The hummingbird I rescued...a truly magical moment.
EncaustiCamp has ended and I am now back in Portland staying with friends. It was a fantastic art retreat. I learned so much and have so many new ideas. A big part of me just wants to go straight home and paint...but I have more exploring to do before then! I am in Portland for a couple more days and then onto Colorado. Excited to see the studios of two artist friends in the next two days. More on that later.
I posted about EncaustiCamp over on the SYC Blog, but I wanted to share a little more here about what I did there and what I did today.
making paper in Michelle Belto's class
hanging (encaustic on handmade paper)
I am leaving EncaustiCamp with ideas and confidence. I received a warm welcome from Trish and was invited to share with the attendees a summary of Seek Your Course on the first night. She also let me put SYC postcards in everyone's welcome bags. It was great to start the retreat like this because it sparked a lot of conversations throughout the week and gave me plenty of opportunities to talk about Seek Your Course. I also got lots of great feedback on my work. It feels so good and right to sense things moving forward and to see opportunities emerging before my eyes.
It was really encouraging to be noticed and known. I usually feel like I know everyone but I'm not sure they know me. This time it was the other way around. Everyone knew my name and I kept forgetting some of theirs. It was different. It felt good to be known and a part of me embraces this as success. And then a part of me is very wary of playing the attention game and wanting so badly still to be "cool." Do these feelings ever go away? The need to be accepted seems eternally strong.
So I am cherishing these encouraging experiences and sealing them inside for times of doubt. While doing this I am also trying to meditate on being strengthened and firm in my convictions, but not tainted by thoughts of superiority or popularity. I am trying to just be true to myself and the path I have before me. I am uplifted and it makes me smile.
Me and Bridgette Guerzon Mills, Instructor Extraordinaire
On my way to Portland today I stopped in Aurora, Oregon. I found some scrumptious shops including a salvage place! I walked around wide-eyed and giddy like a child.
Shopping in Aurora: Aurora Mills Architectural Salvage and Tarte!
Here at Erik and Katie's house they have chickens and bees in their beautiful in-the-city backyard homestead. I am inspired once again!
Life with Erik and Katie: bees, chickens, dogs and a potluck