Soul Art® Day 2014

'Art does not reproduce the visible; rather, it makes visible.'  Paul Klee

International Soul Art® Day is May 14th!  

Soul Art®  is a unique, creative process that takes you on an inner journey to connect with your spirit, uncover hidden truths and bring your deepest knowings to life. Your art is your soul’s expression and a way to visually communicate your inner wisdom.

I'll be creating art in my studio and on a live google hangout connecting with thousands of other Soul Artists around the world on this global event. 

Transform your inner essence into art!

You can sign up and be a part of this event here.

Caught in the Web

(Read the previous episode here)

Rose moved swiftly through the forest to keep up with the sprightly, little man. She was glad for the moonlight that lit the path through the trees, and for the warm blanket protecting her from the scratching branches.

Finally they arrived at a small clearing in the woods. In the centre was a large stump covered in bits of fur, blood and bones.

Rose shuddered. She wanted to run from the clearing as fast as she could, but Lucky stopped her.

“The Old Woman will soon be here. Quick, throw your blanket up into the trees!”

Rose did as he told her and threw it as high as she could. The blanket opened and stretched across the clearing like a huge web, it’s silvery-blue yarn invisible in the moonlight.

Just then they heard branches snapping and the Old Woman came traipsing along, dragging a squealing pig by the tail. As she came into the clearing, she let out a horrendous shout and the little pig, suddenly free, darted past Rose and disappeared into the woods.

“Look!” said Lucky, "The Old Woman is caught in the web!"

It was a sight to see! The more the Old Woman struggled, the tighter the web wrapped around her. Soon she was motionless but for her screeches and venom-filled rants.

Rose was terrified, but Lucky reassured her.

“The sun is coming up,” he said, “she can’t live in the light.” And sure enough, as the sun came up and lit the clearing with it’s golden rays, the Old Woman began to melt until she disappeared completely from the web...

(continue reading) 

Fine Art and Fashion

I've been preparing for the Art Crawl this weekend... 

But I did have time to make a fun little video clip! Spring Sale on leggings ends April 30th... Click here to visit the store.

Dream Weaver

(Read the previous episode here)

Careful not to wake the Old Woman, Rose pulled out the cloth bag she’d hidden under her bed long ago. Inside the bag was the most beautiful silvery-blue yarn that shone like the moon.

Rose wondered how she could possibly make a web that was seven feet high and five feet wide from such a small bag of yarn, but the more yarn she pulled out, the more yarn there seemed to be!

And so for seven days, as the Old Woman slept, Rose weaved her magical web. And for seven nights, when the Old Woman went out into the forest, Rose slept under her silvery blanket and wove magical dreams into her web.

Rose’s dream web was now complete and it’s brilliance made the whole room glow with shimmering moonlight.

Forest detail in black and white

“What’s that glare?” the Old Woman said. “It hurts my eyes!”

“That is the moon shining across my bed,” said Rose.

“There must be a hole in the roof letting the light in,” grumbled the Old Woman, “It better be gone by morning or else!” she threatened. Then rubbing her eyes she climbed out from the cave, through the roots at the bottom of the tree, and out into the night.

Rose was frightened. How could she hide the web from the Old Woman? What if Lucky never returned?

Just then she heard the familiar, small voice calling her name.

“You’ve done well Rose,” said Lucky, “but there’s no time to lose. It’s a full moon tonight and the Old Woman won’t stay out long. Throw the end of your yarn up here and climb out.”

Rose pulled out the last of the yarn and threw it up to the little green man at the entrance to the cave. Lucky tied the yarn around a large root and Rose climbed up. The yarn was as strong as steel, yet light as a feather. Together they pulled Rose’s dream web out from the Old Woman’s cave.

“Wrap it around you,” said Lucky. “It will keep you warm and safe in the woods. Now be quick and follow me!” And with that, the little green man disappeared into the dark forest...

(continue reading)

A rose is a rose is a rose...

Rose Leggings

Spring Sale on leggings!

Wearable art ~ Custom designed leggings on sale until April 30th, 2014. Click here to shop

Rose Gets Lucky

(Read last week's episode here)

“Up here,” said the voice, and Rose glanced up towards the light and entrance to the cave. There she saw a little man no bigger than a few inches tall. He had a long, pointy nose that stuck out from his green cape and hood. He looked like part of the earth and roots so Rose would not have seen him but for his madly waving arm.

“Oh, hello,” said Rose, “Who are you?”

“They call me Lucky,” said the little green man, with a twinkle in his eye. “Good luck comes to those who follow what I tell them. I’m here to help you, but you have to trust what I say.” 

“Will you help me escape? I’m afraid the Old Woman will catch me and then I’m done for,” cried Rose fearfully as she watched the Old Woman snoring heavily in her bed.

“Listen carefully and do exactly as I say,” said Lucky. “In the cloth bag from your father is magic yarn that was given to your mother by the fairies. Every day when the Old Woman sleeps, you must weave it into a large web until it is seven feet high and five feet wide. Keep the web on your bed as a blanket, for the Old Woman is blind as a bat. When you sleep your dreams will weave themselves into the web.

“In seven days and seven nights I will be back,” said the little man, and with that he disappeared into the light of the day...

(Click here to continue reading)

Rose and the Old Woman

(You can read the previous episode here)

Tree of Life - detail

The Old Woman took Rose deep into the forest where there stood an enormous tree. Under the tree, beneath the roots, was a door to a long, deep tunnel. In they went and down, down, down, until they came to a small clearing on the earthen floor. It was cold and barren with only the dimmest of light coming in from above. There was a small table with two chairs and two beds on either side of the room. In one corner was a large pot on a stove with bones and remnants of yesterday’s meal scattered about the floor.

The Old Woman ordered Rose to make dinner, then hobbled over to the smallest bed and went to sleep.

Every day while the Old Woman slept, Rose cooked and cleaned and plotted her escape. And at night when Rose lay sleeping, the Old Woman disappeared, returning each morning before dawn.

“Try to escape and I’ll catch you and eat you!” the Old Woman cackled, and so Rose did as she was told.

One day, when the Old Woman was fast asleep, Rose heard a small voice calling her name...

(continue reading...)

Into the Forest...

(You can read last week's episode here.)

It was a dark and stormy winter day. Rose and her father huddled by the fire, listening to the wind howl and branches “tap, tap, tap,” against the cottage windows. 

Tree of Life - detail

Then came a louder “tap, tap, tap” at the door. Rose was frightened and begged her father not to open it. But the Woodsman, with heavy heart, opened the door and in came the Old Woman of the Forest looking even more ancient and dirty than before.

“I’ve come to collect,” said the Old Woman with a glint in her eye. She grinned mischievously at Rose, whose eyes opened wide in horror as she clung to her father.

“Rose has been well looked after and a deal is a deal,” said the Woodsman sadly. With that he gathered up a cloth bag that was hidden behind the stove and gave it to his daughter.

“Enough!” croaked the Old Woman and she grabbed the Woodsman’s young daughter by the arm. Just then a big gust of wind blew the cottage door open wide and Rose and the Old Woman disappeared into the dark forest leaving nothing but a trail of earth behind them...

(continue reading...)

The Old Woman of the Forest

(You can read part one from last week here.)

Just then there was a knock at the cottage door.

The Woodsman opened the door and an old woman entered. She was as ancient as the trees with her leathery skin, and stood just three feet tall. As she came in the room her dark, green cloak trailed bits of branches and tree roots behind her. She smelled of earth and moss and had a long dirty tail.

The old woman gazed around the cottage until her small, beady eyes rested on the sleeping Rose.

“The forest folk will mind your roses, but on one condition. You must promise me your daughter when she turns thirteen."

The Woodsman was at a loss without his wife and in anguish he thought to himself, “I cannot look after her. She will be better off without me.” And so he agreed.

With that the old woman disappeared into the forest as quickly as she came.

Soon it was Spring. The Woodsman went off to the forest every day to do his work, while the fairies and other forest folk minded the baby and tended to the cottage and garden. When summer arrived the red, yellow and white roses blossomed around the cottage once again and little Rose played happily in the garden alongside the animals, birds and flower fairies of the forest.

The Woodsman and his daughter lived happily in their cottage in the woods and the years passed by until one day Rose turned thirteen...

(continue reading...)

The Woodsman and His Wife

Sometimes I don’t know what comes first, the painting or the painter.

One day, while in my forest painting, I realized the painting was painting me…

Somewhere along the way, my painting became it’s own creation, with it’s own purpose and reason for being...

So I stepped back and let it speak to me.

It was telling me a story...

Once upon a time there was a Woodsman and his wife who lived in a tidy, little cottage in the woods. Surrounding the cottage were beautiful red, yellow and white roses that filled the air with their scent every summer.

But winters in the cottage were bleak and cold. From morning until night the Woodsman would be gone, hunting in the forest and chopping wood for the fire. The Woodsman’s wife stayed home, weaving rose patterned tapestries and minding the cottage. They were long, lonely days and she would count the days until spring buds would once again appear in the garden.

One particularly cold and dark winter day a baby daughter was born to the Woodsman and his wife. She had lips as red as rubies, hair as yellow as the sun, and skin as white as snow drops. They named her Rose so the wife would always be reminded of her summer roses whenever she looked at her.

But the Woodsman’s wife was not a strong woman and after the birth of their child she became ill and shortly thereafter she died.

In his grief the Woodsman cried out in distress, “Who will mind the roses? They will surely die!"

Just then there was a knock at the cottage door. The Woodsman opened the door and an old woman entered...

(Continue reading...)