I stare at what’s left in our apartment and blink. I’m promising myself that we’ll never accumulate this much stuff, ever again. Not until we actually put down roots and stay in one place. (That may be New England, but – long-term – it may be England or Ireland.) This has been a very long…
Category: Lifeblog
Art and life. Lifestyle articles and posts by Eibhlin, about her creative life and interests.
Packing and Fear
I’ll be honest. There are times when we feel as if everything is “in flow,” and our radical move will be fine. We know it’s the right thing to do, even if the timing isn’t ideal. And even if we have misgivings about leaving so much that we love, in Florida. We’ve lived in New…
Going Minimalist. Well, Sort of…
Preparing for our somewhat radical move back to New England, I’ve weeded-out 80% of my current wardrobe (and donated it to Goodwill). My system has been simple, if a bit ruthless: Without looking at my clothes, I made a list of all the items I could remember owning, here in Florida. And then I crossed…
Why We Left Orlando
This isn’t a pretty story, but it’s real. It’s typical of what’s happened here… and in many other parts of the U.S. In 2014, we moved from NH to Florida to be nearer to extended family and because we love Disney World. It wasn’t an easy move. It was risky, financially. My husband did not…
Door Gallery – Sharing Art
For the past few years, I’ve regularly featured art on the front door to our home. I’m not sure how many people actually see it, but it’s my way of adding original art to a world that sometimes lacks originality. I believe that art has an authenticity that’s only appreciated when it can be viewed,…
Charlie Brown-ish Christmas Tree
This year, we chose some real, alternative Christmas tree options. We had two trees in our living room. (I’ve always preferred to have more than one tree for the holiday season.) One “tree” was actually a bunch of small branches, arranged in a large glass jar, so they looked like a small Christmas tree. I’d…
The Beauty of Cleaning
One of the best things about being an artist is the beauty I see everywhere I look. When I was cleaning one of my palettes this past week, the running colors were so gorgeous, I had to capture them with a photo. (Note: I paint with water-soluble oil paints, so I can clean them in…
Testing a New Drawing Pen
Before renewing my love affair with pen & ink illustration, I needed a new rapidograph. Since childhood, I’ve always loved black-and-white illustration, and my drawings are a mix of contour-style line drawings accented with cross-hatch (etc.) shadows. My “people” have always been silly looking things with large noses that often extend directly from the hairline, …
Disneyland and My Mother’s Art
Disneyland is celebrating its 55th anniversary. I grew up surrounded by Disney art, figures, and I watched the Mickey Mouse Club every time it was on. I’m commemorating Disneyland’s anniversary with an artistamp. It features art by my mother, Muriel Joan Bernier (1919 – 2010). Click on the image to download a PDF copy of…
Art as Collaborative Energy
I re-learned a valuable artistic lesson this week. It’s about energy and the creative process, when I’m not working in flow. This is a difficult time for me. My mother – who is ordinarily very strong and healthy – is in the hospital. I’m continuing to work as much as I can, but some days…
Discovering the Truth
Last night, I was re-reading Finding Your Visual Voice. It’s a book that steadily inspires me. The opening line of the book is, “Artists paint to discover the truth.” That really resonates with my views. There is a truth — an essence — in everything. It’s that essence that inspires the artist; something in what…
Happy socks!
I love this little guy, and he’s only partly finished. He’s created from a single sock. The stripes are woven into this cotton sock; they’re not just printed on the fabric. That can make a big difference when designing a sock doll… though I’ll admit that the printed-on designs offer more creative inspiration, at times!…