"How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives" - Annie Dillard, The Writing Life

I have just stumbled upon a really good book, 'BROAD STROKES, 15 Women Who Made Art and Made History (In That Order)'  by Bridget Quinn.  It's a fascinating book and discusses the art and life of many women artists, who no doubt struggled in their time as wives, mothers, women in an art world dominated by men.  They still did what they wanted to do and many very successfully.    I highly recommend the book!
Author Bridget Quinn explores the lives of Lee Krasner, Louise Bourgeois, Alice Neel and more.  Some I haven't heard of like, Ann Mendieta and her earth art.
As my 'baby' starts his 'first - last - day of school' as a senior in High School next week, I look back on all the years that I, as a wife, mother and artist juggled my art career and followed my passions, never letting anyone tell me I couldn't do this!  I wish every woman/artist had been as lucky as I have been.  No, it was not easy.
Now, I don't have the 'wife' part anymore,  but I still juggle the mother and artist and gallery owner lifestyle, but always being the optimist I see it as all good.  I enjoy my quiet times in the studio as well as my time in the galleries meeting with collectors and installing my paintings in their beautiful homes.  Life is good and Cheers to all the women who are busy being Moms and following their art dreams!

"Pockets of silence, where we can all root and grow.  We must hope we can find them" - Rothko

One of my fav painters, Mark Rothko, inspires me by his luminous layers of paint and his division of space via color fields.  Although my paintings are based on landscape, they often use the manner of color fields to divide the space and many times with a horizon line.
Not one to 'fight' my paintings (or fight anything for that matter), I often let the painting tell me how the 'space' will be divided.  Often times it is a distinct horizon line, yet at other times their may be no horizon line or a softer version of one. 
As our Summer slowly transitions to Autumn I can gently feel the evenings becoming cooler, a sense of peace.  My forest painting series have been a long series for me and in many different versions and seasons.  I definitely find my silence in the forest, ever since I was a young girl, that is where I find peace.  I love visiting the city, but definitely need the 'green space' and the 'woods' to balance and center my life.  My forest paintings range from winter (crisp whites with brilliant blue skies) to spring (the lush colors of new growth in the forest, the beautiful greens and often times the carpets of forget me knots on the forest floor) and of course the Autumn series (including warm colors, earth colors and a sense of restfulness).
As our seasons continually transition here in the Midwest, I find myself grateful for all the inspiration and beauty around us.  Take the time to really notice the beauty of nature.  Enjoy your day!

"What we need to do is recognize Inner Nature and work with Things As They Are.  When we don't, we get into trouble." - Benjamin Hoff

"Desire is the wish for things to be not as they are.  What is wrong with that?" -

"Within the real lie the seeds of all our dreams."

These quotes are from the book MEDITATIONS FROM THE MAT, Daily reflections on the Path of Yoga by Rolf Gates and Katrina Kenison.  A good daily read that I enjoy over and over again! 

Recognizing and accepting as we journey through this life becomes more and more important everyday.  I'm finally learning to realize that.  Things will work and happen exactly as they are supposed to and fighting it or reacting to it may not be the best way.  I often relate my art to life when I journal or blog about my thoughts.

Accepting and not trying to change things, not trying to fight how things are.  That is where the peace lies and YES! this is a 'real life'.  Artists can be dreamers and forward thinkers, I truly believe that is how we survive, however, our lives our 'real'.  We experience all of the good and bad and ups and downs that everyone does, although some may say they are a bit more extreme because of our lifestyle.  I am sure, though, you will never find a 'true artist' who will have it any other way.  It is these challenges in  life and in our studio that keep us going forward.

This week I plan to spend most of my time in my studio and I am so excited.  When I am painting it seems that I am so focused on making art that the  worldly troubles float away, so yes, some may call that a 'dreamer' but it really is how I operate.  I turn my color mixes and my layering process from 'problems' to 'solutions', and if it doesn't work one day I keep trying the next. 

Yoga postures can be related to these thoughts as well, as we enter asana's we breathe and 'practice', maybe not getting to the posture immediately or as well as we would like, but that is all part of the journey.  Just Breathe.

Life.  Art.  Yoga

"Quenching Thirst", oil, mixed media on paper, 4x7" (a new painting I just completed this week - by the way I have been working on this small painting for over a year now, coming back to it until I felt I got it right!)