Art & Love

clockwise from top: Susannah, Frida, Me & Swirly, taken by Mr. Swirly


me, swirly & frida, taken by Susannah


swirly (left) & frida (right) painting, canon digital rebel xti


susannah getting messy & creating beauty, canon digital rebel xti


me painting (left) and our hands (right), taken by Susannah



art & love, taken by Mr. Swirly

We climbed up a hill and came down a mountain together. I have returned a fuller, wiser, richer person because of these women. North, South, East, West...we gathered, we shared, we cried, we laughed, we comforted, we taught, we learned, we leaned, we stood.

As the Southern California fires roared around us, we huddled close and created our own little safe haven of burning, shedding and cleansing.

I feel like I have a new skin. The playful creative person deep inside has resurfaced out of the ashes. I am ready to get messy again. I am ready to face my fears of being less than perfect and making mistakes with the canvas of my life, as well as those in my studio. Beautiful messy mistakes.

The piece I made this night is now hanging on my wall. On the tip top of painted strokes of orange is the stamped word "balance". I chose this word for two reasons. One being that I felt the balance of our personalities and our gifts created such a oneness the entire time us women were together. A balance of creative souls giving and receiving equally. Two being that I came out of this time together knowing that balance is what I need in my life. I've been neglecting parts of myself that go beyond the desire to create a family. My art supplies have been tucked away in a transparent plastic bin up in my studio. I stare at it daily. I see the colors trapped inside. It's time for me to release them, to take them out so they can breathe through me. I've been afraid for what they would tell me but I am learning that fear is all part of doing something messy and thrilling and outrageously healthy.

Lately I've been expressing so many parts of me with my photography, which I love and is so naturally ingrained within me...but I miss my paints, my pastels and all in between. Sitting on a canvas cloth, with Swirly's abundance of art supplies, surrounded by three beautiful women giving me the permission to play, get messy and throw perfection out the window has lifted a heavy weight that I didn't even realize was there. I plan to pay more attention so that I can do whatever it is my "self" needs to feel more free.

I am so grateful for this gift that these hunk of burning lovelies offered to me.

(thank you, Sus for my new rockin' banner)