I hope that you are enjoying your summer. The completion of my studio space continues to be my focus and I am finally moving furniture INTO the room.  Brighid and Brien are using an old workbench (that had been left in the barn) to create a beautiful desk and bench for me. 

Along with the excitement of moving in, I have those old nagging thoughts, "What if it doesn't work out? What if I lose my focus"?  I find it helpful, each morning, to read or listen to something inspirational. I am currently reading BIG MAGIC by Elizabeth Gilbert.  When my artist friend, Carole Bersin, read a few pages aloud to me, I knew it was what I needed to absorb at this point in time.  

 Gilbert likens being an artist  to mining for buried treasure deep within yourself. That is what I will be doing as I start my first project in my new space!  I am energized by the prospect of the search itself, of finding out what I am truly capable of once some of the hurdles of art-making are removed — once I am there alone with the work, no one watching, no one making demands on me except myself. What will it feel like to follow that winding dotted line on the map to finally arrive at that destination, at the ultimate treasure?

While I am "out there" searching, I will also have to be my own cheerleader.  "KEEP DIGGING!", "Don't get distracted" and most of all, "Don't get discouraged". 

 I must be confident that at any moment, as I dig deeper,  the spade will hit a solid object, and that will be my authentic, creative self finally being lifted out of its hiding place.

 I want to thank you for inspiring me to create this map of musings. I don't know that I would be doing the writing if it weren't for the opportunity to share and connect with others. I  welcome you on that journey within yourselves. Open the map, lay it out in front of you, and see where the "X" is drawn in your life.