Over a decade ago, I read Julie Cameron's book, "The Artist Way."  Like so many artists have experience, it is a wonderful journey and invaluable guide to living the artist life. I gained insight into understanding myself and my creative soul.  I learned to nurture my heart, protect my time and push through life's stop signs. One of the recommendations that Ms. Cameron strongly suggests, is to go on weekly artist dates (field trips) with yourself.  The artist date might be anything from a visit to a museum, a few art galleries, or simply spending time alone in nature.  Whatever one choses, it needs to be at least 2 hours alone exploring with eyes open, not making art.  To this day, I still practice this regularly. 

Foraging has become a joyful artist date that I take myself on regularly.  I love slowing down, breathing the fresh air and practicing mindfulness.  If I am in the forest, I am looking for pine cones, moss and any sweet treasure that catches my eye.  If I am on the beach, I will collect a few stones or shells and driftwood.  On a beach in Ventura there are loads of rocks and boulders. Nothing is more therapeutic than stacking rocks like little sculptures and leaving them behind for the sea to later swallow. It's in this space that I find my most peaceful moments.  It is a time for healing and for just being.  It is a hug for my creative self.

In addition to collecting little treasures, I often stop and take images with my iPhone along the shore.  I am fascinated at how the sea collages its shells, kelp, polished stones and assorted debris into masterpieces along the water's edge.  It's a collaboration of so many things coming together in a tossed up cacophony of perfect.  After my artist dates, I will use the items or the imagery that I collected to inspire my work in the studio.  Sometimes it takes holding onto an item for years before it jumps out and shows me its purpose.  I surround myself with my foraged cache in my home, on my property and in my studio.  Sometimes, just stopping to look at them, pick them up and feel them in my hands can transport me to a moment of serenity.  Worthless to many, but oh so precious to me.  

If you are reading this blog today, and something about the idea of spending time alone in nature appeals to you, then plan a time to add this to your schedule.  You won't be disappointed. Who knows what treasures you might find along the way?

Artists are often asked to submit their work to themed group shows. I'm usually the one who never has something to submit within the required theme.  Sometimes, it is as simple as needing a landscape or a still life. Sometimes, the theme is based on a current event, or something in popular culture that can be transmitted through art. 

I recently found a fascinating book while shopping in a local bookstore, "Flower Color Theory," authored by Darroch and Michael Putnam.  I am obsessed with color theory.  If you have been following my work over the years, using color to convey a message has been at the center of my work.  So how to use this book?  I had no clues, but I bought it anyway.  Nothing better than a new reference book to ignite an idea in the studio.

So this past week, I was thumbing through the pages and thought to myself, "I wonder how I can translate a few of these floral arrangements, staying true to my current style/series?" Then I thought about an upcoming call to artists that I read about requiring a modern still life! Yes!  I set out to create a still life inspired by one of the arrangements in the book.  

​Using the floral arrangement as my guide, I designed a floral still life of my own.  I tried to keep as close as I could to the size and volume and basic color of the different elements.  In some instances, the limit of the vast colors that I had on hand forced me to let go a little bit. I had to wing it along the way.  No worries though because why not allow a little bit of my artist-child play, too?  I can almost smell the fragrance jumping off the surface of the paper.