Author: Kelly

Mindfulness: an imperative  process.

November 9, 2025

So, I realized after my last post that I am  moving forward again. I had told myself that part of the reason I’ve been grumpy is I couldn’t paint. I also realized that my art has come to a grinding halt this year, as have most of my creative outlets. That just can’t sustain.

Somehow I had allowed my mind to dictate false narratives because I yoked my art and my eyes to my self worth. I had fallen out of rhythm. The part that really surprised me was that I was clearly resisting change, again. After I drew that little sketch of the horse a couple of days ago and talked about it here, I had that ta-da moment that springs out of self conversation or mindfulness. Several friends also reminded me that they still want to see what I’m up to, even if it’s just a sketch.

I have been thinking about what I call mis-assigned importance for quite some time, because I process everything slowly. Not all work that I do is wonderful, nor does it need to be. That little sketch made me realize I’m in the next phase of my growth. We are each, after all, an evolving and learning, spiritual being.

I cannot deny who I’ve been my whole life. I am eccentric, habitual, passionate, self critical and obsessed with attention to detail in everything. My first real job out of high school was illustrating  manufacturers’ products for their catalogs, and it  translated quickly into a 20 year run as a pre-cad industrial illustrator. I worked for a little desktop publisher but also spent a lot of time drawing nuts, bolts, screws and subcontracting whatever the big name graphic artists didn’t have time for. It was pure visual processing –  specific, black and white drawing, and I loved it until CAD programming came along. At that point I wandered off to get a degree in fine art … and discovered color.

As I began to paint, even my oil paintings were more ultra realism than they were impressionistic. The last growth spurt I had entailed trying to loosen up that crisp illustrative style and become quicker and more gestural so that I could do Plein Air – think and work quickly and loosely in the field.

That was difficult with my background. I was resisting change even though I liked what I was incorporating. Now, my temporary vision restrictions are making me realize I need to move ahead once more.

I’ve done some reading and studying over the last year about the effects that vision might have on an artist’s color theory and style. I understand this now. There are active conversations on possible implications of nearsightedness and cataracts to perception of color and clarity of image for several of my favorite artists from various centuries, even impacting and possibly giving rise to  movements like impressionism.

Observing the detail and simplicity of the canna bulbs I dug this week.

I think doing these little impromptu sketches are my way of thinking mindfully – a functional tool for me to continue my processing of where I am and what might lie ahead. Functionally it’s good exercise and good use of these little sketchbooks while I’m waiting to get scheduled for the surgery. It certainly will make me easier to live with for the people I care about around me. I’ll keep you posted.

Biding time: a test in patience.

November 5, 2025

It’s not always easy to do what we want to do, and we get complacent when it is easy for a while. I need to remember that easiness is a gift and I dare not forget that.

This last year has been especially challenging for me just because of the little bits that happen, often tending to come together in one of life’s bottlenecks. That convergent timing can make somebody feel a little picked on.

None of these occurrences that I call bits are insurmountable, but in fact are the kind of challenges (aka speed bumps) that everyone has. When health-related, and more frequent as we get older, they are also something we are resistant to look at objectively. We don’t want a steady diet of harsh reality, even if our reality is gentler than someone else’s. Case in fact, while we know that everyone has something going on that the rest of us don’t know about, we are ‘sure’ that ours is bigger and badder than someone else’s.

One of my speed bumps, and my current bane, is the simple wait for overdue cataract surgery. We knew I had cataracts growing, but when some other priorities had to step up for attention this year, cataract surgery got bumped to the back burner. As a very visual person, indeed an artist by passion, waiting to be able to see the world around me unencumbered hit harder than I expected. My color pallette was altered, let alone being able to translate and reproduce what I’m seeing effectively on paper or canvas is … let’s say “eye opening”. I’m finding myself impatient to be scheduled, and  downright cross because I can’t paint effectively.

I am embarrassed because I never completely understood the impact this has had on other people. Cataract surgery is relatively common as we age and I know more older people who have had it done, than don’t. Once again I am humbled by deferred empathy.

So I will keep playing with little sketches and watercolor and use my magnifying glass when I struggle to find my mark. It isn’t really important if the work is great. It will be more important to keep reminding myself that this is temporary and patience, is indeed a virtue.

Earth Day Stewardship

April 22, 2025

Life moves in wonderful circles.

Earth Day 2004 was the day my Mom passed. I brought home a 6″ snip of corkscrew Willow that was part of her funeral spray and stuck it in the ground in her honor. It grew. Every year after that on Earth Day I would go out and celebrate the fact that that little tree came back to life each Spring as a testament to life, resilience and hope.
In 2023 the March tornado destruction took that tree completely down.

In 2024, a small start came up from what was left of the stump and I didn’t have the heart to cut it back last fall.

Now, on Earth Day 2025, I am celebrating once more as I look at the lovely rebirth of the resilient Willow… and smile. Mom is reminding me that none of this is ours – we are only the stewards – the protectors – the gardeners. The earth and all of the circles are His!

Earth day. I have always been fond of this day as a formal reminder of our need to remain vigilant in our stewardship of this precious mother earth. Let it be our renewed call to action.

Happy Earth Day, Momma. Peace.

Promises Kept

April 20, 2025

Sometimes we make a promise to ourselves, to a family member, to a friend, or to a new acquaintance with the very best of intentions. Then something gets in the way and we don’t fulfill that promise – at least in the timely manner that we intended.

I am embarrassed to admit that happens more often than it should. Life gets in the way. Excuses grow as we are distracted. The letter that I meant to write goes unsent. The coffee date I had been meaning to have doesn’t get scheduled. The painting I started remains on the easel unfinished. When I realize that I’ve done it yet again, I am humbled and more determand to behave better in the future, and I ask that friend or new acquaintance or even my own heart to forgive me and allow me to begin again with grace. Life is too short to carefully pack all those little guilt nuggets into a bag and carry them.

I occasionally do historical events where I take my paintings to show and share. It’s one of my greatest joys to work on a painting in public and talk with the people who come through.

Recently I had begun a painting at home right before one of my events. (see process images 1-5 above) I took that painting and worked on it there. (see process image 6 above)Typical of an event where there’s a good turnout with a lot of people, I get less painting done and more talking done. Ordinarily it’s not a problem. I know that when I get home I’ll finish the painting and go on to the next one. This time, however, I started a conversation with some wonderful children from a family about the painting. The little girl in particular kept coming back to see how far along I had gotten. I was not progressing very fast and I even apologized that I was talking more than I was painting. She was very kind and patient and when it was time for her family to leave the event I said, “I tell you what! I will finish this painting when I get home and I will make a comment in my post just for you.”

Circumstances have not allowed me to get that painting done and fulfill that promise the way I should have. A couple days ago I got an email from her mom asking if I had finished it. It was said with such kindness and grace and reminded me the very great importance of promises kept.

The place I chose to paint is of a particular shoreline on Madeline Island, Wisconsin. This is one of the Apostle Islands in Lake Superior. I have personally enjoyed going there after a hot day talking about art and history at the Madeline Island History Museum in LaPointe. There is a peace and a sense of renewal at this place that reminds me of all the peace that comes from forgiving ourselves for falling short of our intentions.

I hope you will enjoy today’s 40″ x 16″ oil on canvas painting, entitled ‘Promises Kept’ in honor of Rose.

Solstice, Christmas, and the seasonal rebirth of light.

December 25, 2024

Snow this time of the year, be it a bit or a blizzard, melts and freezes in quickly cycling patterns making exotic light shows each morning with the tardy sun’s emergence. Bushes hold up the ice offerings and if we’re really lucky there is a variety of textures in twig and leaf. Frost adds an extra sparkle that I truly love.

Holly lends an extra visual style with spiked deep green leaves said to represent a spirit of prosperity and focused strength. It is also said to remind us to believe in ourselves and to connect with our inner strength as we move through difficult times in our life. By knowing that everything eventually comes full-circle we can see the potential that lies ahead.

Druids believed Holly possesses protective qualities, such as guarding against evil spirits and bad luck. Legend has it that bringing the leaves inside during the winter months would provide shelter from the cold for fairies, who in return would be kind to those who lived in the dwelling.

A year ago I took a photo of the sun drenched ice in mid winter. Now, looking back over the year just closing, I am feeling the same wonderment, clarity, and even excited apprehension that the photo first prompted.

In honor of this year passing and anticipating the year to come, I painted the light in the photo of that day. I added Holly to represent the strength and confidence to face this coming year with joy and not fear; the leaves to lend resilience and red berries for a spark of color.

Merry Christmas and peace and light to you all in the year ahead.

Fancy a Sale? Let’s go!

November 16, 2024

I’ve been thinking about some of these new restructures and endeavors that I’ve been exploring in my work and my thinking and one of the things I’d like to experiment with is creating online sales in the store, or sales gallery. I have been using the product ‘Square’ for both in person and online sales management and am pretty happy with it. It is safe and secure on both your end and mine.

As the holidays approach I would like to participate in some of the small business sales events. How to do that isn’t something I have had the courage to learn on my website but I think it’s about time. Don’t you? That being said I have read about how to set up a sale discount for select items to run for a particular time frame and I think I am ready to give this a try.

I see that the next installment of the Outlander television series finally resumes on Starz on Friday, November 22nd so for my first step into making online buying fun and easy for you let’s have a special “End of Drought-lander” Sales Event! Fellow enthusiasts can enjoy 10% off select Outlander related items (the giclee icon series and bookmarks) all that weekend from Friday, November 22nd to Sunday, November 25th. I have it set up to change the price of the items to reflect the 10% off so that it works right in the checkout process during the sale period. There is a minimum threshold of $4.50. The discount will expire at midnight Sunday and change the price back to where they were.

Thank you all, my friends and patrons. I encourage you to sign up to get upcoming e-mail announcements so you won’t miss new works, announcements, and sales.

Stress relief – choose wisely.

November 4, 2024

We all have those times in our lives when worlds collaborate about things and stress us out. In my case today’s one of those days. There are a lot of small things I’ve been juggling reasonably well but today more jumped on that full plate. I had really hoped to get into this particular art show (the second in as many weeks) and heard back today that I wasn’t selected. Disappointment is stressful. Compound that now with the stress building to the presidential election tomorrow and I was fidgety, pouty, and building up an argumentative head of steam. I am not one to direct that kind of stuff at someone near and dear to me so I turned to my primary cathartic recourse – paint.

I processed how I was feeling for several hours and then decided I really needed to get to my easel.

I chose a photograph from my phone that I took from an afternoon drive Ray and I took a couple weeks ago. We had stopped at a picnic table beside a lake in a park to eat the sandwiches I packed for lunch. It was a beautiful fall day and the light was inspiring so I took a couple of shots. Painting peaceful landscapes tend to pull my troubled spirit back into a calm rhythm that leads to the quiet joy I needed tonight. I am more centered now and things look much more manageable. That makes me back on track for feeling hopeful that everything will work out just fine.

I just need to take a deep breath and trust … have faith that the positive will prevail. I hope you enjoy this 11′ x 14″ oil on canvas … and if you haven’t yet, go vote tomorrow.

Time for the seasonal shift.

October 30, 2024

Autumn. We love it for the changing color in the leaves and the chill that comes with the forecast winter. We do those last minute chores like putting up our storm windows and putting down garden beds. And we start to think about chilly winter nights curled up with a book under a reading light, or in my case, time spent in the studio making art. I do love fall very much.

I have scurried in some of the plants from my patio and flower gardens that I want to overwinter. Some will live as they are and some will have a midwinter pruning and restart of cuttings in preparation for Spring. Either way it’s so uplifting to have all of the greenery and color inside the house.

My husband and I took a walk the other day and we started to see the little wooly caterpillars with wide center bands forecasting a long and snowy winter. Whatever you enjoy about winter, whether it’s books or art or napping or binging tv or getting together with friends for a little social nip, Autumn is the threshold to the next season and the next chapter of your life.

Do those activities that you know are important for your peace of spirit, your strength of mind, the health of your body and for the good of your people – those you love. Seek peace. Seek joy. Seek healing. Seek wisdom, and quietly express in whatever your preferred venue might be, what is important to be said. Share your grace. Your voice matters.

Best laid plans – aka: surprise!

October 25, 2024

We tend to like making a plan and sticking to it. It’s vital when you’re making appointments, setting up dinner plans, scheduling a vacation, or even doing chores. We like to assure greater success by assessing variables like time or money or weather. A well made plan gives us a sense of security and larger positive return on our intent.

How do we schedule? How much time is needed and when to do it is based on proven parameters. We can look at the Weather Channel, recall the base speed of completion in the past, and the time we now have available. Then factor in our age, our physical ability, and variables like that and we feel pretty confident.

And then Murphy’s law kicks in.

As we get older and retire from our day jobs with our whiteboards and formal structure, we find ourselves relaxing the hard edges of scheduling. We sleep a little later, or decide we aren’t in the mood for today’s grocery run, and we shift. We relax. We get spoiled by less structure and rely on assist tools. It reminds me of how my Subaru beeps to tell me if I’m drifting over a line, or get too close when I back up, or slow my cruise control speed when I’m following too close on the highway. I resisted a little at first and then I kind of liked it, and eventually got just a little bit numb and dependent.

We get more comfortable with warning beeps and proudly step forward with a plan for a task – perhaps based on outdated parameters. Then we lift that pot that’s too heavy, hear a resounding pop, and our schedules are wiped off the whiteboard.

This picture of fall pumpkins looks like the reality I now need to embrace for my life. It is exciting … and pretty … and completely unpredictable. There is very little clear structure. There is a fabulous variety of color and the sky is reassuringly blue above, on most days. However, this new adventure into living with surprise asks us to pause and become a student again. We must learn to set aside our accepted parameters and hone our critical thinking skills again, because if you pick one pumpkin out of the new order, others could tumble. When that happens, and it will happen, it is important to remain calm and embrace where we are at that new moment with grace, agility and optimism. Like a new student, we need to take a deep breath and find joy in the learning process.