And the count down begins....

A Day in Early September-

An Angel for September

As the quote states- "it was the best of times, and the worst of times..." This account rings true for me this fine month of September 2019.

Last year at this time, I was wrestling with the idea of closing down my art studio. I indeed did close the studio. Rent was high, for the caliber of space I had, so it made sense to let it go. “Onward, upward” is my motto.

After that decision was made, I toyed with the idea of looking for another space. Rents for business spaces have exploded here on the Central Coast, and I shelved that idea pretty quickly.

The days drifted into months, and I drifted with them. I worked a couple of part-time jobs over the past year. They had became boring and tedious, they were no longer fun. I felt I should be doing something full time. The resumes went out, but little to no response came back to me. Something had to give, but not sure what?

June of this year brought a shift to my world. The part-time jobs that I had worked the past few years both dried up and went away. Yes, the Universe was sending me a sign I needed to pay attention to all of it.

Back in May, I had said out loud a few times, "I am not doing what I am supposed to be doing here." It's frustrating to know the fact and not see the threads to weave the next chapter. That would all change the end of July. I will not go into the specifics now, but news came that a physical move of house was on the horizon.

The business real estate had exploded as I stated before, but the rental property had gone beyond reality as well. The pay scale, jobs, and housing, have not kept up in tandem here in the Monterey area. Because of these facts, it looked like I will have to leave the area.

One year later, the move I thought would happen last Fall, is now happening this Fall.

Monterey by the Bay

With any good-byes, many things are bittersweet. The beauty of the land, sea, and sky of this place will be missed. The rugged shoreline, the ever-changing atmosphere, and the blues of the Pacific Ocean will be etched in my memory banks for a long time to come. These things changed the way I see and create art, I will be eternally grateful for my experiences on the Central Coast of California.

New chapters come with new excitement. I love exploring new cities and meeting new people. I plan to join in and participate in some of my favorite activities in my new surrounding. Artist, maker, mystic that's me!

Moving Along

In the meantime, I am packing, tossing, and readying myself for a move back East. The Sarasota/Bradenton area of the West Coast of Florida to be exact. After years in the fog, the Sunshine State will be a pleasant change.

Time to get packing... Later you all-sheree a.k.a Mystical Medusa

PS Stay tuned for a cross country move…

What do I Hunger for?

And just like that I’m back in the saddle again.

Time has definitely flown since January 1. When I woke up yesterday I couldn’t believe we were turning the page to May 1, 2019. So it is…

There have been lot’s of starts and stop the last few months. I had dental problems that finished up with a root canal. It will always amaze me how under the weather we feel when there is pain in our mouths. Little or big it just don’t feel right. I had some great Dentists fix the problem, but it cost me a small fortune that I needed to find a solution. Enter credit card stage left. Lots of mac and cheese in my future.

I have also been dismayed by some of the comments and news reports coming out about social media in general. Did I ever think we were not being monitored on any platform-No.. Did I think that these platforms had the ability to spy on us? Another scary -No. Some of the statements each of these Platforms are making to justify their activities and behavior are truly brow raising and shocking. Will I stay engaged? Not sure today.

So it goes…

I’m feeling more grounded then the last few months, so I decided I would take on another creative challenge from #icreatedaily. This challenge focuses on mixed media, and I am feeling that this is in my wheelhouse since most of my work includes a few different media when I create my pieces.

So I’m trying to keep things in order and move forward on a few projects I put on the back burner.

Time to work on post for tomorrow. See you all then.

Cheers Dears-sheree A.K.A. Mystical Medusa

Happy May

Time Out

Well, I could have predicted the outcome of my participation in the #iwritedailychallenge at the outset. Even though I was ready for the dirty work.

I do love a good challenge, and I feel quite accomplished when I make it to the end date. The prompts for this challenge didn't really speak to me. Yes, I could have gone my own way around them. Maybe I should have done just that. In order to participate in the challenge, we also needed to post writings in the Facebook group. The posts could only be 300 words on the post site. This all got rather challenging in my eyes. Not inspired, word counts, and a healthy dose of life’s challenges forced me to shut down my part in the challenge.

A couple of weeks ago I went into the Endodontist to start a root canal. I had an uncomfortable reaction to some or part of the medication I was taking. I landed in bed taking healthy doses of Benadryl for the severe hive outbreak I suffered at the end of last week. The 30-day writing challenge was the last thing on my mind.

A new day dawned and this past Monday I was back in the saddle. There were bills to catch up on, laundry to do and yes, quiet time.

I may go back and ponder some of the prompts, but I'm thinking that ship has sailed on this writing endeavor at this time. There is a season for all things. My writing exercises would need another outlet at another time.

So I'm off today and need to pick up a couple of pads of sketching paper. I'm feeling the need to create some ladies of spring fashion dolls, and my Fashionista Tarot has been pulling at me.

Spring has sprung, and so have I!

Later you all -Sheree

Day 9 - Your Life

Day 9- Tune into the song- Your Life

I haven’t posted anything the last few days but I have been finding my way to my keyboard. It wasn’t that I was blocked, but nothing seemed worthy to post. Hopefully today is the day my thoughts and passages are worthy of a post to my blog.

It has been a challenging week on several fronts. Computer glitches, money hitches and the passing of a dear friend.

 A big fat “why now?” has been dangling in front of me as I plow through life’s day-to-day stuff.

Not that writing my daily pages went to the back burner, but the more pressing thoughts would overpower the writing. Whatever structure I tried to aim for in the the story, the messages seemed to fall apart before I could find the closing. 

So here I am today, on Day 9, determined to write something with a beginning middle and end.

When I read the prompt from a few days ago “Wild Horses” of creativity… the Rolling Stone’s song by that name started playing in my head. I had always played that song in times of sorrow over lost love. The last couple of days I was nudged to look at the lyrics from a different point of view.

Childhood living is easy to do.
The things you wanted
I bought them for you.
Graceless lady

you know how I am
you know I can't let you

slide through my hands.
Wild horses
couldn't drag me away.
Wild, wild horses

couldn't drag me away.
I watched you suffer

a dull aching pain.
Now you decided to
show me the same.
But no sweeping exits or offstage lines

could make me feel bitter or treat you unkind.

Wild Horses

couldn't drag me away.
Wild, wild horses
couldn't drag me away.
I know I dreamed you
a sin and a lie
I got my freedom
but I don't have much time.
Faith has been broken
and tears must be cried
let's do some living
after love dies.
Wild Horses
couldn't drag me away.
Wild, wild horses
we'll ride them someday
Wild Horses
couldn't drag me away.
Wild, wild horses
we'll ride them someday.

Yes, when I read the lyrics and about what the author intended, it was about a sad love gone wrong story. I wasn’t sure why this song was playing in my head?

This week a friend transitioned to the other side, she was 37 years old. The lyrics to Wild Horses remind me of her and her journey on this earth plane. It wasn’t an easy one for her. She had several bad relationships and yearned for someone to love and comfort her. All this affected her health. Bad habits, and not heeding Doctors warnings caused her vital organs to shut down over the course of the last several weeks.

I know it broke her parents’ hearts to give consent to turn off the life support machines a few days ago- “faith had been broken and tears must be cried”. I pray they find comfort in all the prayers offered for them and for their girl’s eternal soul. 

“ I watched you suffer a dull aching pain…wild horses we will ride them someday… she got her freedom but I don’t have mine… wild horses we’ll ride them someday…let’s do some living…” The Rolling Stones said it better than I ever could.

So, today I am going to listen to a few of my favorite upbeat songs. Sing and dance for all of life’s beautiful possibilities. Reminding myself that no matter how hard this life and journey is, the power of song and laughter will get me through the day.

Ok, so now I hearing Wham’s “Wake me up before you go-go…” 

I’m off to Google and read the entire set of lyrics from that Wham song. It may give me a clue what this day holds.

Have a great one you all and stay safe. -sheree

March 5- Bringing Light

Some of you know that I am a Tarot Card and palm reader. I work part-time at a tiny shop in our Tourist District. The Street name is Cannery Row. Yes, the Cannery Row of Steinbeck fame. The street is parallel to The Monterey Bay and the views are spectacular.

I get a lot of first-time seekers in this spot. Some are expecting similar experiences to what the psychics on television show and tell. Most have no idea what to expect, so I educate them to my process. I do not work as anyone seen on TV.

I do bring light to issues that the seekers are facing. Some heed the message. Some get agitated because it wasn’t the message they wanted to hear. These are difficult readings, for both of us. The space that I read out of is open to the public and it is first to come, first to be served. I have seen my fair share of rude, nasty, and not so mentally healthy people. The latter are usually the folks that are taken advantage of by charlatans and hucksters. My advice to them is usually- seek medical or professional help. All in all, it makes for an interesting afternoon.

My favorite readings are when the message resonates with the seeker's experiences in the now. People open to the possibilities will usually get guidance that will help move them to their desired goals.

The Tarot cards are tools for me. They help tell a story, through the images. They may point to other options the seeker may-or not- have thought of, when looking at the questions. Career, major moves, and relationship issues are just some of the areas that I have been asked to shed some light on.

Over the years, I have had the opportunities to learn how to shine or bring light to my own goals. Much of this work revolved around connecting to Spirit. I have refined my personal beliefs many times through learning and doing the work in that specific area of study. My connection to Spirit has taught me to listen and hear messages from another realm. Sounds spooky? It’s not, we all have the ability to tap into a higher frequency. Like anything, you must show up and do the work.

So it’s a workday for me, and it’s time for me to get ready to bring light to a few confused souls. I know Spirit is with me giving out- said advice- through me. Bring the light Spirit so that we can help straighten the path for those in confusion.

Have a great day and see you tomorrow-Sheree

March 4 owning yourself

Day 4 -Owning yourself

We all come to this Earth with strengths and weaknesses. Knowing how to diminish  or enhance both categories is where we truly start owning ourselves.

I own the fact that I am an artist and maker. My parents believed that both areas are hobbies and that I could never make a living doing either one. Doing what all good children do, I moved into career choices that pleased them-not me. It has proven to be an interesting ride trying to prove them wrong. I no longer try- I just do. They still see me through those old glasses and I understand that they only want the best for me. I am bless they are both still in my life.

Approval from our elders, teachers, and mentors is a strong driving force. It fuels us to keep on going. Disapproval can freeze us or motivates us to make choices that will lead to a lifetime of course correction. The good news here is that we humans have the ability to choose another path or road anytime in this journey of life. Some days I wish this enlightenment would have come sooner rather than later.

We only have today and I am trying to own this truth about my chosen path. It has taken hard work, but so did walking the path of looking for others to approve.

I have created art since I was little. When I was 11 or 12 my focus shifted to fashion drawings. I would sit for hours making up outfits that I could draw with pencils and felt pens. These images were rough and needed some refining in their proportions. I didn’t know it then, but when I was in High School I decided I wanted to be a Fashion Designer. I was already sewing and drawing so it seemed a perfect fit for my gifts.

I grew up in a small Midwestern town. Girls became secretaries, nurses and teachers. A career in the arts?  No way. My parents, my father particularly, wanted his daughter to go to college, so I did just that. I was still set on Fashion Design and when it came time for college I had 2 choice small private college or huge university. Since I have always been more of an introvert, I set my sights on the small private college. I can say right here that my father was happy with that choice and I was please he was pleased. 

It would take me years to realize that I was a manifestor and that I could bring things into reality with a powerful thought and a little hard work. Life and all its possibilities are awe inspiring.  More about this on another day.

I own the choice of where I wanted to attend college. It was a rocky road through college. I was looking for approval on many levels. Looking back it made me stronger and more committed to getting what I want or what I need. It’s no longer about the approval of others. Its about recognizing in myself as a job well done. I own it for myself.

The image above is from my archives. It was done during one of the Spring or Fall Fashion weeks in New York. I have live in a few state in this great country. I have had to privilege of visiting over 30 of our great states. I will alway consider myself a New York City Girl.

Have a good day you all and see you tomorrow-sheree

March 3 ...rage against the dying of the light.

Once upon a time, I was a night owl living in the city that never sleeps. The 3 hour time difference from the East coast to the West coast turned me into more of a morning person than I was in previous chapters of my life and I am OK with that. I have gotten used to relaxing for a few hours before I hit the hay at 10:30-11 PM on any given evening. I get up early and have an hour or 2 of quiet time before I brave the world. That being said, I do not rage against the dying of the light.

Back in the day, I would take evening art classes, drawing, painting, analog-digital, any and all classes I could work into my schedule. On the nights that classes didn't convene I would set up my practice session on my kitchen table, having at it, until the very wee hours of the morning. Was it hard getting up and going to the day job.? Oh yeah, but the learning of all new things art, motivated me to wake up and move to pay the bills.

Some semesters there was little or no time for the classes and I always felt empty during those months and semesters. I would try really hard to work day jobs where the overtime was in my control.

The last several years I lived in New York I worked as a freelancer or subcontractor in the Advertising world. These jobs allowed me to go into the office work as many hours, days, or months, to sock away money to pay bills. I would then take off a month or two to work full time at taking classes. I was honing my craft of drawing and painting. During these free-flow months, I could truly rage against the dying of the light.

Life moves on, so do people places and things. I love my memories of working all night only to stop and catch my breath as the Sun was coming up. I would then head off for a nap, full of sweet dreams of the possibilities of living a full-time creative life.

Time would teach me that dreams can and do come true.

The above image was from an old postcard I kept to someday use. It seemed for some reason a good place to start for an image to masthead this post. A little digitizing also went into the final edit.

I’m not going to lie this prompt did stump me. Nothing seemed to go right with the uploads yes my friends Mercury is going into retrograde mode. Good luck with all of our communications mode.

Later-sheree

#iwritedaily-March 2/Sacred Spaces

March 2 #icreatedaiy challenge

Sacred Spaces

I have been very blessed to have 3 working artist studios in the last 15 years here on the Monterey Peninsula in California. It has been an honor to invite local residents, emerging artist, and tourists into these sacred spaces where I could create and sell my art.

One of the reasons I left the rat race of New York City was to pursue my dream working as an artist. If the truth is to be told, there have been no shortages of starving artist struggles in my new found home and sacred spaces. Time is money, money is time.

Rents over the past 15 years have gone up wildly here on the Central Coast. There is a shortage of housing generally in California, and Monterey is no exception to that fact. Retail and office space followed suit in the price ranges, and it is not possible for me to rent a working space at an affordable price any longer. Sad really, my humble Hamlet considers Realtor's mega-offices more important than quaint shops in our local business districts. Of course these businesses can pay the high rents, so first come, first served and the Mom and Pop shop loose the chance to compete for the space.

Many things are shifting and changing in my world and it felt like it was time to let my Sheree Greek Art and Design space go. I was sad, but it was also a relief not to carry that financial load in this time period.

Another space will come to me, but I'm not sure that space will be in California. Time will tell.

In the meantime, I struggle to create daily in my personal sacred space. Sacred space comes in many different shapes and sizes. It can be internal, external or both.

As I wrote in my blog yesterday when I create I need my quiet space. I guess it is a way of going within to tap into that intuitive side of my personality. If I can find that place- drawings painting, and I'm hoping writing, where it will flow effortlessly, I will be in my creative zone. That my friends is my favorite sacred space.

Ah yes, the life of the starving artist. I am getting ready to work the afternoon shift at my part-time job. Yes folks a girl, this girl, has got to hustle for what she wants. I am hoping that I will have some downtime to work on a sketch for this post and further contemplation about sacred space.

Later you all and have a great weekend.-

Pen doodle above- “Sacred Space” and of course I can’t help myself with the color, added in Photoshop