was walking to his job at TomThumb. He was “different” ?! He asked why I didn't have hair . His movements were erratic. My neighbor came out to see if I was ok. Two different people standing in the road. He said “it's hard” and “I'm sorry” and “ god makes us all JUST the way we are” I smiled and nodded, cause that's what you do. And I know his mama taught him some of this. A few days later painting I was lost in a flood of tears . Because he said the only things that are actually helpful, for me. Words of truth and empathy.
Andys words
I said something, frustrated, about art. Andy said “ Will you scorn the gifts God gave you?” When I face resistance those words echo. They help me begin, maybe set the 20 minute timer and just begin.
ASCS sketches
Fear and faith can't exist together? My fear is that I'm awful at faces and it's best not to even try, much less share with anyone. My faith is to listen to the nudges, to let myself have this joy filled chance to look at these faces every day.
Maria
Gratitude for meeting Maria Dani and Joni in Vero. Three magical creatures. And how lucky am I, that they somehow see the why behind the art, and encourage me to keep creating. In moments of doubt it is notes like Marias that remind me to listen to the “ still small voice” and to just say “ I go on, because you ask me to” .
What an honor to sketch this image of Joe from 1962, to know that this is what he looked like when Maria first met him, and that today, that love is strong. “ Love is the very difficult realization that something other than ones self is real.” How fully loved Joe is , for Maria to have his portrait created. God has to smile at a love like this.
Hallie
Portraits just keep calling. It is so hard to be a beginner at this and yet it keeps calling me to just try. Inner critic is hard at work these days working overtime working nights telling me everything is terrible. I am struggling to get to the studio with any regularity. I throw up roadblocks in the form of coffee and sugar and housework. But the moments and hours spent in even an attempt to capture eyes like Hallies, those are gifts.
Minnie
Minnie. Sweet. Soft. Also looks like " I am queen of the world"
Recent Works
