Love Layers, 2008

The big cake is finally finished! David mounted it in a plain lavender painted wood frame; I know it would look better in something a little jazzier, but enough already! Maybe later. I called this painting Love Layers because I've been thinking about the five distinct roles I play in my life (daughter, sister, friend, wife and mother) and how each function overlaps and influences the others in interesting ways. Somehow I manage to remain myself; all the facets of who I am shine through and help me be the person I need to be for the most important people in my life. These folks are a unique combination of the best and worst qualities I possess, which must explain why few people can make me as furious or delighted as my mom, husband and kids. Ha ha! I take responsibility for my relationships. I have learned to respond rather than react when problems erupt. I try to follow my good feelings when I make decisions; the results are universally positive. What a sweet and simple recipe for a very happy life!

Tears of Boy

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.
-Marianne Williamson, A Return to Love
I could swear that most of my reluctance to change is because I think I'm incapable, not that I'm scared of becoming too excellent. Doing the opposite of what is considered the natural reaction to events is difficult; it requires fighting the urge to fix, control and manipulate things to make the outcome just right, in my opinion. Silly me! Paradoxically, opposite thinking is a refreshing change. Okay, I'm ready; I'll try it! In art, as in life, opposites exist to make things more meaningful; success and failure, conflict and indifference, worry and serenity.

By far, comedy and tragedy are the opposites that affect people the most; laughter and tears can be both exhausting and rejuvenative, especially if you've skipped your nap. After all, joy and sorrow are sisters, don't you know...

This world is a comedy to those that think; a tragedy to those that feel.
-Horace Walpole

Gum Chewing, 101

It's time to prepare to embrace change again. The last time this happened was in December when I got a gym membership for Christmas. Initially, I was very unhappy because exercise seems so ridiculous, and I don't like to sweat. It took me three whole weeks to envision myself actually taking things seriously enough to stick with it. I needed time to buy cross trainers and little white socks, then load up my i-pod with motivational workout music. And now, me STRONG! As a result of my commitment to physical fitness, I am often mistaken for a professional athlete. Well not really, but I haven't injured my back in six months. Preparing to embrace change also gives me a chance to figure out what things need to occur in order to meet my next goal. I'm trying to wrap my mind around loosening up my painting style; I'd love to get more done in less time. I posted an art forum inquiry and received several interesting suggestions for adjusting my current techniques. As well, I'm completely intrigued by the painting a day movement. Who are these people, and how do they do it? I need to know their secrets! Are they showering, preparing meals and remembering to pick children up from school? They've got to be cutting corners somewhere. I saw a video where a young lady completed a lovely painting of a yellow bell pepper in 18 minutes. Admittedly, she seemed clean, well fed and quite nurturing. As a fully formed adult with years of sucking at stuff under my belt, learning new things becomes much more of a big deal than when I was a kid. I let the boys try chewing gum for the first time the other day; Desmond got a package of Juicy Fruit in a graduation goody bag. Hey, you guys - you want some gum? Yeah! Yeah! Yay, we're getting gum! Now remember, you gotta keep chewing and don't swallow it. We will, Mommy. Okay, here we go. Chew, chew - gulp. Chew - gulp... Gum in bellies; everybody sad. Lesson over almost immediately, and so much for that. But they don't care; they still want the gum! Every day since then, they ask about it: Mom, can we have gum? What's in the gum? Where do you get it? How can we accidently eat lots more, without question or suspicion? Their energy and enthusiasm for the unknown is astounding; their optimistic expectations know no bounds! Of course, it makes sense that chewing gum is just one of those things that you have to teach yourself; nobody can really show you how to do it. Could changing painting styles be just like that? Is it something that I have to figure out on my own?

Counting on Cake

I'm gonna tell you a secret, but you have to promise me we'll still be friends, okay? I do alot of counting when I paint, especially when I feel like I'm nearing the home stretch. I count everything - colors, shapes and lines. I count the colors of shapes and lines. I count the number of lines in each colored shape. And their color. As I complete each shape, I count how many shapes are left. Sometimes I count the shapes I've already finished. If I lose count, I start all over again in no particular order. With the counting. I'm pretty sure I do it to motivate myself, and it does work. C'mon, Mary; you can totally do it! Only 11, 599 more pink circles to go.Before I forget, whoever comes closest to guessing how many circles are in the cake painting will get some yummy cupcakes, baked by Yours Truly and my two culinary assistants.
In the event of a tie, the person who lives closest to my house will be the winner. We may even vacuum out your car, if it's a nice day.

Totally Blog Crazy

It's true. I have a crush on every blog! I just love everything I read; boy, this sure feels like a very cool club! And right now, I am absolutely confident that everybody in the world will eventually read and enjoy my blog, comment me frequently and want to become my friend, if they aren't already. How could they not? I better quick post this entry before I convince myself otherwise.

My Pet Lima Bean

I just read an article on how premade tunafish is the devil's handiwork, and if I eat it, I'll be taking my life into my own hands. This afternoon, I found out more about Clay Aiken than I'm comfortable with; why he's becoming a dad! and his secret for zesty Brazilian chicken. This is definitely not why I started blogging, but I can't help myself. I turn on the computer, and it's like a box of magazines falls out of the sky into my lap, starring all my favorite celebrities, doing all the zany, wreckless, altruistic things celebrities do - playing tennis with John Mayer, crashing cars and adopting orphans, while wearing the most outrageous couture. It sure is easy to get distracted. I've got to regain some focus and get back on track, so I can finish outlining this cake and get it into a frame.

I tried to address the curlique details, and I felt my attention drifting.

So I decided to shift gears and tackle the confetti shapes to keep my enthusiasm up and give myself the impression that I was covering alot of ground.

I keep checking on my blog, however, like it's a little lima bean seed growing on a sponge at the kitchen sink.

Cake, anyone?

I bet there's tons of reasons why girls aren't jumping out of cakes as much these days. Aside from the significant liability involved when clear heels and whipped cream get together, it's just not that shocking anymore. There are so many other curious things young ladies can do to entertain that just shouldn't involve dessert. The five-layer cake I'm working on right now, which is coming together nicely, is the kind of cake one might considering giving a go, don't you think? I could kick myself, however, for not realizing how much outlining was involved when I came up with the initial sketch. What if I kicked myself while wearing opera gloves and feathers? Now, that's entertainment!

All Balls in the Air

Here's a learning curve I'm hopeful to maneuver well as I progress in my blogging pursuits. Moving projects forward while writing about them and explaining things I think about along the way. All I've done thus far is post about completed pieces, then step back and admire myself. Juggling several things at once is not something I particularly enjoy. I'm just not a big multi-tasker. Don't get me wrong; I can do it. I run my household with ease, and I play very nicely with others. I do get easily rattled by distractions, however, and I prefer focusing on one thing at a time. The boys sure have helped me realize the importance of quiet time in their absence and in the evenings, after they've been dispatched to their respective bunks. Before we had kids, I vaguely recall spending hours in front of TV, eating chips and aimlessly grooming myself. Life is just not like that anymore! Everything is different, busier and more interesting. Making time to express your art is essential. Life, in general, seems far more satisfying on so many levels with creative outlets to light up your mind, fill your heart with emotion and goose you into action!