There’s something about autumn that puts my productivity into overdrive. Whether admiring the foliage on the way to spin class or picking out vegetables at local farmers' market, the inspiration to create is virtually everywhere this season!
Woodland Creatures
I work in a studio on the second floor of my suburban home and from my window I can spy on many of my neighbors. Now I am not talking about the human neighbors, but all the furry creatures that live in my backyard.
In my wooded yard, there are plenty of chipmunks that frustrate my cat, squirrels that give my cat exercise running around the yard and then nocturnal raccoons that hide under the drains in the street.
Fall Food
Cool weather and changing leaves are good and all, but at least half of what excites me this time of year is the things we get to start EATING! Can’t wait to go IN on butternut squash soup and roasted chestnuts. Although, I admit I am a bit worried about Thanksgiving this year. Is it too early to book my preemptive pre-Thanksgiving therapy appointment?
This will be our first Thanksgiving as vegans so we're headed to my mother's.. but my sister is Kosher (with a capital K) and this is sure to cause my mom a nervous breakdown that she can't feed us with her goodies.
There’s so much I look forward to this time of year... autumn foliage and mums are just a few of my faves but is there anything better than a long drive on a crisp, autumn day?
Fall Foliage & Road Trips
I’m packing up the Honda and headed to Tarrytown, NY to meet up with my high school girl friends. Believe it or not ALL FOUR of our names start with the letter "M" (kinda like the "Heathers"! except we were not mean girls, promise.)
Friends
There is nothing like getting together with childhood friends to help you connect to your truest self no matter how much you have changed. Don't you agree?
About Me
In case you're curious about me, let me tell you a little bit more about myself. I live my creative life with gratitude in New York's backyard. After witnessing the devastation of the attacks of 9/11, I abandoned my hedge fund job to work on my art full time. Rejecting the starving artist myth, my watercolor and mixed media paintings have been seen on NBC, published in art magazines & home decor books and collected worldwide. In addition, the Hudson River Museum and Katonah Museum of Art have carried my artistic accessories in their gift shops. My art has been published in art magazines such as Art of Man, Art Journaling Magazine by Stampington, Professional Artist magazine and The New York Times. I'm also a contributing writer for Professional Artist magazine.
I’m a Florida girl! Not too many beautiful autumn leaves here. But there is great surf, wonderful cool weather (under 90) and great gardening. I had my first garden salad picked fresh the other day. Best of all I enjoy the winter birds, especially the hummingbirds down for the winter. I’ve lived in Florida most of my life and recently planted the right flowers that attract them. So I have morning coffee in the garden with my camera and try to take pictures of the elusive little birds.
Lately I have been loving landscapes. I’ve finally begun to see that the light is different in autumn. I am seeing shapes and noting the distances and subtle bits of reflected colors and taking gazillions of pictures. I can’t wait to have the time to study the shapes and light and colors up close. It’s a whole new world. If I could, I’d lock myself in my studio for a while but I’m afraid I might miss seeing something. If autumn is this good, then I can’t wait to see winter… or spring or next summer! Wow!