Celebrating the non-winter

As with so many other parts of the country, we had a remarkable non-winter this year. It was not possible to do my usual work. Everything felt disconnected, odd...unfamiliar. There were positives, to be sure...less time struggling against the cold for one thing, but the lack of snow was unprecedented for this area.

Then, last week a sudden storm in the night left a think blanket of white and I felt so compelled to DO something, anything! But there was such a thin covering...what to do? As I've learned by now, when uncertainty is in the air, spirals are too. I ventured to the moss garden and began to follow the curves in the tiny landscape. It was so delicious to feel the cold on my fingers once again!

However, the sun is so strong this time of year and even as I was working, the melting was fierce. Every minute the sculpture underwent subtle shifts and changes...soon it would all be lost into the heat and glare of the sun.









It is so strange to have had the whole winter pass with so few chances to play with the white stuff. We had another surprise snowfall the next night and I could feel that this was the last time it would be dusting the landscape for this season. It is hard to describe how I felt with this kind of knowing... humbled and sad come close.
So when the next morning came, and the sun came out from behind the clouds I knew I had to work fast. I'll share that sculpture soon. I have to process the photos but it is too nice out today and I must go to work outside!

30% off at Lulu!! only till the 19th

HI Everyone,

A quick note.... I just received word that Lulu is offering 30% off all book titles....this is a very big discount and if you've been wanting to get my books or any Lulu books, now would be a great time to take advantage.

This sale is only good until midnight on Sunday night, however. To receive the discount, use the following coupon code at check-out:

FEBRUARYCART305USD


Also... I had hoped to be making a little announcement here today but there has been a technical delay...next week early, hopefully!! Stay tuned!! And enjoy the week-end!!!

Of Goddesses and Groundhogs

On the circular wheel of the year, in Earth-based festivals we have just passed the cross-quarter day known to some as "Imbolc" which marks the half-way point between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox (in the Northern hemisphere). For those of us who live closer to the north, this is a very special time of year for by now we are able to notice that indeed the days are getting longer. Winter is not over by any means, but the return of the light of the sun is significant. Our spirits are lifted and we can start dreaming of gardens and green grass once more.

Here in America, on this "special" day, a poor old sleepy groundhog is dragged out of his nice warm borrow by a bunch of loud and rowdy humans. It is a bizarre ritual that even as a kid I felt was so unfair and it really embarrassed me to be an American with this very strange "holiday" that made absolutely no sense...and the whole formula for divining the remaining winter seemed so nonsensical to me...I mean, if it is sunny out, that should be good, right? But apparently not according to the legend. I can remember asking the adults in my world and no one had a good answer...it was just "tradition" and so we were supposed to accept it...and get into it. But the whole thing made me queasy...like it was a violation of something much deeper. But I was just a kid and what do kids know....right?

Did you ever wonder where we got such a silly ritual and why this day, February 2nd was the day chosen for this strange celebration?

Here is what made it all finally make some sense to me - though I don't quite yet understand how the groundhog got into the picture. I was in Scotland doing some independent study on Celtic Goddesses for a painting I was working on and found this little gem; the ancient peoples of what is now Scotland had many Goddesses in their culture. The most important was the one called The Cailleach, or by another name " Beira" the Queen of Winter. She was the oldest of all the Goddesses and many thought her to be the most powerful.... she was no fluffy snowflake, no snow bunny! She was a force to be reckoned with, striding across the land with her staff creating mountain ranges and with a flourish of her Ermine-tipped cape, spreading a thick blanket of cold and dark across the land...for as long as she deemed it should be so, there would be winter.
Scotland is even further to the north than here so it is easy to imagine how important this cross-quarter day was to those ancient communities. It was said that if Beira had decided to let winter not go on for so long, then on this day, the cross-quarter day half way between the beginning of winter and the beginning of spring, (Feb 1st or 2nd) she would make it be a cloudy day for better napping in her cave. But, if she had decided she was going to linger in the glens and lochs for a good while longer and keep the winter shroud tight against the landscape, then she would bring on a day full of sun so she had plenty daylight to gather the firewood she would need to get thru her intended, extended stay.

So now, when they drag that poor old sleepy groundhog out of his cozy den and search for shadows or none, you can be somewhat the wiser about what is really going on!!

******************************

To celebrate the return of the Light and to say "Thank you" to all my great fans, I'm having a special offer on my card sales. For the entire month of February, if you make a purchase of a set of greeting cards or a DVD, I'll add free greeting cards to your order...one for each pack of 6 cards, and 2 for each DVD. I actually started this sale in mid-January, and for those folks who placed orders in January, they got their extra cards already with their shipment. This is my way of saying "Thank You" for all your wonderful support! Your free card(s) will be in the same style as the collection(s) you have chosen. This is a good deal...it brings the cost of a card down to approx $2.14, so don't miss out. And if you have ordered from me before, make a note of it on the Paypal invoice and I'll try to make sure that you get an extra little something in your package. My way to share the love.

I am also preparing some e-cards which I will be giving away as we get closer to Valentines Day, as a way to say "Love you" to all the great people who have followed my work all these years but who perhaps don't send paper cards. I'll be announcing this next week.

And, as an extra special token of Gratitude, I am going to be raffling off one of my Faerie Houses! This is going to be a very rare opportunity for one lucky winner!! I'm working out the details and will let you know when it is ready to launch but the basics will be this: for a small fee, your name will be entered into a "hat". At the end of the time period, one name will be chosen from the pool of participants and they will WIN a Faerie House!! You will be able to enter multiple times. But I need to work out a few final details before I can officially announce this, but I should have everything ready to present to you in a week or so... so stay tuned, as they say!!

Finally, this.... I have just 5 copies left of the 2012 Faerie Houses calendar put out by Pomegranate. If you would like a signed copy, let me know and I can make that happen. Just email me.

Happy Imbolc Everyone!!

BIG Sale at Lulu

This can't wait... I just received a notice that Lulu is having a 30% off sale! But only till the end of January 31st. To get the discount use coupon code : SHELFSTOCK305

This news was too big to let it sit for a day. The notice says it is good for all "titles" so this may not work for calendars, but it will work for my books...or ANY Lulu book you may want to get! Have fun!

FREE Booklet about custom-crafted Faerie houses now online

Greetings Everyone!

Finally, at last! My first edition FREE information booklet for my Custom-crafted Faerie houses is finished! It is now available as a download or for online viewing in two different places at absolutely no cost. You can go to the top of this page and go to the special page labeled "Custom Faerie houses Info".

Once there you can see the pages of the booklet. However, because of the limitations of Blogger, I was not able to get these pages to full size without viewing problems, so these pages may be hard to read depending on your browser and screen size. If you've tried to view the blog page and if it is not working for you, try clicking HERE and you'll be taken to a tiny, simple website that has the PDF file listed on the page. From here you can choose to view it right away, or you can download it and save it to view later. Here is the URL if you are unable to click on the link:
https://sites.google.com/site/gsacustomcraftedfaeriehouses/home/information-booklet-pdf

There is a LOT of information in the 16 pages. I give a brief description of the materials, a bit of a basic step-by-step on what goes into making the Faerie houses, a look at the 4 different "levels" of complexity for my the sculptures as well as information on how the whole "custom crafted" process works. Then I have additional pages that look at some of the basic features each house would have but comparing the different levels of complexity. Finally there are pages about special add-on features and prices....ah yes, the nitty-gritty!!

It may take a bit to wade through it all, but the process is meant to be fun and inspiring and hopefully you will find it to be so...and there are loads of images! I will soon have an additional page which one can use as a worksheet/order form in case you might be dreaming of one of these houses for yourself or as a gift for someone else. I'll let you know when that is ready.

PLEASE do feel free to share the link with anyone you know who might be interested in my work. Anyone who makes a successful referral (to someone who places an order) will get a VERY nice commission!

I have a few other announcements to make later this week so do come back soon. There will be two very special pieces of news to celebrate the return of the Light! The cross-quarter day festival called Imbolc is almost here (usually celebrated on February 1st) and those of us who live in the north of the Northern Hemisphere are really noticing that the daylight hours are getting longer so it is time to share the love...which I will be doing for the whole month as you will see!! :-)

Midnight Visitor

I had a very special visitor come to my bird feeder a few nights ago. A Flying Squirrel! These amazing creatures are supposedly fairly common here in the Eastern North American forests, it is just that they are so good at remaining unseen by humans, that we rarely if ever get to see them in the wild. So, I was thrilled to see this lovely visitor right at my kitchen window! The photo is not very good because the squirrel moves very fast and I did not want to use a flash for the photo because it might hurt its very sensitive eyes. We have owls here and this guy would have been temporarily blinded if I had used a flash, so, the compromise means we have blurry pics.

What a tail !!! Flying squirrels use their big, flattish tails much like the tail of a kite is used to stabilize the kite in flight. The squirrel is bigger than you might think... I estimated it is slightly bigger than a red squirrel. Here the Squirrel has backed right up to the glass which is why the tail looks a bit flattened to the right.









Here, the Squirrel is bumped right up against the glass with his rump. Here also you can see the large fold of skin which is between the front legs and the back ones. When the Squirrel launches itself, it does not actually fly, but glides from tree to tree or tree to ground. They often look like a handkerchief flying by if you happen to be lucky enough to see one at night. They don't seem to mind humans too much..at least the ones I have here are that way. I've been outside gardening in the late evening and have seen these guys leaping from tree to tree...coming quite close at times. Once, I found a nest of babies. It was in the hollow of a big maple tree right along my driveway. The hole was just low enough for me to peek inside regularly and watch their progress. Perhaps this guy was one from that nest, I'd like to think so!

It was such a thrill to see this spunky creature. Even though it was right by my kitchen sink, separated only by the glass and it could see every move I made, it did not seem to be too bothered by me...as long as there were seeds to eat!!

Why make art that no one will see?

Why make art that no one will see?

Well, first of all, that statement isn't quite true. You are "seeing" this sculpture, in a way. Yes it is just a photograph. Yes it is not the full experience. You are not hearing the stillness of the forest, the gurgling sound of the waterfall as it tumbles over and under the ice to the pool below.
You are not feeling the cold in your fingers and toes (maybe this is a good thing! ) nor the exhilaration of standing in the icy water to get this shot (definitely a good thing!). But, you are seeing something of the magic that was present in this moment... the impossible view of shards of ice rising up to form a delicate archway over the black ribbon of water deep in a secluded corner of a nature reserve. No trails lead to this place so it is most likely, no one but me saw this sculpture once I completed it. And I know it did not last the night because we had strong, warm winds the next day and much of the snowcover melted so its a good bet this came down sometime in the night.


But the pictures don't convey the awe experienced when a beam of sparkling sunlight, drifted down thru the pine branches hundreds of feet above , to settle on the foot of the ice arch which set the whole sculpture glowing into a delicate crystalline bridge of light....sadly, the photos cannot capture what the human can see nor what the human heart can feel.

Which brings up another point... just because only one pair of human eyes got to see this sculpture does not mean it was not seen by others. And this is one of the parts that is so hard to explain... for when I am out in the forest, doing this work, feeling in harmony with the landscape and environment, I do not feel alone, not one bit. I feel the presence of the great trees, sleeping in the snow... I feel the presence of the small birds and lively squirrels high in the branches above...and I feel the deep and powerful Presence of both Mother Earth and the Great Spirit which hold it all together. And I feel more than this, even... I feel the presence of graceful beings of energy and light. Some might call them Faeries, some might call them Devas or Elementals or angels, even. But the point is, they are there too and sometimes, when everything is just right and peace is big in my heart, I get to feel them too.

And that is one of the big reasons why I do this art... as an offering... for them.

How and Why part 1

Winter has finally come to these woods. It has taken the long route getting here. An extended brown fall followed by a warm brown December followed by 2 weeks of cold brown January...but no snow here during the whole of it except for a few soggy inches back around Halloween. I've never seen the likes of this sort of strangeness. Everything feels wrong...but none of us here are complaining because we knew what it should be like and we are happy to have the cold and snow holding off a wee bit longer.
The long, extended dry spell gave us all a rare chance to take care of chores we don't often get to do in early winter. In my case it was to collect more Faerie house materials in the forests and along the river. Yes, it was cold sometimes but the lack of snow made the collecting very easy. It also made magic along the river.



I've been writing a lot lately. Mostly trying to find the right words for my book, which is in process. I've been trying to understand and then describe why I do what I do... it has been very challenging to find the words... any words to wrap around the waves that rise up and push me forward into the creative process.

It used to be that when I would look upon a scene such as this, a magical creation made by the river all by herself, it was enough to just drink it in...to gaze in wonder and marvel at the magic. It was enough to just find such treasures, photograph them, perhaps try and paint them but mostly, it was a passive process of receiving the gift of the moment, straight from Nature Herself. And I always felt very grateful to be allowed to witness such Beauty.

But something mysterious happens when you take yourself and step into the frame, and begin to have a dialog directly with the landscape. When you start to co-create together WITH the landscape. That is another feeling altogether. That is the part I am having the most difficulty trying to describe. But I keep trying because I want to have an answer to the question : "Why do this work?"

I have come to realize that basically, for me, there seem to be 4 primary motivations:

1) Because sometimes, something in the landscape calls to me to come and work with it
2) Because sometimes, design elements in the materials themselves delight me so much that I want to play with the shapes and forms
3) Because sometimes I am given a vision and I feel the challenge to try and bring it into form
4) Because I know there are others who feel as I do and together we are keeping portals and doorways open between the Visible and the Invisible worlds... and when I am doing this work then I feel that I am part of that Tribe and I feel connected to a sense of purpose.



So when I finished with my bit of writing this morning, trying to wrestle the dragon of my creative impulses onto the page long enough to take form into words, I felt unsure about whether I would ever be able to put into words everything that I felt about what I do as a creative artist, making these little creations...and just then, I looked up to see a rainbow of magical Faerie Light dance across the Dragon House. And it made me smile because I had my answer in that moment.

I used to spend time with a very magical child named Ananda. He told me once that whenever you see a rainbow on something, it was the sign of a Faerie's Kiss... that the Faeries liked something so much that they covered it with kisses and that was where the rainbows came from. Even the very, very big rainbows that we see in the sky. His story came back to me in a flood when I saw this rainbow kiss this morning... and I felt very blessed and honoured once again.


Not long after that it was time to step away from the writing and go make some lunch, so I loaded a few more logs into the firebox of the trusty wood-stove and made some soup. When it is 8 degrees below zero, making soup on the wood-stove can also be a very creative and rewarding experience!! Yum!

Next up: we go into the studio and see what is lurking there!

Happy New Year!!

Happy New Year Everyone!!

Wishing a peaceful and prosperous 2012
to all beings who share this beautiful Earth
together.

Most everyone I know is glad to have the chance to start a new year. Last year was so tough for many people....not everyone, but it seems that the resounding chorus these days is a sincere sentiment something like: "Thank goodness we get to put that year behind us!"

I have to say that I agree.

So here we sit on the edge of a New Year. I saw a lovely card once that spoke of the New Year as a fresh blanket of snow, with the suggestion to tread carefully for each and every step we make will leave a mark. I feel a resonance with that idea as we turn over our journals, daybooks and calendars. ( You did get a calendar, didn't you? wink wink). Who doesn't like the idea of a fresh start?

But before we close the books entirely on last year, I have a tiny little apology to place here: for those of you who contacted me during the Holiday break, thank you and my sincere regret for not giving you a timely reply. My holiday activities had me away from my computer for most of the time. I found that I needed to take a much needed break for a few days and the span between Solstice and what much of the rest of the world celebrates as New Years was the perfect time to do some much needed contemplation and reflection, as well as planning and prioritizing. So, as a result, many of your emails and requests did not get a reply until very recently. I hope that was not a disappointment to you. But the studio is now open again and things are getting the attention they need and deserve.

Currently I am still working on the book project and am very pleased with how it is going. I also am waiting to hear back on several projects that were in development with other business partners and projects. I've also been invited to another state to conduct a workshop in Faerie House construction (will let you know when details are confirmed) and so I am/we are developing a plan for (finally) conducting more workshops this coming year... something many folks have been asking for and I am finally able to do. I am also helping to develop a few small projects on the local level with other volunteers for programs in my area which are close to my heart. There will also be a few more fine art painting projects coming off my painting table and I'm hoping to have at least one good gallery show for my one-of-a-kind Faerie Houses. And there are other plans in the works as well, but they are too misty for the moment to discuss. So for many of us, myself included, now is a time of deep dreaming and practical planning - woven together like a basket to hold the New Year and all its abundant potential.

* * * * * * *

I love the deep nights of winter because we have the chance to become quiet inside, if we choose. Yes, the outer world of holiday-making and festivities can be overwhelming just like the rich meals and overabundance of sweets and goodies that seem to go with this season. However, a simple walk in the woods at this time of year can bring one into a deeply restive and quiet space within, if one lets it. The forest is so quiet wrapped in its shrouds of snow and low-angled sun here in the north. Only a few of the hardiest of birds are heard from time to time. No leaves rustle overhead or crunch underfoot. No insects buzz or hum. It is a time of deep stillness, long starry nights and moving with very careful steps whether one is on ice or fresh snow.

May the peace and stillness of this pause in time bring you refreshment and a chance to center yourself as we prepare to enter the coming year. From all angles it appears that the coming year will be one of powerful growth and positive transformation. I know there are many people who are feeling all sorts of mixed feelings about this year because so much has been made of what it might "mean" for our collective. One thing that Nature teaches me is that while it is good to prepare for what we want to have happen, it is also good to remain flexible to what will happen... sometimes the two are not the same and if we are too emotionally or egoistically attached to the former, we may miss out on the opportunities and gifts of the latter. So here's to dancing on the edge of all the positive potentials of the New Year and diving in to fully receive and enjoy all the goodness that it can bring.

Very best wishes to you all,

Sally

12 days of specials at Lulu

Hi Everyone,

I've just received notice that Lulu will be having "12 days of Coupon specials" starting today. They have not indicated to me exactly what the specials will be so I will be just as surprised as you, but if you want to follow the program (and take advantage of any of the sales) here is the link to the page:

http://www.lulu.com/holiday_coupons/

I know that I said I would be raising my calendars prices after December 1st, but thanks to better than anticipated orders this holiday season I am delighted to announce that I can continue to keep my personal discount sale of 10% off going for longer than expected... we can all use a little extra holiday cheer, and now it appears that Lulu will be adding to the fun with the 12 days of coupons program.

Be sure to pay attention to the fine print on their offers - some of the offers may apply to all Lulu products and some of the discounts may apply to only books or calendars. Since I have both on offer (you can see all my books and calendars here:
http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/greenspiritarts ) this may make a difference to you.

Also a notification I received from Lulu recently: some rural customers are currently experiencing ordering problems and will see an notice that they have an "unacceptable address" and they will be unable to complete their order. If this happens, you can try using a different land address ( a friend or relative?) or you can contact me directly and I will place an order for you personally. This is a bug in the Lulu system that they are working on fixing but it still seems to be an issue for a few rare customers, so if you are unable to place and order because of this issue, please email me directly and we will get you sorted out. My apologies if this happens, it has/had to do with a Fed-Ex interface issue with the Lulu website and only affects a very small number of rural customers.

A previous Lunar Eclipse

A while ago we had the chance to observe a lunar eclipse just like the one which happened yesterday for much of the west-coast US and pacific regions. It was the middle of winter here when the event was to unfold and I decided to make a "net" of icicles to see if I could frame the eclipsed moon somehow. I went to the lake and collected hundreds of long icicles, some almost 5 ft long, and brought them to the site I had designed. I knew the moon would be high in the sky, so I needed to get "under" the net somehow to capture the eclipsed moon in the net. Since I built this at night, under the light of the full moon it has a mixture of order and randomness that really pleases me, visually speaking.

This photograph is quite deceptive because you don't get to see how this net is suspended out over the space below...the space I had hoped I could place my camera in and take photos of the moon as it was turning red in the shadow of the earth...the photo also gives no clue as to the scale of this thing...but one could put a large couch in the middle of this net and have plenty left on any side, it was that big...and, it is completely rigid since it is made of single icicles, stuck together.
Well, I was very happy with the sculpture, but the experiment was limited by my (at the time) low-tech camera...it simply was unable to capture the low light scene sufficiently when it was in full eclipse mode. So, I just enjoyed the show instead.
The next night, which was also clear and cold, the sculpture was more or less still there so I tried to get the full moon photographed against the crystalline web and this time, with the increase in light, it worked.


Some of the icicles had fallen down, but as luck would have it, the hole that was created was actually where the moon ended up being, so it all worked out just fine.

I decided to re-post this sculpture for a couple of reasons. One, to celebrate the eclipse that just happened and was visible to so many...and two, because it reminds me that even when we make our best plans, sometimes things happen that we cannot predict, giving our human limitations....but, sometimes things also work out in spite of our human limitations too...sometime great things.

As I continue to work on my book, and share my images on calendars and cards (thank you to everyone who has been able to make a purchase...every bit helps truly!) I want so much for this work to continue. There is magic here and this artificial world we humans have created for ourselves does not feed my soul the way Nature does...and I suspect I am not alone in this. So, somehow, some way, I want to keep this stream of work burbling along, even if it means revisiting older works from time to time along with new pieces that I know will still get created. And perhaps, in this way, the flow might take the work forward to find new resources and outlets which would support me enough for me to keep making more environmental sculptures. In the meantime, there is certainly much to celebrate in terms of what has already been created.

Next week I will have a special gift for all my readers, so stay tuned!

Bright Blessings all around you and yours!

Hi there Everyone,

I am continuing to do work in the studio on the book and also on other projects which are in mid-process so there are not a lot of tangible images of things to share right now from my hands. Fortunately, there are plenty of extremely talented and deeply spiritual people out there making their gifts of creativity available to help us all feel positive and powerful as we move forward here in the middle of much transformation.

Here is a beautiful video that really speaks to my heart and is one that I thought the readers of this blog would enjoy as well. I hope it brings a sense of Peace and harmony to you. I'll share more of my work as it becomes available or if there are any other big sales going on at Lulu. I did receive a very nice email from one of the developers at Lulu outlining the changes they are about to make for next year. They have been listening to the issues and problems that some people experienced with Lulu and they are going to be addressing many of them soon, so thank you those of you who took the time to write to me and share your issues.... I sent them ALL into Lulu and they are working on fixing the problems some folks had. For instance, some people got a message that they had an "invalid address" and were therefore unable to place an order. That will be fixed!! The problem was using the Fed-Ex database which does not always recognize rural addresses....so there will be progress and I thank you for being patient and for your feedback.

OK.. on to the video.... enjoy!!!





Here is the link to the video if it is not showing up in your browser... it is worth viewing...very relaxing and beautiful. A Mini-vacation of sorts!

http://youtu.be/wBKANDobw28

A meditation on Gratitude

For all of you who know and love Beauty, I hope you enjoy this glimpse into another artist's view of this magnificent creation we call Life. I also hope you enjoy the wise words spoken by the young Innocent and the wise Elder as much as I do. This is a celebration of gratitude that resonates deeply in my heart and gives me great joy to share with you.

Happy Giving-of-Thanks Day


Please click here to see the video....

( I'm not sure if the video will embed or not... I can see it in the preview so hopefully you can too, but if not, click on the link above and you'll be taken to the TED talk. My apologies for multiple postings for my followers)

For Moon trackers

Dear Readers,

Some of you may wish to know about a wonderful new calendar put together by my friend Jennifer. For anyone who wants to work more closely with the cycles of the Moon, tracking its influence in your life and/or looking towards the future to see what the moon might be telling us about the waves of energies as they ebb and flow, then this calendar might be of interest! You can click on the image to find out more.

This is a little bit different from a standard calendar and it is packed with very useful information. She has created it as a spiral-bound "book" so when you go HERE to see the information page and preview, you'll see the pages in the sideways (portrait) orientation, but the calendar actually works in the horizontal orientation, either opened flat on your desk or I use bulldog clips to hang it on the wall.

The calendar really honours the cycles of the moon because each "Month" is actually a lunation cycle and so each page begins with the New moon in the first position on the 7 day grid. This year she has used lots of lovely art (some of it my readers will recognize !) and there are many levels and layers of interpretation for each and every day. The best way to see what I'm talking about is to go check it out for yourself! I just got my copies and they are really beautiful. I can't wait to give these to my friends who already do a lot of work with the Moon... this is something totally different and very special. It will bring meaning and thoughtful reflections for the very important coming year of 2012.

OPPSSS... I've made a goof that I need to correct: for a few hours here I mistakenly said this item could be bundled with my calendars to get the great discount, but because this item is actually a book, functioning as a calendar, it does not qualify for the same deal. My apologies.

However, you can still get it for 25% off! YAY!

To get the discount simply create a new order and input coupon code :

BUYMYBOOK305

My apologies for the confusion.

Enjoy!!

Some news and a silver lining

Dear Readers,
I've been considering recently whether to write an honest reckoning post here. I've been going back and forth about whether it is better to just keep a positive spin going or is it better to frank and honest and just say what is really going on... you see, I have hit a point in doing all this work, where I may just have to stop for an undetermined period of time.
Here is why:

While I absolutely LOVE doing the sculptures and photography work itself, along with making all the various products to share the work, there seems to be a big gap between my love for the work and my ability to generate a livable income from it. I had hoped that people would fall in love with the work enough to keep me going financially, but, sadly, that has not been the case.
As with many artists, especially us shy types, the idea of always having to be hustling our work is an anathema to what is in our hearts and souls. This is extremely so for me. The work that I do, out in Nature is pretty much the total opposite of what is required to be successful in the Marketplace. I know my work is good... I don't mean that from an egoistic place, but it comes from knowing deep inside what it takes to make sculptures and photographs like these...and how much work is done that is never seen by you, the viewer because it is not quite good enough. But to just be accomplished technically is not enough if one is to make a living at being an artist, and I have been unable to get that part of the process to work... I think mainly because there is just simply too much for one person to do and have it be a success financially.

I had hoped that the work would sell itself and that the people who liked it would help grow the business so that it could naturally and organically grow enough to sustain me in my simple and very modest lifestyle. Perhaps in a different economy this would be easier. Or perhaps, if people didn't have so many other shiny, expensive toys to spend their time/money on, there would be more for artists like myself who work very hard to produce something very special and somewhat spiritual to nourish and inspire others. I simply don't know what it takes to "make it" these days, but I've had to face facts and realize that I simply cannot do it all, alone, any more. I am not able to make ends meet and it does not make any sense to keep doing what does not work.

I am still working on my Kickstarter book and it will get finished by the end of the year. I hoped to have it done in time for Christmas giving, and am still pushing hard for that, but given Lulu's printing schedule, it may be down to the wire....but I will NOT compromise any quality in order to finish by some marketing deadline...this book is just too important for me to not give it my very best attention.

I do not know what the future will hold. I have some very exciting potentials that are still waiting to take shape, but if none of it will pay the bills anytime in the near future, then I have to think carefully about what I can and cannot do. More than anything, I have to face facts and look to this reality and get my finances in order.

Now for the good news...the "silver lining" part I mentioned in the title of this post. If you would like to help, there is a great offer that is just now been made by Lulu that could be a nice way to celebrate this whole adventure. Lulu has just announced that they are offering a 35% off sale on calendars till the end of the month.

This is HUGE...really!!!!!!

You will only get to use this coupon once, so be sure to get all your calendar gift-giving needs into one order and then be sure to place it before the end of the month.

Here is the coupon code: STUDIOVIP305

The notice said it would be good till the end of the month. Now, I don't like to say negative things about Lulu, but in the past I have seen them take away offers before they have actually expired, so don't leave this till the last minute. I don't think you'll get a better offer for the rest of the year... with my discount of 10% off and Lulu's 35%, that is an unbelievably good savings.

Here again is the link to the Eartherials calendar: click HERE

and here you'll find the Spirals calendar: click HERE

As for what the future holds, I am still going to post here, I am still going to fulfill any orders I get thru my website at www.greenspiritarts.com so please do continue to stop by and visit and see what might be new. However, I will have to be taking up other work of some kind so that I can increase my income stream. If there is anyone out there who would like to be an old-fashioned patron, please let me know. :-) If you would like to take some of my cards to your local gift shop to promote them, let me know and I'll send you a sales kit. If you would like to have your Holiday cards printed with one of my sculptures on the cover, let me know and I'll be happy to work with my printer to get custom cards printed just for you.
If you'd like to get a truly rare and collectible original sculpture, I will be putting more Faerie houses up for sale soon. (see the top of this page "Faerie House" for more information) However, I'm not going to reduce the prices to fire-sale levels because I need to honour all that has gone into them....hundreds of hours in some cases. I'll donate them to a children's hospital or something instead of selling them for less than what they are worth. But if you would like one, I'll do everything I can to work out a payment program or what I can to get one to you. And if you'd like one, I am still very happy to create custom houses.

It has literally been painful to my heart to come to this place of reckoning, but as agonizing as it has been, it is also important to recognize that at some point, one simply has to accept certain limits. For me, I have been extremely happy with the progression, refinement and quality of my artistic work, and sadly, for whatever reasons, it is not providing me with anything close to a sustainable income stream.

I have come to peace with this, and finally, after feeling like a failure and a disappointment, I know that I am neither. I know that the work I've done has merit and for some people has been a magical experience. For me it certainly has been, and I want to keep it that way. I know I will continue to do Environmental art in some form or another, but, I have to find some way to earn enough "dosh" as my dear Scottish friend says, so that at the very least I can pay my bills. I will keep posting here but I do not know what shape the future holds for me as an artist.
I want to thank Everyone for all the ways that you have supported my work in the past and I hope you will still do so in the future. I am deeply committed to continuing to create artworks that inspire the deep part of each of us that wants so much to re-connect with Nature and with the Magical realms that do indeed exist here and now. Now, more than ever we need to honour the Earth and our place here as stewards, caretakers and collaborators; with Nature and the Beings that inhabit the unseen worlds. My work, whatever form it takes will always have this as an underlying foundation because that is the core of who I am as an artist and as a person.

Deep gratitude to each of you for your support, your encouragement and your enthusiasm... you made my days shine ever brighter. With palms together and a deep and humble bow, I thank you.

I'm now going to focus completely on getting the Kickstarter book finished, honouring my previous agreements for my Kickstarter patrons, and then taking some time to figure out what I can do to earn a living wage.

Blessed Be to all of you,

Sally