here, there & everywhere

sorry that it has been so long friends! i've been flitting here and there for a few months. doing a little of this and a little of that, not really consuming myself in one thing at one time. internally i feel the same. i feel as though i am scattered and somewhat uncertain of where i want to send my energy. i think it is the approach of spring. of new beginnings and that shift of our world and of our activities. march is a funny month (now april already). it kind of doesn't know what it wants to be either. "am i winter or am i spring," march said. well, both. i can relate.


this winter i tried to dive back into creating art again. not just crafting. i must say i'm having a great time giving myself this luxury of simply painting just to paint. it has been relaxing yet at the same time frustrating. it has been so long since i have sat down and painted that i have a hard time getting all of those ideas and thoughts i have been carrying around for years, out onto a canvas or paper. it's like all the images and ideas are trying to squeeze through the door rather than wait on line - this is creating a bit of chaos in my work. a sense of disorder or indecision. the more i think about it though, if i were to group my work into a single theme it would probably be "order from chaos." this is what i am hoping will come across in my work and i hope will help me to see the chaos as beautiful and divine.

this painting has layers upon layers of paint upon collaged elements. i couldn't settle though. i just kept going until i just had to stop. that's what funny about abstract painting - the paintings really take a life all their own. i am not sure if it is done... there are a few more in the works that i will post when finished (any criticism is welcome).

my girls have been enjoying watercolors lately. i find watercolors to be very kid friendly (and mama friendly) because the colors are readily there, they are washable, they blend beautifully into eachother, and they can be layered. when the weather gets nice, we usually head outside to the backyard for some real messy art making! can't wait!

toddler art is so much fun. it's all about experiments and discoveries. it's about getting their hands dirty and experiencing different mediums. we experimented with the watercolors and some tissues to see what would happen. then we hung it so that the light could flow through it.

i found this photo my husband took of an ordinary afternoon. i love to see my girls sitting together at the table (and not bickering!) it warms my heart.

at an art show at ROCA, i discovered this intriguing artist. her name is amy gross. she is a mixed media artist who creates these lush and gorgeous natural 'other worlds.' i want to like live in her work. after seeing her show, i caught myself 'looking closer' at patterns in nature, at natural colors and at what materials i've been ignoring as an artist.

on april 5th, i along with a bunch of artists participated in the toms shoes: one day without shoes event. this event raises awareness about children around the world who do not have the luxury of shoes. with every purchase of a pair toms shoes, one pair will go to a person in need. if you are not familiar with this company, take a look. the shoes are comfy, cute and who can beat the cause! we each customized a pair of toms for a silent auction that is still going on. here are mine.

being it's technically spring now, i have begun my spring cleanout. i must say, my clearing out is extensive... i have a walk up attic that is crammed to the rafters. it's so amazing to me how over only about 6 or 7 years we could have accumulated this much STUFF! amazing and sad knowing that i have things hourding in my attic that someone in need will make use of. and the more i think about it, the more suffocating it becomes. so that is my current goal - to get rid of.

i have been reading simplicity parenting - using the extraordinary power of less to raise calmer, happier, and more secure kids by kim john payne. i am finding this book very informative. he discusses the importance of less in terms of environment, the rhythm of the day and packed schedules. this book is really hitting home for me. i'm sure like all you mamas, i want the best for my kids. i want them to have access to every educational toy, explore every experience, bring out every talent but to what end? as i am finding with my 9 year old, it is too much. there comes a point where it is time to weed out, so that there is some homeostasis, room for creativity, room for breathing, room for boredom! i remember clearly being bored as a child but that boredom always, without fail, turned into something great. it's like we need that space to get bored in order to get new ideas and grow in those ideas. so i have slowly been decreasing the amount of toys (they didn't even notice) and i have been changing small things here and there and i have noticed small changes in my girls as well. 

"too much stuff, too many choices, too much information, and too fast..."

if you are like me, who totally loves to stroll slowly through target and fill that cart every month with things you don't need - another cute outfit, another disney princess, another pair of adorable shoes, another leap toy and don't even get me started on the seasonal dollar isles! - than reading this book may be beneficial if not eye opening. and the feeling of liberation i get with every toy that leaves my house almost feels as good as buying it. ;)

p.s.- i've been so lame! i promise to blog more often even if it's just a quick thought or recipe or just an image i am inspired by.