A Unique Primitive Art with a whisper to the past~

These truly ARE the voices in my head.







Thursday, April 28, 2011

Investing


I know that when my daughters read this, they will shake their heads and roll their eyes, sighing..."MotheRRR". It has always been an important topic of their growing up. Invest in your family, your friends; their family..invest in what you love and try to make it what you do for a living. They hear it from me and they see it in all that I do.


Easter was spent at my Mom's, and with it, all of us knowing that this could very well be the last Holiday at the house. All of us spent some time with her (Uncle Frank too!) and we kept with an Italian dinner, which brings so many shared memories as we make new ones. We are more than keeping a promise to my Dad that we would not leave my Mom alone, especially during Holidays. We are continuing to make memories no matter the changes in our little family. Jessie's boyfriend, Chris came and spent time with us also. I have always told my girls they would know when the right person had entered their lives, because they would invest in our family as well as my girls would invest in theirs. With would be much love, a bigger family and great memories as time marched on. We have enjoyed getting to know Chris and love that he feels like one of the family that he is now...and Jessie; well you can see it in her smile and the way that her eyes light up when she shares the family gatherings at the Beecher homestead. Investing, full circle.




Other investments are coming about for me. Last year, I began sharing my work in sculpting. I had been doing it on and off since I was a young girl, but it was only last year that I was able to bring it to life the way I loved...as a doll. It came about when my father wanted me to share all that I do in my art with everyone. Not just the Primitive Dolls and Patterns, to be honest, he never thought that I would go anywhere with them, but encouraged me when he saw it take off and knew how much I loved it. 


Since I was a young girl, my Father saw how much I loved to draw, paint and sculpt. There was always paint, clay...and plenty of paper. He encouraged me to work at it everyday. There was always critique, many times until I thought that I would never do anything good enough for him. It seemed discouraging, but now I hear so much he told me with a mature ear. You see, he knew Grandma Moses and sat for Norman Rockwell. He knew that both of them had invested so much time doing what they loved. Grandma Moses painted a lot of paintings...she started late in life, but she put her time in. No one comes to the arts with a couple of weeks of work and commands high prices. You may be a novelty for fifteen minutes, but to sustain, you have to put your time in and invest. Musicians, dancers, actors....they will tell you the same. Investment. People will always tell you how good you are, but it is you that needs to look closer and see how you can do better and grow...learn from mistakes that you made in a piece.




And, so it is time to share another part of me...my drawing. I have been given the opportunity to have some of my drawings go forward and they will be going to the NY National Stationary Show in May! A click on the picture will bring you to the M and M Dry Goodes blog with all of the info....and yes, the designs will be a part of their new rubber stamp line! It is my hope that this is just the very tip of the iceberg for opportunities with Stephanie and Beth. They have worked so hard and invested heart and soul into this journey. I am thankful that my designs can go forward with them and I love that theirs is a "Made in the USA" company, two women with a strong love for Primitives~ and it shows. Thank you Dad, for teaching me about investing and giving me the push...even if it's from above. 

Thursday, April 14, 2011

The Comforts of Home



Spring is well on it's way here in Upstate New York. The lawn is the bright new green of the season and the tulips are sprouting up around the house. The neighbor across the street even mowed today......the first mower around us, setting the pace. Unfortunately, it was too cold to open the windows and enjoy it, the way that I would have liked. 


I am happy to have my quiet days here in the Cozy Cape on Curry Road. The dogs, Mollie and Murphy, keep me busy going in and out; barking at the squirrels that invade their backyard. Bobo the cat watches out the back door and appears to roll her eyes at their silliness. I am glad to be past all of the paperwork for tax season and happy to be creating full force. The next few days will see me with pen in hand; a favorite and my heart smiles with anticipation. Since my move here in December, I have had more than one door open for me. With that, The Goode Wife will be spreading her wings and offering her wares to a bigger audience....but the details on that will come later.


Until then, I have a couple offerings on TDIPT Mercantile tonight. This little Cape home inspires me to play around with a more Victorian look with Sophie's Glove. I love different tones and textures of white. White gloves tug at my heart and beckon my memories back to another time. I also love doing those wee little mice along with making wire baskets. I'm sure that both pieces will find homes to belong to, but until they do, I will enjoy them beside me as I work. Spring will be busting out all over in the days ahead. I can't wait until I can keep the windows open, to enjoy the breezes filled with fresh cut grass or the damp earth after a shower. Here's to a goode Spring ahead.