Broken and Beautiful

I started a painting before we left for the Outer Banks that revolved around shells. I've had a bowl of shells we've collected sitting on my desk, and Warren has loved dumping it out for the past couple of weeks. We go through them as we pick them up, and it got me thinking. I remember back when I was little I thought that only perfect shells were worth keeping. On vacation I even bought a few 'perfect shells' from the gift shop (probably Made in China).  Well those shells are long gone now, and all I have is this collection of mostly broken ones, but I love them. Their imperfections are their charm, especially the ones that reveal more of  the areas inside. Their edges have been worn smooth by the battering surf. And what may have been brilliant colors have been faded by the sun. It's funny how your perceptions change over time. This cracked old conch shell is more beautiful to me than a perfect one could be.

Broken and Beautiful 

24" x 24" acrylic and oil pastel on wood

Available here

I took some great photographs of pelicans this trip which I enjoyed referencing as I put my final touches on them. I'd never seen so many pelicans together, we saw groups of up to forty birds at a time. I wonder if it's the time of year....we'd always see countless seagulls and the occasional pelican. But this trip it was quite the opposite. 

This was actually quite special because we always think of my Paw-Paw as a lone pelican flying above watching over all of us. And on this trip my dad, along with his siblings were planning on spreading some of Paw-Paw's ashes. The tradition of spending time in the Outer Banks started with my grandfather and his young family, camping out in Ocracoke. 

I wasn't planning on being a part of their moment, but I changed my mind at the last minute. And I'm glad that I did. It was special, and wonderful to have honored his life in one of his favorite places on earth. 

So, as you can imagine, I was quite inspired to come home and finish the painting I'd started. This painting has actually gone through countless layers as I've changed directions with it many, many, MANY times. I started it back in my workshop with Jesse Reno in the beginning of June and now it finally feels right. It feels settled, it feels balanced, it feels like me. Yay.

Here are a couple close-ups....

one thing leads to the next

I've had this really strong positive gut feeling lately....this hopeful energy that has just overcome me. I'm feeling it in my art and my life at it's wonderful. And even though I've had no huge breakthroughs lately or hit it big in the art world yet, it's as though I can feel something building in the horizon. I just have to keep moving, one step after the other....

The more I take small leaps, small steps in any direction, I can feel my art becoming freer and my hesitation in "making a mistake" less and less. (I am a perfectionist after all, and this is a personal battle I'll always fight)

So, I found this ornament the other day when I had pulled out the caribou as my inspiration for some holiday cards (see earlier post). Well, I thought it was so cute and didn't want it hiding away in the box until Christmas. So, I hung it on an upper cabinet knob in the kitchen for awhile and was just loving how I got to enjoy it when I was cooking. Yesterday I pulled out a small board that I'd been prepping for a painting and I was looking at it trying to decide what comes next when the ornament became my inspiration.

 

I feel like I'm starting to see my world around me better, acknowledging the things that inspire me and allowing it to push my art. 

I'm still putting a few final touches on this one... but I'm lovin' these guys

Maybe I need to go back to my ornament box and dig around for some more fun items! Who knows what they'll inspire!?

gratitude

We were fortunate enough this last week to get to spend some time with my parents out in the Outer Banks. What a treat, to have visited twice this year feels like a blessing! Life runs at a different pace down there, and you can feel it right down to your bones as soon as you smell that salty sea air. We needed the break too, more than I think we realized and so I have a lot to be grateful for....

Most of all I'm grateful for:

my little explorer- who loves running up the beach and trekking in the dunes

an abundance of pelican sightings - I've never seen as many as on this trip (once saw a group of about 40)

walks on the beach- in the morning, during the day and at night

a boy who is so sweet...

and oh so silly

some daddy and Warren time

some much needed time with my mom

crabs!!! we ate them boiled, soft-shelled and even in crab cakes

the sun!! It was October and 80 degrees- need I say more?

birthdays - we had a special celebration for my dad's 60th

family time.....

I'm grateful for the time spent with those we love in a place we'll always cherish. I don't always take the time to be thankful the joys in my life. This week was a good reminder to carry that feeling over and let it spill over into every week. Every day.