Metamorphosis

So I've been hiding out.  Really, I've just been busy.  Life has been shifting for the better, which I am so happy to report.  I'm about to switch from a part-time position into a full-time postion this coming week.  Also, last week I became a bit of a mechanic...real mechanics would laugh, but for me it was a big deal changing my battery.  I cringe everytime I see jumper cables, so yes, it was a big deal that I actually disconnected the old one and installed the new heavy black box of magical go-go power.  To my surprise, I did not get electricuted.  Hallaluiah! haha

As for painting, I've been working on a commission.  It's a portrait that will be finished by this Friday.  I'll be excited to share the result with you.  For now, here's a sneak peek at a small portion of it.

Sneak Peek of a Painting in Progress, Krystal Booth

 

 

Nothing has changed in terms of the one hundred works goal.  I know it will be more difficult with working more hours, but it's still on.  It's important to keep going.

So with the new full time position, I'm having to switch stores. I'm not wanting to say good-bye to my current coworkers, but it's happening. I'm hoping that we can all still get together every now and then because I am truly going to miss them. There will be a lot of phone calls to pester them. I'm looking forward to getting to know my new co-workers. Nervous and hopeful. Excited. 
 
On top of all of that, I've been trying to get my health habits on track.  Exercise, eat better, sleep, repeat.  I've been reading about alkaline and acidic foods and wondering how far I'm going to get into this.  It has been making me re-assess my coffee habit, so perhaps it's getting a bit more serious than I'd like to admit.  I've been eating mostly vegan/vegetarian since mid-December.  Documentaries on Netflix are all fun and games until you see the quotes about the pigs followed by the footage.  It was too too too much.  Now I'm trying to get more of an education about health and eating veggies from Kris Carr's Crazy, Sexy Diet. 

Right now, I'm just being open.  Trying to be as open as possible to new information and new opportunities.  Life is just changing a lot lately.  I'm holding on, and going with it where it leads the best that I can.  Cheers to change! 

Hope that the Spring season is being good to you too.  Love to all!
 

A Black Fox in my Kitchen and other Challenges

It has been a busy week that has been a complete blur.  So many things have popped up and I've thought, "I should blog about that", but for some reason or another I never made it over to the computer.  It has been that kind of week.

I did manage to paint our kitchen a dark gray color that I'm currently in love with - Black Fox (Sherwin Williams #7020).  One wouldn't think of dark gray for a small apartment kitchen like ours, but it really makes the cream cabinets and countertops pop.  The contrast is beautiful.  It still needs a second coat but this is what it looks like for now -

That wall usually has a big 2x3' painting covering a large portion of the wall that Matthew made for me a few years ago.  I'm looking forward to putting it back up, although I've already been thinking about putting it in the bedroom above the bed.  Oh, how I love to rearrange our space, and think of new ways to decorate it...though at times the decor only seems to say, "Yes, we are busy, quick living kind of people."

I'm hoping that changes as I've been getting more organized and have been introduced to Pinterest.  Does Pinterest make you want to clean and reorganize absolutely everything or is it just me?  I find myself fantasizing about file cabinets, organizing systems, a pleasing color succession in the closet of our hanging clothes, art pleasingly placed in groups that are not hung crooked, little herb gardens in cute planters, tidy bookshelves without dust, and nothing but clean surfaces with the occasional plant that is thriving.

I usually kill plants. That may be the first hint that this will be a challenge, but one can hope that some of it will come to fruition.  One task at a time, right?

Studio time this week has flown by with very little to show for it.  I did a couple of drawings and a painting - only one really turned out.  The shame is that the drawing that turned out isn't really photographing and scanning that well.  It's not showing the texture of the design on the paper surface that way I'd like it to.  It's a drawing on a sheet of wallpaper.  The wallpaper is entirely white, and the design isn't showing like it does when viewing it in person.  It seems that if the design shows, as it does below, the contrast in the drawing itself is compromised.

Some weeks are just going to be like this last one as I attempt this 100 works goal for this year.  That's alright.  I know that some other weeks will make up for this stumble.  It's important to just keep going by showing up to put in the work.  How are you doing on your goals for this year?  By February we've been at our New Year's Resolutions long enough that there are bound to be hiccups in the process, but I hope you've stuck with it.  If not, just try again, my friends and may we all remember that change and accomplishments are all about the process...

And that process will hopefully be worth it in the end, or we'll happily gorge ourselves on doughnuts and doritos.

 

Work and Balance - Finding Satisfaction

Tomorrow.


Tomorrow I will be painting without having to go to my part-time job, and I've been looking forward to it all week!  Don't get me wrong, I actually really enjoy and am thankful for my part-time job.  The people have been great, I've been learning a lot so my brain has been happy, and I have yet another reason to change out of my yoga/sweatpants.  That's all very good and well.


However...


I love the days when I can paint as long as I want without having to look at the clock, and absolutely surrendering to the now.  What a gift!


When I was unemployed, I couldn't quite enjoy creating as much as one would imagine.  Instead, I was constantly stressed, somewhat depressed, and existing with a touch of anxiety at all times no matter what I was doing.  Today, I'm grateful for what I have gained due to finding work again.  Yes, I am losing time to create, but it's making the time that I am able to create so much better and more productive.  Someday, I hope that I can make art my full time occupation that pays the bills, but the meantime isn't so bad.  I am happy to say that for now, I am satisfied in a stable, balanced manner, and I haven't been able to say that for a long time.


The last few years have been a stuggle for so many of us.  I hope that you are finding out what you need and recieving the change to recieve it.  Love to all of you!

LIFE

Have stumbled upon a transition period in my life...no, it's not menopause yet. I'm really happy about it, but also equally stressed about what's to come. The mysterious. The unknown. It can be exhilerating, overwhelming,and frightening at times, but I'm glad to be at this point. I keep telling myself there has to be a reason why things haven't quite been as easy as I thought they would be. There's a reason why that job I was perfect for is not calling me back. There's a reason why I'm drawn to paint things that aren't exactly what I would place at a Christmas bizarre. There's a reason why I haven't lost hope.

I found this great video that was posted on facebook, and I feel that I have to share it. It's brilliant, and a good reminder to follow that drive within us despite the challenges.