Susie Monday

Artist, maker, teacher, author, head cook and bottlewasher.

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The art I make is the result of a life-long love of pattern, texture and color. How I teach is a skill honed by experience (I started teaching creative arts to younger kids when I was 12). After earning a B.A. in Studio Arts from Trinity University, I helped lead an internationally recognized educational foundation, designed curriculum exhibits for schools and other institutions, wrote and edited for a major daily newspaper, opened the San Antonio Children's Museum and then, a dozen years ago, took the scary but essential (for me) leap to become a fulltime artist and art teacher.

About This Blog

This weblog is about the maker's life. The teacher's path. The stitching and dyeing and printing of the craft of art cloth and art quilt. The stumbling around and the soaring, the way the words and the pictures come together. Poetry on the page and in the piecing of bright scraps together. The inner work and the outer journeys to and from. Practicalities and flights of fancy and fearful grandeur, trivial pursuits and tactile amusements. Expect new postings two or three times a week, unless you hear otherwise. 

To reach me, leave a comment after a post, OR email me at susiemonday@gmail.com 

 

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    « No Back Splash | Main | All Natural - Not »
    Sunday
    Oct222006

    Synchronicity's Ground Rules

    Whirling dervishes, she said.

    Or do I mean juggling mermaids? 

    Mermaid1.jpg

     
    Whether  it's Jungian truthtelling, real-time verification of quantum mechanics, or simply anecdotal wishful thinking, I do believe in synchronicity.  This week, a number of loosely related happenings all arranged themselves into a vortex of positive energy: I spent two mornings teaching workshops at a beautiful Hill Country venue on the Guadalupe River, (with small sales at the event), a large art quilt was purchased at the Kerr Cultural Arts Center, and, tonight, an email from art biz guru  Alyson Stanfield let me know that she will feature one of my quilts in her Monday newsletter. Not to mention a friend's note that a book about creativity that we've been working on together has reached the proposal stage -- and, so far, looks good. And that another friend and I have just been selected  in a competitive bid situation to design a major  interactive children's exhibit for the San Antonio Botanical Gardens. Whew.

    But synchronistic energy takes ground work - it doesn't spring from wishful thinking, but from "next best steps.

    Mermaid3.jpg
    Sometimes. Like everyone. I don't KNOW what I should be doing. So I just keep moving. Experience has taught me that, even if I make a wrong move, I can undo it, or at least get past it, backtrack and start again. But if I freeze up in a stance of "what if"  or "where next" or "why me (or why not me)" I can almost certainly expect more of the same.

     

     

    So, in that light:

     I started this blog, though I wasn't certain how to make it distinctive or interesting (I'm not certain yet, so tell me your opinions). I have noticed, that as others have observed, writing an on-line journal is as helpful for the writer, if not more so, as for any particular reader.

    I've been taking Stanfield's Promotion on-line course, and from its 28-day curriculum, have enough work and thoughtful pondering to take me though 28 more, at least.

    I puzzled out a new notion of community by poking around in the Hill Country towns nearby, especially Kerrville, which has a longstanding and well established artist network. 

    I reconnected with Art Cloth friends -- and made some new ones -- by going to the Atlanta/Decatur meeting. 

    I go into the studio every day possible, even if its just for stare, shuffle and sketch.

    I move consciously, dance as much as possible, and keep my eyes open. When I move beyond known worlds, interesting opportunities tiptoe -- or tumble -- into vision.

    This seems to work for me.

    P.S. Check the link on the righthand sidebar for a new workshop listing -- this is for January 2007, but an even sooner December workshop is coming to this page soon! (OK, it's a bit cattywhampus, but I'm moving!)

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    Reader Comments (4)

    Reminds me of my favorite saying from Howard Martinsen: "Well, you gotta do something if its wrong."
    October 23, 2006 | Unregistered CommenterCharlie
    Well, finding this post was a weird synchronicity for me! lol I came here to read the post about the Moo minicards and found this post mentioning synchronicities. I've been doing a lot of reading about that and the Law of Attraction. :-)
    October 23, 2006 | Unregistered CommenterPatricia
    Susie, the more we stuggle, the more avenues seem to open to us. Somehow they come just when we need them most. I was happy to hear of all the "chance" happenings you are enjoying right now, and know that they have all resulted from your constant artistic search...yipee! MA
    October 23, 2006 | Unregistered CommenterMary Ann
    love your thoughts on synchronicity and can't wait to read more of your previous posts when I'm not on my way to work!!! Is my discovery of your blog synchronistic? i think so!
    October 25, 2006 | Unregistered Commenterkathy

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