Primed, Ready, and Waiting

The buses are rolling as another school year begins here in Middle Tennessee. I am reminded of all of the excitement and anticipation that a new year brought...along with the anxiety and questions. I feel that way looking at this baby grand top. It is primed (photo tomorrow) and ready for the next step. Now if I only knew for sure what that step actually is supposed to be! For me, this stage of the creative process is filled with anticipation, excitement, questions, and anxiety as I ponder whether to do this or that. Deciding on palette choices, texture, style, etc can be the most anxious moments of a piece. So, I'll leave with you with this... Sometimes the right thing to do is sit, stare, ponder and muse. I believe it is in rest when true inspiration shows up: in the quiet moments of life when we are primed and ready and waiting.....

Scratching the Surface

Yesterday I finally began my Steinway Project: Encore! Recover the Sound. This is a joint fund raiser for the Steinway Scholarship Fund and The Arts Council of Williamson County. We artists of the area were offered a myriad of piano parts to choose from to create and recreate artistic masterpieces. My choice was the hinged lid of a black lacquer baby grand piano. It has been standing in my studio since April. Yesterday I finally began the process necessary for turning it into a piece of art: I sand papered the beautiful lacquered surface. It was painful! I began to ponder how many times the hand of God has had to use a little sand paper on me in order to create or recreate me into His masterpiece. Something to think about as we face difficult times and decisions...what are we being prepared for? Just around the corner could be a masterpiece!

How About Some Still Waters?

This painting represents just what I need today....rest and recovery. It has been a long haul since I last wrote as we took to the highway and traveled to two art shows in Chicago, came home to out of town company, and a grant deadline for the Arts Council of Williamson County. Now normally, I love my full life with all of its diversity. However, there are times when juggling all of the hats that I wear can be a little exhausting. And isn't that where good art comes in? A place that we can linger and take a breath; a place where our heart rate can slow and we can take deep breaths of refreshing air. This piece (titled Still Waters) does not hang in my home, and in fact it will soon hang in the home of customers, but it symbolizes what I'm talking about. These two days off (my normal Sunday and Monday) have given me what I have needed for about a month now. Still waters and a restored soul. May you find a little in your day as well.