Behold the Glitterati

Behold the Glitterati

All that glitters isn’t gold…or is it?  Well, it might be “schlag” , or combination metal leaf, it might be 22 karat gold leaf, or it might be copper, silver, bronze or a combination of all of the above. Materials that contain or give the look of  precious metals can add instant warmth and light to a room, which can be a welcome addition at any time, but perhaps especially during this the darkest time of the year.  Use of metallic leaf, waxes, paints and glazes can be instrumental in transforming a time of darkness  into a season of light. In a space that is.  Which may just affect our state of mind, and lift our spirits.

We speak of radiance, iridescence,  incandescence and luminescence.   We crave shine, sparkle, glitter and glamor.  We love sheen and shimmer, glow and glimmer.  We are attracted to the translucent, which lets the light through, and the reflective, which bounces it back to us.  In other words, we long for light,  our source, our fuel, without which we cannot live.

So, its only natural that we should adorn our  objects, furniture, architecture and accessories with materials which play with and celebrate light, and expand our experience and enjoyment of its qualities.

So, whether it is the enhancement of  a craftperson’s  decorative detail,

a ceiling treated in tones of gold,

or the embellishment of a chair…

let us celebrate the spark of our spirits, and illuminate our state of mind with the pure enjoyment of things shiny and bright.  Let’s revel in radiance, especially during the dark time of the year.  Let’s lavish ourselves and our loved ones with light, shine and shimmer, and spread a sphere of good cheer around us wherever we go, during this Season of Light.

Who knows? It may make us whole.

What is your favorite ritual of light?  Do you have a special way of embellishing the Holidays with glow and glitter, sheen and shimmer?   If you feel so inspired, please share your unique light with us.  We love to hear from you.  Remember, we are all  in this thing called Life, together.

Happy Holidays, and Best Wishes for the New Year!

Slowing it Down to Move it Forward

Slowing it Down to Move it Forward

It may feel counter-intuitive, but more and more often,  I find that the best way to move “it” (aka: life, work, even relationships) forward, is to slow down, perhaps even STOP, take a breath, look inwards, or outwards, rally my forces, or let it all go, for just a few moments.

Like the old story of the tortoise and the hare, sometimes,“slow and steady” really does do it.

Sometimes when we slow down, we a find that we actually reach our goal more quickly, exceeding expectations, and enjoying a richer, more luxuriant experience.

In business for ourselves as artists, we may worry, as we work on a project and  near  its completion, that we are not meeting our bottom line…that time is “getting away” from us, that we under bid, over worked, or otherwise miscalculated our efforts and agreed-upon compensation.

That is exactly the moment to  STOP, take a breath, recalibrate, recalculate. Of course we need to make a living, to  be aware of  our bottom line, and consider our contract. But, at the same time, if we allow that to get in the way of our soul’s delight in what we love to do, then the whole enterprise can fall into question.

Instead, we can learn the creative, artistic, and business  lessons that each job, each experience, and each project offers,  and especially in those last few hours, minutes, and moments of completion, take joy in what we do, while exerting our best efforts.

Because, sometimes we need to see the parts,

in order to appreciate the whole.

Sometimes we need to slow down, even STOP,

to get the shot, the concept,  the bigger picture, the Moment: something wondrous, wonderful, and unexpected.

Sometimes we need to STOP and observe, from our own vantage point, what is around us, and feel what is inside of us.

In order to make ourselves whole again, we may need to STOP  for a moment, to realize where we have come from, how far we have traveled, and where we are going.

In doing so, we may find that we have come

full circle.

If you have the Time, please STOP! and share some of your experiences slowing it down, to move it forward.

And thanks for visiting…we are all in this thing called Life, together.