Daily Meditation

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LIkB5E56Ak

Today I begin a new practice, one of daily meditation.  I have never consistently meditated and yet I have always aimed to.  By acknowledging this, I strive to implement this into my daily routine just as I do my morning cup of coffee.  I have admired the discipline of meditation as it takes great devotion to quiet an active mind.  It's one of those things I mean to get around to.  You know how it is, I'm too busy to meditate.  But am I?  No, I make time for things that are important, as we all do.  If I make meditation a priority then I will have time for it.  It's difficult to commit to because it seems frivolous.  And yet it's benefits are proven effective for better health overall.  I am trying this for 30 days as this is a reasonable time to acquire a new routine.  Whose with me?

Bareback rider

Yesterday I worked on my bareback tutu painting, I reduced the mountains and added more sky.  I was inspired by an article I read in American Artists magazine lent to me from Bob my studio mate.  The article was on an artist named Victoria Adams whose work I admire and got to see recently when we were on a road trip to Idaho.  She has giant paintings in the Gail Severn Gallery, a very posh place and her work is captivating due her use of light.  She uses 70% of the painting as sky and her dramatic use of clouds is envious.  I love wide open spaces, and the feeling of them so I wanted to incorporate it more into this piece.  It's still in progress, I am struggling with the horse, I have never painted a horse before and I am being challenged by it.  I will preserver and post more pictures as I continue working on it.  I took some pictures of the shop to update my website and I am too rushed this morning to post them.  Garage sale day today, you understand.  I will post them soon, Miriam my helper and I edited out things and opened up the shop for better flow and gallery viewing.  Gotta go or everyone else will get the goodies..................

Arts Benicia Gala

Friday was the Arts Benicia annual Gala which is its biggest fundraiser all year. This was my first time going and I really enjoyed it. My friends Terin and Gary along with Patrick and Laura all came and we shared a table together. Everyone got dressed up and it was held at the Iron horse warehouse on Grant Ave in the Arsenal, a huge industrial building with lots of funky charm, mixed with local Benicians and Artisans. There was art for sale, art to be auctioned off and various other items such as fancy wine etc... I was just happy to be there among my fellow artists representing Arts Benicia. I feel so grateful to belong to this organization of talented people and I loved seeing how the town of Benicia supports it's artists. There were well over 200 people there, and all of the proceeds go directly into the Arts Benicia program. First St. Cafe catered the food and it was tasty, we had appetizers, pasta, salmon or chicken with potatoes and carrots, salad, dessert...There was wine for those who drink and for those of us who don't there was Diet Coke or sparkling water. We had a professional auctioneer help sell the donated art and my friend Gary walked away with a prized vagina lucky guy....it's actually a present for a friend and we all cracked up over it. I walked away feeling grateful there are communities like Benicia who honor and support what art brings to the community. In fact I was so inspired I thought we should probably move there when all is said and done....just an idea mind you, but I do love water and art, and they have both.

I have been remiss about blogging and for those of you who check I thank you for your patience. It does take time to download pictures and write out the text and usually this is my pleasure. Then there are times like in the last week or two when it just seems like another 'task'. I only want to blog if it's fun so I put it off. So I am happy to say I enjoyed posting today. I hope you enjoyed reading it and as always I thank you for your continued support. Julia Cameron my hero, talked about the importance of artistic support in her book, "The Artist Way". It's vital for an artist to feel useful, needed and appreciated. If they have this they have all they need to produce good work. Its true of all people and professions of course but artists need it even more as art has an unusually bad rap as being frivolous. And yet where would we be without it? So with that I say go hug your nearest artist and you will be giving them all the riches they seek.......

Liberty High school and Rotary event

Yesterday we had a fun annual event in the arsenal. The Rotary club of Benicia and local wineries join together for a fundraiser for Liberty High School. It's a mini open studios for all of us in the arsenal and a chance to meet new people and have some fun. I always welcome these events as great advertising and I am happy to participate in open studios and meet all my fellow artists. There were wineries spread all around, the high school students volunteered to pass trays of food and the art gallery was open for viewing. The studios were open and a fun time was had by all. Miriam my part time helper came and we donned tutus for flair and fun, then we had some jr. hip chick's wanting in on the action. I happily obliged but most of my tutus are in my son's car for his photo shoot of the football team which will be happening today! I can hardly wait for these pictures.

Tomorrow this hip chick and her entourage will be road tripping to her favorite place, the place where the tutu first came on the scene, Bass Lake. I am bringing some tutu's along with my friend Kat, my daughter Abby and her friend Louise. Our friends are first timers so it's going to be fun to show them around. I guarantee Fork's burgers, thrift shopping and lots and lots of fun....stay tuned for more craziness and as always thanks for being on my team!!!

Art's Benicia Gala art preview and yet another new painting

Man I am on a roll! I am in a creative buzz and I am loving it. Today I was at the shop and I contemplated working on my angel piece and even my twirling tutu piece but I held off as I have a plan. Suffice it to say it's good and I will reveal it at a later time.. Instead I started yet another painting and as you can see I am taking pictures of it's evolution. This is VERY young, I only worked on it for less than an hour but I am diggin it already...I love how my tutu series is suddenly coming together, in many ways. First by my doing almost 3 paintings of different tutu concepts and second by my acquiring 6 more colored playmates. My son is getting the San Ramon Valley football team geared up, psyched up for it's tutu photo shoot next week. That's right we actually have 6 football studs willing to play football in a tutu, I am so proud I could cry. So add that to my portfolio of various tutu poses and we are really getting a good show together.

Next up is the Art's Benicia Gala which is next Friday the 24th at the Ironhorse showroom in Benicia and it features valet parking, drinks,dinner and a live art auction. All the art on my blog was taken at the gallery in the Arsenal today and is available for purchase at this event. This is my first time going to this Gala and I'm so excited to meet more of my fellow artists and enjoy a lovely sit down dinner with my hubbie. As you can see there is incredible art made in Benicia and I posted a few pictures for a general overview, if you want to see these better come to the gallery or better yet to the event itself. It promises to be a great time and I am hoping my piece "Spring Sherbet" fetches a buyer...

Stay tuned for more art, tutu's and shenanigans which are always in supply when Hip Chick is nearby.....

The Ascent

Today I started another painting as I have shown in the slideshow. I am diggin my new technique SO much. I was inspired to do a angel-ballerina by a photo on the internet taken from an event at the White house, the dancer in the photo looked gorgeous in her tutu-like dress. I was drawn to her pose and the fact she looked like she was wearing a tutu and then as I thought about how to paint it, I imaged her flying in the air with wings. I sketched the fairy on the canvas and then layered my washes of color to see it come alive, the best part about painting. I added the ribbons as a way to show her movement and grace, and to make her look airborne. I only worked on this for a total of 2 hours so it's still young, and needs more attention. But of course I was excited to share and I will keep taking pictures of the piece until it is finished. I have to admit I like seeing the painting in it's phases and I am glad I am taking the time to stop and take pictures during it's development. I started doing it to see how it would look and now I see it is very useful for myself as well. The title of this painting is "The Ascent" and I love the essence of spirituality it evokes. I hope it's not cheesy, flying fairies and all, it could really be seen that way. But the tutu series HAS to have a angel image and this is it. I am excited to see where it will go, and I am happy with my recent breakthroughs. I love your feedback and as always thank you for your support!
Here is the image that inspired me....

Traveling tutu's

 First I will say I'm over stimulated from the weekends events.  WOW, it was off the hook awesome.  Ok, I can hardly catch my breath.  I went to the studio last week and tried painting a palm tree, big deal, well I hated it and decided to scratch it.  So moving on I tried the one I posted of me on the beach in Hawaii.  I was so psyched because right from the start it flowed.  I am not proficient at water, actually I haven't painted many water scenes and I find it VERY challenging.  So I asked obiwan-Bob-kanobi my studio mate for some pointers and boy did it help!  I decided to take pics of the process for myself and anyone else who is interested to see how a painting develops.  This painting is unusually light in paint, almost like a watercolor and this is new for me.  I am not finished but me being impatient and a spaz couldn't wait to share with my sweet bloggin fans.  I will post the painting when it's finished but people like Robin who doesn't do facebook and only check my blog can see what I'm up to.  Hi Robin!! wink wink....

Ok, so as you can see from the other pictures I SCORED today at the Alameda antique in the tutu department.  I bought 6 more tutu's to add to my party and boy what a party it is....I am not kidding when I tell you these things have magic in them.  I can't tell you how many people stopped and asked about these tutu's, "are these all yours?  what do you do with them?  Do you sell them? " No one could believe I didn't want to sell them and that I just collect them.  Kat my partner in tutu crime and I were stopped by tons of people who wanted in on the tutu fun....it got me thinking maybe I need to take pictures of people in them for some money....God knows I could use some bucks and this is a possibility for the tutu future, so on we went on our merry way collecting hats, parasols and what not to compliment the tutu scene.  We met fun people like Mariah who stopped us and said "Let me take your picture", which we coyly agreed...haha.  Then we met Joel and George who are fun guys and had a blast putting on a dress skirt and kickin their heels up...Thanks guys.  It was magic how these tutu's make friends and I said jokingly to Kat , "maybe tutu's can bring world peace" and I fantasized about President Obama wearing one to an International convention and spouting the joys and merriment of the colorful skirt.  Can't you see the President of China or Iran wearing one and how it would cause such a ripple of change?  I know it's out there but you never know, they are that powerful.....

So now I am going to kick back, take a deep breath and count my blessings for the weekend and all the fun it provided.  That Alameda antique is the best place for good times, fun treasure and meeting new friends.  I can't wait to bring my new tutu friends 'home' to Hip Chick and hang them from the ceiling, just like I was dreaming, and see what else they have in store for me.....I have no doubt they will keep leading me there.