Haiku July 1, 2012 Pool Politics

/ beverlydyer / Leave a comment

“Five more minutes.” “Two.”

“Four more minutes.” Two and half.”

Four…wonder who won?

Art Prescription:  Oh my gosh it’s HOT! Temperatures topping 100 this weekend. Had to water my garden almost twice a day to keep them from withering. Of course the most sensible place to be in weather like this is the pool. As I walked by on my evening jaunt, I heard a familiar bargain going down at the pool. Kids are always trying to get just a few more minutes of pleasure. For them five minutes means the world. As we get older we tend to measure our time differently…always looking ahead, planning, racing with the clock. Perhaps we should think like a six year old this summer, and wager for just five more minutes of doing something we love!!!!!!

Haiku June 30, 2012 Teamwork

/ beverlydyer / Leave a comment

Floor laid with teamwork

Two heads are better than one.

Grateful for brother!!

Art Prescription:  Sam and my brother Joel laid a new bamboo floor in our bonus room today. It looks fabulous!! And how wonderful to hear Sam and Joel working together and laughing and talking. Not sure what the record was today, 105 degrees, but we are setting some records here in NC. My newest paintings are waiting for my return… Cats are very curious about their new floor.

Haiku June 29, 2012 Heat Wave

/ beverlydyer / Leave a comment

Big fat bumble bees

Buzz Purple Veronica

Land bloom after bloom.

Art Prescription:  Breaking records here in NC, heat wave. Supposed to be 105 degrees with a 115 degree heat index this weekend, wicked hot. Home from work I ventured out to make sure all my pretties were well watered. No matter what, my time outside brings me peace. The bees seemed not bothered by the heat as they flew from bud to bud drinking sweet Purple Veronica nectar. For me a bit of nature time helps me decompress from work, gives me time to think and examine nature, life.

Haiku June 28, 2012 White Wine

/ beverlydyer / 1 Comment

Wine glass beads with sweat

Refreshing French white wine cools

Tingles on hot day.

Art Prescription:  It is almost July, but wow it’s getting hot. Here in NC  the forecast for the next three days is 105 degrees. Looks like outside activities will be early morning or probably just the pool!! Today’s quote comes from Tao Te Ching:

“See the world as your self.

Have faith in the way things are.

Love the world as your self;

then you can care for all things.”

Haiku June 27, 2012 Clear Sky

/ beverlydyer / 1 Comment

Cool clear blue sky morn

Spring-like temperature, June

Nice “cold front” surprise.

Art Prescription:  What an unexpected wave of cool temperatures! Almost needed long sleeves for our morning walk. A perfect day for plein air painting.  Nothing makes me happier than being right in front of the plant I’m drawing, trying to describe its personality and curves with line and paint, so much richer than working from photos. This brings me to a conversation I had with a friend yesterday…we talked about how different people are in how they choose to live their lives. Some people live just on the surface, never diving into a deeper meaning for their circumstances. For me and my friend, depth is important. Each and every day we seek to find meaning and purpose and if we can express this creatively! bravo!

Here are the paintings I’m working on:

Haiku June 26, 2012 A Creative Life

/ beverlydyer / Leave a comment

Generate happy

A place for the mind to go.

Do work then step back.

Art Prescription:  My mission with The Art Prescription is to motivate everyone to live a creative life, with the underpinning that it is good for your health. When we create we are in the moment, like meditation or yoga, focused, sending our brain good messages to increase our well-being chemicals like serotonin. Realizing that most people work and feel the time constraints of daily life, I’m brainstorming on a list of creative projects that are attainable in the busy life we all lead. What ideas do you have? What would work in your life? Send me your ideas!!!

“How to be creative in 10 minutes or less”

a la “how to have great abs in 10 minutes or less”

Creative prompts for the busy working woman who wants to have a creative spark into her daily round!

1. have a little space set up for daily journaling

2. save scraps and/or quotes you love – fortune cookies

3. write, scribble, draw with crayons, colored pencils, pen and ink – just put something on the page

Chances are if you give yourself 10 undivided minutes, you might want to continue…

4. just do something everyday to keep the well from drying up

5. even if it’s just commentary on your work day – write it, and paint the page red

6. list what you accomplished that day, instead of a to do list

7. list 3 things you are grateful for

8. See, hear, or taste something new – write it down

9. Notice at least one thing about nature.

10. Allow your imagination to have a life of it’s own, always write down your spontaneous thoughts – they might lead to something!!

A few random thoughts after a glass of wine….

Haiku June 25, 2012 Wife

/ beverlydyer / Leave a comment

Precious beyond all

Who can find a good woman?

She is his reward.

Art Prescription:  Saw my little female blue bird again in the yard. Will she build another nest? Started two new paintings today with lots and lots of layers, kind of like a relationship. Started off with big broad strokes of many colors, then added a dimensional coat of just red. Then I painted the whole canvas white. From there I sanded the areas of red that I want to stand out. Big plans for these paintings!! While all that was drying I did a little sumi-ink painting of the Spice bush Swallowtail I saw the other day!

Haiku June 24, 2012 Home Improvement

/ beverlydyer / Leave a comment

New minty green walls

Bright white trim, two coats, team work

Next stop bamboo floor!

Art Prescription:  Sam and I have been working on our home improvement projects for two solid weekends now. The painting is done! Next is the bamboo floor, which has to “rest” in the room for 72 hours before you lay it so the wood can adapt. We work pretty good as a team…a bit of irritability here and there, but overall we both enjoy a little hard work for the reward at the end. As with the many facets of life, you get back what you put in…Oh, and while doing this kind of painting, an idea for a new series came to me and I can’t wait to get back in my studio…stay tuned!!

Haiku June 23, 2012 Blue Birds Too Much Tech

/ beverlydyer / Leave a comment

Architectural

Soft green moss, pine straw layer

Fit for a Blue Bird.

Art Prescription:  My Blue Birds have launched from their nest. We took the old nest out with hopes that the same couple will build again for another brood. Bird’s nests amaze me. To think of the planning and work it took to build layer after layer of moss, grasses, and pine straw with one beak full at a time…now that is commitment. I enjoyed watching this pair find the box, build, and then feed their fledglings. In our world of over stimulation and too much technological input, parents racing around from event to event, telling their children “hurry we’ll be late,” and who wants to hear music every where you go, especially in the grocery store, world, a little focus is a good thing. While they are parenting, birds have the sole focus of raising their young and getting them launched. Obviously there is something to learn here! Why is it we humans think we can do everything all the time?

Haiku June 22, 2012 Thunder

/ beverlydyer / Leave a comment

Big billowing clouds

Climb upward with heavy dark

Thunder, lightening.

Art Prescription:  This time of year we can expect thunder-storms in the evening. It’s hot and humid, and all that moisture gets sucked back up into the atmosphere and has to go somewhere! Bottled energy. My garden is thankful for the downpour. I’m working on pen and ink drawings that I hope will be turned into stamps. If you ever study the lines of a flower you will certainly be seduced!