So much wisdom already this morning at the hospital. 

Me: Do you wanna do some art with me today? We can paint. I have watercolors.

8 year old boy: I know about art. I know a lot about it. I paint my feelings. It's important.

Me: :)

“When tea becomes ritual, it takes its place at the heart of our ability to see greatness in small things. Where is beauty to be found? In great things that, like everything else, are doomed to die, or in small things that aspire to nothing, yet know how to set a jewel of infinity in a single moment?” ― Muriel Barbery, The Elegance of the Hedgehog

Letting Stuff Go

I had the day off today from my part time Artists-in-Residence job at a local hospital. My mother is visiting and she is keeping me company as I straighten the bookshelves. I'm doing a fair amount of decluttering lately and it feels so freeing! It seems like a very necessary step in my new life. Less to be distracted by, less to weigh me down. Keeping only the useful and truly sentimental things. And I have hoarder tendencies. This is good for me.
There is now a stack of give-a-way books, along with a stack to sell, and a stack to read again soon. I hope to eventually go through every shelf, every drawer, every nook and cranny, only keeping the things I really love.
Are you doing the same? Seems like so many of us are. This might be helpful to you--I downloaded the Bookscouter app onto my phone. Have you tried it? According to the app I will be getting some cash for the "to sell" stack. Perfect for a small day trip with my daughter.

Starting Over

"Sending Love"

(prints available-send a message if interested) 

This is a wonderful (and sometimes scary) new chapter in my life. I've gone from being a stay at home, homeschooling mom to learning how to support myself and my daughter with my art. I want/need to document this. Maybe I can meet others also seeking the same and we can inspire one another. I could have stayed with my wordpress blog but a blank canvas seemed more fitting. I'm also cutting as many corners these days as possible and blogger is free. I'll be ending my tricia-scot.com soon. My stack of business cards has dwindled to just a few so this is a good time to start over. I'm pulling inward, cleaning house, and simplifying my life in every way. 

The above is my latest piece. 

I first restored the image of the girl. I knew what I wanted to create. I could see it in my mind but the hand resting on the chair was all wrong. I used another hand and box from an image I'd taken of my daughter. It took quite a bit of work to blend in and make it look natural. I had to draw in the bottom of the box. I then added the rug layer, the background layer, the constellations and hummingbird all in separate layers. 

I chose the constellation of the fox catching the unsuspecting goose to represent hurt and pain, corruption. She's releasing LOVE into her surroundings, despite the pain, even more so because of the hurt, opening up and sharing her heart. It is the only thing she feels she has control of, in a time that seems so uncertain. Because a sweet friend gave me that advice this evening when the news of the world and my own "stuff" was more weighty than I could manage. A thank you to Olivia for being the left hand model. The box is an old one that was made a grandfather of hers once upon a time.