one great Momma!

April 18, 2017

Well, this is special.

It's not every day you and your family get to celebrate someone's 89th birthday.

If you are blessed with having a parent in your life for that long, you might know how I feel.

My mother embraced technology and owned a computer before most of her children did, and her grandchildren asked to come over to do their homework on it. She is a talented editor, an organizing queen, and at one time she knit like a pro and was one of a few braillists in Canada to translate music for the blind. She spins circles around us all in Scrabble and this cruciverbalist speeds through crossword puzzles, Sudoku, and does a fine job with Jeopardy questions every weeknight at 7:30 (don't phone her then).

I'm in awe of her remarkable and unwavering love for my father, her husband, the guy she's been married to for nearly 70 years after he asked her to wait for him when he went off to war. That whole "'til death do us part" thing was put to the test after my Dad had a serious fall last year that immobilized him, and she nailed it - with patience, care, and love.

I love my Mom for her smarts, her companionship, her strength, her wisdom, her practicality, and the unending love and support she continually shows me and my family. She is truly an inspiration I am lucky to have.

So today, I'd like to honour and celebrate her, because that's what matters most.

Happy Birthday, Mom!

receding snow

March 15, 2017

Dreaming of growth and renewal

Here in the Northeast, we are shedding slush, sand, and salt knowing that beautiful things will emerge.

Fresh back from a family vacation in Tobago (where is that, you ask? coastingtobago.ca), my daughter Lena and I discussed the pros and cons of living in an area of the world where the climate stays pretty much the same vs our four seasons.

For me, despite the hassle of snow, the changing seasons inadvertently provides a time to evaluate what I'm working on, and gets me excited about next steps, next seasons, and renewal. It reminds me that life is ever changing and I better get my butt up and in motion if I'm going to capture and create something inspiring.

I continually pay attention to and capture what's in front of me, from the mundane to the beautiful, and turn that into art print collections. I think of them as "my stories". Here are some things I've captured and the resulting prints:

from the Gerbera Daisy Collection: grasses, gerbera, final print

from the Butterflies Ascending Collection: grasses, carpet design watercolor, final print

What are the "stories" you love and are part of your life? Can they be translated into artwork? (If you doubt that, please read about the By the Numbers project)

What grows and evolves can surprise us. Whether it be experiences or vegetation, growth occurs. What inspires you as winter recedes and green appears? Pay attention to that.

I'm on a quest to put my work out there to the world, and if you'd like to help, please forward this post onto a friend. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

WHAT DO YOU LOVE?

February 15, 2017

I wasn't expecting the answer to be "tax form numbers"...

That was accountant Kathleen Collette's response during a meeting before I began working on custom artwork for her office.

I rose to the challenge to make tax numbers interesting and captivating enough for both Kathleen and her clients, playfully hiding the tax numbers within images of textures and everyday ordinary items. It was a rewarding adventure for both of us, and revealing the final artwork was such fun with friends and family present. For more photos of this "By The Numbers" series, please click here.

Being creative is what I love. My visual "stories" are shared on my website homepage and the images there are things or places that matter to me and bring me joy.

What do you love? What matters most? Put that on your wall.

If money were no object, what would put there that you could look at every day?

Imagine it so.

2017... make it your best year yet!

January 15, 2017

How will you make your 2017?

The hustle of Christmas is gone, and what lies ahead is patiently waiting for us. What will you do? How will you spend your precious time?

My brother died suddenly last month. As I move beyond grief, I know that the relationship I had with him, and the memories I treasure, will inform my artwork in some way. I'm not going to stress about the details of how and when, but instead let it show up and become what it will.

I have great hope for what this year will bring - deeper friendships, new relationships, new work, new paths. I continue to add pieces to my collections, and will let you know when they are ready to go (you can check out my website by clicking the link below). Coming up very soon, my family and I are traveling to the small island of Tobago next month for the trip of a lifetime. I know the lush rain forests and spectacular views there will be inspiring!

What has occurred in your life that will help you make and take the next steps? I hope you know now or are open to finding out soon.

And I hope you live your life fully aware of, and surrounding yourself with what matters most. My brother certainly did.