Manifesting Change in 2023

Manifesting Change in 2023

Jan 31, 2023 | Essay, Reflections, Self Improvement, watercolor

January just HUMMED by!!!

I am amped up about the potential inherent in a new year.  I’ve said it before- there is nothing special about January.  Really, it’s just another day and another month and another opportunity to try again.  Life should be about the Mulligan!

But I guess what makes January special is the communal effort and will to try to do better.  When we are all striving to make changes it seems more accepted to deviate from our usual behavior.  And then there is the magical power of symbolism which lends its weight to helping us turn over new leaves-  even if just for a few moments! 

Change is exciting- but damned difficult!  Change the side of the bed you sleep on for one night? Never. Change the part in your hair?  Not happening.  Change up your menu selection at your favorite restaurant?  Are you crazy?!  People are creatures of habit.  I am a creature of habit.  Habits are reassuring because we know what to expect. We know how much pleasure or discomfort we can expect.  We just feel RIGHT in that spot- not in any other spot.   So, change only comes through concerted effort, and perhaps the magic of symbolism is there to help us through the difficult transitions.

For the past few years I have been attempting to change the course of my daily life.  I don’t remember the moment when I adopted the belief that if I wanted to pursue art I just needed to do it.  But committing myself to learning and doing EVERY day has brought me a good distance from my starting point.  I am proud of what I have accomplished.  I am also motivated by the small victories to push for larger ones.  All this contemplation led to my word of the year for 2023- MANIFEST.

In 2020, as I was committing to this idea of becoming who I want to be, I decided to adopt a word to guide me through the year.  The word was “bold”.  I took my cue from Nature.  Mother Nature is the world’s first avant-garde artist, the premier haute-couture designer, Gaudy’s earliest ancestor.  Mother Nature fashioned life from the most unimaginable shapes then colored them with an explosion of colors and patterns that would make Tim and Heidi simply gnash their teeth while hissing “edit!”.  Nature did not worry about what the heavens would say about such garish creations.  The result-  a globe filled with color and beauty that man continues weakly to emulate.

I am amped up about the potential inherent in a new year. I’ve said it before- there is nothing special about January. Really, it’s just another day and another month and another opportunity to try again. Life should be about the Mulligan!</p> <p>But i guess what makes January special is the communal effort and will to try to do better. When we are all striving to make changes it seems more accepted to deviate from our usual behavior. And then there is the magical power of symbolism which lends its weight to helping us turn over new leaves- even if just for a few moments! </p> <p>Change is exciting- but damned difficult! Change the side of the bed you sleep on for one night? Never. Change the part in your hair? Not happening. Change up your menu selection at your favorite restaurant? Are you crazy?! People are creatures of habit. I am a creature of habit. Habits are reassuring because we know what to expect. We know how much pleasure or discomfort we can expect. We just feel RIGHT in that spot- not in any other spot. So, change only comes through concerted effort, and perhaps the magic of symbolism is there to help us through the difficult transitions.</p> <p>For the past few years i have been attempting to change the course of my daily life. I don’t remember the moment when I adopted the belief that if I wanted to pursue art I just needed to do it. But committing myself to learning and doing EVERY day has brought me a good distance from my starting point. I am proud of what i have accomplished. I am also motivated by the small victories to push for larger ones. All this contemplation led to my word of the year for 2023- MANIFEST.</p> <p>In 2020, as I was committing to this idea of becoming who I want to be, I decided to adopt a word to guide me through the year. The word was “bold”. I took my cue from Nature. Mother Nature is the world’s first avant-garde artist, the premier haute-couture designer, Gaudy’s earliest ancestor. Mother Nature fashioned life from the most unimaginable shapes then colored them with an explosion of colors and patterns that would make Tim and Heidi simply gnash their teeth while hissing “edit!”. Nature did not worry about what the heavens would say about such garish creations. The result- a globe filled with color and beauty that man continues weakly to emulate.

My internal dialogue about the role-model of Mother Nature and the adjective “Bold” was extensive, so I decided to put paint to paper as a visual reminder throughout the year.  The resulting watercolor showcased animals of the sea and exotic plants of the world.

Choosing a single word to guide my actions that year proved effective- far more effective than resolutions!  So, this year, as I reflected on my progress and where I want to be, the word “manifest” repeatedly appeared. I knew the universe was gifting me my guiding principle for the year.

“Manifest” reminds me to stop waiting and start doing. It’s a firm admonition that nothing will be given to me freely.  But when I give myself to the work, I will receive in kind.  (A little side note here… a pat on my own back and an ask of you.  I made and edited my first little video this week!  Tackling video was on last year’s list of skills to acquire, but I tackled it early this year!  Do me a little favor and give it a look.  https://fb.watch/ioVgMWQUXD/

I’d like to know how you approach a new year.  Do you set resolutions? Adopt a word? Fashion a list of goals and actionable steps?  I would LOVE to hear how you are welcoming the new year!

In the Studio

I have been painting humming birds!  These are small 6×6 originals that I am selling at Hummingbird Fine Craft.  If you are outside of the Tulsa area and would like to purchase one from me directly, send me an email.  I am selling them for $60.  Currently, I don’t have plans to print them.  If you would like to see what is available, use this link or navigate to my home page.   More hummingbirds will finish up January and then I will start over with a new theme-  Rabbit!

Off the Shelf

(What I’m Reading Now)

Colleen Oakes     Blood in Wonderland

James Clear    Atomic Habits

TASCHEN    Plant Magick

Neon Zeppelins and Parchment Sculpture: Connecting the Dots

Neon Zeppelins and Parchment Sculpture: Connecting the Dots

Jul 1, 2022 | Art, Essay, Reflections, watercolor

It begins with a single squeaky note, like a neglected gate hinge, but then it undulates moving up and down on the heavy motionless air, an ancient song declaring the sacredness of summer.  Summer temperatures arrived weeks ago, but it is the recital of this ancient song that marks the summer season for me.  As a solo,  the song feels mournful.  But as a chorus, it is a cacophony of community.

I spotted the first hollow shell days ago, a delicate parchment sculpture clinging to the rail.  I must have been distracted because the significance didn’t occur to me.  But two evenings later when I heard the mournful solo, my ears pricked and my heart leapt- “the song of summer”.  That’s the moment I recalled the parchment husk—-  Where did I see it?  When did I see it?  Those details are lost to me.

Life’s like that.  Small observations barely noticed- but later they rise into our consciousness like neon zeppelins.  Lately I’ve been trying to open myself to the forgotten observations that have brought me to today.  That sounds estoteric, but it’s not.  It’s really just me trying to discern how I became the “me” of today.  Sometimes a little memory lights up and I connect another dot.

The little light that shone this week?  A sudden remembrance of the year my mother purchased picture books for me.  I can’t remember if it was Christmas or my birthday- only that I was no longer a child.  But she knew me well enough to know that pretty illustrations were my shiny objects.

In the glow of this light another observation lit up- Jan Brett.  When my children were young, I LOVED buying them books and reading to them.  The great thing about toddlers is that YOU can choose the books!  And after discovering the totality of a Jan Brett illustration, I purchased many Jan Brett titles (thank you, Kohl’s.).  The stories were afterthoughts.  I fell in love with her style, each illustration flanked with illumination of sort.

Last week I became re-acquainted with Fables and the artwork of Mark Buckingham.  Years ago the stories intrigued me, but this time I brought fresh eyes to the newly launched title.  THIS time, I drank in the art FIRST.  Observing myself, I surprised myself.  Why didn’t I see the art 20 years ago?  Perhaps I did.  Memory is a fickle thing.

From the abandoned shell to the newly discovered comic page, I am connecting dots,  I am excited to find the next, and the next.  Do you connect dots?

In the Studio

The snail and thrush are two of my watercolor sketchbook entries I completed this month.  The thrush is flanked with illumination-inspired panels.

Since May I have loaded a ton of new products into my Society6 store, including desk mats, beach towels, acrylic trays, wrapping paper, and so much more!  I am really proud of these designs!  Use the links to take a peek.  While there, follow my shop, drop some hearts on your fave products, and check out their Sale!  Promotions regularly rotate.

As always, you can acccess my entire Society6 shop from the Shopping tab.

Check out the beach towel!
Check out this mini print!
Check out this backpack!
Check out this desk mat!

A Singing House Whistles While I Work

A Singing House Whistles While I Work

Apr 11, 2022 | Art, Digital Art, Essay, Garden, Humor, pattern design, Reflections, Surface Pattern Design, watercolor

April blew in with such ferocity this year!  My doorways have been moaning for weeks on end- a slightly eery sound that I have begun to liken to Moaning Myrtle.  If you have never heard your house “sing” before, I will explain.  The wind comes through the gaps with such strength that it causes the copper flashing to vibrate and intonate.  The first time I heard it, nearly 19 years ago, I was home alone with my babies while my husband was away on a business trip.  It frightened me until I was able to process what was happening.  But I digress.  Resuming….

As I sat down to write today I reviewed my posts from 2022 and I startled myself with how much I wanted to share with you.  I have let more time slip by than I intended.  So, please, pause here to grab a cup of tea, a glass of wine, or perhaps a cookie and a glass of milk.  But get comfortable and let’s catch up!

In January I shared my Intentions for 2022 and it is important to me that I continue that conversation.  Accountability.  I set these five intentions for 2022:

  1. Eat more veggies!
  2. Keep a cleaner garden.
  3. Become more disciplined in my approach to learning.
  4. Learn to create process videos.
  5. Create free downloads for my website subscribers BEFORE March!

Let me start with Number 5-  I’m a little late, but I have done it!  I have created my first free download for you.  It is only the first; you can plan on more.  When visitors sign up to receive email from me they will be taken to a Thank You page where they can download the freebie.  Those who are already on my mailing list will receive a separate email with their link.  This first freebie is a bookmark.  I haven’t decided how long the free bookmark will be available, so download it when you receive the email.   If you have troubles with the download or you don’t receive your email, just let me know.  I will post a follow-up blog entry with suggestions for how to print your bookmark.

Flowering Quince Bookmark

Plant Babies!

New Art!   “Hummingbird with Screen”

Number 4-  Sadly, I haven’t even BEGUN to tackle this one.  Let’s get that garden growing first!

Number 3-  Becoming more disciplined in my approach to learning has been a biggie for me.  Sometimes I feel like I am stalling out-  but when I grant myself a little grace and look at my work with objectivity I see great strides here.  I have spent considerable time painting birds lately under the tutelage of several self-guided classes with differing approaches and strengths.  The instructor in me says I haven’t earned an A- yet.  But, I will get there! 

Number 2-  Oh My!  In order to keep a cleaner garden, I have to clean it first!  The ideal time would have been Winter- but if you know me, you know I hibernate when the weather is anything less than 68 degrees F.  So, that leaves Spring.  And if you are a parent, or remember parenting school-aged children (or adults), then you remember how your calendar can simply explode overnight!

My son is a Senior in high school and just attended prom this past weekend.  Graduation events are beginning to fill the calendar.  Soccer matches have begun to populate the little white squares.  And in between grass fires, weird cold snaps, and the occasional promise of severe storms, I know the garden is calling!  But each day only holds 24 hours and I demand to sleep at least 7 of them, so something gets ignored each day.

In the past I have delayed gardening until the last possible minute holding onto the fear of losing seeds and seedlings in Spring Flash Floods or odd late frosts.  This year won’t be much different.  I have begun to clean out last year’s crops, but I haven’t finished.  We haven’t even turned on our irrigation system yet.  The baby plants are thriving in my studio nursery.  I have sown a few seeds outside, with disappointing results.  If the wind wasn’t bad enough, the squirrels immediately dug up the fresh soil.  The morning after planting seeds I discovered holes dug all over my cleared beds!

Last-  1.  Eat more veggies!      Do convenience salads count?  We haven’t made a heap of progress here-  but, if you recall, the whole point of setting Intentions instead of Resolutions is to emphasize the PROCESS or the journey.  I have eaten a few extra salads, which is easier as it becomes increasingly warmer.

Your turn-  Did you set any Intentions, or resolutions, this year?  Did you share them with anyone?  If not, I invite you to share them with me.  You can include them in a comment or send me an email.  I would love to return the favor of being your accountability partner.

Hops - A Rabbit

T-Shirts & Stickers

Available Now!

Click Here
Lingering Near the Path- Introspection by a Commitment-Challenged Creative

Lingering Near the Path- Introspection by a Commitment-Challenged Creative

Feb 4, 2022 | Cooking, Essay, Garden, Humor, Reflections, Surface Pattern Design, Watercolor

Hello, my name is Renee and I am an online-class junkie. I have spent thousands of dollars on classes and subscriptions and BOOKS. Wait- I don’t think this is the debilitating condition that plagues me. Under closer scrutiny, it is not an addiction to purchasing self-learning tools, but rather a refusal to commit to the process that has dampened the joy in my art life. I purchase all these classes and books to learn but then I fail to commit to the learning process.

Periodically I interrogate my inferior self- “Why don’t you follow through? Do you think you know more than the instructor? Are you too good for those exercises? Or is it just that you know you are going to fail? You are afraid that you will follow along to the letter and your bird, or portrait, or tonal strip is going to be shit!” My inferior self winces, squeezes her ears shut against the harsh line of questioning and begins whimpering… “No. I don’’t think I am too good. I just ran out of time. I am too tired at the end of the day. I can’t stay focused- there are too many other things clamoring for my attention.”

Weak excuses that all harbor a bit of truth. But that doesn’t mean I should hand all my power over to them. So- this year I intend to take my power back!

In my last blog entry,  I mentioned that in place of “resolutions” I have made intentions. A resolution seems to imply a 180 degree change in behavior. In my mind, the word intention implies that there is more room to make the turn and more than one way to succeed. Because I am so easily lured off the path I have set one of my 2022 intentions to become more disciplined in my approach to learning.

Being aware that I have strayed is the first step. It sounds obvious and easy, but how often have you set out to respond to a text or email only to discover an hour later that you have been watching cute kitten videos on Tiktok for the last 45 minutes? Now cute kitten videos are rarely my nemesis, but you get the picture.

In January I set out to complete a very simple watercolor class on Skillshare. I have managed to follow along- but only by self correcting over and over again. It has taken me WEEKS to get through the class. As I immersed myself in the painting process one evening, I became self-aware. I noticed when the impatience began to set in. And then I talked myself down. I reminded myself that I enjoy getting lost in the process when I permit myself to do so. Until I become a competitive sprinter- time is not important. Who cares how long it takes me to finish the project, or a simple flower?!

How often do I fail to follow through because I do not give myself permission to surrender to time? I think this should be my mantra for February- Surrender to time. Surrender to process.

In the Studio

I embarked on this Folk Art journey for three reasons: 1. to practice following through  2.  I wanted to use folk art flowers in my current project  3.  simplifying forms is difficult for me.

In addition to playing with folk art, I created “Siracha” (a working title) from inked line work to digital painting.  I will post the finished piece next week.  I am super excited by it!

In the Shop

You can find Valentine’s in my Hummingbird Fine Craft shop.  Coming this month… new travel cups.  I have restocked the scissortail travel cup and will be introducing two new ones to the shop-  “You Make My Heart Sing” and “Scissortail Flycatcher with Rose Rocks”.

For other products or if you don’t live in Tulsa, be sure to check out the Society6 shopping tab under the Shop menu at the top.

 

In the Kitchen 

With snow on the ground, it’s a great time to make bread and use what’s in the freezer!  Today I revived summer with a batch of Roasted Tomato Soup with garden “fresh” tomatoes from the freezer. 

Roast frozen whole tomatoes drizzled with olive oil in oven at 425 for 15-20 minutes.  Drizzle sweet onion slices and cloves of garlic with oil and add to tomato pan.  Increase temp to 450 and roast for 20-30 minutes until onions are golden brown.  I then add this pan of gooey goodness to a pot with homemade beef broth (or chicken), 4 TBSP butter,  and bay leaves.  Simmer for 30-40 minutes. Remove bay leaves, season, add 1/2 Cup or so of chopped fresh basil and use immersion blender to create smooth soup.  Add in some milk or cream to finish it.  My fresh Basil came from my counter-top Pod Garden.

 

Add a loaf of Sour Dough Bread with Cracked Pepper, Rosemary, and Walnuts and you have the perfect snow-day supper!  A few years back I took a bread baking class with Cat Cox and it has been money and time well-spent!  Using her techniques and basic instructions, I have created countless creative loaves of bread- all stunning and irresistible!  If you get a chance and you are in Tulsa, take a class with @CatCoxBaker!

Summer's Bounty on Winter's Day

Digging into 2022; Reflections on the New Year Revolution

Digging into 2022; Reflections on the New Year Revolution

Jan 19, 2022 | Art, Cooking, Essay, Garden, Humor, Reflections, Watercolor

January 1st signifies new beginnings, a fresh new calendar and the promise of a better self and a better tomorrow.  Well-oiled gears of capitalism quickly speed up, cranking out magic machines and elixirs to give us the bodies we admire in the media.  Gurus across all spiritual and economic planes sell us subscriptions to their wisdom so we too can rake in the six figure incomes while vacationing on our Covid-proof private yachts in the middle of a sparkling Mediterranean.

Each year I am slower and slower to join in the New Year Revolution.  This year is no different.  It’s CERTAINLY not because my svelte twenty-like body doesn’t need some attention.  In fact, after nearly 2 years in the Covid-Free Pub of my own living room, downing beers and “bar food”, my body would appreciate a good detox and a steady regimen of downward dog.

Nor am I late to join the Revolution because of an out-of-control-wildfire art career that I created from nothing but aluminum cans and social media followings.

Nope.  The increased velocity of time itself has opened my eyes to the silliness of the whole shadow play.  We all know we have the ability to change tomorrow every day.  However, I am grateful for the collective will to examine the past in order to forge the future.  Remember those gurus I spoke of earlier?  Well, I am pretty sure they would tell me the first step to change is accountability.  In other words, SHOUT those intentions to the mother-f-ing universe.  So, friends, that is what we have happening here today.

  1. Eat more veggies!
  2. Keep a cleaner garden.
  3. Become more disciplined in my approach to learning.
  4. Learn to create process videos.
  5. Create free downloads for my website subscribers BEFORE March!

Now its your turn.  Hold me to the fire.  If all six of you return a comment, we can break the internet! 🙂  In all seriousness, it makes my day to hear from you.  You can send me your favorite way to eat veggies.  Gardening tips.  Or tell me what my first free download should be-  a printable bookmark? A wallpaper for your phone?  Something else?

And don’t forget to check out Hummingbird Fine Craft in the Pearl District of Tulsa.  Make an afternoon of it.  There is a Cuban cafe next door, a kick-ass vinyl (record) store across the street, and The Church Studio (also across the street) will be opening soon!  So you can shop for locally created crafts and art, grab lunch, and pick out some tunes all in the same outing.

Carter – Happy Tail, Gentle Soul

Carter – Happy Tail, Gentle Soul

Jan 9, 2022 | Essay, Reflections, Watercolor, watercolor

New year- new beginnings.  That has been the theme tumbling inside my mind for weeks.  I have much to say on the matter- but the narrative changed this morning.  This morning the inevitable happened- the moment I have been dreading arrived.  Today my husband, daughter, son, and Django gathered around Carter to bid our farewells.

 

I have been steeling myself for this day for the past year as I have watched Carter slip away-  another hapless victim to old age.  Arthritis, dementia, loss of vision, deafness.  But before the bandits of time robbed him of his senses and abilities, he was the kindest, happiest dog I have ever known.  When he was 6 or 7 he tore his Achilles tendon in two.  I took him to Oklahoma City to have it surgically repaired.  The surgery included external fixatures and hardware.  Twice a day I cleaned the points of entry where the stainless screws attached the rod to the bone.  Twice a week I drove him to OKC for doctor’s visits.  And for 8 weeks he was confined to a crate.  His tail NEVER quit wagging.  The surgeon couldn’t believe how cooperative and joyful Carter remained.  He healed well and quickly resumed running and jumping.  

 

I spent the day leaning on busyness to keep me moving forward.  This will be the way of things for awhile.  Carter was an integral member of our household for 16 years.  I will miss snuggling with him on the sofa while watching television.  Studio time without him curled nearby will feel strangely lonely.

 

So, while the new year is filled with exciting promise, it has begun with the pain of losing a constant companion.  We had his body cremated and now I must decide what we will engrave on his box.  I think it will simply be “Happy Tail, Gentle Soul”.  Rest in peace my friend.  

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Join the mailing list to be notified of new blog posts, shop updates, and the latest studio adventures.

Thanks for joining me on this journey!