Stories From the Nest

Over a month ago, I decided that I was going to do a Mother's Day themed custom art piece that would be available for the whole month leading up to Mother's Day.  I have always loved birds and also birds nests and they seemed appropriate for all that encompasses being a mother.  There is such a calming and peaceful feeling that I get when I look at the resting eggs in their nests.  They symbolize life, children, and the wonder associated with all that is to come or that has come already.  I begun advertising these eggs with them being robins blue with the option of number of eggs in the nests.  It quickly evolved to more options!  Someone asked if I could make some pink ones for girl eggs.  Then there were twin children who were distinguished by difference of color.  Next, someone asked if I could do a smaller egg to symbolize a miscarried child and I absolutely loved that!  When that piece was shared on social media, people really connected with that idea and there were a lot of people following that piece wanting to have their heavenly babies included in their nests as well.  I also had someone who lost a child at a very young age that they wanted to have a part of their nest.  There were even nests with grand baby eggs.  I was so very touched by peoples stories and I felt a great connection with their lives as I was painting their eggs.  Art has a way of bringing healing by acknowledgement of what one has gone through.  I have found that as I do custom art, I find that it has a way of reaching into my heart as well.  These are some of the nests that I painted/drew...

I began this nesting by doing my first giveaway on Instagram which was so much fun!  The winner turned out to be my friend Audrey who was happy to win this to give to a friend. I loved this whole giveaway experience and I will definitely be doing it again!  

As I worked on my canvases, I clipped them on this wire in my studio until I was ready to mount them.

I mounted them on wood with a staple gun and then wrapped them up in paper and twine for people for them to give as gifts or for them to open themselves.  

I just love how some of these nests ended up being displayed in peoples homes!  These small canvases are perfect for collage walls which really seem to be "the thing" right now.  

Seeing my art in people's homes brings me great joy!  It is an honor to have something I have created on display for others to enjoy and connect with.  I hope these nests tell lots of stories without words to people.  I hope they bring deep joy and healing to others as well.

Join a Flock and Take Flight!

As I think back to the streets of Paris I have visions of artists.  Artists of every type out there doing what they are passionate about.  Paris is such an inspiring place, and I think that this is one of the qualities that makes it such a pool of inspiration.  Everywhere you turn there is someone on a street corner radiating creativity in their own unique form.  Whether they are taking on the persona of a statue above the Seine River...

joyfully playing an accordian at the bottom of Sacre Coeur mid-morning...

collecting a few euros in front of a cafe in Montmartre...

gazing out the window of a screen printing studio at dusk...

or, of course, drawing someone's portrait...

... they are all doing something that they love and are radiating creativity in their own unique ways.  Just by being surrounded by all of these artists in Paris doing what they loved made me want to take out my own paint brushes and pencils.  It is so easy for an artist to become a hermit and to be creative in the presence of only themselves.  I have a tendency to want to work in solitude.  There is a side of me that would be perfectly content working in my studio from morning to night by myself.  While this is a natural and comfortable way to be an artist it is not always the healthiest way to exist.

I think that we as artists can benefit so much from being in community with other artists.  We can learn from each other, be inspired by one another, encourage each other, and spur each other on to become better at what we do.  One of my goals for this year is to do a better job at being in community with other artists.  I have already chosen a local art group that I am going to join and I am really excited about it!  I would also encourage any artists out there that are not a part of an artistic community to get connected as well.  Think of what you could be missing out on if you don't.  Think about why people flock to cities like Paris.  Think about joining a flock instead of flying solo.  Come on with me and take flight!