October, 2023
Many experts who know a lot more than I do about various schools of meditation practice believe the best posture is one that includes open eyes, downcast gaze.
According to Pema Chodron, author of “Uncomfortable with Uncertainty” and many other writings, the open gaze is a way of “remaining awake and relaxed with all that occurs”. It also is thought to help you stay awake, which sounds pretty practical.
Then again, she is also a proponent of a practice called tonglen, which essentially means breathing in the pain and discomfort of the world and breathing out love and kindness – lovely and aspirational, but really tough when you feel the need of comfort yourself.
Right now, I just know that I am a pretty visual person, and it’s a step too far to try to shut out all of the visual information. It’s enough of a challenge to quiet the monkey mind without feeding it through my eyeballs. One thing at a time.
September, 2023
Thankful this month for @barizaki, one of the first people to teach me the fine points of bookbinding and box-making at her studio in my hometown of Chicago.
Had a lovely afternoon at that studio yesterday with local members of the #handmadebookclub browsing through her beautifully curated retail boutique. Nothing like an in person shop crawl with like-minded crafty friends you’ve only known online til now.
September, 2023
I don’t know if I’ll ever use a process quite this structured again, but the series of new paintings is coming along.
My last Instagram reel showed the original still life and the tracing paper drawings that were made from every angle, then layered to finalize 10 compositions.
Next, using transfer paper to get the drawings onto the substrate, and painting in the first “passages” of light and dark across the page before starting to play.
You can see a sneak peek of one of the finished pieces in the first frames of the newest reel HERE or by aiming your phone camera at this QR code.
The series of 10 turned into 5 pairs that (I think) may be finished. I’m letting them settle a little bit before I call them resolved and show you.
September, 2023
This summer I’ve finally re-explored the delights of meditating in nature. If you heard where I lived, in a downtown high-rise, you’d assume that wasn’t on the menu. I’m lucky because right across the street I have not only a park, but a sandy beach as well. I’ve explored my toes in the grass, in the dirt, and in the sand, and I love it all. Even in the middle of the city, the breeze and the birds and the sounds of waves add a rhythm that I can just sink in to. Highly recommend, weather permitting, and I think any little patch of the outdoors you can find might give you the same.
August, 2023
I’ve written before about Meredith Hite-Estevez, who leads an online cohort through The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron, is a mom, professional oboist, a coach for artists and creatives and about to be a published author. AND a podcaster. This summer, Meredith decided to devote a series of podcast episodes to each of the enneagram numbers and how they impact creative processes and lives. She asked for volunteers, and I thought I would give it a go.
I recently listened to the episode I was on, with some trepidation. I wasn’t sure during our interview if I was making any sense, was rambling – it was a masterpiece of the overthinking that characterizes an Enneagram 6, but I said I would, so Loyalist that I am, I did. And then I was sure that everyone else would sound so much more profound.
And they were profound, and vulnerable, and wonderful. It would be amazing if any of my words made someone feel seen and KNOWN, the way their words made me feel that way.
If you want to listen, check out the Artists for Joy podcast and if you want to join the next Artist Way cohort (it’s free), sign up at www.artistsforjoy.org.
