The Color Red

santa claus. mars. corvettes. fire trucks. geraniums. ladybugs. hot pink. raggedy ann and andy. hearts. valentines. venetian glassbeads. shiraz. malbec. baked clay. holly berries. barns. port side light. sofia's hair. ruby lipstick. ruby slippers. sailor's delight. rose colored glasses. chihuly's poppies. a single red rose...i don't have a favorite color. but i gravitate towards red. all shades of red. i love red food. pizza. pasta. roasted red peppers. beets. pomegranates. radishes. strawberries. rasberries. picante sauce. i'm old enough to wear a red hat, but i don't...i really like hats...just not red ones. i like red shoes. i like red bras. i wear red lipstick. my blackberry cover is red. i have a red boat. i drive a red pick-up truck. red makes me happy. kinda' like yellow makes me happy, only sexier.

Saturday, November 6, 2010

Who am I?

"People think a soul mate is your perfect fit, and that's what everyone wants. But a true soul mate is a mirror. The person who shows you everything that is holding you back. The person who brings you to your own attention so you can change your life."
~Elizabeth Gilbert
Above my desk at work I have this little cartoon of a dog tied to a tree with a paint brush in his paw...when he tries to reach the easel, the leash stops him just shy of getting his brush on the canvas. I've had it there for years...
I look at that cartoon each day.
It is very symbolic of the struggle I have internally: Wanting to 'break free' and just paint, and write, and take photographs, and go to art classes...yet, bound to the tree: the real world of a 30 year career in real estate which has fed me well....in which I do very well...for which i have so much for which to be grateful for. Therein lies the rub.
I love the creative side that being Chip's partner has allowed me to pursue these past few years. The social networking...designing brochures, advertising campaigns....postcards, websites, blogging...Seldom does a real estate agent "slash" artist get to express herself, as I have been able to do these past 3 decades, in so many ways. I consider myself very fortunate. Yet, it's that canvas that I can't reach that I keep tugging towards. Here's an example: Just this week, my wonderful husband thought he would surprise me by having a sign made for the red pick up truck with my name & number, blog address and logo. He was so excited to surprise me. It was such a thoughtful gesture...the only problem is, I freaked out...completely went to pieces...I wasn't angry...in fact i don't think I have loved my husband more than at that very moment...and it made me sadder than I can even describe to disappoint him. I wasn't ready to announce that to the whole wide world. Oh, I thought I was ready...I thought I had "jumped" off the cliff---obviously I hadn't. Instead I have thought of every conceivable reason why I cannot possibly drive around town 'exposing my true identity'...I wanted a nice little magnetic sign...you know, something I could put on and take off until I was ready for something more permanent. Instead of it freeing me to be who I am, it just felt like it added more pressure for me to become The Red Pick Up ARTIST before I was really ready. I know it is fear-based. I am just plain scared. It's what I want, but I have been struggling to touch that canvas for so long, that being given permission to actually do it makes me wonder what will happen if I don't have the tree anymore...
I am blessed that Chip is my soul mate...I think I'll go paint now.

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Martini Glass Auction

"Painting is so poetic, while sculpture is more logical and scientific...makes you worry about gravity." ~Damien Hirst



...even the artist wore red....
















...this is the glass I bid on and won!














...I love red walls.


There was a lot of excitement in the shoe department at Saks last night...
The Martini Glass Auction, held last night raised a lot of money for The Naples International Film Festival...the beautiful glasses were on display, the artists were there greeting the bidders...everyone looked so good, smelled so good...and the shoes! oh, the shoes were amazing!
laughter & energy filled the room...I was very proud of my dear friend Gina.
Gina painted 13 of the 30+ glasses being auctioned. I was thrilled to bid on and win the very first martini glass auctioned off: painted by Gina, and signed by Candace Bushnell, the creator of
Sex and the City! ~Of course, need you ask, it has shoes painted on it!