call to arms - and hearts and souls

we have been issued a challenge:

cave to the negativity
or rise above it. 

these are the moments in your life that matter, that define you. 
when things don't go the way you'd hoped
when you thought you were on the cusp 
of the end of the negativity
and that things would get better.
how do you choose to respond? 

:: the light is you ::

when you are ensconced in darkness
it may seem as if darkness
is all that exists - 

that there can only be more
of what you are feeling
and experiencing.

but the truth of the matter
is that at the core of darkness
one finds light.

as long as you live and breathe
as long as you have choices to make
it's there.

you must trust
and open,
because the light is you. 

set yourself free
and shine.

for when you do, 
you illuminate the world.

-----

and people - 
we need to become beacons 
bright bold and guiding. 

give yourself some time to mourn, to let the shock subside and then dig deep.

because this is our reality.

there's no use 
in wishing for something different. 

we've been given 
another opportunity 
to rise  
and shine. 

do you accept it? 

embrace the mystery

mjd - 2014 embrace the mystery

life is really about the mystery

isn't it? 

we aren't born with guidebooks

go to location a

meet person b

engage in activity c

life will be d.

no,

it's unknown.

but somehow that word

that idea 

can terrify us.

we can stop our growth

by withdrawing

by looking away from opportunity.

can you imagine

a field full of stunted flowers -

too afraid to grow 

because they didn't know what 

was in store for them?

afraid that the winds would blow too hard

the sun might shine too bright

the rain might fall too cold?

how tragically sad.

but there are people

so many people

who do the same things 

to themselves. 

embrace the mystery - 

the mystery of your life

and what can happen

if you push past the fear

and say 'yes' 

instead of 'no'.

you'll become the flower

that fully blooms -

face to the sun

bathed by rain.

and when your time

comes to an end

you will know

that you experienced life

and what it had to offer. 

------

i find the irony is that instead of feeling better when we withdraw due to fear,

we only feel worse. there is a tension, a pulling, in the heart space. you don't feel better for your choices, you feel worse. for the heart knows what we are capable of and what we need. it is the mind that gets in the way. 

release

 fragile strength talisman/release - mjd 2013

how deeply can you release?

there is a correlation, you know.

as much you can let go

is as deep and wide the well 

that can be filled. 

no, wait - 
there is no end to the filling, 
with release, 
you become limitless.

releasing leaves you open,

leaves you liberated,

leaves you vulnerable

and incredibly strong.

 fragile strength talisman/release - mjd 2013

release with an exhale

or

into the wind

the rain

flowing water

or an outgoing  tide.

as you eliminate

fear

anger

doubt

resentment

expectations

judgment

confusion

need for control

you are left with

yourself

in its most distilled

form.

you are left with 

love.

 fragile strength talisman/release - mjd 2013

love that is organic,

that grows 

and spreads

and connects us 

to all living things.

you are unlimited.

mandalas and growth

fragile strength talisman - awakening - mjd 2013

you are a part of something much bigger than yourself

but it wouldn't be complete without you.

never stop working to stay open -

let your heart space be a portal
from which love can pass freely.

you say you are afraid?

may we band together in this mark of our humanity
and gain strength,

marching forward
and 
experiencing the bittersweet
that life has to offer.

for only then
can we fully know
what it means to be compassionate
and understanding,

and to fully participate
in that which is bigger 
than ourselves. 

transitions

transitions - mjd 2013

the hours

between tides

the day

between sunrises

and sets

transitions - mjd 2013

the years

between a broken branch

and a piece of driftwood

the eons

that form and shape

rock.

there is a rhythm 

to this change

that soothes the soul

and demonstrates

that every thing

every 

thing 

e

ver

y

thing

has an inherent nature

and path

that becomes apparent

when we grow quiet

and listen

to within.

a gift of growing old

is being witness

to what years 

of following your rhythm

reveals. 

spear head adventure, cont'd

while i was working on the spear head pendant i discussed in the last post, i was wishing for a feather... my cardinal feather wasn't talking to me... and i wasn't about to buy any for this work... 

2 days later, coming up my drive, i found a blue jay feather... 


this morning, i found another


and so decided to see what i was being encouraged to learn... 


'blue jay is highly adaptive and will teach knowledge of survival in this world and in others. he will guide in the proper use of power to utilize abilities to their fullest potential.  blue jay will aid in this discovery and developing personal power, awareness and higher knowledge... '
(taken from this website)


you just cannot make this kind of thing up... 

tap, tap, tap

small brass leaf beginnings 2012

the universe caught me off guard this morning while i was sitting at my bench...

like many of you, i am used to the tap on the shoulder (or between the eyes if i am being revisited) that lets me know i have perhaps veered from the path or should be paying attention because something not so ideal is occurring and i need to wake up... 

small brass leaf beginnings 2012

but this time, as tears welled up from deep inside of me, i realized i was being asked to pay attention because i was perhaps on to something... that i was beginning to really do the things i hoped to do... 

i was asked to make these leaves for a project that will help to raise money to build a children's hospital in west virginia... my youngest child was born at 23 weeks prematurity (4months early) weighing just over a pound... there were many surgeries, three years with a trach and respiratory support at home and other challenges... for us, the children's hospital of philadelphia is a home away from home - still... and when i was asked to use the word 'hope' it took me back to those first years... chop's motto is 'hope lives here.'

using words in my work causes me to be very selective - there are many that have become trite...

 i hadn't used 'hope' in years... 

but this couldn't have been more perfect... 

a couple of weeks ago i was asked to make a number of my petals for use as pendants...

petals 2012

these are for women moving through a domestic violence program... 

two causes that couldn't be closer to my heart... 

not too long ago i was musing on how i could really just make petals & leaves all day... (each form has its own meaning for me... ) i work them in a neck & shoulder-achingly gentle way... the challenge of keeping the form soft and delicate with a hard material is one i love... 

and people seem to be connecting to them... 

a personal aesthetic has emerged that seeks out simplicity that is packed with substance... it is something i think about and strive for... 

(and this post is feeling long-winded)

it was just such a wonderful feeling - having a moment of mindfulness where i realized that some meaningful things are falling into place... 

and i am oh, so, grateful... 

btw

nascent:
coming into being; evolving


after a full day of trial and error- mind mushy, eyes bleary - i have a piece i am satisfied with... it is now in the sealing stage...


we all contain boundless potential, awe inspiring wonder within us... 


it must be nurtured... 


meant to evoke the ripened/fecund belly of the earth mama... a spiral navel referencing the connection to the universe... 

indeed it does

all in a(n x # of) days' work...

stop, start, stop, start... 


make components, set them aside... 


and then you have a day where some of them grow up... 

'moonlight is sculpture.'

~ nathaniel hawthorne

gratitude opens

embrace uncertainty

the nature of a woman

strong and beautiful... worn by time but gleaming with a patina that comes from experience and living... intuitive, soft, wise... moonstone and labradorite used for their metaphysical properties...

modern relic

the word 'relic' has to do with something that has survived... 

that makes us relics in our own way... surviving and learning by being open... 


underneath all of the patina, this ring has a very clean and modern edge to it... i was tempted to leave it alone - but it couldn't tell the story that way... 

i think that it displays the purity and tenacity of the human spirit... the depth of experiences gained to become who you now are... 

'do what you love.

know your own bone;

gnaw at it, bury it, unearth it,

and gnaw at it still.'

~ henry david thoreau

new additions

to the my mom pattie etsy shop... marsha neal has a special etsy shop set up in honor of her mother pattie... the funds generated from the sales at this shop are used for non-profit donations... 


i gave you a progress report at the love my art jewelry blog yesterday... i have a love of marsha's shards and try to think of special ways to set them off... recently i purchased the book 'wrap, stitch, fold & rivet' by mary hettmansperger and in it i found inspiration galore... 

these earrings have a lot of movement... the shards are the wonderful color that some of the leaves are now turning - a beautiful pink-orange... the torched copper reminds me of old new england barns... they have been sealed properly in two ways to preserve the finish on the copper... 

'when you take a flower into your hands and really look at it,

it's your world for the moment.'

~ georgia o'keeffe

etched copper discs cup beautifully delicate cut out porcelain flowers by marsha... hand dyed silk fibers from lisa jurist...

'if we could see the miracle of a single flower clearly,

our whole life would change.'

~ the buddha

layered pendant - patinated large copper disc... marsha neal porcelain charm with a floral pattern... and a clear resin drop to magnify the wonder... hangs from leather cord wrapped in hand dyed silk and fine copper wire... 

'the winds of change are always blowing

and every time i try to stay

the winds of change continue blowing

and they just carry me away.'

~ willie nelson

the winds of change are filled with surprise and beauty... they may not always be desired, but they are a part of life's inevitability... the pendant made me think of a wind chime of sorts (look for this to be revisited)... so i filled it with different and wonderful things... no matter how much things may shift, we are still rooted... we remain ourselves... with family and friends who love us... the double strand of tied small earthy beads and copper chain represent how we still are grounded even while we evolve... 

non-attachment, gratitude, and quest for authenticity

'feeling gratitude and not expressing it

is like wrapping a present and not giving it.'

~ william arthur ward

hamsa hand urban milagro

pilar isabel pollock sent this beautiful milagro to me... so hard to know where to start - her thoughtfulness? my admiration of her talent? the fact that this means so much to me? she even used the words 'love' and 'nascent' (my word for the year) on the ribbons... pilar works magic with fibers (and she creates digital art as well) - i encourage you to stop by her blog and her etsy and art fire shops... this is why i restrain myself from taking out my mom's sewing machine, i fear i would become obsessed... this beautiful hamsa hangs in my work area... thank you so very much, pilar... 

i had a show at the boardwalk yesterday - and the weather was beautiful... lots of people - and thanks to judy, a good amount of sales... you see, judy shared information about propay, a service that allows one to accept credit cards with your cell phone! most people do not bring pocketbooks, checkbooks or much cash to the beach... they are simply not going to leave that sitting on a towel or in a bag while they go down to the water... but plastic? they have that... and this time i was able to accept it... those that couldn't decide which 'one' would sometimes buy both... nice! oh, and thank you very very much!


and thank you to those who reach out even though i have pretty much been m.i.a... i think i am on my way back... your kindness is appreciated... 


i am fully aware of the importance of non-attachment... question: what would you do if you couldn't find your camera... like, ANYWHERE? would you accept that you shouldn't be upset because it is in your best interest not to be attached to it? or would you be stressed out because you couldn't take any pictures? i am vascillating between the two - probably doesn't hurt that i had given em a camera for graduation - how fortuitous!

'your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life.

don't be trapped by dogma - which is living 

with the results of other people's thinking.

don't let the noise of other's opinions drown out your own inner voice.

and most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition.

they somehow already know what you truly want to become.

everything else is secondary.'

~steve jobs

more sneak peeks::

i think i need that steve job's quote tattooed on my inner arm... the past couple of weeks i had to have music on in the background to work - something i seriously never do... i like quiet... but i was finding dave matthews to be calming and necessary... today maybe i can work without background noise... we'll see... 

forget-me-not

forget you not!

'we worry about what a child will become tomorrow, 

yet we forget that he is someone today.'

~ stacia tauscher

a time for moving up ceremonies and graduations, all with the bright and shining (most of the time) future ahead of them... but look at your children for who they are now and let them know how much you love them for that... 

and how about you? do you forget yourSelf? who you are? what you have learned to create this person who thinks, contributes and participates in the world at this very moment? don't... because right now - you are enough... deeply and thoroughly you... do not cast yourself aside like flowers past their prime, waiting until you become more... not that goals aren't  important, they are... but forget you not, right now... 

a salve

at times we can feel banged up, even battered, by life... picked and poked at until it can seem as if we are experiencing loss of our corporeal selves... 


breathe - 


inhale... exhale... 


connecting with Self, finding your center... 


let peace wash over you, let it soften the edges of your pain... with time you mend... never to be the same as you were... but hopefully always true, with the added depth of your experiences... 

like going to oz

yes, going to newark, nj can feel like going to oz! emily and i headed off to the opening of the exhibition 'make me something beautiful' the 2010 craft arts annual... i was fortunate enough to have a piece accepted into the show - and how strange to see it in a glass museum case with so  many other unique and beautiful pieces... sculpture, metalsmithing, ceramic, and on and on... no pictures were allowed - but there will be a catalogue... 

'there are two ways to live:

you can live as if nothing is a miracle;

you can live as if everything is a miracle.'

~ albert einstein

it felt like one of those miracle moments - and one of the neat things is that a lot of the artists knew each other... i introduced myself to thea clark who heads the nj metal arts guild - an organization i would like to become active in... 

thank you for the interest in my new etsy shop speakingyourtruth - i already have sales and am so glad that you are finding things you like... i have yet to get to etching and mica and more resin... end of school year activities are plentiful and keeping our family very busy... 

here are some of the things i have in the shop:

'dream' bead caps - 3 colors of enamel layered in different areas - blues, purples and deep turquoise... on antiqued copper...

'bing' bead caps - the deep blue red of bing cherries on antiqued copper... 

'sante fe' bead caps - 2 colors of enamel layered in such a way that the overlap creates an almost adobe red color... 

this is a ring i made for myself... i really love the symbolism and meaning of lotus flowers in buddhism... how they are firmly rooted in the muck and mud of the bottom of a pond, growing up towards the light... and upon reaching the surface, they blossom... opening and unfolding... this is symbolic of awakening... 

work in progress... 

'the secret of happiness is freedom.

the secret of freedom is courage.'

~thucydides

so maybe it's all a matter of semantics -

but it's interesting - 
at least to me... 


writing on growth yesterday made me think of other kinds of growth - physical growth... in the spring especially we are surrounded by it... plants pushing their way up through the ground, baby birds and animals making an appearance, children having recitals, plays, graduations - 

in my world, we will start with plays... em is in 'a funny thing happened on the way to the forum' and it begins tonight... yesterday she came home asking, 'mom, could you help me...?' we added adornment to the sashes of the togas - picking a peacock feather because it is a symbol of juno, patroness of rome (i have told you that i am a total left brain/right brain - for i am an academic as much as i love to create)... and em added zodiac symbols to some bags... when she got home at 10pm, more kids wanted some - for this morning, meaning before 7 - so guess what i was doing at 6am?  yes, i know that one looks like a seagull feather - it is, it's an inside joke... but not mine... i just do what i am asked!! it's different to paint for theater - the focus is a bit different - bolder, bigger... 

emily is 18 - this school year saw her get her license and voter registration card (she has even voted)... she graduates high school... alex graduates middle school... and nick is promoted from fifth grade... all this june! exciting and a bit overwhelming - and 'where did the time go?' 


growth - in children we see all of the kinds of growth incredibly accelerated... 


and they are growing up... some would say that em is grown up... 'oh, she's all grown up!'... hmmm... ok, in terms of being able to make something to eat, wash clothes, take responsibility, negotiate and mediate... but grown up? i think not... in fact, didn't i write yesterday about our growth? about initiating it for ourselves each day?


so i guess i am taking it up with the phrase - so very generally accepted... it implies that kids grow up - and then once grown (past tense), they/we are done... for we were once children ourselves... while we may be self-sufficient, we are not grown... 


even in the physical realm our bodies are constantly changing... are we gaining height after a certain point? no... but we change, boy how we continue to change... 


if being grown up implies maturity, why are immature adults still called 'grown ups'? because i know plenty of them - and they own houses, have bank accounts, drive, have the right to vote, shop, etc... they participate in an adult world... but they can be hurtful and destructive with their lack of development...  


if my grandmother felt like she hadn't learned something new that day, she pulled out a dictionary or encyclopedia - and found a new fact, just so she had... forever growing and learning... 


being 'grown up' seems to  imply a static condition - and that is not what life is about... 


thanks for allowing the stream-of-consciousness writing... i just felt like i wasn't done yesterday... like too many loose threads were left... and it isn't like i have tied them all up neatly here - just explored a few more of the obvious ones... 

'when we were children, we used to think 

that when we were grown up we would

no longer be vulnerable. 

but to grow up is to accept vulnerability...

to be alive is to be vulnerable.'

~ madeleine l'engle