Of Replenishing the Well, and Serendipity

In her book "The Artist's Way", author Julia Cameron likens the pool of creativity to a well - and as we all know, one cannot draw from an empty well. It must be replenished from time to time. ;)

It's easy to forget this, so caught up are we in deadlines and commitments, and often just keeping our heads above water...Until one day, a little voice inside us says "enough"...says "take some time"...says "slow down"...says "breathe"....

The voice has been growing louder these last few weeks, until this morning, when despite a very full commission schedule, it got the better of me...

So a word to John (who is truly a saint when it comes to humoring my last minute whims) and we gassed up the Beetle and made a run out to St. Peter's Village, a historic old mining town on the banks of the French Creek...

I have such fond memories of visiting St Peters as a kid, and climbing around on these big boulders...

(Probably break my neck these days, hehe)....

The village itself is very small and very quaint, changing very little since it's days as a "company" town back in the 1800's. Only now, many of the houses along the main street are little shops...

I remember St Peter's Village back in the 1970's, when (after the quarry was mined out), it became a popular shopping and dining destination. Many of the shops have long since closed down, but a few small businesses are still there, and hoping to make a comeback. I thought this one was interesting - you can't really see the sign in the photo, but its says "Nana's", then "storytelling and lunch", which I found so charming, and a pity it wasn't open.

There's also a wonderful little bakery...
Um, OK, big bakery. ;) And an elegant Inn, where I understand the dinners are superb...

But my favorite was the West Hanover Winery's shop. Nevermind that 11AM is a bit early for a tasting, hehe - I just had to try this Buckwheat Honey Mead...

Liquid heaven, *sigh*..... Seriously, if you're withing striking distance of either St. Peters or the winery itself, you MUST try it.

We also visited a little antique shop, where I (with John's, ahem, "help") resisted the temptations of several antique pinkeeps - but not so this antique clock case. It was speaking to me, saying "Take me to Ghoultide!"...and well, I just couldn't ignore it, could I?

Of course I couldn't. Not sure what's up with the baby blue interior, but rest assured by the time I finish with it, it will be the most wicked cool, Witch's apothecary cabinet you've ever seen. ;)

So yes, not only did I replenish the creative well - I replenished the wooden painting surface supply as well.

Serendipity. ♥

And now it's back to work! I'm very close to finishing a super-fun clock commission, and then it's on to a Practical Magic inspired footstool, another Goddess painting, and more commissions and Ghoultide Gathering pieces. If only there were more hours in the day!

In the meantime, prints are available in the Etsy shop, and there are still a couple of commission spots open for 2012 (December completion). Just check the commission guidelines on the above right, and shoot me an email if you're interested. :)

I'll be back very soon!

♥ Carolee

The Gypsy in My Soul

So, remember I said I had some exciting news?!?

Well, it looks as though a longtime dream is actually manifesting; a cross country (and back again) road trip with a dear friend!


Two months plus, stopping to see interesting sights (and artist friends!) along the way, a lot of two lane and back roads, big cities and small towns, gorgeous scenery, quirky attractions, diner food...the iconic American vacation, Thelma and Louise style (um, but without the guns and driving off the cliff thing). ;)

The dates and vehicle are yet to be determined, but we're shooting for late spring/early summer 2012. I was hoping to take the Beetle (FUN little car to drive) until John pointed out there's a mileage cap we've already exceeded, lol, so it's looking like we may be in my friend's Expedition. Which means I need to learn to drive something more than a foot off the ground, hehe...

But those are details, and we'll work them out.

I read somewhere there are two kinds of travelers: journey people, and destination people. Journey people are gypsies; they like to wander, to veer off course, take interesting detours, and often throw any kind of schedule out the window. For journey people, it's about the experience. Destination people, while they fully intend to have a relaxing time once they GET THERE, need to get from point A to point B as quickly and efficiently as possible. And they often like to know exactly how many miles per hour they averaged doing it. Husbands tend to be the latter. ;)

My friend Ann and I are the former. We're journey people. And we are sooooooo looking forward to this adventure - and to sharing it via a travel blog as we go along!

In the meantime, I need to get my head out of the clouds (and every road atlas and travel guide I can find!) and get some painting done.

But oh my, how I'm looking forward to this!!

I'll leave you with a little Van Morrision, and be back very soon with new work. :)



♥ Carolee

An *Enchanting* Home, Studio and Show!

(a.k.a. "The Post that Never Ends", hehe)...

This weekend found me taking off with my friend Hugh for Martinsburg, West Virginia, where artist Paul Gordon was hosting the third annual "Friends in Christmas" show. Not wanting to begin the journey in the wee hours of the morning, we decided to stay over, which put us in Martinsburg Friday evening, allowing attendance at a little pre-show gathering in Paul's beautiful home...

Paul is not only an extraordinarily talented artist, but an avid collector as well, and his home is a feast for the eyes...

I don't know how to describe his style, except to say it's his own - sort of bohemian-vintage meets Victorian-whimsy, and I ♥ it...

Have you ever seen so much collectible eye candy in one cabinet?

It was such a magical place, made even more so by a little music, more than a little wine, and some very interesting guests.

Oh, and almost forgot - there's even a vintage toy room upstairs!

How amazing is that?

And here's our host...

Thank you so much, Paul, for including us in such a wonderful evening, and thanks Hugh, for taking these pics (I'd forgotten my camera).

Saturday morning the doors to the studio opened, and we were treated to another enchanting setting, and even more *magical* work!...

Here are some of Paul's sculpts, shadowboxes and paintings...

We also took a tour of the working part of the studio, which is home to stacks upon stacks of vintage fabrics and quilts, as well as a vintage Santa Claus costume...

And all this ribbon!! (I think I managed not to drool, although I'm not sure, hehe)...

And I LOVE the old shoes and skates hanging from the rafters...

I came home with a few goodies, including two pieces by Laurie Messerol. For the moment, Santa is keeping the teapots company...


And how adorable is this print?


And this darling pincushion by Stacey Bear(the little door opens to reveal a thimble - such fun, and I couldn't resist!)

See, I told you this was the post that never ends! But I get so excited about these things, I just have to share them with you...

Anywhoooooo....for NOW, it's back to work! I have an enchanting bunny commission in progress and a fun new sewing chest to begin - something magical for all those holiday projects, tentatively titled "Sew Many Blessings". ;)

And next weekend, there's another show to check out in Virginia (thinking of doing one crafty type show next year to sell a few personalized welcome signs). My friend Pam does this one, and will be there with some primitive holiday enchantment. And if you are in the Ohio area, be sure to check out the Merry Makers show in Springfield, Ohio! So many shows, so little time (and money, haha).

I'll close here, wishing you all a *magical* and *sparkly* kick off to the holiday season, and leaving you with this tune - one of my favorites (but first you have to scroll down on the right and mute the purple playlist already playing)...


Until next time,
♥ Carolee

My Head is STILL Spinning!!

What a weekend!!

The journey to the fourth annual Ghoultide Gathering was not without challenges, but in the end proved to be yet another amazing experience...

We awoke Thursday morning to discover the tropical storm which drenched most of the northeast had done further damage to our already shaky roof, resulting in a steady drip drip drip on the bedroom carpet....A quick trip to the attic, a few pieces of cardboard, and many towels later we were on our way despite the continuing storm. This was taken somewhere in central Pennsylvania (and yes, that's a sparkly tarantula on the dashboard of the Beetle, hehe)....


We arrived at the hotel around 2AM, were awakened by housekeeping at 8, and at 9 received a call sharing the news that a very dear friend had passed away the night before. More on this in another post. Danny was an amazing person, and deserves his own tribute. Needless to say I was shaken, but was also reminded by friends that Danny had spoken about my work just the day before, and in his typical theatrical fashion would have reminded me that the show must go on....

Before I post photos of the event, I must add that none of this would have come together without the extra mile put in by the amazing Scott Smith and Stephanie Rawson. I've been doing shows for more years than I care to remember, and the Ghoultide Gathering is head and shoulders above the rest - truly a magical experience! Scott and Stephanie, if you're reading this, you quite simply rock. ;)

For those who were unable to attend, Here's a little peek at some of the displays (and temptation for next year, hehe). It's far from complete, as I'm not comfortable taking photos without the artist's permission, and several of the artists had left by the time I shot these. I'll begin with three photos of Scott Smith's incredible work. I think my jaw dropped to the floor when I saw these, hehe..




This was the first time I got to see Vergie Lightfoot's amazing creations up close and personal, and all I can say is WOW! A shot of a portion of her table...


And a close-up of my own personal favorite, her dancing cat...


Wood carver Ed Pribyl (Exquisite work, and I especially LOVED his Poe!)


Deb Schoch of Hop Hop Jingle Boo's extraordinary work:


Pat Murphy's wonderfully whimsical bears...


My friend Pam Gracia, of Soft in the Head fame. How *FuN* are these??!..

Laurie Harden of Monkey Cats Studios (these pieces were practically flying out the door!)


Paul Gordon's work - just stunning (Check out the pumpkin gal on the piano!)

Nicol Sayre's elegant primitive dolls...


I need two photos to show you Sheila Bentley's work - she makes the rest of us look like slackers, lol...


It was such a delight to see Johanna Parker's work in person - her pieces always bring a smile...

Vaughn and Stephanie Rawson of the Whimsical Whittler - just gorgeous...

The uber-talented Will Bezek's creations (LOVE the vampire brothers!)...

The super gifted Allen Cunningham, who I had the honor of displaying along side. The detail in his work is just phenomenal....

And the extraordinary creations of Kristen Beason - not much was left at the end of the day, and it's easy to see why! LOVE her work....

And finally, my own display, or part of it. There's a large painting too, but I'll share that later. ;)

I'll post photos from some of the other artists as I find them and/or get the artist's permission. I just don't like to post someone else's work without their say-so, and always appreciate it when I'm asked as well.

There were other highlights from the show, but I was having too good a time to take photos, hehe....Some of the artists and collectors got together at Macaroni Grill for dinner Friday night, and WHAT a good time!!! I only wish the evening could have lasted longer, and that I'd had a chance to speak with everyone in more depth. And as if the necklace last week wasn't enough (I wore it to the show!), two of my collectors gifted me with MORE presents! Two charming paper cuts, one beautifully framed, and a whimsical, hand built ceramic tea pot from Washington State...You both know who you are, and I'm completely overwhelmed!!

A few of us also let our hair down Saturday night with Mexican food and margaritas - FUN, and we hope to do it again next year, teehee!

Finally, Scott and Stephanie presented all the artists with complimentary magazines and a bucket of goodies which included a Scott Smith postcard and a casket cookie made my Kim Short Herzog, who was also a participant. Due to the rain, I missed getting outside to see her yummy creations in person....What can I say, except when it rains I get a little like Madeline Kahn in Young Frankenstein ("the hair, the hair!") Hehe....

Soooooo, yes. That's about it. Except to say if you love art, and you love Halloween, start planning your trip for next year!!! You'll be glad you did and so will I. The best part of any show is meeting other Halloween enthusiasts in person. See you there!!

♥ Carolee

Journey People and Destination People

I read somewhere that there are two kinds of travelers; journey people and destination people.

Journey people don't have a schedule, are perfectly OK with detours, consider getting sidetracked an adventure, and love exploring new paths even if it means they reach their destination late, or not at all.

Destination people are focused on the goal. They want to get there as quickly and efficiently as possible, would never consider deviating from the planned route, and can probably tell you how many miles per hour they averaged on the way.

My daughter Courtney and I are both journey people. A few years back, when she was 14 and I was 36, we took a cross-country road trip together (Huntington Beach, California to eastern Pennsylvania). Being more of a destination person, John was worried about us, and I do admit taking the trip was against his wishes. But it was one of those things I'd always wanted to do, and knew if I didn't, I'd always regret it. We drove a VW Jetta, had no cell phone, and made the entire journey on about $500.

One of the fondest memories was late afternoon the first day out, in Arizona, when Courtney spotted a sign for a Winslow exit....

"We HAVE to stop!" she said excitedly, and I had to agree. The entire purpose of the stop was to call her Dad from a phone booth and tell him she was "standing on a corner in Winslow Arizona". Completely unplanned, didn't cost a thing but time and about three dollars in quarters, but a great memory.


This is the corner today. There was no statue at the time, which actually made it a lot cooler. ;)

Other detours included old route 66, shopping in Albuquerque, and exploring the craftsmanship of basket weavers in the Ozark mountains. Courtney navigated, I drove, we listened to Jackson Browne, the Indigo Girls and Tori Amos at full volume, saw some friends along the way, and generally had a great time.

I'm thinking about this journey vs. destination thing as regards the artistic process too....

Do you think the same principle applies?

I get asked pretty frequently "what are you working on now?", and I almost always answer with the name of the piece: "a sign" or "a tea box"..."a table"..."a chair". Which is often followed by "yes, but what are you painting on it?"

Which I'm sure sounds like a perfectly reasonable question to most people - You have a plan before you jump into something, right? You have it mapped out. You know where you're going and you know exactly how you'll get there.

To me (and I suspect other journey people) it's an impossibly frustrating question, and one for which I have no answer. How can I know for sure the direction a piece will take, until I'm finished, or at least very near the end of it?

Every once in a while (commissions for instance) I have a plan. But for the most part, painting is an adventure that evolves as it will, the little detours adding interest, and I'm pretty much just along to enjoy the ride. ;)

Here's one I have in progress sight now - a large storage bench (you can see it blank in the post below). Cloudy skies, a full moon, and a field of pumpkins for a little color. But beyond that, who knows?

I was thinking maybe a spooky graveyard scene, but then Merlin jumped up this morning and I was struck by his beautiful black coat against the sky, so now I'm thinking black cats somewhere. I'm also listening to gypsy music this morning, which may find it's way in there too...

Stay tuned...

And I'm curious.....are you a journey or a destination person?

♥ Carolee