REDONDOWRITER'S SACRED ORDINARY

Speak Louder: Sometimes I Can't Hear Myself

It has been a nose to the grindstone week at my part-time job and the weather reverted to cold, windy and rainy again. I am emotionally so affected by the weather and particularly by the absence of the sun. It is beautiful, but cold as I write this at 5 p.m. 

So, when I ran across this photo on an old archival disk of Gordonstoun School's production of a Midsummer Night's Dream some years back, I thought to myself, "That's how I've felt all week." I'd like to think he is shouting, "Speak louder. I can't hear myself." 

Some weeks, and I'm sure you can identify with this, I put one foot in front of another and try to stay busy so the chatter in my head can't get the best of me. In the midst of all the goodness in my life, there have been so many friends and family members struggling in some valley moments in what I call the peaks and valleys of life. Then I listen and watch the news and between wars, unrest, politics, infidelities, terrorism, threats, mayhem and death,it's a necessity to stay busy so I don't let my natural anxiety grow into panic.  Will Harold Camping's doomesday prediction for May 21 be taken seriously by any sane people? Apparently there are those who believe it will happen. 

So, instead of posting to the blog and reading blogs this week, I've buried myself in work, art journals and fiction. With the weather cold it's so easy at night to tuck into bed early to read--and unfortunately, to snack. Cold weather brings out my urges to binge at bedtime.

I ask you to gaze at the picture of this young actor above. What do you imagine he might be saying? And, how are you feeling this week? By the way, even though I'm kvetching, it has been a good week in spite of myself. 

Haiku My Heart: Red Pieta Art Journal Page

 

Thank you, Rebecca, for Haiku My Heart Fridays at Recuerda mi Corazon.

Does a Blog Post Always Have to Be Meaningful?

That's something all long-time bloggers deal with, I think. My life, all in all, is what I call "a little life" in the scheme of big things. I somehow feel more pressure to write "interesting" stuff on Sacred Ordinary, but on Facebook I just post, bing, bang, thank you mam. Who cares? No one is more judgmental about what I bring to the blogging world than I am, but I've always said Sacred Ordinary is part of my writing (and art) practice. It's a way I track my life for myself for more than for anyone who does visit here.

But, here are the stats, which is astounding even to judgmental me. I have been blogging here since Nov. 2003. I have written 2130 posts and received 7378 postable comments, although my stuff is not interesting or compelling enough to garner many comments. You also have to be a blog walker who leaves comments on others blogs to increase traffic, or write really controversial material. I do follow a half dozen or so blogs regularly but rarely do I post about controversial subjects.

So, here a few photos from my "little life" the past two weeks. You can enlarge them by double clicking.

A man was wearing this tee-shirt at a library event I recently photographed and since I am Episcopalian now, I got a big kick out of the words. 

I posted some of my Mother's Day photos on Facebook, but didn't here. This blog is linked to Facebook and Twitter, so what I say here also goes there. I call this Happy Cousins. That's Whitney, 23, Henry, 8, and Fritz, 7. Henry had just lost another tooth and the tooth fairy had visited. By the way, my granddaughter graduates with her RN from Harbor College on June 6. Proud grandma here!

For those of you who know me well, I am a faithful volunteer at the Peninsula Friends of the Library of the Palos Verdes Library District--and have been about five years. Why, you ask? You're still working a paying job three days a week. It's because of this woman, Pat, who has been a dear friend for a long time and is one of the queen volunteers for the district. She talked me into serving on the Malaga Cove Advisory Committee and then on the used book sales. Next thing I knew I was also the Communications Chair for the Friends of the Library. What a blessing it is to do community service at this library--and with Pat.

And this exquisite rose in my patio is one of many on my $1.99 miniature rose bush from Trader Joe's that I bought at least six years ago. Each year I sit in front of it in amazement. I love to garden and putter in the garden--and to write in the garden. When I am off work this summer, I will launch into "real" art projects in this beloved summer space where I keep an art table folded up for good weather. Art journals and collage are great indoors all year round but the larger collages and assemblages are better outside. By the way, my gardenia bush now has eight flowers, the star jasmine is dripping with pungent blossoms, the white lilies are blooming, and the bouganvillea has come back. Lordy, how I love my living space and garden. 

So, there's a few highlights from my "little life," which I am so grateful for. 

 

 

What To Do While Watching DWTS - Make Art Journal Pages

I am obsessive-compulsive about doing more than one thing at a time. While watching mindless TV, like Dancing With the Stars, I make art journal pages or SoulCollage cards--or I embroider, or simply doodle. I got it when my mom said "Idle hands are the devil's workshop."

I'm glad Ralph Macchio was saved tonight; he's such a sweetheart. But, I did finish two art journal pages and here they are. 

She is called Victory Woman and I will probably write a little in the dark spaces. She seems like she somehow trod a path through some underbrush so all of us women have a clearer trail. 

This is White Marble Woman complete with haiku. How I love Portfolio oil pastels. 

Postcards From Paradise: Redondo Beach, California

I had a wonderful day with all my family who lives locally, but of posting my paradisical (a word I just made up) mother's day photos, I decided to share some photos of Redondo Beach, California--my hometown, where every day is mother's day. I am so grateful to live where I do. To me it is paradise. 

The weather turned foggy and cold again, so we moved our picnic lunch into my home in Redondo Beach for mom's day. While the family was visiting, the sun wasn't. The sun came out about 4 p.m. and stayed through sunset. These sunsets below, however, are from summer 2004, on a walk with my beloved rainbow bridge dog Cookie. Remember her?

What a great 14 years Cookie and I had together, my rescue dog from the Hollywood area, who came to me from living on the street with her homeless owner Johnnie. Cookie got hit by a car and my son's then girlfriend coaxed me into taking her. 

 

Sometimes we all take places we live for granted, including me, but if I'm feeling yukky, I can be down to the beach in five minutes. 

This is a small breakwater a few blocks south of Redondo Beach Pier which often has fishermen on it when the weather is good. There's a good stiff wind tonight so it wouldn't be safe to be on there. 

And here's a full-blown Redondo Beach sunset. My artist's group has a photography category for the fall art show called hidden Redondo Beach. Our sunsets are never hidden, however. 

And here's my sweet rescue dog Mollie who I got when she was about a year old. I've had her for about 1 1/2 years and she has the most wonderful disposition of any dog I've ever had. She and I now walk the Esplanade in Redondo Beach and look forward to some great summer sunsets, our paradise. 

More versions of paradise can be seen at Rebecca's Recuerda mi Corazon. 

 

An Artists Date Day: Hail Mother Mary

I had a hard time jump-starting my creativity today, but it kicked in about 3 p.m. and I began sorting my mini-art corner in my bedroom and now it's near 10 p.m. and I could dance all night. I'm sorting, cutting, coloring and making art journal pages and have completed two SoulCollage cards so far. At this moment I have images and art supplies scattered all over my bedroom and have set up my art studio again in the computer room. It morphed into my son and daughter-in-law's room when they recently visited from Washington. 

This is one of the art journal pages today. How I wish Rebecca would have a Virgin a Day week again sometime soon. In all my art work I find myself creating predominately with images of women or a woman with a child. 

Anyway, here's an art journal page from today. You can enlarge by double clicking. 

As I've grown older, I find it harder to meditate in a traditional manner, but I do find myself praying while I do all my different kinds of art work.

This page, for instance, is interconnected with so many people. I first learned to art journal from Teesha Moore at Journal Fest in Washington and in Los Angeles I've had the privilege of taking classes with Kelly Kilmer. Now I'm finding that I am developing a style very different from most art journalers I know. At first that made me feel like I wasn't very good at this medium, and now I've grown to find such peace and self-exploration while I'm doing it that I am far more accepting of my own style. 

This page is a pre-mom's day tribute. Emily, I miss you so. I can't believe you've been gone since 1967. 

Haiku My Heart: Handful of Rainbows

Colors of a boy

Joy, a handful of rainbows

Afterwards, nip a nap.

 

Visit Rebecca's Recuerda mi Corazon, our host, for Haiku My Heart.  

Happy Cinco de Mayo Frida Kahlo Style: A SoulCollage® Card

Today is Cinco de Mayo, but I have to admit that for me it was a regular work day with a late off-campus meeting that lasted after 6 p.m. I went to the library sale at Peninsula Center Library and then came home to California Pizza Kitchen pizza. I did eat Mexican at lunch today, however, from our school cafeteria. Actually, I eat Mexican food at least three days a week!

At home I watched one hour of news, walked the dog and then I remembered I had somehow missed Cinco de Mayo. But, wait, I celebrated it last Friday. That's when I got together with my girlfriends for our monthly SoulCollage® play date.  

I made two cards that day including this one I call Frida Kahlo which I've put into my SoulCollage® Community suit. 

Like so many artists I know, I am the one who is deeply moved by Frida Kahlo's art and her life story. Her work is so dark, but then so was her life. I am the one who has led a pretty traditional middle class American life, but I am the one who can transport herself to Frida's home and pretend I understand what it must have been like for her. Her passion for Diego Rivera is mystifying to me but I can certainly understand her eternal search for love in all the wrong places. In 12-step work there is a saying, "I forgive myself for accepting sex when I wanted love." I am the one who says this; I think Frida would never have said that. I often read Frida's journals. I am the one who keeps my copy in my nightstand. In her journals she wrote, "Feet, why do I need them if I have wings to fly?" Andre Breton is quoted as once saying, "Mrs. Diego Rivera's art is like a ribbon around a bomb." 

If I could ask this card a question it would be, "You seemed to paint and write from a place that you could only access in art and writing. Is it possible to do meaningful and good work without having a talent like yours?" 

I know the answer to that is yes, of course, but I wish I were having a Margarita with her this Cinco de Mayo evening and that she would elaborate on my question. 

 

 

Starhawk's Article on Dancing on the Grave of Our Enemy

Ever since Sunday night I have felt so dualistic about the execution of Osama bin Laden. I know the horrible things he did, that some on the religious Christian right consider him the anti-Christ, and the rest of the world as a horrible monster who was responsible for multiple deaths. And he was a mass murderer. I agree that his death is justified and I am listening with what I hope is an open mind about all the after-debates. I cannot make any judgment calls on whether a death photo should be posted, whether he should have been buried so abruptly at sea, or what the ramifications of his death will have on the fringe right of Islam. I am basically a pacifist by nature although I understand that sometimes wars are necessary--and that some people are born bad.

What has gone against the grain were the initial joyous celebrations in the U.S. and around the world about his death and those in his compound. And those celebrations continue. Then my friend Sandy posted this article by Starhawk from today's Washington Post. It speaks to my heart. 

I was speaking to a psychiatrist friend today about the joy most people seem to feel and he reminded me that the Old Testament talks about "Vengeance is Mine." Vengeance is apparently deeply built-in to human beings, unlike animals, even when we know that technically we "shouldn't" be so vindictive. He reminded me that human psyches are incredibly complex. Or maybe I somehow was born flawed because I don't want to dance on the grave of Osama bin Laden. But, would I want to if I had a lost a loved one? I just want to be an ostrich with my head in the sand. His death and all the political and media coverage has opened a wound that, in my ostrich-like way, I had hidden from. 

I know I run the risk of really upsetting some people who read here, but I just have to express how I feel. I keep thinking of his wife(s), kids and others who survived, but I guess they are just collateral damage. Just like the people left behind when their loved ones were killed on 9/11. 

Another friend forwarded a poem written by spiritual teachers Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat in Spirituality and Health in 2011 after 9/11. It is called "I Am," and I keep reading it over and over. It helps me with my wild tangle of feelings. 

 

Art Mannequins Sophia and Gillian Join Part of a Larger Art Community

It’s a rare day when Sophia the art mannequin and her sister Gillian are together, but Gillian just returned from the royal wedding and wanted to dish about the clothes and hats she saw. Those of you who read here regularly know that Sophia is my side-kick at Villa Redondo and she gets regular clothing changes depending on my mood. Here they are together on the patio.

Gillian was originally purchased to be the foundation for a mixed media collage project I have never gotten around to. Her face is just so darned haughty, so mostly she remains under wraps in the garage. Or maybe it is her platinum wig. I dressed her to put her on Craig’s List, but don’t have the heart yet to sell her. Anybody in the market? 

When I visited the Brewery Artwalk in downtown Los Angeles last month, I was delighted to see other artists who like to work with a mannequin palette. Here are a few examples.

But when I received my Cloth Paper Scissors magazine for June/July 2011 last week, there was a whole article on art mannequins written by Dorit Elisha. The featured mannequins had been part of a “Hey, Babe” exhibit at the Ein-Hod Artists Village in Israel. Another article from the Jerusalem Post was also exhibited, and I’m wondering if I should remove Gillians stomach and make it into a shrine. What do you think? You have to go to the link to see the shrine mannequins.

The two faces below are from a Savannah art show. This style is what I would like to use on Gillian. 

  

While I was Googling around to find other examples of mannequin art, I was astounded by this very unusual (and somewhat violent) site called VN of mannequins as part of performance art. I was especially touched, actually, by Man Ray's exhibit, but Mad TV's skit is pretty funny. Hmmm. I might have to see about getting a life separate from my obsessions about mannequins.