GEORGE

SKETCHBOOK THEMES

HOMEWARD BOUND

I am loving Danny Gregory's online Sketchbook Skool. It has inspired me to be drawing all the time in my journal, and i have learned so much. There is a second journal sketchbook Skool beginning July 4th. Check it out and sign up!  I did this drawing in the car today on our way home from the Vineyard.

GENTLE STAR

quote by Kate Mullane Robertson

Combining quotes and drawings

and remaking old cards. Inspired by

kathleen Sawyer's Collage Art and

Local Wisdom Cards.

ORDINARY LIFE

LOCAL WISDOM CARDS 

                                                                   "MORE THAN KISSES, LETTERS MINGLE SOULS"   - JOHN DONNE

SHARING OUR STORIES

I'm into my third week of online "sketchbook skool". The first week Danny Gregory motivated and inspired us by encouraging us to just dive in, and to make drawing a daily habit. His opening assignment was to tell about ourselves and why we are taking this course, what we want from making art, and what's been getting in our way, and then finally what lies on the otherside for us. He says that our stories are his stories and everyone else's too.

 

 

 

Our second week was directed by Koosje Koene from Amsterdam who is extremely gifted with colored pencils and watercolors. She demonstrated making sketches and adding watercolor,  and she talked about our inner critics, but i really loved a video she made on drawing with colored pencils, and the importance of having patience and layering colors to achieve depth and richness.

Our new teacher this week is a wonderful and soulful Indian man named Prashant Miranda. So far he has shared his beautiful travel journals, parts of his family history, and detailed videos on the techniques of how to use watercolors. An early assignment was to draw an image to catch the essence of our day. I sketched mine yesterday in church, while listening to a wonderful sermon, which said much of the beauty in our world is hidden from us, such as the flowers inside their bulbs all winter long. If we limit what we see, we limit what we receive.

PORTRAITS

I met a photographer name Porter Gifford. We were bowling in Boston. I don't even know how we talked over the loud music. He inspired me to not wait for an exotic adventure, but to just start photographing strangers in my own backyard. He said it's very difficult, but excellent practice. He did a project called Portarits @ noon. I decided to look through some of my old portarits to see which ones I like and why.

ANNA

FISHING PALS

OAXACA MARKET

TISBURY FARMERS MARKET

FANNY

MORNING CATCH

ISABELLE

KIDS

A LIGHT EXISTS IN SPRING

A light exists in Spring

Not present on the year

A color stands abroad 

On solitary hills

It waits upon the lawn;

It shows the furthest tree

Then, as horizons step,

Or noons report away,

At any other period.

When March is scarcely here.

That science cannot overtake,

But human nature feels.

Upon the furthest slope we know;

It almost speaks to me.

Without the formula of sound,

It passes, and we stay: 

A quality of loss Affecting our content, As trade had suddenly encroached Upon a sacrament.  

                                                                                                                                  -EMILY DICKINSON

A SHORT JOURNEY

This past Sunday I put my dogs into the car and headed out on a journey. I drove up to Newburyport to go to the Farmer's market. When I arrived, it was too late, the market was closing up,  so I decided to wander through one of my old time favorite stores: Red Bird Trading. Fortunately I didn't find anything I thought I needed to own, but I did feel inspired. The store is really more of an art gallery. From there I spent a fair amount of time in the Jabberwocky Bookstore. I finally purchased Paul Harding's book, Enon, which I've been wanting to read after having loved Tinkers. I also bought a book for my daughter called Winter World by Bernd Heinrich. She has been a nature lover all her life, and in this lovely book the author "awakens the undiscovered mysteries by which nature sustains herself through winter's harsh, cruel exigencies." The resilience of our New England wildlife has always amazed me, and I briefly considered adding the book to the growing stack of books on my own bedside table.  Fortunately,  reality flicked me on the side of my head, and while stopping to enjoy a cup of soup,  I enjoyed skimming through the new book I would surrender over to my daughter. 

I had one of the most wonderful days, and I think my dogs did too. The best thing about it for me was that I started it out not knowing how it would end. On my car ride home, I pulled over several times to photograph the sunset. The brilliance is always there. I guess we sometimes just have to go on a short journey to find it. 

"I haven't a clue as to how my story will end. But that's all right. When you set out on a journey and night covers the road, you don't conclude the road has vanished. And how else could we discover the stars?"

                                                     -unknown

With my dogs in the car, it was now time to drive over to Plum Island and walk the beach. I couldn't believe how empty it was...oh joy! I wouldn't have to worry about my Jack Russell attacking some unsuspecting little puppy, and destroying my mindful journey. Fortunately I had remebered to bring my camera. This tree above greeted us as we approached the beach.

Just when I was beginning to accept & appreciate the subtle achromatic shades of winter, this little pink cottage warmed me into rememebering & feeling all the color and activity quietly awaiting us around the corner. 

THE HUMMINGBIRD & JULIA'S SPIRITUAL PATH TO HIGHER CREATIVITY

The hummingbird spirit animal symbolizes the enjoyment of life and lightness of being. Those who have the hummingbird as a totem are invited to enjoy the sweetness of life, lift up negativity wherever it creeps in and express love more fully in their daily endeavors. This fascinating bird is capable of the most amazing feats despite its small size, such as traveling great distances or being able to fly backwards. By affinity with the hummingbird, those who have this bird as totem may be encouraged to develop their adaptability and resiliency while keeping a playful and optimistic outlook. 

Amy Glass, posted an article on the thought catalog about men who cheat and women who let their physical selves go, and I actually read through many of the comments because, strangely enough there was a synchronicity to the timing of the subject, which in my mind has nothing to do with cheating men and out of shape woman, but everything to do with the epidemic of a lack of self-awareness, disconnection, and reacting:

WOW!...is this how we connect now? I started out  just going online to check my emails and was suddenly sidetracked by this article, and I am now questioning my priorities and regretting the time I wasted. Is this how we hope to have our voices heard? Through a reactionary retort to some random online blog. I'm guilty of reactionary disconnection. Recently, having woken up teary in bed, I made myself a cup of coffee and decided I needed to write a letter to my husband, feeling disconnected from many things, not just him. By the end of my letter, through the expression of my thoughts and emotions, I felt reconnected to a lightness of being...like I could get on with enjoying my life. Through reflection I realized that our habits, after 28 years of marriage, are not who we are. All this online connection disconnects me. I need human connection. I don't want to automatically turn on the television anymore...I want my husband to teach me how to play chess, and I don't want to be so busy that I can't stop and sit and talk and listen. I want to read the Sunday paper together, and share indepth conversations, and to cherish the simple pleasure that comes to us from making eachother laugh.

I want to really FEEL his hand when we're holding hands because I need his touch, and I don't want regrets or to be uncomfortable with getting old and with wrinkles and grey hair. Wisdom and age are a thousand times more beautiful than anything. I realized all this through writing a letter. I have loved being a stay at home mom, and I feel blessed that I was able to be a stay at home mom. It was my choice and now I have the choice to continue learning new things every day. My relationships are the most important thing in my life. Change is more rapid than ever, but I won't allow my priorities to change. Marriage is f...ing hard, but so are all relationships. They demand so much more than our disconnected partial attention. They deserve our attention and patience and time. Like the hummingbird we need to learn to travel great distances and sometimes even be able to fly backwards, to lift up our negativity and express our love more fully throughout our daily lives.  Writing allows me to pause and clarify things. When I feel emotionally and physically connected my life is so much better. We have the ability to be more fulfilled and connected if we challenge ourselves to be openminded and receptive. We live in a world that can seem to be dominated by pressure and negativity... Practice the lightness of being, and enjoy the sweetness of life. Diconnect and write a letter to someone you love and become reconnected.  

I've been reviewing The Artist's way, by Julia Cameron. Maybe Amy Glass needs to sign up for Julia's spiritual path to a higher creativity. 

 Yesterday I photographed this hummingbird ornament. I couldn't bring myself to put it away, and now its all coming together. The hummingbird ornament symbolizes the lifting up of negativity,  the enjoyment of life and the lightness of being, which for me were recently reclaimed by turning off my computer, writing a letter, and rereading The Artist's Way. If we pay attention, connections are everywhere.

THINGS TO SHARE

While visiting Marthas Vineyard last weekend, I discovered Danielle Mulcahy, Illustrator, Filmmaker, and Multimedia Artist. I bought this small strand of felted acorns she made so I would remember her. I just spent some time looking at her website, and loved her short films.

One of Danielle Mulcahy's illustrations of a deer reminded me of one of my favorite paintings I own by the artist Shannon Richardson. With each of her paintings she includes a narrative. She named this painting "Cloud watchers" and the narrative goes like this:

"I find appreciating the simple beauty and joy in life is achieved more easily with a companion. When I am by myself, quite often, I become very focused on the thoughts in my mind, the endless chattering in my head, lists of things to do, goals, concerns, conversations I want to have, things I should or should not do, but when I have a quiet moment with someone close I tend to live more presently and in the silence of comfortable companionship. Then I am able to be in the moment and to look around me for something beautiful I can share with that friend."

I've been making some new necklaces and wearing them around to see what kind of response I get. This moonstone necklace has been very popular, and I have to say it's become one of my favorites. These moonstone beads are so beautiful and luminescent...and expensive! 

Danielle's acorns reminded me of the work of my lifelong friend, Lisa Ghriskey. Lisa is an amazing multimedia artist. If you are interested in seeing more of her beautiful felt animals you can contact me.

AVENTURINE BRIOLETTE NECKLACE

Time To Experiment

I had some time this weekend to think outside the box, and to experiment, so I played around with these photographs of trees in Adobe lightroom. I didn't spend too much time with my trees,  just basically moved the color saturation all the way up and the clarity all the way down. 

                    FELIX NECK

           WILDLIFE SANCTUARY

I made some new necklaces, but had nobody to model them except for me and Sammy, so I used my tripod to shoot a self portrait, and then coerced Sammy to pose for me out back. He was extremely cooperative.

I don't generally like manipulating my photographs…I prefer natural lighting and keeping it simple, although I'm thinking I may need to step outside my box and experiment alittle more. 

ETSY

I am now open for business on ETSY! The name of my shop is Barbarazparker…not very creative, but consistent. My assistant editors, techies and nudgers were my sister-in-law and her two daughters.  Here we are modeling some of my necklace designs. You can go to my new etsy account to view my one and only item at this moment.  More stuff is waiting to be posted…be patient. I will be retailing only my most favorite & dependable go tos. Our throw away society drives me crazy, so I like creating art that is simple and durable. My pieces are meant to be ones that endure, items that go everywhere with you and are perfect for all occasions…with your little black dress or casual shirt and jeans.

GRATITUDE

A quote on my fridge reads:  "In the stillness I remember what is important". I'm sitting at my kitchen island, alone in my house except for the dogs and cats. I've regained control over my laundryroom so I'm slowly beginning to make a dent in the overstuffed hamper. Nobody is around to borrow my computer charger, so my computer is recharging as I type, and I'm listening to Lori McKenna radio on Pandora, because noone is here to change the station.  Alison Krauss and the Union Station just finished singing, "When you say nothing at all"…A smile on your face let's me know that you need me…  This holiday season our house has been alive with smiles, family and friends, laughter, some tears, worries and turmoil, amazing food, the scent of evergreens, glowing lights, essential conversations, and an abundance of warm hello and good-bye embraces, but now suddenly all is quiet. In the stillness, as I watch the birds fervently fly to and from the feeders,  I remember what is important…Gratitude.  

WHAT CAN YOU SEE WITH YOUR EYES CLOSED?

     This is my newest necklace design.  I made it with my favorite green glass czech beads. I don't ever want to run out of these beads because I absolutely love everything about them…their color, their shape, their feel. It seems so arbitrary how we become attached to certain things. What cerebral wiring differentiates the hoarder from the minimalist? Is the minimalist happier and freer and more imaginative? I am inclined to think so. Just the fact that I have this unhealthy desire to hoard these bright smooth gems, makes me realize that it is time to deplete my inventory and move on.

     I'm a visual person, and until a couple of years ago when I experienced two large tears in my retina, I had always taken my eyesight for granted.  Growing up in Morristown, NJ, home of the Seeing Eye Headquaters, it would have been uncommon to drive through the city and not see at least a couple of trainers out with their dogs. We always looked for them and I remember thinking what a cool job that would be…in fact I still think so, even though the thought of being blind has always scared me.  My daughter, Anna and I unanimously agreed that we would choose deafness over blindness if we were forced to make the decision.  Still, I am intrigued, and wonder about blindness. I always feel such compassion and admiration when I see a blind person. I remember loving the Goldie Hawn movie, Butterflies are free, and a short story by Raymond Carver called Cathedral, where a man learns, through his wife's blind friend, how change is possible in life. I have never known anyone who has lost their eyesight, yet I am sure they could teach me many things about seeing.

     Our four kids were home for Thanksgiving and there was a palpable energy that could be felt with my eyes closed … damp, brisk air and warm bodies, conversations and laughter, barking dogs and quietude, and later into the night guitar music acompanying a soft bluesy voice. Maybe we can improve our imaginations if we practice focusing on what we can see with our eyes closed. Maybe then I wouldn't be so scared.   

WHERE ALL MY LOVED ONES PLAY

                             IN LOVING MEMORY OF STAR AND PATCH 

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2013

On this windy November morning,

Before the first glimpse of light,

I imagined exactly where in the field,

My dear steer had slept the night.

In the dark as I quickly dressed,

I could see them side by side,

And knowing this as my last morning’s feed

On my way to the barn I cried.

My friends are old and their joints are stiff,

It’s hard for them to stand,

Yet by the time I reach the fence,

They are there to smell my hand.

Back and forth from barn to pasture,

I carry them grassy hay,

Do they question me feeding them grain before night?

I will feed them grain all day.

Their steady, dependable, gentle ways

Have gifted me years of calm.

The touch of their ears and their big soft noses

Imprinted for life in my palm.

It’s breaking my heart to say good-bye,

But it’s time to let them go.

And through their leaving I can finally cry

For the great love and sadness I know.

And later tonight with a full moon out

On this windy November day

I’ll go to that snug place deep in my heart,

Where all my loved ones play.

COMING ALIVE

                                                  “Don’t ask yourself what the world needs.

                                      Ask yourself what makes you come alive and then go do that.

                                     Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”

                                                                      —Howard Thurman

Danny Gregory posted the quote above at the end of one of his recent blogs, about being an artist. 10 minutes ago, after reading it, I filled this little feeder with bread, peanutbutter and seeds, and photographed it hanging from the Elm tree we planted in our back yard. Two minutes ago I received a phonecall that an old childhood friend, who had been bravely battling cancer, quietly passed away in the night. What makes me feel alive are connections…Quiet Sunday mornings, like this one, after a very condensed busy week, allow me to read Danny's blog, where he makes thought-provoking comments on being an artist, and the Howard Thurman quote which inspires me to think about who I am and why certain images call to me to be photographed, and in these still & easy moments, like now, where I can sit and listen, I am suddenly in the best place I could be for a very sad phone call. Coming alive is about connections. Letting go is only physical…the meaningful connections remain forever strong inside of all of us.    

WHAT'S THE HURRY? STRUCTURES AND DREAMS

I have a long list of things I need to get done today, and all within a tightly timed schedule, but here I am. What's the Hurry? I led a creative writing group yesterday at my church, and "What's the hurry?" was one of the many prompts I offered my writing ladies. So, I was just about to head out to the barn to tidy up after my two steer, Star & Patch, who I let hunker in under the shed roof of the barn now that it's getting cold, and they are old, but….

...in deciding to take a quick look at the most recent Houzz email, I discovered a wonderful romantic story, and I needed to comment on it. I keep glancing over my shoulder at the red wall clock. I have time. What's the hurry

We own a 600 square foot home surrounded by preservation land that we want to expand on ever so minimally. I've been hesitant, afraid of changing it, but Lilah and Nick's dreams inspired me. The video is titled,  "This glass walled cabin that romance built."The thing I love so much about our house is its small size, and the freeness and creativity I feel when i am there. I worry about loosing that by adding on, but as Lilah says,  I need to be able to share this special place.

CONNECTION

I've been traveling alot and meeting people in random places along the way, while sitting on a couch in JCrew, at a dog park in NYC,  a farmers' market in West Tisbury, and out on the West coast where I met a man and his daughter on a rainy day playing in the pacific ocean. I love synchronous moments that allow us to make unexpected spontaneous connections. I am convinced they enhance my life.

Connection seems to be a common theme for me these days, probably because I'm more aware of feeling disconnected than ever before, so what do I do, but turn to my computer screen. I'm not browsing the web or stalking friends on facebook, although I do occasionally scroll through, and on a rare occasion I am inspired to share something on my blog.  This morning I watched this video below posted by a friend and I liked it alot. 

Robert Gordon introduced it:

"We, as human beings, think that through social networks, we’ve somehow become more social creatures.

The problem with this theory is, the more we “connect” online, the less actual human interactions we have, making us actually fairly unsocial.

A new video breaks down exactly how the social aspects of human beings have evolved and transformed, showing how we’ve regressed from a social standpoint.

Shimi Cohen shows exactly what’s wrong with our social structure now, and how we manipulate how we want to be presented to peers, family members, and potential mates on social media, rather than having vulnerable and genuine conversations in real time.

Check out this video, and take a moment to truly assess how you conduct yourself, both online and in person.

THE PINECONE

I found this pinecone on one of my walks through the woods and photographed it on a sheet of black paper.

                 So beautiful.

"Few scholars realize it, but the pine cone alludes to the highest degree of spiritual illumination possible."