It's been overwhelmingly paced in my life recently. Work has swallowed me whole and with the small bit of my self left over I've been trying to paint, teach and grow. I talk to a lot of people on a daily basis who want to make art or want to begin learning something daunting.
Some of my recent growth has been behind the wheel. I have a big fear of driving and am proud to announce that I've been driving around a good bit and haven't hurt anyone. I simply worked up the courage to start and with some support, I did. I've tried this before and have driven for spurts or with lessons or in extreme circumstances but I am tackling this project head on I tell you. I will make concerted efforts to get in my car and go somewhere a few times a week. This can only widen my world and with a small investment in a guardian angel and a supprtive group of friends and family I oughtta be able to do what almost every other American does. Guzzle gas and get to where I need to be when I need to be there without transfering.
Not that I won't be a bus rider, friend, I do still have a love for public transportation, even as it is a challenge at times.
I had the pleasure of spending a recent morning with my dad at our neighborhood garage sale and spending the next morning listening to Rachel Naomi Remen on the radio talking to Krista Tippet.
My paintings are starting to populate the attic studio and I'm been happily staring at Romanesque cathedrals and Renaissance paintings as I work to put art in front of folks who are new to looking.
We're all new at something.
The bold yellows of the trees in my neighborhood makes me sing.
All this is to say, thanks and see ya soon... take care, Rachael

Slowing down to a stumble. Walking slowly next to wild horses. Listening to armadillos. Meeting new people and learning about "tarantula man," the comic book invention of our 5 year old friend Hogan. We're still thinking about the effect of our short vacation camping in the wild. I have some sketches and little paintings but it may take me ages to scan the stinkers...
That's it. We are back home and it's an armadillo free week. Although there are some animals I've been dealing with.

There are benefits to being here that aren't in paradise and today I've been thinking about why I do the work I do to connect people to art:
Why and how I can continue to connect to the stuff myself even when work seems to swallow my time?
What it means to see things fresh?
Why do I focus on work projects when the really fulfilling projects are those that use my creativity and my self?

I rediscovered Tom Phillips in a magic way the other day. The creativity and connection with Phillips (best known for his Humament) was striking.

1263 heads all lined up and then crossed out. We come and we go.
Here's to a creative and productive time for you as for me as I march up to my attic studio...
take care,
Rachael

That's where we are headed. My sweet husband and I are headed to Cumberland Island to celebrate our anniversary with some of our best friends. I'm pretty excited about a weekend of no agenda and no rules and am planning to pack only a fresh sketchbook, my watercolor set, and a good book.

see you in a couple of days...
Rachael

Today on the bus I spent 20 minutes fascinated by the braids and denim and dark skin and white ipod combination of the neck of the woman in front of me. It was as amazing as an Ingres. But she didn't know and I wasn't about to tell her that her neckline was a moment of art. (Like this too)

Yesterday, I looked down at my toes in the overgrown grass of my backyard and seeing the difference between thin green and yellow strands and thick nubbs of toes I was stopped by the contrast.

The museum I work for has a big festival this weekend and I have been combing through pictures and making signs. The little stumbles of images, the small parts of things are pure little treats and I share them with you.







I keep waiting for the pace of my life to slow down a little but while it is rock-n-roll fast, I'm dancing to it rather than letting it get me down. More words and images from me when I find them and in the meantime...

take care,
Rachael

I've been quietly toiling. Not much blog-worthy in this last part of my summer except for a few choice treats I found on the web

mail art beckoning again

fancy Leonardo da Vinci sites like Universal Leonardo and this one or his sketchbook

fancy Van Gogh site with all the drawings including this one of Sein sewing

fancy sketchbooks

a new website from the American Artist magazine people and even though it seems damn foolish to pay $50 to try to get your drawing or watercolor or what-have-you on the cover of one of these magazines, there are some good things in here especially if you are new to drawing I ought to be saying more in this forum soon but for now it is simply, goodnight, Rachael