the good, the bad, and the ugly dust bunnies...

hello everyone...

Hope your weekend was good.

I've had better - but that's life,

isn't it?

The good, the bad, and the ugly. ;-)

i wanna share this with all of you,

to remind us ALL that we need to look deeper sometimes

than just what we see on the surface.

Recently, a local man who is married with children

and respected by the community

did something a little funky.

He stopped paying his bills, including his mortgage.

While he was doing this,

he was posting on facebook

about how to be successful

and how to market yourself as a leader.

He usually dressed in a suit.

He was creating his self image

as an intelligent leader,

when he was anything but.

Long story short, they almost lost the house

and he and his wife are separating.

While i don't know the whole story,

i know enough to know 

that he was living two lives

for whatever reason.

He obviously wanted something different

than what he was living,

or he was projecting something different

than who he really was.

It got me thinking about how many more out there

are projecting something

or someone, they are not?

Healers who claim to have the "gift" to heal others
when their own lives
are in shambles -
when their own hearts
need tending
before they can help anyone else.

A woman who projects the image of being a good mother

drowns her own children in a bathtub

and the neighbours almost always say

"she seemed very nice…always smiling & playing with the kids."

There is a catholic priest in a nearby community

who has several allegations against him of sexual abuse.

When the story came out in the local paper,

several more men came forward to admit that 

they had also been abused by this priest when they were young.

This same priest walks into a local business a few weeks ago

head held high,

proud as a peacock.

Invincible.

No guilt.

No shame.

His victims carry more shame than he does.

They shouldn't - but they do.

It got me thinking about how many people are out there,

projecting an image that is very different

from who they really are.

I am always very skeptical whenever i see someone

that looks (or sounds) too sparkly.

Too perfect.

Perfection = distrust (for me).

I want the messed up hair once in a while.

i want the untied shoe,

the bad day,

the dirty car,

the dirty dishes,

and the dust bunnies on the floor.

Lately, i've been seeing a lot of perfection on-line.

e-courses, workshops, seminars, e-books…

put on by people who seem to have perfect lives,

and who look like they could be

on the cover of GLAMOUR magazine.

But is this what success really is?

Does this mean they've made it, and we haven't?

Does LOOKING good actually mean BEING good?

Let's not forget that sometimes,

a pretty package is just that -

a pretty package.

And sometimes,

what people project to society

is far from who they really are

on the inside.

wishing you all a great week

filled with imperfection

and sincerity.

xox

full bank accounts and empty hearts

hi everyone.

Another rainy Sunday here.

It's been raining for days.

I spent a bit of time in the little blue room last night -

I doodled and dabbled with blobs of paint,

colored pencils, markers...

Nothing to write home about, but still - enjoyable for me.

That's what it's all about, isn't it?

Feeling groovy...  :-)

I've discovered a few things in the past weeks
that i had been sheltered from for the past few years.

I am floored by how many people out there are unfulfilled.
Bored.
Resigned.
Unhappy.
Surrendered.
Stuck.

They have full bank accounts and empty hearts.

They fill their time with distractions...

shopping
tv
drinking
gadgets
vacationing
social media
more shopping...

They've lost touch with who they are, deep down inside -
who they wanted to become when they dared to dream as teenagers.

What things are important to them in life.
They no longer believe in dreams,
or possibilities...

We all enjoy the occasional shopping spree,

or the night out with friends over a few drinks.

But i see something wrong

with a society that needs these things

in order to feel validated.

In order to feel worthy.

In order to feel loved.

The woman at work who needs the expensive purse

to feel like a somebody.

The other woman who needs the expensive shoes or

the yearly trip to a beach in the South.

The man who feels like a somebody

only when he's driving his new, shiny car.

There's something very sad about this to me.
Our society has become so focused on money,
and what money can buy,
that we've lost touch with the most important things in life...
the things that money can't buy.
The things that give our lives true meaning.

Health.
The sunrise.
The moon.
The ocean.
A smile on a child's face.
A hug. From anyone.
Support when we need it.
A letter in the mail.
Art.
Friends.
Music.
Being barefoot.
The smell of flowers.
Family.
Love.

We've become so competitive with one another,
each one wanting to outdo the next...

when we all really want the same thing.

To be loved and understood for who we are.
To feel accepted.

I may love you for who you are
open arms and all  :-)

but never for what you have
or where you've been
or what you've done
or who you know.

These things never impress me.
YOU impress me.
xox

... an instrumental song by MOBY that i love...

watercolor bed, danny gregory and success

Time you enjoy wasting, was not wasted.

John Lennon

I think i need to clean up and fill up my little watercolor set...

or get a new one. 

oh yeah, babay... :-)

A quick little watercolor i did last night.

I need to get some new sketchbooks soon too,

and i think i'll try the Moleskin sketchbooks.

I've never tried them.

Have any of you out there tried them?

I know they're a bit more expensive,

but it's money well spent to me.

I'll bark about paying $3 for broccoli

but i don't mind paying $20 for a sketchbook. 

Priorities.

:-)

I love painting things that have exaggerated darks and lights.

Like these creases in the clothes...

Although these were obviously done too quickly.

I've been re-reading a few of my Danny Gregory books.

I had forgotten how brilliant this man is.

So many important words for artists to read.

If any of you still need permission

to call yourselves artists,

read his book "the Creative License".

It'll help you find your wings.

This page is one of my favorites,

although it's one of the rare ones without any illustration.

Haven't we all struggled with this?

If we're so good, why aren't we making more money?

There are genuine artists

who never seem to be able to break through

and then there are those who paint the same thing

over and over and over

in different colors

who have no sense of discovery 

or of the importance of art in the world

but they play the part

and they walk the walk

and they talk the talk

(usually bullshit)

and they get the government grants.

I can almost hear my father's voice here...

"y'a pas de justice dans le monde"

(basically, "life isn't fair").

I always think back at Vincent Van Gogh,

who sold only one painting during his lifetime,

and they now sell for millions.

But is that what it's about?

About selling?

Was his art not art

when it didn't sell?

Why did it all of a sudden become more valuable?

It was always the same art.

Was Van Gogh considered more of an artist

because his paintings eventually reached in the millions?

Would we ever have known about him

if his art had remained unsold, in obscurity?

Is that the measuring stick we use

to determine whether one is a successful artist or not?

It's certainly not my stick.

I don't think it was Henry Miller's stick either.

Art needs no measuring sticks.

The only sticks we need

are those attached to our paintbrushes.
xoxo

hello Saturday...

Finally the weekend.

Lately, I've felt such a need to get my shit together,

mentally & physically.

I just seem to have little bits & pieces everywhere

and a real lack of focus.

I have a few things on the go that I'm really excited about,

like the SPARK KIT by Danielle Laporte,

and the SKETCHBOOK PROJECT,

and great e-courses,

and inspiring books,

and my own writing,

and daily (or almost daily) painting.

And of course, like most people,

i have a few other less exciting things on the go too.

It all feels overwhelming at times.

There are times where i feel like i could climb Mount Everest,

and other times where i feel much less sure of myself.

During these times of doubt,

it's important

not to compare ourselves to others.

We must all define success

on our own terms.

Success for one may mean having a million dollars in the bank,

and for another

it may mean having a $100 and being able to share half of it

with someone in need.

On some days,

success for me means enjoying a few hours to myself in a book shop,

or sharing a great conversation with a friend over Chai Latte.

However it is you define your own success,

i hope you get your fill this weekend.

xoxo