Spring is a good time to start up those old habits once again. It is a good time to reveal what is long suppressed under winter skies and frozen sunshine. Anybody who lives in the Midwest knows how to “read” a sky. We can tell when a weather front is approaching or if we are nearing the lakes, somehow it just changes color and cloud formations. So too do we recognize that overcasts come in many different shades, and lately they have been a bit lighter. Therefore, the first old habit to resurrect is walking outside. Because of ice and my early stages of Osteoporosis, I don’t walk outside in the winter, but now that I can see the actual road again, it is time to go hunting both inside my head and out!
The roadways are a treasure chest of stuff lurking under the melting drifts. Walking by itself is boring as all get out but also when I happen do my best creative planning. What one finds along the way can lead to some pretty interesting project ideas. In the span of 3 miles, I came upon the following: lots of dead animals in various stages of decomposition, newspapers dating back months, more beer cans than I could count, broken bottles, lost gloves, stray socks, undies (seriously!), a cassette tape yet to be disemboweled, lots of fast food containers, a hubcap, shoes, and one adult entertainment device. I did take pause on the last one to make sure a body was not attached to it just in case. Yet again, I lamented the fact that I did not have my camera with me to shoot the lost clothing items. Over the past 20 years in cities and countries too numerous to count, I have seen discarded or lost socks, gloves, shoes and other clothing items propped, placed or tossed which would have made for an incredible photo documentary of sorts.
Old habit number two is to return to painting. A year ago I went on a self imposed sabbatical to head up an event that became a full time job for my left brain which in turn required extra storage from the right side as well, effectively shutting down any creative endeavors. Since I was brain dead, I took that time to get my re-certification out of the way, learn some new media and get mentally organized for the upcoming summer scout activities. Now that the sun has proven to still exist and I can walk outside again, the time has come to put a canvas back on the easel and return to my girlfriends. It has been an interesting year off. Some people were glad that I quit painting those “stupid” cartoons, others were sorry to see nothing new posted on the other site, and some worried that perhaps I had lost my “mojo” in the metaphor department. None of the above, well….I am sorry if you think they are “stupid” but $ talks, those ladies sell and my fan club loves them, plus I can make fun of lots of people and situations without paying the piper. As my husband is fond of saying….painting is a whole lot cheaper than a therapist!
Old habit number three is to spring clean yet again. I try to fall and winter clean too but it is just not the same. We must be Draconian or we will end up on Hoarders. Word of advice to single people, don’t marry a fellow pack rat. As some famous person said, I love collecting; it is the keeping which drives me crazy. Yeah….I can relate, time to join the army for some salvation and spread a little good will towards others! So fellow artists, saddle up because the sun is shining, (well it was until yesterday…)ice is melting away from the streets as well as from the right side of my cerebrum and time is on our side (especially if we can find that lost hour which sprung away last night).
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