At the recent IPCA Synergy
Conference held last week in Atlanta, GA Seth Savarick commented during one of
the panel discussions, "It really comes down to knowing who you are".
Thank you Seth. That kind of thing doesn't come overnight nor does it come without some effort.
There's a lot of talk about women 'finding' themselves after the kids, the
career - sometimes even 'the husband'. Many of my friends are going through
changes at this age 50++++++. I think it comes down to being who you want to be
- and that's a constant goal. When you look at the past and realize the future
is what counts, you grow. You listen. I call it a life path. I moved to Western North Carolina
after that last post in 2011 and have never been happier with my decision. It
took all of 2012 to land in a place I now call home and begin to meet people I
now call friends. This year I want my art to reflect my growth. Sometimes
things sit around for a while, on my desk, in my boxes and in my brain. But
mostly, art comes to life by doing. Engaging. I learned something many years
ago from Pier Voulkos at a teacher’s retreat on Whidbey Island hosted by Karen
Murphy - start with what you like. So I did. I love faces. I like radial symmetry
and who doesn't if you like flowers. (Go tell God if you don’t like radial
symmetry – it’s innate.) So I started using canes placing the slices around the
focal. What really surprised me was the play on value that developed.
WOW. The colors seemed to weave in and out adding dimension. I noticed the
change in movement just by altering the sequences. I noticed my
favorites had high contrast. This is just too much fun and what a
great learning experience. I still didn't know what to DO with them. OK, OK -
stay tuned and you will see. But in the meantime, I have learned that
everything I have always done has laid the foundation for a new beginning and a
focus. The time to 'know myself' is now and it’s showing in my art.
Again, the IPCA Synergy
conference was amazing. More to come on that too - but what I am embracing now,
today, is that this blog will be the vehicle for the manifestation of what I've
always loved to share, building the art on elements and principles of design.
Those of you who know me - those who may have purchased my first book on the subject written in 1999 (am I really that old?) - those who realize that was the original concept of Woman Creative (which seemed also to have a life path of its own) will realize I've found my home. Home. Here. Here in the midst of artists, energies and the most beautiful inspiration you can imagine. You're welcome to join me - unedited (OMG - do I dare?) (OK, OK - only if I use spell-check when I am not inventing words) It's a new beginning
– with a new commitment - to you.
