Tag Archives: # yyc

February is Here

February is Here

The river is shimmering its iridescent reflections, shivering in the   late afternoon play of light.

I love when the snow sparkles bringing ideas of magical hope and anticipation for good things ahead.

I remember living in the north, which is a vast desert. Snow was a gift from the gods as if it was warm enough to snow then all was well.

It is February already and a leap year. My theme for this revolution around the sun  is to believe. Despite having built an extensive amount of groundwork, it is easy to get down on oneself, when weary from the journey, but it is essential to believe.  More than hope, believe includes intention which is essential to follow through with a concrete plan and the proper action.

Current Space

The years flip by more quickly than they once did. In examining where I have been and where I need to go I would say it is a case of the road less traveled. It is not the easy path. Most people will choose the easy path. I cannot say why I did not.

northern-flicker-sillouhette
Northern Flicker                                                                                                                        Photo: D. Robinson ©

There has been an unexpected breaking apart of my situation and my relationship to all that is around me.

The ancient iChing teaches:

SPLITTING APART. It does not further one 
	To go anywhere.

When misfortune has reached its peak, better times ensue.

THE IMAGE
The mountain rests on the earth:
The image of SPLITTING APART.
Thus those above can make sure their place
Only by giving generously to those below.

Flowing

Exciting because an opening for new is now in place. I have to go with the flow, like the flow of the river, only I do not know where this movement will lead me yet. It appears things must break apart before real change can occur. Now is the time to blaze new paths.

I went to a drum circle this weekend and had the most amazing experience.  Besides connecting one with the heart, I found drumming is therapeutic and grounding, I think the drum has the power to help one break new ground. I cannot wait for the next one and intend to attend regularly.

Oh where will I fly to next? So many choices and the only limits I have are the ones I put on myself. Believe.

 

 

Chaos & Creativity

Crow-mtn

The mighty Bow River is high and wide, swollen to it’s maximum, breaching the banks in some areas. We have had heavy rains, and the large mountain snow-pack is still melting. I was in Canmore recently, and some of the paths we walked on have been closed due to flooding.

I started this blog post many times, and was unable to complete it until now. This is primarily due to a challenge in what Maslow’s hierarchy of needs refers to as satisfying lower level basic needs before progressing on to meet higher level growth. I have proven progress is often disrupted by failure to meet lower level needs. Oh to become fully self-actualized. My Master Level Reiki training will have to wait until I can stabilize my income.

perspective

I am still undergoing major life transition. Despite the amount of chaos going on, I have decided my current position is advantageous. It is like the perfect storm for creativity. It is exciting to see what will happen next. My whole life has been a bit like this, but this feels bigger than what I have gone through before.

Still, I try to tie the invisible threads together to understand what is really developing here. I have a sense that I am on the right path, but not a clear picture of how things will transpire. One of the barriers may be that I think I need to know how to get where I am going. All that is really required is vision and desire. It is slowly formulating, like a pressure cooker builds up steam. I have discerned the precise details of how, are most likely not up to me.

Stampede-Clinic

stampede-horse_sm

The centennial of the Stampede was bigger than ever and has come and gone. A celebration of western heritage, it is a tradition here. Attendance records were broken. I painted another set of Stampede windows. Most stampede windows are very cartoon like, but I try to add a little something different in mine. I love the closeup of this horse. Too bad it’s not permanent.

Window painting is fun, though challenging to paint on glass and it also fills in the gaps financially. What I would really like to find is a mural job. Also, I am looking for someone to collaborate with musically. I did perform at a wedding, and just last weekend at a party. Both were well received, and now I will go to some jams and open stages to connect with others. I have been using positive affirmations and so I am saying, “The perfect job finds me.” I am intent on following my heart, and trusting the process to set me on the correct path.

My Life is a Work in Progress

Swans

My birthday was amazing and all because of a random drive I took. Slightly lost on the range road I spotted a pond full of swans. What fantastic luck!

The first thing that came to mind was the symbolism, particularly in alchemy, where the white swan is the beginning etheric light-filled phase. No doubt in my mind, that coming upon this sight was no accident. Thank you fellow bloggers for sending all your birthday wishes!

Artist for Hire

By now I could have sworn I would have a full time job. Not so. I just have not figured it out yet. I know for certain age is playing a factor. The general mindset needs to change out there, because I am certainly not ready for the pasture!

And so I am seeking any kind of work, small jobs, big jobs, and of course mural work in Calgary and surrounding areas. I am submitting a proposal for painting on the traffic control boxes. The City of Calgary is hiring artists to paint them. Wish me luck! My Reiki Level III training has been postponed due to my budget, and I do hope I will be able to attend in June.

swan dance

The business part of art is very time consuming, research, writing proposals, updating the portfolio, and sometimes it can feel like there is no time left over to paint. In trying to establish myself as a professional artist, there is much to be done.

I cannot say looking to the art galleries is the answer anymore at least as a mainstay. So I am thrilled to announce, I have signed with an art consultant. AdoptanArtist is a joint venture, between local artists and businesses and it does not cost the business anything. A self representing artist needs support as it is too big a task to manage without being part of a larger group. So if you are a business in Calgary who has room to hang some original art in your offices, please contact AdoptanArtist. It won’t cost you anything, and you can support local artists.

Baker Park Spring

The buds are bursting and our weather is super warm for this time of year. The late spring snows have greened things up. I have been thinking about doing more sketching. At one time, I did it a lot, and also did some pen and ink.

Will I find time to keep a sketchbook journal this summer? Join an outdoor group that does group hikes? Perhaps a Plein Air outdoor painting group would be fun too, or I may just go out on my own. I am getting out a bit more to network with people who have the same interests. I would love to collaborate on some art and music projects, so I am hoping to connect with those people.

2012 … It’s Been Here a While Now

newyears2012-trees

2012 is well underway, and I started this blog post in January. Hopefully some of you are still out there, and have not given up on me.

My feeling is that it will be a good year. So much is shifting and changing and I am going with the flow.

I have been striving to check off the unfinished tasks I began the year with. Tasks which I never imagined would have carried on so long. As I complete these, I move forward.

foothills

We have had a mild winter so far. A photo excursion to the Leighton Ranch was refreshing,former home of the artists A.C. Leighton, and his wife Barbara.

What a spectacular viewpoint of the mountains from the foothills! The Chinook winds were pounding me, a few pools of snow between trees in sheltered areas was the only evidence of winter.

I completed my Reiki Level One training, and I am slated to do Reiki Level II on the last weekend of March. So far, a permanent job has not shown up for me. I never dreamed I would be out of work so long, thinking my two year stint as Director of the Music Academy would help me to slide into another position easily. However that was not the case, and apparently I have not found my people or where I can add most value yet.

I have been taking this abundance course through the Daily Om. This course employs many Feng Shui cures, and assists one in shifting the energy to make way for new and wonderful things.

I have had time to study and meditate. Some of my time has been spent practicing my music and regaining my confidence as I intend to perform in the near future. I am teaching a couple of students privately. I am working on a painting that I did not finish in time for my last show, two years after the fact. Better late than never.

Already December

winter river trees

The river is not frozen over and we are well into December. I am overjoyed with the mild temperatures. Time to celebrate and decompress. If you want to find me on Christmas, I will be in the Rockies, soaking in the mineral springs, and dining in Banff.

As you can see by the meter on the left I finished NaNoWriMo a day early. I am planning to finish the book in January. This month has been busy, as I had a one month contract to take me through until the holidays. In one week I managed to manifest that, plus another car, and another interview. Still looking for work to start in January.

I have rented a keyboard, and hope to record some music for you soon. Have piano will travel. I have one gig booked for June and hope to find more. If you are looking for some blues-jazz for your function, please contact me.

The days are shorter now, and I find myself stumbling around in the dark quite a bit. The days will now begin to lengthen. Best wishes to all for the holidays and the coming year! I will leave you with one of my favourite Christmas songs.

Indian Summer

Fall-springbank

Golden leaves are scattered on the ground, like hundreds of mini suns. Thanksgiving has past, and we are still enjoying beautiful fall weather which is such a welcome rarity that I am grateful for. The hunter’s moon, the brightest of the year, spilled greenish grey pools of light, its penumbra shadows slipping between the beats of my heart.

me and guitar

The job search continues, and I hope I will find something permanent soon-in an area that is related to my to my passions. I really did not think it would take this long to find something suitable. There is a job out there for me somewhere where I can make a difference.

I am so enjoying teaching piano and guitar~it’s only part-time at the moment, but it is so thrilling to see the students learn and be excited about what they are doing. The gift of music is priceless, and one does not become a master at their trade, until they are able to pass it along to someone else. I am also rehearsing to re-enter the performance world, yet sorry to say the cats are not enthusiastic about my practice.

window-mural-triptych

I went back to do another window, and here are all three. I like how all three tie together. Must go by at night and see the glow of the moon with the solar paint.

It paid to put out a call on Twitter in my city thread. Great timing to be sure, and now I have another possible small mural lining up. Interesting things are beginning to happen. Stay tuned … I am laying a lot of groundwork at the moment. Also, I just wanted to send out a special thank you to my loyal visitors. I will try to make my response time to comments a little quicker. This blog post I had started nearly three weeks ago. Sometimes I get carried away.

The Golden Hour

golden-hour

This is the golden hour by the river in Bowness Park in my neighborhood. Shortly after this picture was taken many golden leaves scattered to the ground. Like hundreds of mini suns.

In the night trees swayed in the early autumn wind, giving the streetlamps the illusion of flickering. Nearby the groan of metal wheels on steel tracks heard in the distance quieted the sound of the coyotes. In this magical golden hour shadows slip between the cracks like forgotten thoughts.

halloweenwindows

As promised, here are the window murals I did this week at The Costume Shoppe for Halloween. Painted windows are difficult to photograph. This is the best shot I could get, but you get the idea. It was my first time painting on glass, so it was a challenge to understand how the paint would behave-or not.

brushextension

The sun was shining in my eyes for a large part of the time. I worked over a stairwell for the one, so I had to devise an extension for my brush, as no ladder could be used. It was a fun task, and I would do it again.

 

Painting the insides of the windows meant everything was reversed, which meant things are done in reverse. Frequent trips outside were required to see how it looked. Regular brushes cannot be used on their own, as they leave brush marks. I used glow in the dark solar paint for things like the moon, so it will glow at night.

haunted-house windowmoon-tree window

“Once in a golden hour,
I cast to earth a seed,
And up there grew a flower,
That others called a weed.”

~Alfred Lord Tennyson

Late Summer Stroll

lagoon-reflections

The weather has been phenomenal here in Western Canada. A blistering 30C at the end of September.

Tree tops tinged with yellow are starting to turn ever so slowly, leaves scattered on the ground like huge medallions. The kind of wind that jangles the nerves and rattles the joints swept through all the crevices and cracks thnige other night. The faint glow of early autumn sunset is reflected under the wings of the gulls overhead. The birds have not made up their minds about migration yet.

bowmont-rolling hills

I walked through the grass barefoot yesterday because I could. I wanted to feel myself connected to the earth. Along the path, I memorized the stones and formations.

The vastness of nature pointed out my insignificance. The river’s edges shiver, shade pools vanish into the shadows of the trees on the bank. Sometimes the state of the human condition is more than I can bear. I have been taking inventory of my own life. Exciting things are evolving.

Some movement forward is occurring in the form of new small contracts coming up this week including a fun project in the form of a window mural. I will post that project here. I can see the plan is unfolding and I am thankful to be allowing. We have so many beautiful parks in this city. Today I will enjoy another blissful day of sunshine. Life is good.

Dog Day Reflections

river-dusk

I love the refreshing feel of the cool night air on my bare skin. Fall is creeping around the corner. Though a goodbye to beautiful weather, fall is a huge season for rebirth.

I have seen spots of cool translucent yellow in the trees. From warm winds and sunshine to crisp evenings with the aroma of wood smoke trailing through the air. Taking solitude under shade trees near the river on hot days, I like to wade in the water to refresh myself. Today is far to cool for that, as there is a frost warning for tonight. Days fly by so fast.

summer-green

Lots of summer green and very little income but an abundance of extra leisure time. When not seeking work, much of that has been spent in reflection, unwinding and reevaluating priorities. Since being laid off at the end of June when the music school closed, I have had a couple of interviews, and sent out many more resumes.

The good news is I have found a part-time position as a guitar and piano teacher at Bowtown Music. I am pleased, as I really feel comfortable with the people. Since it takes time to build up a student base I am still looking for another job as well and know the right scenario is awaiting my arrival.

On My Easel

rose3a-2011_sm

Warm hot summer winds come with traces of fondness, their dusty scent sparks deep remembering.

Here is what is on my easel. Two more roses in progress. I thought I might do a series of one dozen. These are number three and four, 12 X 12 in the early stages. The finished product will look different in colour.

What you see here is the under-painting, where I determine values and form. Then colours are applied over, often in glazes, or with the technique of scumbling for lighter colours. On the second one shown here I have begun that process. Number one and two can be seen in the previous blog post.

rose4-2011_sm

I started this post a couple of weeks ago, but my priority is looking for work. Besides revamping my art business I am getting things sorted here, and ready to launch into a new career~just waiting for the call!

Look me up on Google+ if you would like to connect there. Testing it out, as well as the chrome browser, which is functioning far better than my usual Firefox.

I intend to stay on Facebook as well where you can visit my artist page, and my ZenHairBiz page,and of course join me on Twitter if you are on there. The more the merrier. I love connecting.

I am doing a STUDIO CLEAR-OUT and have listed some specially priced items for sale in My Etsy Shop. Making room for the new. Remember this is a life redesign.

If you are in Calgary and wish to purchase any work directly from me, please contact me. I will even personally deliver. If you would like to be informed of my art news please subscribe to my newsletter, which I am building as we speak.

Life Redesign

Rose

Starting from ground zero is what it feels like. Truthfully, I think things are just occurring at a deeper level. It is a matter of toning muscles that have not been used in a while.

The beginning was slow, awkward and not without effort. The tubes of colour felt most familiar, like old friends. I had not picked up a brush for more than a year. My observations told me to focus on connecting my heart to what I was doing. Steps preceding the flow state can seem mechanical. When things do not feel natural it is a good idea to coax for optimal results.

I wanted some smaller pieces for the Ladybug Festival this coming weekend. So this is what I am working on and require some finishing touches. These are smaller than usual; 12 X 12, Acrylic on Canvas.

Once again I will be performing at 1:30 pm at Priddis Valley Gardens. Many other activities and performers will be part of the festivities. If you are in the Calgary area, consider bringing your family for a day of fun. The admission fee goes to the Healing Garden Charity, and the parking is abundant and free.

Rose 2

I have been restructuring my life from the inside out. As an artist, constantly embracing change keeps me fresh and aware and allow for new ways of looking at things.

My current job is ending, as the company I work for is taking a new direction. The Music Academy, thirty years running, is closing permanently at the end of June.

Having just moved house recently, there was an innate knowing that my job would change too. Life is like that, especially when one is undergoing a life redesign.

My position as Education Director has been successful and enjoyable. I have been fortunate to connect with some great people. Now it is time for a new assignment. Despite not knowing where I will land, the possibilities seem exciting.

In the market for employment, and open to a variety of opportunities, I know I will be guided to the right place. If you know of a fit, please connect us. Visit My LinkedIn Profile to see what I have to offer.