Solstice glow approaching

Every day grows a little shorter. The deep night's darkness lingers longer in the mornings and falls heavier and swifter come late afternoon's twilight. These are the times of hibernation, of restoration. Of quiet and insight. I can't help but feel a spark of magic when gazing out on that oblique and golden burnished glow stretching across the land in front of me. I always feel a little joyous and comforted, like I am the one being wrapped in that savory incandescence.

In the stillness leaves crunch and twigs snap as I take each step. Each step is precious contact with the sleepy ground, rising and heaving in places where there is moisture and the cold air hits. It is a combination of folklore and science, this sacred time of year. And as the air thickens, what would normally be rain crystalizes and turns white. I can feel my senses heighten and my thoughts turn inward. I already have my thermos stashed in one of the water bottle pockets in my pack. It is filled with ginger tea that I spent an hour simmering, then mixed with honey. To keep the fire in my soul aflame. I will find a spot to sit and enjoy this simple, soul warming libation.

And it is simple things like this that stir me. They gently nudge me awake and give me bright inspiration for the day. No matter the day, I am ready for the Solstice. I am ready for the dawn of that short day that signifies the end of one years cycles and begins the excitement of what is to come. Each dawning of a new day, each evening as that Solstice glow approaches. An infinite cycles continues on.

Until then, I will sit out in the fresh air, and think and smile and breathe. I will feel the deep slow inhale as my heartbeat slows and steadies itself, then exhale, watching a steamy cloud of hot breath reach out into the world. One more way to connect me. I will enjoy the four-legged (and one 3-legged) beasts sprinting around me playing, sniffing, exploring the scene before settling down nearby to demolish a stick or just sit by me and observe the world around. I appreciate their closeness, their bond with me and mine with them. This is our sacred space. Maybe our spot is out on top of the hill, above the treeline, on top of a giant boulder left behind from a glacier's travels to the sea. Maybe it is sitting on a fallen tree across marshy land or along the swamp trail that winds its way through a magical place that shows a fine balance between life and death and how one is nothing without the other.

These are the places where I sit and ponder and learn.

About the environment around me,

About the earth.

About connection.

About myself.

There is joy in this simplicity.

I always have my camera and sketchbook in my pack. Always. But sometimes there are just moments that I swear a for me only. I am alone in the time and space, like natures gift to me.

It is so good. I am humbled and honored.

Untitled

(Inside my studio: My 'years of collecting' yarn stash, Painting in progress, feather collection...
Well part of it anyway, it is pretty extensive!)


I once had a artist friend of mine (ie: went to and taught at prestigious art schools) tell me that I am not an artist, I should not call myself an artist, rather I should call myself a crafter. And she said it as if my work was not worthy of being considered art. She said an artist is someone who dedicates to one medium and explores that medium until it is exhausted and then explores it some more...

I have thought long and hard about it, about what those two words mean (to me anyway). I think of an artist being like a scientist, someone who is exploring and experimenting to get to the next stage in the hypothesis. Trying different mediums and avenues to find the final conclusion. And I don't believe they have to dedicate to one medium alone. And I believe that a crafter is someone who makes things, usually functional things or things with a specific purpose (other than just being beautiful, which I believe is a purpose all on its own) developing a special skillset. Crafting, to me, is largely based on functionality and skill.

So what if I do both? It seems to me that there is a fine line dividing these two titles, but does there have to be? I feel as though I am both. On one hand I like the slight disconnect from reality that I associate with being an artist, but on the other hand I like the practicality, functionality and ability to create something of use that I associate with being a crafter.

I didn't go to art school. I learn better by doing things myself, figuring them out in my own way and on my own time. That's not to say that I have never had guidance (nor am I in any way against going to art school), but I didn't have a so-called structured educations when it comes to my creative endeavors. And I am happy with that. I (continue to) choose this path and am proud of it. I have many outlets and mediums that I work with creatively. Some are extremely tangible, some are more interpretive, some are functional, some are for the sheer beauty of it or to make one think... And who knows, maybe one day I will find the right school offering the right classes in a new medium or a new idea about a medium that I already work with and I will feel compelled to attend. Either way, I have decided that I am both an artist and a crafter. And anyway, they are just words, they are titles, and titles aren't always necessary, or beneficial. In fact, sometimes that very title can be the block in the road and you just need to let it go in order to continue on your path...

A wonderful quote by St. Francis of Assisi:

"He who works with his hands is a laboror.

 He who works with his hands and his head is a craftsman.

 He who works with his hands and his head and his heart is an artist."

Art doesn't go in only one direction... And neither does crafting.

Both have endless possibilities, endless directions they could go.

It is all open to interpretation.

It is all based upon the individuals inspiration and intention.

I choose to focus on that.

Tell me, what do you think the difference is between an Artist and a Crafter?

The past few days have really forces me to think about things that are so seemingly simple at first glace, but it is the onion effect where there is layer upon layer once sliced into.

There are things that I think about as just an everyday part of life,

part of relating,

part of being.

Things that I think I have taken for granted.

Things that I think I deserve.

There is so much push and pull in life,

I guess that is how we are balanced.

There is not light without dark,

no happiness without sadness,

it's the very definition of harmony and balance.

But as we all know, and sometimes I seem to forget,

this is a hard thing to maintain and accept sometimes.

Everything worth anything in life seems to take time and patience (something that I am continually working on having more of).

There is a fine detail to everything in ethos.

The Universe unending shows in unexpected ways how we have strings connected to everything

and everyone.

And yet we are all still human.

I am still human.

Sometimes it is hard for me to remember this.

And sometimes I have to remind myself that I am blessed to have to work so hard at this balance that I am trying to maintain,

to work so hard to continually have the gift of laughter ever present in my life.

I like to be connected.

To have connections.

To have people that smile back at me in my life.

I feel like when I am out about about I am an anthropologist of sorts,

always observing and entertaining ideas about the lives and culture around me.

Observing how and why...

I am fascinated by people.

It helps me to connect.

I hope you all have a wonderful day and maybe take a little time to connect with someone new or someone you already know with open eyes.

***

Feelin' kinda rambly...

It is so gross and raw and wet here today. There is supposedly a chance of snow later (which I would be more pleased about, yet doubt, being on the coast, we will get). I had a hard time focusing this morning, I was so tired from staying up until almost 3 am which I never do.

I am kind of grannyish when it comes to sleep, I like to go to bed at a reasonable time because I don't like to sleep in and I prefer to get up fairly early. Actually, I have a really hard time sleeping in...

Ok, anyway, I went bowling with a bunch of friends, which we tend to do fairly regularly on wednesday nights. It's super awesome, glow bowling, with the flashy lights and black lights and everything. Yeah, it's that kind of bowling. So it goes until midnight and then we hung out for a bit afterward which was nice, but then I didn't get home until really late...

I did get a bunch of felting done, but now I need to find a model so I can photograph at least a few of the new pieces before they sell. I have also been working on knitting a new pair of fingerless mittens, that's kind of exciting (and distracting when I should be doing other things). I think I have too many things going on in my head today, focusing is really difficult.

Obviously I am a bit rambley today, I'm allowed that right?!!?

These photos are of my little walk the other day (sans icky cold rain) in Halibut Point. I think it is a state park, or maybe it's a reservation? Whatever, I can't remember. But it sure was lovely out that day. I love how blue the water (both ocean and quarry) and sky is, plus the browns and greys of the granite and the fire reds, golds and oranges that are in the low bush leading down to the water. There were also some really beautiful, fluffy clouds dotting the skyline. It was a happy kind of day...

Halibut Point is in rockport, which is the town next to where I live. I live on what I guess is basically a peninsula (although we refer to it as the Island) and Rockport is basically at the end. So you are able to find a spot and just look out over the ocean with no end in sight.

Kinda cool.

Well, I am off to tend to the wood stove, put Posey Bird to sleep and then try and hunt down some chocolate. I am hoping I can find a hidden stash or something.

Hope you are all cozy and warm.

One last thing I would like to share with you tonight (found via Jillian's twitter feed):

We must bring our own light to the darkness.

[Bukowski]

Night all.

A little of this and that...

These are the bane of my existence.

They are destroying my garden and now they are trying to get into my house!

Aaaarrrgggg!

A little of this and that:

1.

Today my nose is stuffy.

Not sure why, some sort of allergen in the air I am supposing...

2.

I am really excited to have pretty much finished the custom mobile for a friends baby who is to be born in August!

(Photos coming soon...)

And I am actually quite pleased with the outcome.

After a few mini fits because of things not looking, sitting or hanging right.

All is well now.

3.

It has been raw and rainy and breeze for the past few days...

Umm, why do these horrid slugs feel the need to slime their way up my door and all over the door step?

4.

I am still procrastinating on the felting that I would like to accomplish for the fair this weekend.

I am on day 4 of saying I will do it tomorrow and then tomorrow comes and goes (granted I was not feeling well this weekend, therefore the 2 real days of doing this have been dramatized to 4, but whatever, a girl can have a day of drama right?!?).

But really, I am going to start working on it tomorrow!

5.

Oh and lastly, I may or may not be thinking of posting a giveaway soon.

Like, maybe hopefully tomorrow...

And I think you might like it.

That is all.

Hope all is well in your corner of the world!