"Where would life lead me if I let the river run?" - "I discovered in myself a hunger for less sophistication and a thirst for more direct contact with life." - quotes from the new book "Life, Paint and Passion" by Michelle Cassou & Stewart Cubley that I just started reading.

RAMBLINGS

Usually my blog posts are subject based, however, tonight I feel like just 'rambling'.  I am at a 'lodge/club' helping to escort (I would not say chaperoning as I am doing my own thing) some FFA members from our local school to their leadership camp - including my son.  So at the dinner tonight their was a speaker who was wonderful - she talked to these students about how they each have a talent, a passion and the world needs them/us to follow our passion, to have a good attitude in life and help each other!  I hope they listened, because I sure did!!!!
So, more rambling, I had the whole day to myself - I walked, I did yoga on the beach by myself (hoping that none of the kids saw me - especially my son - who would probably kill me), read a stack of magazines as well as a book I've been trying to finish titled "A Thousand Days in Tuscany" which brought back wonderful memories of my trip last fall to Italy and Spain, hmmmmmm, what else did I do....oh, yes, listened to lots of good music on my ipod - such as some of my favorites:  Ellery, BeeGees ( I know), Adelle, Norah Jones, Krista Detor, Loreena McKennitt, Victoria Vox .... oh and a little Lynyrd Skynyrd to finish it off!  - WOW!  What an eclectic mix of music - yes, I like to mix up my day a little.  As you probably know, I always listen to music while painting it quiets my mind and provides a 'back drop' so that my mind can stay focussed on what is at hand.  Painting.
So, more rambling, some of this music I listen to came from independent musicians who performed at our local 'Wild Rice Concert's" aka house concerts.  I so love supporting independent musicians/artists and am so impressed with their talents - there is another concert this Friday night - can't wait - check out Wild Rice Concerts on Facebook.
So, enough rambling, I am going to enjoy the last little bit of my quiet time before I have to go home tomorrow and catch up on laundry, dishes, etc.   UGGHHHH!
What music inspires you?  Who are your favorites?

One thing great about the internet/facebook rage is that we, in remote areas, can connect with artists all over the world.  We are lucky.  I've been following Robert Genn's Twice-Weekly Letter for years and actually print out some of his 'messages' because they are so good!  Here is one from 2010, some of the highlights:

"Finding your Voice" how do we translate our life experiences into our paintings and express who we really are?   Ideally, style develops over time.  Cause is based on attitude and issue.  With growth and development, causes change.  You need to make stuff.  Artists who put in regular working hours find their voice.  Work itself generates clarity and direction.  It's like invention --one thing leads to another.
You need hunger, desire, curiosity.  Wondering how things will turn out is more powerful than having a pretty good idea beforehand.  You need joy, joy in yourself and you need to feel you're giving it to others."

WOW!  All of these random thoughts have really struck me lately.  Thank you Mr. Genn for putting my thoughts exactly into words...Back to the studio, I've got some new color things happening this morning...yes, that is really exciting to me!

"The most vital things in the look of a landscape endure only for a moment.  Work should be done from memory: memory of that vital moment." - Robert Henri

Landscapes, the land surrounding us seems to inspire so many artists!  Yet, how is it that so many of us artists interpret it in our own way?  That is the beauty of art!

Every  professional painter, sculptor, artist is certainly influenced or inspired by outside findings - how can we not be, this world is filled with wonderful things!?  But it is the true artist when working that shuts out all those influences and focuses and works from deep within, making their art their own.

I am so thankful to have had so many artists come before me and influence my painting style, yes, that is how I got here.  But after their inspiration, I have worked hard and dedicated my life to painting - someone posted to me on facebook yesterday "you have  a good life"  YES!  Life is good - for all of us if we really look around!