Hello vintage summer.
Cosmos, old books, zinnias, early apples, sandal tanned feet, ice cubes, hollyhocks.
I've been right here...
Playing with watercolors at night, going through old papers, eating fruit off the tree on hot days.
A sort of vacation at home, although I did visit my parents too which was WONDERFUL!
What's better than hugging your mom and dad?
(I had seen them several times in my neck of the woods, but had not been home in a long time)
In the hot desert, cosmos and zinnias are staples of the summer garden.
They are some of the few that can withstand the heat, and so they are dear to my heart.
I've really been enjoying some studio time and staying up utterly late on these hot nights, night gardening and painting.
It's been absolutely delightful.
Collecting flowers and embracing any magic that comes my way.
Drying blossoms...
Tackling all my old ephemera, and pinning my favorites the old school way.
Pin on board.
Summer haze, summer daze.
Blinded by golden hour, laying under the flowers and trees.
Dreaming.
Gathering.
Enjoying.
Visiting with winged creatures.
Strolling through my gardens.
Immersing in creativity.
Collecting last poppies.
Watching yellow belly finches gobble the zinnias, from leaf to petal.
Sitting at my desk in the window...
Making bundles of petals to dry.
Finding a chair outside to bring inside.
My summer 2021 spot.
Right here.
I think one of the most important things about creativity is carving out a space that feels comfortable to create in.
Creative people can be so fickle :-)
And so, sometimes the challenge of finding the physical space that feels right, along with the mental...
Is a journey of its own.
Sometimes you need long breaks, I know I do.
I take years away from things sometimes, because when I am in I immerse so deeply, that then I need a lot of time to refuel.
Sometimes too much time -
To listen to music, fling paint on canvas that no one will ever see, look through books, dig in dirt.
Do other projects.
But all the while I am taking a break from things, the characters are alive in my mind.
They are swirling and growing and telling me everything I need to know about how to share them.
There are characters in my mind so deep that I find myself apprehensive about sharing them because they are so dear to me.
Sometimes they have appeared during the hardest times in my life, and they are so special to me that sharing them becomes almost too much.
In fact, 11 years ago on Friday one such character appeared in my life, and has been with me daily every single day.
The two people who know about this character have been urging me to share for these 11 years.
And only now, do I feel a bit closer.
It's not that it's something so epic, but it's that it is dear to me.
What helps me get through some of the challenges.
I even have songs I have composed and such.
It's simple, but dear and deep to me.
I often carry paintings with me for a long time in my mind, and then one day they emerge in one fell swoop.
I've always been a very visual person, so I see things clearly in my mind and then I am able to execute at some point.
The thing is, that I am finding, and perhaps you have too...
As I get older, my eagerness to share it all has changed, and things just become more important to me and my secret magic world I live in.
I spend so much time alone (as most creatives do), that I have created this vivid world of my own that is vast.
It engages all of my senses and keeps my mind full and joyful.
There were times in my life full of people (almost too much), and then the art years which you do alone and I quite enjoy.
I truly love my alone time (sprinkled with those I love), do you?
My needs and desires have changed so much in the last few years.
I am content with simply being.
Although some of the characters are saying...
We can come out now.
And maybe, just maybe, they will.
Magic, stars and wishes forever,
Love, Vanessa
