I'm Making A List...
And I'm checking it twice...!
Do you write a Christmas list? No, I don’t mean the supermarket food shop list, or the Christmas card list, or the ‘What shall we get Great Aunt Gertrude this year?’ list. Aside from hoping for world peace, the end of famine, saving the planet etc., do you write a wish/gift guide for yourself?
I didn’t used to, but as I’ve grown older, I’m more mindful about what I buy as gifts for others, and about what I would like, if I’m lucky enough to receive a present! To paraphrase the Shaker maxim; things should be beautiful (bring me joy), or useful.
So, with that in mind, I’ve put together a list full of beautiful, inspiring or useful items, (or all three together!):
Always love a good book, and this one has been recommended by several artists: The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin
I’m a sucker for a beautiful notebook, so would appreciate any of these from either The Journal Shop, or from Katie Leamon.
I love the sea, so to light this Coastal Walks candle from Norfolk Natural Living, and be transported there on its perfume would be heavenly…
Having joined the Printers Inc. group, I’m slowly re-discovering my love of printing. Although there is a press available to use when we have our monthly meetings, at home, I’m limited to mono-printing… Or I thought I could try Gelli plate printing…now I just need the plate, and some acrylic paints!
This poster is so apt for me!!
Just love the look of these chunky Diane Townsend soft pastels from Jacksons Art - although I might give the fluorescent set a miss…
And has anyone tried these Etchr sketchbooks…?
I’m a big fan of Nigel Slater - his relaxed style of cooking is right up my street - so his memoir, ‘A Thousand Feasts,’ also finds its way onto my list!
I also love the work of Andy Goldsworthy so this exhibition sounds wonderful!
If money was no object, this Extra Large Jumbo Calligraphy brush would be on my wishlist - although I think I would probably just sit looking at it, too scared to use it!
As I mentioned earlier, I love a good notebook, so discovering the origins of keeping a notebook sounds interesting…The Notebook: A History of Thinking on Paper by Roland Allen
I’ve always loved beautiful handwriting, so this Calligraphy Set would hopefully set me off on the right track!
Lists are my way of coping with overwhelm. Ensuring that I’ve noted down all the stuff I need to do/organise/purchase or post, whether that’s for my art, life in general, or the upcoming Christmas celebrations, is an immediate stress-reliever for me. Categorising the lists further, into ‘urgent/some time this week/can wait a while’ also guarantees that the most pressing tasks get done. And nothing helps to clear my head and organise my thoughts than a walk, especially on such a morning…
“It is the life of the crystal, the architect of the flake, the fire of the frost, the soul of the sunbeam. This crisp winter air is full of it.”
John Burroughs
Shards of splintered ice lay strewn across the verge, slowly surrendering to the sun’s warmth. Each blade of grass, every towering umbellifer glitters in the roseate light. There is a stillness, a silence, broken only by a lone crow, cawing from the nearby tree top. The lane is a velvet carpet of white, patterned with tyre tracks. I pause close to the copse and adjacent hedge, movement catching my eye. Climbing skywards, a kite, with its distinctive forked tail and russet plumage.
Draped along the hedge, a spider’s web of clematis vitalba, Old Man’s Beard as I call it, sparkling diamonds against the dark foliage. Scattered on the ground, lichen clad twigs and branches. A twisted shape, tangled in the hedge, piqued my curiosity. Closer inspection revealed the frozen corpse of a pigeon. Tattered feathers, curled ‘toes’ gripping an imaginary roost, head to one side, as if questioning its predicament; retracting my hand, I left it in its foliated tomb.In the space of a few yards, I acknowledged life and death. The majestic kite now circling overhead, and the bedraggled pigeon, frozen in a somewhat macabre hedgerow tableau; the vagaries of life, the uncertainties, laid bare.
As I walked home, stopping to breathe in the crisp air, to wonder at the blue skies, and delight in the scattering ice flakes, I resolved to notice. To organise myself so that I have time to rejoice in the moment…
Continuing on the theme of lists, what’s your favourite Christmas songs/carols? Here’s a few of mine, in no particular order; I like to have them playing in the background whilst I’m in the studio, writing cards, wrapping presents…
Yes, it’s the old cliché one, Chris Rea and ‘Driving Home for Christmas’. My OH used to work away a lot when the boys were small, and his Christmas Eve’s were spent ‘driving home for Christmas’…so it always reminds of that time…
This one always feel extra Christmassy to me…’Carol of the Bells…’
Hearing this one, takes me right back to my school days and singing it during the Christmas Concert.
The wonderful voice of Judy Garland and ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas…’
Another one that takes me back to the school concert, although I’m not sure our rendition reached these dizzy heights!!
Can you do Christmas without a little Michael Bublé…?
And, one Christmas, I promise myself I will ride in a troika across the snow…
I could keep adding to this list, but why don’t you let me know your favourite Christmas carol/song/tune…?
Reading Rebecca Solnit’s ‘A Field Guide to Getting Lost’, I came across this quote:
“How will you go about finding that thing the nature of which is totally unknown to you?”
Meno
I thought it so apt for the work that’s going on in my studio at the moment; experimenting, investigating, discovering…
Trying to find that elusive ‘it’ involves an awful lot of ‘not knowing’; not knowing the best paper to use, not knowing the best inks, not knowing exactly how to mix the colours/shades I want, not knowing how to obtain the effects I ‘want’, not knowing whether to varnish or not etc.
I grab sheet after sheet, splashing the ink and paint around, letting layers dry or working wet-in-wet, trying to find the ‘thing’; so many sheets in fact that I’m in danger of being swamped by an avalanche of paper!
And the ‘going about, finding out’, involves pauses, casting a critical eye, determining what I like and don’t like; so far, these two are my favourites. There’s something about the layers of soft washes and variety of marks that pleases me - fingers crossed, I’m on my way to finding out that ‘thing which is unknown to me.’
Until next time, happy painting!
My Christmas favs:
Music: Silver Bells…reminds me of shopping uptown in the 60-80s when we actually got snow and the windows were a delight with animated displays that were so intricate. The street lamps decorated , people rush g about with packages wrapped by the stores, lunch at the diner…
Christmas means peanut brittle, homemade or a box bought in the aforementioned uptown seven to munch on as we shopped.
Christmas Day spent at a great aunt’s home where everyone in the family was required to come by and eat from the huge spread she had prepared. The red velvet cake that was so carefully displayed amongst all the other desserts. I still love red velvet cake! And fruit cake I LOVE fruitcake. I’d sometimes ask for that for my bday cake (Dec 28th).
Live trees..in the early years cedar trees chopped down in the field. Later trees bought at the tree lot where the men kept a burning barrel of kindling to keep warm
Our tiny country community tree lighting across from my grandparents house and in front of our church. The window across the road featured the sining family of the community’s. The poorest, skinniest Santa (a man from the community) walked down the road bringing Christmas to Thorngrove.
Christmas parades! I’ve been in far too many as a majorette back in the day. In fact, holding with my tradition with my friend, I will be going to the parade Sunday. Another first to do without him!
My Christmas wish list:
This horrible sad, lonely lost feeling to leave following the loss of my best friend and be replaced with the beautiful
memories I have.
This horrible year to be over that actually started last Nov with my mother’s accidents which resulted in our having to part ways.
Hope for the conditions of those around me that suffered loss and devastation from the floods of Hurricane Helene. It has turned bitter cold here and some are living in tents at the present time as they fear leaving and losing via looting the few things they have left.
Prayers for the world in general following the disaster of an election we have just come thru. I’m fearful for our future here and abroad at the hands of this monster and his minions.
And these are my Christmas wishes …not stuff just peace and calmness. The past 5 years caring for my friend had taken a larger toll on me than I knew until now it’s suddenly over…I’m a mess…
Oh and you know my truest desire is to be able to paint loose and free!
My husband and I will be spending the holidays at the lake in the houseboat where we will see no one. We will be putting up a tiny tree with a few other decorations and spend our time in peace. Hopefully the weather will moderate and we can get out for a short boat ride. Of course, the dog will demand a paddle board ride but that’s ok we do that year round.
Wishing you and yours a peaceful yet joyous Christmas season!
Sherry
That was lovely, Carolyn. My favourite Christmas carol is In the Bleak Midwinter. It wasn't that long ago that I found out Christina Rossetti wrote the words.