stART Episode 85: Go BIG, Go LOTS, Go SISTERS!

Every couple of weeks I film stART: Creating as We Go with my two sisters, Suzie and Shannon. We share our creative projects, from challenges to celebrations, and support each other’s creative lives. In this episode we chat about art classes, creative projects, breakthroughs and breaks, as well as diving full-on into our creative hearts.

Summer is coming to a close but we have been keeping busy with numerous projects big and small. Shannon is contemplating embarking on a big project, Suzie shares artwork and photos for her book and Jamie reads us some found poetry. We dive in deep to lots of projects and so much more!

In this episode we mention…

Shannon ponders a huge new project which she’ll posted more about here.
Suzie continues to share work from her Foodie book and lots of photography including photos of her jewelry for her Etsy Shop.
I share art I created from from Intro to Abstract with Karine Swenson and Carla Sonheim’s Blobimals Class and treats us by reciting one of her Found Poetry Poems.

Keep up-to-date with stART: Creating As We Go

August 25, 2017

Found Poem #2: The Remnant

The remnant,
The faces,
The griefs,
The terrors,
The ruin

Letters to each and all

The deepest wisdom
Of all the earth

The city throbbed
Day and night
The narrow ways
Were crowded
The wide road
Yet dark

A strange cry rang out
High
Vast
And the point was a rich sword

August 24, 2017

Found Poem #1: The Raven

Forced
To lie in bed,
Gnawing with wrath at weakness,
She ravened up
And wandered in the wilds.

Bold and insolent,
Able to bear shame and anguish no longer
Fierce
Brave
and stubborn

Forced to fly
White with great age
And the calmness of deep learning

While I am tucked away in the studio building The Academy for the fall, I am taking little breaks to nourish and express my creative spirit. I have a love of poetry and have been delighting in creating little found poems from an old book.

August 21, 2017

Saturday Morning Adventure: The Beach

For many years, my husband and I have been going on Saturday Morning Adventures. Sometimes it’s just a trip to the hardware store, sometimes it’s exploring a new neighbourhood. Whether it’s errands or entertainment, we frame it this way and suddenly it becomes a chance to connect with one another and experience this life we share.

This week we decided to head down to The Beaches here in Toronto. The water has been high this year and it shows. The few piers that reach out into the water were almost level with the surface of Lake Ontario. I’m nervous around deep water but I found bravery enough to walk to the end of the pier – and to sit on the edge, dangling my bare feet into the water. Plus the view was spectacular.

Here’s what we saw to the East.

Here’s what we saw to the West. See what I mean about unpredictable weather?

And here’s what it looked like straight ahead.

August 19, 2017

stART Episode 84: Change of Pace, Fill Your Well and More

In this episode we mention…

Suzie shares that she’s been working on her Foodie book and also doing restaurant reviews and sold a plate!
Shannon shares what it was like doing a live drawing video and also gets Suzie to pick out more books for her to unwrap in the TBR Unwrapping Project.
I share some of the classes I’ve been diving into in between seasons at the studio including: Word Play Painting with Lynn Whipple, Between Speech and Silence with Diane Culhane, Intro to Abstract with Karine Swenson and Courtney Cerruti’s Living a More Creative Life: 30 Ways at Creativebug,

Keep up-to-date with stART: Creating As We Go

August 6, 2017

August Flowers

With the seasonal approach of the studio, one of my plans has always been to take time off between seasons. So far I have often found myself right into the next, plotting and planning, designing and creating behind the scenes. This month, however, it looks like there will be time for me to meander the boardwalk, journal in coffee shops and catch up on my sleep. In anticipation, I find myself walking slowly through my neighbourhood, enjoying the beauty this time of year holds.

August 5, 2017

Caturday Check-in and Check-up

Our introvert. Too much noise? He’s out of there. Unexpected stimuli? He’s out of there. I remember my Aunt saying, “You can’t see his personality yet. He’s only showing his fear.”

Now, when Escher feels safe and comfortable, his sweetness comes out. When he’s on his own, he’ll often sleep on his back, tummy exposed, feet in the air. Often, he just likes to be in the room where I am, on his own but nearby. If I call to him, sometimes he’ll come running over, ready for a few pets.

This week poor Escher had to go to the vet. Just for his regular check-up but it terrifies him. Getting him into the carrier involved running, hissing and even a deep growl. Still, we managed to get him there and back again. The good news is he is healthy. Plus within minutes of getting home he was stretched out on the kitchen floor relaxed. He even let both me and Justin pet him! Amazing.

Though there are still challenges, Escher’s progress continues. My big hope is that one day we’ll be able to pick him up – and he’ll like it!

For a long time we have hoped the cats would join us on the couch. Very early on they decided it was a comfy spot but would generally leave when we were there (mostly because they didn’t like the noise of TV). Recently Shibumi has taken to sitting in “my spot” and last night, not only did she stay once I sat down, she stretched out long, putting her back paws on my legs and curled over, belly exposed and bliss on her face!! Shibumi almost never makes that cat move! I was in heaven despite the fact that she totally stole my spot.

Scout has a gift for making everyone feel at ease. You could really see it when they were those scrappy abandoned kittens. Somehow things would get more relaxed if Scout was in the mix.

He makes me feel that way too.