Art & Music

Things that I'm grateful for at this moment:

Painting class and the friend that pushed me to take it. He quit being an attorney about ten years ago to pursue his photography. His work is being exhibited in a few places in town and he is starting to get incredible recognition of his talent.

I'm not sure if painting is my main passion but it's been something that has brought a new challenge and focus to my creativity. It's been so challenging and rewarding doing this class. Each frustrating moment of class culminates into something learned and something new, which I end up loving.

Here are a few painting sketches that I've done in class. They are timed pieces, usually half an hour to an hour.

I'm also grateful for music. I came upon this women today and just loved her voice and her rendition of this Katy Perry song.

The Painting Continues

I didn't realize when I signed up for the painting class that I would have actual homework! It's not like we're getting graded or anything but since I'm a serious type A person I had to do the assignment, even if it was in the hour or so that I could hold the kids off from touching my painting stuff.

Here it is. Quick and dirty but fun to do.

And then today we did several quick color studies. This was an hour pose.

Until today's class I was still thinking about quitting but I realized today how great this class has been for me. It's helping answer a question I've had for a long time - can I really paint or am I just a standard fill-in-the-colors/copying from a picture kind of painter. Am I any good? Or am I just faking it? Since I haven't had any real formal training, I've always been so intimidated by real painters. And this class is being taught by a real serious nationally recognized talented painter. If anyone can answer that question, she can. And so far, she's given me some pretty good feedback. I'm a novice painter but I have something and that's good enough for me! :)

Painting Portraits Begins!

I had my first painting class today! It's an intermediate class at a pretty good studio/gallery and the teacher is incredibly talented with a long resume. I was so nervous the whole week. What if I'm in the worst one in the class? Or the teacher looks at me with pity as she walks by thinking the whole time that I should be in the beginner class instead? What if I plain old suck?

At first I did suck big time and didn't know what I was doing. At the break I went to get water outside and when the teacher passed me I said something like "I'm not sure I'm up to the level of this class." I'm such a wimp. But she immediately said that I was good enough and that I just needed some direction which she would give me when we got back in (since I missed the first class last week). I sucked it up and went back in and kept trying (it was a long class). The whole time I kept thinking about quitting. I'm not good enough was rolling through my head like those news scrolls at the bottom of the CNN channel. But slowly I started to get the hang of what she was saying and I liked what I saw. Here is a piece I did in an hour or so. We did a bunch of quick studies and this was the last one I did before I had to rush off to get my son from preschool (I'm sparing you the first few since they were just awful).

The Love Is Too Much!

Do you sometimes want to shout out to the world how much you love your children? It's insane how we feel about our kids, isn't it? I sometimes just look at their pictures when they're at school and marvel at how much I love them. It scares me a little.

You might be wondering where I've been. Haven't blogged in a long time.

Well, the good news is that I've been away because I'm doing well. My kids started school for the first time so I have some real free time at home. YEAH!!! Wow, it feels great.

Then about two weeks before they went back to school a friend of mine asked me if I would join their non profit start up and help them raise money and get their company off the ground. I said yes. It's very meaningful work and although there is no money in the near future for my work I feel good about doing it. The company helps women in crisis (recently divorced or widowed) get back on their feet by offering them a plethora of services including career training, legal counsel, financial advice etc. It's a great idea and I hope it takes off.

And with the kids in new schools there is a hundred school and "mom/parent" activities which I've been overwhelmed with but also enjoyed a lot.

How are you?

Splash of Color

I'm so loving all these new designs that blogger has to offer. How fun is that? I love changing things around every once in a while. I hope that's not too weird for people visiting.

The one now is of fresh delicious looking seriously red tomatoes! Yum. I'm growing tomatoes this year and every single day when I see them on the vine it makes me smile. Who knew that growing food would be such a fun thing.

I have to admit something. I'm very lazy by nature. Not shocking but it's so true. I can be so productive when I get going but once my butt hits the couch it's like it's super glued on there and it takes all my power to tear myself off of it.

I've been thinking these days about how much I love color. It makes me so happy. Every time I see a list of colorful grafts, foods, or object on Sherilee's blog I smile. I keep thinking, wow, how rich and intoxicating they are and wonder how I can incorporate more color into my life. I don't wear too much color (trying to avoid the whole looking like a clown thing) but I love the idea of spreading color somewhere. Maybe here on this blog is where I can share my love. :)

The other thing that just lifts me is music. I'm typing in a rhythm as I listen to Sinatra sing Day by Day. "I find that day by day you're making my dreams come true..." So romantic.

Anyway lovelies. I hope you had a splash of color and/or music in your day. I'll check back with you very soon.

Organizing Queens

This question is to the women who's houses are clean and neat even when guests are not imminent. I know you exist because I've met a few of you and your organizational skills blow me away. I just want to know how you do it? Seriously, I don't understand how you can keep bedrooms, bathrooms, home offices, play rooms AND kitchens clean and neat all the time.

I'm preparing for my parents coming and after walking through the house I realized that it would take me working on it all day long every single day to keep the house clean and neat all the time. Is it just me?

I was a pretty organized professional but I can't seem to get a handle on the organized mom thing. There is just so much STUFF! I made a dent today in a few rooms but am exhausted and know that I could never live this way...constantly picking up, organizing and cleaning. I would go crazy!

How organized are you? What methods/tricks do you use to keep things in order?

Welcome Back!

It's time to start blogging again! I've so missed sharing. :)

Do you find yourself in a holding positions sometimes? In a transition period between one time in your life and the next? That's where I am. I stopped working completely and then summer hit. The kids, the hot weather, the camps, the trips and the visits. All good but not exactly conducive to organizing a schedule or routine for your "new" life. So I've taken this time to just think. Every day I spend with my kids, have fun with friends, and just think of what will be of my future.

I find that if I'm not engaged in something interesting or challenging, I let my mind wonder to silly things. Childish things. Emotionally immature things. Like the dad in the playground that ignored me when I said hi to him or the friend that said something harmless that my sensitive nature took to heart. Like jealousy, like envy, like insecurity. All the things that I work so hard not to feel because they are petty feelings. Human but petty nonetheless.

So I thought I'd come back here and start daily reflections again. Even if small. So that I could get outside of myself. Connect with you. And share the lovelies in life along with the challenges. Get back to finding beauty in each lovely summer moment.

Before we know it summer will be gone and the rush of the new school year will be upon us and we'll have a whole new routine to follow.

I'm both loving this time and so excited about the new challenges and joys that September holds.

I missed you. Thanks for coming back to catch up with me. :)