Up North

    After celebrating a special 4th birthday,

I decided that a trip up north was called for;

I needed to see a large body of water, 

breathe cool damp air

and see both old people and new things!

 

This trip ticked all the boxes.

(It also involved my car battery dying and purchasing a new one,

but such is life, right?)

While it rained part of every day I was there,

when the sun did peek out,

it was glorious. 

So much fun to see spring all over again.

There were half-hearted attempts at retail therapy

but, since none of us need anything, it was totally

just looking.

 

The highlight of the visit -

besides time with loved ones,

was a trip to my favorite museum ,

one the specializes in folk art -

John Michael Kohler  Arts Center in Sheboygan, WI.

 

There is currently an exhibit on the Upper Midwest phenomena: "The Grotto." 

SO much work and so much preparation went into each piece

by seemingly untrained, 'normal' people...

we had lots of fun thinking about what their family members and neighbors must have thought

as these were being created.

Religiosity is so often a component of these pieces;

not sure whether that speaks to the divine inspiration that sparks their creation

 or the perseverance required to see them completed but it's a noticeable part

of the essential grotto. 

 

The time it must have taken to amass all the objects used -

and where they must have been stored in the meantime

is impossible for me to imagine. 

is

 

Thank goodness I don't have that 'pack rack' gene.

 

Even a more contemporary form of the grotto

must have been an amazing labor of love. 

The Kohler also had amazing contemporary pieces made out of medical equipment,

including crutches

and syringes

If you've never been to the museum,

I recommend it highly.

The Art Center features contemporary exhibits and selections from their permanent collections.

 

The new Art Preserve is where they house pieces of their permanent art environments -

and that will be featured in the next post.

It was unbelievable!

Stay tuned. 

 

 

 

Quilted Woman

 Early on in my journey as a single parent, 

there were many nights of loneliness, fear and even desperation.

 

One particularly bad night 

I was crying outside on the deck 

after my sons were in bed.

The years of struggle seemed to stretch ahead endlessly

and I was overwhelmed with being the sole provider for two other human beings,

with ZERO fall back support. 

 

I had never felt so frightened or alone. 

Suicide was a tempting option 

but leaving my sons to fend for themselves was not. 

 

All at once, 

everything stilled, 

as if the world had been placed on mute;

and I was totally enveloped by what felt like a cloud of grey flannel,

a weighted blanket 

decades before there was such a thing. 

 

My tears stopped,

my breathing  calmed

and, within that muted cloud, 

I knew in the very marrow of my being

that we would be alright; 

there would be hard times, no doubt,

but we were going to get through it.

 

I have no idea how long I was held within that cloud. 

Time seemed suspended;

it could have been minutes or hours.

All I knew is that when I returned to the present, I was changed.

I had hope.

 

Fast forward several decades and, 

when I recently saw this  "Quilted Woman" painting

by an artist I know, (Susan Schmitt),

it immediately felt familiar. 

I recognized myself;

 although decades removed from active parenting 

and now on the far side 

of that powerful night so long ago. 

 

Only now, 

 I was no longer enveloped in a grey flannel cloud, 

I was instead embraced by a beautiful rich tapestry

of color, experiences, friendships and memories;

that had sustained us;

there I was,

still trusting that no matter what comes next,

we will be okay. 

 

This particular Quilted Woman is holding a cord or ribbon 

in her right hand

and it immediately reminded me 

of images of babies in utereo, holding their umbilical cord.

 

The womb like shape of the quilt also made me wonder 

if what we see as 'old age" 

is merely us being ushered to a new phase of life through death.

 

(Looking at other 'Quilted Women" in the artist's series, 

I couldn't find any other figure presented with this pose. )

For the record,

I have NO idea if any of these thoughts were present 

to the artist while she was painting; 

but, as my son (who is a painter) has said 

"It doesn't matter what the artist was thinking or feeling,

what do YOU see?"

 

It is now MY painting.

I'm delighted she's home.

I love seeing her everyday; 

there's always so much to think about 

and remember when I see her.

 

(Apologies for the reflection/glare;

it was hard to get an image without it once it was hung) 

 

Check out more work from this wonderful artist by visiting her website:

https://www.susanschmittart.com

You won't be disappointed.

 

 

Happy Easter

A friend shared his preparations for Easter with me - 

and, while not surprised,

I was floored by how beautiful it was.

I did NOT color eggs.

 

I took cypress spurge from the garden,

placed it in a happy vase -

and watched it die within 30minutes.

The chartreuse flower was too perfect a match with the vase base

to ignore; although I DO remember that it's not a great cut flower.

 

Oh well... live and learn.

 

I read.

I relaxed.

I did some preparation for church tomorrow.

 

I self reflected. 

I'm ready for 

celebrating my granddaughters birthday,

planning a trip to WI/northern IL,

planning a trip to NM to see the White Sands (and Taos)

and rearranging my back deck,

 

All things great and small.

 

However you're planning to spend the day - enjoy! 

I AM eager top share new art work with  you but that will have to wait for a bit.

Stay tuned. 

Reset continues - even in the rain

 AKA the best laid plans ...

 A friend and I planned to go tip toe through the tulips - 

well, as gracefully as one can tip toe with a cane!

 

Luckily my stealth skills were NOT put to the test -

since, on the assigned day,

it POURED!

 

Could we have rescheduled?

Maybe, but when flowers bloom, 

one good wind storm, more rain etc

and you've missed the window for the year.

Besides, both of us working in healthcare for 4 decades, 

made us flexible -

crazy but flexible.

 

So we trudged on...

and enjoyed the heck out of the tulips planted in planters

from the parking lot to the restaurant. 

(instead of the 4 acre fields, accessible only by open air wagons, 

which weren't operating anyway because of the rain. )

 

And, I'm SO glad we did.

It was glorious.

All of which is to say, don't change plans just because of rain.

 

Besides, rain doesn't find you inside while you're eating lunch

or stocking up on carrot cake muffins! 

 

Whether your time this weekend focuses on the secular 

or the spiritual

make it a good one!

 

Keep searching for the beauty -

even it's small.