Waiting a bit . . .

 Life is what happens on your way to do what you planned. . . . 

I am going to put my focused "book learning" process on hold for a week.  There has been a lot os things happening since last week.  You can go back to last week to see what I had hoped to do.  

Thursday of last week, I met with a group of artists, new to me, Montana Contemporary Arts Collective.  I am honored to join them as we work together to present our art and prepare for a small exhibit in our library in a month.  That is so exciting for me and present lots to do.  

On Friday morning, my son called and said my grandson, Walker, who has been really sick since having Covid in January, was heading back to Denver Children's Hospital for an unplanned scan over the Easter week-end..  Walker is 12 and was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2015.  He has had some tough years with surgery, radiation, chemo and ongoing health concerns.  That unexpected, scary news put our next few days on hold.  We now know that his scan is clear and the best they can tell from the blood work and tests is that he is struggling with the effects of Covid long haul issues.  He will now be working with a medical specialist for a few months to see if he can regain strength and get well again.  

There have been a couple additional family issues that I am not going to go into here but it has been made clear to me that my work with my book selection was put on the back burner for a week.  

So now, I am back to getting more work done, being excited about the coming exhibit and working with dedicated artists to show and strengthen our work.  And I am so thankful that Walker had a clear scan and that his brain cancer has not returned.  

So - wait for a week . . . 

Looking forward to a new little learning trip . . .

It is almost spring - maybe?

The spring days might be coming although it is hard to tell from the weather here this week.  It is cold and very windy.  There is also a little snow, of course, but the wind here seems to be whipping every ounce of needed moisture from each flake.  

Here is our Scottish Terrier, BaileeB.  She is warming her back side to the fire after the windy, snowy, cold night.  

I am feeling "pretty good" as my dad would have said.  And I am looking forward to all the "renewals" that come with this beautiful season ahead. 

Time to "hit the learning road" . . . 

I am always inspired by books that bring new ideas, beautiful writing, engaging photos and illustrations. I want to commit time to really visit and enjoy each special book in a way that brings me the full experience I know is there for me. But, I rarely succeed. So, I decided to choose a book and try a new method. At least it is new for me.  

I am going to select a book and select specific areas for focused visits. I want to do a small study from each section.  I will commit to doing one small study each week from that section. And then, if my intentions match my actions, I will report back briefly each week here on my blog.  

How hard can that be? Well, for me, it will take some special focus because this is the time of year when there are lots of wonderful things happening - like green grass, planting, new leaves, family celebrations, and maybe even a few road trips.  

Book for this first journey . . . 

Here is the first book I have chosen. I want to spend more time with it.  I want to learn and try new ways of seeing, thinking and creating.

Process . . . 

I have a couple other books from Cas Holmes and I have not done them the justice I had intended. So I hope this new method will match my wants for the content of this one. I have previewed each chapter and I think each chapter will make a good focus for my new journey.

So here are my target dates for reporting back on each section  . . . 

April 19th - Chapter 1 - Drom: The Open Road 
April 26th - Chapter 2 - Nomad at Home
May 3rd  -  Chapter 3 - Windows to the World
May 10th - Chapter 4 - Changes in the Smaller Landscapes
May 17th - Chapter 5 - Threads of Connection
May 24th - Chapter 6 - Displacement/Discovery        

     

My self challenge is to read each chapter, think about it, and create something that connects me to the learning. This could be a fiber study, a mixed media study, a sketch, a painting or something written. I want it to create a bond between my art and my learning.  

I will report back here next Tuesday, April 19th for the first segment. I hope you will stop by and share your thoughts.  And, I hope I will have something posted here fore you to see.  

See you then . . . 

April is here . . .

I love April!  I always have loved April. In Montana it is not "really" spring but I know it is not too far away.  The snow that can still come is so appreciated in this dry country and I know the cold, cold weather won't last for 3 or 4 months.  It is also too early to do any planting but I can get ready.  It is also my birthday month.  As long as I can remember, I have loved April.  

The past week has been dark - inside.  It started a little over a week ago.  It was like a long slow sticky slide into a dark place.  And then, as sticky slides can be, little things appear and the slide gets stickier in places.  So Sunday came along and I knew what I needed to do.  I just started to climb back up that sticky slide by realizing I could clean and organize - re-organize - straighten - revisit projects envisioned - time in my studio without deadlines or shoulds.  I could talk to family and laugh about things having nothing to do with the sticky stuff.  I could move on.  I am not sure why it worked, but the shades slowly went up and the darkness parted. 

And - the sandhill cranes have returned.  

Did I say how much I love April.