I want to thank everyone who came out to the opening of the Hope For Spring exhibition at the Neill-Cochran House Museum. It was a beautiful day and the lawn was the perfect place for an outdoor reception.
The exhibit includes over fifty works of art, in various styles, all depicting The State Flower Of Texas, the bluebonnet. It was interesting to see all the different styles represented, and in a variety of media including stained glass and fiber art as well as photographs, paintings, and drawings.
The Neill-Cochran House Museum is a historical home complete with original furnishings and decor. So, you’ll find the new artworks floating in a 19th century world, sometimes in unusual ways.
I located my painting “Bluebonnets” relaxing on the bed with a lovely piece of fiber art by Linda Miles.
This was a small, socially-distanced event, but I’m so grateful to be able to share my art with the community and to have the chance to celebrate together. I’m looking forward to more of these events in the future. Oh, how I miss big art openings with music, wine, and cheese plates!
The reception took place on the spacious lawn of the Neill-Cochran House Museum.
Hope For Spring is on display at the Neill-Cochran House Museum until April 11, 2021. Check their website for hours and admission information.
“Flora of Texas” by Randy Soileau.
“Sweet Spring” by Kim Kaiser.
Next up is the drive-thru art event ARTic Expedition which is taking place April 2-4, and then I’ll be off to South Llano River State Park for my first camping trip of the year!
In my last post I was getting ready for the ARTic Expedition drive-thru art show and promising to post about it on social media. But instead of ARTic Expedition, we got Icepocalypse.
On the day I was supposed to install my artwork, it never got above freezing. There was already ice on the roads and much more in the forecast. So, we canceled the event and everyone hunkered down for the storm (which ended up being a pretty traumatic experience for a lot of people). I consider myself one of the fortunate ones even though I lost power and water for days and had to keep a fire going just to keep my apartment above freezing.
It was so cold for so long that one of the pools at my apartment complex actually froze over.
Even with the minimal damage to my apartment, it took a few weeks to recover. But I’m happy to say that I’m now back to my usual routines. And I have some good news: ARTic Expedition is back on! It’s been rescheduled for April 2–4, which should mean beautiful weather and blooming wildflowers.
Speaking of wildflowers, this Saturday, March 13th, I’ll be at the opening reception for the Hope For Spring art exhibition at the Neill-Cochran House Museum. Join me for this free outdoor event from 5:30-7pm, with cocktails provided by Still Austin Whiskey Co. All the art will celebrate bluebonnets, the State Flower of Texas. You can also view the exhibition through April 11 with admission to the museum. Hope to see you there!
LINKS I’M LIKING
I’m currently watching every episode of Every Frame A Painting and so far my favorite is this one about Chuck Jones, the famed animator of Looney Tunes.
I’ve been watching tons of live music videos to uplift my mood. I’m especially loving this cover of You And Me by Techno Marching Band MEUTE.
Meditation has become a near-daily practice for me and I found this playlist of free 10 minute guided meditation that have been really helpful. I resisted meditation for most of my life but am a complete convert – it really can change your life. No special skills or equipment required!
You might remember that in late November I was awarded an art grant to make a light-up sculptural art pyramid. One of the requirements of the grant was to debut the art piece at a new kind of drive-thru event:
ARTic Expedition will be taking place February 12-14 on Valkyrie Ranch in Paige (about an hour drive from Austin). You can find more information and purchase tickets at https://articexpedition.org/
This is an experimental event (we are hoping to learn from this smaller event so that we can do better, larger ones in the future). What that means is that there are only a small number of art projects participating. This says nothing about the quality of the work, and I expect there will be some really fun stuff, there just won’t be a lot of it.
If you don’t mind the drive to Paige, this could be a fun way to get out of the house and support the local arts community. But, if you’d rather not make the drive this time, don’t worry because I’m sure we’ll do this again and it will be even better!
There will be some effigies that will be burned at the end of the event on Sunday night, but without an in-person audience. Instead, they will be live-streaming the burn for free (no ticket required). I don’t have a link for that yet but I expect they’ll post it on the Facebook event: https://fb.me/e/12UPUVXEq
I will be sharing photos of the event after installation on Thursday, February 11, so watch my Facebook and Instagram accounts to get a virtual tour of the art (no drive required!). 🙂
It’s that time of year when we pause to take stock of the past and make plans for the future. This year feels heaping with struggles and triumphs. When I look back over my schedule I get dizzy. And when I look at the biggest lessons I’ve learned, one thing stands out: this was a year of STRESS.
Learning how to manage and live with stress on a daily basis was my biggest, longest challenge this year. And my number one goal for next year is to keep stress management as a top priority. I’ve watched myself on days when it felt like my thoughts were racing and realized that my ability to focus and make good decision is impaired…and so is my self-awareness.
If I’m chronically stressed, I’m more likely to have trouble planning, make poor decisions, unconsciously seek comfort or escape (hello, wine and chocolate!), and I’m not even aware I’m doing this because I’m stressed. The worst part is that people are really good at rationalizing our actions, so, after eating all the chocolate and drinking all the wine, I might tell myself “I deserved it” or “just wanted to relax”, which is fine sometimes, but could prevent me from confronting the stress that drove me there and finding healthier ways to deal with it.
If 2020 was a year of stress, 2021 will be a year of routine.
I’ve found that regularly scheduling stress-reducing activities into my week keeps me from getting to that spun-out place. The bonus is that most of these are things I wanted to do already (exercise, meditate, go for walks, take a long bath), I’m just encouraging myself to do them regularly by prioritizing and scheduling them.
Everyone has their own list of things that relax them; I challenge you to write yours down and pick one or two that you want to make a habit of. Write it down, make a plan, set an alarm – make time to connect with and care for yourself.
One way I practiced self-care this month was by making a reservation to visit The Blanton’s Expanding Abstraction exhibit.Hiking is a long-time favorite way for me to get exercise, relax, and clear my head. Here, I’m soaking up the sun on the Barton Creek Greenbelt.Some fall colors along Turkey Creek Trail in Emma Long Metropolitan Park.Allen Park’s short but sweet loop trail.Magical springs along the Little Fern section of the River Place Nature Trail.
MORE GOOD STUFF
In November, I was one of over four hundred artists who participated in The Austin Studio Tour. This was the first time the annual tour went virtual and I was really impressed with the quality and quantity of videos produced by the community. Check out art studio tours, demonstrations, and interviews with artists online at austinstudiotour.org for at least another week. (I’m hoping they keep the site up past the end of the year, but we’ll see.)
“Pink Prickly Pear” – Acrylic On Canvas – 12″x24″, painted as part of The Austin Studio Tour.“Among The Hoodoos” – Acrylic On Canvas – 20″x24″, finished during the studio tour. Based on a photo I took of Bryce Canyon National Park in 2014. I think I started painting this because I’ve been feeling some serious wanderlust after spending so much time at home.
In late November I received a grant to build a sculptural art piece that’s inspired by and created from optical illusions, color theory, and color-changing light. It’ll be part of a drive-through art event just outside of Austin on January 15th and 16th. Tickets haven’t been released yet, but you can follow the event on Facebook to stay up to date.
As I mentioned in my last post, I’m loving Elizabeth Gilbert’s take on the creative process and found a short version if you don’t want to read her book. Check it out:
Thank you for taking the time to read this and for letting me share my art with you! Your support means the world to me.
Wishing you stress-free holidays and a safe and happy new year!
Good news! I finally have some dates for my first-ever-solo-art-show that was originally scheduled for May: my Iconic Texas series will be on display during May, 2021 at the Dougherty Arts Center!
Of course, we don’t know exactly what the exhibition will look like in terms of group gatherings, but we will figure out a way to safely enjoy the art together, in person. I’m thrilled to have this opportunity and the support of the Dougherty. Check out this amazing video they created for my show:
And coming up a little sooner: the Austin Studio Tour is kicking off in November! It’s a virtual event and I’ve been busy adding art to my online gallery, prints to my shop, and videos to my YouTube channel.
Find out more about my art by checking out the newly expanded tour website at AustinStudioTour.org starting November 14.
The Studio Tour is my go-to for holiday gifts and I’m looking forward to seeing what everyone has been creating.
All this planning for the future made me realize that we’re heading toward cooler weather and my swimming days are numbered. So I grabbed my tube and headed out to a couple Travis County parks along the Colorado River.
Tubing near the cliffs at Tom Hughes Park on Lake Travis.Watching sailboat races from Bob Wentz Park on Lake Travis.
I had no idea these parks existed until just a few weeks ago! After seeing all the new-to-me places on the Travis County Parks website, I’m challenging myself to explore them all.
MORE GOOD STUFF
If you live in Austin, check out Dear Diary Coffeehouse on Chicon Street, they’re helping out the local art community by turning their indoor seating area into a gallery and gift shop! You can browse stickers, prints, and much more when you pick up your coffee and you can even order art delivered to you when you place an order online. Check out the “Local Artists” menu to see photos of the art.
I’m currently re-reading Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert. It’s an easy, fun, inspiring journey through the inner lives of creatives. It’s on the list of books that have changed my life and I recommend it to everyone.
I’ve been getting in the Halloween spirit by watching horror movies by A24 Films and decorating my apartment with crafty cute little bats made by reusing paper towel or toilet paper rolls.
Catty and I wish you a wonderfully spooky and happy Halloween!
We decided that it had been too long since we’d seen our families and friends in North Carolina, so my friend Laura and I took off on a road trip.
On the drive up we camped in Arkansas at Lake Catherine State Park. We managed to set up our tents, change, grab a drink, and walk to the lake in time for a sunset swim.That night we watched and laughed as a mother raccoon lifted the top of an “animal proof” trashcan, hopped inside, and emerged with a nearly-full bag of chips, which she tossed to her waiting kits.The next day, after making the beautiful but long drive across Tennessee and Western North Carolina, we arrived in Greensboro late at night. Only the cats were up to greet us!I left Laura with her parents and drove southeast. I’d decided to camp at Jordan Lake so that I could visit my dad, my brother and his family, and a college friend, who were all living in the area. When I arrived at my site in the Poplar Point Campground I was treated to this spectacular view of far-off thunderstorms.Mushrooms grew throughout the woods and along the campground trail.I met my dad for lunch at Pinehurst, where we enjoyed watching golfers move across the course. Next time I’m going to get in a game of croquet!My dad has befriended a group of deer, feeding them from the backyard, while his fluffy black cat tags along, begging for pets. With those trees and flowers, it’s like a scene from Snow White!After a few days at Jordan Lake I drove to Holden Beach to stay with some friends. I spent an afternoon floating around on the comfortably warm, calm waves.Pelicans gliding over the beach.Quality pool time with two of my favorite people.Maximum pool floats for maximum pool fun.On my last night at Holden Beach, we watched the full moon rise over the ocean.As the moon rose, it seemed to float among the clouds in an eerily beautiful display.After two nights at the beach, I rejoined Laura at the Burke Manor Inn in Gibsonville, where we celebrated a birthday with her family and friends.The next day, on our way out of North Carolina, we briefly stopped to grab coffee and catch-up with a friend at Dripolator Coffeehouse in Black Mountain (near Asheville).
We spent our last night at Meeman-Shelby State Park in Tennessee. The weather was much warmer than expected and we were swarmed by mosquitos so we didn’t get to enjoy the park as much as I’d hoped. But we did get to watch about a hundred hummingbirds flying around the visitors center the next morning. That park is definitely on my list of places to go back to, just maybe in cooler weather when there aren’t so many bugs.
It was a whirlwind trip and I’m so glad I got to see everyone I did, I only wish I could have spent more time!
Anyone else feeling like you’re in a time warp this year?
Every year in mid-August I try to catch the Perseids meteor shower. It’s easy to plan for, the peak lasts a few nights, and it’s comfortable to stay up all night in the summer. It’s a rewarding experience, especially if you can get away from the city lights, because you can see shooting stars that glow or sparkle across the sky.
This year has been difficult and I wasn’t sure about travel, but I finally decided that camping would be safe and I put it out there to some friends to see if anyone wanted to join me for a couple nights.
I chose South Llano River State Park because I’d never been, it has swimming (which would make the 100-degree afternoons bearable), and it’s a dark sky park (with almost no light pollution, the milky way is clearly visible at night).
We had excellent viewing of Perseids, including some stunning shooting stars that made us all go “Wow!” and the water was the perfect temperature to sit in all afternoon. But the best part was just getting out of my house and spending time with friends.
The South Llano River.The light around sunset was gorgeous and it melted into a spectacular night sky.I noticed lots of dried flowers along the trails and made a mental note to come back in the spring.Deer moved silently in brush around us. I also saw a jackrabbit, bats, lizards, and lots of armadillos.Giant pecan trees provided much-appreciated shade.My friend spotted this beautiful (and toxic) flower called Snow On The Mountain.We spent hours just digging around in the smooth rocks of this shallow area, building walls that would soon topple. There’s something about these “pointless” activities that feels like an antidote to stress.
The park is much larger than the areas we saw, with lots of trails that I’m itching to explore, so I’ll definitely be returning when it’s a little cooler.
Watching The One I Love on Netflix. Part suspenseful-thriller, part romantic comedy, part science-fiction; I had so much fun with this weird film.
Working on a new painting of Saguaro National Park. I’ve been wanting to paint those giant cacti since I was a kid! I still can’t believe I finally saw them in person (on my trip to Havasu Falls).
Over the last eight months, I forgot what it was like to have a routine. The winter holidays turned into a breakup, then a move, then a world-wide pandemic. (Wow, that escalated quickly!)
I’ve been living in survival mode for a while and needed a vacation. So, I took a week off to relax. There aren’t a lot of entertainment or travel options right now, but I challenged myself to try to get out and experience something new each day.
It was a difficult challenge, and I did spend some serious time on my sofa watching movies, but it turned out to be a helpful motivator. Check out all the cool stuff I found:
Turkey Creek Trail in Emma Long Metro Park……my new favorite hiking trail!Thunderstorm clouds rolling across the Texas Hill Country.I played around with watercolor painting, a medium that I’m fairly new at.I realized that I can tube in the river along a beach that’s only a 20-minute walk from my home. The water was perfect!
After relaxing for a week, I was excited to get back to work. One of the big projects I’d been putting off was writing a mission statement and 2-5 year plan. The time off cleared my head enough for me to answer all the tough questions and now I have a printed statement (manifesto?) up at my desk, a constant reminder of my goals.
The questions I tackled:
What are my values? What habits do I want to cultivate? Who am I? What do I want? What is preventing me from getting it? Who do I want to meet? What gift(s) am I offering them?
This turned out to be an especially helpful exercise when I realized that I wanted to make a new daily routine for myself. When I saw on paper that I wanted to do yoga regularly, I was reminded to add it to my schedule. There are bigger goals too, like getting my art into galleries in other states. It seems like such a long-term goal that I simply wasn’t including it in my schedule, but I’ve broken it down into smaller parts, making it easier to begin.
It’s only been a week on this new schedule, but I’m already sleeping better and feeling more grounded and healthy. And I’m so glad I started doing yoga again; I can’t believe how tight my legs are!
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WHAT’S KEEPING ME BUSY
Doing free online yoga classes every morning with Yoga With Adriene.
But the coronavirus infection rates in Texas have dramatically increased since Memorial Day and I want to protect myself and others. So, I’m staying in…or at least, close to home.
To satisfy my wanderlust, I’ve been going on solo hikes and walks around my new neighborhood. It’s a small neighborhood, only a few winding streets, but it’s on top of one of the tallest hills in Austin and has great views. It also happens to be a few miles from a big city park that offers swimming, camping, and miles of trails.
So, maybe I can plan a great stay-cation?
Looking out over Lake Travis, on a trail near my home.Someone is leaving these adorable painted rocks around my neighborhood.
I originally planned to take a week off in June to relax and prepare for work on my next series of paintings. But like so many other items penciled into my planner, that vacation time was erased by the pandemic.
I’ve worked hard to adapt to the new reality of life while distancing. My art show was canceled and shopping feels safer when it’s online, so I’ve been taking online classes to gain the skills I need to run a better business and build a better website. It’s still a work-in-progress, but I have some art prints available in my online shop and the Art For The People Gallery has added my stickers to their website.
Looking for opportunities to exhibit, my friend and I participated in The National Arts Drive , a drive-by art show created to support artists who have lost the ability to share their craft.
It’s been good to stay motivated and busy. Having goals to focus on has helped keep me positive. But it’s been a difficult time for everyone, and even my free time can feel like work.
As much as we may try to keep it light, conversations with friends and family are pulled toward current events. We grapple with the new normal, grasp for actionable steps, and strive to understand different points of view and incorporate, tolerate, or fight against them.
It’s been a lot of work, all of this new information, new perspectives, new challenges, moving into a new home. I think it’s time I took a break to process it all, so that I can integrate it into a new life.
Like a butterfly in its cocoon, I need to rest so that I can transform.
Taking time to get outside and out of my head is vital for maintaining my mental health.I regularly hike on the Barton Creek Greenbelt and recently discovered the Lost Creek portion, with its impressive cliffs and flowing water.On one of our hikes, my friends and I found this obviously hungry and lonely cat meowing around the trash cans. He is now healthy and happy in his new home.Scenic drives are a great way to get out of the house while socially distancing. Earlier this year, some friends and I did a convoy tour of Willow City Loop, which is a perfect day trip from Austin.Just going for a walk can have huge rewards! I discovered this cactus in bloom along the side of the road, in a neighbor’s yard.
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WHAT’S KEEPING ME BUSY
Weekly free professional development classes for creatives, online at CreativeLive.
One of the first thoughts I had when the new coronavirus struck was how everyone on earth would be simultaneously dealing with canceled plans. The things we’ve been building, working toward, and dreaming of would be gone. Normally, when this happens in life, we can turn to our friends for support. But now we find ourselves in a situation where everyone is struggling, mourning the loss of their freedom, hopes, and dreams.
But from the ashes of our previously-laid plans, sprout new hopes. This is a time to be creative. History shows how good we are at adapting to a changing environment, and the news is becoming permeated with stories of people fighting their way through the crisis, making positive changes in the world for themselves and the people around them.
This is a time when I can see how important we are to each other. Helping others brings meaning and joy to our lives.
I’ve often found peace of mind in nature and have been going on lots of walks, hikes, and runs to curb my anxiety.
So, today I’m feeling optimistic, which is a good thing because I just found out that my first solo art show has been canceled, perhaps postponed until May, 2021.
I’ve decided to view this challenge as an opportunity. I can feel extra-prepared for the show when it comes. I can keep painting. I can keep working and growing my skills. I can adapt.
We are tenacious survivors and we will get through this together. We will help each other, because that is part of what makes us human.
I’d ordered 500 flyers to promote my art show before the virus hit. After mourning the loss of the show for a few days I realized that the flyers still have value and I’m happily sending them to whoever wants them.
Since I can’t have an exhibition or party to celebrate the paintings I created for my Iconic Texas series, which were scheduled to be on display next month, I will be posting photos on my Instagram and Facebook pages throughout May. Please follow me there to see all the art.
Thanks to everyone for your support and good luck to you on your journey toward your goals, however twisting and turning it might be!
