A Mother’s Day

I like Mother's Day, being a mom and all. I'm looking forward to breakfast at our neighborhood French bistro, then spending a leisurely day with my guys.

I'm in a pretty good place at this stage of mothering. Jake is sixteen, still sweet, pretty independent and isn't driving yet...

It hasn't always been that way. Recently I was looking at some home video and pictures of me with Jake when he was a baby. All I could see in those photos was how freaking tired I was. I waited forever to become a mom, and it's still my greatest joy. But at that time both of my parents were pretty sick, I was commuting a long distance for my job, and while Jake was very cute, he was very active...and I remember feeling tapped out.

With my niece Vanessa's husband away at school, I now look at her with her beautiful kids and see that tired look many young mothers share, and I feel for her. I'm constantly in awe of how Vanessa juggles getting her three kids up and out the door, goes to work at her preschool and still finds time to bake the best cupcakes ever!!. She is a lovely person, and one of the best moms I know. Her kids Ashton, Ronan, and India are sweet, funny and oh so smart!

So this is a salute to 'Nessa, and all my young mother friends. Enjoy the sweetness of your little ones, because time does go fast, and know that someday you'll be able to catch up with all the books and movies you are missing now. Even though you might be exhausted, it's still the best job in the world.

Isn't it?

The Last Generation

Twenty years ago my husband would come from work with little pieces of tape stuck to his shirt. He had just gotten a job as a paste up artist putting together magazines for a publishing company. He still has that job—well, kind of. With advances in digital publishing quickening the decline of print comes the quickening decline of people that do the physical act of putting print publications together. The industry has changed forever....

I'm currently working out of an historic studio that has painted famous backdrops for some great old movies and stage productions, such as Salvador Dali's "eyeball" background for the Hitchcock film Spellbound. The company is still going strong, with many people calling daily for backdrop rental and commissions, but the demand is just not what it used to be with the new technology of printing and projections. This industry is also changing...

I look at these guys paint and I'm in awe of their talent and skill. We were joking around the other day that the median age of the artists here is over 50. We are the old-timers now. My heart aches a bit, though, that these skills aren't being passed down to a new generation. Don't get me wrong; there are a lot of great new creative people doing amazing things with technology. But I know in our studio I am witnessing something that is a small gem, something that used to be a key part of a pretty big industry.

I love the feel of a book in my hand, or the look of something that is hand-painted ( you can still tell the difference!) And I guess both my husband and I would have to say we are proud to be a part of this last generation of artists. I just hope that the jewels of this industry don't disappear completely. I think the loss would never be replaced.

My Word!

I'm participating in another "blog hop" with the creative friends I met last year called the Fly Tribe, and we decided to start the new year with a one word "intention". Please take a moment and visit all these artists' blogs through the above link!

So my word for 2012 is...

CONNECT

I want to connect in a meaningful way in 2012...

—I want to put down my iPad and look at my son when he is talking to me.

—I want to garden without the distractions of checking e-mails, comments, and texts.

—I want to continue to connect with my work in an authentic and truthful way.

I'm just passing the one-year anniversary of having a blog. The experience has been a real surprise, because I discovered I like to write! I thought I would just be posting photos of my work with a few words here and there, but it's turned into much more of a journal of my journey...and it feels right to me.

What doesn't feel quite right is how I connect with people online. I love reuniting with old friends and meeting new ones, but I still feel awkward trying to have conversations online. I'm afraid of sounding like an idiot when I leave comments here and there, or not responding to someone's comment if I feel a little paralyzed. The thing is, I love getting comments on my blog, so I guess it's something I need to work on.

I have a love/hate relationship with Facebook. Even though I check in a lot when I'm working at home, I get angry at myself with how much time it seems to suck out of my day when I should be getting other things done. Then again, I do enjoy looking and hearing what others are doing, and there is nothing like a good YouTube clip.....

A friend of mine told me there was a scientific study which showed that the brain basically reacts the same way when you receive a hug or get mentioned on the Internet. I believe this, but know for myself I don't like the feeling of validation tied to an upraised thumb on my Facebook page.

So my intention for 2012 is...

—to embrace encouragement when I get it, and try to comment with an honest voice without being too judgmental.

—to find the strength to turn off my iPad once in a while, walk away, and just connect with myself.

Has it Kicked in Yet?

Roberta in Edgartown, Martha's Vineyard

What gets you in the Christmas spirit?

I know it has changed for me many times over the years. When I was little, baking and decorating cookies with my Mom and sisters did it. When I was just out of college and spending my first holidays away from home, it was the beautiful ice crystals on the trees of Alaska. As a young single gal, it was going to the winter solstice party—hosted by an incredible group of artists and actors sharing poems, songs and stories...(and still going strong after 30 years!)

With marriage and parenthood, Christmas time changed again. Watching Jake grow up declaring every Christmas was " the best day ever!" made my heart feel full. Also, through the Big Sister organization, it was great to be able to help out my "Little Sister" Sequoia and her family celebrate the holiday.

But in recent years, with the loss of both of my parents, the stresses of work (and no work), and the tough times for so many, it just seems it's a little harder for that good soft fuzzy feeling I look for this time of year.

The other day my husband Jeff said "Christmas really begins when Roberta comes to town," and I thought... you know, he's right! The minute my sister Roberta gets off the plane, the laughing begins. I don't know exactly what it is, but when the four of us sisters get together the good times roll. Whether its shopping, cooking, playing Scrabble, or going to movies, we are always laughing at ourselves and with each other.

As my mom used to say about Roberta, "She's my little ray of sunshine," because she had such a positive attitude towards life. It's ironic because she spends most of her days working as Executive Director of Samaritans, an established suicide prevention organization. She tirelessly raises money to help reach as many troubled people as possible, so someone in need can just have a live person to talk to, if only for a few minutes. It can make a world of difference. Roberta told me not long ago, " I know I'm not a perfect person, but I just hope I leave this earth having done a little good." Well, I think she is well on her way....speaking of which, her plane is about to land, so I better get going and let the Christmas spirit kick in....

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and to all a good night!

If you have a spare ten minutes, please check out this Samaritans video....

Curveball

A painting I did of Tris Speaker a few years back

"I've been to Fenway Park!"

Little did I know that when I spoke those first words to a cute guy at a friends' art opening, he would end up being my partner for life.

Today is our 20th wedding anniversary, and I can happily say I still love my baseball-loving husband.

Jeff and I share so many things. We both love good stories. Books, movies, art...we agree on just about everything. We love being parents to our sensitive son, old dog, and feisty cat. And oh yes, did I mention baseball??

I'm not the fan Jeff is, but I do appreciate the way he has created his own community with his baseball blogs, and his writings about the game. He is really responsible in helping me with my own online presence, and I would be lost without his support.

Two weeks ago he had to undergo emergency surgery for what we thought would be a minor procedure. After two hours I got a call that the surgery was a little more complicated, and that he was "stable." The surgery went on for a few more hours, and he is on the mend now, but it is amazing when a few words like "he is stable" can make a person feel...FREAKED OUT!

Well, I'm betting we're not even close to the seventh inning stretch. I am glad to have my Winter Guy back (as described in the must-see movie Fever Pitch), and I hope we are done with life's curve balls for a while.

An Autumn Afternoon

My mom was born in 1918, so I figure it was around then that my grandmother Matilda started to bake pumpkin cookies.

I'm not a particularly great cook. I do have my "go to" recipes in a pinch, but I'm generally drawn to anything that takes 30 minutes or less. However, a few times a year I try to slow down and embrace a little part of my roots, and bake some cookies.

I love the tradition of passing things along and this recipe is such a gift for my whole family. It's a very old fashioned cookie and that's what is so great about it! A few years ago my sister Linda made us each a copy of Grandma's secrets, and I'm so glad she did. Looking at the faces of my mom's family, I try to imagine my mom and her mom baking together. I'm pretty sure they didn't have electric mixers, accurate oven temperatures or being able to watch House Hunters while they baked. But one thing I know for sure: they all must have enjoyed these fabulous cookies right out of the oven. At least that's how I want to imagine it...

I'm going out of town next week to install and paint a pretty large mural in San Antonio Texas, and I'll be gone for over a week. So it's great to have a weekend with not much planned and enjoying the comfort of our little house, post world series, beautiful weather, and time to just enjoy the smell of my kitchen.....

If you have a chance in the next few weeks, please try my grandma Matilda's pumpkin cookies recipe, and I know you won't be disappointed. ( I mean, with all that butter and sugar, how can you go wrong??)

Happy Halloween everybody!

* * *

I recently took an online course with many other creative women. We now have a great supportive community that encourages, inspires, and helps each other out in our continuing artful endeavors. This blog is a part of a " blog swap" with many in that group. So, I encourage you to take a peek at some of the other artists listed here....

Amaranthine Violet
Amy Hillenbrand
Beatriz Peñas B.
Beth Cougler Blom
Carol Bray
Christina Fajardo
Cindy Jones Lantier
Connie Rawlins
Dana Brock
Deborah Velásquez
Elissa Brown
Hillary Courson
Jacquie Williamson
Jane Paynting
Janet Forrest
Jennifer DeVille
Jill Lambert
Julie Hamilton
Kanchan Mahon
Karen Claverie
Kari DeSaulnier
Kathleen Conard
Kathleen McKinnon
Kathy May
Kelley Miller
Kelly Corso
Kelly Hoernig
Kim Hyer
Kris Lanae Binsfeld
Lenore Angela
Linda Barutha
Lisa Michele Products
Liza Zeni Baker
Lori Leissner
Lori Moon
Mary Sterk
Megan Schmitt
Melanie Douthit
Michelle Dwyer
Michelle Reynolds
Rachél Payne (Rae)
Rain Hannah
Rhiannon Connelly
Ruth-Mary Smith
Sherry Richert Belul
Shirley Ann
Stacey Chadwick Brown
Susan M. Walls-Beverly
Teresa Cash-Czech
Tina Carlborg
Tonya Love
Ursula Smith
Zulma Cadena

Nothing Stays the Same…Or Does It??

A lovely garden in Edgartown.

I got a late jump on summer this year, but I sure made up for it.

After a fun week of camping with my guys, I enjoyed a lovely "me" vacation visiting my sister Roberta in Martha's Vineyard. All of us used to go to the Vineyard every year, but it had been almost three since my last time on the island and boy, was I aching to get there.

What struck me this time was how comforting it was that nothing much had changed...My favorite beach, the greenness of the trees, my sister's lovely house and oh yes, the outdoor shower.

I'm all for new adventures, but when I would drive by the old mini-golf, the country store where I use to take Jake when he was so little to pick out action figures to take to the beach, the Bite for the best clam rolls ever, and the Bunch of Grapes bookstore where my husband could spend hours, I saw the memories come alive. I realized how quickly the years are going by, but I am so grateful of these experiences to hold on to.

A view of my sister's backyard.

Now we are well into the baseball playoffs, with a husband happy that the Yankees are gone for the rest of the year. My son is getting into being a sophomore in high school and owning his work in a new way. As for myself, I'm happy to be working for Cheesecake again while continuing to work on new designs for my glass paintings and other artistic endeavors.

So summer is definitely gone, fall is here, and winter is coming. I take comfort in the mild changes of the season, hoping some things will change for the better for so many, and the things that are dear to us will not change too much...

700 Oprahs

Over twenty years ago I went to the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival for the first time. I remember sitting on the grass, eating a plate of red beans and rice, listening to Etta James singing, looking around and thinking this was going to be a life changing weekend, because I have found my people.

Well, this past weekend I had a similar experience in St Paul, MN at the Creative Connection: a room full of artistic women from all over the country, Europe and Australia sharing their work and themselves. It was a gathering of creative women entrepreneurs, and I was attending to "pitch" my glass paintings to an expert panel, where I got a wonderful, encouraging response, so thank you Margo, Ingrid, Beth, and Chris....

Hotel room with a view...

But it was the women I met and listened to that will stay with me for a long time. Keynote speakers like Holly Becker of Decor 8 and Cristina Ferrare of Where Women Cook shared their professional and personal journeys, bumps and all. It was truly inspiring. Everyone I came in contact with was at a different point in their creative path, some just starting a hobby, some promoting a book they just wrote, others just enjoying networking with other artists.

The overriding feeling was that everyone there was rooting for everyone else. The air just sparkled. I felt like I was in a room with 700 Oprahs telling me "you're fabulous just the way you are", and that's a good feeling to have...

A very special thank you to Jo Packham for pulling the TCC off, and to Kelly Rae whose generosity of spirit continues to make a difference for so many fellow artists' lives. I loved meeting fellow flyers, and Kris I think you are about to soar!

As I See Things

I knew I had to be an artist during one of my first drawing classes. Everyone was drawing a simple still life of a ball, a cone and a box. Well, after about 45 minutes or so we were asked to turn around our drawings. I just started laughing to myself because here we all were, drawing the exact same objects and everyone's looked so completely different! I just love how people see things in their own unique way.

I've been thinking about this a lot lately because I recently went back to painting murals for the Cheesecake Factory Restaurants, and we've been trying out some new designs. Mary, the designer, gives me directions and a rendering, and it's my job to take a small piece of artwork and turn it into a very large piece, usually around 10' X 45' .

Anyway, I find myself constantly asking myself: Is this what she what she wants? Is the owner going to like it ? I've been doing this for a very loooong time, and it amazes me that I still have to look so hard at each mural I paint. It definitely keeps me on my toes.....

Not too long ago, I went to the Art Walk here in Culver City with my good friends Kathy and John. It was a great way to see what's happening in the gallery scene here, which has really exploded during the last few years. We saw quite a mix of work. I remember going into one gallery and looking at some paintings that I thought were just awful, and then a guy walked in and said, "Now this stuff is great!"
Go figure....

Kathy posing with art at the artwalk

So as I work now on my own little paintings I try to tell myself, if they look good to me, I just have to trust my voice, because I know everyone doesn't see things the same way I do. I think that 's just fine.

By the way, I'm really excited about a few things going on now. First, it feels great to finish up murals for five new Cheesecakes. Secondly, we are off on a week's vacation starting on Monday. And lastly, I just found out that I will be attending the creative connection event in St. Paul, MN in September, where I landed a spot to show my work in front of a panel of experts in the home decor field. Hopefully they will "see" something in my work that could lead to licensing and manufacturing my little glass paintings!!

Summer Slump

I'm looking forward to a lot of things. In about three weeks my guys and I are going on vacation to San Francisco and camping in beautiful South Lake Tahoe. Then I'm off for a little "me" time visiting my sister in Martha's Vineyard for a week. And hopefully I'll be attending the Creative Connection, a gathering of women entrepreneurs in St Paul, MN.

But first I have three jobs to finish for the Cheesecake Factory. I'm so happy to be working again! I love my crew, and it just feels right to be painting.

So why am I in such a funk today??

One of our latest Cheesecake murals

Well, I threw out my back earlier this week, I'm fighting off a virus, and oh yes Annie Boots (our cat) brought another rat into the house at 1:30 in the morning! Then I look on Facebook and people I know are touring Europe or fishing in Alaska and having more fun than me.....

So I guess I'll just lay here like a lump and give in to my slump, knowing it's just one of those days....