Canning

I am putting my  mind to the next Artist's Way meeting on Monday night. Also, it is 5 pm, the time when  I usually try to stop the frantic working at the computer and phone and turn from the things that need to be done to the things that want to be done. 

My heart is aching to get to the sewing machine, I can' tell you! So much so that doubts are creeping in to which extent I can keep up the other creative veins I have tapped - 

So, it is a time of expansion, upgrading, delegating, growing, investing for me. Like the AW weeks always are. It all started with writing again and a nice long full-day Artist's Date at the end of September. From there it has been a ride in overdrive, especially since having completed the triathlon. That, my dear readers, was just a test I did for something I read in the AW book and that was in the back of my mind for all those 5 years + that I have been practicing the AW. It says in the book that completing a marathon increases your chances of completing your novel. Well, in my case it was a triathlon and the upcoming show in NYC is a big deal!!

I had not done a major physical challenge in a long time, but I always knew in the back of my head the importance of meeting a challenge.  So here I am living testimony that it worked wonders for me emotionally, physically, and mentally! Even now thinking about my "aging" body it is hard to believe I did this. We all can do so much more than we think.

And yes, it is so true what all these coaches say: if you are investing in yourself, the universe will match your donation or double it up!!!!! My artist date this week was a trip to the thrift store and I spent over a $100 on some vintage garments that were exactly what I needed. It seemed a lot of money, but the same day I received as a gift an entire attic of vintage clothes from an estate!!!!!!!! I went and bought myself a laptop and new sewing machine and some equipment for the jewelry making -- expenses I have been postponing for a very long time because it always seems so &$%@# crazy to spend money on yourself, but after that I came home and learned about an unexpected inheritance that covered all of these!!!!!!!!! 

Below are some canning photos. Canning is about remembering, isolating a feeling that later on you can take down from the shelf and look at it. Very self-analysis-like. The assignment for the AW group was to can something abstract. The inspiration for this is manyfold: 1) On an artist date once in a store I saw something for sale called "whimsical jar", not unlike what you see in the photograph. 2) I recently canned pears from my yard with two friends. It was a wonderful thing to do. 3) Longer ago I had seen a show by the fabulous much revered Kiki Smith, I can't tell you right now the exact object, I have to get the catalogue or go online, but she puts some pretty weird things into bottles and stuff like that. It got lodged deep in  my memory. Looking at art is always well invested time. 4) And yes, I wish I would have saved a jar filled with the air of my wedding day.

OK, I won't cheat and just present these jars at the meeting tomorrow, I will go and make a new one with just "air" in it. And yes, you guys remember Amy Triscornia from the AW in the city? She canned a nightmare once and brought it into the AW group when we did the exorcism of our monsters. It was so cool, I never forget!! Now, this is how an AW assignment can turn into making a whole bunch of art. And it often has for me.

And yes, I walk and move my body every day. I cook for myself. Ladies and Gents, please practice very good self-care throughout the AW time!!!!!

Love & Peace

A.

P.S. About the usefulness of it all: The jars below will be for-sale-decoration at my upcoming show in NYC.