Facing My Fears, Yet Again

Do one thing every day that scares you.

  -Eleanor Roosevelt     

I am a scardy cat. No doubt about it.

But I am trying to get better by facing my fears.

And not all of them are art related. Many, if not most, are just about regular ol’ life.

Like my fear of heights.

So, today in honor of my birthday I climbed the silo here at the farm. Made my heart go pitty-pat. But I did it, and I am glad. Not earth shattering in the whole scheme of things, but rewarding nonetheless.

Checkin’ that one off the bucket list as my gift to myself.

May your day be a wonderful one!

Welcome Fall

Fall display by the 49 Ford truck


Happy first day of fall to you!

My twin sister’s birthday is next week and as a gift I picked a passel of gourds for her to decorate her house with.

And that inspired me to do a little fall display for us to enjoy as the days wind down here in Minnesota.

And then I snapped a few pictures to remind me of what we grew and harvested in the pumpkin patch during the summer of 2011.

And I wanted to share them with you.

May your fall days be full of sunny days, cool nights, and lots of creativity!

Do You Call Yourself an Artist?

In reading Joanne Mattera’s blog today on “Who is a Professional Artist?” I was reminded of a conversation I had with a friend a few years back. I was telling her that I hadn’t had any sales in a while, but I was okay with that as sales are not my primary issue.

In response she said something along the lines of, “If you aren’t selling, why do it?”

I like this person very much and really respect her opinion, so her question did not offend me in any way, though at times I think she thinks she did.

Nope. Not at all. But she did give me much to think about.

Exactly why don’t I care about sales? And why do I keep doing it if I am not selling?

It is a subject I have come back to from time to time in the years since our conversation. Both at times when I am not selling, to times like now, when I am.

After all the pondering, I arrive at the same answer time and time again.

I make art because I have to. It’s not a choice, but a passion.

Yes, a bit cliché, but I’m okay with that too.

Here’s what I think:

• Sales don’t make you an artist.
• Gallery representation doesn’t make you an artist.
• It is consistently working towards a body of work and your belief in what you are doing that makes you an artist.

It took me years to believe in myself and my work. But I kept putting one foot in front of the other and wah-lah, at some point I was comfortable calling myself an artist. The rest just falls in place.

I think titles are nice, don’t get me wrong, but I think it is more important to believe in your journey.

So if you are doubting yourself, just forge ahead. It takes time and determination, but eventually you’ll get there. I promise, I’ve been in your shoes.

Until the next time, may your day be a creative one!

Creating in the Kitchen Instead of in the Studio

We woke up to 40° weather this morning with a promise of 30° tomorrow morning.

Puts me in the mood for soup.

I strolled through the gardens earlier and this is some of what I found.

I’m thinking Butternut Squash Soup.

Or maybe Roasted and Curried Butternut Squash Soup.

Hmmmm.

I think I’ll go with just regular ol’ squash soup tonight and do the curried one later.

There are tons more tomatoes, which will all need to be picked tonight before the freeze. So a roasted tomato soup sounds good for later in the week.

Or maybe…..

I'll keep you posted.

In the meantime, may your day be full of warm and wonderful things!

Show and Tell Sunday- A Crushing Blow

A little over a week ago I got the bad news that my beloved 2 year old cat, Hennessey, had feline leukemia. Fortunately her sister and litter mate, Molly, does not. In the days that followed, I found out that most of the barn cats I care for here at the farm, 10 of the 12, also have feline leukemia. It has been a crushing blow. I have fixed, vaccinated, and loved these guys for many years and now they will die. Had I received more advice, I could have saved them from their fate with a simple vaccination in addition to the others they get annually.

It is possible they were born with it, both my adopted two, and the rest, a common problem on the farm, I now know, but maybe not. A moot point, though one I will continue to second guess forever.

After many tears, which I know I will shed for a long time to come, I have accepted that my beloved cats and I were only meant to be together for a short while and we are all richer for the experience. The sun will continue to rise, as it did today while Hennie and I watched, and the world will go round and round. But I am still profoundly sad.

So, I beg of you, please, if you have cats, inside, outside, or feral cats you care for, get them checked and vaccinated for ALL contagious diseases. Speaking from experience, it will be worth the extra effort.

And now, I am going outside to visit with my barn cats. May you find happy moments in your day too!

Hennie and I watch the sun rise together

Clowning Around and Thinking Out Loud in the Bag

I have been teaching myself to sew this summer. Yep, for more than a few years I have used the sewing machine as my main tool, yet I officially don’t know how to sew.

I can get the job done, mind you, my work just hasn’t been about the sewing. To me, using the sewing machine is akin to using welding torches, (which I do know how to use); the end result is the same, it’s the materials and the tools used to attach two parts together that are different. But connecting together they both do.

So I bought a book about sewing and started the lessons. It has been an interesting journey so far. Obviously, some things worked out better than others, but each one has taught me something, and that is always a good thing.

About the time I started my lessons I received my dresses back from the Cloth Paper Scissors Artisan Search which now hang in my studio. After looking at them for a while I was inspired to try one of the projects in the book with the paper fabric that I used for the CPS dresses.

Below are a few of the bags I have made. Not sure where they’ll go from here but I have been enjoying the process. It has been a labor of fun, with a touch of aggravation thrown in. =D

And now I shall put the fabrics and sewing machine away for the weekend, very appropriate for the Labor Day Weekend, me thinks.

Wherever you are and whatever you do, I hope you have a fantastic and safe Labor Day Weekend!


Kim Radatz©



Clowning Around Red, Kim Radatz©

 

Clowning Around Blue, Kim Radatz©



Thinking Out Loud, Kim Radatz©