Mindful, Day 240, Today is the Day

I am mindful that there are days when it is all about catching up with those tasks that have been bugging you forever. Today is that day! But it feels good to get them done and behind me. And nice to see the results.

Mindful, Day 239, Memories

Coming up in just a few more daas is the 50th anniversary of my first marriage. It does not seem possible that it more then 50 years ago that I met Barry - we met at IIT during our first year of college. This photo is from that time frame. And I am SURE that he is holding some little thing that he was inventing. His hands were always busy inventing from that time until the last day of his life. He has missed so much. I worked on the garden at church today - I designed and planted and maintain it in his honor. It's a peaceful, healing way to remember him often.

MIndful, Day 238, Still Lifes

Drove to and from Minneapolis today to drop off this solo exhibit of 22 pieces. Feeling very mindful that there are wonderful places like the Textile Center in Minneapolis that provide a wonderfull space and support to show work. Exhibit opens on September 5. If you are in Minneapolis, please go by and see it. I am pooped after the 700+ mile drive today!

Mindful, Day 237, More Signs

 Yesterday's walk through the forest I come upon lots and lots of acorns already on the ground as well as leaves turning to their fall colors. Say it isn't so!  I am mindful that I love summer and it is difficult to see it departing.  

MIndful, Day 236, Time Together

I am mindful today of how lucky I am to have my four sisters in the area and that we can get together on occasion and celebrate with one another.

Mindful, Day 235, Work Well Done

I am thrilled with our Art Cloth Network exhibit, Material View, that is now showing at the Miami International Airport. Just got photos from their photographer, Daniel Portnoy, of the exhibit and it feels really good to see the work is such a fabulous space.  And I feel particularly good aobut having made it happen!

Mindful, Day 233-234, Slipping Away

I keep losing track of time these past couple of weeks and not getting my daily posts done! I think it is realizing that summer's end is fast approaching and wanting to be out absorbing as much as possible while it IS possible. Today while walking I was struck by the aromas around me in the woods and prairie. The deep smell of the earth and trees, the lighter, spicier aroma of the various grasses, the dusty smell of the Queen Anne's Lace and other plants that are starting to dry up.  I am mindful that the season is turning quickly.

Mindful, Day 232, Fool the Eye

The curling bark on this old cherry tree ends up looking like a fossilized fern half buried in the tree.
You almost don't see it until you do - like one of the fool the eye puzzles.

Mindful, Day 231, Famous

I heard this poem today and it struck a cord, especially the last part.

Famous

By Naomi Shihab Nye

The river is famous to the fish.

The loud voice is famous to silence,   

which knew it would inherit the earth   

before anybody said so.   

The cat sleeping on the fence is famous to the birds   

watching him from the birdhouse.   

The tear is famous, briefly, to the cheek.   

The idea you carry close to your bosom   

is famous to your bosom.   

The boot is famous to the earth,   

more famous than the dress shoe,   

which is famous only to floors.

The bent photograph is famous to the one who carries it   

and not at all famous to the one who is pictured.   

I want to be famous to shuffling men   

who smile while crossing streets,   

sticky children in grocery lines,   

famous as the one who smiled back.

I want to be famous in the way a pulley is famous,   

or a buttonhole, not because it did anything spectacular,   

but because it never forgot what it could do.

Naomi  Shihab Nye, "Famous" from Words Under the Words: Selected Poems by Naomi Shihab Nye, copyright © 1995.  Used with permission of Far Corner Books.

Source: Words Under the Words: Selected Poems (Far Corner Books, 1995)

Mindful, Day 229-230, Prairie Walk

A morning walk on a cloudy day through the prairie which is now taller then I am. The rich smells of the plants and soil, especially the various grasses. Summer is ending way too soon.

Mindful, Days 227-228, Expand or Shrink

I was at the Racine Art Museum today to see The Box Project: Uncommon Threads. A wonderful exhibit of selected artists who created artwork to fit within a specific display box size. All of the artists had to think about ways that their art might be changed by working within, or through, or outside of the box format. It was fascinating to see how each thought about it. They also showed original sketches and proposals so you could see how the work evolved from sketch to final art.  I was taken by the work of Heidren Schimmel, who works only with stitching intensively with white thread on black organza. The layering causes the fabric to change shape and the piees become very sculptural. Given my interest in pods, leaves, branches, etc. and my desire to simplify, I was drawn to this deceptively simple work.  A wonderful day being mindful of how people see things so differently and how wonderful that is.

Mindful, Day 225-226, Coming Home

I am mindful that our time together with family flies by and then we are home again! It was great to see these kids growing up and to be able to do activities with them and to talk with them about many things. I am also mindful that I am glad to be home and get back into our "normal" . I look forward to working in my studio as soon as I can catch up on everything that needs to be done when you walk back in the door.  And also looking forward to screen porch time as summer is passing so fast.

Mindful, Day 224, Burnished

Looking at photos I took while we were in Newport the past two days. The patterns in the sand could keep me occupied for hours! These two, especially, remind me of burnished metal. I want to see what I can do with them when I get back to the studio. Always nice to have something to look forward to.

Mindful, Days 222-223, Seaside

We spent these past two days in Newport Beach, OR with family. Exploring the beach, tide pools and lighthouse, watching the kids take a surfing lesson, walking the miles of beautiful beach and listening to the constant drone of the ocean. Early morning with the light on the water, and the tide pools were wonderful experiences. Finding infinite patterns in the sculptured sand to photograph. But the funniest was watching the sea lions try to climb on or kick one another off of the platforms near the pier. Such characters!

MIndful, Day 221, Layers, Layers and More Layers

A telephone pole in Portland totally encrusted with layers upon layers of old signs that have been torn down, rained on, replaced, and stapled over.  Intriguing to see the bits and pieces of issues poking through. I wonder how many years are represented by these inches of detritus?

Mindful, Day 220, Leaves Within Leaves

Such an intriguing plant at the nursery! It looks like leaves embossed on to each single leaf.  And such intense greens. 

MIndful, Day 219, Tree Pose

This morning's walk included this wonderful sidewalk drawing of 2 yoga masters doing tree pose.  Looks just like my class on Wednesday mornings!

Mindful, Day 218, Beaded Leaf, var. 2

A beautiful dew covered leaf on walk this morning looking like its covered in glass beads! Found about 5 leaves like this in one spot and then never saw another.  Worth the walk.

Mindful, Day 217, Time Flies

The last few days have been extremely hectic between the opening for Summer's End exhibit where I got to see lots of old and new friends (including very old friend  in photo below), flying to Portland to grandkid sit, and getting the kid parents off on their trip. I lost a day of posting but am thinking that  is not the worst thing that could have happened. Many good things WERE happening,  like getting to see everyone after over a year apart! I am struck by how grown up these kids are getting, and amazed that the now 16 year old is driving us around instead of us driving her. All good stuff!

Mindful, Day 215, Why Two?

G.K Chesterton says it perfectly in a poem written to be read at bedtime.

"Here dies another day
During which I have had eyes, ears, hands
And the great world round me;
And with tomorrow begins another.
Why am I allowed two?"

Some days are just so great that one might be enough but the thought of another is even better.

MIndful, Day 214, This Day

 This is one of the songs that was sung at our wedding 6 years ago. And it still resonates. Fragile, fleeting, spent, frail. Each day matters.

Words and music by Lowell Alexander

This day is fragile - soon it will end
And once it has vanished, it will not come again
So let us love with a love pure and strong
Before this day is gone
This day is fleeting when it slips away
Not all our money can buy back this day
So let us pray that we might be a friend
Before this day is gone
This day is fleeting
When it slips away
Not all our money can buy back this day
So let us pray that we might be a friend
Before this day is spent
This day we're given is golden
Let us show love
This day is ours for one moment
Let us sow love
This day is frail - it will pass by
So before it's too late to recapture the time
Let us share love, let us share god
Before this day is gone
Before this day is gone

Mindful, Day 213, Morning Poem

Morning - my favorite time of day. This poem captures why.

Morning Poem

Every morning

the world

is created.

Under the orange

sticks of the sun

the heaped

ashes of the night

turn into leaves again

and fasten themselves to the high branches ---

and the ponds appear

like black cloth

on which are painted islands

of summer lilies.

If it is your nature

to be happy

you will swim away along the soft trails

for hours, your imagination

alighting everywhere.

And if your spirit

carries within it

the thorn

that is heavier than lead ---

if it's all you can do

to keep on trudging ---

there is still

somewhere deep within you

a beast shouting that the earth

is exactly what it wanted ---

each pond with its blazing lilies

is a prayer heard and answered

lavishly,

every morning,

whether or not

you have ever dared to be happy,

whether or not

you have ever dared to pray.

from Dream Work (1986) by Mary Oliver

© Mary Oliver

MIndful, Day 212, A Room With a View

A good day installing the Summer's End exhibit at Brushwood Gallery. A view down one of the long hallways. It is heartening to see a lot of work on display all in one venue.

Mindful, Day 211, Upcoming Exhibt

Summer's End 

Textiles, Prints and Sculpture by Barbara J. Schneider

Opening Reception Sunday, August 6, 1-3pm

There is an order to nature - but not a perfection. The rings of a tree, ripples in a pond, and petals on a flower all follow their own set of rules, yet they all vary in ways that make each one unique. In this exhibition of textiles, prints and sculpture, artist Barbara Schneider explores the Japanese concept of wabi-sabi - finding beauty in objects that are imperfect and individual, a beauty developed over time. Her works are explorations of the textures, colors, and forms that we find in the natural world all around us.

Exhibition runs August 6 – September 24, 2017 at the Brushwood Gallery, Ryerson Conservation Area, Riverwoods, IL https://www.brushwoodcenter.org/

Mindful, Day 210, Shifting Perspective

The deep shadows on this tree stump gives it a very abstract look. When I first looked at it on screen I saw the letter S, then I saw the shaped black areas and then I saw the tree stump whole.  Sometimes looking and then looking again and again gives me different perspectives which may lead to new way of working.And that is why I keep looking!