these things i love...

these things i love.

SAM is getting old and gets sick off and on, but his eyes still say the same intense gentle message. persistently he says, i love you; i see you...i know you love me.

ASHEVILLE does not get old. i walk to the bus in the morning and still see the leaves on the ground or a bird hidden in the brush. i witness and soak up the unbelievable amount of green that lives and breathes here. there are still sirens, stressful days, and long sighs; but far less than when i lived in big cities. here there is still a feeling of stumbling upon a secret garden. a place to call home.

BANJO is the dog i never knew existed, ready to be adored every single moment you are in his presence. he is a most amazing housemate. a steady, soulful fox-like sweet heart.

HART is my heart. it is as simple and as beautiful as that. he shines. he listens. he embodies a partner. he inspires me to take care of myself and acknowledge how easy it can be to let go of the small stuff that weighs you down.

my FRIENDS and FAMILY. they love me no matter how long it has been since we have visited. when i go into my turtle shell because the world is too loud, they are still there when i come out. and when we dance in the streets, or make a scene because we are busy celebrating the vibrancy of living, i love these times.

life is so large in some moments that i have to touch the ground with my naked feet to know that it is real. to know that it is ok for love to feel so huge. for people to be so immensely kind and authentic. 

 i finally get the message that no matter how you look at things or where you came from, you BELONG.

Life...recently

Recently...Life has moved fast. I married the partner I have always wanted to have. I decorated several weddings back to back with loads of paper flowers, lanterns and more paper flowers...and I expanded my  'HillyTree' booth to a 10ft. x 10ft. size.

...easier said than done. I am learning that slow and steady along with inspired, wins the race...and yet some nights I just come home and want to stare at the walls to decompress from my day job.

I am just starting to learn to weed through my limitations and then respond; like when I really will paint vs. when I just keep putting it on my to do list out in the ether somewhere. Or...how will I save money to start slowly buying some supplies for my future Shop. I am also currently struggling with how to fill the booth with enough merchandise and stand out in a town of incredible artists...how to stay true to the free spirit inside.

The blessing is that I have begun to start clearly hearing my deeper down voice in all of these years of building small stepping stones. I still see the me who used to walk down the streets of Hoboken, NJ with the wind blowing in her hair; She would stop at a coffee shop and take out her pens and sketch images filled with joy and whimsical life force. She is still here. Heart beating in my ear... telling me " you have begun, the dream is forming, you can have your bliss ".

*first picture was taken in Johnson City, TN (not sure of who artist is)
*last picture is piece I found at yard sale (not sure who artist is)

lid love

Last April I had a dream that I was painting all of these paint can lids in beautiful colors and then hanging multiples of them in a formation like an art installation. Some of the pieces had my paintings while some just showed the beauty of the colors that dried on the lids from the paint in the can. Now in this dream, the paint can lids were much larger. So I woke up and jotted this idea down and when I actually saw how small paint can lids are, I was like hmmm. I forgot about it like so many other dreams that pluck my brain ajar for a few moments in the quiet morning.
Then when I noticed that my usual 'hunting and gathering' for the booth was turning up slim pickings  I tested out my painting skills after years of dormancy. Here are the latest that I did. The first one shown is already sold. Yippeee. I hope you enjoy.

Bird cages & Buddha heads

 I am having the best time hunting and gathering for objects these days. I wish I could wear a sign that says "Wanted: Bird cages and Buddha heads". These kind of things make all the other objects in my booth look happy and Hilly-fied...and bottom line is, they sell.
I now feel I have a hobby that I can really throw myself into and instead of taking energy from me, it only adds energy to my waking hours.

 To any of my local Asheville friends...if you have a box of items that you do not want, please email me or give me a call and I will drive over and take them off your hands.

Specifically I am looking for these kinds of things: bird cages, small tables, funky objects that need a good home and other types of artistic nick knacks. Framed prints are great too. Thank you in advance!

BOOth #88

I DID IT!....
 I finally took the leap and rented an itsy bitsy Resale booth at the Downtown Market on South French Broad (same building as Amazing Savings). Hart and I spent a few good hours putting together walls and whatnot and then painting it a cornflower blue to showcase wall art and whimsical objects.

 Why did it take me this long to feel ready? ah...that is the question.
I guess it only matters that I actually took the step and fit in into my already busy life. Now I get to yard sale again JOYOUSLY and reclaim my hunter gatherer spirit that has been laying low for years.

 Come take a look. You just go through the front door of the Downtown market and walk in a straight line until you hit my booth on the left. Booth # 88, Hearth and Craft.

 All I know is that when it is in the flow...it works. Thank you to those of you who supported me instantly and already bought something to grace your own abode.

 Really and truly, not much makes me happier than to think that I am helping find a home for a beloved, or gently worn art object....or for that matter, helping you daydream about what you would do with something if you did bring it home. The possibilities are endless and the Asheville love and support is pretty darn great too.

dream, expand, shop?

 

I went to Ikea in Charlotte yesterday with my Mom and Sister. It has probably been over a year since the last time I fell into the 6 hour shopping trance I love so much. I think my Mom may have been a tiny bit shocked to watch my Sister and I endlessly chat, measure, record ideas and lug boxes into the cart... But I must say, she ended up with far more energy left than we did. For me, the day was an example of pure decorating BLISS. I tried to be good and not buy everything I wanted because, after all, I am a financial counselor by day...one who is supposed to be doing their best to help others find options with how they spend; However, when it came time to take a close look at my 'needs vs my wants',  I got confused. I ended up calling the boyfriend who gave me resonating "NO", an iron black bed is not a need. (Oh well, lost that battle). So I came home renewed to save up for the Ikea 'Lillesand' bed. 

For as long as I can remember, I have struggled with the push and pull of buying and collecting. I sometimes find balance by donating and selling to consignment stores; But does the quest ever end?

Luckily...I am a little simpler and more peaceful about it than I used to be. It comes down to acceptance. I am who I am. I was born to witness and search for beauty amidst the chaos of everyday... I just don't have to bring it home with me every time. I can allow myself to walk away and feel inspired to save for it.

On my trip home, I thought back to the first time I put a purple silk dress on layaway with twenty dollars when I was a teenager. It was a really big deal for me and felt like a true 'high'...but the fun part was the anticipation. The journey of consumerism really can be a kick start to my creative ideas...and for better or worse, I heart shopping...It seems to be my version of modern day hunting and gathering.

inspired

*little iron boxes that hold beloved books

*a little word goes a long way

* sunlight on treasures from friends

*shadow box I made

*letter press card is from Origami Ink in Asheville

 felt like sharing....it has been a while but I found some time to post. Holidays were quieter than usual and it gave me time to set up my art table in the basement. This Christmas Hart bought me a silk screening kit (cheer here) and now I have no excuse not to move forward with my art time. I bought some birch wood and plan on doing some acrylic, mixed media with some silk screened additions. I fondly miss the days of pulling the gushy ink over the large screen and being surprised every time about the joy of printing something I drew. wish me luck on this endeavor because somehow I have to create a light box that mimics the sun so the image can appear...even though I learned this in my twenties, I have really lost touch with the process. 

However it is a new year and I actually feel ready to walk through any doors that help foster my own growth, creative-shaping and well being. I wish the same discovery process to you. Here's to a beautiful and truthful 2012.