"The turtle is the only creature that can move forward - they can't go backward"  unknown

Yesterday I had this delightful woman in the gallery and we talked for quite a bit.  She was making a sort of 'retreat'/'pilgrimage' to Door County to honor and remember her good friend Roberta.  Roberta was a major supporter of arts in Door County and I heard a fabulous woman.  She passed away last year in August after an auto accident where she crashed into my gallery.
So some parts of our discussion had to do with taking time to just be.  Time to visit and cherish our friendships and families before they are gone.  A very important lesson in life.
This woman shared this story with me on the turtle only going forward not backward.  I, of course, wrote it down in my journal.  It has inspired me.  I want to be a turtle.
I'll be taking some days to work in my studio painting this week and I am so looking forward to contemplating the passage of time in the new pieces that I will be working on.  So when my 'working the gallery days' pulls me away from my 'painting in the studio days' I realize how important the balance in life can be and to honor that schedule and the passing of time.
This image was sent to me from one of my collectors.  A few years back I was in Santa Fe for the Canyon Road  Paint Out in October.  This collector had first seen my work there and this summer they bought a large painting here in Door County.  What a delightful small world it is.

"Every day is a new beginning.  Take a deep breath and start again." - unknown, found in my journal notes.

September is here!  I LOVE this time of year, gathering with friends for apple cider pressing fun, long horseback rides, quiet moments in the orchard and THIS YEAR - cleaning my studio and starting over!
Just last night at Edgewood Orchard Galleries they hung the new Exhibit which features the majority of my body of works from the last ten months!  I've been working hard all year creating what I feel may be close to my 'best overall body of paintings' that I have created to date.  Not bragging, just sincere.
How did I do it? Lots of late nights and practicing GRATITUDE! There are some very huge, special pieces at the exhibit that I just completed this summer.  They are sculptural 3d pillars that depict an abstracted version of the four seasons.  Part of this idea came through the simple fact that some days when I couldn't figure out what to be thankful for, I focused on simple gratitudes - one  of them being the beauty of our 4 seasons!   Yes, practicing gratitude during a few rough years has gotten me through it all and now I'm clearing the slate and starting new...in the studio, too!
My studio in Michigan is empty, yes literally every painting is out in galleries.  There are a few unfinished panels and a huge mess that I will sort through, clean and make into a beautiful space to start anew!
Meanwhile, this weekend at Edgewood Orchard Galleries, you are welcome to join us for the evening reception on Saturday evening from 4-7 pm with an artist talk at 5 and wine and refreshments.  Then on Sunday from 1-3 pm I will be giving a Painting Demo in the Courtyard at Edgewood.  So join me to talk art, watch me work, and share my passion for painting.