Artist of the Day: Women - Caitlin Shearer

librarian

heart

gentlewoman

indulge

bugs
All five of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia based artist Caitlin Shearer's marvelous watercolors has fit the ever-changing mood of my day. Exactly
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artist bio: Caitlin Shearer: a 23 year old Illustrator and textile designer from Sydney, Australia.
 

Paris 2013

I've never been to Paris...until now.

I am flying out for the City of Lights, the city of art, fashion, food. The City of Everything. And not to be overlooked: beautiful sounding curses. I am a purveyor of expletives.

I have a general idea of what we will do and explore, but I don't feel the need to race to every museum or point of interest. I am excited to wander, with purpose, and aimlessly. I am looking forward to sitting and watching. My plan is to split time between the usual tourist sites and local cafes and restaurants, shops and galleries.

One of our first few stops will be to a local Morrocan restaurant that serves vegetarian fare, a cafe and boloungarie.

I am obssessing over which shoes to pack (my favorite shoes are impractical for walking on cobblestones-sany uggestions?) and clothes I should pack. I'm limiting myself to a small suitcase so that I am forced to edit my choices.

I have packing anxiety. I have at least one packing dream a month that usually involves packing at the last minute, packing too much, usually of the wrong thing, or of luggage seams bursting at inopportune times.

This has to be a disorder with its own name. Google time!... (and this is what I found: Packing Anxiety Disorder).

Whatever I pack won't matter one bit, (well, maybe the shoes matter). 

Paris will be gorgeous. The food will be delicious. I will fall in love with another city.

I will post images once I'm back.

Artist of the Day: In A Man's World - Anna Magruder

in a man's world

distance

book of poems

coast

In A Man's World reminded me of an essay I read recently by Tara Mohr. The thesis is that women do no take criticism well,  that criticism  of any kind is taken personally, rather than as a means to modify and improve. Mohr posited that one of the reasons for this may be:

On an even deeper level, my sense is that women cope with living in a highly patriarchal world by trying to find safety and legitimacy through their own competence, through doing everything right.

Criticism can feel like a gash in the middle of something very important we are building – something that will shelter us and keep us safe.

This resonates.

I've been a crazy perfectionist for as long as I can remember. I'll admit that although I've found some criticism helpful, a lot has felt deeply personal and connected to my worth.

I also have to admit that I am not even close to doing everything right. But I have the impulse.

Intellectually, I know that doing everything right doesn't equal success, or happiness, or appreciation, or acceptance. 

Further, doing everything right is not a safety net. Nor does it ensure equal pay for equal work. That is just the reality of the world I live in.

Doing everything right is exhausting. I'm tired.

I think a better plan is doing everything the best I can, without the pressure or judgement of "right."

I love the idea of doing my best, even if it not's perfect.

What about you?
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artist bio: My favorite subjects for my oil paintings are people and faces. Many of my images are inspired by found photos as well as photos from old yearbooks. Drifting between realism and surrealism, I love recreating vintage America, often re-imagining the lives and stories of the characters on my canvas or just exploring the emotional color of faces in the crowd. Find out more at: annamagruder.com

Poem Therapy 25 April 2013: Postcard: Advice to a Young Poet - Carl Phillips

Postcard: Advice To A Young Poet
Carl Phillips


This is excellent advice not only for writing, but for living life following your own bent of mind.

Artist of the Day: Containers - Jeremy Miranda

containers

shelter

Jeremy Miranda's painting shift perceptions of what a home is. In his works, home becomes something much differnt than a structure contains and shelters. Home becomes an oasis, a garden, a wilderness.
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artist bio: I live and work in New England. To see more work visit jeremymiranda.com

Artist of the Day: Pink - Georgianna

pink dahlia

pink roses

pink hollyhocks

paris peonies

I think flowers are the gods apology for the mayhem of winter.
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artist bio: Welcome! I'm a long-time photographer, digital artist and designer who switched from corporate marketing in Hollywood to working with my husband in our own studio on a wooded wildlife habitat in the gorgeous Pacific Northwest.

Specializing in garden, floral and travel photography, I journey extensively around the world and in realms of the imagination, seeking to return with beautiful, serene, light-filled images sprinkled with a bit of magic. I sincerely hope you enjoy them!

Blog: georgiannalane.com/
Portfolio: www.georgiannalanephotography.com
My stock photo library: www.gardenphotoworld.com
Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/georgiannalane/

Artist of the Day: Grow - Jon Duenas

grow

Four months into the year, I think grow is the theme of 2013.
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artist bio: photographer time traveler space explorer

jonduenas.com twitter.com jonduenas/facebook.com/jonduenasphotography