Month: December 2018

Have a “Wanderful” New Year

Uncategorized

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This curious little book caught my eye when searching for a book on spiritual practice in my local library.  It was called “TheWander Society” by Keri Smith.  Flipping through this img_1738book like a combination of discovering a little cache of buried treasure and opening a door into a world of mystery and intrigue.

The author stumbled upon the existence of The Wander Society quite by accident as she was perusing a used bookstore in her town. She picked up a worn copy of Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass from the shelves.  In it were hand notated references “WW will show you the way,” “Solvitur Ambulando,” “The Wander Society,” along with other underlinings and strange symbols in the margins.

This is a book about Keri’s subsequent research into the “Wander Society” – which actually exists, taking inspiration from the life of Walt Whitman.  Then there is information on how to be a wanderer and her handwritten written underneath the type in how her practice of wandering was changing her life. Anyone can be a member- however, but there are img_1736certain requirements…….

I’m not going to spoil the fun.  Go out and read the book.

I must say, this little volume sort of upended how I’ve been thinking about my life.  Of course, I’ve been in one of those places where I was on the verge of being upended, like the big earthquake we have been expecting in Oregon. This was a catalyst.  I have always been a doer.  That’s what our culture demands of us- achievement! productivity! Branding!  But maybe there is another way to look at things that is…..

much

more

sane. 

At the dawn of 2019, I am going to strive to be more of being than a doer,  a wanderer more than a seeker.

Wish me luck

Hope you will join me

Happy New Year to all of you.  Here is a poem from my favorite poet, Mary Oliver to close out the year…..

Continue reading “Have a “Wanderful” New Year” →

I was Supposed to be Blogging About My Artwork

The Creative Process, Uncategorized

Two weeks ago I received a message from WordPress…..

“Happy Anniversary with WordPress.com.  You registered with WordPress.com two years ago.  Thanks for flying with us.  Keep up the good blogging.”

This gave me pause on the passage of time and where I’ve come since I originally set up my blog.  Having failed to embrace other social media-Instagram and Facebook with enthusiasm to promote my art, the advice out there said: “you need to blog about your artwork.”  Okay, I thought, let’s give that a go.

Up went my first post, The Artist Demystified” on June 4, 2017, not really about my art but it was a start.  I was stunned to get one “Like”  and then double stunned when I received a “follow.” Wow, somebody read and identified what I wrote.  Then I found the WordPress Community Pool and the Weekly Photo & Writing Challenges (now extinct and sorely missed).  Then I found other bloggers and that I really liked to write and share my writing. Then I found (again) that I really hate self-promotion just for self-promotion’s sake. 

Now I’ve officially let go of the idea that my blog exists to promote my artwork since I really wasn’t doing that anyway.  If someone wanders over to my Etsy shop and purchases something, fabulous, but that’s not why I’m here.  Blogging has become a grounding force in my life

This is pretty much a blog about sharing my thoughts and experiences with others.

May my writing spark some resonance in my readers and bring forth some smiles through this process which I so enjoy.

I WAS SUPPOSED TO BE BLOGGING ABOUT MY ARTWORK

You know, make a splash

With Google Analytics

Get followers

Boost sales on Etsy

 

I was supposed to be blogging about my artwork

But then I discovered blogging as an art form

Blogging just to blog

Sending my words out into the universe

To maybe catch hold on the edge

of some other celestial being

 

I was supposed to be blogging about my artwork

And then I discovered other bloggers

With their words that fed me

And then found a hold

In my celestial body

 

I was supposed to be blogging about my artwork

And then I discovered that I just liked to make art

…… not so much the selling 

So I think I will continue to make

And I will continue to write

For no other reason than it feeds my soul

The Art of Keeping a Holiday Tradition

Uncategorized

 
The holidays have gotten pretty simple around here My son is grown and there are no grandkids.  We are very modest with our gift giving. Who needs more stuff? I’ve come to value traditions that don’t involve consumerism.

The one thing I have hung onto over many many years is making my own holiday cards.  Sometimes they are color copied, some years they are poems I have written. This I got down to the basics with old-fashioned scissors, glue, scraps of paper, stamps, and sequins.  I made most of them with a group of my friends (see my previous post) It’s fun just take time out of life and just be crafty.

I’m skipping the holiday letter this year in favor of putting a very short handwritten note with my signature.  My card list is relatively small. If I do a few a night all will be out in the mail in a few days to friends and family.

That’s my little gift to others afar from the non-digital world of paper, glue, pen and a bit of love.

The Art of Taking the Media Out of Social

Uncategorized

“Arthur blinked at the screens and felt he was missing something important. Suddenly he realized what it was.
“Is there any tea on this spaceship?” he asked.” 
― Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy

The time was set for 2PM on Monday.  Come and make holiday cards at Mary’s Studio.  Bring something to share.  Enjoy a cup of tea.

We individually began to straggle in after 2:15 too tired from all the tasks of the last few days to muster our creative energy.  So we just sat in comfy chairs around a big ottoman to rest our feet with cups of tea and small plates full of nosh.  There we declared our “Women Who Sit Society” and be social without a device.  We shared stories among us, liked our conversations and the food without nary a mouse click.  For a short respite, we were glad to be among longtime friends escaping the fray that occupies all of our lives, especially around the holidays. 

Eventually, we migrated to the craft table making cards with bits of colored paper and rubber stamps continuing the conversation.  There are no pictures of this event.  My phone was happily tucked away in my purse the only picture being a sweet memory left in my mind.

What a blessing to be among friends- in person, with the only expectation to sit and enjoy the company. 
                                                                                                                                                                      

The Art of Hanukkah

Poetry, Uncategorized

It’s known as the Festival of Light and is a Jewish Holiday that falls close to Christmas. 

According to the Encyclopedia Brittanica “Hanukkah, (Hebrew: “Dedication”)also spelled Ḥanukka, Chanukah, or Chanukkah, also called Feast of Dedication, Festival of Lights, or Feast of the Maccabees, Jewish festival  that begins on Kislev 25 (in December, according to the Gregorian Calendar) and is celebrated for eight days. Hanukkah reaffirms the ideals of Judaism and commemorates, in particular, the rededication of the second temple of Jerusalem by the lighting of candles on each day of the festival.”

I’m not Jewish- but I am. My ancestry is Jewish but my parents raised me and my brothers as protestant. They feared repercussions to us being raised in the Jewish faith.  They did not want us to experience the prejudice they experienced as children. My true heritage was revealed when I was 12.  (You can read about my story here on page 29)  I was saddened to have been denied my native culture because of fear.

 I do not have a menorah.  I am fairly illiterate on Jewish culture but tonight on the first day of Hanukkah for 2018 I lit a tea light candle and said the ritual Jewish blessings. Really, I lit the candle for all people who suffer racism, homophobia, misogyny and all other forms of discrimination and also for the people who inflict those ideas.  May they see the light.  People should have the freedom to practice their religion, have their true sexual orientation and have equal rights no matter what race or gender.

 Let the light of  who you truly are

Shine bright

And may the world

Embrace you