My Wild, Wacky, Wonderful Winter (so far...)

We're not known for particularly harsh winter weather, here in eastern NC.  Mother Nature has decided to pull out all the stops this year, apparently!  A mere three weeks ago, we wandered the waterfront in Hilton Head, SC in nothing more than shirt sleeves!  We had the chance to visit with dear friends we hardly ever see, and reveled in the beautiful weather for our visit.  It was great fun, and as is always the case when spending time with those we love:  not nearly long enough.  'Already looking forward to next time!

A Weekend in Hilton Head, SC
...and a good time was had by all!

All in a Days Work
photo transfer on canvas panel w/ brass hardware

Also at the end of January, I had a piece of new work go to a new home as part of the "Ocracoke Through Your Eyes" Art Auction to benefit our friends at The Ocracoke Preservation Society Museum on Ocracoke Island, here in NC.  I was thrilled to take part as a donating artist, this year; I have high hopes of doing the same again and being there for the event, next year!  My fellow ReMe partners and a handful of other local artist buddies donated work for the event which was proclaimed a rousing success by end the of the evening.  When you are next in the area, please do stop by the OPS Museum for a visit!  They do a wonderful job and preserving and sharing the rich and varied history of Ocracoke.

Productive Tranquility
...the view from the "corner office"

Jean, Jodi, and I managed to nail down a full weekend *minus a wee afternoon of antique/thrift/hardware romping* to do some long-range planning for ReMe Retreats.  This made for a lovely change of pace, as we normally fit this in amongst all of our other responsibilities -- it was ever-so-lovely to have more than a few hours to hammer out some of our ideas, set new goals, and plan even more REmarkable wonders for those attending our events -- and there will be wonders!  Many thanks to our dearest Mary N. (of Mary's Funky Fish) for the lakeside hospitality!  *cough...  CAW!* 

The Long View
...2015 - a work in perpetual progress

*WHAM!*  Then wee, li'l February was fully upon us -- and good googley-moogley, has it boogied on by?!  I had envisioned this month as the proverbial "calm before the storm" -- socked in at the homestead for all manner of preparatory, top-secret, behind-the-scenes goodness taking place prior to the arrival of what promises to be a very merry spring, indeed...  Weeelllllll -- not so much (?)  Don't get me wrong:  things are happening!  ...just not the epic quantity of things that I had feverishly imagined would happen during that idyllic week between Christmas and New Year's when the allure of a vast new year and a shockingly blank calendar were before me! 
*shocker, that -- right!?  weeellll -- not so much!  HA*

A Jaunty Visitor
Winter Storm #1 - February 17, 2015

ANYway...  weather has been a factor, as has a bizarre stomach malady *but I'll spare you that particular [non]delight!*  I suppose, if one isn't paying close enough attention, time does fly indeed!  Hard to believe as we look out on the fluffy blanket of snow that accumulated during the day today that just last week the view was of a different sparkle altogether!  Yeppers -- ICE *ice, baby!*  
It makes for lovely photos, but it also makes for treacherous stairs.  I have discovered in a rather uncomfortable manner that it is also dangerous to be out and about during the thaw!  Trust me when I tell you that large, slushy gobs of ice pack a wallop when they are descending rapidly from the tall, tall pines that surround our driveway.  #liveandlearn

 

Today's view, as captured by
my own Sky King.  Enjoy!

 
Onward & Upward,

Words of Wisdom for Today:

Words ought to be a little wild
for they are the assaults of thought
on the unthinking.
                         - John Maynard Keynes

Shifting Gears

In the words of my sweet Grandma:  "My STARS!?"  ...it does indeed boggle the mind that our last visit was way, WAY back in July!  I can only assure you that I have been nowhere near as idle as this blog.  Things are well and happy in HoCo, and there has been much in the way of work in all areas -- with, again, the glaringly obvious exception of here.  It seems as though I did that weird "sharing-on-Facebook-because-it's-so-d@mned-easy" thing for longer than I realized.  Mea culpa!  In the words of my own *mostly* sweet self:  "Onward & Upward!"

One of the many things that gobbled up much of my time was the finalization of work for a new show.  As is the case for so many of my fellow artists, I seem to be a pro at the 11th hour dash.  Knowing that the deadline was so far away in January seemed to have fogged my vision.  The back-burner was well out of reach until the time became crucial.  My vision cleared, and work began in earnest.  In the words of my sweet *and equally wise* Mother:  "It always takes longer than you think."  ...and it did...  I could not be more pleased with with the outcome, though!

This suite was created for the CMMAG High Tea Exhibit during SPARKcon in Raleigh this past weekend.  The Guild also has a 2-D, hanging show in the Blake Street Shops through the end of September.  Between preparation and openings for these, workshops, demos,  regular meetings for various involvements, and the day-to-day doings of TSG and home, things have been a bit hectic 'round here.  There is something magical about having so much going on, though!  I don't necessarily want to live in 'overdrive' -- but it does feel good to have the ol' machine running wide open once and while.  It's rather invigorating to blow out the cob-webs and empty the tank -- it leaves one wide open for a bit of reflection before gearing up to ready for the next wave.

The next wave is quite the literal reference, as in merely a month I will be bound for the glorious outer reaches of the Outer Banks of NC -- it is nearly time for the ReMe Redux!  We will return to scenic Ocracoke Island for our final event of 2014.  We have two spots available for the week of October 20 - 25.  Hop over to the ReMe Blog for all the details you need to grab them!

Ocracoke in the fall is a lovely time!  Being a native of NC, I am spoiled by the luxury of the nearness of the ocean year-round.  For folks from other parts of the country, a beach retreat in October may sound the height of silliness.  In reality, Autumn comes late (if at all) to the eastern portion of NC.  It is not uncommon to remain in shirtsleeves until after Thanksgiving.  The average temperature on Ocracoke in October is a daily low of 60 and a daily high of 73 -- utter perfection!

If you, or someone you dearly love, is in need of some Rest, Relaxation, and Renewal please give a thought to joining us.  ReMe Ocracoke October is a once in a lifetime opportunity to be inspired and indulged during a week by shore -- surrounded by people who 'get you' like no others.  Good food, guest speakers, top notch art instruction, grand adventures, and personal discovery await you.  What better way to be rested and refreshed for the quickly approaching holiday season?  JUMP!  We'll save a rocking chair for you :)

Should you have any questions or need any additional information, just give us a shout:  reme@remeretreats.com.  If telephonic is more your speed, please include a contact number and the best time to reach you -- we'll happily give you a call.

With that, I will take my leave -- but let's do this again, sooner than later eh?   The above is a little teaser...  How better to ensure my rapid return, than to have something ready to share with you?  *schweeet!  ...n'est ce pas?*

Onward & Upward!

Words of wisdom for today:

"Happiness often
sneaks in through a door
you didn't know you left open."

                                    - John Barrymore

Photo Notes:

    Ocracoke Rocking Chairs - by Jodi Ohl
    Ocracoke, 2013 - by PLA - taken with Nikon D-5100     remainder - by PLA - taken with Samsung Galaxy S4

Fortuosity!

WOW!  It seems like only yesterday I was waxing nostalgic over May.  Now we are standing at the edge of another month.  For me, June has been chock full of fortunate encounters.  It seems only fitting to share them here.  First, a word *or three* about the title of this post.  Talk about a "blast from the past"...

When I was a wee girl of 5 or 6, I had a beautiful, blue record player.  It looked much like a small, hard-sided suitcase (or typewriter case).  I loved my record player, even if the records I had did make for a rather odd collection.  Comprised of an odd assortment of 78 rpm records in bright yellow (with classics such as "Turkey in the Straw (Turkey in the Hay)", "Shine On Harvest Moon", and the like), and a few 'read along story books' with their own 45 rpm discs, the real treasures of my collection were a trio of 33 rpm albums handed down from my mom:  "With Love, Bobby," "Peter Paul and Mary - 10 Years Together," and "Walt Disney's Happiest Songs" (a promo/tie-in with Gulf Gas Stations released the year before I was born).  Thus began a life-long love of music (in general), and liner notes (specifically).

I was a singing fool!  One of my clearest memories from this time is singing *on the top of our lungs!* selections from each of these, while pumping my legs on any swing set I could find -- oh, how I loved to swing and sing!  *Julie, Julie, Julie, Do You LOVE Me? -- I DIG Rock 'n Roll Music -- When You Wish Upon a Star*  To this day, I can sing *from memory, thankyouverymuch* every line from "Fortuosity" -- and these days, that little ditty seems to sum up my daily outlook better than any other tune that comes to mind!  This merry month of June has proven no exception.

The month began with a book give-away on the Blog of the wildly talented artist and author Quinn McDonald of Quinn Creative.  As I normally do, upon reading about the the book she was giving away I looked it up on Amazon and added it to my wish list...  I was thrilled to be notified that I had won, and have spent more than a little happy time perusing its pages (and adding to the marginalia).  I am thoroughly enjoying my copy of "Finding What You Didn't Lose" by John Fox.  Thanks, Quinn -- I love it!  The beautiful post card featuring Quinn's work (and a sweet hand-written note) is a fitting book mark, to boot!

 The mail continued to deliver happy moments with the  delivery of a little gifty from one of our ReMe Retreats guests!  Laurie Beth Seehusen snagged a last-minute cancellation spot for our May event in Ocracoke only 2 weeks before we gathered on the Outer Banks of NC...  In doing so, she took a flying leap at something she had never done before. She joined in with all of her being, but did not have time to gather or create a "Gift-a-Thon" offering.  Upon returning home (to Texas), she found the perfect thing for her ReMe buddies:  The Freaker!  Their tag line, "1 Freaker, Every Bottle," sums up nicely the job(s) that this quirky character can do.  It fits nearly EVERY thing:  baby bottles, canned beverages, bottles (up to a wine bottle), and 'go cups!'  It was created by a young man from right down the NC coast in Beaufort; he was featured on the TV show "Shark Tank."  How cool, to learn about something from right here at home from a friend so far away!  I received Sherlock Homie, and couldn't be happier -- it works like a charm!  Thanks, again, Laurie Beth!

Back in January, my fellow CMMAG Guild members and I embarked on a journey of creative sharing endearingly called YORCA -- a handy acronym for the Year of Random Creative Acts.  Just last week, I was the happy recipient of one of those kind and creative acts when a bubble mailer arrived from the lovely Iris Musslewhite!  Nestled within the tissue wrapping (secured with one of the very labels that I designed) was THIS thing of beauty -- a most lovely, mixed media bracelet.  The colors are rich and deep, bringing to mind virtually every piece of clothing that I love to snuggle into in the Fall and Winter.  That won't stop me from enjoying it throughout the dog days of Summer, tho'!  It is gorgeous, Iris, thank you for thinking of me.

Speaking of the CMMAG, it was my pleasure to welcome a student from my "Long MAY You Wave" class to our meeting in June.  Deb Averitt came to our General Meeting, and brought a friend -- she also brought her Flag Book from my class.  She had finished her colorful, kinetic color-wheel by collaging images onto the flags for each color; it was FAB-U-LOUS!  I love it when folks make a project their own by adding things that they love.  Deb's finished book is a perfect example of that very thing.  Thank you, Deb, for sharing your book with us, and for your very kind words about your workshop experience with me.

As regular readers of this Blog know, my ReMe partners (Jean Skipper and Jodi Ohl) and I are in the midst of our 2nd Blog Hop.  This is a tried and true vehicle for driving traffic on the interwebs, and back in May I followed the flow of traffic on a Blog Hop for my far-away-friend Jill K Berry's latest book:  Map Art Lab.  Much to my utter delight, I won the drawing on her site for a copy of this treasure.  It arrived last week, and I look forward to spending more time between its covers -- it bears lingering.  If you enjoy map imagery and incorporating it in your own work, I highly recommend this beautiful book!  An added bonus is that it also includes work from two other artists whose work I love, and who I know personally:  Amy Smith and Cathy Taylor!

As if ALL of this wasn't enough, I will wrap up the month of June with a visit to Richmond, VA to spend a little time with friends old and new!  I'll return home via Raleigh, after this month's workshop at Jerry's Artarama:  Mixed Media Triptych - One Work in Three Parts.  There is still room to join us, as we beat the Summer heat by spending a day learning some cool techniques using text and acrylic mediums for texture and visual interest!  It promises to be a BIG, fun day & I'd love to see you there!

Until next time!

Onward & Upward,

Words of wisdom for today:

"God is a comedian
playing to an audience
too afraid to laugh."

                                    - Voltaire

Photo Notes:

    Flag Book Finished - by Deb Averitt

Memories of May - Week 2

Hello, and welcome to the 2^nd stop on the ReMe “Memories of May” Blog Hop!  Jodi’s posts last week (on both her Blog and the ReMe Blog) had my mind a’whirl with all of the magical moments that combined to make our 1^st event in Ocracoke a smashing success.  I have written and edited, and written and edited, and pared down, and edited some more; finally coming to the realization that I will never winnow this story down to anything approaching a “condensed version!”  SO…  I decided that if a picture was worth 1,000 words I could make this easier for all involved by showing you the majority of my favorite things (‘cause telling them all would take WAY too long)!

Any visit to Ocracoke is brightened by one’s mere arrival!  As I mentioned in our kick-off announcement, there is a certain “falling away” of the day-to-day once you are on the Ferry.  After the ponderous vessel delivers you to the dock on OCR, the sense of having “arrived” is palpable – the air feels different, the screech and swoop of the gulls and pelicans like a song in a foreign language, and the sense of being on “island time” enrobes body and mind.  So I guess my 1^st favorite thing is the location itself!

You are HERE!

Our Home Away from Home

We already knew and loved the place (both the Island and our home for the week).  Another thing that made our time in May so wonderful was that we were not merely “in” place, but extra effort was put into being “of” this beautiful place for the time that we were there, as well.  In planning for this event, we included the people and places that make their lives here.  In this way, we were able to show our guests more than a vacation destination – we were able to bring them up close and personal with the ‘real life’ of the island.  From bringing special guests in as speakers at the house, to Field Trips to take in the unique character of the Village, to obtaining our shrimp for our final dinner from the Waterman’s Association – we elevated our visitors to at least one or two rungs above “Dingbatter Status”

A favorite stop on any visit to Ocracoke:
the cozy confines of Books to be Red!

Bringing together a group of women from ALL over the country added another layer of wonderment to our time together.  Only ONE of our guests had ever been to Ocracoke before.  It was very special to see each of them experiencing this place for the first time!  Who but a group of artists would turn viewing a glorious sunset into art itself?

The first of many gatherings on our sound-front beach
to watch the sun slip away

Sunset as Art

 For as long as I can remember, time in the kitchen has been a special refuge for me.  Long before there was “art,” there was this space – a space that afforded me a sense of calm, a place to relax and create, a place to serve (in the most literal sense – ha!)  This trip amplified my love of KP duty to new level.  Meal times were times that saw us all come together – unified by a table full of good food and laughter.  Another favorite thing:  mealtimes!  Not only for the food (which was SPOT ON all week), but for the joy of interconnectedness that infused each coming together. 

 

Ready for the Dinner crowd!
...BBQ chicken for 12, with all the trimmings?  No problem!

After dinner lingering...

Speaking of “connections,” my soul thrilled to see this group morph into a cohesive “being” as we progressed through the week.  It sounds unreal to say that I witnessed the creation of a virtual family in the space of 5 days by the sea – but I DID!  We had the supreme joy of watching as strangers became friends who then became sisters.  They shared their stories and themselves – never hesitating to offer a hand (to both their fellow attendees as well as to their Hosts).  Amid the fully packed schedule, they found pockets of time to do their own thing and try new things together.  It was beautiful to behold!

Crossing the Dunes
...a morning of discovery at the Beach

Spontaneous Dancing
...what's NOT to love?

Memories in the making!
...a beautiful find on our trip to the beach

Evenings in the Parlor
...one of EVERYBODY'S Favorite Things from May!

Finally *mayhap a tiny bit selfishly(?),* I experienced a true “first” – something that I long to experience again and again!  For the 1^st time ever, I witnessed my work in a new way:  someone wearing both (a) a piece they made in a class with me, AND (b) a piece I made, that they liked enough to make their own!  It made my brain do a happy dance, indeed!

Both a Favorite Memory
and a personal first!

So much for brevity in my stream of recollecting (ha!)  Want to see even more incredible Memories of May?  Head over to the ReMe Blog for the 2^nd portion of this weeks Hop!  Don’t forget to leave a comment for your chance to WIN my “Little Leather Booklace” – a fully functional book you can wear!  The drawing for this weeks giveaway will take place on Sunday evening (June 22^nd), and will be announced next Monday!

Comment at the ReMe Blog
for your chance to make
this Little Leather Booklace your own!

There's more yet to see!
Visit the ReMe Blog for"the rest of the story!"

Onward & Upward!

Words of wisdom for today:

"When you wish someone joy,
you wish them peace,
love, prosperity, happiness...
all the good things."

                                    - Maya Angelou