Making Space to Share Art

About a year and a half ago,

I took my girls to a 

paint-your-own-pottery

get together

at the newly built Red Owl Hall
at Red Owl, South Dakota several miles off SD Highway 34
along the gravel Red Owl Road.
Little did I know,
that day with my girls
would begin beautiful new connections
of sharing art.

That day,

I met Hester Prouty

who quickly became

a kindred spirit,

sharing my love

for

making art,

making space for others to create in community,

and

turning creative projects into opportunities. 

Right away, Hester began sharing ideas with me

and she introduced me to Kerry Burns in Philip, South Dakota.

Kerry had recently opened a coffee shop called ginny's

in a Victorian house painted deep green with purple trim

and transformed inside

with whimsy and charm and happiness.

Ginny's Coffee House {aka Bad River Coffee Company}

is located on Pine Street near the Bad River in Philip.

Kerry and her daughters have hosted several of my art classes

and a fun pop-up artsy event.

This year I will be there with my turquoise tent on August 11.

Hester recently jumped all-in

and set up space to share what she loves

with the Black Hills community

at Prouty Pottery

in "The Gap" in Rapid City at the old Landstrom's building

at 405 Canal Street.

Her space is wide open with room to breathe,

high ceilings, brick walls, and industrial chic decor,

and a welcoming, inspiring atmosphere.

Check out this piece from Black Hills Fox:

Art Beat Prouty Pottery

Hester and Joe are generous with their hands always helping me carry

my heavy and extensive amount of art supplies

and are generous with sharing connections.

At Prouty Pottery,

not only can you paint your own pottery,

Hester opens up space for other artists to share classes,

she has pottery wheel classes,

clay classes,

specialty pottery painting classes,

and she sells her handmade mugs, bowls and pottery pieces.

The space is loaded with possibilities coming to life.

Goodness comes from artistic entrepreneurs sharing friends and space and ideas.

I am so grateful for the connections I am making through Hester and Kerry,

and the space they both have given me

to share my heart

with others

seeking space for creativity.

I see hearts soften, 

eyes open, 

possibility unfold, 

ideas and confidence awaken,

challenges overcome, 

and memories made.

When you travel through Philip,

be sure and stop at ginny's for some Bad River Coffee.

My next class at Prouty Pottery: 

Your Word,

a simple mixed media basics class

is Wednesday, July 25.

You can find all the details and reserve your spot here:

White Owl Wings Your Word Mixed Media Class

My next Big Bold Wildflower class will be at my home at Shaw Ranch on August 3.

Details and registration here:

Big Bold Wildflower Class

Meanwhile Back at the Ranch

Last summer was a summer

of fervent prayer

for

rain. 

Our prayers have been answered.

Everything

is

green and growing

at Shaw Ranch

on the western South Dakota prairie.

 Some simple time outdoors

reveals an abundance

of beautiful things

that surfaces feelings of

wonder

awe

delight

fascination

gratitude

praise

and

fullness

of

joy.

Carrying

my camera

opens my eyes

to the little things . . . 

little things...

that really are

big

things,

wonderful

things,

beautiful

things...

in

every

day

ordinary

life

that really become

something

significant...

by the simple act

of noticing

of really noticing...

of truly seeing...

of breathing in deep...

of giving thanks...

gratitude

to

God

fills a heart

with

abundance

of

His

presence

we enter His gates

with

thanksgiving

we enter His courts

with

praise

thanksgiving

and praise

are

the pathway

into the presence

of

God

and the quickest

way

for me to get on that pathway

is

to grab a camera

and

go

for a walk

in my 

every

day

life

If you would like

some creative ideas

on developing a habit

of gratitude

of really seeing beauty in every day living,

take a look

at my online 

creative living workshop

Beautiful Things

right here:

Beautiful Things Open House

and

here:

Details About Beautiful Things

The Noblest of Arts

"The noblest of arts is that of making other people happy."

P.T. Barnum

~~~ 

Last Tuesday, January 2, was the last day of Christmas vacation

for my kids and my youngest had a gift card to the movie theater.

She had been wanting to see 

The Greatest Showman,

the movie musical based on the life of P.T. Barnum,

the founder of The Greatest Show on Earth...the circus...

I had no idea the connections I would make.

Or the ways it would display

how each person in unique,

yet so much about all of us is the same...

Story does that.

It has the ability to reach 

right into the depths of your core

and tap into your very own story

and create understanding.

It is why we love movies, a television series, our favorite books.

Why children love a bedtime story.

Why the Greatest Story Ever Told was about

the Greatest Storyteller,

who chose to teach us in parables.

This movie

reaches into a heart.

It reaches into

the struggles

of owning who you are.

This powerful video of the anthem of the movie "This Is Me"

says so much.

Take five minutes,

and you can't help but be encouraged.

Watch here:

THIS IS ME

If you've ever struggled

to be comfortable in your own skin,

you will get it.

If you've ever struggled

to find your voice

and then

to find the courage

to use it,

you will get it.

If you've ever been afraid

of people seeing your weakness,

you will get it.

If you've ever been mocked,

you will get it.

If you have ever had your knees knock

when you had to get up 

and give a speech,

 or sing in a Christmas program,

or try out for a team,

or go for a job interview,

I think

you will get it.

If you ever were afraid to show your face

somewhere, sometime

in your past,

you will get it.

If you've ever had a dream, a goal,

that seemed impossible,

that 

you were afraid to admit

was even a glimmer

in your mind,

you will get it.

Researcher, writer, storyteller, Brene Brown

says that we are hard wired for connection,

this movie taps into that need.

When I started school,

I was painfully shy.

At conferences, my teachers would tell my parents

that I spoke so softly that I couldn't be heard.

They struggled to get me to speak above a whisper

when I read aloud

in class.

On the school bus

I was too afraid to ask

if I could sit with someone,

so I would just stand and look,

until the high schooler in the seat,

would move their duffle bag to make room

for me.

I would hear them whisper to one another,

"She never says anything. She just looks at you."

And still,

I wouldn't speak.

I was scared of older kids.

But they were the ones who had the bus seats

when by the time I stepped up those stairs.

I struggled to say what I wanted.

I struggled to say what I did not want.

I wanted safety.

I wanted security.

I wanted belonging.

I could not find courage.

I could not find words.

Numerous times
I needed to speak for myself,

but I did not.

Many times,

I have identified

with that

cowardly lion

in Oz,

who longed for

courage.

It has taken me my lifetime

to find my voice

and use it.

I have feared loss of connection

with the use of my voice.

Yet I am finding that 

real connection,

true connection,

comes from

living in authenticity

with my actions,

my words,

my choices.

I know it will be a process

for the rest of my days.

Using my voice

to speak

truth

is a continual battle

of

faith

and

fear.

The Greatest Showman

tapped into all of this

within me.

I was encouraged.

To keep being me.

And to continue to encourage

others to

discover the treasure

of

who they are.

Happy New Year 2018

Hello 2018.

2017 has left me tired.

As I read 

social media,

watch programs,

look at book titles,

I see that I must not be alone.

It seems that a bulk of us

are craving slow.

Many of us are on overload.

We need to slow down.

To stop.

To see 

the people

in our own

homes.

To look people in the eye.

Especially those we love.

Instead of staring at another screen.

2017.

It feels like a world away from where I was

when I started this blog.

My children are in an entire new stage.

So am I.

So is the world.

Our nation...

Hard, hard things happened in 2017.

Things that brought me face-to-face with fear.

I made good decisions and I made some poor choices too.

I sure do not have the energy that I used to have

for doing everything just right.

So I don't.

Some times I just get by.

Some days are wing and a prayer kind of days.

Some of my 

favorite moments

in our Shaw family

lives happened in this

hard

awkward

strange

year:

I became an auntie to twins, a boy and a girl.

Our son turned 18 

to the tune of a mariachi band at Casa Bonita's in Denver.

My daughter experienced her first state track meet, 

breaking a school record with her relay team.

Our family just enjoyed being together

at a Colorado Rockies game and the Denver Aquarium.

I realized the depths of my husband's dedication to me 

as he cared for me after knee surgery in September.

I have lots swirling in my mind

about 2017.

But it all feels too vulnerable and tender to share.

So it must not be the time.

But I am ready

for a new year.

I am ready to

embrace imperfection

and give myself

grace

for a life

that is always

a work in progress.

Art and Photography Workshop: Wildflowers and Winging It

Oh. My. Heart!

My favorite part of summer

is this.

Prairie Wildflowers.

Give me a pasture of wildflowers and my camera

and you will find a happy Jodi.

Since the prairie wildflowers have exploded here on the ranch,

we have a short window of opportunity

 to take some breathtaking photos in the evenings! 

I am opening up a spontaneous art & photo workshop

 in my White Owl Wings studio at my home by appointment from 

3:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on the dates of July 5-8 and 11-15. 

Choose which day you would like to come for yourself and up to two more friends. 

Register here: www.whiteowlwings.com

Here's what I have planned:

* Make your own "Winging It" Art piece

 on a round slice of birch wood 

with papers, butterfly diagrams and wire wings 

from 3:00-6:00. 

*Break

* An evening of wildflower "photography safari"

on the prairie through sunset. 

We will take the side-by-side 4-wheeler 

to some of my favorite spots for photos on the ranch.

*Limited to 3 people at a time. 

*Bring a couple friends for a very personal small group art/photo time. 

*Message or call me to reserve your date.

Register at www.whiteowlwings.com
*$60 per person. Bring your own camera. All art supplies provided.

***

So here's a few things I have learned about these wildflower favorites

from my book: Grassland Plants of South Dakota and the Northern Great Plains

by James R. Johnson and Gary E. Larson.

The top photo above of the yellow flower is a Prairie Coneflower.

*"Dakota and Lakota made a tea to cure aches of the stomach, head, or side;

Dakota also made a leaf tea beverage."

*"Cheyenne prepared a solution for relieving the effects of rattlesnake bite and poison ivy."

*"The dark red phase is known as "Mexican Hat" {which you can see below}.

This photo above is a Purple Coneflower, or Echinacea, or Black Samson.

A few interesting things:

*indicator of healthy range; safe for grazing

*when chewed, the root numbs the mouth.

*"root widely used by Plains Indians to treat the following:

snakebite,

stings,

toothache,

coughs,

sore mouth and gums,

neck pain,

rheumatism,

arthritis,

mumps and measles,

and more."

*"The plant was their most important plains herbal medicine."

Here is the Mexican Hat version of the Prairie Coneflower,

a rare find.

I'd love to have you join me

for my Winging It Art and Photography Workshop.

Register Here:  www.whiteowlwings.com