“We must find time to stop and thank the people who make a difference in our lives.†― John F. Kennedy 150 tents speckled the town of Marine On The St. Croix like puffy earth clouds. Instead of rain, however, the earth clouds contained artists, art, and hope.  Jewelry, paintings, photography, pottery, scarves, lawn decor, furniture, more…all made one by one… Read More
The 4th From 6 floors Up: A Holiday View While Avoiding My Fear Of Heights
Four of us stood on the balcony overlooking Gold Medal Park in Minneapolis. Just beyond, in the darkness, the Stone Arch Bridge teemed with silhouetted bodies. All were waiting for the fireworks to begin on a perfect summer night. Except, the thing is, I have a fear of heights and my toes dangled between the balcony floor and the railing…. Read More
Colorful Confessions: What Long-held Story Or Sentiment Are You Ready To Share?
In confession…we open our lives to the healing, reconciling, restoring, uplifting grace of him who loves us in spite of what we are. —Louis Cassels “Raise some hell.†Thus was the ending line of my mother’s day card from my beloved and thoughtful daughter. Her note was handwritten in an assortment of colored pencils. Why? Because she’s good at themes, because… Read More
Midlife Creativity: Opening The Box Of Colors And Ignoring Those Darn Lines
“Don’t think. Thinking is the enemy of creativity. It’s self-conscious, and anything self-conscious is lousy. You can’t try to do things. You simply must do things.” Ray Bradbury Roxy, Dee’s dog, met me at the door with soulful amber eyes. Two cats slept in nearby chairs. A second dog, Missy, came up for the sniff test. I passed, apparently, because… Read More
Midlife Women and Creativity: Powerful, Playful, Pregnant With Possibility
There is no more creative force in the world than the menopausal woman with zest. —-Margaret Mead
Midlife Creativity. Oh Deer! Can you find it?
Here I am in midlife. Creativity has become something I crave and unleash without worrying about staying in the lines. That said, I’ve been messing with more impressionistic photography and love it. Â It’s a whole new way of playing and creating and exploring. Â I was futzing with this image and realized it is rather hard to see the deer. Â At… Read More
Midlife Creativity: Five Ah-Ha Moments
Bridget stared at the length of white, yet-to-be-touched, silk scarf with a frown that spoke volumes. Was it a 14 x 72 inch demon or wisp of possibility? She circled the fabric, dipped her brush in a puddle of blue dye, and stepped back. She sighed. “I’m afraid to start,†she said. “What if I screw it up?†Ah, midlife… Read More
Shop Small, Support Local Artists
The Picture of Happiness Ah, the dilemma. You’re browsing at one of your hometown shops and spot a gorgeous pair of earrings. You flip the tag and discover they are handmade by a local artist. Cool. The price is amazingly reasonable considering the artist’s time and labor, not to mention the fact that these are not mass-produced earrings that thousands… Read More