The Three Year Painting

It may not look like much, but after sitting partially done in my studio forEVER, I have finally finished this painting. A complete lack of artistic confidence combined with my inability to commit to an idea has left this painting hanging in limbo for three years! First I painted the blue background, and I liked the way it turned out so much, I became paralyzed by the idea that the next thing I did might ruin it. (I have no idea now what the original plan was.) So it sat for months and months. Every once in awhile I would sketch some ideas for it, but still the fear of ruining it prevented any action. A year or so ago, while I was working on my paper bowls, I stuck on a few pieces of red paper, and hey! It looked good! Oh-oh. Now I liked it even more. Total paralysis! This Monday, for whatever reason, I couldn't stand it any longer. This creative thorn in my side had to be finished for better or worse. So I did a quick sketch of the little bird, pulled out a brush and some paint, and Voila!
The best part is, after not painting a thing for ages (I'm talking years not months), I dusted off some blank canvases and paint tubes yesterday :-)
hello to letting go of the outcome and just playing for the pure fun of it.

Under the B... Seven!

I'm taking a ten week Activity Director course through the local Community College. The catalogue says "This course is designed to prepare individuals to seek employment as an activity director in a long-term care facility." To be honest, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. Classes on how to jazz up your BINGO calling? Top 10 sing-along medleys? The class meets every Tuesday and Thursday for three hours, and so far we have mainly covered all the organizations one should become a member of and the State and Federal rules about qualifications. One of the requirements is to do four hours of "practicum" each week, so I did my first one on Thursday. Ok, it wasn't BINGO, although I am told that BINGO really is the most popular event of the week (... I guess, cliches are cliches for a reason). I had no idea such a class even existed, so when I came across the ad in the course catalogue, I thought it might be a sign from the Universe telling me this may be something I'll want to pursue when I grow up.

Cat got your tongue?

If I have little to say, is it better to just let the blog sit dormant? Or one day, sitting in the home, reading over these posts like an old diary, will I wonder what was going on in my life during the lapses into silence? Last week was busy so that was my excuse, but I think overall, I am just in the ebb phase of the post Christmas ebb and flow. I feel like cocooning. Curling up with books and tea and flannel pants with elastic waistbands. I leave the message light on the phone blinking and think, "I'll check it later..." I don't feel blue, just a little faraway.

Scenes From the Beach