Inspire me Thursday

I recently stumbled across this cool artist challenge website, inspire me thursday. There is a new technique/style suggested every thursday. There are many artists that take part and share their new found inspirations and experimentations. I really like the idea, hopefully over the summer I can stretch myself artistically.

"mysterious" mixed media on canvas

joy hennin

Here is my first entry. This piece is titled, "mysterious". I was thinking about all these different parts of my life and how disconnected they can sometimes seem from each other. There are times when I just look at one segment, but forget that all the parts somehow fit together. The design is unique, colorful and complicated, as is life. I intentionally left many open spaces to remind me that much of my story (everyone's) is unwritten and that I may never know the whole picture or how it fits together. In the end, it will make sense. Until then, it's a bit mysterious.

Afterglow

"When you look up Afterglow in the dictionary, it is defined as 'the glow or light that remains once the sun is gone'. You're used to this bright, shiny beautiful glow but the moment the sun disappears, all of a sudden you have to readjust everything. It's a very transitional moment. A lot of these songs are about transition...the turning over of the rock, what's underneath, the murky, shadowy uncertainty where everything looks very different."
- Sarah McLachlan

I can definitely relate to this idea of 'Afterglow'. It feels like a time of re-adjustment to me, a series of transitional moments. As I have been listening to this album one song captures me over and over again. It feels like what is going on currently in my life. A song God is singing to me and my reply. The lyrics say a lot and the song is definitely worth downloading, even if it is only a reminder to pray for me.

"Answer"

I will be the answer
At the end of the line
I will be there for you
While you take the time
In the burning of uncertainty
I will be your solid ground
I will hold the balance
If you can't look down

If it takes my whole life
I won't break, I won't bend
It will all be worth it
Worth it in the end
Cause I can only tell you what I know
That I need you in my life
When the stars have all gone out
You'll still be burning so bright

Cast me gently
Into morning
For the night has been unkind
Take me to a
Place so holy
That I can wash this from my mind
The memory of choosing not to fight

If it takes my whole life
I won't break, I won't bend
It will all be worth it
Worth it in the end
'Cause I can only tell you what I know
That I need you in my life
When the stars have all burned out
You'll still be burning so bright

Cast me gently
Into morning
For the night has been unkind

Here we are, the PGE crew, at our yard sale. We started the morning with a wonderful egg breakfast prepared by Semit. It was a profitable morning, though we took about as much stuff to the salvation army as we sold. There were some memorable moments made as well as a little cash for my summer trip to South Asia.

It must be genetic

This weekend is the neighborhood garage sale, so I decided to sort through closets and my basement looking for all those things I CAN live without. I figured this would be a good time to go through all my purses and bags (some of which have been banished to a box in my basement) and get rid of a few. As I was sorting through purses, I began to clean them out. I found all sorts of remnants that sparked memories of places I've been, people I've shared life with, things I generally carry with me. 27 purses later (that's right, 27) I felt I'd taken a trip down memory lane and found a few purses that I am ready to part with. I grew up loving accessories and purses of any kind, my mom probably has at least 27 and two years ago my sister started her own purse designing business, Pursology. It is an amazing, creatively driven company that allows the customer to design their own purse. Who knows how many purses she has. She's making about 50 a month so she's got me beat. I guess the women in my family like to be able to take things with us and look cute too, it must be genetic.