In the sweet smells of wet grasses and trees....cool

This morning we spent time with two teachers who have never visited Dawes Arboretum before.  The are in preparation for a two hike out West.  Dana is a playwright and professor at Otterbein  College while his wife Sue just retired from the music program at the Bexley middle school.  They are building up in their training because they have another exquisite hike planned for two weeks in Scotland.  We quietly walked under the Whispers in the Trees before the skies opened up with a slow, gentle rainfall.  Little by little the drought is testing the strength and persistence of the hard working naturalists and landscape architects nurturing these peaceful grounds.  I also ran into my favorite group of visitors...the Community Connections adults were on hand and I promised them I will return on 8/7/12 to paint with them.  The herb gardens in wheel barrels are growing by leaps and bounds.  They were making basil clippings and the air was filled with clean fragrance.  The lessons from the earth never cease.  I am quilting tonight and trying to complete a large work for a possible national competition.  I have been entering "art exhibits" for the last couple of years but I need to stretch my wings and see if other fiber artists see the work and value it enough to include it in this exhibition.  I am listening to my invisible voices and letting the invisible hands guide my soul.  Peace,  Mary Helen Fernandez Stewart







p.s.  Don't you just love David's handsome smile?  I will see him in two weeks!  Have a great week!

Grace in silence

Ken and I worked for the whole day on Saturday.  I found a storage unit that came with doors and a large drawer in the bottom.  It will have adjustable shelves and when I get back into the Whispers Studio I will spend the day putting "like" things into this cabinet.  I then  found a kitchen baker's shelf on sale from $269.99 on sale for $93.00. I think it will look great next to the storage cabinet and look kind of artistic holding my collection of woven baskets with lids.  I have a large shelf on the bottom that will hold the largest baskets and they will hold my sales paper without having to fold or manipulate the large pieces.  O can always buy the large papers and cut them for individual projects and possible cards.   We were both exhausted at the end of the day and had a great fresh vegetables on a wonderful pizza!  We watched a new movie selection on HBO.... "Contagion"....that will scare the Begeezus out of anyone.

On Sunday we attended a great picnic to celebrate Sue White's retirement from 33 years of incredible teaching.  She is the one in a million when it comes to giving her all.  She has plans for a trip out West with Dana for a two week hiking adventure.  She is also working on a historical musical to be performed by students ...a true way of Art creating the History and being alive on the stage.  Shelly Katy opened her beautiful home and had an incredible dinner and s'mores for dessert.  The people there were all going to miss Sue but as Katy has already settled into her retirement spending time with her adorable two year old grandson August.  This is an exciting chapter in their lives and authentic relationships seem to grow into the next chapter of their friendships.

Today I worked with three little cousins.  Reece, Bailey and little Nora came down to Dawes Arboretum to experience the Whispers in the Trees and to paint their own impressions of this incredible sacred place.  The energies are fully disclosed in the photos and the laughter filled the room ...the Fireside room.  We ended up working inside because this morning we received a much needed gentle rainfall.  We probably worked too long for the two younger ones ...almost 2 hours .  But we did learn and experience mixing our own colors ...we were exploring the wild world of acrylics.  We also added metallic colors from pencils and about 8 different brushes that offer a variety of strokes and images.  I am watching the last season of the "Closer" and need to get the clothes out of dryer.  I am praying you all found peace and hugs being with your loved ones....the national news has been difficult to listen or watch.  I have chosen to play some CD's that I love dearly and NPR radio favorites.  Stay cool and be happy creating with those you love!!!  Imagine and Live in Peace,  Mary Helen Fernandez Stewart

Grace in silence
Whispers in the Trees
colour dashes
dances
in a quiet ballet
performed in a cathedral of tree limbs
to seek refuge
from our personal chaos
and daily stresses
the colours reflect and shimmer

an energy made visible for all to cherish.