Nov.28th,2011 Christmas cards

What I have done over the last few days...puppy Santas and Angel Kitties...

Sunshine

Today it is cold but beautiful!!! We still have golden leaves that fall and the yard has a nice crunch to it with the frosted grass. The Canadian Geese that hang out down at the pond have been taking their practice flights for the last couple of weeks and I sometimes see them fly over me honking..
The mountains have white white snow on them and the sky is so clear it makes your heart ache.
The feral kittens greet me with meows all around, and run in a crazy pack to the shed where their food bowls are. Each has an interesting personality and way of being..they are wild but choose to live here.
Amy runs in the front as if her life depends on it...running full out and beautiful...her face seeking mine for approval...run Amy run, I love to see her stretch and move with such grace.
It is hard at these moments to not see the world as a glorious place. So today I intend to revel in that feeling.
I hope you all have a wonderful day.

no job, but a good day.....

well got an email thanking me for my application for the spa job..and once again...no job. Of course I have gone over the interview many times and decided that maybe I was just not playing the game the way it should be played. Maybe I am too much myself.

.but since I fought for me to be me for so many years..I don't see myself pretending to play any one's game any time soon..guess I better get selling art!

That said..today I worked on some nice bookmarks which will get embellished with ribbon and beads, tea dyed package tags which will get stamped and embellished, bought molding for Hubby to turn into simple frames for small acrylic paintings, bought cards and envelopes which will get stamped and painted and embellished. I will design at least 3 stamps or stencils for the cards, one will be a dog, the other will be a bear and I am thinking of a chameleon too. These will be put into sets for Christmas/holiday cards. I also want to find some plain Christmas tree glass balls to paint and embellish. So I have some work to do..
fixing sweet potatoes and dressing tonight for Thanksgiving tomorrow. I cheated and bought frozen pies...Saves some time...Turkey and mashed potatoes tomorrow, vegies, wine, mmmm can't wait!

So this holiday is of course in thanks for the Pilgrims being saved from starvation by the local Native Americans. Of course not long after and for much of our Great county's history we have waged war on the native Americans, killing them, displacing them, stealing their lands, killing off their bison herds, giving them small pox infected blankets. I did read today that a tribe was getting back some of their ancestral lands in New Mexico, after it was stolen from them by the US govt. reneging on treaties 125 years ago! So no good deed goes unpunished.
In thanks for the hated "Indians" teaching immigrants how to eat corn and turkey we eat turkey until we lapse into a stupor and watch lots of football games

and "Peanuts" specials.

I usually watch the Macy's Parade in the morning while getting said turkey ready for dinner.

As children we learn that the turkey was in line to be our revered symbol of freedom..but of course the Bald Eagle.

.who is very pretty became our symbol.

Not to be mistaken for the Turkey vulture

Of course that means every school age child learns to draw a turkey

participates in plays about the pilgrims,

and learns to eat a little pie with their whipped cream.

Our President always pardons one or two turkeys

So I intend to enjoy Thanksgiving day...by eating a lot, and watching football games, and being thankful for all of the good things in my life.

Here is hoping that no one acts like a turkey..except in good ways

Have a Happy Thanksgiving.

Nov. 19,2011 I am one of the ????%

Those crazy creditors..think they can squeeze blood er money out of a turnip, or my wallet.
Somedays I just don't want to look inside the tidy little envelopes with windows, go fly a kite while I drink coffee and paint...that is the ticket!!!!
It is a little rebellion of mine..no need to freeze my buttocks off in the park with the 99%..I just pay my bills when I chose....hmmm sometimes that works against me..but I heard the tents were full of pee and poo and drugs so I will be at home performing my own rebellion by picking from the hat which 1% will get paid today..get in line..it is a long line, better be nice because this dollar won't stretch like you all think it should.
I also practice passive aggressive rebellion by sending the credit card offers back in their own postage paid envelopes...my Dad did this and we all carry on the tradition of making these vultures pay their own postage for naught!!!!
Yeah that will change the financial world. Still it is a satisfying if little rebellion.
Yes..I pay my bills, yes I owe them, but somedays..I just want to see more than .65 in my checking account for more than a day.
So today..instead of paying people and kvetching about money or lack of money..after all it is just money! ..I will paint some little paintings. Tomorrow I will go to my neglected studio to prepare for the holiday sale and steal back my hallway space for my paintings..awwww selfishness..somedays it feels so good.
Oh and it snowed last night..but it is melting off the cars and I will sit inside with my unpaid ...no wait I did pay...gas heat and watch it melt so I don't have to scrape the windshield.
Lazy girl

I took this photo in Europe in 2008..why post it today? Because this whole post seemed a little prickly to me....haha. I laugh at my own small jokes too.

11/18/2011 more art

A good artist friend called me on the small paintings I have been doing. I emailed her photos of them and she emailed back.."What are you doing?".
She is worried that I have no longer gone deep and used my brain to create more clever and meaningful art. I know in one way she is right. I started with the Bee painting for a friend's granddaughter and sort of went on from there with fun in mind instead of trying to dig deep for subject matter and composition. I admit they are somewhat shallow and goofy but I have had fun and it has kept me painting while I mull over what direction to go in next!!
Still sometimes it is hard to keep trying to think about art. I was always accused of over thinking by some of my college professors. They wanted me to be more spontaneous and personal. And now I seem to have gone the other way!!! Hopefully I can find a middle ground of mature themes and whimsy together.
I also think I have worried too much about what financial success I have not had in art. Also I have gone through a lot of times where I wanted badly to be recognized in shows, or competitions. I have even fallen prey to wanting lots of comments on my posted art whether here or on facebook.
I think this speaks to a serious lack of self assuredness. I can act assured and mature but deep inside I just want everyone to like me and my art!!! Wouldn't you think at my advancing age and life experience that I wouldn't need such kudos and accolades, recognition for whatever? Still I recognize this problem and try to set aside those childish thoughts by just doing art and being myself.
Many times I see the apparent freedom in ideas and styles that many artists have and I am envious yet I know that I do my own thing and should do my own art.
So even at 58, there is much to learn and so much more to do. I am just trying to keep doing art.
Forgive me my self indulgence on this post. I figure I am not alone in the underwhelming lack of self esteem. I think this is a product of working alone and being alone too much. More job hunting today!!!
So with my friend's words in my head..I did this 12"x12" painting yesterday and yes...I did have fun. I call it "Sailfish Constellation". It is acrylic paint and glitter!!! Something about sparkly things just makes me happy!
No need to boost my morale, this is something I deal with a lot and sometimes just writing it down makes me see things in a better light. But thanks for listening have a great day.

11/14/11 Job interview and Narwhals

I have a job interview tomorrow. I got it because my friend who works at this spa at a ski resort recommended me to her boss for the front desk. Then I applied online and heard nothing. Then my friend's boss asked if I had applied. Then she began to email human resources to get me pushed through. Then today I received an email from my friend saying they had heard nothing from HR maybe I should call them...I did and was set up for an interview tomorrow at 4pm. This is the only response that has happened with many job applications since September and was due to the fact that my friend intervened! I don't have the job yet..I worry that I won't have the right clothes or the right answers...but whatever. It is a ski resort and somewhat laid back. But these days I don't own good clothes..well professional type clothes...I have decent clothes!Some without paint on them! I need a haircut but can't afford it right now. Yikes..I am usually not so worried about things but I need the job and it would work well with allowing me to do my summer job too!!! I could actually be employed all year round with both jobs!!!
But selfishly..I have to admit that I prefer not working an outside job...I would rather paint...but I am not with a silver spoon in my mouth...I need to bring in the $$ when art is not selling..so this will allow me to pay my studio rent, help out and keep me on a structured schedule that does help me do art if I am not too tired.
Yes the sound of some ambivalence but I do want the job. Wish me luck.
In the meantime...I have been living in my childish world and painting fun and goofy paintings with glitter of course...here is another one.
Called "Night of the Narwhals" I love to see documentaries on animals I may never see in real life. These two look a bit lovey-dovey and if it weren't for the looooong horns would probably be smooching under the starry night sky. This is 12"x12" acrylic, glitter and glue on canvas board.

11/12/11 An Island Holiday

11/11/11 Veteran's Day

an 8"x8" acrylic painting I did yesterday. White Whale,Full Moon and Jupiter

Today I hung my flag to honor my father,Uncle and Father-In-law who all fought in WWII and are no longer with us. Raymond Earl Hale (Marine), Charles Everett Hale (Air Force),James Paul Mitchell (Army), my brother in law who is now gone, James Gordon Mitchell (Army), my brother Charles Thomas Hale (Army), my husband, David Paul Mitchell (Army), my Uncle, John Walker (Army).
I also honor all the past relatives,ancestors who fought for this country in the Revolutionary War, The War of 1812, the Civil War (both sides), and WWI.
I hate war...but I am proud of my relatives who fought for freedom.

Nov. 8,2011

Two small paintings I did in acrylic and glitter and glue!(12"x6") On cradled board.
"The Yellow Boat" The Sweet Sally is tossed about on a pretty sea, while below her the blue and green fish hang out with the starfish and sand dollars.
"The Red Buoy" A red and yellow buoy floats above the pod of small orange whales while the clams sit in the sand. Done for fun!