The definition of a "mother" can be wide and varied. Most importantly, it is about caring for others, and for yourself. 

What does it take to be a Mother? Time. Lots of it. Oh and lots of patience, energy and love. 

What does it mean to be a Mother in these times? So many women have understood that a Mother is to insure that life continues on and their families are taken care of. Even if this means sacrificing their own goals and dreams. 

How does childhood affect us as people and as mothers? Whether we remember our own childhood, or gather memories of our own children; these memories give us an opportunity to be in a place of warmth and joy. 

Do you need to stop a minute and register the power that women bring to daily life?
A new series of pieces are being released celebrating women's role in keeping our lives normal.

Celebrate the ordinary things in life

In these challenging times, women are at the core of making things feel normal.

 Dreams Can Help

So often we get caught up in the moment and lose sight of the bigger picture. Let your mind venture into the places it wants to go. Use art to guide you and remind you that life is good and full of joy. 

The beginning of a New Era

Love can change the world in such easy ways. Caring, empathy, consideration as a daily practice creates a place of love and nurturing. The question is how does art play a role in this?

Hope and Art are Linked.

Hope can heal your mind and soul and art keeps you hopeful. The two are inextricably linked. The question is how?

Creating is to give you vision.

What are the reasons to create art and look at it? Why art should be part of your life? Are you looking for inspiration? For escape? For distraction? So many reasons we look towards an image, a piece of music, poetry, theatre or film. So many ways to look at something that reminds us that there is more. More than the everyday stresses and pressures.

What are the best steps to take in deciding on the perfect piece of art?

According to a recent survey by University College London, looking at a beautiful work of art impacts the brain in the same way as falling in love with a person. How to buy art, whether it is an original or a print, speaks to your unique vision of the world. It reflects your story and your insight to your reality. It should also give you a sense of beauty and a rush of escape that soothes your mind and your soul. It is a risk, but it has a great deal of fulfillment.

However, the biggest piece of this is the uncertainty in making the final decision. How to overcome the risk? How to take the steps that, in the end, will fulfill your need to make your home a place where it heals and rejuvenates.

A few practical steps;

How are your happiness levels?

Do you self check on a daily basis to see how you feel? Is there a time, at the end of the day, that you feel you are OK and you had a happy moment that day.

I have this quote pinned to my wall;

“Happiness is the meaning and the purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence (...) Happiness depends upon ourselves” - Aristotle

Happiness levels comes from a variety of sources; material goods, helping others, ego gratification when comparing to others and finally, searching for balance of previous three elements.  It is this last piece that seems to be the most distant and unreachable. The ultimate bliss. The sense you get up in the morning and be grateful for those who love you, in your achievements as a human being. Pieces that we can take for granted.

How can hope set you free?

 A simple statement although one that may think is a distant one during these times. How do you keep hope alive? How do you live your life so hope can set you free from the pressures of the daily grind of life.

When looking for "hope" there is list of strategies that can bring light to your day.

Strategies to finding hope

The act of  self-reflection when looking at art or listening music brings you to a place that there is another reality. A reality that celebrates the moment.

Another strategy is the listing of your successes and strengths. You have been in a different place, at a different time when things are riding high. By doing this simple list, there is a goal of looking at the good. Look to what has been positive.

Probably one of the most important pieces is to jump into helping others and be involved with a community. Volunteer, reach out, be accessible to others. Probably most importantly, surround yourself with positive people. By doing so there is a focus on things that will empower you.

Look for the light everyday you wake up.

"Look what the light did now" , says my mom as I work through the realization that my life is so drastically different. She is noting that by looking towards the light I feel less at a loss. Without art fairs to travel to in the US and events canceled in Canada, there is a coming to terms with the fact that the Covid effect is going deep.

Deeper than I expected.

Part of this realization is the fact that the mindset in dealing with this change is how to manage the stress, the grief and the loss. Of course to look for light is the goal.

To stay on point and be within the art, the creative and the purpose. When doing this there is a sense of "look what the light did now". There is a sense of accomplishment and moving forward. Moving forward is a way to look for light.

Can you Create the Perfect Day?

How do you create a day of perfection? A day where everything lands just right. Have you gone through the process? From the beginning till the end looking close to the things and actions that make it perfect. Your breakfast, your work, your day to enjoy the outdoors, the perfect dinner. All the things that take you into the world of the perfect.

Is this all there is- making of the perfect day? Are there not pieces in this perfection that speak to trying to achieve goals?

Is it time to find your Happy Place?

Finding a way to salve your soul, to give you a respite from the tensions of the daily life is a way to survive. A way to make certain that you heal and take care of your mental state.

There are many ways to take care of yourself; get rest, take care of others, exercise, eat well, keep in touch with friends and family- and find a way to enjoy the beauty around you. A garden, blooming lilacs, watching children ride a bike, the sunlight on the lake, the warm wind on the beach. All things that take us into a place where lightness elevates our inner selves.

It Helps you Escape!.........

Art is a way that we can be in a place that is not in the present. For many this time has been challenging, drawn out and challenging our patience. The Great Pause has also placed a pause on the ability to plan.

Looking forward to an event, a place to visit, a family gathering are ways that we look forward. Without this, there is a stillness, a sense that a paralysis has happened and there is no life. So how to combat this? How to step aside from the effect of a Pandemic Nightmare?  In fact there has been research that notes that dreaming enables us to manage crisis situations. That dreaming and sleep enable us the tools to withstand stress.

Your Home is your Place for Delight.

Is it time to find your joy? What delight are you finding in your home? What are the things around you that is bringing you pleasure? A comfortable chair, an old photo of your family, or looking out the window with the greening of the outside from the burst of the spring. These things can have a great impact on your psyche.

The concept that the tangible object- the soft pink blanket that you wrap around yourself to escape the day, the vase of fresh tulips on your dining room table with its call to spring, or the painting you look at everyday are intangible objects that give us a sensation of escape, or enjoyment.

There is a deep desire for a moment of rapture- a glimmer of the lightness and beauty in an item around you. Not necesarily "happiness" which can be defined as how we feel about our work, the people in our lives or the meaning we may embed into our daily life. Joy is more of a moment. A flash of the good. The focus upon a brief second of pleasure.

Think Beyond Yourself

How do we brighten someone's day as we progress through The Great Pause? During this time we are reminded of the essentials of life. Family, friends, safety, kindness and freedom.  We are reminded that we must have the ability to step outside of our own plans and be in the moment. To trust that the future will return.

There is a great sense of loss, on so many levels. For so many,  this loss becomes about ourselves.  Although, the phrase "we are all in it together" has become somewhat trite- yet it speaks to the sense that loss has been shared by everyone. The question becomes how to combat this "woe is me" feeling. To step outside of the personal grieving of loss and empathize that there are others who are struggling as well.

Your Mother helps Your Sanity

The journey to find the end of this dreary time is the challenge. How do we equip ourselves to keep going on a daily basis? How do we get up everyday and step into some time of routine. How do we find the space where we can contribute to the healing and stopping of the Pause?

For me, my lifeline has  been my mother. Her voice at the other end of the phone, or to see her face on the screen, has been a calming influence. She has "brightened someone's day" by just being a calm voice. Just by asking if I am OK.

Special Messages of Love

What is in a postcard? Really the question should be asked; when is the last time you received a postcard? A short message, with a great picture and a sensation that someone, somewhere took the time to think of you. They took the time to write a note, put your address and stamp on it and put it in a mailbox. 

Usually these postcards have photos of wonderful places. Places we can escape to in the moment of receiving this message. Our mind travels, every so briefly, and is there with the person enjoying the view. Of course, you soon think that the message is not irrelevant as the person has moved onto another place. The mail could never follow as quickly as social media.

Now we have an instant experience- we can look at social media and see the place, the moment of personal reaction to the place they are visiting. The consumption of the imagery is monumental. The reception of the postcard does not celebrate the personal sharing of a memory. In fact, there just is no connection. There is observation. 

Friends makes us Happy

Having a group of women friends creates happiness and memories. Friendship brings out the lighter side of life and makes us realize that life is to be enjoyed. To not be taken too seriously and remind you to laugh a little at the absurdity of daily life.

For many women, working, taking care of kids and parents, having a partner are so many pieces that have to be balanced and nurtured. Much of our time is spent insuring that everyone is good. Having friendship with other women is just too much. It takes time to be engaged. To reach out and celebrate each other. A piece that often get lost in the demands of taking care of others.

Yet by not doing this, by not taking care of the personal, the resource that gives so much is not renewed. That resource is You.

As an artist, I spend a great deal of time alone. I'm not lonely. I just don't talk to people much. It takes a bit of effort and time to understand that by doing this I am not renewing the resource that produces the art.

Original art has a power.

We are surrounded by an enormous amount of imagery everyday. Images through social media, tv, streaming, news  all seem to blend into our minds. So what stands out? What makes an impression upon us? The power of original art is to make you stop, look and think.

When you look towards original art you should stop.  Think that these are One of a kind pieces of art that had time and thought put into it to create it. Remember that the image you are looking out was made out of NOTHING.  A person took a tool, and used a surface and made something from nothing. And what they made was about something. It had a statement about your life. It's purpose was to register a moment that you take for granted. In many ways, artists are visual philosophers. They stop time and translate it into a visual moment. So stop the scrolling and register.

How does Art create a moment to remember?

A moment in time is really just that. A fleeting second of a feeling that can disappear as quickly as it appeared. How to capture this moment? And how do we register those moments to remember?

The moments when you register what life is really about. Like when your husband touches your shoulder, turns to you, and kisses you. Says lets not lose that ability to kiss. To say I love you. After 25 years, this is a moment that keeps me going.

Or when your daughter holds your hand. As a teenager, these moments are so precious. So much of the time is just trying to get through the day. To not react and show love. In that moment, however, there is a registering of love, trust and future.

Resisting creating is not an option. 

What does it take to create? To make something- a piece of art, a piece of music, a new business? The making something out of nothing takes an enormous amount of initiative, motivation and perseverance. Most of the effort is the resisting of creating that seems to envelop us.  Making a piece of art is no different. Having the ideas is one thing. It is thinking through the process that takes a n amount of time to understand and go through. As an artist I make plans. I think of an image, then initiate the process. However when doing it I have to let the painting, the piece of art take its own magic. The first step is the most important- initiating the work.

Is Original Art Dead?

Do we care about the handmade or the one of a kind? Does it have the same power that art had in the 17th and 18th centuries? Although it does not have the same power as these times, art is very much alive. In fact I would make the argument that art is even more important because it is it is so pervasive and accessible.

Although the handmade item seems to be disappearing, there is still the focus upon the uniqueness of the idea. We are now in a time where we look towards how the digital transforms our ideas and puts them in a new context.

Images from the Past Inspires the Stories. 

Nothing is original.  So where do ideas come from? You may disagree with this, but it is true. Everything spins from something else. A piece of music, an old photo, a place that reminds us of our younger self; all are triggers for ideas. Ideas that I can use to make my Art.

As you know I work from the ephemera of memory. Vintage advertising, old vinyl record album covers, lyrics from favourite songs, old photos, classic films all play a part in the germination of an idea. A piece of art that defines who you are. Most importantly, this brings me to the most important piece of finding ideas; having  defined parameters of the story. The themes of the story can be in the realm of "escape", or  "empowerment" or the internal story of the "home sweet home". Each area brings to mind its own type of images which speaks to your personal experience.

We are our Memories.

Every moment is a memory as soon as it passes.  They link to each other and create an identity. I often think of a moment in the past and put myself back at that time.  Like trying to remember my daughter at the age of two walking for the first time.  We remind ourselves of who we are when we remember. At least that's what I thought. In fact,  this is not true. Several studies have shown that the act of remembering a particular moment can be interpreted differently. Most importantly, the more you remember a particular event the less accurate the actual event becomes.

Every moment is a Memory Sensation

As soon as reality happens, the memory changes. The truest memories are those that are not recalled often. This fact is difficult for me to accept.

How can I not remember the first kiss I had with my husband? I seem to remember the place, the time and the sensation. So I did a bit of an experiment. I asked my husband if he remembered our first kiss. He didn't. Sure he remembered the general time and place but his memory was more about the "feel". That brings me to the most important piece. It was the sensation that was remembered. Not the detail of the time and place, rather, the connection.

Women Artists don't Exist

It started with the word NO-

No you can't do this because you are a woman. The message was that because I was a woman I would be paid less, be a target for violence, and be expected to expect less. These ideas made me angry. After finishing my first University degree I realized that my goal was to make art that could help cultural social change. In other words, make art that would change people's minds.

It was to change the vision of women and make a living from it. This may sound like a naive idea. How do I make social change through Art? My answer? Just make the work and put it out there.

However the word No was loud in my head as I looked to using Art as a way to make people aware of the woman's voice and experience. My theory was that by doing this I could make the viewer realize that women should be honoured and respected.  I soon realized that "No" I can't make a living in art because there aren't any other women out there to look at.  In the late 1980's there were very few women represented in the private galleries and public museums. Looking around I saw little representation or role models.

the truth about memories

Art and memories can create a new reality.  However, are our memories truth or a lie? If it is a lie- can we rely on these memories to truly define us? Confusing questions, to be sure. But I am interested in how this relates to Art. My art. Memories are my inspiration, but I interpret the moment. A moment that is a trigger for you. So the 'memories as a reality' become more about the sensation of a moment in time. It becomes a doorway through which you can enter and enjoy the memory of a particular time and place.

Every time we remember an event, it is different. Memory is not a reality, it is an interpretation. Much like a piece of Art. The transformation of reality into an interpretation is the reality. I find this difficult to accept. How can an event change, in your mind, when it actually happened?

I remember one thing. you remember another . We were both at the same event, the same place, but you remember it differently than me.

The memories we have of a certain time period of our life can be wrong. It may actually be a lie. How often have you had a conversation with your partner about a prrticular event and the stories are different? One's perception of that moment is not the same as the others. Although I don't know if this is a lie as much as an experience of reality through different eyes.

In the article Why are Memories so Different from Reality;

"A memory isn’t a perfect stored representation of the event. It’s not a photograph, snapshot, or movie of our lives. When we encode something we store salient aspects, things that stand out and things we find important. What those things are also depends on you, your past experiences, and your knowledge. Different aspects stand out or are important to different people."

Just Be There

"Just show up", she said. 

What does that mean today? What does it mean to be there, to act, to react, to give, to take and to be? It means that being in the moment and acting like you are producing and contributing is showing up. That being part of life, sharing your vision, honoring your talent, and giving it to those around you is showing up. Finally it means that making what ever you make becomes part of a wider world.

The Power of Art

Does the power of art  have the ability to change your life?   It's a question that many have asked and answered. Art, in its many forms, can reveal the power that we can acquire through the engagement and understanding of the stories behind art. For this reason, just filling a space in the wall with an image that has no meaning to you undervalues the power and impact that art can have. In fact, the power comes from you taking the risk to surround yourself with Art that inspires you, makes you feel the power that art can have.

"Art does not show people what to do, yet engaging with a good work of art can connect you to your senses, body, and mind. It can make the world felt. And this felt feeling may spur thinking, engagement, and even action."

No one wants an empty life. A life lacking in colour, in drama and in story. This time of year can be a time of paralysis. Winter descends and the cold tightens its grip. Hibernation seems to be the best alternative. This is where the power of art becomes integral to moving forward. Dreaming of another time and place is integral to survival. And survival is where this year has began.

Selling of Art has its Challenges

The business of art is challenging. First of all its not just the making of the art, but being able to market, distribute and sell it. Finding collectors that love and support my art is the ongoing uphill battle. Many artists choose to use galleries to sell their work. I have done the same track and just don't have the patience. The waiting for the Sale is not compatible with paying bills. Therefore the business of art for me is in the spirit of the Independent artist.

The artist that finds places to exhibit in outdoor art fairs, pop up spaces and smaller local galleries.  My ability to sell my art makes the experience of buying one of my pieces so much more satisfying both for the collector and for myself. Most importantly, I can control the supply of the pieces and be more closely linked to the people who buy my work.

Envelop Yourself with Beauty

When there is beauty in your home, there is good. What does this mean to have the "good"?  I define the "good" as the positive energy we get when we look or experience the positive. How do we introduce the positive into our life? We surround ourselves with good people. Mentors who tell us that we Can Do It. Most importantly we should make our environment enable us to have hope. That's where  my Art comes in. Surround yourself with the good things of  the lightness of colour, the ideas of generosity, the beauty of the image into your home.  Envelop yourself with the beauty of life. All things that inspire our view. All things that reminds us, on a daily basis, that life is Good.

As life throws us challenges we are often in a place of discouragement. The pushing through to activate and make things happen takes on more effort. The voice in our mind that "it's just not worth the energy" to keep going is constantly there. How do you battle the negative? How do you push away these thoughts that there is no point to keep pushing? Discouragement is a motivator of inaction. If you just sit on the couch and not engage then nothing will happen. Your life is one of action so it is imperative that you create a life that is full and rewarding.

Stop and Listen to your World

My daughter, from a young age, would wake up singing. I would listen as I wake up and revel in this moment of happiness. Just to stop and listen. The other day I asked my 14 year old daughter if she still wakes up with a song in her head. Yes she said. There is always a tune in her head. She dances through her life. The sounds of everyday life permeate her world and she registers this moment.

In fact, when she was younger, she would dance after dinner. Everyday. At home and when we went out for dinner. I called it the Dinner and Show time which was an inspiration for a whole series of pieces that focused on dance. My daughter doesn't dance after dinner anymore, because the music is still within her.

I don't wake up with a song in my head. I wake up with a list of things to do. Not that this is a bad thing, but I have to remind myself to stop and enjoy life a bit more. Like my daughter.

The Gift of Art can Last Forever

 Buying gifts can be exhausting. Finding the perfect gift can be challenging. So this time of year can bring on the grumps.

In the last couple of years I have asked my teenage daughter to just send me the link of what she wants for Christmas. This is the time of year that this process begins. My text messages start to fill up with the Black Friday sales. I proceed, as a well trained dog, to buy the gifts online. As a result, this leaves me with a degree of emptiness. There was no hunt. I didn't debate what I thought of this gift.

I just bought the stuff to make her happy.

Does Pot make you more of an artist?

Can you be more creative when you smoke pot? Today is a monumental day in Canada. Consuming marijuana has become legal.  A major cultural shift in this country. One that inspired my 14 year old to ask me if I would now be smoking a joint in the house before I go to the studio. This brings up an interesting point. Is creativity enhanced by smoking weed? In the article "Does Smoking Pot Make You More Creative?, the author notes that it all depends on the individual.

It is Your Choice to be Happy

Choosing the joy in life can come in many ways. It can come from walking your dog in the morning as the sun comes up. It can come from just sitting at a cafe and enjoying the last few moments of warmth and sunshine before the winter descends upon us.  It can come from having dinner with your partner after a tough day.  Or similarly, it can come from going to the Theatre and absorbing a moment of beautiful classical music by the symphony. Most importantly,  it can come from looking at beautiful piece of art in your home that impresses upon you the celebration of the moment.  Art reminds us of the beauty- the moments that last briefly but can imprint upon our minds indefinitely.

Renewal of the Home and Feng Shui

Your home should be a place or renewal and regeneration. The question becomes how? How does the design and flow of your home take you into a place of the positive. The theory of Feng Shui delves into this theory through the use of colour, symbols and placement of the interior elements to make a healthy happy place.

Creating Balance through art and colour.

In the article about the Feng Shui Use of Art, the author delves into the themes of imagery and symbols that creates and enhance the story of the room. For example, the introduction of feminine elements through the use of light colours, light fabrics and patterns.  The theory creates an outlook that emphasizes a happy energy into our space. It is all about health, balance and harmony.

There are five elements in the Feng Shui theory- fire, earth, water, wood and metal. Colours that range from the blue/ green delve into serenity of water to the red/yellows that bring in the theme of love. Symbols, colour and placement of furniture creates a flow of a home. The framework helps guide you to select the pieces of Art, furniture, colours and approach to creating a space that renews us.

Commissioning a painting creates a family heirloom.

Commissioning a painting from me preserves a special memory. The client often realizes the importance of their family, and the experiences they had as they were growing up. The question becomes how do they represent these past moments?  Of course, a wall of photos or a mantel piece with special images recalls memories. But does this give them an emotional sensation that can be read by those who haven't been there?

By selecting special photos clients are being proactive in preserving fleeting moments of their past. The result? Anyone who was not part of the "memory" can experience the identity and moment cherished by the one who commissioned it. A family hierloom is created and can be passed down through the generations.

Experiencing art can be a challenge.

How to experience art can be a challenge. We have to reminds ourselves that art is a gentle reminder of escape to another psychic place. Many say that the "millennial" generation is all about experiences. So buying a product is just not part of their priority. This maybe the case but the experience of art, the looking, the absorbing, the escaping into another place is as much an experience. Although more of a an inner place of response this appreciation of looking at something, on a daily basis, puts us in a calmer more connected state. In fact, the experience of art can be an antidote to materialism.

Telling a story with a Single Image

Storytelling with a painting, a static image, can be challenging. How is it possible to create an image that tells the different sides to the story? Recently I came upon a quote by the Jean Renoir, the son of the impressionist painter Pierre August Renoir. He stated that only a painter could "find the relationship between eternity and the instant, between the world and the soul". In effect, he believed that film could never express a single vision.

The meaning of what I make?

Often there is a question about the meaning of what I make. What is the message and how does it relate to the viewer's world? My work has a self evident message with the use of nostalgic imagery.  As seen in the painting highlighted titled Turn It On, this images brings to mind a fun party atmosphere with flowered paper, patterns and light colours. It seems to be self evident in that I work with found images from mid century resources and rework them into stories about our present world. Seems simple. However, when I create pieces I often think how the colour, the patterns, the transparency of materials also convey meaning. There is a deeper meaning. One that you don't realize is part of the work at first, then it seems to become more important.

Sometimes a painting such as the piece highlighted titled Still I Rise, inspires a collective reaction of celebration and empowerment.  Finding her voice is a goal that every woman has. There is an assumption that with the #metoo movement women are allowed to speak and to stand up, but I don't think this is the case. In fact, there are many messages that young teenage girls receive that say that they just aren't good enough. That their voice, with its brightness and loudness, is not acceptable.

How to Be Happy?

Being happy can be a challenge. How do you remind yourself that life is good and there is warmth and sunshine just around the corner. As the cold wraps itself around us and the grey colours seem to permeate into our psyche, there is a sense that life is drab, boring and empty. Yes it is the January blues that we are confronted by. So the question becomes how to snap ourselves out of this paralysis? Do you go out to the theatre? Or to the art Galleries? Or perhaps to a great concert? Some place to escape to.

For me, watching old movies provides a perfect story of escape. These films are little stories that wrap up nicely and gives me the inspiration  I need for my work. Films like Singing in the Rain, Casablanca, or An American in Paris,  transports me into another place and time and gives me the moment of drama and elegance. I look towards these films for the story but also for images and stories to replicate in my work.

Can the power of art change your life?  Can art change the world? It's a question that many have asked and answered. Art, in its many forms, can reveal the power that we can acquire through the engagement and understanding of the stories behind art. For this reason, just filling a space in the wall with an image that has no meaning to you undervalues the power and impact that art can have. In fact, the power comes from you taking the risk to surround yourself with Art that inspires you, makes you feel the power that art can have.

"Art does not show people what to do, yet engaging with a good work of art can connect you to your senses, body, and mind. It can make the world felt. And this felt feeling may spur thinking, engagement, and even action."

No one wants an empty life. A life lacking in colour, in drama and in story. This time of year can be a time of paralysis. Winter descends and the cold tightens its grip. Hibernation seems to be the best alternative. This is where the power of art becomes integral to moving forward. Dreaming of another time and place is integral to survival. And survival is where this year has began.

How to preserve memories? Memories that happen in a glimpse of time that we experience and take for granted at that moment? There are many moments that we try to recreate through a photograph, a short film, but the actual sensation can never be recaptured.

As the holidays descend upon us, many are recreating traditions in the hope of experiencing a moment from the past. Food, gifts, gatherings are become a way to recreate the bonds that families have. These moments of the past can never be recaptured. They can never be re experienced because of age, loss of family name and just time. As my family gets older and my children become young adults, I find I grieve the loss of their childhood. This time of year has reminded me that those moments when they were young were precious and brief. There is no way to go back except to share stories with them about the "remember when". This is the closest I can get to reliving the memory.

As you know, the handmade, one of a kind gift is the perfect choice!  The question is why?

Your Creative Voice in Giving

As the search for the perfect gift comes upon us for the holiday season, we are struggling to find the present that speaks to our own creative voice. This creative voice, which can also be known as the "original voice" speaks to our own creativity. This may seem a bit abstract, but I have often wondered why we are so attracted to finding the maker of the piece of craft or art. With a culture flooded with products, the search for uniqueness is a premium.

Wonderland Calling for Art Lovers!

This morning I met a woman who's first words were "I am an art collector". She hadn't bought a piece from me, but I was struck at how proud she was that her home was filled with art. She didn't care whether the art was seen as "good" or "bad", rather, she loved that she had collected art made by artists who came into her life and expressed how she felt about her world. Now, she is an art collector for her kids and makes Art a special gift that gives them the "colour of their life".

Being an art collector of others can be challenging. How do you know what to give to someone who is just getting married, or has an anniversary, or is moving into their first home? In my opinion, I don't think it really matters. The gift is from your own perspective. You see the colour, the life and the story. The person who receives it knows that this gift comes from a place of understanding and relating to your world.

Your Home and How it Defines You

As my travel show season comes to an end I am at home for the next few months. This has got me thinking as to the definition of my "home". What is it that makes it as a place to rejuvenate? A place that is stress free and safe?  How does art play a role in creating this space.

In reading about the emotional meaning of home I came across this quote that home is;

"the idea of belonging somewhere not only in physical terms, but also the feeling of being comfortable, the moment of perceiving and enjoying the small things that inspire you and bring you peace."

"When a piece of art reflects what you feel, it can give you a stronger sense of who you are." Jean Huble

There are times when I am at an art fair, or at an opening at a gallery that I wonder about the purpose of all of this work and presentation. The business of art can be draining, and the disconnection between the creating of the piece and the final presentation of it can be a far distance. And then there are moments that there is a realization that my purpose, as an artist, is to make the world a "better place".

"Precious Life"

Often people ask themselves "what is the reason to buy art for their home?". This is a normal question as Art is not a "need". It is a "Want". It isn't food, shelter, or clothing. However, it is part of self care. It is part of making certain we retain our identity and reminds ourselves of who we are.

Where are you going to buy artwork for your home? You can go to a furniture chain, like Ikea, and get a mass marketed print.  Or you can go to a Gallery connect with a dealer/art consultant that knows the artists and has done some research in finding reputable, quality made items.

Or you can go to an art fair and wander around to find a piece of art that resonates with you. The best of these events have art that is only original and is made by the artist who is present at the show. This week I will be participating in one of the oldest "original only" art fairs in the US- the Rittenhouse Square Art Show in downtown Philadelphia. This event surrounds a beautiful park like setting and has over 150 artists from across North America that present well made, creative art. Each artist can speak to their process, their purpose and give you a sense of their personality. Elements which can help you decide if you would like to live with the piece of art that is in their booth. Once you have found this artist, then its time to make the leap an purchase. However, if the choice of work is not affordable then perhaps an online version is offered. Similar to the memoryartgirl. com which I have developed over the past few months. 

When buying a piece of art many potential collectors doubt their ability to choose. It brings to mind what makes a work of art valuable for your choice? How do you decide on a piece of art? Do you go by colour? By size? In my world, these criteria should not be the primary concerns. Rather it should be about the story. What does this Art say to you and how does it reflect something in your life that enhances your world?