My health.

My animals.

My art.

Those are my top 3 priorities.  Knowing this makes it easy for me to make decisions.  Instead of telling a false story to self or others I simply state it’s not a priority right now.  Clarity is liberating!

My health includes the physical, mental and the soul.  It can look like exercise, dance, family and quiet time of doing nothing but sharing a seat in the garden with the dog drinking a cup of coffee.  Toma um cafe?  It has been a good week of visiting family, friends and returning to Pilates.

I recently moved Mr. First to a new barn where we are much happier and can express ourselves to our fullest capacity.  I liken this to finding the right kindergarten for your child as she enters the stream of “education”.  You want her to be happy and growing.

Mr. First comes first.

Only until I had priority 1 and 2 taken care of could I put priority 3 in place.  It’s a love triangle really.  Or a 3 legged stool.  Supreme stability.

I’ve started 8 new paintings this week and will finish them be the end of May in time for East Bay Open Studios in June.  Every day I think I’m on to something interesting only to hit the wall of the inner critic.  That’s when I take the big brush and just go after it not caring at all what people will think, how many likes I get on Instagram or whether I end up scraping the whole piece back and tossing it into the garbage can.

The start of 4 paintings

Strange how I almost need this frustration to push to a new edge.  If I stay safe and play small I get rather bored and disappointed with my effort.

“Be careful.”

Echoes from the past.

Not my fear I say.

When I have fear during a painting session, I know I’m on the right track and it’s time to push through.

The green light.

Go.  Floor it.

Happy Spring!

XOXO,

Francesca