Road Trippin'

"Road trippin with my two favorite allies. Fully loaded we got snacks and supplies.Its time to leave this town.Its time to steal away..." Red Hot Chili Peppers

Nothing like a road trip every once in a while and leaving it all behind. Refreshing. Me and my two favorite allies (Jace and the dog) just got back from Fredericton. The photo I shot above is about the only evidence left from the flooding they just had. Houses had 8 feet of water in them, and the main streets had 3 feet of water on them, but I didn't even see water stains.

I visited family and friends I knew in Jr. High- the sleepover, make-overs, and "I dare you" crowd. One of my friends brought her two little boys and I could honestly say they were the sweetest little boys I've ever met. I was so proud to see what a good Mommy she is.

What a luxury it is to hang out with people you knew when you were younger! I've moved too many times to count, so most of the time people have only known me a few years. It made me think briefly of moving back to Fredericton- where I have the most roots, but it will always be the city with the most unhappy memories and I don't want a daily haunting.

The art scene in Fredericton is also vastly different from Moncton. Fredericton has a strong "Fine Craft" scene because of the art college. I used to teach workshops in Fredericton in craft-mostly fiber arts. I have so much respect for fine craft and I want to incorporate some of it into my work, but it's not enough for me. Moncton has a vibrant "Fine art" scene and I've met so many stimulating, exciting artists here. That in itself is the biggest anchor to keep me in Moncton. It's alot of work to get involved in a new art community- too much work to be doing every few years.

I'm still trying to work things out in the studio. I've got 5 paintings on the go, or shall I say 5 puzzles. I'm journalling through this to help narrow my focus and reach some conclusions. I've been playing with different designs in my sketch book as well.

Normally when I'm stuck like this, I take a break until I feel an overwhelming, almost violent urge to get to my studio. Then it pours out perfectly, beautifully. I feel that this time it's different. It's more of a paralysis that I have to fight, so I'm still plugging away. It's hard, still exhausting, but my morale is good. Being an artist is hard work. Euphoria isn't the only step of the process and I have to be committed to the entire journey. And yes, lol, I can even say I'm having some fun through all this confusion.