Softened

"Softened" - acrylic and charcoal on paper, 12" x 18".  Ready to frame.  Available here and at Artfinder.


"It takes time to soften the habits of our heart and mind and work them in our hands, a little each day, in order for the heart and mind to be of use somewhere else."
MARK NEPO

January and resolutions.

I haven't made any New Year's resolutions, yet I feel the call to soften habits.  Slumps I've fallen into. Indulgences that have gone a bit off the rails.  Nepo makes the pursuit of change seem more attainable - allowing time to soften.  A little change each day.  Yes, please.  But just a little.  Being "resolute" seems much more challenging than "softening."  I imagine my habits melting into puddles.

If you freed your heart and mind from just one less-than-stellar habit, where else would you put them to use?  Maybe toward bravery, or making home-made ramen (like my soup goddess sister, Wendy), toward understanding something elusive or maybe just daydreaming of the many things you can put your newly-freed heart and mind to use on. :)

My hands are working gently at slump softening.   One drawing at a time.  One leave-it-all-on-the-table-in-a-heap-of-exhaustion life-drawing session at a time.  Thank goodness I now live in the land of caffeinated goodness on every corner.

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​This week's PDX recommendation is  Sweedeedee, where you can start your day with a savory porridge and a slice of honey whiskey bread.  And where the staff will dazzle you with vinyl LPs played continuously while you eat.  You'll get  a kick out of saying "Sweedeedee" all day long, too.