Happy New Year!

I still remember when we were all worried the world might end with January 1, 2000 because of Y2K. Our neighbors back then stocked up on firewood just in case, which they gave to us after midnight came and went and nothing happened. We didn't have to buy firewood for years!

And now it's 2020. Hard to believe that 20 years have passed. Especially since none of us are getting any older, right?!

This last year has been really wonderful at my new job. I really, really love what I do and I finally feel settled enough with working full-time after so many years of not working in a "regular" job that I am finding time and the frame of mind for other things. 

 

The Christmas season was cozy and quiet for us. We both seemed to want to cocoon rather than entertain or be out and about. We did travel to Richmond, Virginia one weekend to see a fantastic Edward Hopper exhibit, which was so inspiring!

Speaking of cocooning ... our year ended with this minor miracle in our garden. We got to watch a monarch butterfly transform from a caterpillar to butterfly in five weeks. I think it took so long because it's not so warm at the moment.

 Isn't the cocoon gorgeous? A little work of art!

And then one day you can see the butterfly through the now translucent cocoon and you know it will hatch that night.

The next morning, I got to watch it unfold. Nature is nothing short of amazing! 

Even though I haven't been in my studio yet (there's still hope I will get back there... :)), I have been doing a lot of knitting. Right now I am finishing up another entrelac scarf with gorgeous Noro yarn. It's such a fun pattern and I finally don't have to look at the instructions anymore while knitting!

I found a link on another blog of a site in Scandinavia, where you can create your own calendar/planner and use your own photo/artwork on the front cover. It arrived just in time for 2020! Let the planning begin! 

On Monday, the quarter starts for our students and things will get much busier at work. It's been nice to have it a little quieter to get caught up on a few things, but I'm looking forward to seeing the students and professors again.

I hope your 2020 is starting out well and wish you health, joy and happy surprises for the next year!

❧ Silke

Hello 2016

2015 was a really good year! Many great things happened during the year. Most significanly our 25-year anniversary, our trip out to Seattle, our extensive house renovations and, of course, our joint art show. Momentous!

Ribbit
Acrylics on stretched canvas
11 x 14 inches (22 x 36 cm)

And certainly, there was a lot of painting. Not as much as I had planned, but life sometimes gets in the way. Still, I spent much time in my studio and loved (almost) every minute of it.

Underwater Magic
Acrylics on stretched canvas
12 x 12 inches (30 x 30 cm)

Now 2016 has begun and it feels momentous again. It's the year I turn half a century old. How great is that?!? It's such a privilege to get older! I also get a feeling that there will be even more art created this year and that it will change somewhat. I have a yearning to paint bigger and to include more elements in some paintings.

Just Hanging Out
Acrylics on stretched canvas
11 x 14 inches (22 x 36 cm)

I can also sense that there will be a good amount of travel this year. Last year was fairly quiet on that front and I needed that. This year feels different. Full of moving energy. Like there will be growth and expansion in many areas of my life, but especially in the creative one.

Tell Me the Truth
Acrylics on stretched canvas
11 x 14 inches (22 x 36 cm)

You know how I usually choose a word for the year to sort of give me a theme. For 2016, the word that kept coming up is "nourish," which at first confounded me. But as I think about it, to nourish my life will be very important on every level if this year is going to be the force it promises to be.

By the Power of the Moon
Acrylics on stretched canvas
12 x 12 inches (30 x 30 cm)

To help me with all of it I once again ordered these fabulous and beautiful planners created by the amazing Leonie Dawson. I have laid out my next year and am dreaming about everything I want to do - in my studio and my life. Last year I used them for the first time and, wow, what a difference they made in how I approached my painting and everything important that I wanted to happen. This year there are separate planners for business and life, which is really helpful, plus an added daily planner, so I am ready, ready, ready to create a great 2016!

Should you be interested in any of my art, please visit my Etsy Shop here.

If you want to get your hands on your very own planner(s), click here or on the top image in my sidebar.

I am linking to the always inspiring Paint Party Friday, which I haven't been participating in enough. I plan to change that next year. Head on over there for more amazing art!

And if you don't want to click on anything, that's perfectly fine! I love that you continue to come visit me here on my blog, that I started this great adventure in art and writing almost 7 years ago, that I didn't quit, that I feel more and more inspired every day and that I can't wait to paint and blog my heart out this year.

A beautiful and prosperous New Near 

to all of you! 

With much love and gratitude,

❧ Silke

My Wish for You!

❧ Silke

Bidding Farewell to 2014

Recently, I saw the term Sacred Subtraction on Facebook, but sadly I don’t remember who talked about it or who coined the phrase to begin with or I would give credit. I read it in passing, but it stuck and kept floating in my mind. Sacred Subtraction - what a great way to think about letting go of things that no longer serve us.

I find it so useful now that 2014 is coming to a close and I think about this past year and all the wonderful things that happened (none of which I would have subtracted in any way...).

With my dad in Lyon, France.

*Traveling to Germany, France and Spain, seeing Family, friends and exploring places new to both of us. We didn't expect this, but we totally fell in love with Spain! I would go there again in a heartbeat.

In beautiful Madrid, Spain!

Ah, the food! I'm not sure where this was, but much of our trips is centered around food! :) 

*My sister and her family coming to visit us for the first time. Not the first time for my sister, but it was for our brother-in-law and our nephews. We had so much fun together!!

*Camping in the Smoky Mountains and a quick trip to New Orleans.

*Spending the summer and fall painting and painting and finding my very own artistic voice. I just kept experimenting until I fell into this space that feels like it’s me. Such a happy place to be!

*Getting ready for my dad’s annual visit at the end of the year and our cruise together to the Caribbean. We had such a good time. We were joined by three other family members and just loved every minute of it. My favorite part was just sitting and watching the ocean. Most of cruising is totally lost on my - I’ve never been to a show, I don’t gamble, I don’t participate in the endless games that are going on. I simply love to feel the expanse of the wide ocean.

My dad and I in Savannah! 

Leaving Fort Lauderdale. 

Beautiful St. Lucia

At the fort on gorgeous St. Kitts

With my cousin leaving one of the islands

On the beautiful island of St. Lucia

Anchored near Half Moon Cay in the Bahamas

And that’s where I did my planning for 2015. I used Leonie Dawson’s awesome workbooks (click here if you want to check them out) both for life and my business. As I made plans for the next year, I also thought about what I need to not do or let go of from the previous year. Some things are just ready to be given up in order to make room for more.

Sacred Subtraction. With that thought swirling in my mind, I am weeding out books, art supplies, clothes and anything that I either don’t use at all and (and this is so important!) anything that makes me feel bad when I look at it. We all have that, don’t we? Books that seemed like a good idea, but in all honesty we’ll never read, clothes that are from a previous life and won’t ever suit us again, crafty projects that are unfinished, etc. I am looking at anything like that and either put it on my list of things I really want to do or I let go of them. The physical parting with these items also allows me to let go of whatever feeling was tied to them.

Sacred Subtraction. This doesn’t just apply to tangible items, but also (and probably more importantly so) to our habits, to our thoughts and to the emotions tied to those thoughts. With finding my very own voice, I am finding that I am letting go of a whole lot of self-image that really isn’t mine. Things I took on because I thought I “should.” Or I thought it might make others happy. Some of these thoughts have been with me for a very long time. It’s thrilling to let go of them and see what’s underneath.

And when you unearth the core of you that is really and only and uniquely you, then you are really able to allow your very own self to shine!

Here's to Sacred Subtraction and to a Shiny 2015!!

Happy New Year!! 

❧ Silke
P.S. One of the words I want to let go of immediately is "should." I find it to be incredibly discouraging as you can never ever "should have done" anything. It's not possible. Words have power. That's why I'm kicking this one to the curb! Bye bye "should." You'll have to find somewhere else to hang out!

New Beginnings

As long as I can remember I have loved being up and out early on New Year's Day when most people are still recovering from the previous night's festivities.

And so it was this morning. Winslow and I headed out to Fort Pulaski even with the threat of rain and a brisk and fairly cold wind.

It was wonderful. We were the only ones out there - well, besides countless birds and a few beautiful deer. It was so peaceful and it got me thinking about new beginnings and new things in general.

At first I thought that I really like all new things, but then - on closer inspection - I realized that I get most excited about something new that has potential for more. For example, a new year is just waiting to be lived and is full of surprises (good ones, please!).

A new empty journal has the potential for a beautiful story, for art, for transformation.

A new year-long art class I am taking (Life Book 2014 at willowing.ning.com) is starting fresh today and the potential for new art, making new friends and learning new things about myself is huge.

Maybe that's why my blog is called Metamorphosis. I love that cocoon stage that signals a new beginning, a change, and an unfolding of something magical.

It's part of having an artistic soul, I think. As an artist I am much more interested in the process while I am creating than I am in the finished piece. And that always starts with a fresh canvas or a blank piece of paper where the possibilities are endless.

I guess the same goes for me as a person. Or for any of us - we are forever becoming, changing and growing. Even if we think we stay the same, we never do. Everything is always changing and therefore full of potential.

So much for my ramblings on this first day of 2014! May this be a magical year for all of us, filled with goodness, peace and great joy!

I am happy you'll be a part of my 2014!!

❧ Silke