Vibration

I love Gretchin Lair and Scarlet Star Studios! I spent Wednesday evening creating a full-sized self-portrait, something I’ve been wanting to do for a long time. It was every bit as fun and fulfilling as I expected! Here is Gretchin’s description of the class:

You have a life and vitality that is yours alone. Honor your autonomy by creating your own life-sized, full-body portrait as a symbol of your artistic freedom, independence & self-reliance! We'll help you find a pose that expresses the core of your being, then we'll trace around you and let you loose with paints & brushes. I'm very much looking forward to this event: as a form of creative Self expression, it will be both unusual & uniquely relevant!

But before I share photos or say more about the evening, I want to digress. . . .

I spent the afternoon in Portland on Wednesday, first picking up my grandson Jackson from school, then heading across the street to Grand Central Bakery for a treat. My daughter, Amy, met up with us at the bakery, then the three of us drove the short distance to N. Williams Avenue where we had the pleasure of a double delight: Pix and SCRAP. At Pix I was urged by Amy to try their Rosemary Mocha, which was yum yum yummy! The scent of rosemary was intoxicating and the chocolate, well, we were at Pix, for heaven’s sake. Sipping our treats, we walked next door to SCRAP, where all three of us found treasures we couldn’t live without. Next up, dinner at Blossoming Lotus, one of my favorite eateries in Portland. Blossoming Lotus is located in a yoga studio, Yoga Pearl, and you have to talk quietly and remove your shoes to even use the restroom. Every time I eat there, I order the same thing: the Monk Bowl, a hearty mixture of brown rice, beans, steamed kale and topped with a lovely sweet ginger sauce.

I share all of this because it set the tone for the rest of the evening: getting to play at Scarlet Star Studios with five other people, and one of those people was my daughter Amy! After a few warm-up exercises and introductions, Gretchin had us striking various poses: open, closed, action, prayerful . . . we then divided into two groups of three and took turns tracing each other in a chosen pose. Then the fun began: the paint! We only had 40 minutes to do our painting, but I work better with a time deadline because it doesn’t give me as much time to think or dwell on what I should or could do: I just have to DO! And do I did.



That's Amy's "Jump" self-portait on the right . . .