lying down in the grass

"...Come spring
You can find me rolling in fields
That are exploding in
Holy battles

Of scents, of sounds--everything is
A brilliant coloured nova on a stem..."

Hafiz as translated by Daniel Ladinsky



I got a new camera for my birthday from my sweetie. It's a little red Olympus, just a pocket digital, but wow, I haven't had a new camera in years and I'm in love with the fine detail, good colour, and the fabulous SUPER MACRO lens!! The macro lens has changed my walks. I walk every day; it's more meditation than exercise, more of a contemplative wander-and-explore than a cardio session. I live in the midst of amazing beauty, ocean and old forest, streams and meadows and slow country roads. I truly feel blessed to be able to soak all this in every day, and it feeds both my spirit and my creativity. I love to slow down and look closely at things - stones, flowers, clouds, waves. Sometimes I'll just lie down in the grass to see things from a different angle. Thats where the macro lens comes in! Yesterday I took my walk in the evening, violet clouds were spread out across the ocean and the air was soft and warm. The sap is starting to rise in the wild roses, combining with the sweet hay smell of the dry grass heads to create an incredibly gentle world of smells and sensations... so I lay down in the grass. I took these pictures, which are actually of TINY weed and grass heads against the sky, from my bug's eye view. And yes there was a little photoshopping involved later, but mainly I just increased the colour saturation a bit and cropped strategically. Let me know what you think.

playbook

Just a couple of pages from my current sketchbook/playbook - the top page is my brainstorming for beginning this blog! I love making lists. I will often dash off a quick list of inspirations/ideas, and then come back to it days or weeks later to muse and ponder. This is how I end up collaging and painting on top of my lists. The process seems to trigger my right brain and allow me to think more laterally and intuitively about the ideas I have written down. This active pondering has become an important part of my creative process, whether I'm meal planning, business planning, or art planning!

crazy busy or deliciously full?

The weather is still exquisite. I love the poignant fullness of this time of year, all the green is still so fresh and tender, the air smells of clean ocean and the sap rising in the wild roses. Last night driving home from dance class along the shore the beauty of the evening just caught me up and filled my heart: glassy ocean misty pinkish horizon full tide soft green leaves -- everything so tender and impermanent. It's lovely and I want to be outside all the time. Saturday evening we had our first outdoor dinner: Fresh sockeye salmon grilled perfectly by Bob, with fresh mango salsa, risotto, a big salad of organic baby greens & sunflower sprouts with my signature vinaigrette YUM. Robin & Katerina brought a large pitcher of glorious sangria and a good time was had by all.
But here is the real reason we have been eating outside. Yes, I do have a 750 square foot studio with three rooms, a sink, marvelous light and high ceilings. And yes, this is my dining table, where I have been creating all the pieces for the upcoming show. One, I like to be with my family while I work. Two, the mixed media area of the studio is a pretty big mess right now. I tote baskets and boxes of thing over from the studio to the house for a project, then stuff things back in them willy nilly when I need the dining table, then return them to the studio; I'm sure you can imagine the cluttered surfaces and overflowing boxes! The upshot is, though, that eventually my mind becomes cluttered too, and everything slows down. I love a serenely ordered and beautiful environment, yet I am often in a frenzy of creativity and probably overcommitted, so I tend to leave a trail of interesting mess behind me each day. What to do? Accept that seeking balance is a beautiful and worthy pursuit -- and relax because perfect permanent balance is unattainable! But don't relax too much, or you'll completely lose balance! This is my ongoing conversation. I notice that I tend to think of my life as "crazy busy" which doesn't foster feelings of serenity. How about "deliciously full?"

visual autobiography

I just finished these two pieces yesterday and I'm really happy with them. They have been brewing for a long time, and ended up being completed in a flurry. I think sometimes I resist the art process, especially when the pieces are personal, like these. I do so much decorative and functional work, work as livelihood, work on deadline, that I forget that these personal works just don't emerge through the same process. There's an incubation period that needs to be respected; the work ripens slowly.

Welcome!

So here it is, my very first Artful Life post!! It's a gorgeous gentle May day, the sun is shining, the air has a rare softness, and the peonies are blooming (that's one of my peonies in the banner...) When I step outside I hear the peacocks and smell fresh grass and faint sweet ocean. These are magic days, days of blooming and opening. I have spent a long time in darkness, and a long time healing, and now I am emerging in new ways, and here is this beautiful world to welcome me. Beginning this blog is part of my new opening to the world. I am excited to be part of things and share my creativity and my self. My intention is to create a space here which is beautiful, a refreshment for eyes and heart, a place full of resources and inspiration for the visitor, and a place for me to be myself. I am thoroughly devoted to the empowerment of women through authentic creativity; dance, visual art, homecreating, spiritual practice... any joyful venture which can give voice to self. I am passionate and excited about the grassroots movement of women entrepreneurs, often creatives, who are changing the whole model of business, gently but powerfully, from the inside out. So many of us feel strongly about recreating our lives without all the old compartments (Work/Family/Play etc. each in it's own box..ugh!) and we are creating magical lives which blend home&work&play&relationship&selfcare&art.... I want to reach out to other women who are playing with this potent life blend - I want to hear your voices, and share my own journey, discoveries, insights, and questions. SO here we go............
Love,
Bronwyn