Off to Yellowstone!!!

Yellowstone here we come!

This afternoon I am leaving on vacation and I am so excited to be getting away from everyday life!

Sometimes we just need time away to refresh the soul!

So I won't be posting on my blog for a week or so and wanted to send you

blessings before I leave.

I know that I will be taking lots of photographs with my new Canon Rebel, so I got me a very good SD card that can hold lots and lots of my images.  I don't want to miss anything.  I plan on learning with my new camera all that I can learn!  There is still lots of snow and I hear the grizzly bears are just waking!

I also have my travel watercolor kit, sketch pencils and art stuff to take along with me, even have a lace scarf to knit on while relaxing at the lodges.

(I can't believe I just said that . . . I can hardly wait to sit at a lodge and chill)

So off to beautiful country I go!  Life is so full of blessings and I recognize that this trip with my hubby is definitely a blessing.  He has wanted to go there for so long and now we have been given the chance.  It has been a lifelong dream for me to go to Sundance ( I have had a crush on Robert Redford my whole adult life . . . don't worry, my husband is aware of it!!!)  So my hubby has made sure that I get to go there.  He is a wonderful man that hubby of mine!

Couldn't resist adding this picture!

My dream come true!

When we allow ourselves to have a break in life from work, phones, internet, news, blogs, facebook, twitter and anything else you can think of . . . we allow ourselves to hear that which is inside of us.  I am looking forward to hearing what Donna Lee has to say to herself!

I promise to share when I return and come back with photos, sketches and lots of artistic motivation.

I am missing my studio already, but know when I return to my artwork it will be refreshed and renewed!

Donna Lee

52 Photos Project / Week Two / Color

Sedona's beautiful colors

On to week two of 52 Photos Project and this week the prompt was color.  I had taken this photo when I visited beautiful Sedona, full of color and magic everywhere you turn.  I knew I loved this photo when I took it, I didn't want to forget what I had seen.  When I think of color, especially this time of year, I get excited to see all the beauty of God's nature starting to pop through and come to life.  I love all the terrific pots we plant in, they are works of art too these days!

Color affects our world in so many ways.  Nature is of course the most beautiful expression.  We wear incredible colors in our clothing, we decorate our homes, we see colors all around us through our eyes, children learn to use crayons and color early on, we paint and create with colors. My patients choose colors for their eyewear, it is a tough decision for them!  I know I tend to choose the same palette of colors and keep using those colors in my own artwork that please me the most.  I tend to do that even in my yarn choices for knitting or weaving.  Go to a museum when you get the chance and see the differences in artists mediums and color choices.  Spend time letting your spirit be filled with colors.

Color grants us inspiration, it makes us happy, it is beauty to the human eye, it is what makes us feel good and it is loving all those things that surround us in our daily lives.  Color is self expression! I am heading to Yellowstone next week, I can't even imagine all the gorgeous colors my camera is going to see!  Thanks for the reminder today Bella, this photo project causes me to ponder and think, I like that.

My Art and Soul Retreat

A wonderful weekend experience!

Well I am so excited about my experience that I TRULY don't know where to begin!  It is so wonderful to come home after these art times and have a renewed feeling of joy, of creativity, of renewed strength in myself and in my work as an artist.  That is how I feel right now!!  I want to get those feelings into words, before life has a way of pushing those feelings down and pressing on ahead!  I guess what I am feeling in an artistic high and I have tried to savor every moment of my Art and Soul opportunity!

First of all, I am lucky, it was located in Hampton, Virginia just forty minutes away from my home in Virginia Beach!!  I signed up for one class in October last year and thought, yea I will go and take a class for the day, that was my original intent. My girlfriend Toni and I were going to take a wonderful handmade book class together.  I let her choose the class we were going to take, just being with her would be the best part of the experience. Time well spent creating with my sister girlfriend.  We decided to spend the night and enjoy the entire retreat experience.

After completing Misty Mawn's Stretching Within E Course, I knew that she was teaching in Art and Soul.  I found that most of her classes were already filled, apparently they go quick!  Yet, her Friday all day class, Painted Papers, had ONE spot left!  Talk about a serendipity moment and something being intended for just me!!! I signed up and was so excited when the ad for the class said SOLD OUT, I truly did get the last spot in the class with Misty and I knew that chair was intended for me!  So I knew immediately that this Art and Soul had turned into more than just a day class in Hampton!  I am here to share that it was not a disappointment at all.

So it truly was a long wait from October/November to now when the time actually came to attend the retreat, I thought it would never get here.  I am convinced that we experience what we are supposed to at the exact time we need it.  That is how it was for me this weekend.  I had an incredibly difficult week at work, so having the day off from the work week and heading to an art retreat was exactly what I needed to replenish and refill my creative soul.

Waking up very early and actually watching the ROYAL WEDDING was the beginning of a very special day!  I had no idea what truly lied ahead for me, it was a day filled with anticipation.

Misty's class was wonderful . . . at each table was an envelope filled with all kinds of goodies for our painted papers class.  As you can see I have a small ORB sitting on the envelope.  My good friend Riva Weinstein created several for me, she makes them out of recycled soy milk cartons and her ORBS go everywhere. She loves us to take ongoing pictures of where her creations are, so of course I sent her a message via phone on Friday to let her know where her ORB was that day!  She had brought three of hers to Squam by the Sea, and I was intrigued about them.  After seeing her during my New York trip recently, her creations appeared at my door, priority mail!  

Misty did painting demos and more demos, I just love watching her.  She is an amazing artist, yet extremely private, never bringing attention to herself.  She taught us so much and I came home with 18 pieces of hand painted papers for my collection.  I learned new techniques and actually got to watch her in action.  I can't wait for her book to come out, Unfurling, in June.

A sampling of my Painted Pages (Not sure which is my favorite)

My book class

More from the book class

Trying image transfer (I can use this for so many things)

Day Two was another wonderful class . . . I took "Sewn in & Tied Too" . . . and made a small book from start to finish.  This is the class my friend Toni and I signed up to take together.  I was slightly intimidated because I was totally out of my creative zone on this one!  We took it step by step, process by process and by the end of the class, I had completed an amazing little book filled with stamping, unusual pages and I was so happy with the results.  Our teacher Gaye Medbury was very talented and she showed us all of her secrets and techniques to complete our books. I enjoyed reaching my creative brain a little and grew in my confidence just a little bit more.  My friend Toni was loving just letting loose and we both had a wonderful time together.  It is wonderful when you can look next to somebody in a class and see that it is your girlfriend; it enhances the class experience all the more!  We were both in the zone and it was such a fun day together.

My brain is already thinking about the next little book I want to create and I want to incorporate some of my painted papers from my first class, into my little books.  I came home with so much excitement and enthusiasm; I couldn't wait to show my husband all of my work, and he patiently and lovingly looked at every little thing, including all my bought treasures from the market! I bought inks, antique papers from France, unusual and very old envelopes and stamps, art stuff and more art stuff!  I can use all of these wonderful things in my collage pieces. The market and store was a wonderful treat to see and browse in between workshops. 

Now I have saved the best part for last, reconnection with friends and meeting new friends.  This artistic community is amazing.  I saw people that I didn't think would be there, ran into longtime old friends, spent quality time with special people, ran into my artistic friend from high school, saw patients of mine who were there (wearing my amazing eyeglasses).  I was in connection heaven!  I even shared a lunch table with my friend Shelly, who was a co-owner of mine in Blue Skies Gallery, over eight years ago. She had moved to Colorado and came back to see her father and attend Art and Soul. We happened to share a table with two other ladies we didn't know, trying to save time, we were getting to know someone new and get back to class on time. We knew we knew each other and finally  made the connection . . . catching up over lunch was amazing! Again another serendipity moment.

I was able to spend beautiful time with my Squam girlfriend Mindy Lacefield of Tim's Sally and I met a new friend that was attending with her Danielle Fraser of Her Painted Word.  I have loved these ladies work for quiet some time and even have their badges on my blog to share their amazing work with others.  Danielle and I participated in Misty Mawn's e-course together, but had never met in person.  When meeting her for the first time Friday night, I didn't realize who she was until she gave me her card and I recognized it was the same photo as the badge on my blog. She was traveling to Art and Soul with my sweet friend Mindy.  I get goose bumps just talking about it with you!!!  Yet again, another serendipity moment.  I was also able to meet Jesse Reno, who was sitting there relaxing with Mindy and Danielle.  He was teaching a class the next day. I had heard Juliette Crane speak of her experience in his painting class.  Wow . . . connections!  Can you hear my excitement through my written words?

So here we are . . . loving each other and enjoying each other's company!  I am so blessed to have met so many amazing creative friends who are beautiful inside and out!

I know I have only touched on the highlights of my weekend, it is something I just can't put into words.  Art and Soul comes yearly and I know I can't wait to attend next year! Being able to paint, to create, to be with myself and I, to spend time with creative friends discussing our art work, where we create, what we like to create, sharing techniques with each other is priceless.  Learning from the best of the best and getting to spend a full day with them goes beyond being able to measure its worth.  I also recognize that this weekend was a gift.

Art revives . . Art restores . . Art rebuilds the broken spirit . . Art connects . . Art touches deep within (if you allow it to) . . Art is beautiful . . Art is meditative . . Art is love . . Art is friendship . . Art is growth . . Art is fun . . Art is letting go and just playing . . Art is pushing ourselves way past what is comfortable . . Art is feeling

52 Photos Project / Week One / Nourish

Reaching High

This week has begun 52 Photos Project with Bella Cirovic.  I met Bella at Squam by the Sea and she is doing amazing things with written word and photography.  

The theme for this week was {Nourish}.  It could be anything we wanted, we just had to find a photo and share one that followed that theme.  I went through all of my photos, looked in the back yard at all the beautiful flowers beginning to bloom and thought I was going in that direction.  Until I went back through my photos and found this collection of beautiful birch trees with the sun popping through.  I knew this was the one! Nourishment . . . I thought of reaching . . . reaching high and the feeling of being strengthened.  I came up with these thoughts:

When we are reaching for something new we step out of our comfort zones

We tend not to lean on our own understanding

Reaching for our dreams is nourishment to the soul

I can imagine all kinds of possibilities

Growth within happens when we reach

Sometimes we don't quite reach far enough and that is okay
At times I am fearful to reach out
Nourishing my creative spirit is reaching for greater things
The beautiful sun nourishes our world, we take that for granted
Nourishing comes in many sources:
faith, friends, experiences, growth, love, art, words, hugs, music, nature, dreams, sharing, goals, photography, poetry, prayer, ideas, meditation, love of family, hardships.


I ask you today . . . where does your nourishing come from?

A sweet opportunity from a friend

This past week I was featured as an artist by my wonderful and very creative friend Dyan Whyte.  I was able to meet her while taking my very first E-course, Creative Thursday with Marisa Haedike.  Dyan and I formed a friendship on Facebook and through our blogs and we have continued that love and support of each other's work. She has an amazing website and blog on her site The enchanting works of Dyan Whyte, visionary artist;  I encourage you to visit her site and see the incredible works she is doing.  She has a new feature entitled Creatives with Heart where she is interviewing artists from different walks and with different artistic journeys.  I was touched and felt extremely honored that she wanted to feature me!  She asked very deep questions that made me ponder and think on for awhile before I could answer them.  I wanted to answer them honestly and totally from my heart.  I just wanted to thank Dyan for giving me this opportunity and I decided to share that post with you on my blog.  I hope you will enjoy it!  It does give you a peek into my visions for my artwork.  I find it hard to put any spotlight on myself, yet I felt this was important for me to share.  The artist community is a strong one and I am blessed to have such a circle of creatives supporting me.  We all are sharing and growing together and I am blessed to be given such support on my artistic walk.  So here you go, my article from Dyan and I hope you will enjoy . . .

Creatives with Heart:: Donna Wynn

I thought it would be interesting to share some of my wonderful creative friends over the next few weeks. Today's artist is Donna Wynn. Donna is a collage and mixed media painter.

Donna, tell us a little bit about your art journey and how you cam to choose collage as your medium of choice.

My art journey started out as just a weaver and knitter, I have been a weaver for over twenty years. I loved the blending of colors and fibers.  I was part owner in an art gallery, Blue Skies Gallery in Hampton, VA.    I slowly grew tired of just sitting at the loom and the business of "running a gallery" became what took my time more than the beauty of creating handwovens.  I was  always drawn to watercolor painting and took several classes and workshops from many watercolor style teachers.  I loved it, fell in love with it, but Watercolor painting can be difficult.  I am not a perspective painter and not an excellent drawer either! I started my love for collage painting and mixed media by picking up a copy of Somerset Studio a few years back and my heart took a leap!  I knew that was what I was trying to accomplish with my watercolors and it wasn't happening.

It  was the change for me, summer of 2010!  I started cutting words, words, words and collecting so many images, papers, and stuff to collage with.  I absolutely fell in love with it.  I went to a girlfriend retreat with my wonderful friend and only took things to collage on, I came back with beautiful pieces of work.  It is wonderful when you can get away from your normal routine, and concentrate on your artwork for a weekend!

I then attended Squam by the Sea, in October 2010 and it changed my artistic life forever.  I was able to take a class with Sarah Ahearn Bellemare called "Mix It Up" and that was the change of my artistic style, right then!  Being in a room full of like minded women, art boards to create on and every possible art supply to collage with.  We then sat on the beach together and shared our work, I will never forget it.

Since then I have taken other e courses and enjoyed each style I have learned and now I have put all of what I have learned into creating my own mixed media style, I am in love with collage.  I recently took Misty Mawn's Stretching Within course and she took us from drawing to painting to collage, it was an incredible experience as well.

Who inspires you as an artist?

I am of course inspired by Sarah, she has the sweetest spirit come through her work.  I love Marisa from Creative Thursday, her paintings are beautiful and simplistic.  I love Juliette Crane, I am currently enrolled in her how to paint an owl course, she shares so much of herself in this course, I love Misty Mawn she inspires all of us and I truly love Kelly Barton, she is an encourager and I am totally in love with how she paints her girls. I love your work Dyan, it is so beautiful and I also have connected with Harmony of Feed your Soul Art, her style speaks to me and we have connected in friendship.  Love my Lisa Gonzalez of Happy Mama, her work is sincere and beautiful and she paints from her heart.  Monet, one of the greats, has been an inspiration to me even when I was just weaving, and still holds my heart today with his style and color choices.

Donna your collage art features love as a dominant theme, why love?

I truly feel that love is the most important of all things.  I try with my art work to collage in the words love, cut out words or have a peaceful and loving theme.  With my work I want to relay a message through the collage, more than just paint and images.  I am in Love with a might God, I am blessed beyond measure and want so much to relay that to others.  Love encompasses so many good things  . . . peace, harmony, gentleness and support.Tell us a little bit about your spiritual journey and path?

What is the guiding principle or mission behind your art? Why do you do what you do in the way that you do it?

I have been a Christian for a long time in my life, since I was a teenager.  I follow a mighty God who has blessed me beyond meausre, even through difficult times.  Having faith in God, and faith in myself, I see goodness and peace in all things and try to live a life that is gentle and in harmony with others.  Practicing yoga has also taught me to reach inside, find goodness in all people and to slow myself down and constantly reach within and strive to be better. Each day I try to walk stronger than the day before. My faith and yoga practice are strongly intertwined.How has your spiritual and artistic work impacted on each other?

My guiding principle behind my artwork is to create beauty from within.  Before I create anything, I pause and think about what it is the piece is wanting to relay.  Artwork has a beautiful way of coming into its own, with you creating it.  I know if I am not in a beautiful place, it is not time to run into the studio and paint.  I have to be centered and at peace before I come to my art table.  It never works the other way!  My work has to have a feeling of calmness, beauty and above all gentleness.  I think that the colors, words, and images I choose in my collage work relays that.  I am not comfortable creating out of my norm.  I truly set an intention for the piece I am about to create.  

Do you think your spiritual path helps you to be more effective in achieving your guiding principle as an artist?

I definitely know that my artist self and spiritual self are intertwined with each other.  My spiritual walk, that which guides the choices I make each day also impact the artist within me.  I know that when I am calm, and feel right about my life, my artwork will flourish.  When there rough times and discontent in my life, I can't create, I know this to be true.  I went through a dry period of time when my mother was so ill with dementia, I couldn't create, being a care taker drained my creative spirit.  She has passed now and I feel my artistic journey has exploded from within.

I think that is why I entitled my business Gentle Threads . . . living life creatively one day at a time.  When I am right with my spiritual side, everything comes together and my art will relay the message it is suppose to have.  When I am tired, angry, not doing well in my day to day, I can't bring myself to create anything.  So yes, the two are definitely connected with each other!

I am a 53 year old baby artist!  I have been married 34 years to a wonderful man, have two grown married "delicious" sons!  I am an Optician and manage a very busy Optical boutique.  I love hot yoga and have been practicing over four years, I do love reading on my Kindle and knitting socks and lace when not found with a paintbrush in hand. I created a blog over a year ago, and it has taught me so many things.  I have grown in so many ways since having my blog.  I consider myself to be a gentle spirit, always seeking creativity in my life.  I have the gift of a beautiful and amazing art studio where I get to create in whenever I want to!!! Visit Donna's blog here to read more about her and her art.

My new camera . . . my latest creative adventure

Photo compliments of photographer Heather Wynn!

Photography has always interested me.  I love taking pictures of all kinds of things.  I have always loved to share my photos on Facebook and on my blog, but I always felt limited by what I could take with my Nikon coolpix camera.  I have loved that little camera and always had it with me in case I needed to capture "a moment" at anytime!  I have been wanting to open an Etsy shop for awhile now and I knew that having the right photos would enhance the look of my artwork.

I became interested in owning a nicer camera after attending Squam by the Sea. Wow the women there were serious photographers!  Here I was clicking away on my little camera, not wanting to miss a moment of the Squam experience and they were taking the most beautiful and intense photos I had ever seen.

Since coming home from that experience, my heart was tugging . . . I wanted a new camera, but didn't know anything about them.  Of course, budget was everything as well!  My son and his wife have an incredible Canon camera and multi lenses, so he advised me what he thought would be good for me. I trust his opinion and wanted to follow his guidance.

So I settled on finding myself a Canon Rebel T1i;  used but in great condition and was meant just for me!  Through many months of searching and learning about the camera . . . I have purchased one . . . I even had a wonderful and easy Ebay first purchase experience.  It seems a bit intimidating to me right now, but I know I will grow into all that it is capable of doing!  I hope that you will notice a difference in the photos that I post here on my blog!

So here I grow yet again . . . reaching way past my comfort zone and trying to learn something new!  I love that.  If we continue to stay in the same place all the time and never try anything new, we will never grow.  I look at life with such wide open eyes these days . . . I don't want to miss anything!  I am excited about taking pictures, more in depth pictures, pictures that warm my heart and can convey a message.

My husband and I are heading to Yellowstone the second week of May on vacation.  So I have just a few weeks to learn this wonderful new toy of mine, so I can capture God's beautiful nature in all of it's glory.  This is going to be quite an adventure.

I purchased a new book from the Shutter Sisters entitled "Expressive Photography" and I can't wait to see what they have to say.  I am just going to have to balance work, and painting and now my new camera.  Oh there just isn't enough time in a day to do all the things I want to do!  I just have to keep reminding myself, that by working a full time job as an Optician affords me treats in life . . . paint and art supplies, workshops and retreats, creative books, etsy purchases, hot yoga classes and now my beautiful new camera!  Ok . . . Gilbert Eyecare here I come.

My latest work . . . living confidently as an artist.

I recently created a collage piece for a frame rep of mine from Lafont Eyewear.  She is also personal friend and I wanted to create a piece for her representing the eyewear line she carried and everything had to have a French influence.  We recently had a trunk show this week in my office and I wanted it to be finished when she came to town.  A trunk show is really having her come to town to premiere the latest in eyewear styles direct from France.  We had French Cafe music playing, french foods and goodies, a large crowd and we were playing with French eyewear all day!  Trust me, bright colors and incredible shapes are the latest in eyewear this spring!! I had placed my artwork in between my frame boards as part of the display and then presented it to Melodie from me.  I love creating artwork that way!  


When I start with a blank canvas, I stop and pause first.  This is something Juliette Crane also reinforces in her painting course I am currently taking.  I like to pause and think about where the piece is going, who I am creating the piece for and what is the message of the piece that I am wanting to convey.  I do take this a step further and take a long and meditative breath before beginning.  I have learned in my yoga practice to set my heart and mind clearly on what is ahead of me.

My daughter-n-law Heather came over this weekend with her incredible camera and macro lens and she offered to photograph some of my collage pieces for me.  She has an eye for perspective and made my work look so beautiful.  So I am sharing her work with you!  She has just launched her very own Etsy shop this week and I am excited for her.  If you get the chance check out Four Corner Decor.

I am proud of this piece and I remember Melodie's only requests were that she loved bright colors, but absolutely NO BLUE!  I collected pieces that I wanted to use in the piece that represented France, Vision and Eyewear.  I think I accomplished that.  I bought a book totally written in French when I was at Rizzoli's in New York (ahh . . . I want to go back), so I cut out the little hearts from the French pages.  I painted the background using the technique that Juliette taught me in my Paint and owl course.  For the finishing touch I added beads to the top of the canvas to add some extra pizzaz!  I had learned this from Shona Coles book, The Artistic Mother.

With each piece I am gaining more confidence in my artwork.  When my rep was so happy with the piece and was showing it to others, I found myself almost shy about it all.  Why is it I don't feel confident in my work as an artist yet?  Why don't I quite see what others are obviously seeing when they look at my work?  Why is it I feel my work isn't quite good enough?  Do any of you find yourself with those feelings? Do you find yourself asking these questions?  Am I being too hard on myself?  When do you really feel as if your work is good enough?  Do we ever feel like we have arrived with our artistic visions?  My inquiring heart wants to know.  I am not sure why I keep struggling with this part of my life!!

I can just say that my rep Melodie is going home with a Donna Wynn original and she is very happy with the piece that was created just for her.  I like the sounds of that Original Artwork by Donna Wynn.   

That has to be my new mindset . . . thinking of myself truly as an artist.  I need to know that with confidence.   I know that my mantra is to live creatively every day and I do strive to do achieve that; even with having a full time career.  It gives me an extra sense of purpose and satisfaction.  I have been thinking of opening an Etsy shop with some of my work for quite some time. I have so many artistic girlfriends who are successfully running their own Etsy shops . . . maybe just maybe it is time to seriously consider it!

Wishing you love and peace and all good things this week!

Donna Lee

My Paint an Owl E-course

My first backgrounds

I signed up for Juliette Crane's How to Paint an Owl E-Course and it began two weeks ago.  First I want to say when I signed up I had to wait for almost four weeks for it to begin . . . I could hardly wait.  I have always admired Juliette's work and I follow her blog and Etsy shop regularly!  When she advertised that she had created her lovely owl painting course I knew it had my name written all over it!

Week one:  Was learning how to create backgrounds . . . using acrylics, stencils, spray paints and whatever we wanted to have fun creating beautiful backgrounds for the owls to be painted on.  On Monday she posts the lesson, through her written word, pictures and videos.  She is giving it her all so that we can learn from her experience.  I posted my first background on facebook, and I couldn't believe the comments from friends that came that day.  They couldn't believe that I was going to actually paint over it.  I learned from Juliette that it is all about the painting process, that learning and painting and enjoying the process is as important as the finished piece.  So here is my very first painted background . . . I painted it on a 6 x 6 canvas that I purchased from Dick Blick when I was in New York City (that has meaning in itself to me!)

I believe I am hooked on spray painting with lace and doilies . . . it gives such a beautiful adornment to the piece.  I started hunting through some of my mommy's old crochet pieces and found some really beautiful little doilies . .  they were already stiffened so it made them easy to paint with.  I know this sounds sentimental, but I lost my mom not too long ago and using her work is like having a little piece of her in every piece I create . . . it comforts me.  Art is like that, there is sentiment in everything we do.  I love having hidden treasures lying within my artwork.

Week Two:  We get to actually paint on our owls!  Juliette is wonderful with sharing her techniques.  We learned to draw our owls by first sketching out what we think we want our owl to look like by using simple shapes and then actually drawing our owl on top of our background. See there I go covering up my beautiful background!  I think I will call her Lovie!  

So I began by sketching my little love owl on top of my background and then I began painting and embellishing!  I definitely have a long way to go and still have three weeks to learn even more from Juliette.  This is such a great experience and I am so happy to be a part of it.  I can hardly wait until the next lesson!

Art is about continuing to reach outside of your comfort zone.  Painting owls is definitely outside of mine!!  With Juliette's inspiration I am open to exploring new painting ideas.  I love learning, learning and learning some more.  It is so much fun to take an e-course.  You can learn at your own pace, paint in your own studio and take the time to learn the way you need to.   We have videos for instruction, Facebook to share our thoughts, Flicker and Picasa to post our artwork, blogs to share our excitement and discoveries and so much more which brings the class community so much closer.  I will keep you posted and promise to post another owl that is refined and has her own definition!  Everyday I am feeling more confident in my artwork and in my abilities to create.  Have a blessed week and don't forget to create something wonderful, it is good for the soul.

Metropolitan Museum Magic

I absolutely adore this museum!

A few weeks ago I had the ultimate pleasure of being in NYC for four days.  I was there for a vision conference and took a few extra days to see the city.   I attend this conference every year, so NYC is like home to me.  I love the magic of it all!! I wrote about this a few blog entries ago;   but I wanted to take the time and talk about my visit to the Metropolitan Museum and what it meant to me. The greatest magic of all is when I get to visit the Met . . . it is truly life changing.

My absolute favorite stop from this years trip was visiting the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  It takes my breath away every time I visit there.  I love the hustle bustle of so many people.  I love just sitting on the steps outside and people watching; it is amazing to see so many people and so much action. Of course I couldn't get this shot of me without my precious hubby taking so many clicks on the camera!  He is wonderful!  We began by taking a beautiful and very long walk through Central Park and then walked under a tunnel leading directly to the Metropolitan Museum, it was truly majestic.  My hubby planned it all and knew right where we were!

I could sit there all day!

From the moment you enter the museum you feel an overwhelming sense of anticipation for what you are about to see.  They ask for a $20.00 donation to enter, but what you receive is far greater than that amount.  Walking through wing after wing of incredible art history, you feel blessed that your eyes and your mind can take it all in.  It must take amazing funds to preserve these works of art.

It wasn't until I finally reached the European Art Wing when I began to feel an incredible inner feeling of excitement and admiration.  I so wanted to visit the other man in my life Claude Monet.  I was not disappointed!  Two full rooms of nothing but Monet paintings.  I had goose bumps and even tears in my eyes as my sight was fixed upon my favorite Water Lilies.  Why do I love his work so? It is as if he is present in the very room!

To be so very close and be able to almost reach out and touch works by Claude Monet filled my heart beyond measure.  I have always loved his choice of colors.  I believe that his later works in life he did struggle, his paintings were no longer as detailed as his beginning pieces.  I could sympathize with him because he became almost blind near the end of his life and yet he wanted to continue to paint.  Working in the medical field of eyes my whole life, I knew his vision was dimmed by cataracts, they probably didn't even know what that word meant in Monet's time.  It can be described as trying to look out of a dirty window and never being able to see clearly.  I imagine that frustrated Monet so.

What a wonderful Sunday afternoon it was, in New York City at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  I love being an artist.  It is a way of life for me now.  I want to take in colors and shapes and visuals, I want to record sketches in my little sketch book that I carry with me.  I want to photograph images in hopes of painting them, or be inspired by them later. If you ever have the chance to visit this incredible Museum, don't miss the chance. Give yourself plenty of time, you don't want to rush through it, it will change your heart forever.

Walking through one of the mighty halls in the Met I came across this beautiful fountain and of course I had to throw a penny in for a wish, (sorry I can't tell you or it won't come true).  It also reminded me of the term a penny for your thoughts.  Here are mine . . .

Life is beautiful, we have so much we can experience if we only look around us, time is a precious gift, peace is a state of mind, talent comes in many forms, beauty is in the eye of beholder, friends come and go, love will always continue.  Breathe, experience, take time to slow down, forgive, love, see all that you can see, never walk away angry, see the good in all things and in all people, know that you are special and life is a gift given each and every day! Don't miss the opportunity to learn something new, rejoice.

One Way . . . 5th Avenue . . . where is the shopping????

I am truly in love with New York City

Love,

Donna

Happy Blogaversary to me!

See Blogaversary really is a word!

Exactly one year ago today I began my little blog by posting my very first blog entry.  I was writing on my Macbook and didn't have a clue really what I was doing!  I went back and read my first post, it was very short and my words were raw and sincere (I honestly don't think that has changed).   I had watched the movie Julie and Julia about a girl who started a blog about cooking her way through Julia Child's cookbook for one year.  It gave me the inspiration to begin mine.  I had already read the books and was contemplating starting my own blog, so I jumped in on Friday, March 26, 2010.

Little did I know back then that I would grow immensely by writing my blog and sticking with it.  I have grown in so many ways, it is hard to put into words.  My confidence in myself and in my writing is stronger, my computer abilities and knowledge are way better, my connections with other bloggers have grown and my blog has taken on its very own personality (they do that you know!)  I believe my intention was to just write about knitting and weaving and the creative thoughts that come along with that in the beginning.   Now I have encompassed all of my creative adventures into my blog . . . from knitting and weaving to watercolor painting to my newest love mixed media and collage.   I write and share about all of it, including workshops, classes, e-courses and retreats.

Most of all I feel that I have joined a community of like minded women and friends.  There are some amazing blogs out there, with women who are doing far greater works than I. Trust me, just pick up a copy of Artful Blogging magazine.  I have become a part of a tribe of creative women, who write and share their feelings and who support each other with comments and words of encouragement along the way.  I cherish each and every comment and my heart is full.

I look forward to the next year with Gentle Threads.  I always look forward to posting on Monday mornings, it has become a way of life for me.  I write my words during the weekend,  I contemplate any changes I want to make, making sure I have written well the message that I want to relay.  Then there she goes . . . out into the virtual world she goes.  I have learned to share it on my Facebook page, my Ravelry page and now I am Tweeting!!!  Everyday is a new adventure and I am loving every step along the way.  I now have 44 followers and counting!!!  Thank you for all your love, support, friendship and amazing comments along the way.  I plan to print my first year postings into a book, so I will forever have a treasure of this experience. 

I will see you along the way and I look forward to what comes next.  My blog has become my friend and it has taught me to reach out and trust myself, it has taught me that I do have something to say and that others think so too!  It is far more than writing words on a computer!  Thank you for being here and I will see you on Monday!  In the meantime, share some goodiness with me . . . my wish for you is peace in your own life and happiness in all that you encounter.

Love to you

Donna Lee