EBSQ's 'Art of the Day'.....

Screenshot of my 'Pottery Wheel' as EBSQ's 'Art of the Day'.....

What a nice surprise! I woke up this morning to see that my recent little ACEO, 'The Pottery Wheel' was selected to be featured on the front page of the artist community, EBSQ, as their 'Art of the Day' today -- how lovely! (Apparently the theme for this week's 'Art of the Day' is the nouveau classic quote by Forest Gump: "Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna to get.") Well, it always makes me feel a little like a 'Queen for the Day' to be featured as the 'Art of the Day'. Thanks, EBSQ...!

My Cancer Year.....

So..., a long overdue update....

It's been over a year since I've last posted in this, my lonely, near-abandoned art journal. And indeed, what a year it's been too. It was almost just about this time last year when I first received my personally startling diagnosis of Stage II Breast Cancer.

Well, suffice it to say, while I can't exactly claim it's necessarily been the easiest thing in the world to deal with, I haven't been devastated by it either, not by a long stretch -- willing as I've been to simply take each and every day and its challenges as they come, one at a time. And always along with the love and encouragement of my super network of ever-supportive family and friends, plus a wonderful team of health care professionals, backing me up. I may have had Cancer, but it never had me....

Still, a lot of my typical activities, pursuits and interests were put aside these last many months, simmering on the back burner as it were, as I focused on my health. However now with several surgeries and aggressive chemotherapy under my belt, plus the nearing of the end of a few months of radiation treatments, I'm happy to report my overall prognosis is quite good and I am at peace -- here as I find myself ready and willing to soon kiss my Cancer Year goodbye, and get back to my regularly scheduled Life* and good health....



(*...which naturally includes my artistic life as well -- Huzzah...! :-)

Jumping on the Bandwagon.....

Just for fun... a new 'Art of Patience' Facebook page:

here

Waste Not

I have a personal quirk. Ok-ok, I'm certain to have any number of personal quirks, but here's a confession. I really despise waste....

Thanks in part probably to my upbringing I suppose -- my raising by two former depression-era farm kids, from big families (see previous post), both who understood the value of a dollar and did not suffer overindulgence nor excesses gladly, was bound to have its impact, no? Whatever the case the fact remains. Wanton waste, the likes of which our hyper-consumerist and disposable society seems increasingly within the grips of, really disturbs me.

It's a fact. A certain amount of Waste is simply going to be unavoidable in life. Yet we also know a big chunk of it isn't, and could actually BE avoided if for only a little conscious choice and effort, both community-wide, and as individuals. While it's not going to save the world, I'm feeling ever more compelled to reduce/avoid/amend waste wherever I personally can, here in my own little corner of it anyway. At times it feels like quite the compulsion.

As such, this has been the motivation behind much of my artistic rumination and output in recent years. Some time ago, I challenged myself to keep my purchasing of new commercial art supplies/materials (aside from paints/glue sticks/duct tape and a few other essentials) at a minimum -- in favor instead of using either whatever I may already have in my possession (which happens to be quite a bit actually, after years of accumulation) or what I might manage to scrounge, second hand or otherwise. I do believe there is already 'enough' elemental material floating around out there with which to work, without having to resort to buying the newest and the latest commercially available art supply (plus all the packaging, raw material and manufacturing that go into such products). Because honestly, if I can't creatively utilize what I already find around me to satisfy my artistic urges? I may as well hang up my artsy little french beret. As it stands, I've come to really appreciate how this limitation forces me to look at objects now with a more critical eye -- inspiring me to fandangle alternate usage before sending the miscellanea of life along its way to take up precious space in our overflowing landfills....

There's just something really seductive about making 'something from nothing' -- objects of creativity, if not exactly beautiful nor functional, at least 'purposeful' -- made from the heart with what otherwise might be considered 'scrap' (and likely why I'm so attracted to papier mache technique, and painting rocks)....

The 'Heart' of Patience

As far back as I can remember, art has been my primary mode for creative expression, from the first time I reached into my childhood home's big coffee can of broken crayons, to now. The written word does take second place however, and it is here with this journal I'm hoping to perhaps combine the two disciplines -- documenting my various art projects, through writing....

I confess organization has never been my strongest trait, and effective time management gets away from me more often than not. With an art journal however, perhaps I can create a small tool for myself -- one that may help me shape and organize my meandering experiments in creativity, while corralling the flow of project ideas and impulses I seem forever able to conjure up (with all the best of intentions), but not always make materialize ....
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(P.S: And indeed, while this is intended as an artist's diary? Don't be too surprised if it lurches off-topic from time to time. And rather sporadically at that....)