Circa Gallery-Barbara Gilhooly's Art Opening

If you've been reading my blog for awhile, you know that I am a huge, huge fan of Barbara Gilhooly and her amazing art.  Barbara recently moved from the Twin Cities to Fort Collins, Colorado.  However, she still has a strong presence here in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area.  Her work can be found at Gallery 360.  Also, last night I attended her art opening at Circa Gallery in Minneapolis.  Barbara was there for the opening.  Although I was too shy to talk to her, I was really happy to be in her presence and see all of her amazing paintings.  I took some photos to share with you.  If you are a Minneapolis local, I highly recommend visiting the gallery to see her work in person.  As I walked around the gallery, I was struck by continuously finding something new in a painting I'd already studied.  Barbara's paintings are layers deep, which is part of their appeal.  She also has a background in printmaking, which she incorporates magnificently into her paintings. If you can't get enough Gilhooly, like me, her flickr site is also very inspiring!

Simply Flourish

Simply Flourish

My good friend Sarah Hedge has embarked on a wonderful journey. She has become a holistic wellness coach!  I am so excited for her, and I wanted to share her information with you.  She is located in the Minneapolis, Minnesota area, and is offering some terrific upcoming *free* events.  You can find all of the details on her website here. Just look at the top of the website and click on "Events".  

Congratulations, Sarah!    

Heart Center

My Sweety is coming home today after being away for a little over a week.  I was thinking about him when I went to fix myself a bagel for breakfast.  I was delighted to find a little surprise inside my bagel.  I swear the Universe knows how to show me that it does indeed hear me.

Happy Weekend

I hope you have a happy, sunny weekend, even if it isn't sunny where you live right now.  

Treat yourself to something special, whether it's a little walk, an ice cream cone, an art supply, a new book . . . you get the idea. 

If you wish to share, I'd love to hear your ideas of how you'll treat yourself to a little something special this weekend.  Leave a comment to this post, and I'll be checking back later to read your ideas!

What A Close-Up Can Do

I did a painting in my journal today and took some photos as I went along.  When I took a close-up of the word baby, I noticed how terrible the upper lip looked in the first photo.  I went in with black paint and fixed it.  It's much better now.  

That is one way to use the close-up feature on your camera!

And if you were ever curious between the difference between macro, micro, and close-up photography, check out this clarifying blog post here.

Thought for Today

click to enlarge image

Life is full of ups and downs and surprises and all arounds.  

Some days it might feel like it is all happening to you, and it doesn't feel good.  So, I am here to remind you, and to remind myself, that we are not alone.  Life happens, and it is up to us to decide how we are going to handle it.  It will get better.

  You are not alone, you are not alone, you are not alone.

New Visual Journal Pages