Summer is here with a vengeance today. Hiding inside to escape the heat. Sitting still. And reading. Rewarded by this:
What
Do Sad people have in
Common?
It seems
They have all built a shrine
To the past
And often go there
And do a strange wail and
Worship.
What is the beginning of
Happiness?
It is to stop being
so religious
Like
That.
~Hafiz, "Stop Being So Religious"
Oh this is so good. It's given me the seeds of a new year ritual which also serves as an art attack.
Create a 'shrine' to symbolise the past. Feature those things you've been wailing about and 'worshipping'. Then smash that shrine to smithereens. Or burn it to bits.
Bury the remains in the ground. And over it plant a seed. Something that will sprout quickly and offer a visual reminder that tomorrow is a good a day as any to step confidently into the future, letting past shadows fall behind.
This week's art
Decided to finish the year with a first.
My first attempt at embedded botanical art.
Coat two coaster-size canvases with texture paste. Embed botanicals.
My first attempt at embedded botanical art.
Coat two coaster-size canvases with texture paste. Embed botanicals.
Paint as required. I tried out my new interactive acrylics here.
Highlight plant edges with bronze to finish off.
Gumnuts & Grasstextured acrylic embedded botanical duet
Original art by Kel © 2009
(click on any photo to view full size)
Original art by Kel © 2009
(click on any photo to view full size)
Reading the puck
Vitamin 'C'photo by Kel, © 2009
Theologically, the difference between a well brewed shot of espresso and a poorly brewed shot is the difference between heaven and hell, and riding that fine line is the harmony between grower, roaster, barista, and machine. source
I've been thinking this week about my life as a coffee basket. Before you go jumping to conclusions about my 'basket case' status . . . let me explain.
In Mr X's quest for superb coffee @ home, he's learning some of the theory behind what makes a good cup. As the above quote suggests, most of it boils down to a balance between elements.
beans / barista / machine
The middle man in the equation is the barista. The person who brings the bean and machine together. Learning the tiny adjustments for the right grind and the right extraction pays off with large rewards in the form of excellent beverage.
I'm sure most of you have heard of reading tea leaves. But have you heard of "reading the puck"? It's a new game in our kitchen. The puck is the round mound of coffee grounds residue left in the portafilter/handle after the espresso shot has been extracted. The bit you knock out into the bin with a mighty "thwack".
Did you know the look and feel of the puck can tell you a lot? A desirable puck is one that is firm and fairly dry, not moist, sticky, or soft. You see, if the coffee is pressed (tamped) firmly and evenly into the filter, the pressure of the water will be evenly dispersed through, resulting in the sweetest espresso. If the coffee is tamped too lightly, the water will run through too quickly, resulting in a weak, watery, sour brew. If the coffee is tamped too heavily the water will run through too slowly, resulting in a burnt and bitter brew.
So one part of the 'best coffee at home' equation is learning how to pack a firm and resilient basket of coffee. Strong enough to stand up to the pressure, but resilient enough to let the water pass through evenly.
Coffee is a lot like life.
This week, while removed from the daily grind :) I'm reading the metaphorical puck to see what secrets it will reveal.
. . . thwack . . .
I've been thinking this week about my life as a coffee basket. Before you go jumping to conclusions about my 'basket case' status . . . let me explain.
In Mr X's quest for superb coffee @ home, he's learning some of the theory behind what makes a good cup. As the above quote suggests, most of it boils down to a balance between elements.
beans / barista / machine
The middle man in the equation is the barista. The person who brings the bean and machine together. Learning the tiny adjustments for the right grind and the right extraction pays off with large rewards in the form of excellent beverage.
I'm sure most of you have heard of reading tea leaves. But have you heard of "reading the puck"? It's a new game in our kitchen. The puck is the round mound of coffee grounds residue left in the portafilter/handle after the espresso shot has been extracted. The bit you knock out into the bin with a mighty "thwack".
Did you know the look and feel of the puck can tell you a lot? A desirable puck is one that is firm and fairly dry, not moist, sticky, or soft. You see, if the coffee is pressed (tamped) firmly and evenly into the filter, the pressure of the water will be evenly dispersed through, resulting in the sweetest espresso. If the coffee is tamped too lightly, the water will run through too quickly, resulting in a weak, watery, sour brew. If the coffee is tamped too heavily the water will run through too slowly, resulting in a burnt and bitter brew.
So one part of the 'best coffee at home' equation is learning how to pack a firm and resilient basket of coffee. Strong enough to stand up to the pressure, but resilient enough to let the water pass through evenly.
Coffee is a lot like life.
This week, while removed from the daily grind :) I'm reading the metaphorical puck to see what secrets it will reveal.
- Which areas have I become slack in, allowing too much pressure through and getting a weak sour result?
- In which areas have I become overzealous in my attempts to control pressure and stress, effectively blocking the flow of things and resulting in burnt bitterness?
. . . thwack . . .
Blessing 12:4
This week I would like to breathe a blessing over you in the form of an epic visual poem.
Baraka means breath or blessing.
In the midst of your own seeking, may you not only find what you're looking for, but as part of the process, may you gain insight, empathy and appreciation for the way others see things.
As a timely prescription for what ails the soul in this season of muchness, manyness and busyness, why not rent the DVD and breathe the blessing in fully.
In response to people who state frustration at not knowing the context or location of each segment, cinematographer Ron Fricke says the effect was intentional. "It's not where you are that's important, it's what is there."
Baraka means breath or blessing.
In the midst of your own seeking, may you not only find what you're looking for, but as part of the process, may you gain insight, empathy and appreciation for the way others see things.
As a timely prescription for what ails the soul in this season of muchness, manyness and busyness, why not rent the DVD and breathe the blessing in fully.
In response to people who state frustration at not knowing the context or location of each segment, cinematographer Ron Fricke says the effect was intentional. "It's not where you are that's important, it's what is there."
Blessing 12:3
In the morning when you rise
I bless the sun, I bless the skies
I bless your lips, I bless your eyes
My blessing goes with you
In the nighttime when you sleep
Oh I bless you while a watch I keep
As you lie in slumber deep
My blessing goes with you
This is my wish for you
There for you, ever true
Each, every day for you
In everything you do
And when you come to me
And hold me close to you
I bless you
And you bless me, too
When your weary heart is tired
If the world would leave you uninspired
When nothing more of love's desired
My blessing goes with you
When the storms of life are strong
When you're wounded, when you don't belong
When you no longer hear my song
My blessing goes with you
This is my wish for you
There for you, ever true
Each, every day for you
In everything you do
And when you come to me
And hold me close to you
I bless you
And you bless me, too
I bless you
And you bless me, too
~lyrics from the above video song
This week's art
Pink Grapefruittextured acrylic on board
original art by Kel © 2009
Grapefruit pink tinges of a sunrise
Offer the promise of another chance
Let the music start and the curtain rise
If the world's a stage…let’s dance
from a poem by Felix Leroy Perry
Seasons of change
It's time to get the lighter clothes out of storage. Breezy skirts, cool shorts, sandals and sunhats of various styles. Summer is just starting to make it's presence known. Although our hottest weather doesn't usually arrive till February.
Catching up with friends, family and blog buddies from the other side of the world, they report 'cold, wet, grey, snow'. Why is the grass always greener . . . we would love a white xmas. While many of you have expressed a desire to head downunder for a sunny one. We shall have to organise a house swap one day! We'd have the next few Christmas holidays covered for minimal cost.
Sometimes our life 'seasons' appear upside-down to what anyone else is experiencing. Perhaps we're not normal, we worry. The timeline for others in relation to ____________ was shorter, longer, or something other than what we're in the middle of.
We fret and stew, stamp our feet and pout. Why can't we have what they are having? If we're really sly, we might even try to change the tags on the packages under the tree. But whether it's geographical climate, or inner wellbeing, Wisdom says there is a time for everything; that all has its season.
This upside-down seasonal thing can serve as a reminder. When we're up, others are down, and vice versa. When we've just got a new job, others have just lost theirs. On one ward of the hospital a birth brings a new baby, while a few floors down, a death ushers out an old soul.
Each season is due for us, in its time. Yet sometimes we cry, "Wait! This is really bad timing." or "This can't be right, I'm not old enough yet." or "I'm too old for this now!"or simply, "I'm not ready . . . "
What season are you experiencing?
Are you able to accept that this "is" now?
Catching up with friends, family and blog buddies from the other side of the world, they report 'cold, wet, grey, snow'. Why is the grass always greener . . . we would love a white xmas. While many of you have expressed a desire to head downunder for a sunny one. We shall have to organise a house swap one day! We'd have the next few Christmas holidays covered for minimal cost.
Sometimes our life 'seasons' appear upside-down to what anyone else is experiencing. Perhaps we're not normal, we worry. The timeline for others in relation to ____________ was shorter, longer, or something other than what we're in the middle of.
We fret and stew, stamp our feet and pout. Why can't we have what they are having? If we're really sly, we might even try to change the tags on the packages under the tree. But whether it's geographical climate, or inner wellbeing, Wisdom says there is a time for everything; that all has its season.
This upside-down seasonal thing can serve as a reminder. When we're up, others are down, and vice versa. When we've just got a new job, others have just lost theirs. On one ward of the hospital a birth brings a new baby, while a few floors down, a death ushers out an old soul.
Each season is due for us, in its time. Yet sometimes we cry, "Wait! This is really bad timing." or "This can't be right, I'm not old enough yet." or "I'm too old for this now!"or simply, "I'm not ready . . . "
What season are you experiencing?
Are you able to accept that this "is" now?
Blessing 12:2
In this season of consumeristic hedonism, messages assault your eyes, ears and mouth
"see me" "buy me" " eat me"
"you deserve __________" [fill in the blank]
and therein lies the real truth
mostly its about filling in blank spaces
the parts of our life which seem empty
May this season be different
let your grip on the 'goodies' be light
choose instead
presence over presents
lightness over lights
give yourself
not your money
feed your soul
not your stomach
and may the gaping voids
be filled instead with
peace
love
joy
let it be so.
~Kel
"see me" "buy me" " eat me"
"you deserve __________" [fill in the blank]
and therein lies the real truth
mostly its about filling in blank spaces
the parts of our life which seem empty
May this season be different
let your grip on the 'goodies' be light
choose instead
presence over presents
lightness over lights
give yourself
not your money
feed your soul
not your stomach
and may the gaping voids
be filled instead with
peace
love
joy
let it be so.
~Kel
Furry friends
What is all that noise about?
Ahh, there's a young koala in asmall tree at dog-sighting level!
Getting this close to the native animals is quite rare.This little one was quite friendly and as curious
about us as we were about her.
Even happily posing for the camera.
isn't she lovely . . .
This week's art
Royal Gold miniature canvas by KelMy fascination with textured art is influenced by my appreciation for the tactile nature of artmaking. A lot of what I create is paintbrush free! When working with soft pastels, I blend using my fingers. When working with paint I use my hands (sometimes I use a brush, but not often. I mostly prefer sponges, rags, and anything that can be used to stamp, flick or drizzle paint on with).
The thing I love most about my studio space is having room to move, make a mess and leave things out while they are in process. Do you have a place to play?
scarecrow-snake
Thank goodness local magpie birds don't realise that rattle snakes are not part of Australian wildlife! The birds have been taking over our timber deck and we're tired of cleaning up bird poo. So it was time to try an old wives tale . . . put a toy snake out and scare the birds off. 48 hours later and the deck is still free of bird poo. Looks like old wives sometimes have wisdom . . .
deck the boughs . . .
The number of handcrafted tree decorations supplied by local artists was a bit light on. So I've just strung some beads onto ribbon to add to the gallery tree.
Blue and silver [a 'cool' decor choice for our hot weather xmas]
And a tree piece that could easily be tied around a friend'sneck or wrist for an 'on the spot' present.
Considering that these, and my tree-toppers, were made from stuff just sitting around in my studio, any sales will be a nice little Christmas bonus."fa la la la la - la la la laaaaa"
:-)
Blessing 12.1
This blessing has already caught my attention in a previous post. You may be an auditory learner and it might hold more power for you to hear it. Or, it may simply be that now is the time this blessing will resonate for you. There's something special about hearing John O'Donohue read his blessing "Beannacht".
Go here and be blessed
Go here and be blessed
This week's art
Bead & wire Christmas tree topperOriginal art by Kel © 2009
The gallery where I work is putting up a Christmas tree decorated with handmade original pieces by local artists. I'm hoping this will get chosen to be the Christmas tree topper. Along with the art exhibited in the gallery for the month of December, all work is for sale "off the wall", or in this case, "off the tree".
Designed to be a suitable decoration all year round,this could also be a table centrepiece, with a candle in the middle.
Or as an original 'gift wrapping' for a special bottle of wine.
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