RAINY DAY PLAY

 

Rainy day play brought on some sunny color and, after struggling with some blog glitches, a cheery disposition showed up. So, yes, Andrea, still scattering joy 😀

Despite the year continuing to show strains at the seams, an overall assessment says it was a pretty good year. Daily walks, good health, good friends, scattered workshops filled with new and returning faces, a couple of opportunities too good to pass up, old friends showing up after many years...I could go on and on. My gratitude list is pretty darned full 💓

I hope all who are reading this can add up the gratitude moments against the disappointments and come up on the plus side. And, if for some reason you can't, I'll leave you with Maya Angelou's words, Every storm runs out of rain.

SCATTER JOY

Well, it's that time of year once again, Cards go out, Carols are sung--their music fills the air.  The fragrances of pine and cinnamon and baking waft around us.  And....most of all, joy gets scattered about, or at least the wish for it. Well, I'm here to say let's make joy scattering, not just a seasonal thing, but a year-round activity. It can start with small kindnesses handed out , a smile, a hearty hello, and just go on and on from there. Let's try it!Meanwhile, Happy Holidays!

WINTER FANTASY FUN

thru december 19th

This is such a great opportunity to buy from your local artists, support them, and give unique and interesting personal gifts to family and friends. There is a lot to do besides purchase gifts too...entertainment, good food, music, Santa, holiday decorations. Check it out and come to Laguna any time the next three weekends.

www.sawdustartfestival.org

 

WHERE DOES IT COME FROM?

 I have to admit that often I say my inspiration arrives, as for Calvin of Calvin and Hobbes, in last-minute panic.

This time the arrival was far more peaceful and kind of developed over a bit of time.

In September student Camillia (always full of laughter and joy) brought me a crow card she had purchased on her magnificent summer trip to visit baseball parks. I was enamored, but did not see myself doing anything like it.

Yet, the seed was planted. Seems as soon as everything was boxed and ready for the Sawdust Festival's Winter Fantasy I had time on my hands for pure play. Why it went to creating stamps that then became printed cards I can't really say. But there it is. Six individual, different designs--all crows of course! It was a lot of fun. Now what to do with them? Send short personal notes, I suppose. Or make more. Or......????

A DIFFERENT TAKE ON ART JOURNAL FUN

 For several years now I have been fortunate to be involved in Round Robin Art Journal creations. At first, I have to admit, I was dragging my feet a bit. Wondered just how much fun it could be to do a different journal of someone else's every month.

Well, now I am a convert. The journal on the left is the last one that came to me for this year of 2021. The pages seemed to have an awful lot of birds displayed so I thought they probably needed a tree. 

Thus, my own contribution...a place of rest for all the birds. And a bit of rest for all of us participants til next year's Round Robin.

EARLY THANKS CUZ WHY NOT?

 This angel of thanksgiving has arrived just a little bit early. Grateful for rain however light or heavy, she just decided to arrive as a treat before the ghouls show up for Halloween.

Other gratitudes that I share with her are for the joys of living here on this beautiful coast, getting to the booster of Covid vaccines, time with family and friends, GREAT groups for mixed media workshops, the blessing of pre-sales even before the Sawdust's Winter Fantasy begins,  the opportunities to give back through the Sawdust Art Enrichment Fund, and soooo much more. 

Life is good!

PLAYTIME

I wake happy. 

Starting out happy just seems to set things up for the rest of the day to me.

So this is all by way of a small explanation for why I call my workshops "playtime." One of our greatest gifts is the ability to play and while art like so much else can be pretty serious stuff, to play at art opens up exploration and experiments galore.

 

So playtime it is and there is another mixed media playtime workshop on the calendar for October 24th that is filled with some new and old playmates. I am really looking forward to the fun.

 

SOME FUN

 

Friend Catharine has been doing a lot of paint pour lately. So, as I finally got myself to the drive-thru carwash yesterday, I was struck by the similarity of the soap on the window to some paint pour techniques.

Do you suppose there's any future for using soap pour techniques?😜

I'm excited to be hosting another mixed media workshop this month, though I think we will probably skip the soap pour technique. Still, there will be plenty to do and I look forward to having a group of vaccinated creatives at play here.

When the world gives you...

 ...well, not quite lemons, but the wrong size tiles. While I did a "repeat" order it turned out not to be and so the tiles (made in yet another foreign country, this time Turkey) were too small by a bit over a quarter inch. So what to do with them?

Since I had only used five of them I guess all of my time was not wasted. And my mind is busily trying to find alternate ways to use them, so....

Guess all is not lost. Lemonade will come :) Just a few more showers and long walks oughta get it made.

AH, THE DISTRACTIONS

 

The usual morning sound of cawing crows and twittering finches is broken by the high-pitched cry of a hawk. I rise from my journaling to check out the sound, just the first of many distractions on this July morning.

Cindy's journal, which is due to be sent out this week as part of the Round Robin Journaling group languishes on my desk. Over the course of the month many ideas have flitted through my busy brain, but nothing seems to get to fruition. The distractions again.

Summer is always so full of the easy distractions and this summer of 2021 seems to have more than the usual share. Visiting friends and family (oh, so very essential to sanity after the past year of the Covid pandemic) are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the diversions. 

The summer's Sawdust Art Festival seemed like it would be easier than normal since choosing to exhibit only on a "Gallery Wall" that did not require my presence nor as much of a display. But this has not turned out to be entirely true as re-stocking and cleaning have taken more time than anticipated. Good news, yet still distracting.

And, now, the summer's Olympics draw me to watch. Darn! I try to resist, but the whole theme of Imagine continues to call to me. 

And the many things that languish on the to do list grows. Guess I'll start with the Round Robin journal though. Then....well, back to the many fun summer distractions, I guess.😀

WHAT IS IT THAT'S COMING?

Now that the summer festival season is up and running I am thinking about what is ahead. 

so apt

To that end...lots of mixed media workshops, of course!! I have been pondering the many possibilities for a regeneration of these fun-filled days of creativity with great students and friends. 

Many of the tried and true methods will be employed (and enjoyed), but I also wanted to create some challenges. So stay tuned in the next few weeks as the process is honed.

Meanwhile, check out the fall dates that have been added and mark your calendars. Just let me know if you want to hold your spot. cherril@cherrildoty.com
 

POSTAL MAGIC...THE YEAR OF THE POSTCARD

One of the things that I will always remember about the pandemic in which we have found ourselves is the magic of creating postal art in the form of postcards to send in order to stay connected when in-person visits were not happening.

Recently, on Instagram, I spotted this note about the "year of the postcard" and realized that I was definitely not alone in my embracing of this means of communicating.

For years now a part of the Mixed Media Playtime workshops has been that each participant draws a name of one of the others and sends that person a postcard they have created in the workshop. I have a huge collection of these postcards and cherish them as connection to current and past students.

 

THE CLOCK IS TICKING AND...

 

It won't be long now

The summer festival season is soooooooooo close. By the time you read this that pile of woodchips will already have been spread on the grounds inside the gate in preparation for the big opening day--Friday, July 2.

Are we all ready? Well, I'm sure that as usual many of the artists are still not quite committed to saying that, but one thing is for sure...they always are by the time those gates open.

So, starting Friday you will have 66 days--until September 5th to come enjoy the sights and sounds and have a great time.  I'll be along the right side wall at Gallery Wall 8!

CREATIVE JUICES

 

As I ready for another of the Sunday Studio Mixed Media Playtime workshops I find myself thinking about creativity and just what it means.

So often folks say they are not creative when what I see is any number of ways that they ARE in fact creative.So very many creative people pass through our lives every day.

One of the most creative people I encountered as a child was my ballet teacher, Catherine Joyce. It just seemed that everything she touched had a creative edge to it. Not only did she teach ballet, but she choreographed our programs, she designed beautiful costumes (one of my all time favorites was the fuchsia costume I was honored to wear as a gangly ten year old.) In addition, she made dainty porcelain figurines of dancers. She just seemed to have an abundance of creativity. 

But I digress. Sure, Catherine Joyce was extremely creative, but the fact is we are all creative and should nurture this in whatever form it takes small or large. Maybe you are a creative cook, a beautiful dresser, a whiz at decorating your home....the list could go on and on. Everyone is creative in at least one way and by acknowledging and setting aside time for our creativity life can be more fulfilling and more meaningful.

As the sports saying goes, "Just do it!" Get those creative juices flowing.

THEN... AND NOW

then

now

Way back in the dark ages--2008 to be exact--Suzette Rosenthal and I were co-teaching for the Sawdust Art Festival spring and autumn workshops. These were long days--two of them--that required a day of setting up and tearing down at each end. 

At some point we looked at each other and asked if there was perhaps an easier way. Thus was born the Mixed Media Playtime Sunday Studio Workshop plan. We moved the whole operation (and that includes a multitude of fodder and tools) to my home studio. It  worked well for us and was sooo much easier physically. And when Suzette moved to Broomfield, Colorado I just went on with the program.

Over the years so many wonderful folks have attended these workshops. Always the camaraderie is delightful and the "play" yields a multitude of artwork, friendships, and so much more.

I have to thank Sherry Mitchell for the picture from the past and for reminding me of all the joys that have followed me through these years.

Blessings galore!!

TAKING TIME TO PLAY

 

Taking the time to play, maybe especially after the events of the past year or so, seems part of a therapeutic caring for self regimen to me. I hope all of you reading this are doing the same.

I found I have an abundance of scraps--using alcohol inks, acrylics, deli paper clean up sheets, and so much more. So the invitation to play was right there ...and I grabbed hold.

Since opting to participate in the summer's Sawdust Art Festival once again this year, I could also use some new greeting card stock. Perfect combo!

Not having a booth per se this year will seem strange, but my brain is busy seeking fun ways to utilize the 11 foot Gallery Wall. Stay tuned to see all the new and different from so many artists who have been creating during the long hiatus.

And, meanwhile, take the time to play yourself. So worth it.

GREMLINS

It's just been one of those weeks for electronic gremlins, but at least the Sawdust Art Festival lottery day had no gremlins messing with my roll.  #58 was picked and so the first hurdle has been passed. Next stop--Booth Pick Day on May 18th.

I am hoping to get what I want and be able to move forward into yet another summer festival.

But, back to those gremlins: Hard to believe. First, my tablet died right in the middle of an exciting Kindle book. Next, my phone would not send or receive calls on Monday until I rebooted the whole thing. That night, I powered off when going to bed. Then, sometime in the night...ping! What?? So phone was back on. This morning, going to check emails..."send receive error" for the entire morning. Egads! Hopefully, that has all ended. No more gremlins!!!

Sent out the first newsletter of the year and hoping for workshop signups. I don't have a large listing of contacts as if people didn't reply to the last one, they were removed. So we shall see where this goes. The blog lives on.

So a little good, a little not so much....what more could a gal ask for in a week? I just keep thinking of that phrase about keeping a sunshine kind of mind. I'm all for it!

 

WORKING AWAY

 

Just to catch you all up: I am working away on (at last) a newsletter. Since things are beginning to happen in our vaccinated milieu, it seemed about time to get that up and running again. 

Way back when, I cancelled the newsletter system I was using and asked all who were receiving it to get back to me if they wanted to continue to be on my list of sendees. The response was not exactly overwhelming, but that seemed a good thing because there's no point in sending to folks who won't open it, right?

At any rate, I now have contacts uploaded and will work on getting out all the news updates this week so please watch for the newsletter in your e-mailbox.

Things are looking up so stay safe and stay happy.

CONNECTIVE TISSUE

Shadow and light rest on the hills like casual clothing as the sun eases its way down the western sky. As I watch I can feel the world around me and in me. And I wonder...what do I choose to have pass through me? 

The answer rises up. I choose energy, creative energy, and the connections engendered by this.  I am reminded of the words of John Muir: The sun shines not on us, but in us. The rivers flow not past, but through us, thrilling, tingling, vibrating every fiber and cell of the substance of our bodies, making them glide and sing.

For me, this connection exists not only in nature, but while utilizing energy to create, whether an art piece or a special meal or a home or garden design. This is flying. This is gliding and singing and tingling and vibrating. 

Let me at it!!

 

WHAT CAN BE CERTAIN?

Sitting down to write after a stunning sun-drenched coastal day I am serenaded by a plethora of small birds, each singing a lovely song of joy as a paean to the glorious day that this has been. Peaceful and full of the calm for now, I do know that this can change in a moment's notice. 

One certainty--tides roll in and out each day

Benjamin Franklin got it wrong, I think, when he said that the only things certain in life are death and taxes. Change is also a certainty, I believe. There are so many moments to be captured in the instant they happen. Those moments are there, that is for certain. And, yes, they will change. That, too, is for certain. 

The sun will fade away. The birds will still their song. The cool breeze may become a dry heat. The only thing certain may just be that everything changes. Tomorrow will be different.

Today, failure? Tomorrow, success. Today, sadness? Tomorrow, joy. The revolving door of change is like that...for sure!

So if you just happen to be in a bad place right now...know this will change. And, if life is treating you well, enjoy each glorious minute. 

 

FULLNESS

Making the happy more visible...I feel this is what happens with the coming of spring. And rather than dwell on the horrific of news cycles, the happy that spring brings out is what I will choose.

There's a tingling in the air and in our veins as early signs of spring arrive. The days seem fuller and richer. Joy joins the tingling...and off we go.

Breathe. Relax. Listen. Let go. These seem so much easier to do of late, even as the world and nature and human nature continue to throw the adverse our way. 

Is it just the pervasive birdsong or the flittering about of tiny goldfinches and wrens? Could it be the warm sunshine and cool breezes or the sparkle on the water? Maybe it is the rich deep color of buds on the branch or the whir of the hummingbirds' wings that bring on the delight of springtime.

People are getting out more, to walk, to dine, to mingle (safely, I trust) and this, too, lends some joy to the season. Plans are being made to play, to create, to join together in small gatherings. The longer days seem to call for filling up to the brim with springtime delights. The world begins to shine. SHINE ON!!

AH, SPRINGTIME...ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES

 

Having a lot of fun with these bleeding tissue papers. Different sizes and shapes and vast amounts of possible play. The fun playtime got me thinking of missed workshops, missed camaraderie of friends together creating....and so...a possibility was born and the first workshop of 2021 is scheduled and full with safety in mind throughout all the planning. It does the heart good for sure!!

In the meantime, I will continue keeping the post office in business by creating and sending cards. 

There are so many lovely days of springtime ahead...what are your endless possibilities??

TWO + TWO= ONE

Two doses of vaccine + two weeks = one happy gal. What a weight off! And what a thrill to be able to spend time with family celebrating our daughter's birthday! It's funny how I didn't realize the weight I was carrying in trying to maintain all the careful edicts to avoid bringing covid-19 into our milieu. And what utter joy it was yesterday to be able to hug and laugh and just be together again. Even if you don't think you are worried, go get the vaccine when you can. You might be surprised. I was.

FALL OR FLY??

Doesn't this say it all?

 Rain gave way to sunshine gave way to rain gave way to sunshine....It's just that kind of a day. This got me thinking about changes (yes, again) and how often we fear both what is  and change as well.

Seneca, the Roman philosopher, said that if we let things terrify us life will not be worth living. So you are terrified of falling? Well, what if you fly? And there is always that possibility, isn't there?

Sure, we have economic woes aplenty, covid-19, discontent among so many, and more. But how should we approach these?  As if we will fail or is there to be hope that we can succeed in moving toward better times?

Even as we face these challenges there is so much to which we can open ourselves...if only we choose to do so. Hope and optimism can work in tandem with wisdom to surpass the negative. 

Ever hopeful on this changeable day, i look forward to both the sun and the rain. It's all part of an exquisite moment to moment life of joy and sorrow and back to joy, after all.

CHANGE AND CONSTANTS

Morning comes in my neighborhood with an ever-swelling crescendo of bird chatter, From small wrens an finches to the soft cooing of doves to the crow of the rooster across the canyon to the hawk circling overhead on the hunt, the canyon is alive with the sounds of birds. As spring approaches and nesting begins, the ante is upped by a considerable amount. 

Changes. Nature is full of them.

The season changes. The sky changes constantly, even as we watch. What makes us think things here on earth should be different? 

Change is a constant, though that seems to contradict. So many changes in this past pandemic year have caused consternation or hope or fear or so many other of our human emotions. And yet, the changes have and will continue. What is it about change itself that causes us so much difficulty?

I don't know the answers. Just try to go with the flow as best I can. What about you??

MUSING ON MUSES

A slut? No, I don't think my muse is a slut. I've heard the muse called this, but.....

Slut (n)--a lazy, careless, or slovenly woman; a lewd or dissolute woman.

The muse after which I chase is spunky, quixotic and often flighty. She is quirky and changeable. At times elusive or downright evasive, she is definitely a tease.

My muse is not lazy, careless, or slovenly. She is neither immoral nor depraved, though at times self-indulgent. Now and then a little crazy, perhaps, but in an endearing, charming and delightful way.

This muse of mine definitely keeps me on my toes and there is never a dull moment with her. Sometimes she is serious and intense and at other times wonderfully fanciful and filled with laughter, even giggles.

I trust my muse to know more than I do as she leads me at times down mysterious paths that seem far too difficult--challenging, beckoning, daring me to at least try. She constantly asks me to use all my senses--to see more deeply, to listen with greater intensity, to touch with heightened sensitivity, to taste the exotic strangeness of flavors, to smell the subtle nuances of fragrance.

The end may not always be in sight, but rather unknown and unplanned. This is both exciting, titillating, and even a little bit scary. Invariably, the risks lead to an opening of creativity. Out of what often appears chaotic comes that wonderful something that each artist seeks.

No slut my muse, but a seductive and intriguing character that I shall continue chasing after. She IS inspiration.

And you muse? Tell me about her....

 

THE EYES HAVE IT

 I love the way our eyes are able to fill in the blanks to create the whole.

We are certainly miraculous creatures, that's for sure. There are many instances of this, of course, not least of which is life itself.

And aren't we fortunate to have dedicated scientists and medical personnel to help us maintain these wonderful lives?

Yup! You guessed it. The second dose of the Moderna vaccine is in and working as I write this. Friend Catharine and I were talking about viruses and what they are and perhaps aren't yesterday. This only brought more to mind how lucky we have been to get some sort of (imperfect) handle on this Covid-19 virus in such a short time.

Here's a big shout out to all those who have cared for and developed and served and rescued and invented and.... in the last year and beyond. These folks are a special brand of artists!

A STICK IN TIME SAVES...

Off to Coronado for the second dose of the Moderna vaccine today. High Hopes...for so much, not least of which is that the forecasts for further deaths here in the US (which passed the half million mark now) are just flat out wrong.

I look forward to again taking road trips with daughter Jenna, dining out with friends, visits with family, hugs and more hugs and more hugs, and workshops and........... And so many other fun times that have been sitting on a back burner for almost a year now. Yes, we are moving forward quickly, but time is also moving fast so let's get that stick in the arm...NOW!

  

 

GLORIOUS!

 

At last! Fingers are starting to work better after run in with the runaway trash can. This led me to play around with some easy heart images for a limbering up exercise.

While there are many things we could focus on lately that are absolutely miserable... (enough said, right?) today is a glorious sun-filled, blue sky day that seems filled with hopefulness. At least that is where I choose to focus.

There is still so much for which to be grateful, even as I miss family, friends, teaching, and lately even doing art. I choose today to linger in the gratitude. How about you?

TWO WORDS

 Audacious dreams.....Thank you, Cicely Tyson, for these beautiful two words. As beautiful as you and YOUR dreams and actions throughout your audacious life.

A hand injury slows my typing on this day, but still enough oomph there to honor you.

We should all hold tight to these two words, that's for sure.

Here's to audacious dreams for us all!!

SILENCE

 After all of the noise of the weeks before and since the 2020 election (and I'll grant that lately some of the "noise" is heartening), I have found myself in need of silence.

Not sure how long this will last, but even my own words break the cherishing. Maybe it has to do with traditional fallow time or is simply the need for "other."

Whatever it is you will find me listening...to nature--to the twitter and glorious birdsong, to the rain on the roof, to the windchimes in the breeze, to the breeze itself, to the cry of the hawk overhead, to the hoot of the owl in the night....

Listen to the silence

It has so much to say

Rumi

RESOLUTIONS ANYONE?

A slow start to this new year for me in the creative realm. Ideas are there...execution kinda all over the place. Still, thanks to a couple of orders for cards from long-time clients the juices have begun to flow. I am grateful.

A writing workshop that had some hope for a jumpstart there was not what was hoped for. Interesting, but just not the thing that would do it. Will keep trying.

So what prompts are YOU using to get going creatively as we enter into 2021 with some hopes and some disappointments?
 

A CROW BY ANY OTHER NAME...

 

Anybody familiar with my work knows I do love crows and ravens (along with other corvids and so many birds really.) Just recently as work called to me to get serious about it again, this guy called out to be shown in a new scene. So here you have the work in progress--Snow Crow. It's just cold enough lately to seem appropriate, even here in sunny southern California.

Playing in the studio pushes back on the covid-19 bad news and the domestic terrorism launched on our Capitol Wednesday. Where are we going? Not sure. Just know that choosing the joyful work helps me personally to move forward.

Stay safe. Stay well. Choose some joy.

WHAT A MESS!!

Wandered down to the studio this morning. Gads! What a mess! For months now most of the work has been small pieces that I can do in my office so things have really piled up here.

It's anyone's guess when things will return to normalcy enough to host even socially distanced workshops safely so, in the meantime, my goal is to keep the space "ready." Guess I should get to it.

I've been daydreaming possibilities and hope you all are too. Soon. Soon. Soon. Please.

WHAT A DAY!

 

Waking in moonlight to the sounds of birdsong....What a glorious start to a beautiful day. And as the dawn moves into the first day of 2021, sparkling light is everywhere I look-- the perfect hopeful shimmer to begin a new year.

Happy New Year to all! Let's daydream the possibilities that can be next.