Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday to my love!

I'm off to celebrate the day with my hubby! We're off to enjoy an afternoon baseball game (GO TWINS!), find some cake and just enjoy a relaxing day.

Joel and I met thru our love of baseball and we also share a passion for art. Joel used to dabble in theater (I think he still loves to act...he puts on a performance daily!) and he is still a writer. He wholeheartedly supports me in pursuing my art. I cannot tell you what a huge difference that makes! He does not begrudge the time I spend over at the studio painting, in fact, he encourages it. He encourages me and even gives me a little push when I need it.

So, Happy Birthday to my biggest fan! I love you!

 

(You can read how he proposed to me on the jumbotron here)

First Thursdays...or not

 

With Labor Day (and my vacation) past, I am back to the routine of dredging off to work during the day and hopefully stealing a little studio time in the evening. This has been a busy week at work--the start of a new program year. I work for a therapeutic preschool and like the public school system we kick off a new school year after Labor Day. This means staff training, completing intakes with new families and re-connecting with "old" families. Not much energy for creating when I get home!

Today I left work a little early for a doctor appointment. My right shoulder has been killing me the past few months...an injury caused from all that painting of our new place this spring. I finally went in to get it checked and ended up getting a cortisone shot. Hope that takes care of the problem...


But since I got home a little earlier, I thought it would be a perfect evening to soak up a little artful inspiration. Joel was willing to head over to NE Mpls for "First Thursday"--an evening when several studio buildings in the Northeast neighborhood are open to the public. We drove thru some heavy traffic to arrive at the Casket Arts Building, hoping to check out a new spot. I noticed that it seemed a little quiet. After checking one door and finding it locked, and then heading to another door, I commented, "I will be really ticked if we drove over here to find nothing going on for First Thursday". And with that, a lightbulb went off in Joel's head...yes, my brighter-than-me readers, it wasn't first Thursday...it was second Thursday...and it was quiet, because there was nothing going on.

Oh well, I chalked it up to it being a busy week. Determined to still enjoy an evening of art, we headed to the Mpls Institute of Arts--my favorite local art museum. We topped off the evening with a trip to Izzy's for a little ice cream.

So not quite the evening I had imagined, but inspiring nonetheless.

Fair Photo #15

Today marks the end of the Minnesota State Fair. Joel and I will make our final trip of the year (Trip #5). It's been a wonderful 12 days of the fair--I've been on vacation the whole time! Beautiful temps (highs in the upper 70s/lower 80s), sunny, no rain...we are sliding into beautiful autumn weather.

I can't believe that the summer is over...the season we long for throughout the long, cold winter is gone in a flash. But really, I love this time of year the most...the temperatures are much more tolerable, there's less humidity...time seems to slow down just a bit.

It is a time of transition...there is a sense that things are about to change. I feel that way too.  

We are feeling more settled in out studio--spent much of this weekend working on home projects (pics soon). I'm feeling good things are happening with my art. Friday night we attended the opening reception for the Savoring Summer show at the AZ gallery. My Ode to Izzy's painting is in the show. It may be hanging in a less than desirable spot, but hey, I entered the competition and was accepted...that alone was a victory to celebrate.

Last week I was also interviewed for an article in the MN Women's Press. I will be their featured cover artist in October. I am over the moon in excitement. This is a Minnesota newsmagazine, published monthly, with the tagline "changing the universe through women's stories".  I have read this publication for over 25 years and to have one of my paintings featured on their cover...BIG STUFF. I have been quiet about this, because I haven't wanted to jinx it...but now that the interview is done, I think I can let my excitement out a bit. Believe me, when I see the cover for the first time you will hear me squealing with excitement! And not only will it be available in print, you will all get to see it online!


It's all making me feel better about taking some risks...which makes me want to take more risks. Sometimes when we try something new, it doesn't work out...but we never know unless we try...and when it does work out, it feels so very sweet.


So, I'm hoping you are all enjoying your Labor Day Weekend. Savor this "last day" of summer. I know I am.

Fair Photos #12, 13, & 14

 

  

  

Tomorrow's the last day of the Fair and we'll be there for one final trip. Hope these little ones have already made the trip home with their mommas.

Fair Photos #9, 10, 11

Beautiful flowers at the Fair. Simply couldn't pick just one!

Fair Photos #6, 7, & 8

 

Well, I feel like I owe you a few pics, since I missed yesterday--but I was at the Fair! 

Here are a few pics from our evening stroll thru the Midway, otherwise known as the land of the Big Bananas!

Fair Photo #5

 

Continuing with the parade theme...where else but Minnesota would you have a enormous cow as part of your daily Fair parade? O.k. Wisconsin would probably do that too.