the pear came back, and the chicken and the sheep...

Sheep at the Royal

The process of showing paintings in a public setting is still pretty new to me. Throughout the years, until recently, there were half-hearted attempts - a juried show here and there, the odd group show, but no concerted effort to "show and sell". But now, it seems to have become part of the creative process. 

The return process is even stranger if you don't really have much feedback on your work, which could include objective comments by others, or sales. What direction do you head in next; do you follow your heart and just do whatever you want, or also seek some constructive criticism through additional sources to inform your work. 

Working in a vacuum has never been effective for me. Creativity can be a solitary process, or it can be collaborative, or stimulated by the world and others around you - or all of these. Joining a collective was one of my first ways to be in the company of others going through a similar development process (everyone at different stages of course). Having a strong and expressive support network of friends with a wide range of interests also triggers some provocative thought and conversations at times - may even present new directions.

"in keeping with the season"

Gifts from Ruth

In an attempt to try and beat this rotten cold, a nap was in order. Before I fell asleep, I'd been thinking of this time of year back through the decades and some of the things my family and friends did to celebrate in those weeks leading up to Christmas day. Some things were consistent, traditions, I guess you would call them, and other things were new, but sometimes became tradition - or not. It reminded me of an NFB film called "Keepers of the Fire", about Aboriginal women, who are the keepers of the cultural heart and soul of their community - their music, language, arts, food, and of course, traditions.

At the Heart of the Hammer cafe our little "community centre", the key keeper of our communal heart and soul, Rebecca, has asked those who have a creative inclination, to make something for our sparkly Christmas tree.

I hadn't given it any thought about what to make for our festive tree until now. A traditonal craft we made as a family when I was a kid were dough decorations. I found a similar recipe and directions online (@planetgreen.com) and pasted it below. You can use cookie cutters or just use your imagination and form whatever you want with the dough, just as you would with plasticine. This and making those fabulous milk carton candles were good fun for all of us and we could be proud of our creations on display throughout the Christmas season.

Dough Christmas tree ornaments