la loba finds a home

I am happy to share that this work has found a great home. It has been with me for some time and traveled to tell many stories. It was time she came to rest and I am honored to have her be part of a an amazing family of kindred souls whose life work I truly admire.She reminds me of you Louise and I know she will be happy with you and Bill!

I tell it to you as it was told to me. The old one gathers the bones in the desert. Under the moon and stars she calls upon the ancestors. She sings and dances with the Spirits far into the night. As she dances the bones begin to combine and become the wolf again. Bringing with it a clear vision of her walk in life filled with direction, strength and power. la loba

Gather what is scattered in this life and call upon the wisdom you have carried with you throughout the ages. Listen to the wind as it sings your inner voice. Dance toward your dreams without reservation. And feel the fire that can ignite the never ending power of love you hold inside. I wish you strength, love, and clear vision this day on on this Good Red Road.

sin miedo

sin miedo

The imagery of this work is a bit out of my usual realm of images but one has to step into different worlds every now and then to keep moving. And for those who know a bit about me they understand that I am in a state of constant shifting and growth. Just when you think you know what to expect I tend to do or say the unexpected! I create what I am led to create. I have said it before, I am not in charge of the work, I have the honor of surrendering and letting it happen through me.

This small art work is in a beautiful old Mexican wooden frame that I have had for years, it seemed to call for this design so I married the two. It is a gift for my beloved with imagery that speaks a secret code to one another. Long evening chats about past loves, past lives, serendipity, and magical places can lead to inspiration. Live, Love, and Create fearlessly, sin miedo!

Tzolkin date meaning for today

muluc - offering; known as the water sign

Today the Mayan Sun sign calendar is day of offering appreciation for all of creation.

This day is the day of Muluc with the Galactic tone of ten.

Muluc represents water. Water was and is used in many ceremonies as an offering to bring about collective strength, adaptability and harmony. Muluc formulates and transmits the creative pulse. The flow of water like creativity makes it very emotional, imaginative and even psychic. Muluc can be romantic and fantasy prone.

The Galactic tone for today is ten meaning manifestation. Where we once had ideas, dreams, and hopes can now become present. What is focused on with intention and attention becomes real with ten.

So as I work on reorganizing my studio, my life I give attention and intention to the life I am creating and the work that will flow from my hands. I am thankful for the newness and the manifestation of dreams come true. Now back to the studio so that I can create in the days to come from the inspiration I feel today. Tlazocamati for all that life brings.

Raccoon Medicine

This morning during my morning meditation time I had the usual brother and sister birds that add to my time with Creator bringing different messages for the day. But today I noticed in the neighbors tree a new visitor, Brother raccoon, a relative of the bear. He came over the fence moved directly toward me as I sat on my perch and without hesitation he made his way over to me face to face. We made eye contact several times as I spoke to him and then I stopped to listened to what he had come to say. Thank you Brother Raccoon for this message today. Ttlazocamati

Excerpts taken from my Animal Medicine cards.

Raccoon: Generous Protector and Provider, the Robin Hood of the Animal Kingdom.

Raccoon is keeper of what goes around comes around. What you give out is what you receive. You give back to the source of your strength. This medicine is also about speaking up in defense when others are silent. An important point to keep in mind is that we have to honor our own needs and the needs of others equally. Being self full is not the same as being selfish.

Raccoon also warns to keep an eye out for what I call energy vampires, those who take and rarely or never give back. Your generosity can be wasted on those who refuse to help themselves.

Whatever raccoon needs, he is going to try to get it in a variety of ways, instead of insisting it come from one direction in exactly a certain way. When you practice flexibility and resourcefulness, there are less limitations in life.

The mask that raccoon wears is sometimes associated with thievery, but it actually is powerful mystical symbolism. Around the world for centuries masks are and have been used to achieve altered states, ceremony, celebration, magical practices, and in healing work. By wearing a mask we are longer whom we thought ourselves to be but become one with other forces. We create a doorway in the mind and in the physical world, a threshold that we can cross into new dimensions and transformation takes place. It teaches us that none of us are quite what we seem, even to ourselves, that in our lives we can experience the freedom of many identities. This medicine helps us to assume and release the many roles we play.

If raccoon speaks to you today ask yourself Are you hiding your true self? Are others hiding their true self? Do you need to present a different face in life for greater success? Are you giving more to others instead of yourself?

Walk with beauty on Good Red Road with a knowing that all is available to you. You need only slow down to listen and to see with clear eyes. Take care of yourself today and be one with all of who you are and always have been. Yocoxcayotl, Paz, Peace

Connecting

Donaghy Building Gallery, Downtown Little Rock, AR

My work with the conference is complete for another year. It was a powerful event with many groups represented, authentic voices from diverse communities each telling their story for the greater good. People from all over the state and some from surrounding states came together to learn, share, ask questions and participate in connecting conversations with one another. In this way we can continue to build allies, coalitions, and heal generational wounds as we strengthen the work we do for children and famines in the State. Thanks to all and especially to my friends Bill Sparks and Louise Derman Sparks for their loving support of the sometimes difficult work we are doing.

In the midst of the conference work I was invited to share my work at the Donaghy Building Gallery where it was well received. Its a small space 10 works on exhibit and I am happy to share that I have sold two. The show is up until the end of the month.

The community work I do and the art is a natural for me, I cant do one without the other. They compliment each other like a couple that have been together for a long time. When one is challenged in conveying the message the other gently facilitates the dialogue. Art brings people together and I hope that mine poses questions and provokes thoughts that can lead to connecting respectfully with one another at a basic level. My community work feeds my art so now its time to get some rest. And then get back into the studio to let the images flow from the stories that were shared and the relationships I am building. Gracias,thanks, tlazocamati to all for being a part.

Spring is a busy time

Well its finally stopped raining for awhile and the trees and flowers are in beautiful color and the birds are everywhere. I started working on my home alter for spring but haven't had much time. Also haven't had time in the studio but have been cleaning out, shedding. Its time to build a new nest!

I have been working on a conference, Celebrating Cultural Harmony http://www.uams.edu/welcomethechildren/conference/general_information.asp
If you are in the area I invite you to join us. I am finally finished with the presenters and they are posted on the website. We are covering lots of diversity not just racial and ethnic.

I have a show of various work up in downtown Little Rock in the Donaghy State building. It is a great opportunity to share about Latino culture and art quilts. I'll get and post pictures from that later.

Rain images

This week we were surprised by the intensity of the storms that hit Little Rock and the State. I was on the road but made it to the training site and found the tornado safe room then back home through more storms. That evening we heard the alarms sound and spent most of the night in the bathroom for safety. The rains came down and the wind roared outside. Most of my loved ones had only slight damage but I am not sure it works to say damage and slight in the same sentence. The important thing is that everyone is safe now. It was intense and with this rage of emotions and anxiety about personal safety, the safety of loved ones, and property safety it made for a roller coaster evening into mornings light.

When something like this happens you begin to reevaluate what your purpose is, what things are left undone and what is really important. I thought about many people and things on my Good Red Road and what I have yet to do. My home suffered only some roof damage to the front porch which created a waterfall thus rivers of water in the house. When I arrived home I moved the towels I had laid out in anticipation of the waters arrival. As I began to clean I was surprised to see images on the floor. They tell me my home was protected in some way and that I still have work to do. I know some of the things that I see in the rain images. So take a deep breath, clear your mind, and tell me, what do you see?