Peach Coglo

Life Itself

Well, that was a break.  It was a bit longer than I expected.  We are still adjusting to life with a teenager, a teenager who lives with autism.  There are some definite, heavy challenges and new things to learn about disability services and insurance  and meeting the needs of our kiddo, as well as planning for his future.  We want it to be as bright as it can be.   I have met some very compassionate people along this journey and that makes a big difference.

But I have learned life doesn't stop, soooo  it's as good a time as any to get back into the blogging swing of things.  Open Studio Hartford is in a few weeks and I have got to get rolling.  I started a new bird painting-fingers crossed that it works out!

Also, fellow artist, Stefanie Marco Lantz recently founded an artist group: WEHA Artists Emporium!  My friend Julie is also a founding member.   It's been great fun and quite inspiring to be a member of this group.  I am so glad they asked!

Well it's back to the paper, water and paint.  Thanks for stopping by; it's great to be back!

Be well,

Ang

Getting Comfortable with My Creative Process

Welcome to the final week of the month-long Carnival of Creative Mothers to celebrate the launch of The Rainbow Way: Cultivating Creativity in the Midst of Motherhood by Lucy H. Pearce which has been Amazon.co.uk's Hottest New Release in Motherhood for the past week!

Today's topic is The Creative Process. Do read to the end of this post for a full list of carnival participants. 

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Wow, sometimes I don't think I even have a creative process.  Time for painting is comprised of short, stolen moments- more stops and starts punctuated by innumerable interruptions.  Somehow the school nurse always calls the mother.  Why is that?  I have all kinds of fantasies of being surrounded by fragrant tea, paint, and paper in my sun-filled spacious studio.  I dream about working from sunup to sundown and being interrupted by only by interruptions of my choosing. 

I look on with a mixture of awe and envy at other artists who are also mothers who manage to get it done, to get up before dawn to create, to keep true to themselves, to know what their goals are.  I know it isn't all seamless for them either, but it does seem that they have things a bit more "together".  So I practice getting things done in snatches. I sketch and read and find inspiration whenever and wherever I can.  I try to relax more when I am painting instead of waiting for that next phone call or knock at the door.  When the call does come, I take a super duper deep breath.  I get a lot of oxygen that way.  I try getting up earlier in the morning, despite my night owl nature.  Some days it works out and other times not so much.  It is good to know it's not my fault that I am a night owl.  Apparently, it's my brain structure. 

It seems that I am in the process of making peace with my creative process-as raggedy as it seems.  I am pleased that I am learning to create decent work in snatches.  That is one beautiful thing about watercolor.  I am learning to be even more organized.  Sometimes I forget that I achieve a fair amount only because the to-do's are so many.   I am learning to take autism in a little more stride-most days.  I am learning to not take on other people's emotions as my own.  I am learning that it isn't helpful to compare my beginning with someone else's middle or end.  This is an especially challenging lesson.  I am thankful for my little closet that is my studio-that I have a place of retreat, a place to work when I can't work at home.   I am thankful that I have other artist mothers to look to and learn from as they forge their own trails.  I am thankful for people who enjoy and are touched by my work.  So finding my creative process is a process in and of itself and maybe, just maybe, that's the point.

 

How do you get comfortable with your creative process or are you already there?

be well,

Angela

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ORDER YOUR SIGNED COPY of 

The Rainbow Way direct from the author and receive:

• 10% off - use code TRW10
• exclusive access to a private Facebook group for creative mothers
• a vibrant greetings card and book-mark of one of the author's paintings.

Kindle and paperback editions from Amazon.co.uk Amazon.com Book Depository, Barnes and Noble

Or order from your local bookshop.

• Carnival host and author of The Rainbow Way, Lucy at Dreaming Aloud looks at the common lies we tell ourselves about creativity in The Eternal Summer of the Creative Mind.
• Caitriona at Wholesome Ireland - from start to new beginnings.
• Hannah M. Davis writes about Unleashing Your Authentic Voice. So many of us would love to write a life-changing book. How do you get over the blocks and barriers that hold you back? 
• Sylda from Mind the Baby compares her creative process to a maelstrom of weather warnings.
• In "As an Artist", Lucy Pierce at Soulskin Musings offers a poem about how the creative process beckons her through many of the archetypes of womanhood.
• Jackie Stewart at Flowerspirit.co.uk talks about how creativity is opening up a space for the unknown to reveal itself to you in 'Creativity Flourishes in the Sacred Unknown'.
• Alex at Art of Birth shares some practical tips on how you can unlock your creative goddess within!
• Nicki at justlikeplay shares a love letter to her muse.
• Marija Smits has a conversation with her muse and reflects on the difficulties of catching and creating from the Goddess of Inspiration.
• Zoie at TouchstoneZ reflects on her creative process.
• Licia Berry, Illumined Arts "Creativity and Healing are Ideal Partners". The creation of visual, musical, or expressive arts is the quickest, most effective and painless way to heal.
• Kirstin at Listening to the Squeak - My creative process and how to break creative blocks.
• Ali Baker talks about connecting with the call of the wolf when she cries to us to do so means giving our time and permission to honour the creative process within all of us.
• Mary at The Turquoise Paintbrush reflects on her creative process.
• KatyStuff thinks that projects need time to mature, that is why she is a fabric and craft hoarder. 
• Aimée at Creativeflutters goes into her creative process and looks at what makes things tick or flop in "Spontaneous She - How to Keep Your Muse at Work".
• Kae at The Wilde Womb muses about her common creative blocks as a parent and how she systematically breaks through them.
• Angela at Peach Coglo tries to get comfortable with her own creative process. 
• Biromums write about their creative processes.
• Dawn at The Barefoot Home believes the creative process can't be taught it has to come organically and at its own pace.
• Tara at Aquamarine Art began uncovering her lost inner artist over 5 years ago and shares her experiences and inspirations in "From Spark to Bonfire: The Evolution of A Creative Process."
• Georgie at Visual Toast explores what the creative process looks like for her.
• Creative Woman at Creator's Corner is not concerned with the end product or the outcome but with the process and all the richness that it brings. 
• Jennifer's Art Blog explores what the creative process feels like for her.
• Fiona at Sunny Spells and Scattered Showers reflects on her creative process.
• Sharron at Adventures on the mindful path writes and creates in between (and sometimes while) chasing two little boys and a puppy.  
• Trying to discover her own methods to the creative process, Jasmine at Brown Eyed Girl, digs deeper to find what it is that really triggers her creativity.
• Jessica F. Hinton shares why finding creative spaces as a mother is important and what her space looks like. 
• Laura at Authentic Parenting reflects on her creative process.
• Ingrid at My Peace Tree says Creativity as a living thing - and examines ebb and flow, expectations vs. realities (our own and other people's), inspiration and how to find it.
• Darcel at The Mahogany Way examines her own creative process.
• Woman's Art celebrates her own creative process.

Creative Mother Heroines

Welcome to Week Two of the month-long Carnival of Creative Mothers to celebrate the launch of The Rainbow Way: Cultivating Creativity in the Midst of Motherhood
by Lucy H. Pearce. 

Today's topic is Creative Heroines. Be sure to read to the end of this post to find a list of links to the other carnival participants.

Join the Carnival and be in with a chance to win a free e-copy of The Rainbow Way!
December 4th: Creative Inheritance.
December 11th: The Creative Process.

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Where do you find your creative energy?  How do you come to a place where you feel confident in yourself, your creative work?  Many a day when I need to finish (or start) a painting, or a sketch, I can barely summon the will to pick up my paints.  It is a feat to get my brain to switch gears from thoughts of making yet another dinner, helping a child with his fifteenth school project in three months, or anxiety about an upcoming PPT.  Even though I know at the other end, after I have worked on my painting or thought deeply about my next project, I will feel more myself, have energy to make dinner (and possibly dessert), tackle the school project and approach the PPT with much less stress,  it is difficult to make that first move, to not feel overwhelmed by it all. 

Some days I don't make it.  Other days, I push through and show up.  I have found what gets me going and helped me to show up is drawing from my list of Creative Mother Heroines.  I think of my grandmother, her mother and her mother's mother sewing quilts from other people's scraps on their hot Georgia porch.  They had to be tired-bone tired, yet they did it and made beautiful things in the process.  I think of my grandmother embroidering her pillows and runners, adjusting the embroidery pattern so that the lady with the hoop skirt had skin that matched hers.  She took control of her creations while living in a world that told her that because of her skin she didn't matter, that her creativity didn't matter.   After reflecting on these mothers who have blazed and walked this path, I am ready to show up, get my paints out and get to work. 

 

My grandma-Mary L. Walker

 

A recent piece

 

Who are your Creative Mother Heroines?

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ORDER YOUR SIGNED COPY of  The Rainbow Way!   and grab your free extras  (first 200 orders only!): - exclusive access to a private Facebook group for creative mothers - a vibrant greetings card and book-mark of one of the author's paintings. Kindle and paperback editions from Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com, Book Depository, Barnes and Noble or order it from your local bookshop!

• Carnival host and author of The Rainbow Way, Lucy at Dreaming Aloud celebrates her creative fairy godmothers, and gives thanks for the creative blessings that each has gifted her.
• And on her other site, The Happy Womb, Lucy expresses her sadness at a lack of real-life female mentors and Wise Women in her life so far.
• Becky at Soul Sunshine shares the creativity heroines-- her Saviors-- who reactivated her creative heart after a near-20-year-hiatus.
• Lucy Pierce from Soulskin Musings explores the ways in which three artists have inspired her to follow the inner wild of her own creative narrative and it's interface with the forces of nature and of Spirit.
• Kae at The Wilde Womb shares how she invokes her inner child when summoning creative juices. 
• Zoie at TouchstoneZ reflects on the women who have inspired her most. 
• Alex at The Art of Birth shares her Journey of a Creative Mama which is all about liberating the Feminine through Art.
• Laura at Authentic Parenting is grateful to those women who have inspired her.
• Who most inspires Georgie at Visual Toast? She'll tell you here!
• Please come to the dinner party, invites Nicki at Just Like Play, where we will celebrate Judy Chicago, art, womanhood, and the creative kitchen table.
• Becky at Raising Loveliness shares her creative heroines.
• Dawn Collins at The Barefoot Home honors three artistic mothers in the post:her strong willed Nona, her free spirited mother and the best solo artist ever... Mother Earth.
• Angela at Peach Coglo looks to her grandma and granny as her creative heroines when the creative going gets tough.
• Jennifer at Let Your Soul Shine wears odd socks proudly!
• Kelly at Knittingandthings shares how she turned her grief into helping others  
• Biromums remember their biggest creative heroines.
• Darcel at The Mahogany Way shares who inspires her.
• Aimée at Creativeflutters discusses which artists influence her in her creative journey. Find out how she nourishes herself as a creative mother, and finds the time to help other moms on their journeys.
• Creativity is something that's always meant the most to Jasmine at Brown Eyed Girl and she can't wait to take the journey in identifying herself and supporting other moms with it as well.
• KatyStuff has a mother who allowed her to make mud pies while she knit or embroidered near by.
• Ali Baker is a creative mama to twin girls who reignited her creative energy and sense of who she used to be by just doing it and creating whatever needs to be created in an imperfect way. 
• Liz at Reckless Knitting remembers her biggest inspirations.
• Milochka  at Art Play Day shares her creative heroines.

As Life Flows

So as we sit, life flows and churns.  In our household, we are in the midst of birthday season, prepping for Spring concerts and ballets, lots of celebrating, running about, and sighs over life's daily demands.  It's a pretty day, flowing along like any other and then the violence happens-again.  So we sit, think, pray, cry and wonder-again.  The webs of the world are so closely knit, whether we always remember it or not.   Our hearts, hopes and minds are with families, friends and strangers in Boston.

near Copley . . . .

 

Eastertide and Patience

Spring is slowly showing itself around here.  I have heard a lot of frustration with the weather lately.  I am not a hot weather person, so I am having no problem with the weather lately.  However, the weather is providing a good, even if it's unwanted, lesson in patience.  In watching the world around these parts wake up slowly, I am reminded to slow down and appreciate the here and now.  I am trying to apply this to other aspects of my life, where I am much, much less patient-not enough time for this not enough time for that, yet another meeting or another phone call from the school nurse.   I also might need some of you to remind me of this post, when I have had it up to here with blisteringly hot weather. 

As we spring into a season of busyness, I am going to remind myself to try my best to patient and if I don't succeed to try again.  I can't remember who said it, but I love this quote, "Shift your attitude and watch your day shift."   So as I am fighting a cold which almost feels like bronchitis, and head off to the first of three conferences today, I am going to shift my attitude, and remember the beauty and fun of the Easter holiday spent at my mom's house.  Two of these beautiful things included a bowl of Easter candy corn and a mom-made martini.

Have a wonderful day everyone.

 

 

Thinking of Summer and Fall

It's 29 degrees outside and the ground is still covered with snow from the blizzard.  It looks like we might be in for some more snow this weekend.  Nonetheless, I am thinking of summer, fall and two shows I need to populate with some art-a summer show and Hartford Open Studio Weekend-trying to get some art ideas and plans together.  For the first time, I am actually planning and making way ahead of time.  Usually due to child care, Greg's work schedule and life, I don't get started until mid to late summer-not cool, so not cool. 

Having a space of my own and the youngest going to preschool for 2 hours, four days per week helps-tremendously.   The difference is unbelievable.  I get some time to recover from the barrage of words and movement from such a full family life.  Being an introvert, I could always use more time and thinking space, but for now I will be grateful for what I can get, etch out more time where I can, and meet myself where I am.

I read this recently and had to "pin" it.  It's so true and a very nice reminder for when I slide off track or when I am feeling overwhelmed and behind (whatever  or wherever behind is).

So in the spirit of preparation and putting art at the core of my life, I am presently working on some Harry Potter inspired concepts for Open Studio, along with some other ideas.  I am thinking a lot about symbols and myth lately.  We'll see how it turns out.

So what are you creating time for in your life?

The Aetna Show-Part One

January and February have been very full and exciting months.  Due to the generosity of The Aetna, Cynthia, and Artists in Real Time, I hung my first solo art show!  Squee!  Cynthia, the marvelous coordinator of Hartford's Open Studio Weekend, invited me to exhibit at The Aetna's gallery.  I am incredibly grateful for this opportunity!   It is a splendid thing that The Aetna provides such an amazing opportunity for artists to exhibit their work.  

My work will remain at The Aetna for the entire month of February.  At the end of the show, I'll attend a "meet and greet" where I'll be talking to folks about my art and fun things in general.  It's always fun to meet people and learn about their interests.  So far gallery visitors have enjoyed the show so it will be great to talk to them in person.

I better get back to my work, but I wanted to share some of the completed pieces that are being exhibited right now.

 

Hulled

 

Seconds

The Workday Begins

and finally Plimoth Kitchen

 

Have a great weekend.  I hope it is filled with lots of relaxation and time to create !

What to Do? What to Do?

Joining Ginny at Small Things for Yarn Along . . . .

A few days before Christmas, I trotted my crazy self over to the LYS for a tutorial on knitting ruffled scarves.  It was a fun 45 minutes and I found some beautiful soft Rowan yarn.  The only problem is I have yet to knit said scarf.  It's a fairly simple process if you remember it.  So it's back to my notes and YouTube to see if I can jog my memory.  If I can figure it out, this scarf will be faaabulous dahling!

I am also taking a minute or two to read Making Color Sing, a Christmas gift from my hubs.  It looks a like a pretty interesting watercolor book.  I am working on some pieces for a show in the Summer and already thinking of things for Open Studio in November.  It should be fun to experiment a bit.

 What are you making and reading?

When Surrounded by Snow

What should you do when you are surrounded (finally) by snow?  Play, of course.  We were snowed in and couldn't get to our favorite sledding hill, so Greg improvised-brilliantly.  He made a snow track in our backyard.  We have gobs of snow, so it was quite doable.  I thank his strong back.  Luckily he had a great time constructing the race track.  So despite the streets being packed with three feet of snow, the kids were able to sled downhill and with a curve to boot.

I am so thankful for this snow and that we did not lose power.  In these recent years, it has begun to feel less and less like winter.  Thank you Mother Nature for a nice wallop.

I love the blues in the snow.  Winter is one of my favorite seasons.  There are so many beautiful colors to see if a body only takes a moment to really look.

Have a  wonderful week my friends.

Snow Cray

Oy!  I think we had a bit of snow.    At first things were nice and gentle - cute little snowflakes but then,

You see that golden blur? That's snow and wind.   It wasn't so cute at that point.  Luckily, we didn't lose power.  We have a warm house and some food, even though the kids drank one gallon and a half of milk on Friday.  Perhaps today we can get some more, but cars are banned from the roads.

My pilates class was canceled as was Helena's ballet and girl scout field trip.  No word on Elijah's violin lesson.  It's nice to be able to stay in and not have to go anywhere.  So we are hunkering down with tea, making stew, bread and sweet potato pie.  I think it's kind of a sweet potato pie weekend don't you?

 

The leaf is about an inch off the ground.  At this point Greg had only shoveled a bit.  In the end, the pile was about 8 feet high.  There is a two foot bush under there somewhere.

There was about a four foot drift on our garage roof.

"Ergmergerd!  Enough already!"  Poor Doran.

Somebody was cold.

It's going to be 2 degrees tonight.  We're thinking of those without homes or heat and hoping everyone will be warm and safe.  There's so much to catch up on; I'll be back at this space soon.

<3 Ang