Happy National Kite Flying Day! Since my last post began with an homage to Groundhog Day, I figured I should take this opportunity to learn which holiday might be celebrated on Feb. 8th. If you haven’t been outside yet today and live in NE Ohio, this is your sign. Go out - dig in the soil, take a walk, fly a kite (or maybe make a kite and fly it on the next windy day)!

I told my oldest K that it’s National Kite Flying Day, to which he responded, “I’m not even going to try. There is NO wind today!”

Inspiration: (Thanks to Julie T. For sharing this amazing quote with me!!)

“I’ve seen women insist on cleaning everything in the house before they could sit down to write… and you know it’s a funny thing about housecleaning… it never comes to an end. Perfect way to stop a woman. A woman must be careful to not allow over-responsibility (or over-respectabilty) to steal her necessary creative rests, riffs, and raptures. She simply must put her foot down and say no to half of what she believes she “should” be doing. Art is not meant to be created in stolen moments only.”

~Clarissa Pinkola Estés

In the Studio:

The decisions for the Erie Art Museum Annual Spring Show were postponed until Monday, Feb. 6th. I got the email just as I was heading home from grocery shopping in the Canton area. I went ahead and waited until I was down in the Waynesburg area to pull in to a gas station and read the decision. According to the email over 265 artists submitted more than 580 pieces of art for consideration. Long story short, the juror Gaëtane Verna chose 65 works and did not choose my particular piece for this year’s show. As per their email I’m encouraged to continue to submit my work in years to come.

Though I think I knew that it was a long shot that I’d get chosen, I still held some tiny glimmer of hope. I did feel disappointed, but I didn’t cry. When I texted my husband, his response was, “A seguir intentando.” (“Keep trying.”) I did give myself a light day Tuesday. I didn’t do my yoga in the morning, and I didn’t fold any of the clean clothes piled in baskets around the house. I did do dishes and make meals, so no one starved. And even if I hadn’t prepared meals, I think we all would have faired just fine. Instead of my usual amount of housework, inspired by the quote above, I painted. I set up my daughter with watercolors and paper, and I spent several glorious hours painting at my kitchen table (see below).

I went ahead and shared my “rejection” on social media, and I just wanted say THANK YOU! to the many folks who reached out with words of encouragement. I will definitely keep trying, and I’m going to focus on making artwork. The work makes me happy, and someday I’ll find my niche. Here’s what I’m working on currently:

*What He Said* - Acrylic on canvas, 12” x 12.” I’ll be varnishing and framing this piece soon.

*#wip* - Acrylic on canvas board, 12” X 16.” I’m still plugging away at this morel mushroom inspired series. This is the second painting in the series - D was my model. Tiny studio assistant J is rather taken with my painting at the kitchen table lately.

*#wip* - Acrylic on canvas board 11” x 14.” This piece marks the direction where I’m feeling led to work. Abstraction combined with realism/portraiture to communicate the nostalgia of memory.

*#wip* - Acrylic on mixed media paper 9” x 12.” Here’s a portrait study of my middle son D. He was upset that I chose to paint a photo of him with a bandage on his head, and I realized as I explained to him, that I chose that image because of how brave and strong he had been. He’d fallen on pavement in the local indoor fútbol cancha, but ultimately he was basically fine. But, again, I realized I’m definitely working at tackling memory…the bits and moments that mark my life. I did some experimenting in the background with solid, flat brush marks.

On the Homestead:

Amsterdam, OH, USA: Here at Shepherd’s Flock Farm, the garlic and daffodils are peeking up through the soil. It’s still cold and humid, but the weather is surprisingly lovely for February. J and I actually did some weeding this morning, and the soil was delightfully crumbly. I’m hoping to create some cold frames and/or covered beds to get peas and lettuce started asap. I’m trying to keep it all in balance.

Jaguey, Camaná, Arequipa, Perú: Meanwhile, in Perú…social unrest continues in Lima, and just north of Jaguey along the Ocoña River, huaicos (mudslides/flows) have wreaked havoc on the area in and around Secocha. Thousands of houses have been destroyed, at least 12 are dead, and numerous others are still unaccounted for. This area is about an hour and forty minutes driving distance from our place in Jaguey. We continue to check in with our friends and family in Perú and to follow the news daily.

As promised, here are images of the interior of the house. Despite the unrest I’m still praying that we can travel in November or December. We have fruit trees to plant, irrigation lines to run, structures to build, none of which can be done long distance.

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