The definition of art

Well, last week we all got back to our normal routine and I had a number of things to catch up on, having been on that two-week hiatus looking after my sweet husband.


When I was thinking about what to blog about here, at first I felt bad that I didn't have photos of more completed works to show. Then I replayed my week in my mind and had to write this post to remind myself, and maybe others out there, that even what we might consider menial chores in our lives, can be considered art if we carry them out with our best intentions and lots of love.


This is a dictionary definition of art: Art is the process or product of deliberately arranging elements in a way to affect the senses or emotions. 
Do you see what I mean? Art surrounds us. There is art everywhere, in everything we see, in everything we do.


So I enjoy my work around our home, instead of dreading it or putting it off. I love our home to be clean, to smell and look good, to be welcoming to our loved ones. I love our gardens to be full of beautiful things to look at and delicious things to eat. I love our dinner plates to hold colourful meals filled with textures and delightful aromas and flavours. Thankfully Rich is feeling better and enjoying food again!


For the whole week, I kept busy with many things: house cleaning, cooking, hardening off luscious little seedlings for the garden, some reorganizing and sorting for spring, etc.


One of my reorganization jobs was my studio. Just recently, my daughters have expressed an interest in creating some things with me and it got me thinking about the space and set up in my studio. It housed everything I needed, but was strictly functional, not pretty or inspiring, and not well laid out at all- there was too much wasted space.


Armed with graph paper, I drew the floor plan and all of the furniture, and came up with a new layout for the room, one which would allow much more space and light around my work table. I packed a few boxes (well labeled for later!) of things I am not using right now, and stored them on shelves in the basement.


I prettied up the windows, stapled a little skirt around the work table, ordered a set of three stools (I had previously swiped one from the kitchen), and organized supplies so that everything is easily within reach.


When the chairs arrive, hopefully next week, I will take a couple of photos. Thankfully I don't have to wait any longer to go back in there and play!


Today I spent the entire day fighting the lovely Colorado clay soil, readying my garden for plants and seeds. It was windy but hot and sunny and just a glorious day to be outside! Even though I have been just aching to get into my studio and draw, I was very pleased to get so much work done in my garden.


Tomorrow I will take a couple of photos of my angel on wood- I have added a couple more layers- and will submit it to Suzi's Angel class. I haven't submitted anything in a while. And I will take a photo of my latest journal entry for you to see- I haven't a clue where it came from, but boy, was it a lot of fun to make as it took on its own direction! And who knows, I may be able to carve out some time with my favourite pencil...