under cover of night

there's nothing more calming and tranquil, to me, than the sound of wind chimes. delicate songs composed by the wind.  even the slightest breeze will play a quiet melody.  i could fall asleep to the tune.  unless of course it's nighttime, that's when my over active imagination turns the beauty on its side.

*********

the sound of chimes in the distance under a pitch black sky are, for lack of a better word, nightmarish.  under the dark sheet of night that peaceful lullaby is turned into a subtle soundtrack for horror.  i picture being all alone in a forest, searching for shelter, not being able to see anything around me.  in the far off i hear the hollow sound of wind chimes and feel comforted for a second that i may be close to a warm home.  that second of relief is broken by the sound of a snapping twig close behind me.  it could be a rabbit, it could be a deer, but i can't tell for sure.  the moon is covered by swiftly moving clouds, it gives me moments of shy light but that's it.  i turn around to investigate the noise but it's gone, there's nothing to be seen in the small pocket of moonlight.  all that's left now are the chimes.  i start walking faster toward the hopeful sound, my feet crunching the ground beneath me.  i hear steps behind me.  i spin around and catch a shadow darting behind a tree.  i begin running, i'm growing short of breath, the dense clouds reveal the moon at it's brightest, i see a small house in the distance.  there's smoke rising from the chimney and i dream of warm soup and a soft bed.  something grabs me from behind and i fall to the ground, my head hits a rock and everything blends into blurry shades of grey.  there is nothing after.

*********

pretty dramatic scene since that entire visual came to be when i was simply tossing a can into the recycle box on our porch.  i heard the chimes on our tree and my mind went off.  it has a tendency to do that, it moves fast, so fast i can't keep up with it.  i can't even fight it so instead, i use it to my benefit.  i love having a super creative and over active imagination, it's fun.  it entertains me when i'm alone.  it also scares me when i'm alone (like right now for instance, Damian is out with a friend and i'm left here with my dark imaginings, hahaha).  no matter how much i scare myself i can still convince myself that it's a good thing, it's what creativity is all about.  either that or i'm going mad hatter.  i think i'm still okay with that though.  being able to use madness as an "excuse" to wearing fairy wings over my winter coat is absolutely fine by me.  if that's what madness is, fairy wings and dreamy attitudes, then that's what the world needs more of... absolute madness and carefree spirit.

art for angst

why is it that art store employees always have to be so angsty? is that a requirement? in the interview do they ask "do you smile often?" if the interviewee answers "yes" are they immediately scratched off the list of hopefuls?

maybe it's just the store i go to (Curry's) but i've been to a few locations and it always seems the same. I went today to pick up a few supplies for the weekend (long weekend...i'm so excited i could pee a little) and when i asked a simple question regarding bondage (not the sexy kind, the glue kind) i was looked at as if i were an idiot, a simpleton. In the end he couldn't help me, turned out he didn't know much about bondage either (and i'm guessing that would apply to the sexy kind too).

when i took my wares to the cash register and smiled my hello i was greeted with some sort of grunt, which i roughly translated into "my soul is in agony can't you tell? i'm tortured inside and nothing can save me".  i wondered if it was just me or if they're like this to everyone? did i not look enough like an artist? was my red & orange scarf not the right shade of black for them? could they tell i was a corporate whore during the day thus making me a sell out? should i have been wearing skinny jeans tucked into retro 80's slouchy boots that i bought at a vintage store?

what's there to be be so down about anyways?  it's friday, it's sunny outside, you're surrounded by beauty!  tubes of red, purple, green, orange, pads of paper, piles of canvas, wood, parchment. books on every medium, endless amounts of brushes, glitter & glue.  how can a place like that make you so grey?  well it didn't stop ME from being happy.  i'm ready to create!

not yet sprung

the past couple of days have been spring-like outside.  there's been sun, melting icicles, birds chirping, and wind chimes.  it's still chilly when you actually step out into it but all in all it feels good.  too bad i've been sick with a cold, rendered useless by a drippy nose and congested head. stuck in bed with kleenex corks in my nose. 

it's days like these, with the sun streaming through the blinds, that make me think of that first day i could wear my running shoes to school.  not having to change out of boots, dry pavement and skipping ropes, sidewalk chalk and hopscotch.  we still have a while to go yet, this will just be a little tease, but still... it's coming, green is on it's way.  anyways, i'm still kind of liking the white and wouldn't mind another big storm that shuts off our power and makes us live by candlelight.  crackers & cheese for dinner, ghost stories, and warm cuddles.  winter is good for those sorts of things.

* photo above available in my shop

spin & swirl

it's thursday night and instead of dancing like no one is watching i'm concerned about the time. it's getting late so i should hit the pillows so i can be rested for the next 9-5 day ahead of me. at least that next day is a friday. that means i have 2 days ahead of me that spell freedom. freedom to do what i WANT to do (and groceries). one day i will actually paint/photograph/create within those now dreaded hours of monday to friday, nine o'clock to five o'clock. until then i will attempt a positive attitude while i admin. other people's requests. 

sleep tight, don't let the reality bugs bite.

poppies

newest piece in my shop, a 4x6 print of one of my original paintings.  also available matted & framed (in a 5x7 frame).

i love poppies, i find them so delicate.  i always wanted to be Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, wandering around a magical place and napping in the poppies.  of course i realize she was drugged by the witch (and the opium i guess) but it's still beautiful.  besides, i'm a witch too (so says my grandma who is also a witch) a good witch though, more like Galinda.  i don't think i'd ever be the one a house falls on... although the shoes WERE to die for.  do you suppose they come in a boot?

come to think of it i should really start harnessing my witchy powers more.  traveling via bubble would be so much fun! 

this space is mine!

i just created a myspace page to help promote my work! i used to have one ages ago but it got hacked into and my friends were getting evil spam from "me" telling them to shop at Saks. so i stopped using it cold turkey. now i'm back and it seems they've revamped their security so hopefully i will be hack free this go around. check it!

dress it up

i've put a couple of prints up in my shop matted & framed baby!  they just look so much better all dolled up in a frame.  this 'Duchess' print is 4x6 in a 5x7 frame.

art is super hard to sell and with this crazy economy it's even harder.  i'm determined to push on though, i like doing it (have to do it really, i'm just so content when i'm in my own world of paints and inks and the like).  i would love to go on a little art retreat, get away from the familiar and wander & explore.  it's a little chilly here for a wander (minus 23 celcius yesterday) but if i bundle up i'm sure all will be well.  i just need to get a pair of gloves to cut the fingers off of so i can manage the pencil/pen/paint brush.  see, i'm a mitten girl and i think they will prove to be slightly cumbersome when field painting/sketching.

oh well, off to spill onto a blank canvas.