I Fiddle with Flowers

I fiddle with flowers. Yes, I do. I am in love with watercolor and how it teams up with the colors on the paper and the brush of the artist.

I have been learning, through practice, the fun of watercolor. I am in awe of its beauty and power that comes from many committed artists who paint because they too would feel less for not painting.

I came to the watercolor paper a timid and frightened student. I remember the first time the class was drawing and painting an apple. It only occurred to me then that I had to create a round shape three- D idea of an apple. It stunned me. I wondered if I had to fold the paper into a cylinder shape.

I didn’t get the hang of it early on as I sat in amongst seasoned artists and accomplished teachers. I didn’t catch the spirit of it. But I never lost the attraction I had toward watercolor as I stopped to gaze upon creations in public places, especially medical facilities, which I have spent a lot of time in with my husband over the last two decades.

It convinced me that watercolor is truly uplifting, healing, and inspiring and truly served a magnificent purpose in and among the human population who were dealing with life and death circumstances.

I continued to paint…a little….and store my scary attempts at art down deep in my drawer or tucked away in a cardboard portfolio only to be forgotten, until the next urge came upon me to “mix color” together. There were long absences from my experiments.

Now that I am of Grandma Moses age range, I am fiddling once again, and more purposefully. A couple of years ago, I met artist Angela Fehr. This was a miracle and it kept me near my watercolors and paint. I haven’t met her in real life or a class offering, (but if she gets within a one-hundred mile radius, that may change). She lives in Canada and she leads classes online and offers many free episodes on utube.

Her teaching surrounds the premise of “I want you to become your own favorite painter.” She also refers to us as “Fearless Artists.”  She shows us the way toward “intuitive painting”, and painting that is “heart-led”.

Well, that ties right in with my spirituality and so I am all in. I’m delighted to see my “happy mistakes”  and to know so much possibility lies ahead, just for the fun of it.

Angela cautions about overdoing it and getting your idea down in a few heart-led, creative strokes of the brush, softening into backgrounds, painting in layers, oh so gentle and soft in the beginning.

Well sometimes I show up broad and noisy in my first strokes, but I am seeing where it takes me. I can’t rush the process, but just like with books…..so many images, so little time.

 

 

I am concentrating on trees and flowers at the moment. Flowers are amazing and I am never happy with them while the paint is wet. I am sure I have another failure on hand, but after it dries it is often another story. Because the paint keeps creating as it dries, and there are brand new nuances you didn’t have much to do with at all. Then, I fiddle…just a bit, in a few places on the painting. Then I see the petals, if not totally defined, at least hinted at.

I paint for the joy and happiness I have as I am in the process which overcomes disappointments and mistakes. I paint the softer side of life. I paint the gentle within me. I paint the love I extend outward to others. I paint the discovery that lies all around me, making each day new. I am pretty sure I won’t stop painting ever again.

 

The Divine — the Creator of all; Masculine and Feminine Divine —I gain so much appreciation of with each stroke. The song, “Paint with all the Colors of the Wind” comes to mind.

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Napkinwriter is Creating in Image

I am thankful to the readers who check in on Napkinwriter, although my posts have not been frequent for some time now. There are two reasons for this. My main work in writing is dedicated time to my memoir, Journey Girl. The second reason is I have skipped over to play time in the arts: painting, drawing, coloring, sketching and hanging out with a amazing tribe of others who cherish their art practice. I am learning many things and one of those things is that my time is really crowded much more than I ever thought it would be.

Watercolor has caught my fancy and I have so many others that inspire me that I might achieve one day. The biggest thing I have achieved is that playing with watercolor really makes me happy. And I like happy.

 

I love the beauty of flowers.

Sketching, and Ink and color are intriguing to me. I get lost in the essence and just want to hint at their beauty.

Playing with abstracts and the mix of dark and light bring new adventures upon the page.

I notice that when I am painting, I notice more things around me rather than take them for granted.

Layers — a skill to learn. Learning to trust, and my favorite teacher’s goal is to teach us to become our own favorite artist.

 

Playing with different art mediums — crayon and pencil.

Fun with nature.

Learning to draw what I see.

 

So many choices, so little time.

Fun selfie adventures.

 

Even art in the sidewalk cracks.

Anywhere I am, anywhere I go, paper and pen, paints and pastels provide amusing creative time. But I plan to start coming back to Napkinwriter on a weekly basis, for it is a joy of my heart.

 

 

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What am I Waiting For?

 

Life to Art. Art to Life. She slips through the Advent Portal in the Wildwood, her Divine Child is not adverse to the theme of the season — Waiting— Waiting when all the world seems in a rush, waiting when extra duty and even desires stack up upon her day, waiting for the smile and peace to adorn her body as she slips and slides the labyrinthian paths that lead to family and friends. Waiting to settle into her own breath, breathe into her own bones, ever watchful, faithfully waiting to hear again the familiar and sacred messages that come with this season. This is her favorite sacred season, that special time BEFORE Christmas, just as her second favorite season comes right AFTER the Resurrection, when the women find the grave empty. I have reason to pause…to wait…to accept darkness in the world, but know…always know that the light, the light within me, does not cave to the darkness. I do not have to wait for the light. It is within me. I only have to be awake and know.

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A Few Reminders

Just reminding myself that life is good…with images that please me.

I am Journey Girl and I open to the blessings in my life.

 

 

And I do see it, more and more.

So blessed to be with my friend on this trip in the Alps in 2013.

So blessed by my path, even when I don’t know where it leads.

 

Praying in gratitude for my good friend, Lois. Seeing her in comfort as many ways as she can, and even rooting for Notre Dame, her favorite team.

 

We are indeed, encouraged.

I see God’s glory all around us, and

 

My taste buds are enhanced in the goodness of life.

My heart gives thanks.

and He knows my name.

 

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Sunshine on My Shoulder

“They can be like a sun, words.
they can do for the heart
what light can
for a field.”
Saint John of the Cross

Words did that for me yesterday as the weather outside shifted between grey skies and breakouts of a gentle, blue sky with the sun shining down upon me.

Editing, revising, and reconstructing awkwardly worded sentences is the same kind of mixture of sun and cloudy murkiness. And that was what I was doing. But when the feeling of “just right” begins to appear, so does the light in the field that Saint John of the Cross speaks of in this quote.

Then later, in a welcome period of rest, came the kind, gentle and inspiring words of a friend, responding to me in email. She had read and appreciated the words I had sent her in a few chapters of the book I am working on. Enough energy and blessing in her own words to bring me to the next pages of creation.

This is a time where our news media seem fixated on the next annoying, obnoxious, and inflammatory TWEET issued by anyone who has an axe to grind, or just feels a streak of mean-ness coming on. Where is the sunshine here? How much better could the world be served by the worldwide net if it blanketed  the globe with words meant to heal; to build up; to enlighten; to build up hope in the existence of goodness.

These words do exist. I have found “my creative, educational, and spiritual tribes” who bring them forth in poetry, song, prose, and good will. With freedom of choice, I relish this sunshine and share some of the sunshine I found in the Alps five years ago with a friend.

 

 

 

 

 

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Mackinac Island Time – 2018

 

We arrived on the day of the Lilac Parade. Our three-car caravan traveling North on I-75 into Gaylord, where we stopped for lunch and a Father’s Day Celebration.

 

Then we were ferry-bound, bicycles and all for Mackinac and Dufina Cottage.

 

and, of course, the Horse Taxi ride up to the cottage.

 

 

Passing the Grand.

 

 

Up the hill…

 

Good times and ambiance in Dufina.

 

 

 

 

Puzzle solving.

 

 

 

 

 

Music, music, music.

 

Early morning view from our bedroom window.

 

 

Porch sitting and conversations.

 

 

Breakfast nook.

 

 

 

Games of Go Fish!

 

 

Outings on the Island. Bicycles!

 

Outings on the Island.

 

 

 

 

 

Ice Cream!

 

Mission Point Date with Tom

 

 

Last Night Movie Night watching The Notebook.

 

 

Once more, time to leave again.  Wonderful time.

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And The Band Played On

It’s official now. Summer has arrived in Marshall, Michigan on the gentle June evening breezes in Stewart’s Landing and the first Marshall Rotary Band Summer Concert performance.

Tom and I followed clarinetist Kathleen and percussionist Andrew into the park and set up in front row seats.

We were treated to so many spirited marches from famed composers along with a mixture of melodies from My Fair Lady. I was enjoying it so much, the lady next to me was singing the lyrics and I felt like maybe I could really have danced all night.

It is such a wonderful thing to see Kathleen and Andrew perform, as they have for many years. The community performance band has entertained for forty years, and that is a phenomenal accomplishment.  Devon and Andrew have been a part of it since their high school years and Kathleen, for nearly twenty years.

It is inspiring to see that once one chooses music and an instrument, they don’t ever really put it down. Youth through special senior status played away enthusiastically and professionally.

 

 

The audience ranged high into the elder years this night, but the 4th of July concert at the Fountain, complete with chicken bar-b-q and children’s bike and pet parade bring the whole family out, selecting their favorite spot on the lawn with outstretched blanket and the wagon they pulled their young children in to the event. It’s like a step back in time and most attire is completely red, white and blue, stars and stripes. The featured conclusion to each year’s 4th of July event is the melody of tributes to each branch of the armed forces. Always gets me!! And they stand up when their song is played to the clapping and respect of the rest of us.

But, back to June…and here we are last night at intermission in grand park surroundings and weather.

 

 

The after-concert tradition. Ice Cream treat of course!

In line with the band leader.

Lots of people had the same idea.

 

The reward for patience!!

 

We went back to Kathleen’s all happy, with songs playing in our heads.

 

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Firm Roots — Beautiful Leaves

 

Tom and I received an invitation in the mail today. We will be marking the date for a visit to Christ the King School for Grandparents’ Day on Monday, April 30, 2018 to be with Amy, age 10, in the fourth grade. Well, it was not actually THE invitation. It will follow. It is a SAVE THE DATE heads up.

From firm roots, grow beautiful leaves…

Indeed!  It is winter here in Kentucky, with a cold spell and snow on the ground, but I know we are blessed with firm roots, even though we planted those roots several times in different orchards.

Our first beautiful leaves…

These two awesome leaves gave us our grandchildren leaves.

Devon…first born granddaughter

what a new world opened to us.

 

 

Her brother, Andrew, now a first year Central Michigan University Marching Chippewa in the percussion section…I always knew he would play the drums; this year he clanged the symbols mightily in one of the best college fight songs there is.

 

Their love and talent in music stems from their passionate mother… a CMU marching band alumni, Tekonsha school music director 5th grade through high school, and community theater music director for children and adult performers, and Misdirection Jazz Band founder who books gigs and outings in her area. She has NYC in her sights…

 

 

 

So many leaves filling out our tree…such solid roots of love…

And then comes dynamo, Amy Frances Mitchell, who is taking her mother’s energy to a new level…

Amy’s leaf blows cheerfully in the wind as a sports enthusiast, a gifted and joyful pianist, a Minecraft  exquisite designer, a math wizard, and fashionista, just to name a few.

Amy is always watching out for grandma and dziadzia, telling us she is S T R O N G. Here she is helping us replant our roots in our second apartment in Lexington in one year’s time.  I feel our roots deepening here for a strong hold over a long, long time, now feeling another orchard is on the horizon for awhile.

 

 

She likes horses and is taking riding lessons. So I gave her a copy of BLACK BEAUTY for Christmas, one of my very favorite books which I was a young girl, oh so very long ago.

A kalaidscope now, all the years running together…our arms threading into the  leaves like branches, not getting to hold them as often. Devon, a college graduate and married to Tyler, a new grandson leaf on our tree, making their way into an “out-of-school” world, and holding promise of future young leaves we will get to share our love with. Andrew, totally engaged in the college scene, with a musical beat and a friendly social presence that promises so much fun. And close-by Amy, who brings light and young energy to her grandparents that feed their souls.

A beautiful Christmas gift made by Devon.

 

Last Year’s Grandparents’ Day

 

Beautiful leaves from a grateful tree.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you, God.  We are loving the journey.

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Art is a Blessing

 

I am playing with art. I am no longer afraid of art or being an artist. I love Oriental Brush Painting. I love watercolor. I love collage. All of it is now fun to me. I write more than I play with art, but that will balance out eventually, once I get my book completed.

I had fun this summer with an on-line course from Carla Sonnheim. It was a course for children and their parents. I will take her next one and hopefully later on join some more teaching courses with her. Color makes me happy.

We shared our art on-line and it was so fun to get up each of the five days to see what others had created.

This is my Chagall rendering of carousel.

 

We created Blob animals from cracks and shapes found in the sidewalk and parking lots. There are lots of blobs out there!

 

We also created lots and lots of herds of corrugated cardboard elephants.

 

 

Asian brush art is a favorite of mine and I am taking up learning it. The soft, fluid energy I see in it lights my soul. There is much to learn and PRACTICE is the centerpiece of learning. It is meditation with ink and paint. I love watching YouTube videos to get me going with it.

And I took two workshops in Berea, a creative center of the arts and writers, from Diane Marra this summer also. That deepened my love for this art. I created two pieces that vibrate with chi and warmth for me.

 

Being genuine.

 

We moved to Lexington in January 2017 and reside in a nice apartment in The BLVD at Hays complex. The new Lexington Senior Center is very close to us. I took up a few water color classes there. Water color is my favorite paint medium. I love what it does on paper with its blends, splatters, and swirls and thin line art. I want to get much better at it and I have time to practice.

 

 

I am Napkinwriter. I write on napkins.

 

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Make an Elephant

That’s a tall order for the day, I think as I glance at my To Do list and see the words Make Elephant not crossed out on my list.

I like the TO DO pad I found at Office Depot one day. It has two columns: On the left, it says TODAY, and on the right it says, LATER.  I take full advantage of being a retiree, so my list is not two columns. It is just one running across both columns. Those not crossed out at the end of today…you guessed it are the ones that are left for LATER.  Works pretty well.

It seems the Elephant was left for later.

It is the last of 5 daily assignments of Carla Sonheim’s Art Week for Kids 2017. This kid, age 74, really had fun with the art we all made. Besides making the art, and learning a little about famous artists, the best part was a private Facebook page where our Art Gallery existed and so many posted their creative work, it was a blessing to enjoy.  Each of us doing same assignment, all of us doing unique, individual, no-two-alike creations and having fun while doing it. I am going to be a kid again next year and join the others.

First, we went BLOB hunting….finding cracks and shapes and shadows outside that we drew the outline of and then created Blobimals from them.

And then we studied the Durer Rabbit (Hare) and many of us discovered that we loved the oil pastels we made our creations with. Some of us were very surprised that we liked the oils so well. Most of us found that our rabbit shapes came easier to us when we outlined him like a blob and worked from there.  This is mine.

 

Many of us like blue.

Then we went on to the Russian-French painter — Marc Chagall and created paper art in imitation of his Merry-Go-Round with horses and his sense of fun and delight in life.

 

What came next was pretty wild and crazy and most of us could not stop at one. We made more and more and more and became great fans of artist Picasso. We made the Picasso Cat. Mine fell asleep and took a nap in the sun.

 

 

Others were quite active…dancing

Or were quite blue….

 

One more just for fun, because this was F U N…

 

So, last Friday, we came to the elephant.  And for me, life interfered with art (I hate when that happens!)  and I only began to make my elephant. Beginning means that I found a cardboard corragated box and ripped shapes off of it.  These shapes sat next to the dining room table on the floor while I did life and watched all the wonderful animals appear on the Facebook Art feed.

And here is blue again.

There was even a pink one. I have to find her in the herd.

Alina posted pictures on how she made her elephant. After getting her pieces in the shape she wanted for her elephant, she is painting gray onto the elephant. This is going to help me remember how to make mine.

Here she is deciding which shapes to use.

Now, we can see her magnificent elephant. Oh my, he is so awesome.

Each day, artist Carla Sonheim led us in our art with a brief 10 minute happy encouraging “let’s do this” video and a written list of instructions to follow that were simple.  Along with a jumpy little tune, I know I was just like all the other kids and if I had had a mommy by me, I’d be bugging her to “Let’s, go, mommy, let’s go.”

And they did. And I did.  And this weekend I will be piecing and painting and gluing my elephant together. I think he will be silver gray.

Peek into Carla’s world if you are interested in having fun in creating.

http://www.carlasonheim.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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