IF A DOG COULD WRITE POETRY

Twelve million Helmsley left to a Maltese. Trouble. That's me!
Ridiculous riches for any imaginable spending spree.
Oodles of doggy toys and my favorite yummy biscuits.
Unbelievable treats and even cooked beef briskets!
Blasphemy-this outrageous gift-you shout with a cry!
Let yourselves rage, gasp, and even sigh...
Evidently, I've no worry. See? My new caregiver will be rich!
-------------------------------------------------I guarantee!

WORD OF THE DAY

AVOIDANCE ACTIVITY
Oh, I wish I could claim this one as my own! Alas, I cannot. I enjoy daily virtual visits to Maggie Stiefvater’s BLOG. Smartly tucked within one of her many entertaining and informative stories she mentions AVOIDANCE ACTIVITIES. I laughed out loud when I read it. Two little words that sum up my day in and day out dilemma thoroughly. If you are a practicing at home artist or writer you nod your head and blush with complete understanding. Many artists and writers live it. We practice it. We even perfect it!
Simple activities suddenly become the most important tasks of the day. Events that can wait a few hours, a few days, even a week suddenly MUST be done now. When is now you ask? I am walking down the hallway to my studio to create. NOW I am ready to make art. Or my mind is quiet and focused and I want to sit and write. NOW I am ready to work on that novel. But no…
As I head down the hall, I think I smell the litter box. Better go change that. The box is located in the laundry room. Oh, I should start a load of clothes while I am in here. Darn! The washer has a load. Need to empty said load into the dryer. Darn! The dryer has a load of dried clothes. I fold the clothes. I pass my work room as I deliver laundry to the various rooms in the house where they belong. Hang the pants and shirts. Place undies and socks in their drawers. Towels into the bathroom. Man, that toilet bowl could use a cleaning. And how long was it when I scrubbed the shower last? Now where are those cleaning chemicals? In the kitchen! I walk back through the hallway to the kitchen right past my studio door. Harmful chemicals are in the cabinet above the sink. Man! Those dirty dishes belong in the dishwasher. Darn! There is a clean load in there already. Got to put those up before I can load the dirty ones. Oopps, I dropped a fork. Man, the floor could use a sweep. How long ago did I mop this thing? Where is that mop? Outside! I go out the back door. Man! When was the last time I pulled weeds, watered the plants and fed the birds? Do you see the madness?
So thanks for the laugh and the eye-opener Maggie. This past week as I sat on the couch going into my cartoon coma that occurs while my daughter watches afternoon television, I asked myself…”Is this an avoidance activity?”. The answer was yes. I asked Sarah to enjoy her one hour of cartoons and I went into my studio and created a little art card. It was wonderful! I identified and overcame an avoidance activity. One small step for this artist, one giant leap towards a more disciplined artistic lifestyle!

BABY CAT'S LAMENT

Darn little kitten
I wish you would go away.
Since you've come along
Daily dispruption, disorder
And disquiet now belong.
I see you fitting in and sadly I wonder
Never am I to be rid of this little orange stray?

WORD OF THE DAY

F.O.C.U.S.
Finding- Ones- Consistent- Unique- Style

Ahhh! The question that plagues this artist along my personal journey. It’s an uncomfortable question. The way it creeps up on me, forcing me to seek the advice of friends and other artist’s I trust. I will tentatively ask, “What is my style?” “Does my art have a recognizable look?” “Can you tell what my style is?” Oh the madness of it all. Worse, trying to figure it out.
For me, I know my favorite subject is and will always be…The Horse. I am completely comfortable in my choice of subject. I know horses well. I draw horses well. I illustrate horses well. I am learning how to paint horses well. By no means am I a master of horse art but I am no beginner. Yes, with confidence and all honesty I can say I am a capable equine artist.
Sure! I have found my subject but what about my style? Do all my horses look like my style in whatever medium I choose to create them in? I sometimes feel too close to my art. I can’t see what others see. I hope to implant my personal mark every time. A mark that comes from my heart into each and every art piece. I call it the artist’s stamp of love. We artist’s love our subjects so much we are motivated, pushed, driven and inspired to recreate our beloved subject into any art form we can master.
So with that said, I would think the best way to find my unique style is to just keep creating what I love. Not what I think will sell. Not what is popular in the current art magazines. Not what makes my art look like the next BIG artist’s work. Just sit down with each new work and focus to create what delights me the most. To feel comfortable in my breed choices, color palettes, layouts, etc. I think with that a theme naturally will develop and over time…my style will present itself and continue through my career.

PUMPKIN IS THRIVING

PUMPKIN is thriving and doing very well. He eats until he gets sleepy and he sleeps until he feels hungry. Ha! Pumpkin has inspired a loose fun style of ACEO art from my drawing table. Please have a look as his ACEO cards will raise funds for a cat charity. Check back often on our boy's progress...

Pumpkin ACEO Art

WORD OF THE DAY

S.P.A.C.E.

Special- Places- Affect- Creative- Efforts
A big step in my creative journey came recently in the form of a complete overhaul of my studio space. Don’t get me wrong. I love my room. I only just acquired it in the past few years. No longer a nomad within my own home working from kitchen table to bedroom to wherever, I delightfully have my own private space. With a door! Hurrah! But, within this past year, I noticed a slow decline in my creativity and artistic productivity. My room no longer welcomed and embraced me. My room appeared cluttered and crowded. My room projected a busy vibe. Too many magazines, un-filed reference materials, art projects, and piles of things to do became overwhelming. Uninspired in my own private space, I knew it. It's time for a BIG change!
So, how did I cure the problem? I rearranged all the file cabinets, desks, drawing tables, shelving to a more efficient setting. I asked my husband to help me hang scads of shelving units along all open wall space. The top line of my room is all shelving. Where I lacked floor space I went up, up and up the walls with shelving! In all honesty, artist’s can never own too much storage options. Collectors by nature, we hoard things. Lots of things like paper, frames, glass, books, magazines, pictures, art, more books, you name it!
My new and improved space with all it’s glorious open shelves and emptied file cabinets waited ready. Time for the most important step. THROWING AWAY stuff. To acknowledge items I did not need. Releasing ownership of access materials revealed the REAL and OBVIOUS therapeutic answer and solution. After a week of sorting, filing, placing, and discarding of the junk…I found relief! A huge weight was gone! My new freedom inspired me to create a new area for my laptop computer and writing. I added a pretty blue rug and curtains. I love my space with room to breath. Everything is organized. My space now calls me. It invites me. It welcomes me. I now love to go into "The Studio" to create art. So remember my word of the day S.P.A.C.E. and find your creative place and make it special. Your creative efforts will be rewarded.

SAVING PUMPKIN

Yesterday, my husband Scott called to inform me that he and a few co-workers found a stray kitten huddled and frightened along side it's dead sibling. Scott asked if I wanted another Plant Cat. I knew if I drove out and looked at this kitten I would be suckered into bringing it home. We do not need another cat. We already have BABY CAT (our original Plant Cat) who was a rescue kitten nine years ago. Same situation. Same place. Same story. Discarded cats. We discussed a bit longer and Scott managed to finally encourage me that it would be taken care of.
Well, later that evening, during dinner conversations, I asked about the baby kitten. It was then I learned it had NOT been taken care of. This baby left outside, near the woods, in the open, unprotected, discarded again. We had no choice. The Cook family climbed into the car and back to the offices to find the orphan. I exited the car and called out. Kitty. Kitty. Kitty. A frightened feline voice responded and rang from the woods. Oh so desperate a little mew.
I followed the cries. I found him. A tiny little ball of orange fur. When I knelt down to my knees to gently lift him up, I was shocked to feel so many bones through such thin skin. I immediately wrapped the bundle in a towel and back into the car we jumped and off to our house we sped. Once home, it was straight to the sink. A mild warm soaping to clean away the clinging smell of death. I have never held a living animal that smelled so strong of death. Terrified, alone, so unsure of his new circumstances, he must have cuddled his dead litter-mate for a very long time. I broke down crying as I cleaned this pathetic little creature. Then my six year old daughter Sarah began sobbing. I tried to explain to her that Mommy was just sad that someone could be so cruel to throw such a little sweet baby away.
We said a small prayer over the newly washed kitten and then fed him. I have never witnessed an animal so hungry for food. How heartbreaking to see such eagerness to inhale anything. Frantic, crazed, confused, so damn hungry. It made me so mad.
Believe it or not, this darling little throwaway surprised and blessed us. After about the third small bottle feeding he snuggled into my chest in his towel and began purring! That gave me great comfort. Through all the ordeals and horror in his very short life, he managed to find his purr. Such a sweet little boy he is. Our daughter Sarah dubbed him PUMPKIN. Why not? He is orange isn't he? Ha! Looks like the attachments had begun. You know, once you name them...that's it! But with that, we did our best to explain to our daughter that this baby may not live. We wanted her to understand that God may intend for this innocent little life to experience a little kindness for a night or two before passing away. Of course, there were many tears at bedtime and prayers.
As the evening came, I got the house settled in for the night. I placed the baby kitten in a box with a towel inside for comfort and one over the top of the box to trap body heat. All night I woke every hour listening. No sounds. I wondered. Is he resting? Is he happy? Is he comforted? Or is he dead? Every hour for seven hours, I woke and I listened for anything. No sound. At 5:00am, I was up and to my relief, a soft mew greeted my stirrings. HE LIVED! Sarah's heart won't have to be broke this morning. Whew!
So now the journey begins. It will be a day to day struggle to nuture this kitten. But with some luck we might just have found another new feline member to add to the Cook family. Keep you posted....

WEEKEND WALK

To walk is to advance, proceed, move forward, stride, strut, and yes even promenade towards a chosen destination. My walk? Where am I trying to go? I want to joyfully and with a brave heart plunge forward and arrive at the magical place where my art appears in Children's Books illustrating stories and bring characters to visual life.
To begin this artful journey, I have dove into the world of A.C.E.O. art. It is a new and blossoming scene promoting wonderful 2.5" x 3.5" works of original art. I love it! This format enables me to create art in more numbers and feel like I am accomplishing something. We artsy types need that. I really need that! Being the raising our young daughter, supporting my too busy husband, running a home, endless chores, not enought time in the day kinda gal...sometimes I wonder if I will ever find the time to pursue my DREAMS! Haaaaa!
For now, I exercise my creative muscles when I can and offer the results on eBay. Today, I am sharing with you a dandy Drafter trotting through a colorful field. I am experiementing and trying to use MORE color in my art. Want to see more? I hope you will visit my STORE and enjoy my miniature works of COOK art. (Buy COOK Art).

INTRODUCTION

Hello, my name is Sheri and I am brand spanking new to the world of Personal BLOGs. Come discover and read what's on my mind each post. It's a bit crowded in my brain. There is a lot bouncing around in there. Creative ideas, raising my young daughter, being a supportive wife, friendships, walking with Christ, and how to best pursue my dreams.
Ohhh the dreams! To write and illustrate children's books. To pursue my fine art career. To continue to offer affordable and collectible ACEO art on eBay. To find and manage the time to do all these things! THAT is the true quest!
Do come back often and come along with me as I chase some dreams...