Power

Original one-of-a-kind art by Judith Parsons 2015

Power 

Where does it reside?  Where does it come from? Is it a small ember waiting to be ignited into an inferno? Does the character of power wait until you are strong enough to handle him/her before he steps up to give you a taste of what you will for ever hunger for?

Power.

The wild horse that we ride bareback upon. Our hair flowing and the wind making us crazy for more. There is a strong wild energy wanting to come forward in all of us. A confident strong backed soul who ask you to work for him/her.

Power.

It is a powerful feeling when you know you look and feel good. There is much power in beauty and strength. There is no shame in wanting to look and feel better. However, there is much work to be done in order to achieve this goal. 

The power to say “no” to yourself. One must have discipline. We live in a world where snacks, sugar and fast food is within reach twenty four hours a day. Just because it is there, doesn’t mean we should partake of it. Having the power to say “no”…is a tremendous power.

Ask your highest self what you desire? Is it love? Do you love yourself enough to present your best self to the world? Are you waiting around for some hot smoking partner to love you? Are you that hot smoking partner? It is a two way street, this love, this wanting to be better in all ways.

Take your powerful self out of the dusty box in the cob web of your mind and have a talk with yourself. Are you all that you want to be? If no, I suggest you get busy.

That is all.

Soaring with Nancy.

Original illustration by Judith Parsons 2015

Todays blog brought to you by my niece Nancy, (waving) Thank you for commissioning this work.

Mary Oliver’s poem is stunning, I penciled in the words, and read over every single line. As one pens words to reproduce by hand, the words take on their own shape and form. The words step out of their context and become more.

This line: 

“ You only have to let the soft animal of your body love what it loves.”

  Walks up to me in person form, this is what my highest self would look like, if she were words.

The poem is amazing. 

Wild Geese

by Mary Oliver

You do not have to be good.

You do not have to walk on your knees

For a hundred miles through the desert, repenting.

You only have to let the soft animal of your body

love what it loves.

Tell me about your despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.

Meanwhile the world goes on.

Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain

are moving across the landscapes,

over the prairies and the deep trees,

the mountains and the rivers.

Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,

are heading home again.

Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,

the world offers itself to your imagination,

calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting --

over and over announcing your place

in the family of things.

The art of stopping time

Image from google images

Stop watch photograph turned into illustration.
Created by Judith Parsons 2015

Stopping Time

The illustration is made from a stop watch. All too soon we look over our shoulder at all the things we were going to do…and we have let that time slip through our hands.

I thought I would be a great mom and aunt to my children, nieces and nephews. It is up to me to connect and cultivate with family members. As I see it, my Aunts did the best they could connecting and reaching out to family. I wish I had spent more time loving them.

We can easily get so busy dealing with our own existence, our faces downward dealing with the demands of the day that we forget to reach out to other family members. I totally understand this, as I am guilty of it.

Love is a verb. Love is doing. Love is taking action- stopping time, picking up the telephone and reaching out to people you know and love.

I belong to some healing tribes, and they make the point to connect to the lost tribe members once a year. They have a pot-luck gathering so that all the members of the healing group can share their healing experiences. It is a fun gathering with all sorts of stories, icy cold hot hands and family members showing up are always a part of the gathering.

When I have a gallery, I will have all the people that have bought my paintings and sculptures over for a open house, once a year. To thanks them for allowing my art, my energy in their home. We ARE all connected! We are energy ebbing and flowing into one another’s life. 

Stop time, stop and think on the people you need to connect with. Call them, hug them and be a part of healing time.

Love you…soaring beside you.

Stopping Time.

If you are an older person you will remember the famous song: “Time in a bottle” by Jim Croche.

Here are the lyrics:

If I could save time in a bottle

The first thing that I'd like to do

Is to save every day

'Til eternity passes away

Just to spend them with you

If I could make days last forever

If words could make wishes come true

I'd save every day like a treasure and then,

Again, I would spend them with you

But there never seems to be enough time

To do the things you want to do

Once you find them

I've looked around enough to know

That you're the one I want to go

Through time with

If I had a box just for wishes

And dreams that had never come true

The box would be empty

Except for the memory

Of how they were answered by you

But there never seems to be enough time

To do the things you want to do

Once you find them

I've looked around enough to know

That you're the one I want to go

Through time with

Smelling ghosts!

Original photograph and art by Judith Parsons 2015

Smelling ghost

Yesterday was an incredible day! There was a fabulous 4 month old labrador puppy to help entertain us as we gathered to celebrate Thanksgiving. Then there were two 16 year old young adults to enlighten on the Humanity of Life.

It was a fresh day, it had rained earlier in the week and everything about the day was clean and clear and breathe-able. The puppy was sniffing the scents, the nose hard at work when Bob (waving) said; “She is smelling ghost.”

Aw-w-w-w-w…The perfect book title! we both laughed, because he knew I would use that as fodder for todays blog! (grinning) You are right Bob. (still waving)!

Thanksgiving for me was always a time to pull out the family china, sterling silver, and crystal engraved goblets. No paper plates for me. I would light candles and polish the candelabra and find the table cloth Aunt Peggy gave me. Thanksgiving was the time to make oyster dressing and drink champagne. It was a time for all the family to gather. I can still hear my dad in Aunt Peggy’s kitchen, he had a loud booming voice. I could hear Aunt Peggy and Aunt Caroline laughing at my father’s banter.

Yesterday was a fabulous day for pulling out the china and enjoying laughter again.

When Bob took the turkey off the grill, the wonderful scents took me back to all my family gatherings. To Aunt Peggy’s with all the young nephews and nieces about, to my own Louisiana grilled turkeys. I could see all the ghost of Thanksgiving past walking by. They were rubbing my back, and kissing me on the cheek. The wind picked up at that moment, the spirits were supporting and loving me…It was a wonderful day for “smelling ghosts!”

Thank you Bob for a glorious gathering!! Family—we got to get our gatherings back on!

Playing in the mud.

Original art by Judith Parsons 2015

There is a photograph of me sitting at the pottery wheel, throwing a pot. I am in Jeanette Murray’s (waving)  pottery studio playing with mud! I wish for all of you a friend that you can play in the mud with!! When we are together playing —we are like 6 year old girls, laughing and giggling! Thank you Jen for taking this photo!! Man-oh-man it reminds me of good times!

I took the photograph, took my arms, the clay and part of the wheel and made todays graphic image.

I seem to be taking ordinary photographs and taking elements from those photos and putting my spin on them. (grinning)

Perhaps when I finish my mFA I will take the ordinary photos and place them in a book with the illustrations, so you can see how far the piece of art changed before it became itself.

We are all doing that in life, we are all taking the best elements of ourselves and putting our own spin on it. The swirling dervish truly is my art these days. Next spring I will be taking pottery on the wheel. It is an old friend, the wheel. It was the thing I feel madly in love with when I was at Armstrong State college 36 years ago. I spent all day, 12 hour days flinging mud and learning the ways of the wheel.

I am already thinking about making molds and creating art with clay and glass. Oh there is so much art to be made!

Heading out to finish a mold I did not finish last night!

Have a great Thanksgiving holiday! Play music- enjoy the preparations!!

Wooohooooooo!!

Life is amazing!

Connected!

Original art by Judith Parsons 2015

Today is a glorious day

as I have connected 

to a dynamic instructor 

and friend that altered my life path! 

I am zooming and thrilled to connect!

Woohoooooooo!!!

I am heading to class…will write more tomorrow!! LIFE is a-m-a-z-i-n-g!

Soaring!!

Thanksgiving Oppossum

Illustration created by Judith Parsons 

You do not have to defend

your right to be!

I am relating the lesson of the opossum. The book is “Medicine Cards” by Jamie Sans and David Carson. It is a wealth of information about animals and what they mean from the Native American perspective. Carson and Sams explain that the strategy of opossum can be used when life gets a little too hard to handle. 

“Use your instincts for the best way out of a tight corner. If you have to pretend to be apathetic or unafraid, do it. Often times if you refuse to struggle or show that hurtful words bother you, your taunter will see no further fun in the game.”

The holidays can be a challenge. We are expected and required to sit down and share a traditional turkey with people who are not always the easiest to handle. The alcohol starts flowing and Lordy mercy, the inhibitors that once were in place fall away and all sorts of hurts happen.

It is sad to think people are still cruel and mean and ugly. I don’t understand it. You would think this negative person would get a clue and change his/her ways. However, there are some folks who only know negative because they grew up in a home saturated in negative oozing mess. They are a reflection of their past. When this sad soul crosses your path, you can use the lesson of the opossum to play dead, and plan your escape.

I created the graphic using the italic words,” You don’t have to defend your right to be.”  It is a glorious statement. I love that we are growing and learning to own our stuff. The only person you need to deal with is you. YOU, know in your heart if something is working for you. YOU, know in your heart how you feel about a certain situation. Take time and relax about it. Take time for you, to “play dead” to be still and silent and consider if you are where you want to be, if you are who you want to be.

I hope you are with people who cherish you over your holiday. I hope you are beside folks that meet your sparkling eyes and match your smile.

May the family gatherings be marvelous and magical. Happy Thanksgiving Sweet Friends!

Cast Your Spells Carefully!

Original one-of-a-kind art from one of a kind artist.
Judith Parsons 2015

She held her words against her chest. Like playing cards, she knew when to lay them upon the table. SHE was a master at words. She knew exactly what to say, how to say it…how to raise her voice and how to whisper. 

She k-n-e-w exactly how to cast her spells.

I watched her from afar.

I wondered what she would say to the impressionable wanting one. I knew that she knew. We all knew the powers of words. 

Words are powerful, we spell them with fingertips clicking along the keys…casting spells to mesmerize and thrill.

Words form people. They become ghostly at first, standing in you peripheral vision, just out of reach. You give them life, you write them into your script. Or you cast them aside. You can see yourself ripping the paper from the old fashioned type writer, the rolling mechanism making its one of a kind sound. You fling the paper over your shoulder, distraught because the words are responding the way you desire.

The words come alive. Your emotion created them as soon as you cast them aside. They are forming, into that person you wanted to bring to life. It takes longer than the words that you are giving your attention to…However, that cast away piece of thought is there…forming…rising off the paper of memory, becoming a spell.

I stand in the archway, this magical place alive with words… sipping my hot beverage- the steam from my mug flows upward and dances over to meet the words “mysterious” …they swirl around one another and become the word, “passion”.  Then they slide around me, caressing me with their magical abilities. I chuckle and that laughter transforms into smoky delicious feathers.

This, makes me laugh even more…the words know me. I walk over to you, handing you one of the feathers, which you dip in magical ink. The other feather I caress your jaw line with. You smile, you glance at your quill and one magical drop of ink falls upon the paper of life.

The ink forms you.

Spell Caster leaps

"You are your OWN spell caster"
Art created by Judith Parsons 2015

Two statements as flowing through my head now:

1.) You are your own spell caster. 

That is the image you see…I took those words and swirled them around to create a jumbled graphic image…it is on purpose the confusion of the letters, the over lapping colors, and then in the center a circle.

“You are your”…are the words that you can read. Then all the letters over lap. The  words “Own Spell Caster “ is lost in and amongst itself. We get lost too. We think we can simply make a vision board, that we can dream big and all the pieces will fall into place. Then one is left with this very colorful poster board with cut outs and wants and dreams.

Then life happens, people get sick, people get tired and while you are dreaming and planning all the other family members etc. are running interference with your big plans. You peddle harder, you work harder, you put more time into your studies and you are trusting in the big universe to give you the great assist.

2.) Statement two, by Jim Carey: “Hope walks through the fire—faith leaps over it.”

You believe and have faith. You keep working, keep connecting…using social media to give you lots of lovely friends. THEN this occurs to me.

There was a young woman who was an art student years ago. She came up to me after class and asked if she could have some colored pencils. It was a simple request, heck, I had tons, so I gave her the pencils. No big deal- right? Well…hang on a minute. THE BIG DEAL was she asked for something that she could have received a “no” response from.

It took a courage for her to ask. And I admire that back bone. It takes some courage today to be an artist. It is not for the soft tender hearted. It takes lots of work to create art and to get it out there for all to see.

Then it takes the asking: “Will you purchase my art?”

I am casting spells with these words, I am hopeful that I have just magically mesmerized you and you are ready to write me a massive check for a piece of art. I am grinning at that thought. Though, truth be told it is a strange dance between the artist and the buyer. How much to ask for something you spent hours working on, one does not want to give it away…yet…the creator wants her art out in the world. The creator wants her art to have a nice home and to feel valued.

The energy unfurls…wings are born…we have lift-off! The Spell-caster L-E-A-P-S!

Magnolia Mentor!

I took the images from google and combined them to create
this composition. By Judith Parsons

Magnolia mentor!

It is amazing how an image can comfort, how it can bring back experiences and make you sigh and swoon in the space of your memories. I was raised in the south, outside of Savannah, GA. My grandma lived downtown on the corner of Abercorn and Taylor. The magnolias were something I took for granted, I thought the whole wide world enjoyed the magnificent bloom. And gardenias—Oooooooooh Lordy mercy that scent floods my mind and I am a young girl again.

I have been thinking about the future, where do I go after San Francisco? I have had 30 years creating graphics and designing advertising layouts. Then add a Masters in Fine Art. 

I am thinking about family and friends, as that is a huge draw to be with people who know you. Connects and contacts are already established. There is a magnificent school, SCAD, that I am certain I can find some sort of employment.

Then other wild thoughts and images come into play. Wonderful risky thoughts, like starting an art school in Ireland! Or teaching art to Oprah, Deepak and Ms. Gilbert. Showing them how time can stop when one is truly creating and lost within the muse wit clay upon their hands.

One must think highly of their abilities, one must “know” and be certain of what they can and can not do. Almost a year from now I will be finished with my course work in San Francisco. Will the school have a new class that I might be able to teach? (shrugging) Who knows, we have had a huge shift in the fine arts department. Anything is possible.

Margaret Keelan was sitting with us today as we created art. She said, one must love the process of making art. THAT is the reward, that is why we do what we do. I looked at her, our eyes connecting, and I agreed. And her words slid over me, covering me in a blanket of wonderfulness. 

It has stayed with me all day. 

I am blessed to be creating art, to have the privilege to make art for 12 hours! 

The magnolia memories and the marvelous mentor! What a glorious day!

Beautiful nothing.

Original art created by Judith Parsons 2015

I started drawing a face, did the left side. then created the lips. I duplicated the left side, creating a strange face with eyes too close, and merged the layers and then duplicated that. 

Photoshop is keeping track of layers, there is no other way around it. Taking the time to initially label your layers carefully saves one a lot of heart ache later.

I will be glazing art work today. The vest IS coming along gloriously. The pieces of it all fit together in a puzzle sort of 3 dimensional waistcoat. I am thrilled with the process. It has taken making a mold upon which I could build another piece. I love how clever and complicated the piece is.

Have a blessed day! 

The image does look kind of brain like.

Playing the music…moving with the beat. Shaking my hips out the door…woooohoooooooo!

She has whip in hand...

The top image is from the book "Chiaroscuro"
The blue image was created by
Judith Parsons 2015

3 years ago I did a horse doodle for someone. I am sorry that I can not remember exactly who I did the horse for. (Waving) However, I came across this image from a book called: “Chiaroscuro” it is one of my all time favorite words. I love everything about it, the way it rolls off the tongue, and the meaning of it. I will not tell you the meaning, so you will look it up and then forever know it. It will be lodged into your mind and every time you think of it— you will connect the dots back to me and chuckle to yourself.

(grinning) I should hope at least you just remember what it is.

Anyhow, I came across this wood cut image. And I sat there stunned. As I have never seen this image before, and I was freaked out a little, because here was the image that I had created a few years back. (It is giving me chill bumps telling you about it.) Except that this image was created in 1518.

So, (raised eyebrows) amazing connects of images and things created…ages ago. I have just spend an hour going through old stick drives, looking for the scan of the doodle. I made certificates for all the sold pieces, and thought I could reach back 3 years and find the drawing. (sighing) I can’t. I am sorry. It was a horse with a rider dressed in armor mounted upon the horse.

I found all sorts of old photos. Photos of a camp ground and river that I adored. Photos of people who are shadow memories in my life. Photos of Thanksgiving in a house that was not finished, with friends I still cherish and adore.

I went looking for one thing, and started looking at old memories from another life time ago. 

I was not right then. 

I am holding up my hands in total surrender.

Rost, Margaret, David, Mimi, Arvin, Dennis, and Cora…all these people showed up in those captured kodak memories. I did not have the word “discipline” as a part of who I was. Nope. Nada.

I hid away in those foggy layers…deep down upon the bottom of the ocean. I stayed down there. I am not sure why…Maybe it was so I could be brave enough to travel to San Francisco and continue on with my graduate degree. I am shaking my head at who I was. 

I was like Linus, in a foggy cloud of dusty reality. 

I now ask the disciplined woman to come to the fore front. She lives in Italy, she has a whip in hand, she has on a flowing black pair of slacks that looks like a skirt as she stands still…She has on a white blouse, cut low, pearls on, her bosom is gorgeous, her back is straight…and she is DISCIPLINED.

She is not tolerating the foggy life. She wants to tell the folks in the past: “Sorry. Perhaps we can share a cup of coffee one day.”

She doesn’t have time for doing things half-way any more. She is full-on, making HUGE changes, re-branding herself.

Pirouettes of art

Original art created by Judith Parsons 2015

When I was a little girl my grandmother took me to see the play, The Nutcracker. The music always takes me back to the people running from underneath the woman’s skirt. I can see the characters and see the stage in my minds eye.

It was the first big art production of my life. The colors of the costumes and the music made it an incredible event. I am certain it helped mold me into the artist I am today.

I will not go off the deep end on today verses fifty years ago. However, please if you are a grandparent plan to take your grandchild to see the play. Take them while they are young. While they can still be impressed with the sets and costumes. These days, with computer animation, it is difficult to top the special affects our children see. Though, if they are young, they really might come away wide-eyed and amazed with the dancers who leap across the stage with no wires attached…no green screen special effect.

I created the little geometric shape half Nutcracker, duplicated him and rotated him to create the art you see.

There is much to be said for swirling in circles, dancing, pirouettes of art.

Primary energy

Original art created by one-of-a-kind artist
Judith Parsons 

I am gathering energy for words.

So art will just have to do.

I can feel the weavings of potentiality right beside me in my peripheral vision...

When I turn my head...it disappears. That mysterious weaving energy is smiling at me…like a present that is just about to open itself….

That is enough to know…

Energy-Feel me?

Art by Judith Parsons 

Connections vary in energy. 

Some people you meet, you know, they are going to stick around for years to come. You glance into them, through them and see the sea of you both. An immense flowing of ebbing and going that is a massive ocean of energy.

That energy is always there. You might have pulled your boat upon the shore of that relationship, you might have decided to connect and try out other relationships. However, that reservoir remains forever, waiting for your return.

There are other energies that are similar to rubbing socked feet upon the carpet. They touch you and you get a brief shock, it is a surprising feeling of energy. You become a child again rushing about in sock feet- tagging and touching your friends, enjoying this light static energy of new found friends.

A life-time ago, I swam and sailed in magnificent waters. They were deep, intense and satisfying to my soul. I wore my sunglasses, drank my wine and loved deeply in those waters. I took those magical waters for granted. I created a foggy layer of illusion and didn’t have a clue what I had.

Now, I am a child in sock feet…shuffling and sliding my feet along the carpet to gather energy so I might reach out and zing you.

Maybe if I keep shuffling about I will gather enough energy you might feel me…all the way over here.

(Grinning)  Feel me?

No words. No. 15

Original art from Judtih Parsons 2015

I

have

no

words.


Nov. 15, 2015


I believe in Love.

Whole

“Whole.

There is a point of change, that is a miracle. 

Full control.

You are your own author, of your life.

Powerful”

Listening to Deepak and Oprah’s 21 Day meditation is transformative!

Responsibility

“Take responsibility for yourself.”

All day long Deepak’s words whispered in my ear. I glanced over my shoulder and in my peripheral vision I could see the more disciplined me, wanting me to choose her. I know, I know, I sound like I have cracked my head open. 

I have not. There just comes a time when one decides to do something.

That something, has been on the edge of me, for a long time. The more vibrant and stylish and healthier me is ready to do the figuring out of the equation to create herself. So lets think this problem out logically. What needs to happen?

First off, I need to slim down. I need to take in less calories than I am consuming. So, how many calories do I need to take in, to loose 2 pounds a week? I search and find out the numbers. I also look up how much swimming burns up how many calories. And then I start honestly looking at the foods I eat. How many calories in dark chocolate, how many calories in olive oil, how many calories in milk, peanut butter, nutella, bananas, cereal, black bean chili. 

I am starting to get a clear idea of what has been the problem.

I am enlightening myself on who and what I am..and who and what I want to be. It is being very aware of what I take in. What I do…and it isn’t that hard to figure out.

I am worthy!

Original art created by Judith Parsons
2015

I have been listening to Deepak and Oprah's AMAZING--21 Day meditation series. Today was day ten and I am stunned by this message.

When I did this meditation. I was totally amazed with the visuals I saw. First, It was like a time lapse plant growing image. There was a white foggy shape that was giant…it loomed over me, like a shell--and as the meditation continued—I grew from this small me— into the foggy shell--growing and expanding into the highest wisest me.

I was growing move vibrant, stronger and more filled with light as I matured into my highest self.

What a glorious vision to see and feel!

I can not say enough about the Deepak and Oprah 21 day series meditation. The series is astounding. They are resetting our inner compass, helping us really center and focus on the essential roots of our being.

As a graphic designer and sculptress, these meditations are truly inspiring!!! I can not say praise Deepak and Oprah enough! As I continue my journey toward my MFA in Fine Art, I can truly say: “I am worthy!”

Woooooohoooooooo!!!

Soaring beside you all!! LIFE really is amazing!!!

Dr. Bradberry--You ROCK!

I was reading Dr. Travis Bradberry’s article on “Painful, valuable, lessons from taking charge of my career.” And this one paragraph jumped off the page at me. 

The part that screamed at me, was the part about becoming who you hang out with. THIS was a strike of lightning down my spine. As I really, have not thought much about the issue of negative people wearing off on me. It never occurred to me…that I might become them.

It frightens me. And as I write those words, I am laughing at myself. But, um, looking over my shoulder some of the people I have been hanging with…are not that dang positive. (Glancing over my shoulder—making sure they are not reading this…as I type. Also putting on dark sun glasses.)

He also says, you should strive to be around people who inspire you, people who make you want to be better. Wooohooooo!!!

You know..I was thrilled when I met someone who was disciplined. Because for most of my life, I wasn’t. UNTIL now. NOW, I am holding myself accountable. NOW, I have a goal, now I can see what I want…and damn it all…I am going to succeed!!!

So ..do yourself a favor…stop hanging out with the crappy negative hurtful folks. If they insult you, treat you like dirt, call you names…IT is TIME to “CUT them Loose!”

Amen. Period.

Thank you Dr. Travis! LOVED your article!

Deepak and Oprah. Day 9

Illustration created by Judith Parsons

Deepak and Oprah’s meditation is: Belief into Power. Today was about being loving and lovable.

I created this graphic because I had to. The spirit moved me to create the art you see. I love the meditations, I love the light that shines from this serene place. 

When I was a child, there was a moment of awareness that has never left me. It was the first time I really noticed the meaning of serenity. Though, honestly, I was probably too young to even know the meaning of the word…I was standing beside the glass sliding door, the morning sun was warm and comforting. It was the type of warmth that beckoned you to stand for a little longer, letting the light melt your shoulders and warm your soul. The light highlighted all the dust particles in the air and they seem suspended, like small fairies moving in a slow motion transparent river of light.

It was a magical moment, one I will always treasure. There was a “knowing” in that moment…and that was enough to know.

I am loving. The graphic inspired by Deepak and Oprah’s Day 9, meditation.

Rain, thunder and lightning...OH MY!

I stretched and yawned, 

listening to the quiet. 

It must be raining out, 

because I am not hearing 

the basketball thump 

against the concrete. 

I don’t hear the laughter of children 

from my window. 

I sigh, and point my toes..

I become the rain in that moment. 

Seeping and snuggling down into my nest of pillows for 5 more minutes.

I slipped on my flip flops and stood up and then BAM, lightning and thunder struck!! WOW! What a glorious event! Lightning! Oooooooh how I adore the passion of the storm, when I am safe and sound tucked inside my little cozy room. 

Woooooohooooooo!!! Woooooohoooooooo!!! We have a lovely storm to enjoy!

I grinned and did a little swirl as I made my mornings coffee. TODAY was indeed going to be a perfect day!! Rain and water wash away and prepare for scared transformation…

The lightning and thunder are the extra bonus parts to rain. The lightning and thunder make life crazy fun. There is a scary excitement to the lightning. Of course, it is a dangerous element…we remember all the stories about golfers being struck upon the golf course. So, we must be cautious. 

There is something about fear, the adrenaline that pumps, the heart beat racing that reminds us that we are INDEED ALIVE. There is much to be said for facing our fears.

There are a few friends out there…you know who you are. AND you know, that I know…There are things you are not doing, because of fear. Strap on your armor, pick up your shield and face the fear. You and I both know, you do not want to be an older person, sitting in that rocking chair filled with regret…saying: I should have done (fill in the blank).

Enough of that…lets enjoy the rain.

We don our rubber boots, we dig out the rain gear and we head out. Life is amazing. I have cream in my coffee, I have a light show to watch out my window and the bass drums of thunder to listen to!

 Wooohooooo!! Life is amazing!!

The Power of 3

Judith Parsons 2015

There is power of sacred geometry that turns everything upside down and sideways. 

I wonder if he, Mark Reynolds  (waving) knew he was mesmerizing us...every class he took us down the rabbit hole deeper and deeper into a realm where we would be forever changed.

It is a love/hate relationship. 

It takes over your life! 

I can't get a gelato without thinking about the corner angles of the little plastic neon orange cup. Then I start thinking, "make a mold' repeat it over and over...You have thrown me into the sun and I am blinded by all the magical shapes and rotations.

Warped

Original art created by Judith Parsons 2015

Creating movement.

Motion and blurs warped and turned. The red and black my favorite colors and in the center the green eye.

The pupil red.

Waves of light energy
The fish moving left, the energy pulsing.

Five hours in the pool teaching little ones...

You can see when it clicks...you can see them experimenting with their new found trick which makes the water soooooo much more enjoyable.

In the end, when I am gone I hope that I will be remembered as that wild white haired crazy swimming instructor who yelled and cheered with her fist in the air--when they finally floated...when they finally figured out blowing air through their noses so water didn't go up the sinuses. I am content, happy, that I made a difference in twenty little swimmers lives!

It is perfectly a-ooooooh-kay...to live simply...to be a mentor...and to make children smile.

Light nest

"Light nest"
By Judith Parsons 2015

I did the Oprah/Deepak Meditation and had a visual…this is as close as I can get. If I knew animation I would create a white swooping energy that flew down and scooped me up, as if I were a baby. The warmth of being cradled against this bright white energy was so nice and comforting.

THEN, 

I was placed into a nest of light. 

I was in heaven! I felt energized, like a puppy. I sat up and peered over the edge like a toddler. Eyes wide open and happy!!

I was pure energy! I was pure light! I was grinning and so content!

I was home in my light nest.

Come Home.

Her e-mail was a welcomed old friend walking in from out of the rain. I had never met this woman, we had only shared words in our poetry tribe. My minds eye saw her gray cloak on and hat in hand, the rain had darkened her shoulders and she was not sure I wanted her presence, so she stood back.

I jumped up, thrilled to see her. I hugged her in my minds eye and held on to her. It took a few seconds but finally her shoulders dropped and I felt her hands upon my back reciprocating the hug.

She said: “You ran away from the tribe, we miss you.” I asked her to stay and share a mug of coffee, I took her clock and draped it over a chair.

Her eyes were large and soft and sincere. Her voice concerned. I busied myself with lighting a fire in the hearth. The room was waiting for my reply —it seemed to be holding its breath. I had not thought about going back.

When I thought of my old poetry friends, I got a lump in my throat. I truly missed them, yet the space we met had become trite. There were too many people crowded in that room, too many new writers that didn’t have a clue who I was and I didn’t know them. To be fair, it was exhausting meeting all those hungry writers whose ego I totally understand. I didn't have it in me to buoy them up. 

Once the fire was roaring and the mugs of coffee were in hand we sat upon the sofa content with the warm flickering golden light. 

“What happened?” She asked. 

“I couldn’t reciprocate to someone that I loved. So I ran.” I sighed.

She sighed and asked in a whisper, “Do you still love that someone?”

I swallowed a gulp and nodded yes. She reached out and touched my thigh, her hand warm and soothing. “But, you’ve changed. So maybe the love has changed.” 

I looked up and met her eyes they were the most genuine caring compassionate eyes.

All the words were caught in my throat. I just looked into her eyes and blinked back the tears. I raised my mug to my lips, and realized my hands were shaking.

We sat there for a while, no words spoken. We let the fire talk to us, the steam of the wood hissing and crackling happily. The fire knew it needed to step up and be the entertainment for us. We were learning the dance of new words in a different place. The silent warmth comforting enough.

I took her cloak from the chair, it was dry and warm. I draped it over her shoulders and noticed her lavender fragrance. She turned and hugged me tight. As she pulled away she said; “Come home.”

Schizophrenia

Original illustration by Judith Parsons 2015

Schizophrenia. 

A lovely word, it rolls off the tongue like the name of an exotic flower. I am grinning because I just read a good friends blog about the subject.
(Waving to her!) This is her blog post.

http://drawsfromthewell.blogspot.com/
click here

She brings up some good points, and I skipped over to the wikipedia definition and saw that “Lack of motivation” was also a part of the description. 

I breathed a huge sigh of relief. I have motivation! I run around like a silly dog chasing its tail. All engines revving to go and no direction to move in, spinning like a swirling dervish!

It is a work in progress, this sequencing the events, this 2 part deal of starting engine then traveling along a path. We all have followed the trail, thinking it is just beyond that mountain. Then zig-zagging for days across a mountain, the time estimation forgotten days ago and you are at the point where you just want out of the dang car.

Yep. Been there…done that. Over and over again.

Motivation I have. Learning to rein it in, learning to put the saddle and bridle on correctly and then following the new gps technology is key. 

Though, I admit…and this makes me wonder about the schizophrenia…I often see myself, this better me, this more sophisticated, more stylish, more elongated me…and “SHE” beckons me to her. She smooths my hair, straightens my shirt collar, leans forward and kisses me on my forehead. She whispers: “Keep going gorgeous…just don’t stop.” Then she steps back and chuckles, which of course makes me chuckle, and we stand there laughing and hugging one another…

And it is okay…perfectly a-oh-kay…

Keel laughing...keep moving!! Don't rest for too long--you'll rust.

Bamboo Princess

I watched the animated movie, The Tale of Princess Kaguya and was mesmerized by her character. The story is about a princess born inside of a bamboo shoot, the bamboo cutter discovers this gift from heaven and takes her home to his wife. Together, they raise the young child and all sorts of lovely events happen that make you fall in love with the character.

The movie itself was fabulous. Then the extra cd included, explaining how the director and producer struggled with making it perfect - made the movie even more intriguing. 

The process of making an animation that last a few minutes takes hours upon hours at the computer. Drawing the movement by hand is a laborious undertaking. I am in love with the entire process, the drawing of it, the creating the story boards, the editing of music…ALL of this movie truly demands much from each artist.

I want you to rent the movie, take the time to watch the process of the directors thoughts. Then get back to me on what you thought. It is pure magic to watch something so throughly thought out.

Oh, there is a great soaring scene…wooohoooooo!!

And dragons…oh my!

It is pure magic! Enjoy!

Ripping the head off the giant....

Photograph and graphic by Judith Parsons 2015

The photo is most appropriate…David slays the giant.

The big bad giant is negativity- depression and despair…

the big bad giant is learning I have been wasting my life away lost in a foggy layer 

the big bad giant is old age…I am on the down slope and rapidly picking up speed toward home plate…

the big bad giant is I would rather be alone than hurt any body ever again…

The big bad giant is fear.

I was talking with a friend about forging ourselves. The hammer strikes the metal leaving a scar, leaving a dented impression. We beat the metal up, leaving a texture of scars and blemishes upon the once smooth clean virgin surface. We create art with that hammer and fire. We harden ourselves with the beating. It is no easy process pounding out the art of you. 

It requires work. 

Somedays I have energy to conquer the world. Other days I want to snuggle cuddle into a ball and hide from the world. I usually disregard the second option and place my mask of confident secure woman on and head on out the door. 

Slaying giants and hammering to harden our hearts…it is what we do.

And we play music in the background…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55sY1WqGyMYsong: Woman by Joy Williams

Little Bear told the bird: “I know how to fly, but it is always down.”

“I enjoy the fall”

Soaring

Doodling ...Creating art that soars.
Original art by Judith Parsons 2015

Goodmorning Friends!

Today I got a call for a commissioned piece of art. Yayyyy me!

I got a call from a great old friend, who is really an amazing energy!

Soooo life is great…

Choosing to soar. 

Choosing to fly!!

Ladder Dragon

Illustration created by Judith Parsons

I started doodling a ladder—then added some arms. I was playing with the J and the letter P as mirror object along the ladder. This was my playing with the first elementary blocks. I did not want to complicate the design, I wanted to keep it as bare bones as possible.

It is not as finessed as I would like, however, at this stage one can warp the shape and have fun with it. The undulating curve of a wave is an interesting shape and can be played with in photoshop and illustrator for hours on end.

I started with a simple ladder with arms and ended with a simple dragon. Hmmmm. Art reflects life…life reflects art?

Perhaps.

I will let you know if I start sprouting dragon scales. 

What do you want?

Illustration by Judith Parsons 2015

I listened to day 2 of Deepak and Oprah's 21 Day meditation.

It was about labels. How we tend to associate ourselves by our general labels.

I grew up in a house hold with a mom who was ALWAYS on a diet. She never liked herself.

I was nurtured upon her negative labels. I have always felt I was a "tree truck" body. I was a lumbering massive wide shouldered woman.

Today, I understand how beautiful I am, mainly because I look back at photos and see a younger vibrant me.

No matter how one looks at it, right now you are better physically than you will be tomorrow. Because age will add another gray hair or another wrinkle. So in essence, I have come to this realization and am learning to deal and heal me.

I want to be an active older woman. I want to slide into that home base of a hundred years old running. I want to have a strong back and have my mental capacity intact. I would love my companions to be as fit, to be as strong. Hells bells, who knows what tomorrow will bring? A tragic accident might do me in. I'd like to think not, I'd like to think my friends will be right beside me, running along. They are happy in their skins, they are strong in their body, mind and spirit.

Every single thing takes maintenance. Our cars, computers, homes and bodies. You know if it needs work.

Let us all focus on becoming our best selves.

Art school.

Created by Judith Parsons

There is only one artist that really has the stylish artist look complete. I want to be her when I grow up. I keep trying to merge the alter-ego of this awesome wild woman with the reality of me, and I can not help but laugh.

Valerie, (waving) you have that look. You have a walk, a stance, a confidence that is stunning. I applaud you! With that, I believe in persisting, eventually I will merge the two people…

For now, I go to work upon my person— the geometric me. I am pleased that the ideas are flowing again, honestly, I was a little worried that the foggy cavern of drink was where all the ideas came from. However, I am thrilled I awakened with many new art ideas wanting to be born. My new philosophy of “sober being the new drunk” is working and the ideas are flowing again.

To you sweet friends upon Facebook, (waving) I am so sorry to leave you. In reality I was pulling away, my art muse wanted more of me. She is a determined artist who stands with hands upon her hips and whip in hand telling me to move it, and finish the MFA in style.

So with that, I must go. The art school awaits.

Just between you and me, if you want to become a stronger older person. give playing with mud a try. It really is amazing how it strengthens the lower back, and makes the biceps strong.

Let the Spirit move you

Illustration created by Judith Parsons 

Today was a great day for art! I created a piece of art that will serve as the form upon which to build more art. Like a tailor piecing together a suit and pinning it upon a form, I will be creating my piece in clay.

It is an interesting phenomena, the firing of the kiln. When I have a substantial piece of art being fired it acts like an omen or a sign of things to come. It came out in one piece. I am very thankful! Woooohooooooo!! It is going to be a fabulous week!

Enjoy the week! Let the spirit move you!

Make art… dance it, sing it, draw and paint it or study the history of it. Just “do-it”.