art

The Love Behind this Tea Cup.

Posted by Barbara Techel

cupA few weeks before we left on vacation to visit North Carolina, I noticed a chip in my favorite tea cup.  I’m not even sure how it got there. I actually felt sad when I discovered it.  To add to it, it was right where I’d sip my tea from so there was no way getting around not noticing it was there.

It didn’t really have all that much sentimental value to it. I had bought it at a garage sale years ago. It caught my eye, sitting there all alone on the table, because it is my favorite color periwinkle. Looking at the sweet little cup and saucer just made me so happy, so I had to bring it home. I don’t even recall what I paid for it. But I’m sure it wasn’t much.

I couldn’t bear to throw it out for a week or two. But then when I thought about our trip and what treasures I might find while there, it hit me!  I could look for a new tea cup! I trusted I would find a new one, so laid the old one, who served me well all these years, to rest.

Asheville, NC is full of culture, art, and interesting people. One very cool thing they have done is taken an old industrial park and turned it into an arts district, called River Arts District. What a cool idea, right?

It was so fun visiting all the different buildings with many types of artists. Our second stop touring the district was  Curve Studios and Gardens and pottery work done by Maria Andrade Troya.

As John and I walked in I noticed many functional pieces throughout the studio,  including tea cups.  As we walked toward a table that caught my eye because it was all periwinkle (ish) colored pieces, I said to John, “Maybe I’ll find my tea cup here!”

He knew I was on the lookout for a new one.

As I was lost in my own little world of awe in the pottery and hoping with all my heart I’d find the perfect tea cup I heard John say, “Well what if it was your favorite color periwinkle and had a wiener dog on it?”

Without looking at him and continuing the peruse the table of pottery, I said, “Oh,  that would be perfect!”

Just as the words came out of my mouth, I looked down and spotted what he had just described.  I just about squealed like a pig I was so excited! It was perfect!

I was on top of the world having this new treasure that traveled home with me. But more importantly as I thought about that special moment, I felt my heart expand in love again for my dear, sweet husband, who really does understand my deep love of these little wiener dogs. Every morning now when I pour a cup of tea, I am reminded of this and it makes this darling little tea cup all the more sweet.

For all my wiener dog loving friends, you can order one for your very own!  Maria offers shipping!

Creative Coffee Break with an Artist and Writer

Posted by Barbara Techel

creative coffee break

Two years ago I was blessed with a new friendship in artist, Cassy Tully. It seems like we have known each other a lifetime. Perhaps we somehow did connect in a past life– at least this is the way we have begun to feel about each other.

She is also in my heart the daughter I never had. Though I never wanted children, if I’d have had them, I feel like she would have been the one I would have wished for. We are kindred spirits– that there is no doubt.

A few months ago we began what we call our Creative Coffee Break. We meet once a month to discuss projects we are working on and get input and advice on things we wish to do coming up.

Last week we met in her newly created artist space. She has always had a space in her home where she goes to paint. But most recently she added a cozy area within her painting studio that has a big overstuffed size chair, a table with magazines that feed her creativity, photos that capture favorite moments which have inspired her, and trinkets that remind her of what it means to her to be the artist that she is.

I’m a big believer that everyone needs their own space to just be, or to create, or to do whatever it is that feeds and refreshes their soul.  Awhile back when I posted a photo of my writing cottage saying this very same thing, I heard from one angry woman saying “It must be nice, but not everyone can afford  a writing cottage.”

While yes, she had a point, it made me sad that she missed the point. Besides the fact it is easy to judge as what we think is “must be nice.” My space came to me at a price of giving up something else. Though I don’t feel like it was a sacrifice.  The point is everyone deserves a space to call their very own. It does not need to be a whole separate space and can be as simple as a small corner in your home. And as in Cassy’s case, hers is in her basement.  This may not sound ideal to someone else, but another point is that she made it her own– surrounded by what feeds her soul, just like my space does. Meeting there this month truly fed my soul– but just being around Cassy inspires me to keep believing in myself as a writer and blogger.

Also feeding our souls helps us to go out and face the world- to stand tall in who we are. Don’t we all need that?  I don’t know about you, but I do. It’s why I’m so thankful for my friendship with Cassy– she inspires me on so many levels. It’s why I’m thankful for not only my creative space, but also to be within the space of someone else who is a creative spirit. I think there is nothing like it to shoot you over the moon of inspiration!

We Can’t Fix Each Other

Posted by Barbara Techel

Last night I started a 12-week course based on “The Artist’s Way” by Julia Cameron.  This book is about ten years worth of classes Julia taught helping artists get past their blocks.  She wrote the book so other’s could facilitate the workshops in their area.  I’m thrilled this is taking place at a local arts center near me so I can take the course.  It promises to be challenging, yet hold promise for new paths of creativity to come through.

There are 13 women and one man in our class—I sure give that one man lots of credit!  And one of the gals is in high school and she really wants to be a writer.  I give her kudos also for doing her full schedule of school and adding this class at night.

Years ago I helped facilitate a women’s winter retreat with a friend.  I remember we shared with the group of women that we were not there to fix their problems, but rather to just listen.  This same concept was shared last night in our class. I love that. How often do we just want to be heard and not have our challenge fixed?  Chances are if we can either talk it out, or as encouraged in this course, write three morning pages, we can come to the conclusion that is best for us?

We all experience life differently, so what may work for one person and their challenge may not necessarily work for us.  Instead of holding it all in, we either need a caring and kind ear who will just listen, or we need to take paper to pen and let it all go. I think at times too we don’t voice our concerns or challenges because we don’t want anyone to “fix it” but we just want a safe place to voice it.

It’s a practice to not want to fix someone else’s problems, but one of the kindest gifts I think we can give is to listen or encourage the person struggling to write it down- get it all out.  And if they have fear of someone finding what they write- well then how about a private little ceremony of burning what you wrote and releasing it completely?  I’ve done this in the past with certain issues and am amazed at how much it has helped me.

It will be interesting to see what comes from this class for me.  Have you done “The Artist’s Way?” If so, I’d love to hear any thoughts you’d like to share about it.