I recently heard someone confidently exclaim “Abstract Art is bad art made by bad artists” Ouch! I think everyone is entitled to their opinion, but when it is declared as
Writing
I love to write about art so read on.
In contemporary life, we experience a constant stream of images. Unfortunately, we don’t spend a lot of time really looking at the images. We go to museums and scan the walls for something that jumps out us. We don’t bother to look at things that we don’t immediately respond to. I like to write about art in ways that might enhance your viewing experience and expand your appreciation. I like to encourage people to learn more about the images that they are looking at. I also write about my own personal, artistic journey, my process, my struggles, and my successes, in hopes of inspiring others on the artistic path to be persistent in their own practice.
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Some people are a little mistrustful of abstract art. Some people expect the painting to reflect or represent something. Some people want the painting to symbolize something. Or maybe to
Metamorphosis is a profound change, from one stage to the next, in the life of an organism, as from the caterpillar to the pupa and from the pupa to the
As a child I remember plucking petals from a daisy and holding buttercups under my chin. These were magical ways of learning something about myself or so I believed Later
What is the title of his painting I ask myself. I look at it and think–What have I created here in this work? What is going on with all the
0n the death of Seamus Heaney I am trying to write a poem because I am sad– and because summer is ending- and because a poet I love has died.
When I was a kid- my grade eight math teacher told our class about a mail-order scam where someone would put an ad in the classifieds–offering an ancient secret to becoming rich and famous. All you
“There are only three kinds of business in the universe: mine, yours, and God’s.” ~ Byron Katie Today, I had the urge to write about something that I was outraged about. I
The traveler driving down a lonely country road at night, is encouraged by the distant twinkling lights of her destination. But it’s the headlights of her car that keep her from
I do believe that making art is an act of courage. Courage to keep going when life is in chaos. When your are tired and drained and empty When you
I dream of a little cage, on the edge of a cliff, where I pretend to live contentedly, rather than learn to swim across the turbulent waters below. Lulled by
I find myself at times living my life as if I was trapped in a haunted room– spending all my days and nights all alone with my hopeless longings hanging
Knowing and accepting that we will be criticized- that we will be judged, rejected or even worse ignored– and choosing to continue anyway- is an essential skill that we need
The little grey squirrel– sitting on the scaffolding outside my window– doesn’t seem to be bothered by the pouring rain. I need to adopt a squirrel attitude, I guess nature
Today is December 6th and every year on this day I like to take a moment to reflect and remember what happened on this day 23 years ago. On December
I reblogged this post from a few years ago I think I have come a long way from this but some of them still apply. Reasons I get stuck.
“Life is complex. Each one of us must make his own path through life. There are no self-help manuals, no formulas, no easy answers. The right road for one is
“It’s never too late to have a happy childhood” Tom Robbins This post was a journal entry from a few years back when I was caring for my Mom who
“The routine is as much a part of the creative process as the lightning bolt of inspiration, maybe more.” Twyla Tharp THE CREATIVE HABIT I agree with Twyla Tharp. I
I had a blast performing my solo show SALLY LIVES HERE at the Gabriola Festival last weekend. My venue was an old post office now used as the Women’s Institute.
Making art teaches me– that life is too precious to rush. I don’t want to miss any miracles. And there are always miracles unfolding. It takes time to truly become
Sometimes I get scared. Overwhelmed Shut down. Oh– these endless yammering clamouring thoughts. Inner turmoil. Craziness. What’s wrong with me? It’s just the old wounds weeping. Just the old anguish
“Have patience with everything that remains unsolved in your heart. Live in the question.” Rainer Maria Rilke I love these words. I try to call them up when
Getting ready for making wishes on the full moon, July 3rd. I used to have tea parties with my friend Rachel once a month before she moved to Boston. She
“What you seek is seeking you.” ― Rumi Today I am sharing an intuitive painting. Just for fun I added a little digital magic to the painting this evening. Click
“Creativity is not a gift from the Gods bestowed by some divine and mystical spark. It is the product of preparation and effort and it’s within reach of everyone who
Metamorphosis is a profound change, from one stage to the next, in the life of an organism, as from the caterpillar to the pupa and from the pupa to the
Another post from my journal a few years ago. Sometimes I think that the lessons of my life have been delivered in a series of disasters and catastrophes. It is
This is the beginning of a story that I scribbled down in the coffee shop. It showed up in my notebook today like this. My grandmother was quiet and mysterious
Fear can be transformed to courage. It can. It really can– but only when you face it. If I can face it you can. Last year at this time I
The unread story is not a story; it is little black marks on wood pulp. The reader, reading it, makes it live: a live thing, a story. Ursula Le Guin
I find stories everywhere and I grab em when nobody’s looking. Sometimes the stories are attached to people I pass on the street. I take the stories home and make
In this post I am going to address the notion of writer’s block. In all honesty I don’t actually get full blown writers block. I write every day. I am
I am in bed recovering from surgery and bored out of my mind. The wasteland of daytime television stretches out before me endlessly it seems. “I could be working on
“Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better” Samuel Beckett I am not a person that likes to make mistakes in public. And I am squeamish
“I was working on the proof of one of my poems all the morning, and took out a comma. In the afternoon I put it back again.” Oscar Wilde I
“You do not need to leave your room. Remain sitting at your table and listen. Do not even listen, simply wait, be quiet, still and solitary. The world will freely
So far the new year is having a bit of a hard time getting itself off the ground in my world. I am still tying up loose ends and processing
Why do we avoid sitting down and writing? It’s so strange isn’t it. There is a lot written about how fear is the enemy. It’s more than fear. Writing is
When it comes to the commitments we make to ourselves– things like I will write for three hours a day on my novel, play, screen play, short-story—-some of us inevitably
Sometimes writers will talk about process. They will describe their process very specifically sometimes. Here are some random things I have heard writers say: “I always create an outline” “I
Today I went to the first meeting of a writer’s group. Five of us gathered on this dismal cold and rainy Saturday morning for the very first time. Everyone was
Writers are like stargazers, searching an imaginary sky for distant galaxies of meaning and metaphor– trusting in the existence of a story- an act of faith– knowing that the story
