Playing hooky and taking action

The yin and yang of life...just as I thought of my title I thought of ying and yang...let's see what it means..."In Chinese philosophy, yin and yang are opposite forces that form a whole. Everything contains both yin and yang in a balance that is always changing, such as hot and cold, day and night, and health and disease. ..." yep, pretty much thought that's what it means. So my blog today is one of yin and yang. I will share about a day spent being in action for a good cause, "Invisible Children", and a day playing hooky (today) because that is what my soul said I needed for balance.
First I will share about my action day. Ironically it was spent in silence. WHAT? ME-silent for a whole day you say? Yes, it's true. I committed to 25 hours of silence for 25 years of war thanks to my daughter Abby. She was at school last Monday when "Invisible children" came and shared their dedication to helping children in Africa who are threatened by Joseph Kony, an evil psychopath who abducts children to become soliders in his 'army'. Abby was so affected by their plight she committed to the 25 hours of silence campaign and shared the struggle with me. I was happy to join her as 1. I care about human rights causes 2. I support my daughter when she is passionate about things 3. I could do this. So we donated money and got tshirts that said "Invisible children" and we didn't talk for 24 hours. I ran a couple errands and passed out cards explaining my silence and the response was respect and support. It was a learning experience for me to be hampered by my silent pledge and to deal with life without words. There was writing on tablets, texting and the like, but no words. I admit it was hard, but I committed to it and I love a challenge. There was an event in San Francisco for breaking the silence that Abby and her friends wanted to go to Monday night.  I was eager to see others in silence and I chaperoned the girls. Kat ,my friend, joined us as she is always up for supporting a good cause and she is a real trooper.   We all got on Bart and went into the city, SILENTLY.   There are always fun characters in the city and these guys were funny...

being as we got off right in front of the forever 21 mecca we power shopped for 45 mins and then grabbed subway and headed to the event. They got everyone organized and inside all IN SILENCE...

the girls were really into it and that was inspiring to see

once inside we signed letters to congresswomen asking for help, and we waited for the countdown.

here is the countdown video...
It was fun to scream as loud as possible and really fun to be able to talk again!! The speaker from Uganda brought it all home as he thanked us for our efforts and help. He shared how much it is helping and how wonderful the Americans have been in supporting this cause. After the speaker there was a small band and then a small dance party and then it was over. All in all it was a really eye opening experience and one I was proud to have taken part in.  It's so easy to leave it to someone else, and yet just doing one thing, can make a difference. I was happy to share helping another person's plight with my daughter, as it is by example that children learn. I was proud to take action and do my small part in making the world a better place on Monday..

Today was the opposite of Monday as I wanted to take the day OFF.  I have Open Studios this weekend which is a huge fun filled event that brings in lots of people.  The event is free if you are reading this and can come to Benicia this weekend.  It's Saturday and Sunday from 11-5 and the day is filled with food, drinks, raffles, art and of course TUTUS.  All the artists open their doors to this weekend and the weather looks to be spectacular!  Woo hoo!  I just love bright sunny skies so I can open the doors up and let the warm breeze inside the shop.  I have been making many collages and such in preparation for the weekend so today I just felt like chill-axing.  I took my dog on a long 5 mile hike on Las Trampas ridge.

my mangy dog Chester..It was a beautiful spring day that beckoned me to play...

the cows were chill-axing too..

It was so wonderful to have the day to just do whatever I wanted, even though I did manage to get some productivity in there as well.  I will be better for it come this weekend, and I hope you can all come out and visit me.  With that, I'm out.  Thanks for checking in on Hip Chick's adventures.  Love the comments, love to hear what you are up to too!!  Happy spring......

Women in Art support each other

I am only now connecting the dots, 16 years later, between my Women's Studies and Art major in college. I attended UCSC from 1993-1995 as a "Re-Entry" student which means, "old lady over 25 or some such thing"...I was married, and had a son Alex, when I finally grasped higher education. I had no idea what to major in prior to transferring to UCSC, I just wanted a Bachelor's Degree. But you have to major in SOMETHING so I figured I would major in ART, and then I took a Women's Studies class, just before I transferred and I dug it so I thought, "maybe I can do both?" and I did. I was a double major and I felt like I was clever to get two degrees for the price of one...always a schemer, always looking to get the most for my money...haha. It was a perfect marriage. I made Art and learned about women, and loved the contrast and connection between the two subjects. Then I graduated. 32 years old and I got my degree. I was proud. It was hard. Now what...what the heck do you do with a Women's Studies/Art degree? I had another baby...and went back into full time motherhood. Ironic. And this was my story for 13 more years....

I quit art, never really thinking I was good enough to call myself an "ARTIST", even with an Art degree, and I didn't know what the heck to do with my Women's Studies teachings....become a Women's Lib leader? I worked odd jobs every now and then to get a fix for empowering myself, only to eventually quit after a year because it wasn't really "IT". I even went back to school and got an Interior Designer certificate from Las Positas college, thinking this was really going to be "IT". But it wasn't. I liked rearranging furniture and I loved to make things look pretty but I couldn't see myself working at a fancy Interior Designer showroom and ordering drapes, couches and rugs for fancy clients. I could see myself as the "Design on a Dime" type of designer but I never really got it off the ground. I am great at school, and then not so great at putting my learning into a "career". But wait, there is a happy ending!!!
I finally turned a corner in 2009 when I recommitted myself to art. I read the "Artist Way" and it lovingly guided me to my passion-Art. Oh yeah. I liked art once. I just never thought I was good....enough....so I decided to try it again. And that lead me to where I am now.

On a whim I looked into art studios and I found Benicia, completely off the radar and yet perfect for me. Affordable and funky=perfect. I started painting again. I was happy. I had a place to play and create. I made it cute. Adorable. I had a bed, a record player and an easel. I was in heaven. Then I had a good idea..."I can make it a shop AND a studio", and sell things and make enough money to pay the rent. So I opened Hip Chick Designs officially in January 2010. And I have been doing it for a year and a bit and I only recently realized this huge realization. "THIS IS WHAT A WOMEN'S STUDIES/ART MAJOR DOES FOR HER CAREER" She has a shop and art studio that facilitates women connecting through creative endeavors. Only 2 months ago we had our first art class at the shop and it was such a smash hit that it launched subsequent classes from then on. The energy of many women making art together is palpable and it validates my usefulness.

I facilitate women connecting through art in my space. WOW. Right on. This makes me feel truly valuable. I didn't even plan this all out. It is leading me, and I am along for the ride. I just made a commitment to do art, and see what happens. I have also made art friends online that are influencing the direction of my art immensely. My last post was all about my breakthrough in art thanks to the brave girls classes empowering me to be kinder to myself. Art therapy. As I was doing my 'homework' and making art that says "you are enough" I internalized it and realized we all need this validation. Women are too hard on ourselves. We expect soooo much of ourselves and we give ourselves no credit. That is sad, that is silly, that is not what I want for the women's movement. I want to empower women to live their dreams, to embrace their passions and to love themselves. This is the point. This is the women's movement that matters to me.

And in my small way I am contributing to it. By making art that speaks to women, by hosting women gathering together to make something beautiful, by living my dream, and by showing my daughter that when you do what you love, success follows. It's scary at times because I am making this up as I go along, but it's also really exciting. I have no idea where this ride ends, and the twists and turns are always there, but I know it's the right path, the one I was looking for all along. It just took awhile to find it. I hope you find yours, sometimes it takes a lot of digging, and trying different things to figure it out. Just don't give up, because if you are trying then you will get there. "Don't leave before the miracle happens."
I would love to hear if you are living your dreams and how you got there. I am inspired by others stories and I love the support women give each other. I thank you for your support and for taking time to care about mine. We need each other. Alone I am small, together we are mighty.

Hip Chick has a breakthrough

I shared recently that I enrolled in the brave girls club, an online art class that empowers women in art. It's art therapy basically. Very powerful stuff. The adorable Melody Ross lovingly asks her students to be brave and overcome the obstacles that block us in life. Through art. One page, one stroke at a time. Genius. I don't have big obstacles to overcome, luckily. Some women are overcoming cancer, divorce, abuse, addiction, you name it, they are facing it. I think this class is fantastic therapy for them and it changes lives. My only obstacle in my way is ME. ouch. yuck. How can that be? Easy, we all get in our way if we listen to our insecurities. My insecurity is not being "good enough" and this is very common among artists, people in general too. But I am facing it. Head on. I am a brave girl. By facing it we can change it. How? By asking if it's true. Melody (even her name is beautiful) asks us to make truth cards, these are cards that empower us with statements like "I am precious" I am good" I don't have to know everything to be valued". and many many more profound statements. There are pages of empowering statements to choose from and you pick which one speaks to you. and you make an art card out of it. When you are feeling vulnerable the idea is to look at your truth card and ask yourself is what I am feeling true? or is it my old behavior talking to me? This class is only 2 weeks in and it has already made a huge impact on me. I am making art like CRAZY. It has helped me loosen up, Yipee!! This is exactly what I needed. I am playing again. I am letting myself experiment and I am loving what is happening...

I think this says, "You are so brave dear one."
This was a happy accident...which is what most art is..I saw these two old pictures hanging on the wall in the shop and decided to experiment with them. I glued some burlap on them, painted on the burlap and then looked around for things to use on top of that. This is often my process...I saw an old picture and some ribbon and as I was just thinking of my truth statements I used one and WA-LA...it was finished. Then I made this one..to go with it..

It says "Let your wings guide you. You were meant to soar"
and I loved it. I have an obsession with wings as they are my spiritual symbol ( as they are for many people) and my Hip Chick Design sign has wings on either end so this works really well in the shop. I posted the pictures on my Hip Chick facebook page and immediately sold these pieces. wow. This has never happened before. I was just goofing around.....hmmmmm....I think there's a lesson here. Suffice it to say the direction of my art has now changed from traditional painting to mixed media collage. I love the combination of vintage vibe combined with empowering statements. It's exactly what Hip Chick is all about! I am just so grateful to be making art that represents me, for the shop and has meaning. And people like it. This is my purpose, this is why I do what I do. I don't need to get rich, I don't sell my art for much, in fact, it's ridiculously cheap. I sell my art for the joy of it. I love to make something beautiful that makes another's life more beautiful by having it. That's the best feeling in the world. I am going to be adding my art and treasures to my website and setting up paypal for those of you who don't live nearby and want to purchase my goodies. I have been meaning to do this, it's the way of the future. Online selling. My art pieces were $38.00 each. A steal. So if you are looking for affordable treasures you know where to get them. Me. I have more goodies to share but I must get going. We have an art class today at the shop. It's a collage, mixed media class by Stephanie Jordan and it's going to be fun. I am sure I will learn some tricks and I love seeing people enjoying my shop and making art. I will host a class myself in the future, right now I am enjoying letting others teach and I am the student. There is plenty of time and thanks to my brave girls lessons I don't have to do it all NOW. I will let it flow, naturally and gently. Thank you for checking in on Hip Chick Happenings....I love your support!

Happening's at Hip Chick Designs

Last Saturday we had Julee Hermann teach us all about soldering at the shop and it was delightful. There were 9 students, not including myself, and Julee walked us through how to create a pretty picture in a house shaped case and when we were done enclose it with the soldering technique. It looked kinda intimidating at first, the soldering iron is HOT and I know I am such a spaz I was worried I would hurt myself, or someone else. But I managed to come out unscathed, as we all did and I have a beautiful piece of art to show for it. Here are some pictures of the class....

I love how everyone made their own creation, no two were alike....

First you make the 'collage' then you put it in the glass to be preserved...

our beautiful teacher Julee Hermann

the demo

Patty has taken all of Hip Chick's classes so far...

Terin made her piece as a gift for her brother

my piece before it was soldered

soldering station

The Shellies having fun....

Terin soldering her piece

My finished piece, "Key to Life"
I love soldering now, I want to solder everything....haha. typical. But I think it'd be great to have a set to make charms and necklaces, shrines, etc for the shop. I shall put it on my wish list...Our next class is this Saturday with Stephanie Jordan who is teaching a mixed media collage class. There is still space available and as you can see this is a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon. You can be surrounded with good creative energy at a fun store, learn new techniques and walk away with a beautiful piece of art, handmade by YOU. A real treat. If you are interested email me at carrieclay@yahoo.com. Or call the shop at (707) 747-5543. We'd love to have you. I love having people make art at the shop and we will be having classes monthly, if you want information, make sure to join my email list as I am sending newsletters monthly. I have a facebook Hip Chick page where I post events often as well as I have a tab on my blog for constant contact, this is where you add your email to my list to be informed.
Lastly I want to shout out that Open Studios is April 30th and May 1st at the Arsenal. This is a once a year event sponsored by Arts Benicia and it is not to be missed.

The event is all day Saturday and Sunday it is FREE, and you will see more than 100 studios open for your viewing pleasure, I don't know about you but I LOVE snooping and this is your chance to snoop in these studios that are normally closed. Come see what art is made right here in the Bay Area, there is food, drinks, music, and art show, raffle and most of all.....FUN! I know I will be there, and I hope to see you too...thanks for taking time to check out Hip Chick's happenings...

Soul Restoration Online Workshop by Brave Girls Club

Hi blog friends. I have been neglectful. I'm sorry. It's hard after an absence to get back in the mode ya know? But I am here, I am thinking abou cha. What is up is trying to decompress back into real life again after the vaca of a lifetime. Re-entry is brutal. When one is transported so dramatically into paradise as I was, it is very challenging to do laundry, pay bills, and get groceries....I mean no one is feeling sorry for me, and indeed I'm not either, I'm just telling it like it is. So that being said it's time to get back into it....LIFE. Hip Chick and creating and frolicking..sometimes a break is good. You come back rejuvenated and ready to take on the world. And other times it leaves you numb, fuzzy headed and unclear. I'm experiencing the latter. So I decided to treat myself, yes, treat myself to "brave girls club" online art class. I found it through the facebook art channels, and it looks really positive and inspiring. Just what I need to get back into art after my little sabbatical. Here's what I am talking about..

check it out....these are some darling girls.

I just know we'd be friends if we met in real life. But since we haven't YET, I will do the workshop and meet other artists and women that are doing the same. I have done other workshops and met other women like my new friend Julee Hermann who happens to live near me and is teaching a class next Saturday at Hip Chick's. I met her through the Creative workshop's group and now we are hooked up! I love the internet for connecting people. I also love taking art classes and since I am time challenged as we all are, online classes are the best! You can do them at home whenever you have free time. There is nothing better than watching others create and then learning a new technique to implement into your own art. I am now a 'brave girl' and I shall be excited to see what unfolds....

Paradise revisited

This is a video of baby turtles taking their first steps in the world....magical

and here is a slideshow of my various pictures of the trip of a lifetime...I will never forget it.

I posted even more pictures on facebook, and to be honest it's much easier to do. But there are a few people like Robin who only check my blog so I post these for you....a labor of love. As the pictures show it was a trip of a lifetime. I waited 24 years to return and do this trip with Ben and it exceeded all my expectations. I got to see old friends, my old house, sail to Buck Island, see turtles migrate and renew my wedding vows. It was magical. I can't wait to get painting and make a giant painting of Buck Island. I have been to St.Croix three times, twice to live and once for a vacation and every time I am blown away by it's charm. If you haven't been then go. It's completely unique, third world funky, combined with epic beauty and charm. It has my heart and soul, and the best moments in my life.....

Hip Chick has returned to her roots

Today is day 3 of being in paradise....St.Croix USVI. I have waited 24 years to get here. Why? Gosh I guess it seemed so far and so expensive, but now that I am here I know I won't wait that long to return.

This is a picture on the first day outside our room at the hotel...
I moved to St.Croix in 1978 from California, my dad was transferred through Bank of America and we lived here for 2 years. This is house we lived in..

I went back and knocked on the door and Megan answered and I told her I lived there 32 years ago and she was so gracious as to let me go inside. I saw the whole house and it hadn't changed one bit.

I remember this big room just like this...and I saw my old bedroom...I used to sneak out of the sliding glass doors...good times...it's so wonderful to go back in time. I just love it.

I dream of the things that happened there and then there I was, "snap", back in that house. Surreal. I also saw some of my old friends...Big Beard has a charter boat company and he sails to Buck Island...My favorite memories are sailing

with him. Ben and I are going to Buck Island tomorrow and I can't wait..
I saw another familiar face, Sue Gibbons, my old roommate from my 20's.

I came back to St.Croix from 85-87 and lived here once again. Had way too much fun.....I went back to California to 'visit' and ended up staying as I had started to date Ben, my husband. So for us to come here 24 years later together is full circle indeed. Words cannot convey my feelings, but I am a sharing kind of gal so I show in my pictures my joy.

I have posted many more pictures on facebook as it's much easier but I know there are those like Robin who don't go on facebook. So these are for you...thank you for caring. for checking. for being in my life. Hip Chick is in her mecca and she has never been happier...