Quote of The Day

Friday, July 19, 2013

Shoes and More Life Questions

We all live such incredibly unique lifestyles.
What kind of environment do you need to strive?

Do you like an action packed home, 
or a relaxed one?
First and foremost I need Peace...probably why I have a metal peace sign hanging from my car mirror and  in  few discreet spots in my home. I have ornaments for my Christmas tree and a revered piece of blingy jewelry shaped into a peace sign.   If you've ever lived in a home that was fraught with arguments, and grumpy frustrated over worked people craving a cocktail then you will understand the exhale factor when life is filled with peace, compassion and laughter!!

 What is your most comfortable situation to 
develop your talent in?
You won't find me creating in a plein air group. I just don't enjoy painting with others present, even though it can be so much fun! I have yet to produce anything I was satisfied with. I tend to need complete alone time in the quiet of night with the lull of television (mostly informative shows) or music in the background.

There has never been a more accurate quote to describe how I found true happiness. I love creating things.  It's what got me through loads of grief, my childhood, and divorce! It fills me up to produce something useful, meaningful or fun! Years ago it was sewing, painting furniture, changing decor and cooking,  now it's art and writing.
 What are your goals and dreams?
The most surprising thing about life is discovering who you really 
are late in life, then realizing  you still have dreams worth pursuing! 
Dreams different than you ever could have imagined
when you were young!!

What is something you changed your mind 
about that took you by surprise?
I have prided myself on changing my mind many many times over the years!
That's why I like to surround myself with people who are strong in their convictions with often differing opinions. It introducing me to different perspectives!

I had tunnel vision about men and often lumped them all in the same category. My wonderful son-in-law has really helped me to realize there are amazing, kind, special men out there who are so undervalued!! Thanks buddy for changing my mind!
 What was the biggest sudden change
 that threw you into the worst pain of your life?
I have been through so much loss in my life, but an unexpected rift in two very important relationships several years ago are what produced drastic changes for the better!!
So sometimes, after the pain comes great reward!

 What is one of the most memorable 
lessons you have learned?

I have learned that I am stronger than I thought and that faith and courage can get you through the toughest situations! No matter how hard life gets, and trust me there can be really rough spots, there will always be better times, better situations, and better people to help you through it all!!

I had a struggle with sage and sepia
 for this weeks Summer of color.
We just have no chemistry. 
Plus they're always hanging out with 
my nemesis's  beige, taupe and brown,
who seems to loiter  in kitchens and powder rooms!!
 I find them boring wall flowers! Not in  a good way either! 
They haven't much to say, and no sense of whimsy.
In fact they look rather dull beside all the other colors.  
They seem grubby too. As though my favorite green 
decided to roll  around in dirt then   thought it 
wise to  change his name to sage!   
  I can't be sure, but I suspect they don't even 
 wear deodorant! Just sayin...
"They're no my favorites"...( said with an Austin Powers accent)
All kidding aside...hope you all have a great weekend!

   This is my contribution to Paint Party Friday, SOC, and Icad where you can find many talented artists!!

58 comments:

denthe said...

Haha, love what you're saying about sage and sepia! My sentiments exactly! I find that I enjoy most a peaceful quiet relaxed home with the ocassional outburst of action;-). I don't think I'll ever be able to paint in front of strange people, I get nervous when people are watching what I'm doing. But in a relaxed atmosphere where everyone is doing their thing I don't have a problem.
Loving your shoes and your quotes this week, but you're right: the sepia and sage one looks drab compared to the other ones. I prefer the bright colours!

Valerie-Jael said...

Yeah, sage and sepia - hard for me too! Love the shoes and philosophy again! Hugs, Valerie

Netty said...

great post, loving the new footwear.
Due to my age am not keen on action packed days, but do like some action. Love creating with others and on my own..so am quite a mixed up bag.....lol Happy PPF and SOC, Annette x

VonnyK said...

I prefer to paint alone during the day as the house is crazy at night and I have trouble painting around other people too. Love all your funky shoes, so cool.
Von

soulbrush said...

Love the questions,(and the art of course). Here are my answers:

Must have peace and quiet now that I am older.And I hate clutter.
Nope, I can't paint in a crowd- puts me off actually, love my own space.
Goals and dreams: to have my African art in Galleries here and in the USA.
My art was the thing I changed my mind about- I believed I had no talent at all. Ha ha I guess I have.
Yup, had lots of loss and pain, worst of all was a slipped disc 10 years ago and surgery -said I wouldn't walk again- and here I am fit and fine!
I learnt that you can do anything -you only need to keep trying and keep believing in yourself and never ever give up hope.
Love your bright colours- they always speak to me- and this post has been the best one ever. Happy PPF to you.xx





Miriam said...

Another fabulous post. I feel much the same as you, things look so different when you are a wee bit older.

Love the shoes, the quote and your thoughts about sage and sepia. I thought it was a bit 'camouflage'. As with many of the colour challenges, I groan, find it, like it and see it everywhere. I suppose I changed my mind about it...

Ivy said...

I love all your shoes but that Sage/Sepia one is absolutely my fav, well done!! HPPF!

Faye said...

Still loving your shoe art, Sherrie, even the one you found hard to do - sepia and sage. I agree with you about solo painting. The only thing I can create artfully with someone else is greetings cards. But painting with someone else, no. I also crave peace, so my home is very quiet and even boring to sone, I'm sure. As for change, I think as long as we breathe air, we change. I am most certainly NOT the same person I was 20 years ago, much less 50 years ago. I think with age comes more understanding of others and perhaps more tolerance. Love your post.

Dianne said...

LOVE the shoes, and great quotes!

Tammy N said...

Amazed at the variety you get with your shoe theme. The quotes you add are great. LOVE the bright colors you use! Great art!

bellefrogworks said...

Your shoes and your post make me smile. We all have a different bumpy road to follow - many times I have been disappointed by people close to me-but that faith given to me by God has pulled me through and turned my mourning to joy so many times. Thanks for such honest posts and for smiles.

Ilona Heimböckel said...

Wonderful quotes and shoes, I like that you found Goethe a great German writer of the "Classic" period! :-)

I love a quiet, lively, active home in turns! But mostly it is rather quiet ;-)

To work in groups is very inspiring, a lot of energy can occur if people are willing. To be observed while I work is not very nice, it makes me nervous!

And the sepia and sage are two of my favorites, as I told Denthe in her post, she used a similar unfriendly discription for them ;-)

Happy PPF and hugs
Ilona xx

Linda Kunsman said...

sage and sepia isn't a fave of mine either but the challenge was fun. Gee, we seem to be alike in so many ways I know if we lived near each other we'd be great buds!! I too prefer peace and calm after growing up in a chaotic atmosphere.And I most always prefer to art alone too. Your shoe collection keeps getting more fabulous-and I'll say it again-you should get decks of cards or a book made of them :) Happy PPF!

Ginny said...

I agree with Linda. This series is wonderful and could be turned into a great book. What do you think?

I love the series of shoes. They are all so colorful and great. The questions are wonderful. Each week you make me think more and more about myself and who I am now.

My house is quiet and I love it that way. I don't like clutter which is different from when my son was young. Then my motto was "anything goes" as long as we were having fun and we did. Now, I have to remind myself that the house does not need to be perfect. That is a big change.

I like to paint with others as long as I don't compare my work with theirs. Once I realized that I was doing that and stopped I began to enjoy the company of other artists while I paint.

Thank you for another great post. It is always such a pleasure to visit you.

sharon said...

Fantastic post yet again, you are definitely a talented writer as well as an artist. Pain and loss have also in the long run turned out as pluses for me many many times. I crave peace these days and my little home and garden are my boltholes from the crazy world. Being able to change your mind is a great gift, and brings opportunities we would have missed out on. I changed my mind about somebody a few weeks ago and have been surprized at how wonderful they are under that exterior. We are always learning! Actually I feel the same way about sage and gren, that why I did a digital work! Its great in vintage stuff!

Paper rainbow said...

I agree with your green/sepia musings, they are muddy colours and not at all summery, I like you love the vibrant side of the rainbow. Your shoes make me happy, lots to think on too, I am quite a quiet person and like my own company, not all the time, that would make me a hermit! But I do need space to be me. like you I have found that I am tougher than I thought, faith and courage are great best friends to have. :)

Christine said...

you did well with sage and sepia, I enjoyed your post today. I can't paint plein air either and crave peace and relaxation! and free time!

ann @ studiohyde said...

Love your paintings...have a great weekend :)

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

I got a big laugh out of sage being made from green rolling in the dirt. I sort of think that's true. And of course, you have me hooked on your shoe collection. This is a lovely entry for the final SOC colors. And a great way to wrap up this challenge, too.

Janet said...

I'm loving your shoe art! As for my home, it's quiet and peaceful and that's just how I like it. I never play music or TV when I create. I like the quiet of my studio. When I'm with the painting group I attend, I seldom ever get much done. I don't create well around other people but they do inspire me.

Tracey FK said...

our house alternates between complete madness and utter peace and quiet, yet even the madness is still peaceful.... it isn't a madness that comes out of anger or nastiness , but usually laughter so it is good madness... and I love both... I like quiet to paint and draw, and do love the early mornings in the studio with just the sound of the birds waking up and the dog snoring... my favourite part of the day...
as to sage and sepia... not my friends either... all kinds of wrong...but you have handled them beautifully... love to you and yours as I sip my blueberry tea this morning...xx

Shahrul Niza said...

LOL, you had me at Sage not wearing deodorant!!. You are one funny woman, LOVE all the giggles here. Aren't we all lucky to have made it through all of it and live to tell the tale??. Yes, this for me is our personal triumph. Myself, I prefer working in solitude :). Enjoyed your funky colorful shoes!!

GlorV1 said...

Hi Sherrie. Personally, painting alone is my style. I can't paint while someone is watching me. Wow, those shoes are to die for-all of them.:) Great job. Yes, a deck of cards with your shoes would be awesome. Happy PPF!
gloria

Lynn Cohen said...

The trouble with your posts and ME is I keep coming back to them, mulling over your questions...dear god by age 72 one has a life time of mind changes, hurts, and loves. Right this minute in my life, and I dare not think past any given minute, but sit in the here and now striving to make it and me the best it/I can possibly be, mine is one of calmness, peacefulness, contentment, AND frenzied activity to create all I can create in the time I have left.
That's art-wise, relationship-wise, family-wise, friendship-wise, work-wise, and body size! Hee hee, that just fell out of my mouth! But true! Means health-wise!
So thanks for making me think, AGAIN, and for reminding my self of all I have to be grateful about, and how much not so good stuff is in the past, and now right NOW it's almost all good stuff. Almost.
And of course I LOVE YOUR ART!

Lorraine said...

great shoes and thoughts. I live in a chaotic household with 3 sons so I like to be alone and have peace and quiet especially for painting etc. My fav time is now early in the morning before anyone awakes drinking coffee, checking emails etc and watching the birds in my garden..multitasker

Ritu Dua said...

I love to breathe in some quietness while I am at my arty mood :)
Your sage and sepia shoe may not be as bright as the other ones and it may also not be your favorite but then it still stands unique and proud :)

Sharon Fritchman said...

Your shoes have been so inspiring these past 6 weeks! I love what you created using this week's SOC colors! Thank you so much for bringing your personality and talents to all of us at SOC!!!!

DVArtist said...

I too still love your show art. So many questions this week. The one I will answer is, I too am a lone artist. I am better in my studio where my thoughts are steady.
Nicole/Beadwright

Arnoldo L. Romero, MLA said...

That green Doc Marten boot and the quote you chose for it are a perfect representation of me. LOL! Have a blessed week, my friend!

Irene Rafael said...

hi giggles, today is the perfect day for me to read your blog. i plan to use some of your questions as prompts and write write write. i believe that someday pain is useful...thanks for the reminder.

Irene Rafael said...

ps i will check out photo bucket. thanks for the suggestions.

Kristin said...

xo

Kristin said...

xo

Deborah Weber said...

Love this post! Your art is wonderful,the quotes you chose brilliant, and the tie in to your life questions and answers wonderful.

Ayala Art said...

Awesome shoes!!! And awesome quotes, especially the last one, it is so true and a blessing when things finally make sense even if it it many years later.

Abigail Davidson said...

What a fun idea to have a different shoe art piece for each quote! I especially like the C.S. Lewis quote, and the last shoe has beautiful coloring. Thank you for sharing, and happy PPF!

PaintingWrite said...

I love your posts so much - you always get me thinking!! Your shoes are so fun. I laughed at your description of sage and sepia - I guess you're right in terms of painting with them they are quite boring but I kinda love them all the same as I do love a vintage vibe!
As for your questions -
A relaxed home definitely. I didn't come from a large family, I've never been into hosting parties or gatherings and I love that in our house there is just me, my husband and our two dogs. I'd like to add a cat to the mix but definitely no more humans!!
I have to paint alone - I really admire street artists who do portraits while people sit but I would come out in a cold sweat just thinking about doing that - I need to be alone to work on a piece without observation. Once I'm happy with it I'll show it to the world and his mother but until then - I vant to be alone (in a Greta Garbo style!)
My goals and dreams - I've realised once of them - to live somewhere remote and far from the rat race and that was thanks to my husband's new job - we wake up every day not quite believing we live somewhere we dreamed of! My other dream is to sell enough art to make a living - not necessarily to be the next Damian Hirst (because I think his work is shit and not actual art but I'd like his pay packet!) but just enough to become known as a local artist and have tourists seek out my work when they visit this part of the world!
I really can't think of anything that I changed my mind about - plenty of things that I just wasn't educated enough about (like what happens to cows in a dairy farm or how much more water and crops are needed to raise cattle than to just eat the crops ourselves) once I learnt about those things and became vegan I guess I changed my whole way of living but that's not the same as changing my mind so much as expanding it!
I guess I'm fortunate so far that there hasn't been one truly awful thing that has happened in my life to change it for the worse. I've had the usual run of friends letting me down (usually because they decided to go out with a boyfriend of mine either while we were still together or just after we'd finished!) and I guess I've become less likely to cultivate really close friendships but that suits my lifestyle - I like to connect with like-minded folk online like you and our other art buddies rather than have people too close around me in 'real' life!
The most memorable lesson I've learnt is that just when you think things will never happen and you give up on them, that's exactly when life puts something unexpected in your path - I met my husband when I'd decided I was done with men - he was literally in my path as I was leaving a club with friends one night and nearly 8 years later I couldn't be happier. He went looking for jobs online when we were particularly frustrated with living in N.Ireland and the job that brought us to our dream home in Scotland was right there practically with his name on it!
Sorry, this is a bit of a long one. By the way, I know you were having problems getting to my blog. If you put www.nicsearth.com into your search engine will it come up that way or if you subscribe to it on google+ or by email?

Anonymous said...

My arty buds are here so I am not playing on PPF, but I like to create in silence in my basement studio, maybe with pups around, but this weekend I am painting in a makeshift studio in my garage with my teaching buds and the energy that gets created synergistically is perfect for intuitive painting and letting go of outcomes. There is always dog chaos in our house, but usually I am a hermit which suits me just fine. xox

Debbie said...

love your shoes and your questions and advise! I'm like you, I create best by myself, but I love to hang out with other artists! Happy Sunday!

Beansieleigh said...

LOVE all your shoes, even the sage and sepia one that you found most difficult!.. As for "peace", I chose it for my focus word of the year once. I AM familiar with having grown up in environment where there was not necessarily a LOT of fighting, but just general misery. My mother was not a happy person, very moody.. not really the loving, nurturing type, and by the time my father got home, it was time for us kids to head to bed!.. So now, peace and happiness are what I crave most from this life! Clearly what you paint, makes you smile, and your work has made me smile too, this Sunday morning! A girl can never have too many shoes! ~tina

K J D said...

I don't think I could cope with a crazy mad house all the time... it's fun for a while but too exhausting!!!!

I do like a bit of peace and quiet :)

I admire people who journal in public but I don't think I ever would. In a park but never in a coffee shop!

I loved your post you always make me think and I love your colourful art too.

Karen x

SAMARA said...

Hey Sherrie, some of what you wrote made me teary; I so relate to you in nearly everyone of your posts. Your suffering, your pain, your cheers, your learning. You are a brave and courageous woman...I relate to your struggles and I relate to your victories.
I LOVE your doc martins at the beginning. Just love love love! The sayings in each of them is just fantastic (are just) and they are so spoken to the colors of each of the boots and the style of the shoes. It is amazing how you do that - that you do the colors and the shape of the shoes and find the colors and the words to match. Quite an art to match up that way. I'm sending you lots of heart Sherrie! xox

Irene Rafael said...

hi giggles, thank you for the support and the comments! you have made my day, truly. xo

J C said...

Yeah, peace. It guards my soul. My mind craves it, and I will easily walk away if it is not there. Great post. Lovely shoes!

Carol said...

I'm a loner ♥♥♥♥♥ I love to be home alone with my art supplies and my garden. I thrive on it.... my spirit soars. I love your shoes and all of your quotes.

Natasha said...

I love your posts, I always come away laughing and inspired...a perfect combination! Our house varies between crazy madness and stillness, but it is a good crazy, not an overwrought one (most of the time! :)).

My biggest change was probably from law to now. I am pretty sure my parents still think I am mad, but I know who I am now, and more importantly I am joy-filled with my life. One cannot ask for more, well I couldn't.

As always I love your shoes, I suspect you are right about the sage and sepia, they do look a little unclean, perhaps don't stand too close, just in case!! :D

Have loved watching your shoe collection develop. :)

BJ said...

Gosh you are certainly having a shoe thing. Paged through and found the ballet shoes, love those. I don't have many shoes as my feet are so short and wide so rarely get any to fit me! Thanks for visiting my Owl. BJ

Carmen said...

It's rare to find a bit of peace and quiet in our house but I do love to escape out to my shed, listen to the birds tweeting and just paint. I'm the same with people watching me paint too - even family - I sort of freeze and end up going "what? WHAT?"

I loved the sage and sepia combo but then I do love a bit of grunge. I would like to think mine wear deodorant though :P

Love your shoes and all the quotes.

Jez said...

Another superb post, words, quotes, shoes, colour and your own unique view on life. As I've said before, you are an inspired writer and it's clear you inspire and affect so many people.
What do I need in my environment? Peace, like you, and quiet, quiet, quiet.
Having spent a few days last week in a big city, I felt myself going mad with the noise pouring onto me from every angle, music, traffic, loud voices, catering machines in cafes .... even the air conditioning in our suite at the hotel.
It has been so wonderful to come home to the absolute peace and quietness of where we live, and be given the space in our minds to think.
I've decided you are my favourite author - you always give food for thought. XXX

Diana Taylor said...

Great work - love the sage and sepia colours - I think you did brilliantly considering you didn't like them!

Victoria said...

Hello friend..wow..what a deeply inspirational post..thanks for sharing your journey..your profound wisdom and the quotes all along with your beautiful shoe-art was most enjoyable!I agree with your wise words..my hardest lessons have been my greatest teachers and painful times in my life were the very things that carried me into spaces of joy. It is that invisible ride there.. that creates the most transformational threads that weave us back to life and into new beginnings and becomings! A Silent magic! Everything in our life..especially dark times.. becomes a gift if we have the courage to open it!
Massive hugs and sparkles.beautiful post..gorgeous art! PS: yes me to sage and sepia, I wasn't sure what to create..when in doubt..I go straight to nature..went to the garden..and there it was!
HUgs
Victoria

Denise said...

What fun Your blog is :) I will now be Your newest follower,if I'm not already following You.Lovely art and prose.Also thought provoking :) Denise

Lisabella Russo said...

Your shoes are all so much fun, I especially like the last one. I like quiet a lot, which can be hard to get sometimes... I very much enjoyed your words!

Kristin said...

Hi again!
I just wanted to pop over and thank you personally for all the work you did for the SOC this year! You know I love your style and personality and it was not lost on the SOC crowd! You are such a lovely person and I'm so happy you join in the fun. Kristin xoxo

Kristin said...

Hi again!
I just wanted to pop over and thank you personally for all the work you did for the SOC this year! You know I love your style and personality and it was not lost on the SOC crowd! You are such a lovely person and I'm so happy you join in the fun. Kristin xoxo

2amscrapper said...

love your shoe theme

JKW said...

Wow, AMAZING blog. I've always done art (since 12 years old) then, older, I moved from the north to the south. I became involved with sewers and quilters and writing articles and books. I make cloth dolls and after I retired I kept going in those directions (I forgot I hate to sew). However, I find that after getting off the Statin drug, I am awake and alive. I've redone most of my house (floors, lighting, etc) and my first love has come back into my life thanks to PPF - My Art but I also love crocheting. These are my passions. Thank you for asking. Blessings, Janet

PiaRom said...

So much fun to see all the funny shoes you painted...this time I have a favorite...its the fifth one the wonderful doted high heels :) So much fun and I love the blue shoes for hubby ♥ Conny
http://piaromsartjournaling.blogspot.de

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