vintage art

Memory as a tool for creativity

Memory as a tool for Inspiration Memory is a powerful source of inspiration for artists. Memories can be triggered by emotions, smells, sounds, or visuals, and can be a source of inspiration for creating new art. When an artist creates art that reflects their memories, it allows them to connect with their audience on a…
Growth Mindset defines your World

The power of mindset. The question is how do you maintain and insure that you have a growth mindset and not a fixed one? How do you insure that the negative does not affect you? The difference between growth and fixed is one of looking at the future. To have a growth mindset means that…
Art and finding Happiness

Art and finding Happiness Plays Together How can art find you happiness? Happiness are three parts, enjoyment, satisfaction and meaning. All three parts play a part in how art can bring you happiness. The most important piece is “enjoyment”. Of course, we can look at this word and just say “I enjoy this piece of…
How are your happiness levels?

How do you feel? How are your happiness levels? Do you self check on a daily basis to see how you feel? Is there a time, at the end of the day, that you feel you are OK and you had a happy moment that day. I have this quote pinned to my wall; “Happiness…
Look for Light

Look for light as you go through your day. “Look for light”, says my mom as I work through the realization that my life is so drastically different. Without art fairs to travel to in the US and events canceled in Canada, there is a coming to terms with the fact that the Covid effect…
Brighten Someone’s Day

Think Beyond Yourself How do we brighten someone’s day as we progress through The Great Pause? During this time we are reminded of the essentials of life. Family, friends, safety, kindness and freedom. We are reminded that we must have the ability to step outside of our own plans and be in the moment. To…
Life is Simple when it’s Normal

How do we survive the chaos? There was life before. Then there is life after. Life is simple. Simple when it can be normal. That is not our reality today. As we deal with chaos around us we try to find a place of normalcy. A place where we can talk, touch and be with…
Postcards of Paradise

Special Messages of Love What is in a postcard? Really the question should be asked; when is the last time you received a postcard? A short message, with a great picture and a sensation that someone, somewhere took the time to think of you. They took the time to write a note, put your address…
Resisting Delay of Creativity

Resist the voice that says No. What does it take to create? To make something- a piece of art, a piece of music, a new business? The making something out of nothing takes an enormous amount of initiative, motivation and perserverance. Most of the effort is the resisting of creating that seems to envelop us.…
Is Art Dead?

Is the power of art dead? Does art still have power that it used to have? Is art dead? Do we care about the handmade or the one of a kind? Does it have the same power that art had in the 17th and 18th centuries? Although it does not have the same power as…
Know your history to know yourself.

Know your History Learning about ourselves, to know your history, gives us deeper understanding of who we are. Knowing ourselves with the knowledge of our past, with the understanding of where we come from, can enable our lives to grow. Looking back at our ancestors, the people in our lives who made us, give us…
Art in the Digital Age

Art and the digital question. Is there an “aura” to art that that doesn’t appear in a digital form? Or is it the idea that is the main value of the piece? In the age of digital reproductions, there seems to be a dissolving break between the “original” and the “print”. Is it important that…
Memory and Forgetting

We are all a String of Memories. We create our identity by experiencing moments. Every moment is a memory as soon as it passes. I often think of a moment in the past and put myself back at that time. Like trying to remember my daughter at the age of two walking for the first…
Memory; Reality or Lie?

Memories as a Reality Memories as a reality? Are our memories truth or a lie? If it is a lie- can we rely on these memories to truly define us? Confusing questions, to be sure. But I am interested in how this relates to Art. My art. Memories are my inspiration, but I interpret the…
Art Has a Power.

Art and its Power Can the power of art change your life? Can art change the world? It’s a question that many have asked and answered. Art, in its many forms, can reveal the power that we can acquire through the engagement and understanding of the stories behind art. For this reason, just filling a…
Surround Yourself with the Good

Surround yourself with the Good What does this mean? The “good” is the positive energy we get when we look or experience the positive. How do we introduce the positive into our life? We surround ourselves with good people. Mentors who tell us that we Can Do It. Most importantly we should make our environment…
Enjoy the Everyday Sounds of Life

Sounds of everyday life can be taken for granted. When my daughter was young, she would wake up everyday with a song. Singing in her childlike voice I would listen as I wake up and revel in this moment of happiness. Just to stop and listen. The other day I asked my 14 year old…
Buying a Gift of Art

Buying a Gift of Art Actually I find that buying gifts is challenging. So this time of year can bring on the grumps. In the last couple of years I have asked my teenage daughter to just send me the link of what she wants for Christmas. This is the time of year that this…