The Benefits of Vegging Out Gets Better and Better

Today was one of those days where I was artistically productive but also feeling quite sensitive about other things. It helped that I wasn't feeling great and was sporadically raining outside, making me feel less compelled to run around outside.  I like days like these to restore some balance and vulnerability- the healthy kind.  Detox the news, politics, work environments for a day. Veg out a bit mentally and physically. I am with my diet.

As I painted, I spanned the globe via YouTube, some of Facebook links for anything that might grab my interest, be a new source of inspiration and and just maybe escapist food for thought.  

I am pleased with the results. There were several great finds but I will share these two. The first is an AMAZING TEACHER who needs to be seen, heard, cloned and supported and the other may have you going to the Farmer's Market with a longer list than usual.

Veggie #1:

 

Veggie #2:

Until next time, a healthy reminder to eat your vegetables and also be one too on occasion.

Like Mother, Like Artist

I view my art as my children. I don't have kids. Someday I would like to have a dog. With that said, I am sensitive to fact that I have not done a very good job at letting my art/children play outside, giving them exposure to the world outside my apartment. They need new friends, admirers, and lovers. I would love to give them overnight stays for several weeks/months at coffee houses or WHERE EVER appropriate. I do not want them to feel like misfits. I am protective that way. I am s-mothering them.

I am sure they would love to be adopted and placed in homes or offices where they have room to breath, to be surrounded by people, other art and artists who will love, connect and admire them as much as I do. Just takes a lot more finishing of work, networking and marketing on my part. I do not feel like a very good mother.


You are probably wondering, what on earth prompted all of this, where did this come from? It's been brewing for a while with the culmination being last month. I will tell you.


I was rummaging through some clutter on my desk, a kinda where in the world is...moment when I found an envelope where I had written down some prophetic lines from RED, a play about abstract painter Mark Rothko, that I saw last year. These were the first of several lines I hastily jotted down. I used them before in a post and apparently it was no accident I found them again. Bears repeating and reemphasizing:

Paintings need company and companionship.

The isolation of painting, which is very much needed and required, makes the artist/mother feel and have the same needs and desires of her children. I need to be surrounded more by other artists and creatives. I will get my chance in September when I participate again in the Ravenswood Artwalk. 

Until then, I will continue my quest to be and do better at finishing projects, letting go and marketing. I want to make my art/children proud by sending them out in the world so they can make their mother $$$$$. I will also continue to Make Good Art.

On another important note, I changed the URL to my blog to http://www.marilyngrad.blogspot.com. I dropped the functional art and renamed the title/theme of the blog: The Art of Creative Pursuits and Passions. It has not made the rounds of the search engines just yet. You can see past posts through my website 

http://www.marilyngrad.com