Her Painted Word

Learning the Hard Way

2012-02-09T08:53:00.002-05:00

So, I fell on my butt yesterday. More like my face. I slipped on a sheet of ice that almost blinded me from the glare. ~~I think~~ I would have broken my nose if my knees had not broken the fall. Dior makes SUPER STRONG glasses because they didn't break but they did dig into my skin leaving an imprint I thought would stay forever and would make for interesting self portraits next time around. I can't wiggle my nose. It hurts too much. I have never fallen this hard before.

I think the Universe is trying to tell me something: Take a breath, embrace the present, chillax a little. I've been working so hard lately trying to get it all done. I think I've forgotten that I still need to practice balance, to let loose and dilly dally. The proof for me was falling hard and kissing the cold ice with my teeth. I don't need to learn this lesson twice. I hear you up there (waving my fist up in the air).

The thing is...I have never been this happy. EVER. I'm excited everyday for the work that lies before me, even though some of it is gut wrenching (my writing) and challenging (my artwork for my SOLO shows). I'm painting and writing and putting myself out there like never before with the pod casting and the video. But, what I'm learning is this: Even the good stuff, the AMAZING stuff, the stuff that takes your breath away and fills up your soul, all of it still needs breathing time. Because without it, I may end up toothless, bruised and crooked-nosed. Now, that could make for an interesting 2nd video? LOL!

Thank-you dear and kind peeps for celebrating the HIGHlights with me (ie. Artful Blogging + Video) and for honoring the lowlights (face hitting ice and learning the hard way).

PS. My heart is still brimming with so much goodness from all the support and kindness from the film post. I had no idea that sharing another layer of who I am could feel THIS good. Thank-YOU for celebrating this with me! xoxo
Lots of LOVE,

GAME CHANGER!

2012-02-06T05:10:00.000-05:00

First of all, THANK-YOU so much for all the sweet congratulations

on my Artful Blogging publication!

It's still a little surreal... I'm hoping to show you more this week!

I have other

HUGE-HAPPY-NEWS

to share with you today.

OK., maybe it's not news

but is sure is news worthy!

I've been dropping some hints about this on facebbok and twitter

the last couple of days.

Those who were able to listen to the PODCAST

with my interview with Melanie Rollins already have an idea

to what I'm about to share with you...

This is

HUGE!

I think this could be a

GAME CHANGER

for ALL Artists & Entrepreneurs...

Melanie Rollins from NOVA Films

has done something so innovative and fresh

and I AM SO EXCITED to be part of it!

What if you could SHOW people WHO and WHAT you are...

and not just TELL them with two dimensional words on your website...

What if your "ABOUT ME" section on your BLOG or WEBSITE

came to life?

THIS is what Melanie Rollins has done for me!

She has captured my

essence,

the REAL ME...

in HD!

It's not just any video here...

This is an artistic film made with so much HEART

that I believe people will be able to connect with who I am

in under three minutes!

AND,

if that was not enough....

Coeur de Pirate ♥

(my absolute favorite Canadian singer)

agreed to allow us to use her song

to help tell my story!

OMG!

(MAJOR-INSANELY-AWESOME!!!!)

I know...it's almost too much!

So without further adieu, here it is:

And turn up the volume!!!

Somebody Pinch Me!

2012-02-03T09:05:00.000-05:00

Almost two years ago to the day, I started this blog.

I put my whole heart out there...

I was also just starting my quest to "become an artist",

the thing I couldn't claim for like 35 years...

This unraveling of sorts happened quite organically with each post,

where I shared it all:

the fear of sucking badly, to what if I fall on my face, to OMG I CAN FLY!

Two years ago,

I took a a chance and decided to trust my intuition.

I set my painted words free-for all to see

Two years ago, I said YES!

I will try.

I will just do my best,

even if...

AND

Almost two years to the day,

this girl from

Sudbury,

Ontario,

CANADA

has a

7 PAGE SPREAD in ARTFUL BLOGGING

as the International Featured Blogger!!!!

This is truly my proudest achievement so far!!!

Because this blog is where the truth lies...

Each post exposing a little more

of who I am and where I want to go.

It's where I fall and pick myself back up.

It's where I've shared the journey with you all...

OMG!

Isn't the cover BEAUTIFUL?

As you already know, CANADA POST arrives by donkey and takes eons to arrive...

So, I don't have the spread to show you just yet.

But I do know that it's already on newstands in the US,

and will be arriving in CANADA any day as they assured me at the bookstore.

(I think they now have a poster of me in their staff room with "CRAZY & RUN" written underneath my picture)

Can you recognize something on the cover that looks familiar?

I am beyond grateful and tottally celebrating this moment.

More than anything it makes me believe without a doubt

that with hard work and all of my heart,

AMAZING MOMENTS

like this are possible.

xox

An Update & So Much More!

2012-02-01T12:35:00.000-05:00

Hello sweet people! I wanted to give you an update about "the schedule" I've been keeping since launching my word FOCUS for 2012... I give myself a 6 out of 10 for the month of January. OK, maybe 6.5. I have been writing galore! This has been HUGE for me. It hasn't felt like a struggle to make time and commit to this and I'm SO happy that my writing and I are back together and going steady again.

My painting blocks have not been as numerous but it's because I've had so many writing deadlines looming that should all be wrapped up by the end of next week.

The part that I have completely neglected is...big surprise... the exercise blocks. I didn't do a single one...NOT ONE! Besides coaching basketball once a week, I have completely dropped the ball on this one. I am going to apply myself BIG TIME in the days to come...

I think I need to tweak the schedule to change a block where on Tuesdays I write outside the house just so I don't end up feeling like a MAD RECLUSE by Friday. Especially since this Friday is a PA DAY and Owen will be off. (Do kids EVER go to school for a FULL week anymore?) So, maybe I should really give myself a 7 because I haven't been leaving every Friday because of all the snow days... OK, 6.8 FIRM!

Here are my latest paintings...

Oh, how they make me happy.

There is a sweetness to them don't you think?

I was thrilled to be back in the studio yesterday as I could not write one more word...

I needed to get my hands FULL of paint.

I LOVE to paint their little faces before anything else...

Here they are looking at each other...LOL!

I am so pleased with these little ones, it will be hard to let them go...

Which one is your favorite?

I also wanted to remind you of the PODCAST I taped with

my passionate friend Melanie Rollins.

During this interview, I spill the beans about an upcoming project

that I am SO CRAZY-EXCITED about!

Last, but certainly NOT LEAST,

Stay tuned for my next post as I reveal something so

unbelievably stupendous

that I'm STILL pinching myself...

I can honestly say it is my

most significant accomplishment

to date thus far in my ART JOURNEY.

I hope you're all having a good week.

I decided to do an overhaul in my STUDIO yesterday afternoon...

I can finally see the floor again, but what a JOB!

Stay tuned for pics coming soon...

With Love,

Presenting Melanie Rollins...

2012-01-29T11:29:00.000-05:00

Hi You Guys!!! LOL! Thank-you so much for tuning into my introductory PODCAST. I'm so happy to hear that you are looking forward to hearing more. As promised, I have a special interview all ready for you! Please know that I am working on trying to get it up and running on a channel that allows you to download it yourself or listen from your IPAD. Thank-you so much for your patience as I continue to learn and tweak my podcasting skills. I promise I will get there soon! :)

On another note I wanted to tell you that I am having a

ONE DAY SALE tomorrow!!!

Everything in the shop will be 40% OFF!!!

Be sure to check it out. Sale ends midnight Eastern Standard Time.

I'm making some room...

Use this CODE to SAVE:

SAVE40

Also, I have so many wonderful things cooking right now

that I will be sharing in the days to come!

I think I have officially kicked the winter blues to the curb!

Yee HAW!

Melanie Rollins
Photographer, Cinematographer, Artist.

Here are the links to Melanie Rollins.

She is one of those authentic people you just love to be around.

Her creative journey continues to inspire me.

I hope you enjoy the interview...

You can find her NOVA FILMS website here,
and her facebook group page here.
Also, check out her Photography group page here.

This one is about 20 minutes!

Happy listening! xo

My First PODCAST!

2012-01-26T07:48:00.000-05:00

MY VERY FIRST & SUPER SHORT PODCAST!!!

FINALLY!

Grey on Grey...

2012-01-23T10:11:00.000-05:00

I have been deep in nostalgia for the last week. Owen turned 9 on Saturday and I`ve been trying not to let the heart strings bring me down but it has been challenging. I have been looking through photo albums and scrapbooks along with tapes from the time I was pregnant right through to his first birthday. This birthday has hit me HARD. Maybe it`s because he`s already such a little man. Maybe it`s because time is going faster and faster... Maybe it`s because I only have the one... Whatever it is, it has had me going deep inside my heart.

So, with the birthday and the party and the snow days...(OMG, we have our third one today in less then two weeks), along with basketball and him joining a second team (a traveling basketball team)...I have been pulling serious extra Mama duties around here...

However, I did manage to get a few large paintings almost completed last week.

I wanted to share this one with you that I plan to finish today. I do like her already.

There is still no horizon line in my part of the world...

grey on grey with a touch of grey.

I`m holding on and counting down until ARTFEST in late March!

Thank-you all for sending me virtual sunshine and blue skies

with a side of kind words and warm hearts.

It means so much to me.

With LOVE,

(PS. The sun better damn well come out tomorrow ;) )

The Winter Blues...

2012-01-18T09:55:00.000-05:00

Untitled-Painted by me

How are you all doing? The weather out here is enough to make me go cookoo... We had 20 cm of snow fall last night and we're expecting another 15-20 cm of snow and I'm already at my limit... I admit it, I'm struggling with the winter blues...How I long for green trees and blue skies... The only good part about such terrible weather is that you don't feel like you are missing ANYTHING when you are working during the day (and night).

I wanted to share my latest painting that is almost complete. She is part of the body of work I am calling Unearthing: a 21st Century Inner Exploration. The same collection of paintings that is helping me uncover and express my connection to my Metis roots. Do you like her?

I've been writing... and I think I might have written my best story so far. It feels AMAZING to have this one in my pocket. I have so much to tell you about my writing but I will save it for another post. I just wanted to let you know that I'm finally doing it. Again. Still. But better.

Also, I wanted to share this kind hearted loving post here. I was so touched by this. Thank-you Stefanie Lyn. And finally... there are two NEW art quilts in the shop and an original painting that was featured in SEW Somerset and Somerset Studio Gallery! Come and check them out!

Thank-you kind people for sharing the happy days and the snowy grey days with me.

Having this place to consistently share my art, my heart and my words

is saving me form the depths of my winter despair. I am so grateful.

Overcome With Gratitude

2012-01-15T13:21:00.000-05:00

Sometimes kindness can take your breath away!

That's what happened when I opened this box.

I gasped. Aloud.

I started to cry.

I couldn't believe my eyes.

My heart cracked open with so much warmth...

and a hint of..."do I really deserve this?"

I felt LOVED.

I felt OVERwhelmed.

I felt OVERCOME with gratitude.

The AMAZING beautiful soul who gifted this to me

was my roommate at the Be Present Retreat.

Being in her presence is like being with Zen itself.

She could calm the mightiest of winds.

She walks around this planet with a quiet strength that humbles me.

When I went to this retreat I was the only one with a point and shoot camera,

no big girl camera here...

As some of you have read, I was awakened there...

in those woods holding a camera in my hands.

Valerie saw this.

She is one of those wise women who observe others with a tender and open heart.

Valerie Tookes

Dearest and kindest soul,

you have given me a gift that I will forever treasure.

One that will help me grow.

One that will help me learn.

And one that I will pass on.

(When you upgraded your camera,

you upgraded my heart).

You make me want to be a better human.

I love you and thank-YOU.

And if that wasn't enough...

She also included this Spectra Polaroid camera

that I was introduced to at the retreat.

My goal this year is to make someone feel

THIS GOOD.

My goal is to pass on this generous act of kindness...
and crack someone's heart with love.

My WORD for 2012

2012-01-12T08:57:00.000-05:00

"Keep your eyes on the stars

and your feet on the ground."

TheodoreRoosevelt

distinct*dedication *discipline*clarity*definite

This is the ONLY word that makes sense for me this year...

It is a word that has nudged its way into my being.

Those who know me well-know that I couldn't work any harder if I tried...

I admit it,

I'm a TYPE A-workaholic-recluse...

However...

I lack...focus.

I want to do everything...all at once.

I'm impatient...~~most of the time~~

ALL THE TIME!

I like instant gratification...

I lose interest in things that take too long...

I want and need results like yesterday....

This is why I have chosen

FOCUS

as my word for 2012.

I want to FOCUS on

PRIORITIZING

my time to work on

my projects and dreams...

Because

I KNOW what I want.

This year, I'm going to work my butt off

to achieve my goals with a clear direction and

FOCUS

and concentrate on my

OWN RACE...

no matter how many amazing opportunities

and possibilities tempt me...

This year I have actually created a schedule

and I will stick to it because that is

the only way I will be able to

accomplish all of my goals.

(I know it is possible because my Hubby teaches me this everyday).

This year I will be dividing my time as follows:

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
AM Paint 8:30-12:00	AM Write 8:30-12:00	AM Paint 8:30-12:00	AM Write 8:30-12:00	AM FREE 8:30-12:00
LUNCH	LUNCH	LUNCH	LUNCH	LUNCH
PM Paint 12:30-2:30	PM Admin 12:30-2:30	PM Paint 12:30-2:30	PM Paint/Admin/Write (free choice) 12:30-2:30	PM Write 12:30-2:30
Exercise 2:30-3:30*	Computer Time	Exercise 2:30-3:30*	Computer Time	Exercise 2:30-3:30*
Groceries	READ	Coach Basketball	READ	Chill OUT!

Weekends are for family, friends and whatever else I want and need to do!!!

Priorities:

Three SOLO Art shows

Three Group Art shows

(maybe a fourth)

Complete the final draft of my 12 short stories.

Make them REAL.

Make them tight.

Make them shine.

AND

SET THEM FREE!

"The main thing is keeping the main thing the main thing."

German Proverb

(I totally LOVE this quote... so simple and SO true!)

Here's an AWESOME post by Danielle Laporte where she talks about FOCUS and how it hurts so good.

These were my WORDS

2010

2011

Stay tuned for my next post as I share the most generous

act of kindness I have EVER received!!!

(And I received it just yesterday)

For REALS! It's THAT good! xoxo

What is YOUR WORD for 2012?

I would love if if you shared it here.

Dear 2011...

2012-01-09T09:44:00.001-05:00

I used to keep a journal. I used to write in in just about everynight. On New Year's Day I would fill it with new goals and dreams. I would even break them down into sections... emotional, intellectual,physical, financial... etc. I would also make a list of all the things Iwas grateful for. This gave me closure and filled me with extremegratitude. By doing a year end review, I was able to go back and reflecton every moment that filled me up with joy and sadness. I was able to putthese moments to rest and then centre myself for the year ahead.

2011 has been beyond my wildest dreams!

Seriously! I'm aheadof schedule on the dream list... (except for one bad ass dream.) I amhumbled by all the goodness and abundance I have received in 2011. Thefollowing are some highlights. The ones that have taken by breath away...in a very good way!

*I finished the first draft of mybook.

*I connected with my Métis roots.

*I had my FIRST SOLO ART show called"A Room of Her Own"

*I had my first TV interview that wasshown province wide.

*I traveled to:

SanJose CA

HamptonVA

PhoenixAZ

and SeattleWA

for ART retreats that filled my heartand soul with so much LOVE!

It is here that I found myself again,

poetry and a sisterhood that will forever change me.

Thisphoto was taken by the lovely Vivienne McMaster

*We went to our very first NBA game!(Go Raptors!)

*I celebrated my ETSY shop turning ONE!

*Stevewas accepted into Medical School!

*I met Joseph Boyden (still crushing here)

*Ifound an ART mentor.

(Beverly Hawksley...I totally heart you!)

* I got a new tattoo... (To Thine OwnSelf Be True)

*We bought a camper and spent the summerin nature.
*I finally did it and changed my name to DanielleDaniel

(after 13 years of marriage).

*I was awakened by a bear.

*Icommitted to a new body of work.

*I learned a huge lesson at a carservice station.

*I had many ART growth spurts.

*I made the FOREST my temple.

*I joined a Revolution where heartmatters.

*I learned to stop fearing being infront and behind the camera

thanks to the fearless Vivienne McMaster.

*I gotPUBLISHED x three! ♥

*I excavated a warrior.

*I sent a short story into the CBCshort story contest!

*I locked in a SOLO show in theMuskokas for 2012!

* Irecommitted to my writing.

We're back together thanks to Sarah Selecky. ♥

Photo taken by Melanie and DaveRollins from Art From Life & Nova FIlms.

2011, you have ROCKED MY WORLD!

I am beyond grateful for all the love and the gifts!

Staytuned for my next post as I reveal my WORD for 2012!

Thank-youall for being part of my 2011.

I amgrateful to every single one of you

forsharing this wonderful journey with me.

Withlots of LOVE,

Painting with Thread

2012-01-05T08:00:00.000-05:00

Here is my latest addition!

I heart these little stitched girlies SO MUCH!

They each have their own little personality and they

were free motion stitched on my sewing machine.

Something happens to me when I sew that doesn't seem to happen when I paint...

I'm more loose, carefree, I give up the control...

I'm not as attached to the final product... I expect to make mistakes...

I'm sewing...what do you expect right???

Just for the record... I cannot hem a pair of pants to save my life.

Buttons are sewn in this house for decorative purposes only.

I do not consider myself a sewer. Is sewer even a word? It sounds funny.

What I LOVE about this medium is the extremely high risk to make mistakes.

I expect it. It makes it more interesting...

I hope to achieve this more in my painting...

This is what I LOVE about mixed media...

It offers you so much flexibility.

And hopefully this exercise will help me let go

of my need for control and let the painting

evolve more naturally the way it does when I

"paint with thread".

I hope you like them too!

They're in the shop NOW!

Happy Thursday beautiful people! ♥ xox

PS. Have you seen my petit painted word wishes yet in the shop?

My heart lies within each one. Made with serious TLC. ♥

A secret mantra/quote for 2012...

HAPPY 2012!!!

2012-01-02T14:18:00.000-05:00

HAPPY 2012 from my whole heart to yours!!!!

Christmas was BUSY...too busy!

I want to remember just how busy it was because

I promise to make Christmas 2012 WAY less busy. Simple, simple, simple....

On another note, my sweetie and I headed to Vegas for a spontaneous trip.

It was my first time there and Steve's second.

I have two words for Vegas: EXCESS and ACCESS.

We saw Chris Angel's Mindfreak Show

(freaky is the right word, for reals...I'm still thinking about what I saw... OUT.OF.THIS.WORLD.)

We also saw O, cirque du soleil.

I almost started weeping as soon as the red curtain disappeared

and the stage opened up to water.

This is ARTistry at it's ABSOLUTE best.

I swear this show changed my brain and altered my heart.

Steve says he wants to come back as a cirque du soleil gymnast/artist in his next life...

(I'm too chicken for that)

This show made all the craziness of Vegas worth it.

We also saw fine Art and a real BODY exhibit that had me almost passing out... (who knew I was SO squeamish). That too was out of this world and changed the way I view my own body, inside and out.

Two words: Mind Blowing.

Here was our view... AMAZING!

I am SO HAPPY to be back,

but I miss the sunshine and I can totally do without the snow.

I can totally do without the snow. This needed to be said twice!

However, I look forward to getting back to my reclusive ways...

Vegas was WAY too much for this girl... I need wide open spaces and then some.

I'm WAY too impatient for line ups and

I missed my studio and my paints... I missed my solitude.

I missed all of you. ♥

I have SO SO MUCH to share with you.

About my ART, my WRITING, my plans for 2012!!!

That's the thing when I take such a long break,

I almost break out into a sweat just typing and trying to get in all in...

***************************************************************************

I have been SO EXCITED to share my newest project with you...

Introducing my 2012

Petit Painted Word Wishes....

Inside each little box is an ORIGINAL painting that has a

secret wish, a quote or a mantra for the NEW YEAR...

Each painting has different message, written in the aura

loosely scripted words that are meant just for you.

You won't know what the secret words are until you receive the painting. But I TOTALLY believe that the words you receive with your painting are indeed the words MEANT JUST FOR YOU!

These words, the same ones that are on your painting have been handwritten

on this tiny scroll and tucked behind your painting.

PETIT PAINTED WORD WISHES FOR 2012

What a meaningful way to start 2012...

...with an original mini painting that is full of LOVE and words

to inspire the next part of your journey.

These are in the shop NOW!

Stay tuned for the next post as I share MORE original TEXTILE beauties with you!!!!

And then, the following post will feature

my year in review with my

NEW WORD for 2012.

I hope your 2012 is truly your BEST year yet!

xoxo

Love,

Last Post of 2011

2011-12-16T14:07:00.001-05:00

Photo taken by Melanie and Dave Rollins from Art From Life & Nova FIlms.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays

from my family to yours!

...fa la la la la la la la la!!!

Time is flying! I can't believe we are about to celebrate another Christmas. Owen is growing so fast...Check out his feet??? Size 7 men's shoe? I am going to be soaking in all the beauty this holiday has to offer and I will be spending most of my time with these two handsome men. I can't wait! However, while they play their video games and other "manly"games I will be working hard on my short stories and filling my moleskin with handwritten words.

Inside Scoop...

I have been very busy creating

many new items

these past few weeks that I will reveal in the

NEW YEAR!

I will be sharing them with you FIRST on the Blog.

Stay tuned for the big reveal!!!

(Be sure to sign up for my newsletter if you haven't already!)

Also, I wanted to share this absolute beautiful downloadable magazine called SPROUT!

It is FILLED with ART, poetry, photography, stories and so much more!

Gift it to a friend or buy a copy for yourself. It's ONLY 6$.

Merry Christmas et Joyeux Noël!

I'll see you on the other side of 2011

Here is a link to my absolute favorite Christmas song sung en français.

This song makes me believe in the innocence and magic of the season.

Big LOVE and hugs to every single one of you! xoxoxo

Thank-you from my WHOLE heart for supporting this journey.

An Early Chrsitmas Gift...

2011-12-13T09:46:00.002-05:00

Hello dear peeps,

Are you feeling the Christmas spirit yet? I am. Big Time. I have been crafting it up and making sweet handmade lovelies for the kindreds in my life. I am so looking forward to spending some quality time with my boys and all the other people I heart so. Steve has been so busy studying for his next exam. Owen has had me busy being his "patient" every night after dinner. He checks my pulse and my heartbeat. Puts hot compresses behind my shoulders and tells me I need to rest. (he is way too cute!) I am also looking forward to taking a step back from blog world and social networking... Sometimes you need to put it all on hold, even the good stuff. You need to stop, take a breath and breathe it all in.

I received and early Christmas gift yesterday. One that will last far longer than Christmas morning. Yesterday I was gifted this class from my sweetie. I have been counting the sleeps for this class to start. I knew it would be excellent. But to be honest the first twenty minutes of Lesson One has opened me up to language and writing in a way that I was not expecting so early in the course. Sarah Selecky is a masterful teacher. This I already know as true. I will be exploring her teachings and diving into my writing for the next several weeks. I have been feeling a considerable tug lately to write and write and write. More than writing for the blog, for others, for letters to the editor. I have been feeling a tug to fall into my stories again. To turn them inside out. To make them shine. To set them free. Because the truth is, I have many more stories sitting inside of me waiting impatiently to be written by my hand. So, I have work to do. My goal is to have this book finished and ready to share by the end of 2012. No more putting this off. No more.

Every year I buy or make an ornament for Owen.

This was the first one I ever purchased.

He was still in my belly.

One month before he was born I put this one on

the Christmas tree in December of 2002.

I will be popping in once more this week to wish you all a very Merry Christmas (for all those who celebrate) and Happy Holidays. In the meantime, I hope you are filling yourself up with Christmas magic and Christmas spirit. I really hope you are feeling it too.

xoxo

Excavating...

2011-12-09T06:09:00.001-05:00


Untitled for now...2 by 3 feet...painted by me

I've been working on a large body of work. It's LARGE in so many ways! The size of the canvases, the amount of work involved and the meaning behind this series. Remember a while back I told you that my family finally had the paper proof behind our Aboriginal roots? I am deeply involved in a body of work that tells this story. The one of a young woman trying to figure out what being Métis is for her... It's about the layers of knowing and all the many layers of not knowing. I have five large paintings completed so far. These paintings are the ones I'm going to show in Huntsville next year. I've been SO excited to show you this one. She represents my French roots from 17th Century France and my First Nation roots in Quebec. There is SO MUCH STORY inside these paintings and I am completely engrossed. I also believe I am JUST scratching the surface of this work. And that my friends, overwhelms me with so much excitement. I am deeply motivated and painting BIG IMPORTANT STORIES that matter more than I can articulate in just one blog post. I just couldn't wait another day to show you this painting that was once just an image in my head and that I painted from the depths of my heart. Much LOVE. xoxo

Through His Eyes

2011-12-07T07:58:00.001-05:00

Owen, my eight year old son thinks his Mama is now a "famous artist". Is it bad that I wanted him to believe this? I told him that I was not famous (yet) and that I was SO PROUD of myself for having my art and my words published. I told him this was a DREAM come TRUE for me and that we can NEVER stop dreaming BIG DREAMS (even when we have grey hair). I told him that I was happy that he was proud of me too and that I couldn't wait to help him celebrate all the many DREAMS COME TRUE that he has to come...

His eyes lit up when he saw my work in the magazine.

I saw the pride. I felt the JOY.

Seeing it through his eyes made it so special for me.

More and more it makes me believe that we need to SHOW

our children what is possible and not just tell them.

Seeing is believing...
and I want him to believe that he can accomplish

ANYTHING and EVERYTHING!

You can find my art quilts and my article published in THIS issue of Sew Somerset (Winter 2012). On newstands NOW! I am THRILLED to be in this magazine. Feeling SUPER grateful. Thank-you to all the Rock Stars at Somerset who worked to create this publication. ♥ xo

I wanted to share with you a post I wrote for Louise Gale's

Your Heart Makes a Difference

website, dedicated to raising the consciousness of the world,

one by one through practicing self-care, love, kindness, forgiveness & gratitude through creative expression. This post is one of my favorite posts that I wrote from the heart and I had to share it on my own blog.

It's called the Story. Here it is...

Stories have always fascinated me. True stories and untrue stories too. The untrue stories helped me through the times in my life where I wanted to forget my own true story, the one that was too painful to sit in at the time. Since then, I have continued to be spellbound by carefully threaded stories.

Oral stories have also been part of my tapestry. My sweet Mémère never learned to read. And I have known and understood from a very young age the importance of stories shared orally. These tales of truth have always been so dear to my heart. I have felt a responsibility to listen carefully to her stories and tuck them safely inside me. She deserves to have someone listen and treasure her truths. I cannot imagine not being able to express myself using the written word. I feel like I would have died a thousand times of heartbreak without this ability.

Our stories are as diverse as the faces on the planet, yet they connect us all. Because as different as the storyline may be, the themes are quite similar. I can honestly say there are some stories I wish I did not have to own as my own. There are those stories I have shared, those I continue to make sense of and those that still remain buried under layers of fear, sadness and pain. All of these stories influence the way I see the world and more than ever they influence the ways in which I want to make a difference.

The older I get, the more I realize that everyone has a rich inventory of stories sitting within their hearts. All of us could share tales of heartbreak and triumph within our own family tree. I have come to understand the importance of sharing these stories. I have learned that by writing them and telling them, I am also setting them free from my heart and my body. My mentor Beverly Hawksley tells me that “we have a social responsibility to share our stories”. As artists, writers, mothers, and teachers, we need to reveal these narratives in a way that will empower us and help us move on. By sharing them we help others along their journey. And, we also make room for new stories.

I often say that my artwork is inspired by unwritten stories. Those sitting on the page and those that are waiting to be excavated, layer by layer, word by word and one painting at a time. This is how I choose to tell my stories but there are other ways to do this. Maybe you are a songwriter, a musician, a children’s author, an illustrator, a chef, a gardener, a sculptor, a mechanic, a poet, a director or a gypsy. Maybe you haven’t shared your stories yet or you don’t know which method is best for you.

Maybe today will be the day you peel back a layer and go there. Maybe not. Maybe today you will open up to the possibility of sharing one of your stories with someone you trust. I do hope to set my stories free. Every single one. I would love to hear how you share your stories with the world.

It's for Real!

2011-12-01T15:35:00.001-05:00

WOW! It's one thing to see it online, but it's a WHOLE OTHER thing to see it in the bookstore I visit at least twice a week. The same dude (I stalked) from last week was there unpacking the boxes as I sipped my grande non-fat caramel machiatto...waiting for the doors to open to the other side where the books and magazines are.

I saw him pile up some magazines in the mixed media section and I couldn't wait ANY longer... As soon as that divider opened I was off. "I was wondering when I would see you today", he said. "OK. hi, I responded" turning crimson red... ) There is that crazy woman again... is what he was probably thinking...

And then I saw it. Sitting on the shelf. The same shelf that I browsed through for the last six years, soaking in all the inspiration, drooling over all the talent. Feeling the tiny whispers that had been lying dormant in my heart. There it was. The magazine with my very own name ON THE COVER! Is it cheesy that I wanted to scream and shout it out? OK. I know a little over the top...but that's what I wanted to do... Shout it out! I wanted to say: "Yo, people of Starbucks, this is ME on the cover! For REAL! Yes, yours truly has busted out of her shell and taken the leap to follow her dreams during the last 18 months and guess what??? She's on the cover baby!!! OK. So, I didn't say all that. (Thank God). Instead I grabbed two copies (one for my mom and one for me) and then I made my way home driving with the BIGGEST grin. I hopped into bed and read it from cover to cover. It's real. It really happened. My name is on the cover. My words are in print. My art is published. A small town girl from Northern Ontario is smiling HUGE. It's all about celebrating THESE moments that makes it all worth it!

(Thank-you to Stampington for sending my complimentary copies in the mail.

I got them yesterday. YAY!!! )

Stay tuned for the next post where I show you my published work in
THIS magazine!!!

Somebody pinch me!

Have a beautiful weekend!

I`m off to Huntsville to paint the day away with Beverly and meet some important peeps!

Love to you all! xoxo

My Muse

2011-11-29T18:43:00.001-05:00

Hello dear lovely peeps. How are you? Life has gotten so busy for me these days that I am beyond happy to be here with you to catch my breath. I've been working so hard behind the scenes getting ready to show my large paintings that I have completed so far. I painted TWO large 2 by 3 foot paintings last week. (I think it's my best work yet). It was so challenging and physically exhausting. I am meeting some important peeps on Saturday to hopefully lock in a solo show. (Fingers crossed please). I am so happy to be back at my work table creating little faces that don't make me break out into a sweat.

My little man Owen has been really enjoying having his Mama coach his basketball team. I'm going to milk this special time because I know that he may be asking me to walk five paces behind him someday and may not be giving me high fives for scoring an "11 out of 10 for coaching on Wednesday nights" (Thanks Owen). Why is it my heart breaks just a little everyday when I watch him walk from the car towards the school... (I need a pause button).

I know I don't paint little blond girls often and yesterday I painted two! The yellow tubes just ended up in my hands...The one on the far left was supposed to be a brunette, but it wasn't meant to be. Sometimes it's like these paintings paint themselves! High fives to all the blonds out there! All three of them will be listed in the shop tomorrow.

Last but not least, I am so proud to share my very FIRST POST on this amazing site: Your Heart Makes a Difference. Remember a while back when I announced that I would be a contributor? Well it's my turn! Please pop in to check it out. You will read about my muse. What it is and why. (It's heartfelt. Big time!)

Before you go, please know that I am wishing you a lovely Wednesday. A day filled with green lights, patient people, and kind hearts. Here it is. xox

A New Collection

2011-11-26T12:47:00.001-05:00

Thank-you all so much for sharing my happy dance with me!

Still no magazine to show you yet...

I guess it will be that much sweeter when I finally lay my hands on a copy.

The guy I've been stalking at the book store has assured me the

Somerset magazines will be in next Wednesday! ;)

Stay tuned!

In the meantime,

I want to show you my latest Paper Poetry Dolls!

For those who missed the last post...

They are made from poetry pages found

in vintage poetry books...

I am having SO much fun creating these little papered dolls...

Each one of them has their own little personality!

They will all be in the shop on Monday!

I hope you are all enjoying your weekend.

Mine started off with a Christmas Gala last night with my sweetie!

It was so fun to dress up and wear my long black feathered earrings.

Today, I'm heading to a French Art Gallery with Owen and my little brother Bubba.

Then we plan to have an early supper and head out to watch a movie at the theatre.

THANK-YOU so much for all the kind and loving words...

You have no idea how much it filled my heart to read them.

Wishing you a wonderful weekend with your family and friends...

I'm off to spend the day with two of my favorite people.

I'm feeling so blessed and then some!!!

xoxo

Mom, I'm Published!

2011-11-22T15:57:00.001-05:00

I have BIG NEWS!!!!

I'M PUBLISHED!

and not ONLY am I PUBLISHED...

But, my name is on the

COVER!!!

I can't even tell you how loud I screamed when I found out...

or how high I jumped up and down on the bed like a five year old...

FEELING PURE JOY!

I was hoping to have a copy in hand to show you...

but magazines take so long to get to Canada... we don't all live in igloos...seriously!

I just couldn't wait another day before sharing this with you!!!

I am SO grateful to the kind and supportive editors

at Somerset Studio Gallery for featuring my work.

All the way from Northern, Ontario, Canada.

A girl who dared to dream is seeing it unfold before her very eyes...

Not even two years ago I put paint to canvas for the first time.

I believe this is what happens when you do something with your whole heart.

When you see the fear and still move forward.

Until...

I saw this!

(the proof of the magazine article)

I almost started to hyperventilate...

I yelled NO! NO! NO! Really loud.

Steve thought something was very wrong and called out from his office.

There it was in

BIG BOLD LETTERS:

"I AM AN ARTIST"

I wanted to crawl under a rock.

I wanted to respectfully ask the editors to change the title of the article.

My inner critic ridiculed me, judged me,

went up and down my heart and back...

But after a couple of days..

OK, it was actually more like a couple weeks...

I started to laugh about it...out loud

To acknowledge the words.

To accept the title.

To believe I (might) even deserve it.

To practice what I preach.

It's funny how even though you say it on your blog,

to your friends,

and to total strangers...

How you can even write it in the article

for the magazine...

BUT

when you see it

"I AM AN ARTIST"

When you see it in print as a declaration,

all of your gremlins come knocking...

Ms. Jennifer Jackson,

thank-you for believing in me.

Thank-you for the gifts you have bestowed upon me.

Thank-you for giving a small town Canadian girl

with a big bold dream- a chance.

I promise to show you all the actual magazine

when I get my hands on one...

The magazine officially hits the news stands December 1st!

Set your dreams free!!!

GO FOR IT!

AMAZING THINGS

are waiting to happen to you!

Waiting for you to breathe deep and press GO!

xoxoxo

In Between...

2011-11-17T18:09:00.001-05:00

(a selfie in my studio)

I'm in between...you know that place. After a big thing that has filled your heart with pain. The drain you feel after you fight. hard. I'm in that place where distance sits... waiting for me to take the next step. I'm in between... you know that place where you feel a shift, a new beginning of sorts. The place you are after you know you gave it your very best and now you just have to wait... I'm in between...you know that place. Wrapping up some important projects and on the cusp of some that are bigger than I am. That place that says YES! I can totally do this and the other one that says WHO who do think you are?

I'm here.

Taking a step back.

Breathing more and thinking less.

Asking and listening.

In between.

Open.

Thank-you for the birthday wishes.

It was beautiful from start to finish.

My boys spoiled me.

I felt loved.

Have a beautiful weekend.

HAPPY 37 to YOU and ME!

2011-11-14T07:45:00.001-05:00

This self-portrait was taken with my timer. Totally inspired by the amazing Vivienne McMaster.

I wanted you to be the first to know that I will be having a

ONE DAY SALE

tomorrow!!!

EVERYTHING

in the shop will be 37% OFF!

Tomorrow is the beginning of my 37th year

and I want to celebrate this!

I want to honour my journey.

The path that hasn't always been easy

but the one that has always been worth it!

I'm so happy to be alive,

to be awakened,

to be living with my heart wide open and,

to finally be working towards my deepest dreams.

LOVE to every single one of you.

Thank-you for sharing this journey with me.

xox

PS. I have a feeling 37 is going to be Astoundingly Beautiful!

PSS. In case you haven't heard...Our story made the NATIONAL NEWS!

Our city counsellors are meeting this week to discuss these issues.

And, I'm off to meet with my Provincial MP today.

Changes...they are coming. ;)
Buckle Up McGuinty!

The Many Faces

2011-11-12T12:14:00.000-05:00

It's a new day.

I'm still trying to process all the emotions I have felt during the last week. I thought I would try to explain myself by also using the self-portraits I have been taking in Vivienne McMaster's You Are Your Own Muse class. This class is opening me up in a different way. It's allowing me to see the many sides of myself, even the ones I tend to repress or try to ignore.

As you read in my last post, it has been a difficult week. I was brought back to a place of pain that still sits inside my heart. It felt like a scab was ripped off a large wound. I was reminded of the injustices so many people still face today. I was deeply saddened by the event that took place on Sunday and the aftermath of it all.

I have also learned that some people are not comfortable with anger. Some may think it even an unnecessary emotion to express. I am trying to live a FULL life with my eyes and heart WIDE OPEN. And sometimes, this brings me to a place that I don't want to be, but, a place that I cannot deny. Anger is a human emotion and one that helped even Rosa Parks stand up and say ENOUGH! Anger is part of the human experience. Without anger, there would be no need for peace.

"Anger can spur an entire culture to change for the better, as witnessed by the civil rights movement of the 1960s and the earlier women's suffrage movement." Not everybody has equal rights in our society. I can no longer sit back and politely ask for this to change.

Without sorrow there is no JOY.

I choose to be real. I choose to feel it all. It's not easy, but I would not have it any other way. I am grateful that God made me the way I am;

able to stand up for what is right.

I wear my heart on my sleeve and will use my voice until I die.

I wish there were no need for anger in our world today. I wish it was something that we could put away for good and only focus on the positive. But that is NOT reality for so many people. The truth is, so many people still do NOT have equal human rights. SO many people are mistreated, disrespected and even dehumanized. I do not believe that thinking positive will improve the quality of life for these people.

I am a real human being who feels passionately and loves fiercely.

I will continue to speak my truth and honour what I know is true.

Being human and living from the heart means

telling the truth,

especially when it's hard.

It means standing up when your intuition tells you so.

It means using your voice and your life

to help make this world a better place.

It means teaching my son what to do when you feel anger.

It means finding the courage to speak up,

speak out and hopefully make a difference.

Thank-you to all those who have sent words of support during this difficult week.

Your kindness will never be forgotten.

Anger as a Vehicle for Change

2011-11-10T09:39:00.001-05:00

Do not teach your children never to be angry;
teach them how to be angry.
-- Lyman Abbott.

Anger has fueled me this week.

It hasn't happened for a while... But this time I could not resist giving into this powerful emotion. I went there. I had already written a letter that I was going to submit to our local newspaper, The Sudbury Northern Life. I was already upset about a very important issue and I needed to get it out. I have written several letters to the editor in the past. In the last week, I have written two.

Anger is a powerful emotion.

And if used wisely, I believe it can create change. I have been moved by my anger this week to speak out, to express that some things are just not acceptable, and to raise awareness. Many of you who read this blog already know that my husband is a Canadian military veteran who became paraplegic due to his service. I rarely focus on this issue on my blog, but this week, I cannot ignore such blatant ignorance and disrespect. This week, I used my pen and my voice as a mighty sword and I am grateful that I have the ability to express myself in this way. I also realize more than ever that I have a moral obligation to speak out for those who cannot.

On Sunday, my family made our way to a Remembrance Ceremony only to be turned around at the door because it was NOT wheelchair accessible. It was horrifying. It was humiliating. It was infuriating and then some!

Here is the link to my interview on CBC

(The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation).

The following are the two letters I submitted. This one to the Sudbury Star.

Wake Up Sudbury

I am beyond angry. Myfamily and I made our way to the Capreol Legion Remembrance Parade today onlyto be turned around because it was NOT wheel chair accessible. Are you kidding me? How can this gross oversight happen? “We didn’t know”, was their response. What? You didn’t know that people in wheelchairs leave their homes? You didn’t know that some veterans arewheelchair bound and might like to take part in the remembrance ceremony? You didn’t know that it’s now 2011 andaccessibility is a human right? Shame onyou. Isn’t it part of the Legion’s mandate to actas an advocate and provide assistance to soldiers and their families? I wonderhow Veterans with disabilities in the past attended these ceremonies. How could this still be an issue?

It’s no wonder there is a huge disconnect between presentday soldiers and the Legion. Whathappened today, to my husband and my family was a slap in the face by the verypeople who are supposed to get it. Thevery people who are supposed to understand what we have lost. The very people, who should welcome my familyinto their organization and not make us feel “othered”. What we experienced today was a painfulreminder that we still do not belong in this community. It was a reminder that there is still so muchwork to do. And finally, it was areminder that Northern Ontario needs to wake up and become accountable for thelack of accessibility in all organizations. Wake up Sudbury!

Danielle Daniel

This one to the Northern Life.

It’sMore Than Just Wearing a Poppy

It’s that time of year again. My heartstrings take me to that place ofloss. How I wish my fellow neighbourscould truly understand what lies within the layers of my remembering. This week I cannot deny the pain from losingfriends in the Afghanistan war. Thisweek I cannot stop the flood of emotions as I think of all that we have lost inour own family. This week I cannottolerate the outright ignorance and disrespect for those who have served in thename of Canada.

I will remember all those who have lost life andlimb and those who are now living their lives from a wheelchair. I will remember the unbearable loss fromsuicides, the ones the military never talks about. I will remember all those who suffer fromPTSD, depression, rage, alcohol abuse and drug addiction. I will remember all of the broken andshattered families that are no longer together. I will remember all those who will never be the same because of whatthey gave in the name of Canada.

I am a 36 year old woman walking around with a poppyon my chest and a hole in my heart. I amsickened that high schools like Lo-Ellen Park Secondary School are asking theirvendors to set up on November 11^th. I am sickened that their students will be running the halls organizingtables while the rest of the country remembers. I sent a letter to three people at Lo-Ellen Park Secondary School lastyear expressing my disdain and how I would not participate again in their Craftshow because it was scheduled on November 11. I did not receive one response. Businessas usual.

This is exactly why this day should be a StatutoryHoliday in Ontario, the way it is in almost every other province in thiscountry, so schools don’t go around putting up craft shows to dishonour thedead.

Are the people of Sudbury that far removed? I suggest that the decision makers atLo-Ellen Park Secondary School take a bus trip to Petawawa and spend a day inthose schools. Perhaps they will becomea little more enlightened and learn what military children sacrificedaily. They can look loss in the eye andmaybe learn some respect. All of this sacrifice so the next generation atLo-Ellen Park Secondary School can learn that on Remembrance Day it’s OK to setup for a craft show and make some money because we already reserved a day toremember this week.

Actions speak louder than words. I’m horrified by what we are teaching the nextgeneration. I pray I’m not the only one.Shame on you and shame on all of us. I choose to remember and not dishonour ourveterans. Let’s teach the nextgeneration by our actions and not our token words.

Danielle Daniel

BOTH of these letters were NOT published in the paper.

It is clear that PRIVATELY OWNED JOURNALISM is NON-DEMOCRATIC.

I am so grateful to the CBC team for all the work they do exposing the truth.

The truth will set me free...

One. Word. At. A. Time.

Introducing My Paper Poetry Dolls!!!

2011-11-06T10:44:00.000-05:00

Introducing my latest creations!

Made with so much TLC

I just can't stand it!

There's something about creating a three-dimensional object

that makes you feel you are

creating on a whole other level...it's almost magical!

I'm calling these dolls my

Paper Poetry Dolls!

I have created the structure using various papers and

poems from long ago.

There is something so utterly romantic to create dolls

with the words that have been strung so beautifully

by writers that lived before us.

They are almost entirely made

(99%) from recycled materials.

Their faces have been handpainted and their skirts

have been lovingly sewn and stitched using vintage hankies and lace.

I have always ADORED the art of papier machee

and I knew that I wanted to make my dolls using this

medium. It's amazing to think that you can create a little doll

with so much personality just by using

paper, glue and paint.

This little darling was my first.

I love her so much.

Her name is Mirabel.

She is shy and has a kind heart.

She always dots the i in her name with a heart.

And this is Zuzu.

She is a feathered one, here to share her wisdom.

She is strong and sure.

Her face has been handpainted along with

her shirt and decorative collar.

Her skirt is also a vintage linen hankie.

I have added a little word garland.

that can be changed and personalized if you wish.

I'm SO EXCITED to finally share these with you.

I CANNOT wait to make more...

I would love to know what you think about these...

I have a feeling I could be making a little village filled with

Paper Poetry Dolls.

xox

They are now in the shop!

New Paintings!

2011-11-03T08:46:00.000-04:00

Hello dear readers,

I hope you are enjoying your day.

I have been so busy in the studio this week.

(How can a studio go from super tidy to where is the floor again in three days...)

I have two new paintings to share with you today.

The one on the left is called:

Big Brave Steps

and it reads...

She took big brave steps in the direction of her dreams...

The one with the black hair is called:

Trusting The Wind

and it reads...

She trusts the way the wind blows...

They are both in the shop now!

ALSO,

I CANNOT WAIT TO SHOW YOU

(in my next post)

what I`ve been working on...

I`ve been daydreaming about these since before the summer...

I`ve been experimenting, trying, and failing again and again...

until now!

I will FINALLY

be showing you my newest

and most heartmade creations thus far..

I can`t wait!

♥

I Double Dare You!

2011-10-31T08:46:00.001-04:00

I've been in my studio...

getting it messy again..

I don't know what it is lately, but I cannot get enough color on my palette.

The brighter and deeper the hue the better...

I don't know how long this phase will last but I am loving it for now.

I wanted to tell you that I submitted a short story

to a NATIONAL writing competition here in Canada.

This is the first time I submit a story.

(Go big or go home...)

It's a CBC short story and poetry competition.

The winner gets 6000$ + they get their story published here.

I've been wanting to submit to this competition for the last three years

but I always managed to find 1000 things I NEEDED to do

and never had time to follow through.

I submitted in the creative non-fiction category.

I chose a story from the book I'm working on but I had to re-write it (often)

because the word limit was 1500 words (4pages).

I don't expect to be the winner,

or one of the four runner-ups who will each

receive 1000$.

I am aware that almost every writer gets rejected...

hundreds of times

even the absolute best.

But, one thing is for sure...

Even with ALL the odds against me,

I feel so good about this.

I feel good because I can no longer let fear rule.

Because doing something is so much better than doing nothing.

Because I am one step closer to sending it ALL out there.

Because I am getting braver and so much nearer to

becoming the me I want to be.

For now, I will let it go and set it free.

And look forward to painting some more in the days to come.

These paintings will be in the shop later on today.

I dare you to take one step closer to your biggest dream today.

I double dare you!

PS. I'm going as Little Red Riding Hood tonight.
(What are you going as?)

Happy Halloween!

xo
PS. Thank-you for all of your sweet words of congratulations on my last post!

I Have Good News...

2011-10-28T09:27:00.000-04:00

Hello Friday...

What took you so long?

I don't know about you guys but this has been one

emotionally charged

busy week in the Daniel household!

Owen has been sick all week!

Sleepless nights full of deep loud coughing that

keeps a mama on stand by all night long.

(He's finnaally getting better)

I started coaching Owen's basketball team...

I forgot how draining it was to talk over the sound

of 100 basketballs bouncing in the gym.

(somebody save me lol!)

My nephew was born!

Landon Daniel

8 pounds 13 ounces

21 inches

(welcome to the world little one!)

A secret undercover project

with my very talented friends...

more to come on this soon(ish).

Let's just say I was WAY out of my comfort zone for this one folks...

(WAY!)

Writing, editing and editing some more.

I'm reaching a deadline for a writing project...

(feeling the fear and forging straight ahead...deep breathes!)

No time in the studio ALL week.

until TODAY...

Sweet Friday!

Let's get messy!!!

AND....

Last but not least....

Look what showed up in my mail box last night?

I'm PUBLISHED!

My banner

was selected for the Banners We Love in the

absolutely BEAUTIFUL magazine

Artful Blogging!

What a FABULOUS way to end such a nutty week!

I'm off to get my paint on...

Wishing you all a weekend filled with tender loving care!

xox

Brave Butterflies

2011-10-25T10:24:00.000-04:00

I've been writing again... Writing. My other love. The one that always makes me go deeper. Not too long ago someone commented on my artwork and said if you look quickly your work is cheerful and colorful, but if you spend a few moments really looking at your girls and their eyes, you see what lies beneath.

I think that person was right. There is so much more going on than the surface bright colors and cheerful combinations of girls with birds and girls with feathers.

I've been living in that layer. That place that calls me during the day and even in my dreams. I've been writing by hand and with my computer. Exploring that place that I often want to leave behind. The one that is trying to get noticed and striving for my attention.

I've also been reaching out this week. Asking for help, guidance and direction. With my writing, my stories, and my words. Asking the same questions. Again. Secretly wanting someone to knock at my door with a written confirmation that says YES Danielle, you ARE supposed to go there, YES, you are supposed to share, YES, you are good enough. And, hoping like hell they come to the door and say MOVE ON GIRL!

I've been practicing courage a lot this week. Setting myself up for rejection and criticism. I have to be honest, I almost threw up yesterday after pressing send message. It was NOT easy. But I survived. And today, I have a few butterflies in my stomach because I feel brave. I followed through. I. took. one. more. step. forward.

The sun is shining today after many days of cold rain and strong winds. I hope you are well my friends. I hope you are reaching deep inside. I hope you feel butterflies in your stomach. Let's all be BRAVE today. xox

Join the Revolution NOW!

2011-10-23T12:14:00.000-04:00

Have you heard about the a new revolution starting?

The one where your heART makes a difference?

My heART sister Louise Gale is launching

a new initiative to help us all:

*Live with Gratitude

*Choose Kindness

*Practice Self-care

*Be creative

*Spread happiness

*& Energize from the heART

In Louise's words:

If you have asked yourself

“What can I do to make a difference?”,

I hope this new community will inspire you.

Throughout 2011, as I have been working through my coach training and experiencing all the ebbs and flows of life, I came to realize more and more how the energy of our thoughts and feelings really do make a huge difference. Not only to ourselves but everyone around us, spreading wider and wider.

Choosing good thoughts and feelings positively raises our vibrational level and helps us attract the things we want in our life.

As human beings we often focus on what is missing in our lives, what is wrong and what isn’t working. Imagine if we were to turn that around and focus more on what has gone well, what is working and really start to focus on what we are grateful for.

I am so honored to have been asked

to contribute to this beautiful community.

Please follow this link to find out
HOW
I hope to make a difference.

Find out more soon about each contributor as Louise shares it all here.

I hope you will join us so we can all take part in living from our hearts...

Join the movement here!

FearLESS Update...

2011-10-20T11:04:00.001-04:00

I wasn't always an optimist.

The first thirty years of my life the cup was half empty.

I lived in the past and worried about the future.

I wasn't happy.

I grinded my teeth a lot in my sleep.

I never thought the happy moments would last.

I lived in fear.

Many moments happened in between then and now.

Some big, some small but they all mattered and brought me to this very moment.

Remember the word I chose for myself this year?

This one?

Well, I am learning that AMAZING things

can happen when you fear LESS.

When you look at fear and say:

"Yup, I see you, I feel you, but I'm doing it anyway".

I`ve been thinking about this lately because really good things are happening to me.

GREAT things!

BIG DREAM things and I`m trying to soak it up!

I`m trying to accept them without diminishing their importance

and believe wholeheartedly that I DESERVE it!

I`m trying to stand in my light and say YES!

Thank-YOU!

I BELIEVE!

I want to end this post with a beautiful quote that a dear friend

pointed out to me the other day (Melissa ♥)

"I've been absolutely terrified every moment of my life

and I've never let it keep me from doing a single thing I wanted to do."

"Georgia O'Keeffe"

How have YOU said NO to FEAR lately? I would LOVE to hear about it!

PS. I'll be able to share more soon. xox

The Photo Walk + Self Portraiture

2011-10-16T10:56:00.000-04:00

This is my third and final post dedicated to my experience at

The Be Present Retreat.

The weather was beautiful while we where there.

It only rained on our final night and it drizzled the day we were leaving.

The clear skies made it easier for photo walks which were led

by the ultra cool and talented Vivienne McMaster.

Not only am I uncomfortable in front of the camera, but I am also timid behind it.

Ever since starting this blog I have felt like a less than average suckie photographer...

To be honest, getting the right photos for the blog has stressed me out..until now.

It was Vivienne's first time teaching LIVE and not online,

and let me tell you, she lit a fire inside of me!

I have to out myself by telling you that I had signed up

for her online photo class earlier this year called:

You Are Your Own Muse.

But, I was a no-show. I totally chickened out.

Now I know what I missed out on!

I was the only one in the group with a point and shoot camera. No fancy lens (yet).

Vivienne presented photo taking in such a way that made it accessible,

fun and actually non-threatening.

She inspired me to be in the present and let go of the view finder...

In the end, I was transformed!

I can honestly say that I look forward to taking MANY

more photo walks in the future...

I know I have A LOT to learn, but I'm not scared anymore.

And I TOTALLY have Vivienne to thank for this.

She is a photo whisperer!

The following photos were taken on a photo walk the day I was leaving.

It's not easy for me to share these but that's why I'm doing it.

I hope to be able to share more with you in the next few months as

I have signed up for You are Your Own Muse class again.

This time I will be there with bells on.

I hope you are all having a wonderful weekend. xox

Taking It all In...

2011-10-14T16:18:00.000-04:00

I'm having difficulty articulating what I experienced, at Frog Creek Lodge. I'm back home and in full gear again, running around, doing errands, wearing my many hats, but something is different. A great shift has occurred, a very beautiful, open and honest shift. Maybe even something magical...

Maybe it was the perfect setting, the nurturing environment, the home cooked meals.

Maybe it was the eleven other souls destined to meet and share this experience.

Sometimes, once in a blue moon everything just lines up...

This is where we sat and shared our writing,

lovingly guided by Liz Lamoureux who organized this retreat.

This is the place where my heart opened and my fears subsided,

where I felt unconditionally undertsood and accepted.

There were many fragile moments,

too precious to share here and that shall

always remain in our pockets.

It is here that I learned I could thread words together

while being vulnerable in the company of others.

Where I could lean in and let myself fall one minute

while stand strong for others the next.

It is here where I was reminded of true beauty.

The beauty in the broken, the vulnerable, the strong and the real.

And, the absolute beauty and perfection of the present.

Where I learned to believe wholeheartedly...

That the very BEST is yet to come!

I have so much more to share with you,
so please bare with me as I share it slowly.
(Steve said the cheese has been in overdrive lately...what can I say...I LOVE cheese).

*************************************************************
I wanted to share a link to a fun shopping site in the UK that has featured my blog.
Stop by to check it out. They have so much wonderful information to share.

The Be Present Retreat is featured the beautiful
NEW Stampington & Company publication called Mingle.
My HeART sister Beth Nicholls is also in this magazine sharing her
Do What You Love Retreat!
Check it out...you will be inspired!

Also, I have been dusting my ETSY shop all day!
(It is a rare occasion)
Many new originals, prints and art quilts have been added.
I thought I would invite you for a visit since it`s all tidy!

Thank-you all for being part of this journey with me.
xox

The Light Keepers

2011-10-11T16:26:00.000-04:00

I am back. And forever changed. I had a feeling it would be pretty special. I had no idea it would bust me open. The eleven women I met and shared with are all phenomenal. While I waited at the airport for nine hours (that's not a typo), I wrote this poem. It's dedicated to each one who has made me a better human by showing up and sharing their light with me.

The Light Keepers

I see her, this girl,

Mystified by raindrops of joy.

Wrapped in the tear stains of her light keepers.

She remembers their thunderous laughter,

And the doorway to their feathered stories.

I see her, this girl,

Walking in her paper shoes.

Trying to stand tall without them.

Squeezing her heart with the hum of their voices.

Exhaling the waves of her lonely whispers.

I see her, this girl,

Clutching her handkerchief,

While she sits with a fragile heart.

Her hands embroidered

With the texture of their kindness and love.

I see her, this girl,

Picture-poems gathered in memory.

Bouncy balls skipping by.

Barefoot dreams in one single cup of tea.

Twelve shimmering lights twirling around the trees.

I see her, this girl,

The one I always knew.

Living inside each abandoned sound of a broken heart.

Deeply stained in delicate paper.

Their essence tattooed inside her skin.

I see her, this girl,

Connected to each light keeper.

Fiercely embracing the beauty of their song.

Awakened by her silent voice, her wordless stories

And twelve colorful scarves fluttering in the wind.

For each and everyone of you. I love you dearly. xox

This is a self portrait taken after I said goodbye...

tear stained.

One last walk in the woods...

More to come about this trip soon.

I'm still catching my breath and processing it all.

Leaving on a Jet Plane...

2011-10-03T06:24:00.000-04:00

I am up two hours before my regular wake up time this morning because I have a list a mile long to accomplish before the sun sets tonight. I am still buzzing from a very busy weekend at the Fringe ART Tour. The attendance this year just blew me away! It was so wonderful to connect with other artists of all ages and styles. I'm already looking forward to participating again next year. Thank-you to all my local peeps who made it out. ♥

I have approximately 28 hours before I leave on my next adventure to Seattle, Washington. This is the least organized and prepared I have EVER been for a trip thus far. So, I will be "getting er done" today as they say here in the army.

I am participating in a Be Present Retreat, organized by the amazing Liz Lamoureux. I will be here, in the Pacific Northwest staying at the Frog Creek Lodge. These three AMAZING women will be teaching at the retreat where I will dive into a world of photography, writing, painting.... and a wholatta FUN!


Photo credit: Liz Lamoureux

I have never been to this kind of retreat before where
it will be smaller and more intimate.

I'm looking forward to meeting new friends...
and meeting new heART sisters,
if I can just get packed already...


Photo Credit:Vivienne McMaster, second and fourth photos taken by Mindy Lacefield, third photo taken by Liz Lamoreux)

My shop will be closed while I am away but I wanted to leave you with a few small paintings I finished last week. Think SATURATION!
I guess my palette is changing with the seasons...

Many NEW prints and originals will be listed when I get back.

Until then, have a great week. I am so excited for this next adventure...I have a feeling I will not be the same when I get back...I almost feel like a transformer getting ready to transform from the inside out.

Much LOVE,

Full of Truth

2011-09-28T15:18:00.000-04:00

"What do forests make you feel?

trees... how absolutely full of truth they are".

I am reading the Unknown Journals of Emily Carr and

I am transfixed by her words and the pictures she paints on the page.

She is known as one of Canada's greatest painters. She is also a published writer.

She kept a journal throughout the years and I am so grateful to her.

Dear friends, I continue to struggle with my painting but yesterday

I quietly put things into perspective when I read this from her journal.

"I shall never paint anything good. I am just dead bones and venom,

and I ache to express what is really good and beautiful and true and real."

Dear Emily Carr, thank-you, thank-you, thank-you.

Blue Sky, 1936

by Emily Carr
oil on canvas
93.5 x 65.0 cm

The Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, The Thomas Gardiner Keir Bequest

The woods call me often, they beckon my presence almost daily as I work...

Today I could not silence the call.

I headed out to a trail I had never been before,

less than a ten minute drive from where I live.

I was alone, for a full hour in my sanctuary, my temple, where the wild things live.

It felt so good to be out breathing the clean air and the sweet smells of Fall.

I almost wept with joy and sorrow all at once.

I don't know what is it about the Autumn season,

it stirs the depths of my being.

It is the one season I could not live without.

"I feel things clearer when I am away from humans in the woods.

God seems there more-why?"

Emily Carr

I felt like the luckiest girl in the world having all of this to myself,

only the sounds of my feet on the fallen leaves and the birds above.

What is it about these living woods that make me feel like I have come home,

back to myself and away from the inner jargon and the unnecessary...

It is here that I am fully present and clear.

It is here that I believe in the impossible.

It is here that I see the bigger picture.

Where I acknowledge that my feet are exactly where they are supposed to be.

Where I accept that I'm growing as fast as I should be,

that I cannot rush the process nor speed up the journey...

It is in the woods where my heart and soul fill up,

where I summon my strength and courage,

and where I silence the doubts and honour the path.

NEW in the SHOP...Bookplates!

2011-09-26T11:13:00.000-04:00

Introducing my new ART Bookplates!

As many of you know, I LOVE BOOKS!

I love books so much that it is the number one gift I like to buy for the ones I love.

So, what's better than buying a book for someone?

Adding a beautiful heartmade bookplate to personalize the book gift even more!

I have two Collections in the shop right now:

Collection I - The Forest is Her Temple + Raven Girl

Collection II - Her Poppies + In Bloom

I've been wanting to add these to the shop for a while

and I'm so excited to share these with you today!

On another note, here are a few paintings I completed on Friday.

They were painted on wood canvases. I LOVE painting on wood!

They will be in the shop soon...

And, last but not least, I have tweeked my BLOG and I hope you like the changes!

I have created two blog buttons that you are free to add to your own blog!

I LOVE making these so much! I hope you like the messages too!

I wish you a very happy week, filled with kind words and kind people.

I can't wait to tell you where I'm heading next week... stay tuned! xo

And FINALLY, thank-you - thank-you for your support. ♥

A Breakthrough

2011-09-22T10:14:00.001-04:00

How is your week going so far? Mine has been action packed, still trying to catch my breath... As you read in my last, I've been blocked these days, unable to complete a painting or even enjoy the process. So, after my very special conversation at the car garage (I know...totally weird but amazing), I decided to make some changes...

     I went to Bingo. I know. It's lame and totally "Valley Girl"...but I did it because I thought it would be a way to NOT take myself so seriously, to chill out, to just get over myself already. I had fun. I didn't win, but I relaxed and used my TEAL dabber...

      I joined a club...an ART club. I know... Those who know me well are probably thinking...you did what? I decided to get out of my shell, out of my head and out of my basement. I paid my fees last night...and I'm excited about this. I really am.

      I had breakfast with my Memere. I made time. It was wonderful. Before I left she looked me in the eye, put her hands on my shoulders and said; " I know you will paint again soon. You are a good artist. It will be OK." (She said this in French, I'm just translating). She filled my heart right up.

     So, that afternoon, I came home. I was nervous entering my studio... I looked through books for ideas... And then I looked at the clock and finally said. Enough. You are totally procrastinating. Paint like you...not like anyone else. You don't need any books for that. Owen will be home in three hours. Just paint! So I did. I painted. I literally took some deep breaths before I started and I just went for it, allowing whatever needed to happen. Once I got started, I wasn't anxious anymore. I was in the ZONE.

Three hours later, this emerged.

It's called The Forest is Her Temple.

I was so giddy all night long!!!

FINALLY, a breakthrough!

Yesterday, I painted this one...

This one is called Raven Girl.

THANK-YOU

for your support and your kind comments!

It means SO much to me. It truly lifted me up!

I wanted to share a comment left by fellow artist Micki.

Many of you know her as The Secret Hermit.

I HAD to share this with you!

Here is part of her comment that made EVERYTHING so clear!!!

" What we call blocks are transition times.
Sometimes they are intimidating, but when you come down to it, a block is simply a time of change.
Something drastically different from what has been painted is trying to emerge, and you are pushing it back down, consciously or unconsciously.
You feel blank because there is too much inside and the pressure gives the illusion of emptiness.
This is a time to break the boundaries set by the self image, to find the crack in the wall. "

...this quote from the book 'Life, paint and passion'... left by Micki.

So here's the truth...
I've been limiting myself...my growth. I so fiercely want to BRAND my style that I continue to stuff the natural process of growth. I wanted desperately to continue with my current ETSY style, the one in the shop and continue painting and growing with Beverly-separately. I thought I could do both... I have realized that I can't any more. This is why I BLOCKED out!

I know that I'm still new as an artist... January 2010 was the the beginning for me. My style will continue to grow and change... it will continue to evolve because that's just the kind of person I am. I am surrendering the need to BRAND myself any longer...this is self-sabotage and I will do it no more. Some people are meant to teach grade two for the rest of their lives and they are happy with that... I would die. I am in constant flux. So here I am, at another juncture of change in my work. The fifth in the last twenty-one months. Where do I go from here? Forward, inward, allowing the growth to happen and shape my ART into exactly what it's supposed to be.
I hope you do too. xox

My Creative BLOCK!

2011-09-19T14:00:00.000-04:00

If you've been wondering where I've been for the last week, I've been dealing, more like struggling with a creative BLOCK. Yes, it's happened before...but it has never lasted THIS long! I showed up to my painting table, eager to work with a deadline looming... I painted for almost three straight days unable to complete a single painting. I have a show coming up... The Annual Fringe Art Tour. My paintings are due this Thursday and so far this is what I have to show for...

All of them are a bust...crapola...rubbish!!!

I have to admit, I've been taking this hard, unable to shake it off,

completely absorbed in my own misery.

A confused walking zombie trying so hard to just get past this BLOCK!

Surprisingly, all of this changed this morning when I met an older man at the mechanic's shop while I was waiting to get my car serviced, I needed an oil change.

What I wasn't prepared for was an attitude adjustment.

This man, who was a retired police officer was so kind and understanding.

He was present and we shared.

We had the kind of conversation that makes you hug a complete stranger in a mechanic's shop before you head out to go get your groceries.

He managed to get me out of my funk and back into reality, where I finally managed to stop focusing on the block and not take myself so seriously. He made me feel connected to my surroundings. He also reminded me that some of us have an obligation, a social responsibility to share what we know, especially when it can help other people. We talked about his horses, his daughter, my family's military experience and life as a whole. Who knew I would find exactly what I was looking for without even knowing what I needed inside this unattractive mechanic's shop where a bunch of dude's with their names on their shirts work?

I then went grocery shopping and smiled more. I was more patient and kinder to the people who passed by me with their carts. I noticed them and I was present. Grocery shopping wasn't so bad today. I chose not to paint today. I actually came home and made two spinach and ricotta cheese quiche. I made quiche? One for supper tonight and one that I will bring to my Memere tomorrow.

I'm feeling better. Not as frustrated or as crazy. I hope the next time I show up to paint it will flow again and the block will have dissipated. But until then, I'm going to finish the fudge I started making, the one I'm making for no other reason but to brighten someone else's day because I know how much that means.

I know it can make all the difference in the world.

Because today I was reminded that kindness and LOVE comes in all shapes and sizes.

It can even come with an oil change.

On Being OK and Then Some...

2011-09-13T10:15:00.001-04:00

I've been thinking alot lately about the big big picture. It actually kept me up last night. It's funny how you think your life will be a certain way and then it turns out to be nothing like you planned but in the end you are still OK., even better than OK.

Ten years ago, I was a new-ish teacher. I thought I would teach for about six years and then cross over to become a principal. I even thought I would run for mayor. I was not a mother yet, but I thought for sure I would have a daughter first and then maybe two boys. Steve was in the military and I thought we would be posted to Trenton and we would finish off the army years there. This is what I envisioned. This is what I thought my life would look like.

Fast forward ten years and WHOOA, was I off! I'm no longer teaching. I paint. I'm never going to be a principal (and if I do, please believe that my body has been taken over by aliens...lol!) I might run for mayor someday...(but probably not...I'm just way too opinionated to please the masses). I am a mother to a beautiful 8 year old boy, he is my only one and my heart is FULL. My husband, well, he no longer wears his uniform to work and I no longer cry myself to sleep lonely and worried that he will not make it home. Instead I see him every morning and very night and he wears nice shirts with collars and fancy pants and shoes. His wardrobe is actually WAY better than mine. We live back home-in Sudbury, Ontario Canada. Where my heart lies but my mind wanders.

Last night as I laid awake, I thought was I WAY off. My life is NOTHING like I had envisioned it, hoped it would be. It's better. It's not without it's heartbreak, but I'm OK. I'm better than OK. So, I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'm open. I'm open to whatever the Universe wishes me to experience. I can plan all I want, but in the end, I just need to pay attention and TRUST. I know she has my back. I know, no matter what, I'll be OK.

Wishing you a beautiful day. xox

Presenting my 2012 Calendars!

2011-09-12T11:06:00.000-04:00

They are READY! And, I'm SO excited about these!!!

I have created a NEW and IMPROVED format.

Can you feel my pulse racing???

I'm so happy to finally share these with you!

I have chosen 12 favorite prints along with the print on the title page which is called

Inviting Abundance.

Here are the 12 paintings that made the cut this year...

They all have their own personalities and stories to accompany you through 2012.

They measure 8.5 by 11 and they have rounded corners.

They are grouped together with a silver metal clip to make it easy to flip to the next month.

These prints can also be trimmed when the months pass

and framed or added to your bulletin board for instant color and company!

These makes the loveliest gifts for the ones you love.

They also make lovely gifts for YOU!

They're in the shop NOW.

Wishing you a HAPPY week!

Painting for FUN again!

2011-09-09T13:40:00.000-04:00

Hello hello!

Thank-you all again for the kindness and encouragement. It`s a wonderful feeling knowing that as I stretch and grow, I am not alone. This means so much to me and I am eternally grateful. It has not been easy to share these LARGE paintings. I have felt quite vulnerable to be honest. I'm sharing more than my new "painting skills" in this body of work. It actually feels like I am baring my soul and this has left me feeling a little uneasy and anxious...wanting to crawl under a rock again. I hope these feelings will pass soon.

I spent the day painting in my studio yesterday. It was so nice to let go and just play again. After painting my last two large canvases, I felt the need to paint small and just for fun again, without pulling the hair out of my head.

So here they are...the latest girlies! I will have them up in the shop this weekend. Stay tuned...

This weekend, I'm looking forward to curling up with another book.

I'll be reading The Painter From Shanghai...

YES, I totally fell for the title...

I couldn't sign out for the week without extending my heart

to all my sisters (and brothers) out there who have been affected by

September 11th 2001.

My heart is with you.

I pray for peace on earth and in all of our hearts.

xoxo

NEW Painting + NEW Routine

2011-09-07T11:53:00.000-04:00

This is my absolute favorite time of year. Fall is already in the air and I could not be more content to see it here and return to a routine again. Steve is in his third week of Medical School and he is LOVING it! Owen is on Day 2 of grade three and while he was a little slower getting out of bed this morning he is happy to be back with his buddies and the forecast looks good. I am rejoicing to have my house back, my days to create guilt-free and without interruption. I sit here sipping my grande non-fat caramel machiatto and I feel like the luckiest woman on earth.

So, without further adieu, I present to you my latest painting.

She is almost complete...

untitled

This is the second painting in my new collection. It measures 2 feet wide by 4 feet tall. There is so much symbolism in this piece. I felt a little like a detective working from the inside out, uncovering the pieces that needed to be added to tell this part of the story. I am completely immersed in this world and it feels fantastic.

This painting was an arduous process... I almost gave up twice... The ugly stages just lingered and ridiculed me as I sat looking at it from different perspectives. I kept going...

Thanks to sweet Beverly,

I will be showing this body of work next Spring in the Muskokas....

I am SO STOKED to have this opportunity to share my work there...

On another note, I will be spending the rest of the week working on stocking my shop with new work and smaller paintings. I will also be adding bookmarks. There is also a NEW SALE section in the shop so be sure to check it out when you can.

I have also been reading this book that has been keeping me up late into the night. TOTALLY worth the read so far... I only have 50 more pages to go...

That's all for now. Be well dear friends... xox

My True North

2011-09-01T19:14:00.000-04:00

I`ve been thinking alot lately about my love-hate relationship with my hometown, the city I grew up in, the one I decided to come back to after fourteen years. Sudbury Ontario is known for many things; nickel, mining, big trucks, blue collar, beer drinking, four wheeling, fishing, hockey, heart disease, red necks and the north.... I know...HOW can I live here? Steve and I thought it was the best move for us to come back here after his accident. Our families were still here and we needed emotional support after such a tragedy.

It is a dream haven for some people, but as an artist, someone who would like to do more, grow and stretch and reap the opportunities that are available for artists in the bigger centers....it has felt more like hell sometimes. For one thing, I still have not found a local art community here. Not for lack of trying and reaching out... TRUST me I have. Tried. Maybe it`s because I was meant to hop on all those planes in the last year and a half and meet so many of you far and wide. It got me out of my comfort zone and into a whole other world. A world I never would have known about if I would have found what I was looking for at home. I have met friends for life-my tribe during these art retreats. But truthfully, when I come back from these art camps, I feel quite melancholy and I feel myself retreating into my cocoon where I start to loathe the very ground I walk on. I crave culture and galleries, cafes and connecting with people who are daring to live a creative life. Here I feel like a snail; alone, isolated and othered.

However dear friends, I have had a revelation of sorts of EPIC proportions...


Photo taken by Scott Haddow

The NORTH, this place, the very ground I walk on is indeed the place I am meant to be. I wouldn`t have been born here otherwise. It is the city I was meant to grow up in, the one I needed to experience. It is the only place on this whole planet where I feel connected to the land. It understands me. It is the only landscape I recognize as my own and the one that fills me with blissful peace.

Photo taken by Scott Haddow

There are stories that live and breathe here that only I can tell because I am part part of its fabric. Stories that have been waiting for me to pay attention, to express and to share. Either through my artwork or my writing...

Photo taken by Scott Haddow

Someone very special to me has told me that I have a responsibility to unearth and share these stories with others. It has become so clear to me now that rather than lamenting in what Sudbury hasn`t got, I am now transfixed on all that it has, all that it was and all that I am within it.

Photo taken by Scott Haddow

I have seen some pretty amazing landscapes in my life already with my very own eyes. Landscapes in China, Barbados, Italy, France, Spain, the West and East coasts of Canada and the US. All of them have been beautiful. All of them have taken my breath away. But none of them, none of them live and breathe within my skin and my heart. The North is my pulse, the land is my muse and the people are my reason. Because no matter where I go within Canada, the US, or anywhere else on this planet, I know that being a Northern Ontarian matters to me. I wouldn`t be who I am without this place..the good, the bad and the ugly.

Photo taken by Scott Haddow

It might not have the art and culture I so desire nor

the cafes I dream of writing in by day,

but it does have what none of them have not, my heart.

Photo taken by Scott Haddow

So my new journey includes excavating the stories that lie beneath my feet and within the ground I walk on. The ground my son will recognize as his very own when he begins to travel this beautiful world of ours. I know that he too will know that he is home when he sees the rock, the smoke stacks and the people of Northern Ontario, rough around the edges but a light that shines within connecting us all to the landscapes and the stories that make us who we are.

My latest body of work is part of this. It has been waiting for me to be ready, to take notice and to finally say HELL YES! Thank-you all so much for your support and your kind words in my last post. It is so nice to know that I can share this journey with you all. I CANNOT wait to show you my next painting...coming next week.

I want to thank Scott Haddow who is a local freelance photographer and writer in Sudbury Ontario. The BEAUTIFUL photos have been taken on his numerous canoe trips with his family. Thank-you for expressing with your photos what I`ve been trying to say with my words. You have totally captured the essence and the heart of the north.

PS. I couldn't leave without telling you that Sudbury is also known for indie music and indie films, in the closet writers and writers who meet at the fromagerie, blueberries, camping and fireflies. Camp fires in the backyard and both English and French bookstores. Looonnng winters, short Falls, cold Springs and even shorter Summers. An abundance of fresh water lakes and a landscape that inspired the Group of Seven's most famous paintings...
****************************************************************************
There are stories lying within you right now that only YOU can tell. Stories that are just waiting for YOU to excavate. Maybe you`re supposed to hear this today. Maybe I`m supposed to tell you that it`s time. It`s time you share your story. We all have a responsibility to share our stories... the ones that are ready and the ones that are buried beneath. Just maybe, we can help the world become a better place one story at a time, one person at at time, even one city at a time.