A lot of Time Has Passed

Several years have come and gone since I last posted here. My life is not the same anymore. I've moved twice. My dog Baer passed away. My Mom came to live with me, and then she passed away 2 years later. I got two new dogs from Taiwan. A brother and sister. Moon and Star. They were 8 years old when I got them. He passed away at 12 years old, and she passed away at 14.
I stopped doing the markets when my Mom came to live with me. Then my own health began to fail. I've lived in my current home for 4 years, and my studio boxes haven't been unpacked. So as you can see....things are very different for me. I don't do much of anything anymore except watch videos.

Ronnie is a mixed-media artist, instructor and jewelry designer at RadianTrace Atelier

A Peek Into My World

In preparation for when I get my new digital camera (attempting to improve my skills) I thought it would be fun to start posting photos of my 'daily' adventures. They could be art related, jewelry related, supplies related, or just whatever appeals to me on that particular day. So, let's begin with today:

 

Today's Delivery:

 

Today's Journal Pages:

Today's Canvas:

 

Part of Today's Moonshine Homework:

 

 

The photo below is of the book cover I painted for Moonshine:

 

 

And there you have it. A little look into some of what I do everyday.

Many Blessings to each of you . . . Ronnie

Ronnie is a mixed-media artist, instructor and jewelry designer at RadianTrace Atelier

Beyond the Surface

A lot has happened in 10 months. Too much to report in any detail so I`ll try to summarize.

I`m like the tortoise. I move slow and steady. Some people might think I`m not moving...not progressing, but that`s just what it looks like on the outside of me. On the inside there is a flurry of ideas, of revelations, of memories, of growth spurts. So many and so much that it`s very hard to contain myself. Most days I feel like I am running in 40 different directions at once. So this winter I decided to work on resolving this inner turmoil. I started doing yoga to calm my mind which lead to greater focus which lead to me researching and becoming involved in art therapy which has lead to Intuitive Painting. Which has lead me full-circle back to creating more meaningful...more personal art journal pages.

Creating commercial art had caused me to stray from my own personal life purpose. I had fallen into the trap of always being aware of the end game. Always thinking "Will someone like this?" "Will it sell?" Getting caught up in this thinking was squeezing out my creativity. It was never my intention to create under those circumstances so it was time to realign myself with my original intentions. "Create only what I feel moved to create" and then if I feel like selling whatever I've made, add a price tag to it and take it to the markets with me.

That's the new vow I've made to myself. Create only what I feel moved to create. That, and I promised myself that I'd take some online classes that I've wanted to take for quite awhile. I'm currently taking Effy Wild's Moonshine class, and when registration reopens I want to take GulfSprites 30 Pages. After that I'd like to take Dion Dior's Mandala class, Flora Bowley's Bloom True, and Jen Louden's Teach Now.

And, as if self revelations were not enough, I also bought some new gadgets to help me create online classes which I will be slowly developing for release this coming fall/winter.
  Ronnie is a mixed-media artist, instructor and jewelry designer at RadianTrace Atelier

Quiet Before the Storm

As much as I have loved all the planning I've been doing for this year's Party in the Park Marketplace over the past several weeks...yesterday I needed a wee bit of a break. At around 5:30 last night I made a cup of tea, put on my headphones and put my feet up for about an hour and listened to my meditation tapes.

I wish I had thought of doing it sooner. Within minutes of sitting still just breathing...trying not to think about all the last minute details that still needed tending a calm feeling slowly washed over me. Afterwards I felt refreshed...rejuvenated. Ready to tackle what had seemed next to impossible just an hour earlier.

When I first began this job I experienced what I later described as culture shock. I am used to spending a lot of time alone working away peacefully in my studio with only my dog Baer, and my cat Tavareesh as companions. My role as Marketplace Coordinator forced me into a completely different world than the one I'd become accustom to. I found myself in a situation where I spent several hours a day communicating with others either on the phone, in person, or via email. Just out of curiosity I counted how many different people I have communicated with recently. Ninety one, and still counting.

Seriously, it took me over a week to get used to the idea that my life was going to be filled with committee meetings, and phone calls, and emails, and going 'out into the world' to meet with people to discuss the marketplace. Oh yes, and paperwork. Must not forget to mention my new enemy...paperwork. Once I got used to what my life was becoming I actually began to really enjoy it. All this activity has been very exciting. I have met with and spoken to some very amazing people that I would not have had the pleasure of meeting were it not for this job. And when the market actually opens tomorrow I'm excited that I finally get to meet all the wonderful vendors I haven't met yet.

Sitting here in reflection.....I wouldn't trade one minute of this incredible opportunity I've been given to learn things about myself I didn't know before this all began. I have developed skills that I'll be able to bring forward with me into future endeavours. I've met people that I now think of as friends. I've shed a fear tears, but I also laughed a lot. And, as much as I've loved all of it and I will miss it when it's over...a part of me can hardly wait to get back into my peaceful studio where I can get my fingers covered in paint and ink, and where I can once again play with my tools & clay to make more jewelry. I have so many new ideas brewing! I really...really miss my paint and tools. *sniff*

It's now 5:00am on Thursday July 5th, and the Party in the Park starts tomorrow afternoon. I will be onsite at 2:00am in the dark with my Timmy's coffee, a flashlight, a measuring tape, and many cans of spray paint marking out the vendor booths. Then I will be back onsite at 1:00pm to start site set-up and directing vendors into the marketplace.

I hope everyone in Chilliwack is ready to partay!

(about the character portrait at the beginning of this post: I do custom stylized character portraits. Hair style, hair color, eye color, color theme, and sentiment of your choice. These portraits make lovely gifts for someone you know who will really appreciate the thought behind it. If you are interested in discussing a custom character portrait please contact me either through email by clicking on the little crow image to the right with an envelope in his mouth. Or you can call me locally at 604.792.3098)


Ronnie is a mixed-media artist, instructor and jewelry designer at RadianTrace Atelier

'Change' Canvas Trio Class

For my next class held at Classic on Alexander we will be finger painting with eco-green craft paints and gesso. We will also be using stencils, dies, punches and ink to create these 3 inspiration 4"x4" mini canvases. The bonus project will be the lovely card created in a coordinating color palette.

(oops....the center canvas is positioned on it's side. The green should be on the bottom like the other two canvases)

Ronnie is a mixed-media artist, art instructor and jewelry designer at RadianTrace Atelier