Keep At It

 Climb every mountain!! Ford every stream!  Follow every rainbow!! Cue the aria,  and dramatic music sweeps over us, carrying us up higher and higher…

And when you reach the top of the mountain, what do you see?

More mountains.  More rivers. If you look closely, a few rainbows. For those of you old enough to remember phonograph records, this is where the needle skips and skids across the grooves in a high-pitched screech.

 ©2012 Patricia Scarborough  6x8 oil, Into the Woods

 Scale that mountain. Wade that stream. Track down that elusive rainbow.

Can you imagine what those folks who drug wagons and families over the front range of the Rocky Mountains thought when they reached the top and saw more rocks and cliffs, peaks and crags as far as they could see? 

I’ll tell you what they thought. They gathered their fears, doubts and dreams together and sat down to rest. And then they said, “okay, let’s get going”. And they did.

 © Patricia Scarborough 6x8 oil Sandhills Trail

It’s been a grand climb so far. Being a solo-preneur has been more satisfying, challenging, exciting, scary, ridiculous and sublime than I ever imagined.

As I write this I am preparing for my last exhibit of 2012 at the Norfolk Arts Center in Norfolk, Nebraska.  At the same time, I’m preparing for several other events timed to coordinate with the coming holiday season.

It’s been a grand climb so far, and I’m feeling a little weary today. Heavy clouds have blanketed us against the summer sun. It feels good today to curl up and rest.

                                                     © Patricia Scarborough 6x8 oil Fresh Light

So I will.  And in a few days I’ll gather myself up against the next magnificent ascent with renewed vigor and excitement. 

Many of you are hard at it, challenging yourselves daily to climb the next mountain range.  How do you keep at it when the phonograph needle starts to skip?

I'm Back - Again

Woo hoo!

Many thanks and a birthday hug to a Fine Young California Man for recommending a quick fix so this blog can get up and running again.

Gee...After all that, I wish I had something amazing to say.

And I do!

Yesterday I had the great pleasure of spending the afternoon at the Mary Mary-Quite Contrary Gallery.  This beautiful new space sits right next to the San Carlo Room, which sits right underneath the old Friend Opera House, which sits right next to The Pour House Tasting Room, which is the premier hangout for wine lovers and conversationalists, all of which sits under the massive historic roof of the Warren Building in beautiful - and friendly - Friend, Nebraska.

The Mary Mary is beautifully refurbished from what was once a furniture/hardware store. You'd never know it, with it's warm wood floors and spacious, airy feel.

 Omaha artist Shelly Bartek, and Carey Potter, Entrepreneur Extraordinaire

Other artists who joined in were Megan Moffett and Alycia Tieman Brady, and Gary Martin.

Even with a large apron, I managed to get paint on most everything I wore - including my socks.

I got a fair start on a small painting while patrons and friends milled around the building enjoying glasses of wine, some beautiful artwork, and lots of great conversation.

 It was a magical mix of ceramics, laughter, bronze, good wine, fantastic and varied art forms, seeing old friends and making new ones.  After several months spent working in my studio, it was a terrific way to wrap up the summer and prepare for autumn opportunities.

Which leads me to -

Impact's Dead Or Alive exhibit is now available at Stuhr Museum in Grand Island, Ne through November  4th.

Impact's Best is now showing at Rall Gallery on the Doane College Campus in Crete, Ne. through September 29th.
I've been invited to participate at the Museum of Nebraska Art's Kaleidoscope of Art event the weekend of November 3-4 in Kearney, Ne. More on that coming soon.
And, a new exhibit, "Common Ground", is coming soon at the Norfolk Arts Center in Norfolk, Ne. Lots more on that soon.

Whew, just reading that makes me want to wander back to the Pour House for just one more little glass of wine.

I'm Almost Home

In the immortal words of my Handsome Husband, "Honey, I'm Hooooooome!"

As you know, I took the month of August away from this blog.  It was lovely and a little wicked feeling to purposefully not post something weekly after having done so for four years.

I won't be jumping back in with both feet just yet.  I've been having some major computer issues lately that have stymied the experts (yeah, I'm talking about you, computer guy).  I'm typing this on my ancient desk top which is groaning under the weight of the simple tasks I am requesting.  As this moment it is all I can manage to get Great-Grandma Dell here to create letters on the screen.  Argh.  Images?  Out of the question.

There are some items of interest I'd like you to know about.  I'll be attempting to post on my facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/pscarborougharts if the computer fairies will allow it.  There's some cool stuff happening.

Hopefully I'll be back here next week, although I'm learning that in the wild world of computer technology there are few assurances (yeah, I'm talking to you, computer guy).

Here's hoping for a fresh start next week...

Gesundheit

Like most of us, I hail from European stock. A large helping of Scottish, some Brit, a lot of German and a smattering of French. 

In order to get in touch with my Continental side I’m going to do like all good Europeans do. I’m going on holiday.

No, sorry, that does not include actually taking time off to go to Europe.  What I mean is that in Europe, most people take weeks and weeks away from their usual daily tasks and head up to the hills, off to the beach, down to the moors. It's time away to recharge and prepare for the rest of the year's work.

I’m taking August off. I’m going to give myself – and you – a break from showing up here regularly. I’m scheduling a season of not scheduling. It’s been four years of weekly visits and quite honestly, I can’t think of anyone, outside of Handsome Husband, that I’d want to hang out with once a week for four years. Not even me.

It’s not that I’m burned out, although I am a bit tired and the ideas aren’t coming as quickly as they have in the past. It’s not a case of sloth, my blogging muscles are in pretty good shape. I’ve got lots of ideas floating through the synapses of my brain during the course of the day, but lately it’s been like butterfly hunting; what I’m after is there, getting hold of it is something else entirely.

©2012 Patricia Scarborough  Fullness of Summer  30 x 40 

No words necessary

I’m letting my brain off the hook for being responsible for snagging these delicate flighty creatures and keeping hold of them.

I’ll still be painting for sure, I’m just not going to write about it. It’ll be a lovely change of pace so that come September, like my relatives across the pond, I will come back refreshed and ready to resume life as we know it.

Au revoir dear friends, and adieu. Sealbh and gesundheit!

I'll see you in September!