Wylde Women: Claim Your Power, hand-made, unique ceramic wall sculptures, appox 9" tall by Tammy Vitale.
Would have posted sooner; however, I managed to lock myself out of typepad and couldn’t remember my user name or password. There are days like this. I even had it written down. I simply did not read my shorthand code. You never know who might break into my house and try to decipher all these user names and passwords.
I was thinking this morning about the moon, and how the moon affects tides and water and that we are mostly water and all of a sudden the title "Finding Water" took on the new meaning of finding myself. Which made me think I’ve seen no references to water at all in Julia Cameron’s book (maybe later?) and started me wondering whether that’s what it meant to start with. Nothing like a little philosophical mystery first thing in the morning.
So I shall check in on last week’s work on Finding Water since I wasn’t here to do that.
Artist’s Date: Yep. Asheville; Walk: Yep. Bend of Ivy Lodge; morning pages: every single day plus some since I was on retreat. A student voice happy? You bet.
This week I’m covered already too: Artist’s Date: Yep. Biltmore (omg was that an artist’s date – less than Asheville in area but oh wow in content). Walk. Yep. Bend of Ivy Lodge again. Morning Pages: so far so good.
Thoughts on Finding Water chapter 3? Julia’s getting a bit whiney and not very helpful. And she’s a name dropper to boot. Not identifying much with Julia and her jet lag and her depressions and her money worries. Hoping this week will be better. Finding myself happier with the exercises than the book itself. Thinking about switching back to the original Artist’s Way as a supplement.
For those of you who could not join us at the Bend of Ivy Lodge retreat house, here is a taste of that space. More tomorrow if muvee maker works as well as last night (only 1 take – woohoo!). Then there will be one on Asheville buildings and art and some Biltmore. I think all in all I’ll get 3 or 4 out of my picture batch so as to not make any one too long. The music is, of course, Christine Kane. You can buy her songs on ITunes. I’d be happy to share my favorites with you (hint: all of both CDs I currently own).
Check in from self-commitments while on retreat: ordered the book Karen recommended for Photoshop learning: Masking and Compositing by Katrin Eismann. I will be spending at least 15 minutes a day learning Photoshop once it arrives. I suspect the beautiful work Karen does and shows on her blog is mostly her talent, but I can quit wishing I could do Photoshop and finally learn.
thought for the day: We have not reached the pinnacle of human being-ness. We are a part of a path of potential. It is the ego which wishes to claim this particular point as highest and best – and for just now – it may be but it is not stagnant. Humanity is moving together as One because that is what we are – together all things form what some call God, some call Spirit, some call Universe – and perhaps like lemmings we are all running toward and over the edge of the cliff so we can finally all remember how to fly. [I think this is Eckhart Tolle. Or maybe it is just me musing in my journal. I did not identify.]
10 Comments
I'm having some problems with Julia Cameron's book…so much references to God…I don't believe in God , in a spiritual life but not in a god…and sometimes the book does just get on my nerves…
and and…never mind…
glad you're back, so nice to read you…your friend's songs are nice, a pity I can't understand all the words…too difficult…thanks for sharing so many interesting things…
see you
Mousie
I love the moon as a way of finding water!
I've left the group – new things are calling and I don't currently need any help in "persevering" in fact I'd consider myself a bit too good at carrying on when i ought to stop so leaving now is the best lesson of all for me! And its already been rewarded…
oooooh – CREATE is my fave of your series, thus far.
So, you're saying that so far there is no mention of water in the "Finding Water" book? That IS a mystery. Shall I put on my Sherlock Holmes hat to help you solve it?
I'm so with you about finding the exercises more beneficial than the book. My favorite part so far are the artist dates. The book is well written, but its philosophy is bottomlined in the exercises (at least for me) or lots of the background is "old hat." Even many of the exercises are ones I've done in others' workshops, on my own, or taught to others!
I hope there will be more exercises that speak to me. I have to actively "do" as someone else here said. I didn't need the exercises to "inspire" me; they have helped me find a bit more balance in my life; even that is relative, though. I DO find it inspiring to meet other artists in real life or via the net. That is extremely inspiring.
Photoshop rocks! Glad you're pleased with this book recommendation.
Tammy, The video is great. You captured some beautiful shots. I'll come back here whenever I am missing Bend of Ivy Lodge!!! mka
i'm working on learning photoshop too! i got two books out of the library to improve my skills. i only know the most basic things with the program which i learned mainly through trial and error, playing around, and some help from the fiansor. 15 minutes a day sounds good. i get so impatient with the tedious parts of the learning process, but it's coming along.
We are drawn by the moon, and we respond to those cycles precisely because we are made of lots of water. We ebb and flow in creativity like the tides. Our lives mirror that ebb and flow. It's what makes us stop and feel revent at a dark moon, or red moon or harvest moon and makes us see sacred and understand that we are a part of the web, not the center of of.
I didn't get the video to work, drat!
Anne
I had trouble with Chapter 3 myself.
Enjoyed your video of your retreat – it looks very peaceful and lovely. Thanks for putting that together and sharing a little piece of the peace 🙂
Interesting comment about Julia and her whining. I TRIED to get into Finding Water, but could not get my head around all the exercises…a contract with myself to be creative? That's like making an agreement to breathe. And I would much rather be in my studio DOING something, than reading and making lists and picking my life apart ad nauseum. More power to those that it is working for…it just does not work for me.