Category Archives: Art

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Archie Nemesis

     My inspiration to spend time in my studio has waned in the past two weeks which was beginning to make me feel anxious, frustrated, and less than awesome.  I know I’m not alone in the struggle; there are many creatives out there that find themselves in this situation.  My need to create tends to get squelched by an over-scheduled work day and the negative conversations that rumble around in my head.  The former is temporary and can be modified to ensure that I’m spending at least 90 minutes each day in practice; the latter requires a bit more attention and determination to quell the noise.

Archie

     I had forgotten about the cartoon drawing of Archie Nemesis that I created during a telephone consultation with my mentor and Co-Active Coach, Susan Walker.   She advised that I acknowledge the negative thought when it happens, allow myself to feel the temporary self-doubt that the thought creates,  and then continue working. It is sensible and good advice, but sometimes more difficult to overcome depending on the frequency of the internal conversations.  Those are the times that I reach for my sketch pad to doodle that doo out. I also doodle the positive outcomes that I want to see happen in my life and it works. Every time.  Now back to the drawing board!

Doodle

      © 2015, Theresa Mae Funk.  All rights reserved.

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Smell the Jelly

Grapes

We’ve been enjoying the Seedless Thompsons (also called Sultanas) since the middle part of June but the past few weeks of triple digit heat began to take its toll on the raisin cultivars. I decided to dedicate most of my weekend to the delectable chore of harvesting what remained on the twenty-something-year-old vine that grows in our yard.

Self Portrait

A reflective moment under the arbor was an opportune time for a self-portrait.

If our freezer would afford us the space to save twenty-four pounds of grapes, I may not have attempted the arduous process of making jelly.  It is trickier than I imagined and despite my good intentions and recipe, did not quite get the formula right.  Instead of jelly, we have a concoction that looks like syrup and tastes like honey.  Pancakes anyone?

Jelly

© 2015, Theresa Mae Funk. All rights reserved.

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Friday Night Goofball: Big Adventures of a Little Dog

Stella takes a break mid-play and strikes a pose.

Stella takes a break mid-play and strikes a pose.

Stella is very good at initiating work breaks, and employs a few different strategies to get me out of my work space. Last Friday, she lured me out of my studio with her “come and play with me” bright eyed, wagging tail cuteness and invitation to play a round of a game I call, Goofball.

Standing at the bottom of the stairwell, I toss the ball to the top of the landing where Stella waits to make the catch.  She then spends a few minutes toying with the ball until she is ready to send it down the stairs to me, then comes racing down to intercept it.  She remains undefeated.

© 2015, Theresa Mae Funk. All rights reserved.

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Next Year’s Peck of Peppers

pup and pepper seeds

I’m not entirely certain where some of these Bell Pepper seeds are going to land in next year’s garden, but I insist that we make room for some of them.  Peppers of all varieties are an excellent source of vitamins A and C, potassium, folic acid and fiber. The seeds from one pepper, if germinated successfully, could yield us a peck if only we had enough acreage to accommodate them.

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Passing Shot

Fleeting Summer March 18 2015

“Fleeting Summer” 3 x 6″ Pastel and Watercolor on paper. © 2015 TheresaMaeFunk. All rights reserved.

I typically take passing shots with my mobile device from the passenger seat of a car, trying to catch a fleeting glimpse of the day’s destination.  Today, I am sharing the view of yesterday’s artwork from a stationary chair in my make-shift studio.

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The Blues For The Greens

5 x 7" Watercolor and Pastel on paper

“Nearing the Vista”5 x 7” Watercolor and Pastel on paper. ©2015, Theresa Mae Funk. All rights reserved

There are not many days that I don’t catch myself thinking about Vermont, the Green Mountain State, my former home of twenty-three years.  My friends are enduring another long winter of sub-zero temperatures that ruin their cheerful dispositions.  They too, have got the blues for the greens.

 

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The Elephant in the Room

Elephant

Hand painted Satsuma Moriagi elephant ashtray, circa 1942.

A four-inch tall elephant occupies space in my studio.  She serves as a visual reminder for me to be more courageous about speaking up and out against behavior that is detrimental to the physical and emotional well being of others.

“Never believe that a few caring people can’t change the world. For, indeed, that’s all who ever have.”
~Margaret Mead

© 2015 Theresa Mae Funk.  All rights reserved.

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Passing Shot: A Farewell to Christmas

January 6th marks the first day of Epiphanytide for some Western Christian denominations.  My twelfth day of Christmas was spent wassailing through aisles of a Portland Oregon antique Center with my niece.   I snap a passing shot of Santa in a clock frame next to a salt-shakered pine tree and sled:

Farewell Christmas

Christmas bric-a-brac, circa 1972.

My attempts at reviving certain Christmastide traditions each year are received with varying degrees of enthusiasm, and not everyone appreciates my unique sense of humor:

Carrollers

Three Christmas carolers, circa 1959.

© 2015 Theresa Mae Funk. All rights reserved.

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Passing Shots: Today’s Inspiration

The morning sky reflected on the surface of Lake Jankyville was one of the first images that gave me a spark of inspiration today.  (Lake Jankyville isn’t really a lake; it is the name we’ve given to the puddle that forms on the backyard patio after a heavy rainstorm.)  As thankful as we are to be receiving days of consistent rainfall, it was nice to catch a glimpse of blue sky and clouds with silver lining.

dec 16 blog art 2

Today’s second spark of creative inspiration is captured in this passing shot taken just outside my studio door.
Brilliant red and rain soaked petals of a Shasta Daisy glistening in mid-morning sunlight makes me realize how often I have missed the opportunity to appreciate its unique beauty.   We would be wise to remind ourselves to make time to acknowledge our own unique gifts and the beauty that we are capable of sharing with the world if we will only allow ourselves to do so.

© 2014 Theresa Mae Funk. All rights reserved.