“The only thing that is not chance is what one asks of oneself and how well or how badly one meets one’s own standard.” -May Sarton, Journal of a Solitude
“We’re Stardust”
When I watch something like this or look up at the moon at night or sleep under the stars or immerse myself in nature, I remember that all the human-induced problems in the world, including my own, are silly and useless..
This Morning on the Kansas River Levee Trail
It was lovely to be out running in the morning light with the singing birds and a flock of seagulls and a lone bald eagle flying overhead on this cool 12°F morning… my toes still haven’t thawed out yet.
Progress shots to come today of a paper cutting I’m beginning inspired by a scene I took a mental picture of last week on the levee trail.
“Whatever peace I know rests in the natural world, in feeling myself a part of it, even in a small way.” -May Sarton
Today I finished reading “Black Elk Speaks” (highly recommended – and a reality check about the land we live on here in the USA), and started reading “Journal of A Solitude” by May Sarton (where I found the line above).
I also wrapped up a commission, was invited to do the upcoming cover of an art & literary journal, and signed on to do the LOLA (Ladies of Lawrence Artists) Valentine’s Day Show at Pachamama’s in Lawrence on Feb. 9. Lots of things coming up.. and lots of planting my nose in books.
“As you walk and eat and travel, be where you are. Otherwise you will miss most of your life.” -Jack Kornfield from Buddha’s Litte Instruction Book
Video: Artist Maud Lewis – A World Without Shadows
“You know how you keep a [little] of your childhood inside of you, a place to go when things aren’t going right? That’s what you see when you look at one of Maud’s paintings. It’s that world from when you were a child.. with no shadows in it.”
I seriously love the National Film Board of Canada… so many quality films and animations – I’ve spent a lot of time on their website over the years. About this video (from nfb.ca): “Set against a background of her paintings and the Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, landscapes they depict, this short documentary is a portrait of the life and work of one of Canada’s foremost primitive painters, Maud Lewis. Emerging from her youth crippled with arthritis, Lewis escaped into her painting at the age of 30. She had never seen a work of art and had never attended an art class but her paintings captured the simple strength, beauty and happiness of the world she saw – a world without shadows.”
Video: Eskimo Artist: Kenojuak
Kenojuak Ashevak, a pioneer of Inuit art, died yesterday at the age of 85.
A great documentary from 1963. From nfb.ca: This documentary shows how an Inuit artist’s drawings are transferred to stone, printed and sold. Kenojuak Ashevak became the first woman involved with the printmaking co-operative in Cape Dorset.
This Morning on the Kansas River
I skipped my morning running sessions during December with all my art shows & holiday orders & cold weather wussiness. But I missed being out there on my feet, so I’ve been back at it and it feels goooooood. So many birds singing their winter songs..
Owl In Flight
From my photo escapade on Dec. 29, 2012, in Atchison, KS.
Country Drivin’ Photos, Dec. 29-30, 2012
I’m testing out the gallery feature in this new blog format… Click on the image to make it larger! (Typing this after a couple hours of fidgeting and filtering through and reworking code after I couldn’t get it to work because of some other code modifications I made. It’s like one big word search in a foreign language without knowing what the words are.. snore… BUT, I’m happy with the results.)