What Makes You Happy - and September Theme
Friday, September 1, 2023
As I approach my 70th birthday, I find myself marvelling over the simplicity that makes me happy now in this latter meander of my life. Having left behind the goals and aspirations of a life full of ambition (in hopes of keeping my head above water and raising my two daughters).....now, if I have a current project I am knee deep into - whether a series of paintings, a bookshelf to build, a stitching project - or even a full size quilt - that Project IS my happy place. Along with a few other notables...
1. Daily Soul Food - I am fortunate to have shared a spiritual discussion with a dearest of friends over the past 7+ years...each morning we pick up the phone and read out of a spiritual book and discuss ways to apply to our daily lives. I cannot live without Soul Food.
1. Daily Soul Food - I am fortunate to have shared a spiritual discussion with a dearest of friends over the past 7+ years...each morning we pick up the phone and read out of a spiritual book and discuss ways to apply to our daily lives. I cannot live without Soul Food.
a snippet of my very first quilt!
2. I get to do what I love for income.....rather than make my living by selling my artwork, hocking my art on social media, even showing my work in galleries, I truly revel in teaching/sharing/inspiring art with those who entrust me to guide them on their creative journeys. It is an honor and privilege and blessing to do so. Thank you from the bottom of my heart - you all know who you are!
3. My friends!!!! Oh so many of you......I consider myself so fortunate to have enough pocket money to go out to lunch with my friends on occasion. Seriously, I don't find I need $$$ to go on exotic trips and vacations, I am just so happy to have lunch and thrifting money! The joy of close relationships is beyond priceless. In that I am rich!
4. My furry angels - there is nothing like a furbody or two or three sharing your living space. A teeny bit of work for the incalculable Love Fest and companionship they provide.
5. Becoming 70, well, that's getting up there....but you know what? I don't FEEL old despite my wrinkles and gray hair and occasional aches and pains. I feel great.....also grateful that a few years ago that when my health was taking a turn for the worse, I made a few significant tweaks to my lifestyle and eating habits, and thank God, that turned it around for me. I guess it wasn't too late after all. Phew!
6. And I add this just for laughs, but I kid you not...discovering Korean dramas has brought another measure of joy to my life! Don't knock it til you try it (wink!).
So many things to be grateful for...... truly countless.
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Enough musing - here's the theme for September.
Bottles and Bowls
That is, we will be working on light and shadow as it creates form. Too many of us still play it safe with our midtones - still too afraid to add the depth and magic of value, the ever expressive lights and darks. So this month we will explore more deeply the magic of light and shadow as it bounces off form. Still Lifes are perfect for that.
Care to join us? Zoom classes Mon or Wed 10- noon, and one opening in my Monday afternoon 1:30 to 3:30 in-person class in Santa Rosa, California
The pics are of a hodge podge collection of bottles and jars I will be making fabric vessels out of eventually. Handy to photograph at moment!
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Be Creative. It's Good for the Soul!
Blessings, Joanie
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Blessings, Joanie
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