Finding Home

In this moment I am grateful… grateful and peaceful with a good pinch of inspiration. Shocking really, given the myriad of challenges I’ve been handed this month… relocating home, studio and heart… to state the obvious.

Last week I presented at a Sparkfly event hosted by Pam Lewis at Nourish Bistro… a little, inspired space nestled sweetly in the country. When Pam and I first spoke about presenting, I hesitated given the timing of the event and the looming demands related to all the things mentioned above, but I said yes. The plan was to set up a little corner easel and canvas, crank the music and let the paint fly (like no one’s watching), and then we’d all have a little chat. The theme was ‘connection’.

What I couldn’t have imagined was the undeniable, vibrational, energetic, magnetically good shit that occurred. After my nervous hand calmed, the music came in and moved my brush…  I was in the zone. I was certainly aware of everyone behind me, but their purpose was loud and clear… they were along for the ride, moving with me, on board and connected. When the music stopped and I turned around, the emotion was palpable… some wiped away tears, some sat silent, and beaming smiles lit up the room. Accepting and channeling the love in the room was my divine pleasure. I was shown, once again the power of this little thing I do… something far beyond me.

If you were to ask what I know for sure (Oprah) I’d say this: recognizing and honouring your own creative spark will lead you… whether it’s painting, cooking, gardening, writing, singing, accounting, whatever truly floats your boat. It will open you, lift you, free you, and most importantly connect you… to yourself, to your purpose, to the highest love, and to all those who champion you. It will bring you home to your very core.

So there you have it… I’m grateful for the fact that no matter what is going on in my life, no matter where I am (interim studio or Nourish Bistro) I can pick up a brush and instantly find ‘home’. 

“Recognize what brings you joy… crave it, honour it, practice it. It will lead you.”  Laura Harris.

Photo by Sara Hembree, thegritofit.com

Giggles & Watermelon

GIGGLES & WATERMELON, 60”x40” 2003

I’m in the process of moving and I spent most of last week in the basement with one of my oldest and dearest friends, surrounded by cardboard boxes and tape. What to keep and what to toss was the theme. I uncovered all sorts of treasures and made some difficult decisions. As I sifted through old family photos, high school love letters and sweet-smelling baby clothes, I was reminded of who I am, where I came from, what I’ve been through and how and why I love. What a gift. 

In one corner of the basement was a stack of paintings I haven’t looked at in years. This is one of them and I’m thrilled to have it. I can see my sense of play, my joy… my wildly unapologetic approach to the process. The evolution in my work fascinates me. Perhaps I’ll revisit this style again soon.

Nourishment

I love to eat and food is a huge part of my life. I must confess that when it comes to planning for our workshops, more time is spent preparing the menu and sourcing the food than any other component! Our goal is always to prepare and provide healthy, nourishing meals for both body and soul. Rachel and I are always concocting new workshop recipes and testing them out on our closest friends (yes, there have been a few late night test kitchen cook-off events!)  

People often ask, ‘what’s in this?’ and honestly the recipes are all quite simple. The secret is in the ingredients. We use organic and local ingredients whenever possible and always use the very best olive oil and salt (I swear to you, this makes a huge difference!) I have been promising our recipes for years and I’m thrilled to finally deliver. Here’s a delicious salad to start us off and I’ll be posting new recipes regularly including our gluten-free roasted vegetable pie, the salmon cakes and oh yes, the quinoa chocolate cake! I hope you enjoy.
 

Arugula Salad with quinoa, basil and sweet cherry tomatoes

I sometimes eat this on its own for lunch. It's delicious, simple and fresh. And the basil! Lordy, Lordy, the basil… so yummy.

Salad
2⁄3 cup quinoa
1 1⁄3 cups water
1 cup loosely packed, chopped basil
4 cups loosely packed arugula
2 cups fresh, sweet cherry tomatoes, chopped in half
½ cup crumbled goat feta (or cherry size buffalo mozzarella as shown here)

Dressing
½ cup good quality extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
a good pinch of Fleur de Sel (to taste)
dash of black pepper

Directions
Bring the quinoa and water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Cover, reduce to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave the covered saucepan on the burner for another 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and allow the quinoa to cool. In a large bowl, toss together all the salad ingredients, including the cooked quinoa. Add the dressing right before serving. Share. Eat. Be happy.

Change is Good

Change is Good. Metamorphosis is Messy.

From where I sit, I can see the 'SOLD' sign on my front lawn. Believe me, I understand and fully embrace the concept that 'change is good', but this feels more like a complete metamorphosis. My heart is deeply rooted in home. Anyone who knows me could suggest that's an understatement. This is huge for me (the messy-good kind of huge).

For fourteen years this home has embraced us. Here we have fought fevers, tended broken bones and broken hearts. Big decisions have been made fireside, with a cup of mint tea or glass of scotch. In this living room we've laughed until we cried, welcomed new puppies and bid tearful farewells. This home has set the stage for outrageous dinner parties, beautiful family gatherings and gloriously-lazy movie nights. It has endured countless storms and one excruciating separation. It was here in this little white house, that my beautiful daughter was conceived and it is here that she now thrives. The pencil marked doorway trim tells the story (my God that one stings). 'Maddie 1 year old', 'Maddie 2 years old.'  Actually, I can't bear to leave the trim – it's coming with us. The memories we made here are palpable and my heart aches to the brim with gratitude for every single one of them.

And, then there's my darling little studio. Nestled in the backyard, it is there that I painted my heart out, literally. Simple and tiny in form, its service has been enormous. It's been my therapist, my retreat, my meditation, my journal, my outlet for the highest love and the deepest pain. I will miss it.

But, it's time for change. Time to expand, to trust. Time to love whole-heartedly, to embrace, to leap. Time to EVOLVE.

With an extraordinary man, his beautiful daughter and the support of our loved ones, we are redefining our family. New home. New studio. New life. Things are about to get messy. Stay tuned.

I'm off to purge the tupperware drawer.

"What if I fall? Oh but my darling, what if you fly?”  - Erin Hanson