Humans are wired to crave new experiences and sensations, but everybody has different degrees of tolerance. Some want to try the newest gadget or restaurant, while others need exotic travel or extreme sports. Sensation seeking is not the same as thrill seeking; it doesn’t always involve climbing skyscrapers or jumping out of planes. It’s actually […]
These times call for stress reduction! For me, some techniques are obvious: relive fun travel memories by sorting through photos to decide what to paint; immerse myself in “the zone” when I paint; enjoy knowing my paintings make collectors feel good. You can also get in the zone by working out, or reading a good […]
For two months, I’d been thinking about a painting of Mont St. Michel. Our visit there last fall was inspiring. And funny, and challenging, but that comes later. First came the monumental presence out in the bay, the threatening skies, the deceptive marshes surrounding and protecting it from those foolish enough to attempt the crossing. […]
That doesn’t refer to current events, though it certainly could. It is a quote from an artist named Nicolas Roerich. He believed cultural heritage is a world treasure comprised of buildings, art, universities, libraries, concert halls and theaters. He said they must all be “protected from the ravages of war and neglect, for without them […]
This wasn’t a term I’d heard before, but the often invisible effort of cognitive labor is also known as life admin, which is more intuitively obvious. The person in a family who’s generally in charge of things like household maintenance and social coordination is buried in cognitive labor. It’s often unacknowledged, but the time (or […]
Though not a fan of new year’s resolutions, I had a dream years ago about how my life could look. City place, beach place – it was that vague, and that specific. While neither a beach goer (I burn) nor a strong swimmer (bluffed my way through Girl Scout camp!) something about the ocean calls […]
A recent visit to Chicago was a refresher and inspiration. If you’re remotely curious about pastel, here’s a formal explanation from their Art Institute. Which also happens to explain why I love pastels, and the Impressionists. “Pastel is a medium… made by combining dry pigment with a sticky binder. Once artists have applied the pastel […]
This year, for the first time in about 40 years, I am not serving on a nonprofit board. Or on five of them simultaneously. Did that the year I left my corporate job to start my consulting firm. And nearly bankrupted myself, as I gave away more time and advice than I sold. Lesson learned. […]
Reviewing photos from opening receptions for my two recent exhibits, in Avon and Simsbury, CT, caused me to reflect. They reminded me how lucky I am to have a large circle of very creative friends whose energy reinforces and encourages mine. Included in the photos were graphic designers, a former dancer, an architect and a […]
We recently threw a party to mark our tenth wedding anniversary. Friends from many parts of our lives – former consulting clients and law partners, neighbors past and present, people with whom I’d painted, practiced Pilates, or served on nonprofit boards – celebrated with us. It reminded me how very lucky we are, and how grateful. […]
