Each Dazzling Moment

Twenty-seven years ago....

 ....I was in excruciating pain.  Well, okay, at least there were moments that seemed to qualify as excruciating.  The memory of that pain faded fast.  I was giving birth to an extraordinary, magical creature -- a daughter that has colored every single day of my life since that momentous one.  No, I absolutely cannot believe it was 27 years ago, but we had cake today...she blew out a candle and made a wish...

Her presents brought a smile to her face.  Her smile brought joy to my soul. 

I have so many wishes for her.  Mostly, I wish her happiness...and the kind of joy I feel when I think about my love for her.  

A Whiff of the Zeitgeist

Baby Hedgehog by Riude.
Image found on Flickr and used under a Creative Commons licence.

Is there anything cuter than a baby hedgehog???  I didn't think so! 

I'm suddenly in love with hedgehogs.  And sheep.  Is there something in the water?  I wonder because I'm not the only one.  I've seen this happen before.  A spooky little wind sweeps through our collective unconscious....suddenly we all can't get enough bird imagery in our art work....or maybe before that it was frogs...or owls....even fairies or angels or elves.   Suddenly they are everywhere we look.  Do you wonder what's going on?  Do you notice this phenomenon?

I always think of this word:

Zeitgeist [(tseyt-geyst, zeyt-geyst)]  The general moral, intellectual, and cultural climate of an era; Zeitgeist is German for “time-spirit.” For example, the Zeitgeist of England in the Victorian period included a belief in industrial progress, and the Zeitgeist of the 1980s in the United States was a belief in the power of money and the many ways in which to spend it.    The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition

Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company

Zeitgeist  1848, from Ger. Zeitgeist, lit. "spirit of the age," from Zeit "time" (see tide) + Geist "spirit" (see ghost).

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper

...Time and tides...spirits and ghosts... is there a collective unconscious?

From Wikipedia:  Collective Unconscious, sometimes known as Collective Subconscious, is a term of analytical psychology, coined by Carl Jung. ...Jung distinguished the collective unconscious from the personal subconscious particular to each human being. The collective unconscious is also known as "a reservoir of the experiences of our species."

I'm fascinated by this idea. I seem to see evidence of it time and time again.  I'm using the examples of little animals or other creatures that capture our imagination and charm their way into our arts and crafts, but I think there are also great examples at work in our social and political thought as well.   

What has the wind of the zeitgeist been blowing in your direction lately?  Anyone else completely besotted by hedgehogs??  :) 

Drop me a line and let me know!

Before and After...a Collaboration with Mother Nature

Seth Apter, over at The Altered Page, has begun a project he's calling "Disintegration" -- with Mother Nature as his collaborator.  The idea is to put a little bundle of paper -- tied up with string -- out in nature and then watch is 'disintegration' or 'natural evolution' over time.  We will take the 'After' pictures on May 1. 

Here's my little bundle...nestled among the bamboo chimes. It's been so Spring-like this week in Dallas...you can see the Lorapetalum are blooming in the photo below.  Mother Nature may be a very reserved collaborator if this kind of weather keeps up!

You can still participate.  Go to Seth's blog to join in the fun! 

 

Abstract and almost abstract....

I am loving the online course in 'The Contemporary Painting Process as a Way of Life' -- taught by Jared Knight.  This guy is truly amazing and so much fun.  During the first class, I made (or at least started) 4 pieces.  One of the rules was "No Image."  The works were to be totally abstract.  Things were going fine, but then....for some reason, I was utterly compelled to add a bird image to the last one.  The piece was just crying out for a bird...I really had no choice in the matter!  ;) 

Check out Jared's Ning site.  You can still sign up for the class.

  

Lissa Rose Designs is Open for Business!

  
....or, in other words.....Please support a 'starving artist' and give these beautiful, one-of-a-kind pieces a good home! 

I'm working hard to create fresh works of art and other objects of desire....or whimsy.  I've put a few things out there to test the waters...see if anyone is going to notice... 

My head is buzzing with ideas...and my house is filled with projects...that are in various stages of fruition.  I know it's a very eclectic collection, but, as they say, 'variety is the spice of life'!  I just can't seem to limit myself to 'let's-do-one-thing.'   So, please check back often to see what is new! 

A few of my pieces are shown in the sidebar at right. 

It's not too late to order a Valentine's day present!  :) 

http://www.lissarosedesigns.etsy.com