A Time for Giving

     Yep, it's that time of the year where the Spirit of giving comes knocking at the door. Notice I say, the Spirit of giving...The notion of "Paying it forward" comes into play here. Either we should give with no strings attached,or not at all. This is just my humble opinion.

    The other thing to consider is that it is best not to give that with which you are not willing to part. Attachment and detachment can be painful.

    A mentor of mine once told me,that to give when it is painful is really the time start giving.Today, it can be just as important to be able to receive as it is to give. Consider the following...

    Receiving validates a connection between you and the person giving, and it should be understood that the person who is receiving a gift, is free to do with that gift whatever they wish. It must be noted,the giver may be attempting to buy something. Perhaps a favor, or some hidden expectation will become just that... an expectation.

Why set oneself up for disappointment. Let go!

    Trust can put one in a vulnerable space for both parties. In both cases, trust your intuition. Balance, Timing and Acceptance also come into play here.

    We have all heard the old saying, "It is better to give, than to receive".It is my contention that giving for it's for the sake of giving is forgiving. 

Below is this weeks " Rock of the week"

This Rock was given to me by a Russian Orthodox nun who visited the deepest lake in the world. Lake Baikal in the southeast region of Siberia was where she picked this up. I found it to be the perfect rock for painting a large rock from what I imagined might be seen on the shore of this lake late in the day. What a wonderful gift!

A Big Thank You

 Being that this is gratitude month, it gives me a warm cozy feeling to express my thanks to everyone who has purchased or recieved a gift rock from Your Spirit Rocks! ™.

 This year marks the 13th year since the merchandising of "Your Spirit Rocks!™". Every Market venue that has accepted crafters from Napa to Healdsburg, have made it possible for people to see and handle these glow-in-the-dark gift rocks.

 Time spent before the public, has been curiously motivating. Children and adults have come by to tell their own stories about either finding a rock or recieving one on a special occasion.Even those who paint their own, offer stories and suggestions that have been inspiring.Many have visited the booth at both the Sebastopol and Calistoga Farmer's Markets. It can be said that sales have been good there year round, and these markets are presently the only two where these specialized rock items can be purchased.

 Mostly, the focus of my creativity has been on a variety of techniques, mediums and subject matter. A lot gets emblazoned onto the meditation stones, pendants, keychains and some other assorted items.If this is your first time visiting the blog, check out the links to previous submissions on the side column ->

 It is my hope that i continue to find joy in any creative pursuit, as much as you find joy in yours.

Below is this week's Rock (star) of the Week...

Rocks Don't Die

That which is spiritual, has suddenly claimed a certain cachet. If you are spiritual, you are non-materialistic and don't put value in things that are of this world. Rocks however, in this sense can be considered immaterial. Usually, they have no apparent value except what are considered to be collectibles. Do rocks have mortality? Questions like these too often fall into the realm of the philosophical.

The surface of many beach and river rocks will usually have a life form of blue green algae, but generally speaking, the only rocks that may have contained life are now fossils. Crystals grow by accumulation. A living cell grows by assimilation. Conciousness is certainly not necessary for a living being within our sense of living, so therfore the lack of consciousness in a rock is not evidence that it is not living.But living like a tree or a plant? Hmmm... I think not.

A rock is part of a process that "digests" material, uses energy to reform the basic building blocks time and again.Thus, the atoms in a rock are just as "alive" as the atoms in our body. In its basic sense, we are just a more complex reformation of atoms than the rock, still within the same overall lifecycles of those atoms.  

Rocks are samples of objects that are time tested. Like what is considered art, it may have no inherant value in the grand scheme of things, other than the value that has been assigned to it,  and ultimately is a product of many things that are often time-tested and remain mysterious.How long does it take for a rock to form or disintegrate? How long does an art piece last?

 I am often asked how long does it take to paint a rock? And my answer always begs to question .. where does the process begin and where does it end? It's so easy to jump from one ponderable topic to the next.What time is involved in creating anything? I suppose it could be said that I am painting a rock right now! You may think I am speaking metaphorically, but I am not.

The short answer. Is ...”Not long"

Below is this week's "Rock of the Week"

Create from Nothing

    This is a surreal short video I made about ten years ago. It is a collage with many strange selfies and many special effects. Admittedly, the Ken Burns™ effect modified much of the content of this production. It can also be considered a creepy montage, just in time for Halloween.

     Credits for the music and sound effects go to IMovie™ and the Andrew Sister's rendition of "Rum and Coca Cola" ... which has absolutely nothing to do with the content of this mashup. Images of people featured in the still photographs are former employees of the Culinary Institute of America's Greystone Campus Store and personal friends.

    Included are stills of celebrites like Keith Richards, Johnny Cash and an actor potraying Edward R. Murrow. Also featured are an image of the world's ugliest dog, a live human oscar statue,  models portraying live portraiture from an annual Mustard Festival, and photos of the Empire gold mine with shots taken around that property. All of this imagery contributes to the idea that we will create from nothing, and that logic is often suspended in the realm of the imaginary.

 

This too shall pass...

 What a week it's been. First of all, my car is in the shop  ( don't ask ) I also had a basal cell carcinoma removed from my nose (they got it all , thank God) and I am now religiously putting sun screen on before leaving my home to ride my bike...which are my wheels for now. For these and other reasons, my presence has not been felt at the Farmer's Markets for the past two weeks. The good news is that I am getting a lot of other things done during the day.

Basically, all I talk about on this blog is my rock creations and sales. Perhaps I should take the business all online, but then I wouldn't have the enjoyment I experience when attending my favorite markets on the weekends. Besides, too much time is already spent on the computer.

I painted a lot of rocks during this sabbatical and have come up with some real nice ones. Check out the ones below. They all qualify as the "Rocks of the Week" because I can't decide on just one. Enjoy!

Going to Market

 Travelling from Calistoga to Sebastopol on Sunday morning is a peaceful meditative drive. Arriving at the Farmer's market around 8:15am I'm usually ready to hit the ground running. Unpacking and setting up my vendor's booth is an enjoyable activity. Seeing other vendors and determining where to set up the booth has been at times a hassle, but remaining flexible is an important asset. The community of vendors are most helpful and encouraging.The vibe is usually one of excitement and grateful support.

Making a table presentable is another task that is constantly being Improved and refined. The first task is to have a sign that announces your booth. Then the table has to look approachable. I have found that the "Your Spirit Rocks™" table looks best in the sunlight because of what I call the "Bling factor" ...that is, some of the rocks have a sheen or enhancement with holographic material that stands out when the light is on them.The problem however is that it gets hot in the direct sunlight sensitive skin can burn easily. This is not to mention that the rocks can get hot and not easily handled without getting dropped because of the heat. So, what to do? Canopies are essential.

    Having a canopy or even an umbrella that can be shifted around helps tremendously. Having a way to observe the rocks  "glowing"is another important and essential component. People want to see what they look like in the dark... with or without a UV black light. For this challenge I used to use a coffee can. Now I have an apparatus with an observable eye piece, and a cup that fits right over the rock to block out any ambiant light. The UV light comes in from the top and a little to the right to accomadate the eye piece. Voila! a glowing stone! The images shown below are featuring some of my best work. The first shows both the rocks and a poster I created for a backdrop. The second shows what things look like when I turn the UV light off.

Fall is in the air

 Today's Market brought lots of out of towners into our city to do a lot of browsing. The vendors had an assortment of new wares and were all enthused about meeting new people. The music of Mike and Robin was fantastic as they played a lot of oldies from generations past. Robin's voice is second to none.Lovely harmonies and superior playing. At my table, there were people who had the courtesy to see what I'm up to with my assortment of new rock creations. Many of my new designs are abstract, but that's okay. If you are meant to add a rock to your collection, it will choose you.

A few keychains, a pendant and a small assortment of decorative items that serve as keepsakes, backpack zipper pulls and desktop paper weights. Why not? All of these items can be useful, will find a nice spot and they don't take up much space at all. 

 Below is this week's Rock of the Week:

With Doilies !

  My friend Veda crocheted a lovely doily some time ago and just recently sent me another one. I have found that these items are just the absolute best thing to have under your Spirit Rock on a coffee table or mantle. For one thing, the wooden vaneer will not be scratched and your rock will be properly displayed.

  The other thing that adds value to this item is the fact that like the rock itself, it also glows in the dark! (with or without the activation of a UV blacklight). 

  Just like the stars that adorn a child's bedroom ceiling, the doily and rock will continue to glow after the lights are turned off. Naturally, the brilliance of these items make for a one-of-a-kind showcase piece.

  Hopefully, we will be able to feature the glowing doilies along with "Your Spirit Rocks!™" sometime soon at our local Farmer's Market. Veda says that she will take a look into this as being a possibility. 

Below, they are featured just underneath the Rock of the Week!

One: Regular Light, 

Two: UV Light and 

Three: Glowing on it's own.

Portfolio 2023

 Thankfully, I finally learned how to navigate and compose slide shows using the Apple™ Keynote app. It was after having completed the project I was able to upload it to YouTube™ and then copy the link for viewing on the Your Spirit Rocks blog here.

https://youtu.be/IsdDFBBITjs

It was not saved at the highest resolution, so it may be better viewed on your smart device. Even still, the soothing transitions of this four to five minute video showcases some of the best rock creations of the year. The image below is this weeks "Rock of the Week"

Enjoy!