“Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent” ― Victor Hugo

This past Thursday I had the pleasure of meeting Joe Hardy of Central Rock Gym in Watertown, MA.  He has commissioned me to mosaic the rock climbing gym's logo.

I'm really excited to get started and will be posting progress pictures on my Facebook page (www.facebook.com/threeowlsmosaicart).  But that's not what this post is about.

You see, Joe not only owns several of these really cool rock climbing gyms with his brother, he is also a composer, a piano player, a painter and a pretty cool guy!  

When I walked into his apartment I was immediately drawn to the artwork.  It commanded my attention!  I didn't know, yet, that it was his.  After commenting on one, Joe was kind enough to show me his studio and more of his work.

The picture above doesn't do the piece justice.  In person, the colors are incredibly vibrant and immediately draw you in. And when I heard his process, it literally brought a tear to my eye.  So inspirational!

When you look at some of his work, like the one above, you're basically looking at a song!  How cool is that?

Joe assigns each note a color, using different shades to represent the flats and sharps (I think that's how it's said!).  Pretty cool, right?

The piece above represents a sunset.  Joe wrote a song with the intention of having it look like a sunset when he painted out the notes.  He wrote a song that was audibly as well as visually beautiful!

Have you ever seen or heard of anything like that?  

(Joe, if you're reading this, please feel free to comment and properly describe your inspiration and process!)

“The World is Your Oyster” Shakespeare The Merry Wives of Windsor

Falstaff: I will not lend thee a penny. 

Pistol: Why then the world's mine oyster, Which I with sword will open.

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Is the world, in fact, our oyster?  Can we crack it open at will?  Partake of all it has to offer?

I think that we all know the answers to these questions and they are...yes, yes and yes!

If so, then why do most of us plod along? Never really striving for our dreams?  

And again, we all know the answer to that question as well... Fear.

I can't speak for anyone else, but I'm pretty sure there are others out there who share my experience.

In my life, I've dreamt of just a few things...  Getting married, being a mom, running my own business and writing a book. 

I had no fear of the first two, so that was pretty easy and have made me very happy and given me a wonderful life!

However, having my own business and/or writing a book scared the crap out of me!  My inner critic used to bombard my brain with questions like...

Who do you think you are?  

Do you really think that you have what it takes?

What would you write about?

What skill or service do you have that others would need?

And damning statements like...

 

You're not a "self-starter"!  

You don't have the motivation or the stick-to-it-ivness!  

You're not smart enough!

Don't even bother trying.

You will fail!

I listened and I believed.  

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Over the years I've tried a few things, like selling Mary Kay Cosmetics and Usborne Books.  They were kind of like having my own business.  I think I could have been successful at them if, in fact, I actually LIKED selling!  LOL

I told friends of mine, if I EVER mention selling anything EVER AGAIN, slap me in the face!  LOL

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I don't know exactly what changed, maybe it was that the kids were adults now and I started to wonder what the heck I was going to do with myself for the 2nd half of my life, but a while back I started to believe that I could turn my mosaic hobby into a business.

www.facebook.com/threeowlsmosaicart

I'm having a ball, learning new things, growing as a person and making a little money!  Why didn't I do this sooner?

Yes, it is selling, but the product speaks for itself.  Either you like it and want it or you don't.  I don't have to have a ready made schpiel trying to convince you to buy.  (That's the part I hated about selling.  It didn't feel honest to me.)

So, what is your dream?  What's holding you back?  What would your life look and feel like if you just took a step towards what you really want?

Think about it.  Pick one step to take and do it.

You CAN do this!

You ARE smart enough!

You DO have what it takes!

And, most importantly, you are meant to live your best life, so go do it!

I'd love to hear your story!  So, please share if you'd like!

And That's a Fact Jack!

Fact #1:  I'm a little blah today...not in the mood to write a             blog post

Fact #2:  I'm a day late...

Fact #3:  I was diagnosed with clinical depression MANY years ago

Fact #4:  It can be very debilitating

Fact #5:  I try my best to plow through

Fact #6:  I've committed to writing a blog, so here goes...

Fact #7:  I will be short and sweet (well, the post will be!)

I will be teaching mosaic classes in the fall. I typed up a flyer and would love your feedback on it.

Would it catch your eye and would you read it?

Does it have enough information?

Would you act on it if interested?

What should I do differently?

Thanks for your feedback!

 MOSAIC CLASSES

WHEN?     Fall 2014

WHERE?      Three Owls Mosaic Art & Design

                           135 Lynnway, Revere, MA  02151

What?

*6 week beginner’s class (meeting once a week)

*All supplies included (glass, substrate, glue, tools)

*Learn about the origins of mosaic art

*Learn the basics of color theory & design

*6:1 student/teacher ratio

*Go home with a completed mosaic for your home

If you are interested and would like more information, please contact me at:

www.threeowlsmosaicart@gmail.com, https://www.facebook.com/threeowlsmosaicart

Over the summer I will be setting up a teaching studio, gathering supplies, ordering tools, and finalizing the class schedule and cost.  You can expect an

e-mail from me towards the end of the summer.

I can’t wait to share my love of mosaics with you all!

Listen to Your Mother...Really!

Hello there my friends!  I hope that this day has been good to you and that you've accomplished at least some of what you'd hoped that you would.

Or, maybe The Masked Procrastinator had her way with you?  *gasp*

She can be such a biatch sometimes!  (LOL)

O.K., so you're an adult.  You've been there and done that.  But are you open to recieving advice?  Even from your mother/father? 

 Or do they sound like the adults on Charlie Brown when they're trying to help?

I get it.  But, I have to admit it.  My mom has a theory that works!  She calls it The DIN Theory.  As in...

(Yeah, NIKE has something very similar.  I think they stole it from my Mom!)

If you're anything like me, you think too much about what needs doing or what you "should" be doing.  I often end up paralized and feeling like crap and consequently NOTHING gets done! 

 GRRRRR!!!!  

Just thinking about it is makes me feel crappy.

But when I put my pride aside and actually take my Mother's advice, it feels pretty darn good!  (Thanks Mom.  You are a wise and wonderful woman!)

I've found something else that helps. Eating big, fat, ugly frogs first thing in the morning.  Huh?

In the book Eat That Frog by Brian Tracy, which I highly recommend and can be bought on Amazon.  Copy and paste this URL:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&fieldkeywords=eating%20frogs&sprefix=eating+frogs%2Cstripbooks&rh=i%3Astripbooks%2Ck%3Aeating%20

Tracy talks about eating the biggest, fattest frog first think in the morning.  Meaning, your biggest, most important "to do" of the day. 

 Just get it out of they way!  Don't procrastinate.  Don't think and think and think about doing it!  Use the DIN Theory!  (My mother would be so proud of you.  ;-)

I've done it.  It works.  It's a big relief.  The rest of the day is a piece of cake.  

So, make that "To Do" list and put the big, ugly, juicy frog at the top!  

And, please, let me know how it works out!