Beginning 2013

The new year always brings its challenges as I review the year before and make goals and plans for the year ahead.  I find January to be a month of more quiet reading, making journal and sketchbook entries and just looking at other artists' work which feeds my soul and makes preparation for the work of my hands that is incubating in my inner artist.

One of the books I've been reading besides The Artist's Rule that I mentioned in my previous post, is Haiku~the sacred art written by Margaret D. McGee.  There are so many quotes from this book I'd like to share, but for now, I'll share a paraphrase,  "A haiku honors the moment and passes it on."  

It's all about taking notice of the environment around me and pausing long enough to take it into my heart.   I think this mindset will be foremost in one series I'd like to do this year;  finding the essence of the moment and saying more with less.  I already have a moment I experienced last year which I'm working on as the first images of the series.  Who knows, maybe I'll even write some haiku.  Margaret says In haiku, it is the moment, not the poem, that really matters.  So I don't need to fear my proficiency in writing to try it.

Another part of the new year is my communication to you by way of my website and blog.  I have updated my website with images of the series:  Gold, Blue, Purple and Scarlet; a sanctuary.  Check out the menu link Galleries to view at www.phyllisthomasart.com   This work is still hanging at Manchester University but will be coming home in February.

I'll keep you up-to-date on my haiku art explorations and see what develops.