What a great day...

Even though I am stuck inside a lot these days due to weather like my two pals in the painting here, it was by and large a great day. I had to go to the chiropractor because I screwed up my elbow at the gym. I guess it was good I went according to her so that I can accelerate the healing. it was also good because it is near my favorite chocolate place......

I painted this afternoon then had a group of women friends over because one of the women in my women's group had something she wanted us to chant to and I wanted to dance. We joined together in my large studio and did both. Great fun. An old friend surprised me by letting me know that she is in town for a couple of months so she came and then we went out to dinner afterwards. Sitting at the Little Bear Cafe by the stream and watching the snow fall was beautiful.

Until later, Melissa

The Making of a painting

I decided to put this photo up as a representation of what I would have preferred doing today instead of the mundane work that I DID do to scan slides in preparation for learning power point and taking my slide show on the road in that format as opposed to dragging an old fashioned slide projector and slides.

This image is about 5 or so years old. My friend Rhianna, owner of the Dreaming Goddess store in Poughkeepsie NY is the model. I am up on the table doing the painting so that I can get the perspective that I like.

And yes, that's a nice bottle of red wine there in the foreground........

I love red wine in the winter but hardly drink at all. It would however be lovely to have a glass now and take the evening off, but that is not going to happen. I am leaving soon for a couple of trips so I need to stay on top of things.

Hope you are not sliding around on the ice like we are here.....

Later, Melissa

Community

This is a painting that is part of my CREATRIX line of products. It is titled "A Call to Gather". I chose this image because I have been touched by the way that I see folks coming together in these challenging times. I have observed it "from afar" and in the past couple of weeks have been experiencing it personally in my own life.

Growing up my family seemed to always be on the outside. The way they saw it, folks in their community didn't accept them because they were not born and raised there, which is common in small towns and especially I think in souther small towns. They didn't socialize much and part of that was because my mom was very introverted. In early years I did see her sometimes join in with community undertakings but she became increasingly depressed and withdrawn. I could go deeper here but for the sake of some of my family member's privacy I'll leave it at that.

Perhaps because of that and due to the fact that I am mostly a hermit I have not been that involved with community either unless you look at my involvement with the New Age Community which is indeed great, but it is a large community. I have moved so much in my life that community has changed frequently and lately I travel so much that it is difficult to keep up with local happenings.

All that being said, I do love community for as much as I can be involved. And I so appreciate all of you that make up mine.

In community, Melissa

After the Funeral

Today I returned home from my aunt's funeral in New Jersey. I was close to her, pretty close I guess. She was my father's sister and there is all sorts of dysfunction in the family to say the least. But I loved her, and she loved me unconditionally. I can't say that she had a happy life. She was generous and a woman of simple needs. Renee I will miss you and I so appreciated having you in my life.

I represented the matriarchy of the family today wearing my deceased mother's winter coat and a ring that my aunt gave me last time I saw her.

I stayed with my brother last night in New Jersey so that I would be on time to the funeral and with no stress. It was a short service out in the cold winter day. After a meal at a local diner I drove back home the 2 hours north.

As it happens every time as soon as I see the mountains I begin to let down and feel myself open. I am always a little on edge driving in cities and particularly today after having dealt with family issues. Memories rose up in my mind, some pleasant, some not. I live in a beautiful part of the country and I appreciate it all the more when I visit city areas or really most areas. What I fell in love with initially the first time I came to Woodstock back in the 70's was the charm of the town. I don't live in Woodstock, but the entire area is well planned to maintain the integrity of the surrounding natural landscape. I feel an intensity about where I live and there is a feeling of the wild there that I miss when I am in more "civilized" urban environments. I any case I was blasting a CD a friend made me of 80's music as I drove into the mountains and finally let go into "the zone". I felt the familiar temperature drop as I headed north and it was OK this time.

The images I chose tonite represent the contemplative state I was in. The painting is one I did in about 1991 and the photo is on the way out to Cedar Key in Florida where my friend took me to visit a couple of years ago. My next trip is to Florida and I am looking forward to it.

Here's to living a full life.

Melissa

A New Beginning

It truly is the dawn of a new day. So very exciting....... A new president, new dreams, hopes, beginnings. The doorway image is called "Going Deeper" in honor of my own personal journey as well as that for our country. Let's do it.

the top photo is a "funny" from a recent photo shoot, There are more lines on my face than there really are due to all the pancake make-up the stylist put on me. but it's fun nonetheless.

There isn't Enough Time

You know that one, don't you? This is how I have felt lately. It's a Spirit Essence Portrait that I did for someone awhile back but I can so totally relate. In case you don't know what there are - it's where I do a psychic reading for someone and while they are sitting there I do a nararative watercolor containing the elements of what I saw when I was tuning in. A grand time is had by all. I select appropriate music for the session which becomes part of the experience. I am lately in themidst of setting up my travel schedule for spring whereby I show up at select new Age stores, centers, spas, yoga centers etc to do these.

It was a nice weekend tho really. saw a friend for dinner and a movie and a yummy glass of cabernet which is always so nice on these frigid nights. If you don't live in this kind of climate I can't describe how it is to go out on a below 0 night - run into wherever you may be going - peel all the layers off, put them back on, blah blah.. But the payoff is the beauty of the snow on the trees, the mountains in the distance, and the quiet of it all.

It seems in January many people decide to pass on. I went to a funeral today and heard of about 4 other people dying this week. I know a local florist who says that in January more people die than any other month. He knows because of the flower sales.

So, knowing that, let's celebrate life while we can.

In celebration, melissa

The thermometer says "0"

AT the time of this post the thermometer says " ) ". Normally I have been lucky enough to be outo f town during the worst of the cold snaps. Not this time.

The top photo is the view out of my father's window. It's the USS Wisconsin in Norfolk, VA. I just visited him there. Such a strange view to have out one's window. He enjoys it at his age.

The bottom photo is the new series I have been working on. The one on the far right is the latest one and not quite finished. I have enjoyed working on these. Not sure if I will continue on this theme yet or not. We shall see. I am not able to get into the studio again before the weekend at the soonest. Everything takes so much time. Now I need to sign off to prepare flyers for one of the stores on my Florida visit.

Maybe I will see you there?

Till then, Melissa