Mimi's Art      Simple Works of Beauty to bring you joy and peace

October 15, 2011

I wrote my first entry to this page 5 years ago, and then forgot to write more!  Now there are blogs, and tweets, and RSS Feeds (I still don't know what that one is) and so this sort of writing has become somewhat obsolete.

In that five years, I opened and closed a gallery that I delighted in offering to the public for two years.  I moved my personal residence twice.  And went through yet another relationship transition.   Life does offer its twists and turns.

The thing that has remained constant for me, however, is my faith... in a loving God of grace.

I continue to paint, and to question whether it is my true calling.  So many other things get in the way.  Tonight I spent three hours trying to catch up on filing, that pesky paperwork that accumulates.  Friends and I talk a lot these days of simplifying, of letting go of much of our material possessions, of lightening the load.  My theory is that much of that comes from the experiences we share of being the dutiful daughters who accept the task of cleaning out our family homes when our parents have either passed on, or become incapable of doing the task themselves.  We are faced with the reality of "stuff" becoming just "stuff to be tossed, given away, or oh my what shall I do with it?!" and perhaps we don't want to leave that task to our own children.  Better to do some of it now ourselves.

What does this have to do with painting?  I think that as we let go of many of life's distractions, we allow ourselve to focus on that which is most important.  We can focus on using our gifts, our time, our talents, in ways that celebrate life.  We can focus on spending our time in moments of appreciation.

God bless each of you in your own life's path.

xo

Mimi


October 6, 2006 -

As I am putting the finishing touches on this website, the chill of autumn fills the air (and my office!), the leaves are changing colors, and our thoughts begin to turn from sand and surf to inside activities.  I am enjoying the process of setting up my studio/gallery for an Open House, and readying the space for rejuvenating my Reflexology practice.

The past two years have been odd, and I allowed myself to become distracted by life's "other" things.  Finally I am able to make a space in time that I may allow myself the "luxury" of getting back to work!

Ok, so putting the words "luxury" and "work" together in the same sentence may seem odd to most of you.  The very notion of work being anything BUT a luxury is the reason that I chose to not pursue my artwork 25 years ago, when graduating from high school and considering what I might study in college.  WORK was an ugly four letter word in my experience.  I watched my father trudge off to something that he felt enslaved him, rather than empowered him.  I didn't want my art to become THAT.

So, I took a convoluted course to finally getting to where I am today.  I tried biology, ministry, fundraising, sales, and office work.  And though I didn't find a love of what I did in any of those, they all have contributed to who I am, and where I am, today.

Work as a luxury?  you bet!  I welcome each morning's new opportunity to paint, make music glorifying God, and offer health through the art of Reflexology.  Though I chose to leave Seminary studies after just one year, I do believe that I have found avenues for ministry in everyday life, and continue to seek new pathways for doing so.

I encourage each of you to look for the "luxury" in the work that you do.  Hopefully you are able to identify with something in what you do that you really and truly love, that you might find a passion for, and a way to give back to others through what you do.

In my own work of painting, music, and reflexology, I am given such a gift.  And I cherish the times in which I may offer those gifts back to you.

Thank you for being patient over the past several years, and waiting for me to come back to all of this.  Come play with me... the best is yet to be!

Peace and blessings to you.

Mimi

Mimi's Art      Simple Works of Beauty to bring you joy and peace