Putting myself out there!

Isn't Life Grand?

My life is and always has been charmed by events that come full circle in some way or another.  It's fun to look back and see the threads that weave the most amazing chapters in my life.  Like the time, when I was in radio, and met Robert Hayes when he was touring and promoting the movie "Airplane."  Thirty years later, I meet him at a friends dinner party and learned they went to school together.  :)  Full circle.   Fun.   Insightful.

Well, here's a story that will definitely give you a tingle up your spine:

My father's grandfather was an immigrant from Belgium.  His name was Albert Van Overberghe and at this time, 1914, his residence was in Manhattan.  He was married to my great grandmother Julia who was from Paris...they had met on a ship bound for America.  He found work with Barnum and Bailey Circus as a high wire act and a clown.  Attached are two photos of him at that time....in costume as both the high wire performer and the other as the clown (I think he looks like Jack Nicholson in his clown garb!).

Who would ever think that decades later, on the opposite side of the United States, his great granddaughter, me, would end up working for Mr. Barnum's offspring as an artist painting woodgrain on his study door in his home in Pacific Palisades, CA?   We had a good laugh about it as we connected the dots between our families.

  Here's to you, Great Grandpa Albert!

I Saved A Life Today!

I SAVED A LIFE TODAY!  Well, okay, it wasn't a human life but it was the smallest of little birds, the hummingbird.  While painting a vanity in one of my clients' homes, I heard the soft sound of what seemed like fingers patting against a window.  Rounding the corner, I looked up and saw a hummingbird caught in the skylight in the foyer.

Climbing a ladder, barely being able to reach up, I coaxed the little bird into grasping my index finger.  Slowly and steadily I moved down the ladder with this tiny creature hanging on for its dear life.  As I cleared the skylight dome, it took off and flew right into one of the window panes which caused both my client and I to draw deep breaths of desperation.

As the bird tried to pierce through the glass with its long needle-like beak, the dog began barking, rushing at it and forcing additional panic.  My client held her dog, Starbucks, firmly by the shoulders and I once again coaxed the small little bird onto my finger.  I could feel it's heart beating but it sat still - as if to rest - and we then proceeded to walk outside into the courtyard.

hummingbird in middle of picture

 I realized this little creature wanted to rest and so I stood in the courtyard for what seemed like 5 minutes but was probably a few seconds and allowed the sacredness of what had just occurred to sink in.  As the bird flew away I thought about the concept of not being able to get to where you can see you need to be and not being able to understand what holds you back when it appears nothing is there.  hmmmmm.....something to ponder as I finish out my artful day.

NEW NOW Moments

In March of 2013, my new home came into view and materialized.  A beautiful little apartment in the lower part of a house on an acre of land overlooking Vista out toward the sea.  In April, I began moving my belongings into the new space I now call home.

Over the period of sixty days, I enlisted friends to help me out here and there until everything from my storage locker had been moved in and arranged to turn the empty space into my new sanctuary.  The peace and joy I experience in my home is the comforting energy that allows me to get out into the world of busy and cooperate with on-the-fly people and the demands of that interaction.  Anyone who knows me publicly sees an energetic, usually happy, sometimes grousing, individual.  Anyone who knows me privately sees an introspective, thoughtful, happy and peaceful soul, moving slowly and methodically.

The land I live on is an acre of dry hard dirt that demands major maintenance and continual upkeep if plants and trees are going to survive.  I have done my best to plant a few gardens near my deck and patio area and to plant fruit trees and rose trees/bushes on the property in general.  It's coming along.  My landlord resides in the upper part of the home six months out of the year and so maintaining the property has become my responsibility while he's gone.    He is a kind and interesting man who always needs to be digging a hole in order to be happy.  Which, I believe, is great because it gives this retired dad of two adult daughters something to do 6 months out of the year when he's not visiting them.  And so, it is time for him to return to the property.

It has surprised me, taking something like this on in my life after spending two years traveling for work.  It's time in my life for this change in regard to the aspects of commitment and time management for something outside myself (like gardening and maintaining the land).  It's a welcomed change that is bringing security and enhancing my self confidence at just being and existing quietly with nature.

My business is changing and I find I am working less with decorative painting IN homes/estates/businesses and more creating decorative paintings and fine art.  I'm excited about this change and am affecting the change rather quickly.  Having discovered my interest in sculpting, I'm joining the Foundary in Fallbrook to begin creating work for which I already have buyers.  The loss of a sculpture I had been working on at another studio, my first one, was a devestating blow to my progress as an artist and to my client who wanted to purchase it.  The instructor/owner of the studio, who will remain nameless, destroyed it.  I will not get into the details here, who can get into the head of someone who is so defunct as to commit such an aggressive and devious act such as that?~  The loss of my sculpture was shocking to me.  Ah, I will always remember her; I was sculpting Mathilda of Tuscany.  Adjusting to this loss was quick and positive.  I found a new home to sculpt in (the Foundry) and a new-found freedom with the process and subject matter.  Ahhh, Mathilda, I will remember her always.

I've joined a pool league - 9ball- on Sunday nites.  Happen to be quite good at pool.  And my coach Brian, is such a confident and talented player, it makes the game fun.

I'm learning how to make shifts and changes to accomodate the NEW NOW moments life presents and am happy to be involved and living life with this intention.    Happy to be back!

Happy Holidays

I love Christmas trees!  All the beautiful types of trees and their scents are amazing!  They stand so tall and proud in a house with their trimmings imbuing light to warm us up on chilly nights.  In my hometown, The Twin Cities, snow is a-falling and people are a-shoveling.  Two feet here and a foot there!  Nothing like it!  There is a smell to crisp nights with fresh snow.  It's amazingly magical to crunch crunch through a parking lot with gifts in your hands and love in your heart for those you hold so close.

This will be the second Christmas I've spent without a home.  Last year I was in Indonesia, although I stopped back to see my family for the holiday.  And this year, due to projects out of my current town of San Diego, I packed up my belongings and put them in storage.  Having returned to the area, I'm staying with friends who are hosting me until the next project takes me out of the area.

Stacy and her husband, Adam, are making me feel welcomed with their hospitality and the comfort of their beautiful home.  How wonderful to be able to come in after working at CCA (faux painting their offices) at Palomar Airport and seeing Stacy's decorated tree!  It just warms the heart.

Today is 12/12/12....and my nieces 21st birthday.  Yay, Lauren!   I love that her birthday is so near Christmas.  It just makes this time of year so very special.  She's special.  Intelligent and beautiful, my dear one.  I watched her come into the world and wondered what she would become as she grew....so far I am impressed!  Keep up the good work, little one!  Ha!  She towers over me by about a foot!

My nephew Brant is graduating with a Business Degree this weekend and this also makes me so proud.  As well, another nephew, Brad,  has also graduated with his degree.  I am such a proud auntie!

Okay, so I started this post out with the word Happy!  Now you know why I'm happy.  I stand just as proud as the decorated trees I see!  This season, although I'm not at home with family, I am fortunate enough to be with my friends.  How cool is that?!?  Merry Christmas everyone!

Ooohhhh!  I smell cookies baking....gotta run!

Being labeled

Don't worry little lambs, all is as it should be.

Have you ever been judged or labeled by someone you don't know and told about it?  Recently I experienced this and was taken aback for a moment, well a month.

I was staying at a friends house and from that moment on everything I did was being judged by all in the househol and myself.  Didn't matter, I was living down to the description and there was nothing I could do...it just kept getting worse.  By the time I left, I was convinced this was me.  And no longer were my actions seen as kind and confident, understanding and compassionate...they were all being scrutinized under the microscopic lens of "passive-aggressiveness."

The secret is to love, no matter what.

This started me to think about how we do this to each other, in families, communities, cities, countries, etc.  How, from the moment we are born until the moment we die, we are being labeled....

Quickly analyze.  Judge.  Push into a box. Label.  Done.  Next!

Why do we do this?  Does it make living with each other easier?  Or does it make it safer?  Are we really helping when we tell each other what we think of them?  I was raised to keep opinions to myself and to not ask questions that are private.  I was raised to not share advice unless it is invited.  I was raised to accept others as they are and to not try to change someone to be more like me, but to try and adapt to the situation...which takes time and effort.  Is that it?  Do we just not have the time nor the effort to be polite any more?  We are exposed to more people in one day than our ancestors were in a month.  Is it easier to just offend those around you so you don't have to deal with them?  A sort of protective behavior?    I don't know.

My friend Andy and me at Halloween.

With every mile I drove back from Monterey to San Diego, I released a little more of that label and by the time I got home, I was back to being myself.  Perhaps a little more self-aware, but still compassionate, patient and kind.  I do wonder, however, if this little query I've just expressed is considered passive-aggressive.  And so this is how censorship starts, isn't it?   Shake it loose, Frenchie!  Shake it loose.




I think Hanes has it right, HERE'S TO BEING LABEL FREE!

talk in the coffee shop

I'm sitting in a small cafe in Monterey, enjoying a cup of coffee (with almond milk) and listening to the patrons.  I've been working in Monterey for the Mucky Duck for a couple of weeks now.  Doing a slew of murals on their patio walls.  It has been fun and the family that owns and runs The Duck are amazing hosts!  They have made sure I am taken well care of and have been 100% upstanding clients.  We have had fun and they know how to use an artist to create the ambiance they desire.  I love my job!

Back to the coffee shop.  Lots of buzz here. Opinions are moving through the air...everything from the radical right to the conservative left is being expressed here.  Just like our world right now.  However, in the coffee shop, the patrons know how to have a discussion and how to express their thoughts.  There are no real platforms being expressed en finitem, no force, even though there may be a difference of opinion.  There are just true discussions occurring here.  I desire this to be the truth for my world...I want my world to take care of itself and to stop all this fighting.

Of course, the discussions for today have touched on the unrest around the world, slander and the United States.  It is heartbreaking to see on the news or read in the papers that there is such hatred expressed against my country.  To hear such hatred.  To know this level of hatred exists.  And to have experienced mild forms of it while abroad.   I just want to give our world a hug and say, "It will be okay, we only have each other.  Let's celebrate tolerance and acceptance.  Let's embrace each other for our differences, and do it with kindness and love."

This is the mothering side of me.  I see these horrible acts we commit against each other and wonder if we are children acting out against our "parent," the authority figure.  There is something to be said about this.  However, the consequences of our actions have to do with the loss of life, the embracing of anger and hatred...our agression and ignorance supports that which is not positive and life giving/affirming but that which denies light to exist so that life can come forward.  However, unlike a child, we have no corner to go to for a "time out" so that we can consider the consequences of our actions.  Every reaction is at the cost of life.

But what does one do when they are being bullied?  When dark clouds persist and storms rage?  Do we hunker down and wait for it to pass, much like we do with bad weather?  Or, do we hold our position and try to evoke change?  Is our desire for peace and the respect of the individual worth the loss of life?  Innocent lives are taken in the name of God, justice, peace, violence and hatred.  Haven't we learned our lessons yet, children?  Force and violence are not the answer.  Running away is not the answer either.

So what is the answer?  I ponder this with my heart and there is one resounding question that keeps coming forward and so I will leave these thoughts I have shared with you, wrapped up with this final question for all the factions of our world:

"Why does everyone have to be like you?"