IT’S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE CHRISTMAS…..

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

IT’S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE CHRISTMAS…..

…………the dining table has transformed from the card factory packaging area to…..

Little Bo Peep….is looking for………….wait for it…………….well, you fill in the rest….

Hi Diddle Diddle……hum the rest…..

Mother Goose has to look up her rhyme….

Dum dee dum dum or is it just Dum and Dee…

We decided to forgo the tree downstairs….wonder why? Little Miss Destructo puppy, that’s why! So, Nikka just put up the kiddies tree in the studio.

All the bears and a lost bunny are out…..

….bears everywhere…..

Nikka composed scenarios. Here the cat is eyeing the parrot….

Mom loves these two that I got at a garage sale…they’re her favorites!

Here’s the bear riding the lamb….

Mr. Nutcracker enjoying his reflection thinking…”What a handsome fellow I am!”

Nikka said the penguin is on top of this present because he’s claiming it for Christmas!

A favorite ornament hand made by a dear student….

Oh bear you’re so cute with your little sweater….

This one ate too much and is ‘stuffed’….hahahahaha….

This fine fellow is fully electric and moves about when plugged in…..easy there fella….

This bunny took a wrong turn at Easter…..

Nikka has this guy in the sled being pulled by that reindeer….

….and the cow is tying the bow on the Hermes box…..

Did I show you the cat keeping an eye on the parrot….

Here again….mom’s favorite…

….and her mate….

Love Paddington Bear….

….the tree again…

….showed you this but like this shot better….

Who doesn’t love Betty Boop????

Betty you’re the cat’s meow…..or whatever they said in your day….Note the shoes next to her…Charles would get me these ‘shoes’ from the Metropolitan each year and there are about twenty now on the tree…..I’m an Emelda Marcos in miniature!

This you’ll love….the doll is reading a Christmas Tale to all the M&M’s under the tree….look close & you’ll see it.

I LOVE Pooh Bear!!!!

….the White Rabbit….

Healthy Santa loaded down…(and maybe loaded at that!)

Awwwwwwwwwwww…………

You have to look hard to see it, my childhood Raggedy Ann is petting my dog from the same era….Nikka said that was me!

Nikka said ‘this is adorable”!

Cute….

Beer anyone?….Got this one at Sur la Table…

And the cow jumped over the moon….

Snoopy is somewhere on the tree…..

Nikka said this one is Angel YUKI……

so….angel Yuki is flying near the other angels…..

Say goodnight kiddies….

All of us in Toyland wish you and all those you hold dear all the love your hearts can hold!

MERRY CHRISTMAS

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Introduction

There is no avoiding the pull of the internet, the blogs, the YouTube imaginings. It's as if we're all 'On the Road' with Jack Kerouac each in our own world of meanderings. When we tell someone to 'get a life' it might be a bit difficult when you're dragged into other people's 24/7.

I've come to realize two foundational principals, there are no accidents and everyone has a purpose. More and more I'm desiring everyone to come into a full realization of their purpose as we all find our way on this little jewel of a planet.

For me, as a professional 'Western style artist', I stumbled into Chinese Brush Painting after a trip in 1980 to Monet's home/garden. Seeing all of his collection of Japanese woodblock prints was an ahh haa moment for me and when I returned to the States I started painting in the Chinese manner and never looked back. The first year was extremely painful for me as I felt that I should be able to master the technique since I was a 'trained' artist. Not a chance ... that just gets in your way.

Now, after teaching close to 3,000 students and having my book 'The Ch'i of the Brush' published by Watson Guptill, I can say that every one of my students does better their first day than I did my first year! Why? Because I insist that they leave their critical parent outside and just enjoy the journey, respecting the work that they do. I never let anyone throw anything away because that just ingrains frustration and defeat.

We really only begin to learn when we stop and figure out how to 'save' a painting. It works every time.I am so proud of my students, their receptivity and eagerness to express themselves is a continuing blessing for me.So, back to finding your purpose. Perhaps it starts with realizing 'it's not about me'. It so easy to want our needs met and to filter everything thru this attitude. When we realize that we're here to be of benefit to every life that we touch the universe really provides the ways and means.

The best part is that it's really exciting to not have yourself on your mind all the time!I'm re-reading a wonderful book about authenticity and in my next meandering I'll tell you about it. In the meantime I'd love to hear about your journey and am here to answer any and all questions about Chinese Brush Painting.