weathering the storm...

I am just about done the commission painting....

it is 2 panels and is titled:

"weathering the storm"

Wishing (me) Well....

It seems like everytime I get into my car,

the "Airplanes" song is playing.

It's the one that says:

" I could really use a wish right now....wish right now....wish right now"

I find myself singing along (outloud) and have it constantly stuck in my head...I have also started to collect items for an assemblage art piece for this song...

I can tell that the universe is listening....
because a few days ago I received a gift from a dear friend...

Inside was a "Wishing" rock

She brought it back from Mexico

(and the little fancy gift box she got from the cart before the horse)

www.thecartbeforethehorse.blogspot.com

The interesting thing is... the only rocks I have ever collected (2 little rocks) were from Mexico....(unlike my family who collects rocks all the time...especially my mom...who finds them anywhere and everywhere....infact.....if you were to check her pockets right now, you would probably find a handful......along with an unsuspecting kleenex!)

For now my new wishing rock and my elephant hair bracelet have found their way under my pillow (where magic happens)

painting today! YEY

Woke up to a WONDERFUL STORM this morning...

lots of lightening and thunder

I feel so good.....I got out my painting gear and got a good start on the commission peice....

now it is time for a break...

I think I will go for a walk and get my juices flowing

Elephant hair bracelet

I have never heard of an Elephant Hair Bracelet...

let alone ELEPHANT HAIR

(do they really have hair??)

....but I received this magical gift yesterday from a lady named Danny

I met Danny just a few days ago down at Art Central for "First Thursday". She came into my studio and really liked my work. She bought my "Palette Painting" book and gave me many generous compliments...

We re-connected yesterday as she decided to purchase some artwork...not only that...but she wanted to give me a gift. She said the moment that she met me (on Thursday), she knew that she was going to give me this bracelet...

She said that when she was very sick several years ago, a stranger gave it to her for luck & healing and to pass it along when the time was right. She said that she has been holding on to it for a long time...waiting for the right person to give it to.

I told her that I was surprized that she would give me such an item, considering she had no idea about my health issues and I could really use some luck & healing right now.

She said that she just had a feeling that I needed it!

I LOVE the fact that the bracelet is made from silver TUBES

(iconic for me with kidney disease & dialysis tubes)

Unfortunately, the bracelet is too small to fit so I will try to incorporate onto a necklace I think....

Here are some other types of Elephant hair bracelets....

They say that the hair is thick & plasticky

"Chant of a Poor Man"

There were 4 of us that painted....

the song chosen was:

"Chant of a Poor Man"

(by Leftfield)

The rules were to paint anything while listening to the song,

feeling the vibe of the song.... and complete it within an hour

.

I thought it was interesting that I have heard this song many times before (although I didn't know the name of the song)...but I always thought they were saying " charm of a woman" (instead of "chant of a poor man")

but that is no surprize...I am known to make up my own lyrics...

for example the song by Creedence Clearwater Revival -

"Bad Moon on the Rise"

I thought they were saying: " there's a bathroom on the right"

.

anyway, near the end of this song, he says "I'm somewhere else"

(which I LOVE)

or....he could be saying "I am so far out"

either way....it fits with the painting I created...

Here are the paintings done by the other artists

artwork to music.....

A few years ago, a friend of mine bought one of my paintings

and told me it reminded him of a song by Johnny Cash....

Since then I have fantasized having an art show

where the artwork reflected or was painted to a certain song....

alas....here we are today...

I have decided to have an impromtu art contest with

some fellow artists (anyone can join)

where we each take turns to pick a specific song

and then we each do a peice of artwork

listening to the song or reflecting the song etc.

(the person that picks the song decides what the rules are during their turn)

At the end of the deadline, we come together and compare our peices

some of us on the same page or maybe not (?)

anyway....

Here is my peice

"I Won't Back Down" (by Tom Petty)

(can you see the little dialysis tubes?)

see lyrics listed below

Well I won't back down
No I won't back down
You can stand me up at the gates of hell
But I won't back down

No I'll stand my ground, won't be turned around
And I'll keep this world from draggin me down
gonna stand my ground
and I won't back down

Chorus:
(and I won't back down)
Hey Baby, there ain't no easy way out
(and I won't back down)
Hey I will stand my ground
And I won't back down

Well I know what's right, I got just one life
In a world that keeps on pushin me around
But I'll stand my ground
And I won't back down

Chorus

*this song was recently talked about at a memorial for Chris Melnychuk (a fellow artist friend)
who recently passed away from tongue cancer. He had a strong will to live and it makes sense that he would enjoy this song. It inspires me to keep plugging along

the crows are back......

I had no idea that my friend in Edmonton

is such a master at taking crow pictures....

I am so happy that she shared these photos with me

because it really helped me get back into my studio

after these long months of just focusing on my health....

Don't these birds look so REGAL?

not scruffy looking like the crows around here...

Here are my paintings...inspired by these photos....

This one is called:

looking back with no regrets

This one is called:

heading in the right direction