La Vida Artistica: The Artist's Life. My life. This week.

Dear Diary: the life of an artist is not easy.  Lot's of ups and downs this week. A workshop that I very much wanted to teach, did not fill. Yet, I was asked to give a talk about encaustics at a local art guild meeting. What fun! Today, I get to work on ART all afternoon. Fantastic! Yesterday, I spent half the day updating my resume just in case that "perfect" part-time gig suddenly appears or drops into my lap. After 52 years on this earth, with a Bachelors degree in fine art, a successful 15+ years in the graphic design field, raising a family of two fabulous and creative children, and finding my way into one of the most desireable paths a person could choose (making and teaching art): I somehow feel inadequate. Updating resumes and applying for jobs can do that to a person.

But, my heart remains full, and sometimes, hopeful. That I am doing the right "thing", going against ALL logic, and pursuing this crazy career. That's all for now...

I would LOVE to hear about some of your "trials and triumphs" under "Comments"!

Great way to jump start a 'dreaded' Monday...

1) Drive, ride or walk to favorite neighborhood bookstore or library
2) Check-out or buy any book by SARK
3) Place self strategically under skylight or by window in bookstore or library
4) Indulge self in reading about Life, Getting 'Unstuck', Creativity, Naps, the Art of Non-Doing, Living Juicy and more

(I'm currently re-reading SARK's "Inspiration Sandwich--I highly recommend it!)

Note to Self:

Do not paint with white gesso while wearing favorite black sweater...

Thoughts on my Daughter, Class of 2009

Tomorrow, my beautiful daughter will graduate (officially). Alas, she won't be present at the ceremony, as she is working for a resort in the Olympic National Forest for the summer. I can't help but think about her, and her 18 years of life, this week.

She was finished with high school in early April, attending community college through her high school's Running Start program. So, what did she do? She took a solo 'rail' trip (approximately 6000 miles!) to visit friends in New York City, and Missouri. Needless to say, mom was very distressed about this news when she started planning it in November. But, she returned safely, with $25. in her pocket, and some unforgettable life experiences...

One month later, she scored a great job working as a barista at a beautiful resort in the Olympic National Park. As a mom, I've had to let her go in 'little pieces', which has not been easy. I miss her! I worry about her. But I know she is fine, and will be just fine out in the 'big, wide world". In August, we will be trying to locate an apartment for her in Vancouver, British Columbia, where she will be attending a wonderful art school. Yes, she'll be on her own in a large city. 

Why does this remind me so much of myself at her age??? History does repeat itself. And, at 18 years old, did I care (or even think) about what my own mother might have been feeling when I departed into the Big Adventure of life on my own? Not a bit. 

I love you J., and I'm SO proud of you.

Rumi and art from the vaults....

 I just can't get enough of the writings of Rumi...so here's a favorite of mine, paired with one of my pastel paintings called "Afternoon Meadow"... Enjoy.

Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing,

there is a field. I'll meet you there...

When the soul lies down in that grass

the world is too full to talk about.

Ideas, language, even the phrase each other

doesn't make any sense.

Fun with Wendy...

My assemblage 'in progress.


Wendy...hard at work.

I had a great 'art date' with my new art friend, Wendy Lee Lynds. She's a fabulous mixed media and collage artists, who also teaches in the Seattle area. We decided to have an 'assemblage day' at my studio. She worked with some antique box frames and some cool old metal pieces and text, and I worked on yet another clipboard collage/assemblage. Since it's sea creature and ocean oriented, I may bring it to the ArtFest 2009, and put it up in the gallery show. Wendy and I had great talks about assemblage, rusty things, odd collections of stuff, collage and how to teach a good workshop! And, of course, we compared notes on our favorite mixed media artists such as Larry Calkins (teaches at Pratt Art Center in Seattle), Lynne Perrella, Michael deMeng, Juliana Coles, LK Ludwig and Claudine Hellmuth. They are all masters at what they do, and teach fantastic workshops.

Marilyn, 1955

Marilyn, 1955, originally uploaded by jomoma58.

I feel compelled to say a few words about my mother, Marilyn, as this is her birthday month. She would have been 78 years old this year. I lost her when I was just 21 years old, and about to enter into my senior year of college. She was a gentle, creative soul, and managed to do some wonderful things during her 49 years of life.

She cooked the best damned pot roast I've ever had, although I did not come to that realization until I had failed for many years to replicate it. You know, the kind of meat that just falls apart, and the carrots and potatoes that simmered with it all day just melted in your mouth. I still have her Betty Crocker cookbook, the white and red checkered one with the 3-ring binder. The pages are tattered and falling apart, but I believe that this is my favorite treasure she left behind. Some of her own killer recipes were skillet corn bread, chicken and dumplings, banana and vanilla wafer pudding, antelope steak fondue (my father was a big game hunter), fried okra, fried chicken, mashed potatoes, Christmas rum balls...she was a child of the deep South.

She also went back to college in her 40's and studied business and art history. She belonged to the Colorado Mountain Club, and climbed 9 or 10 "Fourteeners" (mountains over 14,000 feet). She was a volunteer candy striper at the local military hospital. She encouraged me to pursue art, and took me to many performances such as the opera, ballet, plays, art exhibitions. She could do a killer imitation of Lucille Ball 'on the verge of tears' when she knew Ricky had found out her scheme of the day. She could laugh at herself. Here's lookin' at you, mom...

The picture? Taken by my father, of course.

Past job descriptions: do they make us who we are today?

"Pearl" originally uploaded by jomoma58.

No, I wasn't a 'lady of the evening' or a strip tease dancer...this is a drawing I did (while in art school) of a woman named "Pearl". She was about 75 years old, give or take a few, and she really did this modeling thing for a living. Over the years, she has been my main muse and staunch supporter–even though I have not seen her since art school. When I am kinda blue or creatively blocked, I imagine she would say to me, "Just DO it, honey." I often wonder what her resume looked like, and wish I had taken the time to talk with her during breaks from drawing that day.

Which makes me wonder, do all of our jobs we had in the past make us who we are today. I think so. Here are some of mine: babysitter, "Little Bo Peep"/goat keeper, amusement park ride attendant, Santa's helper (elf), newspaper ad producer (paste-up), graphic designer, illustrator, art director, ski school instructor, retirement home activities director, mother, art instructor, visual artist, main 'spider-getter'...

Do our 'jobs' make us who we are today? What do you think? And, what were some of your most memorable jobs?

Prints of "Pearl" are available in my Etsy shop.