The Secret of Mother's Day

I like a free of work and cost (to me) meal as much as the next person. And who doesn't love flowers and gifts? But the secret deal with motherhood is this:  I have gained more than I have given from being a mother.

No doubt about it, parents work hard and give up a lot. It is exhausting many, many times and I agree it is rewarding and validating for my efforts to be recognized and appreciated by my children. However, there is a flip side that I don't hear or read about too often - how being a parent changes you for the better. Here is my Mother's Day letter to my children.

T and J,

You have taught me so much through our journey together so far. Through all the daily tasks of raising you and taking care of you - nursing you when you are sick, correcting you when you were naughty, guiding you when you are unsure, cheering your gains, being by your side in all the medical things, comforting you and talking through things when you are scared or sad, being there when you need me, getting goofy and silly together (a lot) - all these things have made ME a better person than I ever would have been without you.

I am a stronger, more patient, more caring, more open, more tolerant person than I would have been had I not been your mother.  I won't sugar coat it. It has been tough many times, and you know that. You two have been through a lot. But we Three Musketeers have stuck together. And through you, I grow into a better person.

I am grateful every single day that I am your mother. And I wouldn't change it for the world.

You two are my reason. YOU are my Mother's Day present.

I love you.

Strawberry Season!

Before strawberry season is completely over, I must post two strawberry recipes for you. If you make them, you will be glad. Promise. (And no, this has nothing whatsoever to do with photography and writing - both of which I have been too happily and intensely busy with to write timely blog posts . . . )

Strawberries, by Kara Stewart, Art in Photography

My son and I went strawberry picking with the intent of making smoothies, shakes and the two recipes I am about to share with you: strawberry pie and strawberry soup. We went on a Sunday. Word to the wise - don't go picking on a Sunday. All the berries have been picked out. We got enough, but they were not as red and sweet as I would have liked. I gather that strawberry farmer wisdom is that you go strawberry picking mid-week to get the good ones. And while strawberries may continue to redden after you pick them and take them home, they won't get any sweeter. So don't pick any with green tips. And do pick the medium sized and tiny ones.


Both of these recipes are simple in flavor and method. They let the luscious sweetness of strawberries take center stage. Neither of them work with frozen berries, so don't bother trying it!


Strawberry Soup


This is a yummy cold soup that you can adjust to your taste. Don't you just love precise measurements?


About 4 cups of strawberries, washed and hulled
About 4 oz. (half a block) of cream cheese. You can use any kind you prefer - regular, low fat, no fat
About 2 Tbs sugar, depending on how sweet you want it
Enough milk to make it 'soup' consistency - you be the judge. You can use any kind you prefer.
Frozen orange juice concentrate - optional


Put the berries in a food processor and puree. Cut the cream cheese into smaller pieces, add and puree with the berries. Add sugar. Add enough milk to make it of soup consistency. Puree again. If you like, add about 2 Tbs of frozen orange juice concentrate. It's good with it. It's good without it. You choose. Puree again. It should be a deep, pretty pink, nice and frothy.


Pour into a big bowl and chill. If you want to chill it faster, put it in the freezer for about an half an hour or so, then move to the fridge for about an hour. Pour into individual serving bowls. To be fancy, you can add garnish of a few fresh blueberries or some mint leaves or some fresh sliced peaches.


Strawberry Pie


6 cups fresh medium, ripe strawberries, washed, dried and hulled 
3/4 cups sugar
3 Tbs. cornstarch
1 9" baked pie shell
whipped cream - optional, home made is best


Use fresh, medium and small sized strawberries, not frozen. Make sure berries are dried off well after washing and hulling. 


To prepare strawberry glaze, puree 1 cup of the strawberries. Pour into small saucepan and add 1 cup water. Bring to boiling, simmer 2 minutes. Sieve berry mixture.


In a saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch, stir in sieved mixture. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened and clear. Spread about 1/4 cup over the bottom and sides of the baked pie shell.


Arrange about 1/2 of the berries (whole), stem end down, in the pie shell. Cut smaller berries to fill in spaces as needed. Fill in as much as you can. Carefully spoon 1/2 of the remaining glaze over the berries, covering each berry. 


Arrange remaining berries (whole), stem end down, atop first layer, cutting and using smaller berries to fill in spaces as needed. Pack it with strawberries. Spoon on remaining glaze, making sure to cover each berry. 


Chill pie at least 3-4 hours. Fabulous garnished with whipped cream! 


Now go eat some strawberries!

Replay: Is Anger Killing Your Art?

Today, because I think it is an idea so worthy of considering, I am hitting 'replay' on Seth Godin's blog post of August 2011.  Sometimes we need to revisit and keep thoughts cycling.


Here is his post:


Is your anger killing your art?


It's rare to find a consistently creative or insightful person who is also an angry person.*


They can't occupy the same space, and if your anger moves in, generosity and creativity often move out. It's difficult to use revenge or animus to fuel great work.


Ironically, when you decide to teach someone a lesson they richly deserve, you often end up strangling the very source you were counting on.


(*Angry is not the same as being a jerk. For some reason, there are plenty of creative jerks--I think because they mistakenly believe that being a jerk is a useful way for some people to wrestle with their lizard brains).


There are a number of responses to his blog post that you can google, but one that I thought was particularly helpful in unpacking what Seth says is that of Becky Blanton, writer and photographer. 


I think that about sums it up. I intend to think about how anger and other taxing emotions such as jealousy, and franticness (I made that word up) affect my art. And then I intend to clear my head and make more art in my Zazzle store, Art in Photography.


I encourage you to visit Seth Godin's blog and Becky Blanton's blog. 

Zinnia Pop Poster by artinphotography
Browse for more wall art on Zazzle

Textures

About two or so years ago, I started noticing photographs that weren't just photographs. They had something added to them that gave them different looks - some looked vintage, some had writing on them, some looked grungy, some looked cloudy with interesting pops of light.  All had the photo seemingly lying underneath this 'something extra'.


I asked around, but couldn't seem to get a straight answer as to what this phenomena was (I must have asked the wrong people).  


Turns out, they were textures.  If you haven't used them or never heard of them, you need to try them! Textures are images that you lay on top of your photographic image, using layers (as in Photoshop, Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo, etc.).  


Using layers in your photographic software, you have the ability to adjust a plethora of variables in both your photograph and the texture of your choice to make the final product look the way you envision. For example, you can make the texture layer on your photo lighter or darker, parts of it lighter or darker, softer, change the hue, change the levels, add text - anything you want!  


Here is an example of an image using a texture with text:

Dream Flowers, Kara Stewart, Art in Photography

This is a bouquet my friend Dave brought me when he visited recently. This texture, Dream, was created by Kim Klassen (you can find her at Kim Klassen Cafe).  Kim is the best source I know of for information about textures, a number of online classes, and the textures themselves. She makes textures that are just beautiful! 


For this one, I took my shot of a tobacco barn, then played with it using another one of Kim Klassen's wonderful textures. And then gave it a border and text and turned it into a poster for my shop on Zazzle.  

Tobacco Barn Black Border Poster by artinphotography
Join Zazzle's art affiliate programs

Click here for how I did it and comparison shots without the texture.


I really liked the historic document feel Kim Klassen's pourvous texture gives this photo I took on a trip to Jamestown, Virginia. The aged parchment feeling seems to set off the replicas of English drinking vessels and ship's navigational tools from the 1700's. 

I have not been using textures very long (a year or so), and still have a long way to go to be proficient with them.  For some reason, my images with textures tend not to be as light, ethereal or 'feminine' as some of the wonderful images you can find at Kim Klassen's Texture Tuesday.  Please do browse there to get a feel for the wide variety of things you can do with textures.


And then play and have fun!

Process

I have been thinking a great deal about the words of writer and artist Lynda Lehman.  Lynda is a shopkeeper on Zazzle in addition to selling her art on shutterstock.  You can find Lynda on Facebook at Lynda Lehman Painting and Photography. You can find Lynda's art here and the beautiful art products you see in this post are Lynda's on Zazzle.


In an interview for Creativity Portal, Lynda speaks of giving your art "enough time for the process to take on a life of its own" and says that, "it's very important to create the time and space for a real process to develop." Lynda goes on to say that "this is opposed to working so intermittently that 'process' doesn't have the opportunity to take hold and grow with its own momentum."
I think her words are absolutely true.

Blue Fusion Throw Pillow by PillowsbyLynda
View other Pillowsbylynda American MoJo Pillows

We all know that feeling that I call being 'in the zone'. Others have called it being 'in flow', absorbed, engaged. This is the state when little else seeps into your conscience, when your words or your art of choice subsumes all around you, consumes your eyes, ears and mind, and three hours can feel like three minutes.  It is a state of high productivity and intense and joyous concentration.  Once you feel it, you long for it. 

Jazzin' It Up by WaterSky
Browse more Lively Magnets

For months now, I have been trying to figure out why I feel so scattered, unproductive and frankly, half- ... ummm ... -baked, with my art and writing. And reading Lynda's words, I realize that my unsettled, unfulfilled feelings stem from not having process time.  Having intermittent time to devote to my arts very much describes my life at this stage. 


So what's the good news here?  That I can now put my finger on the issue. And can now let up on myself for not doing, being, all that I want creatively. Perhaps this stage of my life, where I must work a full time plus job in an unrelated field as well as be the one person responsible for running a household is simply not a time when I can have process time. Perhaps it is enough for now to know the issue, do the best I can and look forward to a time when I do have process time.

Pulse of the Motherboard by WaterSky
Browse more iphone cases

Lynda's words have helped me tremendously and I hope they help you, too. You can find Lynda's words on her blog, Peripheral Vision: inner sights and a listing of her articles for Creativity Portal here.    

Magician by WaterSky
View other Lynda lehmann Posters

7 Snippets of Wisdom on Creativity

Last week, in my post, Two Questions for 2012, I pondered:

•  How do I bring out the best in myself creatively?
• What is the thought process that would best allow me to integrate that sanely into the necessities of my life?

While I was pondering, I put those questions to a smattering of people with various creative pursuits. After all, seven heads are better than one.  Or something.  

I absolutely loved the variety of answers!  And you will too.

Dave Werner, Chef, Faunbrook Catering

Creativity:  Cooking

My art is more artisan. My art is temporary. My art is time sensitive and goes bad if you don't use it quickly enough. Tomorrow, quite literally, my art becomes poop.  I cook.  A lot!  Being in a corporate environment, we are much more constrained by costs than in a restaurant. I am also challenged by having the same audience every day. My creativity comes much less from exploring the new than finding ways to reinvent what I have used a million times. How do I alter the taste, color, texture and appearance? It's about making the finite infinite.

Photo by Kara Stewart, Art in Photography

  

Nancy Cordaro, My Coneflower Ranch

Creativity:  Photography, teaching, soap and candle making

When I was teaching full-time, my kids were little. My creative juices were channeled entirely into my teaching. Luckily, I taught second grade and my principal encouraged us to think outside of the box. Since leaving teaching, I've tried many things to feed that creative desire: playing guitar and violin, writing, and soap and candle making, which has turned into my company.  Photography has been the thing that has brought me the most inspiration. Collaboration has been a great motivator for me, especially in teaching. When I begin to lose enthusiasm, it helps me if I get together with my friend to shoot. Getting out of my comfort zone, meaning my regular shooting location, helps too.  Last week I went to shoot the Philadelphia Chinese New Year festivities. Wow, what a high! It was completely out of my comfort zone and my subject and style (I'm a country mouse), but it made me feel like a child on Christmas morning.

His and Hers by Nancy Cordaro

Alison DeLuca, Author,  The Night Watchman Express and Devil's Kitchen. 

Read Alison's awesome blog at Fresh Pot of Tea.

Creativity:  Writing

I always loved to write. It seemed like a type of magic to me, that I could imagine something and make it appear on paper. My first attempts were the usual results of a beginning writer. I started and abandoned several novels, and wrote very dreary poetry. One reason I didn't complete any of my first books was that I hated my own handwriting. The PC was a revelation to me. With it, I finished a screenplay, a biographical interview with my mother, and more short stories. I wrote a complete fantasy novel that was just as immature as my other efforts. However, this first manuscript showed me that I could sit down and write a complete book. I loved creating the world for my characters, I adored doing the research, and I was fascinated by how the tale unfolded. I was hooked. I continued to teach, but after a day of classes I would come home, throw dinner in the crockpot and write for as long as I could keep my eyes open. Over the next few years I finished a series of books about a group of kids and a magical island princess. That series became my Crown Phoenix books.  The act of creation is a journey. It is a treasure hunt without a map, and who knows what lies beneath that big X?

Alison DeLuca's Devil's Kitchen

Mik Walker

Creativity: Music

My creativity mostly involves writing and recording music. Trying to mesh my creativity with the other responsibilities of life does not sit easily or comfortably much of the time. I did spend years earning a living writing and recording music, so I know how that goes, too. Making your hobby your work, or vice-versa, is not always a fulfilling (or sensible) thing to do. I often break from music completely for weeks or months at a time - don't pick up an instrument, don't listen to music for pleasure or even in the background. Sometimes it just fills me with unease. Of course, this plays complete hell with any practice regimen or attempts at fluid competence on an instrument. That said, when I come back to playing, it is almost as if with a fresh pair of ears and hands. Things feel different, and new sounds, harmonies and melodies come out. Sometimes music is just a fun thing to do, a nice way to pass some time, exercise some gray cells. At other times, it is a necessary procedure, almost like an exorcism. My most satisfying musical moments are usually the result of collaboration with others, and this is what I am currently pursuing.

Photo by Kara Stewart, Art in Photography

Sally Iliff West

Creativity: Sewing, Quilting

Sally says, "Of course I would like to spend more time in my sewing room than I actually do. The 'higher priority' list gets in the way of the 'want to do ' list, so that limits my sewing/creating time. But I do occasionally commit myself to an afternoon of sewing and thoroughly enjoy it!"  Sally also brings out the best in herself creatively by searching for inspiration among her colleagues' sewing/quilting projects with the Schuykill County Quilters Guild and by being observant to things around her. Her latest fascination is with Frank Lloyd Wright's architecture and geometric stained glass window designs. While she would like to create a wall hanging based on his geometric window designs, she says, "That has to remain on the back burner for the time being. I have too many other irons in the fire."  Sally was asked to teach a workshop this spring to interested guild members. While looking forward to it, she thought, "I won't have time to do that!" But then she weighed the not too intensive prep time and thought, "I'll have fun doing it, and the guild members really want to learn this particular technique." 

Stack and Whack quilt by Sally Iliff West

 Jay Sinclair, J. Sinclair Photography

Creativity: Photography

Note: As a professional photographer, Jay is making a distinction between his work for professional reasons and his personal work.

I want my personal work to be meaningful and cohesive, but I end up over thinking it. I let perfect be the enemy of good. I have the creative tools but attach so much importance to perfection that I stand still with indecision. To combat this, I have resolved to select and finish some small and intentionally imperfect projects. Making them small, 10 photos, 3 photos, 1 day or a week, makes them finish-able. Some things don’t need to be finished but you need to finish something!  Making them intentionally imperfect keeps me from becoming creatively motionless by trying to make it perfect. Again, this will help make them finish-able. It has the side benefit of allowing/forcing me to try creatively new things that may fail but may lead down an undiscovered path. My next “big” personal project may not come out of these small projects or new paths, but it will keep me ready to grab it when it does present itself. It will also keep me from beating myself up for being creatively frozen!

Old Salem Coffee Pot by Jay Sinclair

Randi Byrd

Creativity:  Cooking

I have a rule for myself to relax and consciously appreciate the food that fuels my body and brain. No matter how stressful and packed a day may be, I have to eat sometime!  If I'm going to the grocery store anyway, then why not buy ingredients that I'll really play with and enjoy? Yes, I have to pinch pennies like everyone else, but considering that I don't waste my money on clothes, shoes, or much of anything else, why not treat myself to a taste of bliss at least once a day? If all else is chaotic in my life, there should always be one thing built in to look forward to with a sigh. I like to think about food as a vacation in my mouth! Hey, if I'm go, go, go and working all the time, vacation must be built in somehow! Tender chicken simmering in coconut broth infused with aromatic kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass and chilies are my Thailand destination and the spoon my ferry.  However, my most favorite vacations are always shared with friends.

Randi Byrd's July 4th salad with spinach, feta, pear, strawberries, pecans and mint

See?  I knew you'd love it!  Seven different perspectives on how to bring out the best in yourself creatively, and the thought processes that would best allow you to integrate that creativity sanely into your life.  

Several people mentioned collaboration with others as something that brings out their creative best. Some mentioned perseverance and being open to failure, starting small, stepping outside of your comfort zone, finding new ways to think of familiar things, timing, and being intentional in your creativity.  And creativity as a journey, and a mapless treasure hunt.

I find it very helpful to hear from others' thoughts on how they bring out the best in themselves creatively, and what thought processes best allow them to integrate their creativity sanely into their lives.  We may not come up with any magic bullet answers, but it helps to know that others struggle with the same things, and to hear ways that they remain stunningly creative through it all.  

And I'll leave you with three of my favorite quotes (I have a lot) on creativity:

"The creation of something new is not accomplished by the intellect but by the play instinct . . . the creative mind plays with the object it loves."  -- Carl Jung

"The truly creative mind in any field is no more than this: a human creature born abnormally, inhumanly sensitive. To him, a touch is a blow, a sound is a noise, a misfortune a tragedy, a joy is an ecstasy, a friend is a lover, a lover is a god, and failure is death. Add to this cruelly delicate organism the overpowering necessity to create, create, create - so that without the creating of music or poetry or books or buildings or something of meaning, his very breath is cut off from him. He must create, must pour out creation. By some strange, unknown, inward urgency, he is not really alive unless he is creating."  -- Pearl S. Buck.

"An artist is someone who produces things that people don't need but that he - for some reason - thinks that it would be a good idea to give them."  -- Andy Warhol