I am going to notice the lights of the earth, the sun and the moon and the stars, the lights of our candles as we march, the lights with which spring teases us, the light that is already present. -Anne Lamott There are some choices we can make, and others which are thrust upon us. […]
Never put off till tomorrow what may be done day after tomorrow just as well. Mark Twain Years ago, in one of the MANY on-line and in-the-flesh workshops I took with Alyson Stanfield, she suggested that we choose a word for the year. One word that would clarify, energize and inspire whenever it was invoked. […]
Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better. – Albert Einstein The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness. – John Muir I’m just not the outdoor type. – Liza Myers, age 5 My childish (and untrue) words were spoken after a rainy, mosquito-besieged camping trip in a […]
One can never consent to creep when one feels an impulse to soar. Helen Keller It’s been a long spring! Today we had snow AND hail AND sleet. These high desert spring days are completely unpredictable. Against all odds, Helen Keller chose to soar above her very challenging limitations. Scott Kelly chose to soar in […]
“Needless to say, urgings by ravens are ignored at one’s peril.” ― James D. Doss I never see ravens as ominous. They are an iridescent, graceful presence soaring in the sky or perched on a branch close to me. Nine separate species of ravens are found in the northern hemisphere. They are in the corvid […]
Don’t hide your light under a bushel. Matthew 5:15 (paraphrased) Good News! Studio Visit, a juried, highly-respected, national publication has included my work in Volume 32! They distribute the book to galleries nationwide. Jurying in was a lengthy process, all on-line of course. First I sent in the jpegs for the jury, then waited eons […]
A ship under sail and a big-bellied woman Are the handsomest two things that can be seen common.” –Benjamin Franklin (Somehow I think only a guy would say that!) A few years ago and a few years apart, two moms-to-be made graceful, sculptural, rotund plaster casts of their bellies in the latter stages of pregnancy. […]
“Nothing is yours. It is to use. It is to share. If you will not share it, you cannot use it. -Ursula Le Guin My painting process is painstaking. I am fascinated by the exquisite light, shadows and detail the world has to offer. Each square centimeter receives individual attention. You wouldn’t think that […]
Piglet noticed that even though he had a Very Small Heart, it could hold a rather large amount of Gratitude. – AA Milne To all of you who backed the Aartz West Kickstarter, I can’t thank you enough! What does it take to create a Kickstarter campaign? If you check out their website they have […]
The biggest risk is not taking any risk… In a world that changing really quickly, the only strategy that is guaranteed to fail is not taking risks. -Mark Zuckerberg We’re almost there!!! I am filled with gratitude. We’re down to the wire at 87% with 60 backers!!! But there are only 7 more days to […]