dance

165:365

photos by Elaine A. Russell


"You must understand the whole of life, not just one little part of it. That is why you must read, that is why you must look at the skies, that is why you must sing and dance, and write poems, and suffer, and understand, for all that is life." --- Krishnamurti, Jiddu


32:365

(photos by Elaine A. Russell)


Well... what I had planned on being a very busy day.... turned out very differently indeed. My old friend insomnia decided to change things around and spice things up a bit ... so I ended up sleeping through the major part of the day.

But... the hubby, daughter and I had a fabulous dinner at Chili's (a burger with blue cheese and fries for me)... and a post dinner white chocolate mocha from Starbuck's. ... so there is no way I am complaining.

Today is the first day of February... I am excited at the prospect of a full, new month.
"February was named after the Latin term februum, which means purification, via the purification ritual Februa held on February 15 in the old Roman calendar."...Wiki


Today & tomorrow are also traditional days to celebrate Imbolc... if you are so inclined...


"Imbolc is one of the four principal festivals of the Celtic calendar, celebrated among Gaelic peoples and some other Celtic cultures, either at the beginning of February or at the first local signs of Spring. Most commonly it is celebrated on February 1 (or February 12, according to the Old Calendar), which falls (three days before) midway between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox in the northern hemisphere. Perhaps originally dedicated to the goddess Brigid, in the Christian period it was adopted as St Brigid's Day.

Imbolc is traditionally a time of weather prognostication, and the old tradition of watching to see if serpents or badgers came from their winter dens is perhaps a precursor to the North American Groundhog Day.

Fire and purification are an important aspect of this festival. Brigid (also known as Brighid, Bríde, Brigit, Brìd) is the Gaelic goddess of poetry, healing and smithcraft. As both goddess and saint she is also associated with holy wells, sacred flames, and healing. The lighting of candles and fires represents the return of warmth and the increasing power of the Sun over the coming months." ... from Wiki


... or you can celebrate Candlemas... http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03245b.htm .

So many interesting events at this time of year....

So sit back, enjoy a good fire, have a cup of tea... and be refreshed.

23:365

*photo by Elaine A. Russell


So--- I am on a small roadtrip. We went from Albuquerque down to Socorro for a Fundraiser for the Performing Arts Center. There were hands-on arts and dance workshops, Brazilian music by the group "Saudade" and a silent auction with tons of gorgeous art available for purchase.

I had the pleasure of assisting with teaching & demonstrations on the making of ATC cards. Amongst the other demonstrations there were: tye dying, beading, wire-work, embellishing sunglasses and other accessories, egg decoration, gourd painting, clay work, tin work, book binding, Polish paper cutting, weaving, printmaking, making fruit sushi, origami, crocheting, pastel drawing, watercolor painting, pottery, and making stained glass mosaics.
Combine that with great food and great music... It was pretty cool.

Tonight I am staying in a lovely log home out in the wilds of "Hop Canyon"... just outside of Magdalena.
Deer, snow, winding roads and mountains.
More to come tomorrow....

new beginnings

-------------- ---------------------------------photo by Elaine Russell

After much introspection and with a heavy heart, I have decided to leave the Wooden Cow Gallery and Art Space. It is my fervent hope that they will continue to be a shining light in ABQ for all kinds of art, and I wish them the very very best.
Sometimes; it is just time to move on. I believe in the concept and ideals that were the initial spark of what is now such a fantastic gallery. Having been involved in the process since its inception, it is very hard to let go of something that has been so close to my heart. It has been a ton of work, but it has all been worth it in the end to be able to see something that started out as a dream, and see it blossom and become a stunningly active place that embraces all forms and spectrums of the art community.
I also know without a doubt that it is possible to bring such dreams to life.. and that is an encouragement to us all.
The last show was fantastic.. and it was wonderful that such a great artist, Ren Adams, was selected as the featured artist. As one of the creators of the Wooden Cow, she is an inspiration to us all that alot of work, and some very cool ideals can indeed become a reality.

New year... new ventures... constant inspiration.... This is going to be an interesting year.