A few years ago I started scanning flowers from my garden because I thought it would look interesting. Over time I joined various social media pages dedicated to flowers, gardening, art, scanography, design, etc.
Through those connections online I have been blessed with a core of lovely “flower ladies” who have given from their gardens, everything from dahlias to cosmos, roses to pansies and everything in between. They have also given from their hearts in friendship, encouragement, and creativity.
Thanks to all my flower ladies! Joanna, Cheryl, Nancy, Diane, Cristal, Shannon, Whatcom Gardeners, and, of course, Jade. You have all blessed me with an abundance and I am always thankful.
Yesterday was a rare Saturday all to myself, so I decided to take a drive around the county collecting flowers from some of the ladies who offered me art supplies recently! I actually started at the Dollar Store getting more tubs, towels, and nightlights for upcoming projects. Next stop Hobby Lobby where I only stopped to get silica but since they didn’t have that I browsed the frames and shadow boxes for a couple other projects… Oh so heavenly!
My first garden stop was closest to town where a lovely lady named Cheryl came to the door, which I didn’t have to knock on because her big dog was like an automatic doorbell named Maisy. Cheryl had responded to my request on Whatcom Gardeners Facebook page asking for dead daylilies. I recently, by accident, discovered that daylilies give off the most beautiful pigments when they are near death. Cheryl kindly showed me all around her garden and gave me some lovely blue flowers (roots and all!) that I can’t for the life of me remember the names of. She also gave me Balloon Flowers! These were so cool – purple hot air balloons that open into beautiful blossoms. She shared several other blossoms which I should have written down, but all were so lovely!
Next stop was Joanna’s farm, which I’ve visited a few times in the past to forage and to buy dahlias. Joanna’s daughter, Hannah, also does flower art and makes gorgeous jewelry which she sells at the Farmers Market. I was again greeted by a very large dog, this time larger than me – a great dane with no tail. He’s very sweet and friendly. Next came two more great dane “puppies” which were crazy dogs – one had just come flying out of the pond covered in mud and decided to bless me with a big swipe of his face on my belly! There was a black lab or something in the mix but he was definitely out of his league with those two characters.
Joanna had offered grape vines – the tendrils will make something, I’m sure, as they are very elegant and dainty. I came away with a pile of everything from gladiolas to marion berries, dahlias, roses, larkspur, blueberries, and many things I have no idea what they are called. Joanna has acres of beautiful land with horses, pigs, and of course, dogs! She is always gracious and generous with her time and flowers.
Morning was long past and I needed to get to my final stop, way out in the county, and the day was heating up quickly. With all the lovelies in my trunk and back seat I was worried about wilting all the treasures.
About 30 minutes east toward Mount Baker, the community of Everson and the surrounding farms never fail to bless me. The high hills, flat fields, and the snow-capped peaks all make for such a relaxing, scenic drive. I arrived to the greeting of another dog, this time a German Shepard, and a very sweet, quiet man named Joe who was out working in the yard. Joe and Jade live in a cute little house surrounded by acres of beautiful land. Jade had invited me out in the past but last year Saturdays were dedicated to my mom so I never made it. This year she invited me to pluck blossoms and even asked if I wanted to stay for a yard party! If only I was sociable… So blessed by her offer but that would be beyond my abilities to manage!
I expected that Jade would have a lovely garden, but I was not prepared for the absolute sweetness that filled her plot. You see, Jade is a newlywed. Joe got her a book on growing flowers and it turned out to be a “How to”…. meaning Joe ended up having to build a greenhouse and Jade had to learn “how to…” grow flowers from seed and begin a wonderful adventure in selling her flowers at her absolutely adorable roadside stand and online. Check her out on Instagram @doublejflowerranch (https://www.instagram.com/doublejflowerranch/)
Now, I have never seen “cupcake” flowers, and so many colors of cosmos, and I can’t even begin to remember what else… so many absolutely gorgeous flower petals I could “paint” for the rest of my life with! I felt like I was back in time and that this new “flower lady” I felt I had known forever.
As soon as I made it home I spent hours sorting. Some were definitely wilted but all still viable…and so beautiful… piles and piles of flowers! Some went in the freezer, a pile went into the fridge, and the majority went into tubs of silica to dry and preserve.
I took a few and did a “painting” with the pigments – from gladiola, blue delphinium, and rose petals on canvas paper, a new product I wanted to try. Today I cut a piece of raw canvas and hammered an array of roses, marionberries, gladiola, and grapevines… awaiting the final result is always the hardest part!
A basket full of love from the Garden Ladies smashed! drying in the sun… looks like my apron after making jam!
I have met some lovely people through the Whatcom County Gardeners Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/groups/623454961004098/ – Nancy is now my friend – she has been doing art with flowers for over 40 years and blesses me with good ideas, encouragement, and kindness. Check out her beautiful work at https://www.instagram.com/fortheluvofflowersnc/
And Diane, Kathy, Kristy, Jen… and I’m sure I’ll leave someone out, all the flower ladies I’ve met and who “follow” my art…. I am truly blessed by each of you.
I’ll try something new by reporting all my Godincidences for the past week and as they increase, hopefully you will find a few yourself!
What the heck is a Godincidence? Well, I don’t think that a Coincidence is a real thing. I believe that all encounters and events are from the realm of heaven and that God is the architect of all of them.
If you don’t believe me that’s ok! I am just sharing what happened over the past week or so and you can cheer along with me if you like! God has a path, plan, and purpose for me and I’m just glad you’re here to walk along or stand beside or wish me well!
Godincident #1 – I have a MeetUp Group called the Curious Creatives. These are local people looking for fun, interesting, or new experiences with the community around them. I think we will have a few Godincidences from this group but I’ll just share one this time.
I got an RSVP on MeetUp for an upcoming class and I responded with a thank you and some basic information. This person mentioned that she was new to Bellingham and I said, “Welcome to Bellingham”. Three words that moved us forward. She was so glad to be welcomed that she offered to take me out for fish and chips. She has no idea that fish and chips are my go-to whenever we go out to eat!
Being the introvert I am, yet trying to remain open to being surrounded by people who move my dreams forward, I said yes! A few days later she came to my studio and I took her to the ferry terminal in Fairhaven where we proceeded to get to know one another, eat delicious fish and chips, and create a memory!
Godincident #2 – I am reading a book called “The Artist’s Way”, which I will be posting about a lot, I’m sure, because the basis of the book is exactly what I’m talking about, only the author doesn’t call it Godincidences but Sychonicity or something. So this morning I was praying about a specific topic and certain people were impressed on my mind. I sent a quick text to all three of them to say “hello, virtual hug, thinking of you”. I was also sending my teaching artists drawings of the dream for a new studio when one of my three “hello, virtual hug, thinking of you” text recipients asks what I’m up to today.
I say, “I’m sitting here doing my morning writing and dreaming up a studio space that’s amazing so my dream can become a goal so then it can be a plan! And the topic for this week in the book I’m reading is now the topic of money so now I have to learn about how my struggle to get to my goal and money and faith all work together I suppose”.
She is a prayer warrior who also happens to be a counselor and one of my very best “flower ladies” (see a past blog post on that). She asks if I want to stop by and talk about it. My initial response is almost always, sorry gotta go, got a plan, got to do something… but this time I said, I would love a cup of tea. I brought fresh-outta-the-oven muffins for an impromptu tea party which turned into a long counseling session about my dreams and plans and blessings and such!
Godincidence #3 – We had a class where one of the participants is actually a watercolor artist. I’ve been hoping someone in my teaching artists would do a watercolor workshop or something and guess what? He says he just might do that! Never heard of him before but he sent some youtube videos of his work and teaching and I’m all over that idea! Can’t wait!
Looking forward to another week filled with creative surprises and really can’t wait to see where that 5000 square foot space I need for my dream to become a plan will come from! Open to ideas 🙂
They say—and I am willing to believe it—that it is difficult to know yourself—but it isn’t easy to paint yourself either.
Vincent van Gogh in a letter to his brother Théo, September 1889
Whenever I hear the words, “Self-Portrait”, Van Gogh in the blue suit always comes to mind.
About five months ago, before the world turned upside down with a virus, the members of the Whatcom Art Guild were given their quarterly artist challenge. Render a portrait of yourself in any medium and prepare to bring to our next meeting.
Well, of course no meeting in March was allowed so the board got together online and we contemplated what to do. Would people want to participate during this worldwide pandemic? Would it provide a distraction or would it be a burden? We decided to give it a try, promoting the self-portrait as a way to stay connected with our members during a time of profound separation.
We received one of the early entries all the way from the other side of the world! A self-portrait from a member living in Spain. I received this message from her today, as we get to the end of the challenge:
I am so delighted to see how lovely the Facebook WAG site is! Thank you for your taking the time to make it such a super, fun place! And thank you for posting my work! I have been living here in Spain for about 2 years now and I have been looking for community for my art and for the past year I’ve been wondering how I would find this. Well— look no more! I am just so grateful to be in the WAG, and I have plans to return home when we are able to without the worry of being in the world of pandemic. But in the meantime, we’re able to connect with the internet and our art and it’s the best of both worlds! So, it’s been very nice to have you reach out to me, and I will give you a holler when the spirit moves!
This self-portrait art challenge has been so very interesting. So many deep, meaningful, inspirational and fun submissions. Some did a literal reflection, looking in a mirror and putting pen/paint/brush to paper. Some did a spiritual reflection while others were more abstract in presenting the depth of inner selves.
We are so used to focusing on what we see in others or worrying about how we are perceived that we often don’t take time or refuse to take time to self-reflect.
This was the perfect project for the times we are in. Where people may be more self-reflective as their daily life came to a halt and they were forced to look at their lives, their activities, and their families in a whole new way. A blessing in disguise for many. A devastating time for others.
Time spent in reflection, pondering, prayer, and meditation is never time wasted. The forces of life-changing opportunity are at work.
My own self-portrait is a reflection of my life, the people who have impacted my life the most, and the abundant blessings I’ve been given. Consider a self-portrait for your own life, spirit, personality, or reflection.
From my entry: Each blossom represents a part of my life. Passion flower eyes for my trip to Israel. Hibiscus butterfly heart for my mom. Red roses and blue hydrangea for my grandmas big rosebush and blue hydrangea bush. Daisies for my childhood playing “he loves me he loves me not”. Pansies for the first flower I ever loved as a child. Pink peonies for my daughter. Camellia blossoms for historical beauty. Burgundy and pink hydrangeas for my wedding. A blue feather for my brother who is an eagle. Hellebores and cosmos and a mix of flowers for my “flower ladies” who bless my life in doing crafty things with flowers! An orchid for the love of a husband who cheers me on in all I do Dogwood for the cross of Christ that strengthens me, blesses me, encourages me, and saves me. Little purple flowers for my son whose eyes captured my heart nearly 30 years ago and who is my very heart. Petunias for my mother-in-law who cultivates flowers and love. Lavender for the power of nature. And the whole collage for my Refind Creations business and blessings!! There could be oh so many more but this was a good start!
This piece represents my experience during the pandemic and quarantine caused by Covid-19 – Entry for “Out the Window” Artist Challenge for Whatcom Art Guild
Unlike the vast majority of people, I was not affected by being sequestered in my home. I work in health care, and while not working in the hospital on the “front lines”, my position was deemed essential.
Shattered: There were still people who needed care beyond the realm of a covid-19 infection. There were still people who were receiving shattering news. Young ladies finding out they had breast cancer and brain tumors. Old people with metastasized cancer that had entered their bones. Men discovering the heartbreak of prostate cancer. To them finding out they had covid instead would have been a blessing, or the least of their worries.
Bright Spot: I was in my normal routine as far as my work, earning a full pay check until we slowed down immensely. Then my paycheck was covered and we were able to manage as normal in my household. I was able to care for people who were so very grateful for my service. We had so much time to spend with patients and there was no complaining about wait times, difficulty of the exam, or challenges with getting scheduled.
Shattered: We had just returned from a week in Palm Springs when the shut downs happened and planned to return again the following month. Those plans had to be canceled and we moved them out to next week. They may be shattered again. This has been a difficult winter/spring/early summer for my husband who suffers with Seasonal Affective Disorder. Finding sunshine is one of his deepest needs.
Bright Spot: My family isn’t very sociable so we did not suffer through the loss of social interaction. My son, who lives with us, was at a healthy time mentally after three years of struggling. He has handled this time with strength. He started walking more, riding his bicycle for the first time in years. Stayed in touch with friends on Zoom and daily texting, though they missed their brotherly trips to the comedy clubs, dinner out, and just hanging out. My newly retired husband was already settling into a home-based routine. I offered him projects to work on for my art – framing, building crates, and other “honey-do’s”. He tried that and embraced the process, buying new saws and creating a workspace in the garage.
Shattered: My drop in studio classes had just started in January and I had been building up a good following. Art Walk was the highlight of the month for the studio where people could come and see my latest projects and hear about the workshops and opportunity to create with me. Suddenly those classes were shut down and art walks were cancelled.
Bright Spot: I would go to my studio every day after abbreviated schedules at my job. The first trip downtown was so interesting. There was no one, and I mean no one, anywhere to be seen in downtown Bellingham. It was a literal ghost town. I had the entire building to myself and it was so peaceful. I cleaned, reorganized, and settled in for months of solo projects. I was inspired to try creating more and making self-care products. I spent countless hours making collages, whipping up lotions, and pouring candles. I sold some equipment that I didn’t find joyful. I got a printer and started making greeting cards. I worked on my Etsy Shop. It has been an introverts dream. Big shiny bright spot. I added face masks to my Etsy store and my sales have been really good.
I saw a load of tempered glass for sale online and went to pick up 65 pieces of it for whatever may come to mind. I had a vision of shattering some of it to use in upcoming projects. Have you ever tried to shatter tempered glass? I brought a few pieces into the studio. Wrapped one in canvas and tried with all my might to hammer it to pieces. Nothing. A few days later I went to get something out of my trunk where the pile was sitting. Lo and behold… one had shattered all on its own! My dream come true. I just had to figure out how to get it out of the trunk without causing a ruckus. I had been trying different products like polyacrylics, acrylic pour, and polyurethane to create art pieces with the glass and pressed flowers. So I slid the broken pieces onto another full sheet of glass and poured polyurethane over it to create this fractured piece, leaving a space for a pressed yellow gerbera daisy to create the bright spot. It became the piece for the artist challenge for our local art guild. We were to come up with something that represented what we have seen “Out The Window” during the time of being quarantined.
So many people never left their home even once for weeks on end. I cannot imagine how shattered your life has been. The pandemic of fear of the virus for many has been far worse than the virus itself even. Living in fear shatters hope, dreams, aspirations, and ideas. Some were paralyzed by this fear and a new layer of mental health issues have been poured out on a portion of people who were already teetering on the edges.
No matter what you’ve seen or experienced in any part of life, always look for the bright spot. There are lives shattering around us. Be the bright spot. Even when those clouds fill our skies and the rains pour endlessly gray, it always ends with a bright spot. When mental health fails us and we are pressed until we shatter from the loss, grief, overwhelming pressures we must find the bright spot. Whether it is in a baby’s laugh, a psalm, a song, a wish or a touch, God always provides a bright spot. Sometimes we have to look hard, dig deep, hold on tight, or ask for help finding it. But it is always there.
