Never Too Late

What was I thinking?
With my yet-to-be-managed spine challenges and medications tending to assault my balance, I decided now would the perfect time to honor my long postponed passion for ballet. Really. What was I thinking?
Three of my young friends and I petitioned a local ballet school to offer a beginner ballet class for adults. Let me quickly clarify: my "young" friends are the approximate the age of my son. But they kindly included me in this adventure. Ballet rivals pilates and yoga for strengthening the core, when properly done, so how could that be bad, right? And a strong core will definitely help with my spine in the long run. (I use this fact as motivation during my more humiliating moments in class now.)

So after investing far more than can be merely written off (after I quitting from fear of more things than I care to name here) in the leotard, tights and shoes, I crept into the brightly illuminated but cavernously chilly, mirrored room. Did I mention the mirror? A really big one. The music began to play as I clung with an iron grip to the barre along the wall and tried to replicate the graceful movements of Miss Emily, our instructor. That ^*%#^&#* mirror heartlessly exposed each and every minor (okay, major!) deviation from Miss Emily's efforlessly graceful pose. She seemed to have muscles the Creator neglected to give me. That first class was difficult for me both physically and emotionally.

However, I've found myself standing a little taller and using my core more often during normal activities. Today was my third class. The mirror is still huge, but it's a helpful tool to identify where my body isn't in proper position. It also reflects when I do actually reach a graceful pose. No, it does not feed my denial, but as I am willing to accept and embrace myself exactly where I am---in this present moment---I can enjoy the incremental improvements I do see. And applaud them. After all, muscles have memory. Practice builds strength. I only wish I hadn't waited so long to approach the mirror.

Making Messes

Between daily breakfast dates with two of my grandsons (lucky me), a dazzling trip over Stevens Pass




and a much-needed visit to my friend the Graphic Designer for some R&R (thank you, my precious friend), I have been busy.

Oh, perhaps I should qualify that: I've been creating... all kinds of things. (The Professor and the Handsome Ginger have agreed to call it "Making Messes", one fondly and the other, well, not so much.. Here's the current list of Messes: I'm illustrating a poet's book for children. I'm mid-canvas on a painting promised in trade for The Blank Page Writing Workshop which begins next week. Check it out if you're interested in future workshops. I'm in the early stages of a painting I'm calling Surrender that will hang in the RU4ME Show at Hilcrest Chapel during the month of December.

As to future Messes, I've got a couple out there. First, I've decided to participate in this year's The Sketchbook Project with the assigned theme, Make Mine a Double. I plan to begin that next week. I'm also reconsidering teaching some children's art classes. Just the basics of color, sketching and 3-D drawing. I'm working on a realistic time frame and cost structure (doesn't that sound businesslike?) Whatever. Finally, I've got a new commission. This time and organization.

So here are the 2 things I've actually finished lately. One is a family portrait of a different kind. After a photo shoot with the family I chose the images I wanted and enlarged them to the sizes I needed. I then cut the from papers I had painted in colors to specifically compliment their living room (where it was to hang).




I then attached these images to the "canvas" (a hollow core closet door) which I had prepared beforehand.



I need to take a photo of it as it hangs, because it is killer! This time I was truly pleased with the outcome!

Here's the second project and this one I'll post over at Gitzen Girl. It's based on a quote Ann Voskamp posted. "We thought our secrets would save us... but they slowly slay us."



Too true.

What have you created just for the mess of it this week?

Body Image Blocks

This past week I finished a project for my friend, the Psychologist. Her work in the area of one's unhealthy relationships with one’s own body and food is inspired. She takes a strongly sane position between the "Fat is fab, eat it if you see it" ladies and the "Strut your skeleton, starve yourself" girls. She's created a body of research on the subject that is remarkable. I thought I'd heard it all, but after 15 minutes listening to her input on the topic, I was surprised to have learned a few things. (Did you know, for instance, that every cell in the body is renewed in a year? So, who do I want to be next year?) I've put attending her Clean Eating Class on my Bucket list. Wise beyond her years, she is a knowledgeable and a caring therapist. (And she'll blush if she reads this.)

My task was to decorate some Jenga blocks with statements regarding body image. She called them cognitive disconnects, I believe. Her plan is to use them in a game she has created for her Body Image Workshop. Sadly, many of these statements have been my foundational truths. But as I carefully chose lettering, color and design for each individual block, I also had plenty of time to meditate, often squirming with discomfort I might add, on the statement.



As misery loves company, I thought I'd share a couple of them with you:








Bunk, wouldn't you say?

What have you created this week?

Field of Hearts

I've taken to carrying my sketchbook and some kind of mark-maker wherever I go in order to stop, witness and respond to my life rather than race through it as I have these many years. As this is a new habit I am working to make a natural part of my day, I often forget, allowing my sad, glad, holy, silly and perfect moments to slip (or hover) unnoticed. So much ready inspiration goes unseen and un-dabbled-with when I refuse to slow down. So I'm hoping as I continue practicing being aware and responding, the habit will become natural.

...Sort of like changing my posture. I've gotten the word three (yes, 3!) professionals that by lifting my chest, dropping my shoulders, tucking my bum and bringing my ears over my shoulders I will lessen the mind-numbing pain in my neck, shoulders and back. I don't know how many times a day I am currently re-aligning my body, but trust me, it's more times than I care to count! I keep encouraging myself that muscles have memory and given time and persistence, I will become Jenny, Straight and Tall. In the meantime, I practice.

Anyway as today is Thursday, and I am participating over at Gitzen Girl with the You Create, I am posting a response from my carry-along sketchbook to a speaker I heard talking about God's love. It was a couple of weeks ago actually, but between the flu and my posture, I've been busy.



Here's hoping you can take some time to respond to your life in your own unique way.