how nature always helps keep me in line

hi everyone! 

It's Friday here, a beautiful, sunny fall day. 

There's a lot of heaviness in the air for me during this time,

but i'm posting anyway.

I wanted to post earlier, but my heart just wasn't in it.

It still isn't, but i'm posting at least a little something

so you won't think i've run off with a circus freak or something.

Not that there's anything wrong with that...(wink wink)

Sometimes I want to paint or draw what i feel,

and other times (like here) i want to paint or draw someone else

who looks like they're feeling what i'm feeling.

A safer distance for me sometimes. :-)

This is pastel on paper.

There's just no way to feel good about seeing a loved one suffer.

It's important during difficult times to remind ourselves

of the good stuff.

So this morning, I went for a nice long walk in the cool morning air,

then I sat outside for a half hour with my coffee,

and listened to the chirping birds

and watched the leaves dance in the wind

and the squirrels chase each other around the yard.

My mind wanted to race to the bad stuff-

the worry

the illness

the why's and 

the what if's...

But i gently moved those dirty little thoughts over,

and focused on the squirrels and the birds,

and reminded myself that whatever happens,

i'll handle it, and that despite everything,

life is still good.

Sometimes, we need to look a little deeper for the good stuff,

but it's still there.

I hesitated to show you pics of my studio in my last blog post
because i always find it a bit chi chi poo poo (yes, it's a made up word) 
whenever i hear an artist talk about his or her studio.

Here's a little secret folks.

you don't need a studio to be an artist,
and having a studio doesn't MAKE you an artist. :-)

Making art makes you an artist,
not the space you do it in.

Not just TALKING about art, but making art.

For years, i painted on the kitchen table. I still do sometimes.
That's where i did this pastel. 

For years, i was without a space,
and it was totally ok.
For me, it really doesn't matter where i create,
as long as i have a little space somewhere
and i hope it doesn't matter to you either.

The cavemen had cave walls, and they still found a way to make art! ;-)

Here are a few pics i took yesterday, near my home.

Enjoy the view, and have a wonderful weekend!

this lone red tree just made me smile...