It was a simple question, asked out of curiosity. It came from someone who has been a close friend since we served on a nonprofit board together 30 years ago. And it brought me up short. She asked “are there any brown people in your paintings?” Just like that, I was seeing yet another example […]
We’ve all heard the old saying “it’s better to give than to receive.” Most of us didn’t buy that as kids, and some folks never quite outgrow it. LOL While I certainly enjoy well-chosen gifts that demonstrate someone cares enough to know my tastes, I don’t need more stuff and would mostly rather give. Recently […]
For those who remember the book, Catch 22 is a self-explanatory term for any situation that is basically an endless loop. These days, it’s frequently encountered when trying to deal with technology (which is why you haven’t seen a blog post in a while) and automated systems. I’ve found that painting, mystery novels, or chocolate […]
Some of you may remember a popular book from several years back entitled Bowling Alone. It described the negative impact on society created by suburbs, automobiles and shopping malls, to the detriment of happy, random encounters with neighbors, or relationships with shop owners. The book also cited fewer people joining service clubs, leading to less […]
Milton Glaser, the graphic designer who created the iconic I Love NY image that uses a heart for the word love, died recently. Thanks to his passion, he was working until the end, well into his 90s. An interview shortly before his death included some insights about creativity and New York City that resonated for […]
My talented friend Beth Gibbs is a retired nonprofit and broadcast executive, turned author and yoga instructor. A recent post she wrote reminded me about the health value of laughter. Given the craziness and stress we are all dealing with this year, it seemed worth sharing some of those tidbits. The Mayo clinic lists several […]
Staying safely at home has given me time for long-envisioned projects. One of those is going through old scrapbooks and photo albums, my pandemic archeology project. Clearing them out will leave more room in my closet for shoes and hats – a noble cause, I thought. LOL These materials date back to my school years, […]
Many people believe that “right-brained” folks are more intuitive and creative, and “left-brained” are more analytic (they could probably fix my cut-off image here!) and logical. For years I bought into that, and proudly claimed to be both. Turns out everybody is. Both brain hemispheres are involved in language and perception, with different specialties like […]
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 […]
