New Poetry

Westward

In this dark night of waiting
I soar overhead in a dream
You call me from a distance
arms stretched longingly.
I can see that far ahead
the thicket of dark, bowing trees
no obstacle for your westward breeze
which stirs and shakes me
and wakes me from my sleep.

Take me down and play me
I am tuned to your key
Strum these strings and sound the band
Let me be your symphony.
I will sing to you the song of spirits
Swirl and twirl in your galaxy
of falling stars and singalongs
Come into me and play your songs.
Dance with me now in the fairy-light glow
Tempus Fugit and the clock should know.


I could be an open window.
Look into me and dream
Climb through and into my room and be my destiny
Hold me tight and keep me.
Sweep away the dust that carpets my soul
Lay with me in the dew-spangled grass
glistening below
Our bodies lay together, warm,
from the light of the electric storm
that ignited from our journey.

Shawn Marie Hardy
Copyright 2009

Wreck of the Carl D. by Michael Schumacher

As inspiring as it is moving, Wreck of the Carl D. is one of the most poignant shipwreck stories ever told. It chronicles the ill-fated sinking of the Carl D. Bradley off Gull Island in Lake Michigan on November 17, 1958. Overshadowed by the Edmund Fitzgerald, the story of the Carl D. comes to the forefront thanks to Michael's excellent account, and rightfully, this book is wooing the critics.

If you are into Great Lakes lore, or stories of the sea, check this one out!

THE GLORY WALL

What a life!
What misfortune!
What a day
in the madness of your persecution.
In the cellar of your soul
the roar of heathens in execution.

What low spirits befall
the innocents lost in swimming.
To the bemusement of the crowd,
your team is finally winning.
But their virtues die slowly
as they sin behind the Glory Wall.

And the magistrate scratches skin like fire,
with his bloodberry twig made of wire.
What cunning folk, of medicine and magic,
withdraw the power of the Pagan
to see it rise up in smoke.
To ride it wild like a dragon.

With venomous hellfire on his breath,
he carries you upon his snout
and rages scorn upon your earth
The wire is cut to throw you out.
The road you travel is closed ahead.
The Glory sinners beyond are dead.
Now you must sleep upon your berth.

In the land of your undoing
You've made the curtain call.
What lowly sins befall you now
behind the Glory Wall.

Laura Gibson

I'm excited to be going to see one of my new favorite musicians, Laura Gibson, tonight at Music Millennium here in Portland. I noticed her lovely voice on t.v. - one of her songs was used on an ad for the Oregon Humane Society. Click on her name to check her out - here's the ad:

Thoughts of a ten-year-old

My daughter, Ella, will be eleven in April. She's a clever kid and a joy to be around - but of course, we parents normally say that about our offspring. There are certainly a lot of creative young folks in the world, and I'm here to brag about mine today.

Ella has become a good little writer. She writes intelligently and eloquently for her age, and her stories and poetry are thoughtful and unique. She went outside the other day with journal and pen in hand, and composed this short poem while communing with nature:

MOMENT IN TIME

I hear the crows speak to each other - Communication.

The faint sound of a lawn mower echoes - Echo.

The dry leaves whistle on their branches. The sky roars - Thunder.

The trees dance across the sky as if they're listening to the radio.

I hear the car's engine roar - Roar.

I am engulfed by the deep gray sky - Color.

The sound of the neighbor's radio hums - Finally, silence.

Complete silence.

Except for the birds' crow and the passing cars. Silence.

A plane soars over my head and into the clouds. Emerged.

The sun creeps away, under the clouds to the same place the plane traveled off to.

The day comes to an end. Over.

Ella Hardy-Spittle

2009

Thinking vs. Doing

I have a problem - I am a huge procrastinator. At the end of the day I look back and think of all the things I thought about doing that didn't get accomplished. Usually that list is fairly consistent: exercise, meditate, pay some bills, work on an art project, do laundry, pick up groceries, etc. It isn't a difficult list, nor is it unique. Everyone has a list of things to do every day. I am just one of those people who seems to ignore mine. O.K. I do the stuff that involves survival, but my list of things-to-do-for-pleasure is what ends up lacking in tick marks. I am left feeling guilty for not using my time wisely.

I think I might have part of it narrowed down. I am an artist with a serious fear of the blank page. I have a wealth of art supplies that would render some green with envy. I have canvasses in every size - including one enormous one that I'll have to work on outside because its too big for my work space. I have hordes of cool little found objects, charms, & other doodads that I've saved for making my shadow boxes and jewelry. Yet, not a day goes by where I don't lift a finger to start a new project. If I could get over that fear, I think I might be able to really get my hands into my work.

What I do instead is sit here at the computer. I sneak in some Internet Hearts a couple times a day, telling myself it helps me unwind. I could probably benefit more by doing yoga in the twenty minutes it takes to play a good game of Hearts, but the yoga DVD I borrowed three weeks ago from the library remains untouched. After Hearts I hit the Facebook "apps." First its my virtual pet, Wilhelmina Foo Foo - a pig who needs constant care. Every time I check in with her she's standing in a pile of crap with flies buzzing around her and I can hardly resist her cute, sad face. After she's fed, groomed, tickled, and had a play date, I shop for her in the pet shop, reorganize her habitat, visit friends' pets and help groom them for pet cash - about $1500 last' I checked. On the odd occasion where I've neglected my responsibilities I receive an email reminder letting me know my pet needs me.

Once I've addressed my pet, I head to the farm for my daily chores. Facebook's myFarm, that is. I have a huge virtual strawberry patch that needs tending daily or the crops will go to waste. This involves harvesting crops, plowing, and reseeding. Several horses, cows, goats, and chickens need my attention as well - not to mention all my apple, mango, cherry, plum, peach, pear, coconut & banana trees that need harvesting. Its a lot of work and very time consuming. But all-in-all, I've accumulated $15,000 in myFarm cash - not a bad chunk o' change!

Myspace offers up some fine online apps too but I finally decided to let my Green Spot garden go - it has run it's course after just six weeks. There, I was busy tending gardens for virtual cash (I have over $10,000 saved). I fed bones to puppies, carrots to rabbits, and weeded and watered gardens, all while searching for treasure chests with hidden prizes. I was happy to get a bird that really sings and a butterfly with wings that flutter. But as of just a few days ago, my garden will remain as it is, taking up a pretty little spot in cyberspace.

These are the things that people like me get sucked into every day, the reasons I can't get anything done. I have a pile of laundry beckoning me now, and instead I'm sitting her writing a blog entry. For what its worth, the silliness of all this online brainwashing has hit me like a ton of bricks and I've decided to let my virtual pig wallow in her muddy, crappy pit - she's a pig after all and they're supposed to be o.k. with that sort of thing. I can't bear to close the account down yet, but I'm going cold turkey on the pet-tending. I'm not sure about the farm yet - I may hang on to it for awhile just to "wind down" a bit if I need to. The yoga dvd is due back at the library today, after renewing it twice already.

So there it is, my procrastination process all laid out in black and white. And the fact that there are so many people out there who keep inviting me to be a part of their online worlds is a reminder that we are all prone to it. I should set up a virutal clinic with a twelve-step program for people like me. I'll put it on my list.

Revisiting

I am going to try and revisit this blog more often and actually use it. I signed up here to try and use it as a way to journal, brainstorm, share poetry & stories, etc., but have been way too lazy. I only think about using it. I'm working on trying to use my time more wisely and probably need to think about going into Facebook App & Internet Hearts rehab. Mostly Facebook, and after their new Terms of Service revision, I've removed all my art and photography from there and will try and keep it to my official website, which is at www.shawnmhardy.com. I have pieces for sale there, and also at my Etsy store: www.magicmoon.etsy.com. I'm not selling much art on Ebay anymore - they have also changed for the worst and I am so sick of their capitalistic approach. I use them to sell records and other collectibles, but not my hand-mades or art.

So here it is, 2009 already and my resolution for the year is to quit procrastinating and actually DO what it is I'm thinking about doing - ART.

Lame Lame Lame blogger.

I've been pretty lame about getting back here to post, but nobody reads this anyway so why should I really care? I don't. I am thinking about making this a regular stopover, amongst the other 10,000 things I do every day. For anyone interested, I keep a blog on my myspace page as well and you're all welcome there - www.myspace.com/shawnmariehardy.

I'm thinking about kookaburras today. Here's a picture of one I took when I was in Adelaide back in November, 1994. A long long time ago now. I'm hoping to get back there this November/December when I go to New Zealand. I don't see why I shouldn't.


Ain't he sweet? And here are some wonderful emus crossing the "highway."


And me standing next to an emu who somehow managed to cross without looking both ways on this desolate stretch of road - or did he just fall dead in his tracks. hmmmm....hard to figure that one. Did you know that you can survive by eating emu pellets? True. I learned this when I camped in the outback for 10 days - no, I didn't taste them myself. I'm not that brave. But we met a ranger who showed us how to pick out these seeds that come from a melon that is toxic to humans, and gobble a handful of them to prove his point. Yummy! NOT!

The Temptress at Twilight

A long time...

It's been ages since I blogged here but I hesitate to shut it down because I still get a few viewers. Most of what I do now is done on myspace. Go to www.myspace.com/shawnmariehardy

Our Children: Honor With Art

Welcome to Our Children: Honor With Art, a project dedicated to the cause of missing and exploited children through works of art. My hope is to bring awareness and keep it alive through this artistic, creative process. For more information email info@honorwithart.com

CALL FOR ARTISTS
&
MUSICIANS, PHOTOGRAPHERS, POETS, WRITERS & OTHER CREATORS:

I have started a project that will benefit the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and Klaas Kids Foundation. I am creating an ALTERED BOOK and I'm looking for creative people to collaborate and help create a unique piece of art. When it is finished, this art will be auctioned off and all proceeds will go to The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and Klaas Kids Foundation. All artists who help will be acknowledged for their contributions and will ultimately, be working for a good cause.

Altered books can be created using any kind of book - new, used, handmade, etc. In this case I'm using a vintage record album - this one contained 5 10" 78-speed records from the musical Oklahoma! (the records will not be used). The inside and outside covers, as well as the 5 sleeves inside, will contain artwork from artists all over the world. Art will be collaged onto the pages, and in the case of an album like this, art will be tucked into the sleeves. This book is not meant to close tightly shut - instead it will be bursting with art and other embellishments, inside and out.

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

I am looking for small works of art on paper, card, fabric, thin metal, or anything small that can be incorporated into the pages of a book or affixed to the front or back cover. Work can be created specifically for this project, or it can be something that was created in the past. If you have a piece of art, poem, story, photograph, song, quotation, or just an idea, please let me know that you would like to participate and I will do my best to accomdate your creation.

Work should be no larger than 10 x 10" and can be as small as a postage stamp, but it would be best if it is on paper, card, fabric, thin metal, or any other fairly thin material so it fits into the album. Or if it is 3-dimensional it could be used as an embellishment on the book itself, i.e., glass artist Dawn Lee Thompson is doing a glass plate for the front cover. Please understand that your work may be affixed to the page, or it may be inserted inside the sleeve. I will continue to add art to the book as it is received and I will be posting photos as work progresses. Photos will be posted here in the Gallery and in my blog at www.myspace.com/shawnmariehardy .

It would be very helpful to send a statement about your work and if possible, a Certificate of Authenticity - or just have one ready to send to the lucky person who ends up with the book after auction.

SUPPORT:

Scottish artist, Martin Devine, is helping me out in the U.K. and I've been in touch with some good sources over here for publicity. U.S. artist, Donna Gill Colestock has volunteered to help out and has taken on the role as editor. Anyone else who would like to help out, or anyone with questions, please contact me. Any suggestions on endorsements, advertising, legal issues, auctioning, or anything else would be appreciated, and I would be happy to hear from anyone who wants to participate. If you have a piece of art that you aren't sure about, or have another idea that you would like to contribute that will benefit this project, please let me know.

WHEN, WHERE & WHO?:

Currently, the timeline for this project is taking us into June, 2007. Art should be sent to: Shawn Marie Hardy,
Our Children: Honor With Art,
2260 Park Lane #2,
Holt, Michigan, 48842.

Always send art with delivery confirmation - this way you will know that your package was received and ALWAYS send insured.

I understand that everyone's art is precious and I want to assure artists that their work will be treated with respect and will be used solely for the purpose of this project as outlined here. As I receive individual artwork I will post the artist's names here on this forum. Art will be photographed before it is put into the book and posted here in the Gallery.

The list of contributing artists so far:

Shawn Marie Hardy - USA

Martin Devine - Scotland

Donna Gill Colestock - USA

Dawn Lee Thompson -USA

Mark Esper - USA

Lauren Abrams - USA

Heide Reed Hibbard - USA

Jennifer Neubauer -USA

Roland Hardy - no website USA

Eric Hardy - no website USA

Angela Gue - USA

Noelle Hunt - USA

Heather Sims - Germany

Tracey Allyn Greene - USA

Shaun Ferguson - U.K.

Barbara Ferguson - U.K.

Andrew Spittle (DATING GODOT) - NEW ZEALAND

Sally Lonie - NEW ZEALAND

D. M. Rice - USA

Nina Kuriloff - USA

Treasurefield - Alisa R.
Jamie Atkinson - USA
D.E. Anderson - USA
Claire Keay - U.K.
Shawna L. Handke - USA
Marie Anakee - USA

J. B. Davis - USA

Here are some good examples of altered books: http://www.alteredbookartists.com/gallery/jeanneminnix/index.html

http://www.velvet-and-rust.com/gallery/?album=/Altered%20Books/

Milton Nascimento - Paixão e Fé

And another one...

Milton Nascimento - Para Lennon e McCartney

Gotta love this! I've been so into listening to Milton Nacsimento and Lô Borges lately and to see all of these wonderful people from Clube de Esquina on the Internet is perfect - well almost perfect. To see them live would be perfect!

Sad excuse for a blog, eh?

Well, as you can see, I'm not very good at keeping up with the whole blogging experience. Well, I've been busy recuperating from surgery and sitting here watching videos on www.youtube.com. What a treat. It has really helped with my recuperation. Most of what I'm watching is videos of Milton Nascimento, Lô Borges, Elis Regina, & a handful of other wonderful Brazilian singers who I have been listening to for ages. The problem is, I never know what they're singing about. I have decided to take a course in Portugese. This idea came about after a visit with a dear friend a few weeks ago. She has lived in Peru for the past 10 years and it was so wonderful to see her. It made me think about traveling and about some of my friends from around the world who I would love to see. I have always had a thing for Brazil. I don't know why - it's just one of those things. Anyway, I speak a little Spanish, less German, and thought that I'd do something I've always wanted to do - learn a language. Then I'll know what I'm listening to - my love of Brazilian music comes from my father, who introduced me to the likes of Antonio Carlos Jobim, Joao Gilberto, Astrud Gilberto, and lots of other greats very early on in my childhood. Thanks dad!

Art

I've been on a roll lately with my art - I'm inspired again. It seems like something just clicked in me and I have all this creative energy. I hope it lasts.

I'm moving this week - found a nice, big apartment closer to the city. I can't wait to get out of the boondocks - I love my house but it's just too far away from everything. Moving house is so draining. And I have to pack my art supplies up and probably won't be able to do anything for most of the week.

My latest mixed-media work is called "Her Guardian Angel" and it features my daughter, Ella.

Merlin the magical cat

I was surprised and pleased to get another accolade from EBSQ. This piece, titled "She often Dreams of Petunias" won the Patrons Choice award for Flower of the Month. It is a digital collage - my first one. Digital isn't the same as getting my hands dirty with paint and gel medium when I'm working on my mixed media pieces. I don't like the process as much - but I do like how this turned out.

I have used Merlin in other art projects and he's been a good model, even though he is a she in this one. When I completed it I knew it needed something and cats came to mind - and there is no cat like Merlin. He's the kind of cat who stares deep into your eyes like he's trying to read your mind. Merlin belongs to my dear friend, Deborah.

Speaking of EBSQ, I was excited to see an article about buying art online in Smart Money magazine. EBSQ was mentioned as being a good place to look for collectors to look for art. Off to do some ebaying.

More Mixed-Media

I'm finally working again after a long dry spell. It seems the two-week vacation out to San Francisco and Portland OR made me lazy. But I'm feeling energetic again so I'll take advantage of it. I'm coming down with the sore throat and itchy nose my daughter had a week ago. I hope it's a short and mild thing.

I have to get serious about a website. I've asked someone to do one for me but not sure if she's got the time. If not, then I'll take matters into my own hands. It's time.

WOW! When it rains, it pours!

I am so excited today and feeling so creative I can hardly stand it. First of all, I have an exhibition in "Old Town" in Lansing this Saturday. Several artists have put it together and it will be somewhat of an "open studio" but with demonstrations too. My boyfriend is playing his piano and we also have an accordian player. It should be a lot of fun and hopefully, we will get some folks in - especially since we are advertising and there is supposed to be a story about it in the local independent paper this week.

Second, I have just heard from a fellow EBSQ artist, Lisa Rough, that she has chosen my idea for her upcoming "Weird, Wild & Wonderful" exhibiton. She will be creating an image based on my idea of winged beasts in a forest with a moonlit backdrop. She will be sending me one of her lovely pyrograph works in the form of a tile. Pyrography is the art of burning images onto wood - Lisa also adds color to these and has produced some gorgeous pieces.

Third (and best of all:), I just won two awards from EBSQ - Member's Choice for the Plein Air Show with "In Izzy's Garden" (shown above) and Member's Mention for the Underground Show with "The Girl With the X-Ray Eyes" (it's the insect light box I posted below.) I'm absolutely thrilled. Member's Choice winners get a monetary prize (more art supplies - hooray).

I guess what I'm feeling is that when you set your mind to accomplishing something then good things unfold. I am really enjoying this.

And I am also looking forward to my two-week vacation (only 3 weeks away)!

Jennifer

I got to spend some time with one of my dearest friends - we were once inseparable but now that we live in different places we don't get to see each other very often. I hadn't seen her in 4 years but we always seem to pick right up where we left off when we get together. There are so many memories and such a history with us and I love her so much. Here we are, together again.

Jennifer and I met in 1979. I was dating her brother and she didn't like me much - I remember she told me I spent too much time doing my hair. Yep, I did - it was one of those Farrah Fawcett do's and required a lot of "curling back." Jennifer and I became closer as time went on and were "best friends" before long. We had a lot of great times together, and a few not-so-great, but you get that in any relationship. One of the times she mentioned during our reunion was at her parent's house when we grabbed a six-pack of beer, a couple blankets, and we climbed on the roof of my 1972 Olds 98 and watched the shooting stars. It was August of 1980. We counted over 30 that night and nobody believed us. But we know what we saw and it was awesome.

I believe that there are very few people in our lives that we can call true friends and the older we get, the harder it is to have that kind of connection. As we have grown older we don't have the all same interests anymore but we still have the connection and the love that it takes to sustain. And I believe we always will.

I don't know where the time goes. Today just zoomed by and it seems that I didn't get anything done. I worked on a new piece for EBSQ's "Ripped Off" themed show. I really like what I've done so far and will post it here when it's finished. I'm doing three and need to get them done early so I'm not doing my usual "last minute" scramble.

I don't have any earth-shattering news, which is good I suppose. I guess the most exciting thing is my upcoming vacation staring on August 1st. We're flying to San Francisco, then driving up to Oregon. It will be two weeks of much-needed bliss and will be good to get away. I have some dear friends to see and some family too. How I miss the west coast.

I am not sure why I keep this blog going. I'm so terribly bad at keeping up any kind of ongoing journal or diary but I think, if anything, this is a good place to vent. The only vent I have today is that of time - or lack of. And now it's all vented:)

It has been a long time since I've written any poetry but I thought I'd post some of my older ones here. This was written a few years back:


Night Time Dreamers

Cold withered moonlight courts the summer sky
Unwed and fickle he shines like new
Cautious running streams cut crosswise through the plains
elegantly drenched in electric blue
The Youth Brigade are lining up as
freedom runs down too

The thieves of wild life must hide
as Dawn makes her way into sunrise
waking the night time dreamers
She kisses the gold crosses that line the plains
With coloured flags and paper streamers
she waves a welcome
as the blue moon’s spirit wanes

Tin soldiers dot the land all in a row
They have fought a simple war
on paper boats in our backyard
with water-lily shores
One by one they shoot out the stars
while summer sleep still lingers
And all the kings in casual garb
keep drumming with their fingers

They march through Patriot’s Harbour
to the Liar’s Palace today
Sunrise kisses the east good-bye,
prepares to court the summer sky,
and slowly leads the way.

© Shawn Marie Hardy


The good ol' days - me in second grade. Howell, Michigan:

I'm in the front row all the way to the right.

Summer

It's already July 1st. This is my favorite time of year, despite the heat and humidity. I will take this over winter any day. I am hoping we get a big fat thunderstorm here soon.

I have just finished a piece that I did for EBSQ's themed show "Underground" which is now open for voting. This is a shadow box made from a picture frame. The work is done on glass and collaged on both sides. I've used Golden acrylics and photo images to complete this piece - the bugs are underneath the glass. This image was taken in daylight with the fairy lights on - click on it to view it more detail:

This image was taken in a darkened room with the fairy lights on.

This image was taken in daylight with the fairy lights off.

This image was taken with all the lights off.

A Banner Week!

Wow! What a week! I'm really thrilled to have won the Member's Mention on EBSQ. Officially, this is my first art-related award although, I did receive an academic award for achievement while going to art school. I believe that was based more on my 4.0 gpa than anything else.
The show I entered was the March Flower of the Month exhibition - the daisy was the featured flower - and here is the link if you feel like checking it out: http://www.ebsqart.com/ArtShows/cmd_90_Exhibition_Entries.htm

O.K. so I'm bragging, but who wouldn't be feeling the excitement. I just realize that things do happen when you put forth the effort and that if you sit in your living room watching television or playing computer games you won't go far, unless you're a t.v. critic or a game designer. It took me awhile to figure that out.

Here is my winner:

This makes up for the fact that business on eBay is very slow right now - the collectibles side anyway. I actually sell more art on eBay nowadays than anything else. I'm working on increasing sales there too and actually have 7 folks subscribed to my newsletter. Baby steps. And that is just fine with me. The baby steps are actually getting a bit larger and the stride is greater than ever before. A lot of good things are happening.

I will start illustrations for my story this week. I need to get that out to a publisher soon. It's the kind of story that would probably be released to the public in the summertime if it makes it that far. I've had a lot of positive feedback since sending it out to various people for review. I'm hoping that this trend I have where my creative endeavors are concerned continues to flourish. I've got some great ideas going and it would really be nice to be able to finally be able to create full time.

The other thing I'm changing is my diet. I'm going to be doing a 3-day fast here soon and I've already bought the ingredients to make my own energy bars. If they turn out good I will put the recipe up. I have actually tasted the ones I'm making but I'm using a few different ingredients like agave syrup instead of white sugar, dates instead of apricots, a combo of flax seed and sunflower seeds instead of sesame seeds and I'm leaving out the wheat germ because I'm trying to have as little wheat as possible right now. My daughter and I both deal with a wheat intolerance and while I can have some, too much is really bad. Just cutting out the refined stuff is helping a great deal. I've given up pop and I'm staying away from a lot of meat and have opted for more soy. I did just buy some nice little steaks though - can't stay away altogether.

That's it for now. It's been a great day. Today was the first day that I was able to sit out in the sun and enjoy the warmth.

INSECTS!

Here is my latest creation. Luna Mare was named after her birthplace: Mare Fecunditatis which is approximately 238,855 miles (384,400 kilometers) away from Earth. The moon is a mysterious place and while man has supposedly set foot there, they have not explored the entire region, in particular, the area where these wild and wonderful creatures live. They prefer to remain elusive and are very small to the naked eye - this version is definitely much larger than life. I have heard that their metamorphosis into glorious winged buttefly-like creatures is spectacular indeed, but this has never been witnessed by the human eye. I have heard rumors of sightings in Greece and Spain. Only in the imagination can one possess the ability to see them.

This has been entered in one of the latest EBSQ shows - Insects. It is the first time I have created something specifically for a show. I have realized that having a theme helps motivate me so I will probably participate in more of these.

The week has gone by uneventfully. But mostly because I've hardly left the house due to illness. I'm better now and ready to go back to work. I'm finally listing on eBay again after a long lapse. I'm also getting out of the house tonight - much needed! I just don't have any idea where I'm going as I'm being whisked away in secret.

Looking forward to the weather breaking - I hope this isn't going to be one of those years where we get our last snowflakes in May. Have mercy!

More on EBSQ Plus...

Still sick today but feeling pretty good about things overall. I have spent a year wondering about, planning & preparing for, and anticipating EBSQ Plus membership. The hard work emotionally and physically has paid off and I feel a great sense of accomplishment. For more information on EBSQ and EBSQ PLUS: For me it is a personal milestone and I will challenge myself further to keep up with the body of work I have started. I will stick with the Pavement series and I'm working on an art resume to include in the major overhaul I want to do on my site. I will also be thinking about my own website with my own domain. I have a few other ideas for paintings - one is to do a series of close-ups of butterfly wings, something I've wanted to do for a long time. And the other one has to do with toys and games - just don't quite know where to start with that one. I will stick with mixed media and would like to start doing some things with encaustics or beeswax. I am also going to start keeping a sketch journal, although my history with journaling is very lame and sporadic. I wrote a children's story and will include it here today. I am thinking about starting some illustrations for this before submitting it for publication. I will be putting some finishing touches on this before it is final and would like to submit it with illustrations. Any critiquing will be valued so feel free to comment.

My children's story - this story is copyright protected:

THE SOUNDS OF SUMMER
By Shawn Marie Hardy

It was the first night in our new house on the first of July and my room was right next to Mom’s. Everything was new and the summer air was heavy on my skin. I wished for a breeze. I turned my pillow to the cool side and moved my legs to a cooler spot on the sheet. I tossed and turned from one side to the other, then back again, while sleep was the furthest thing away.
In the dark moonlit room shadows appeared larger than life. I tried not to look but whenever the lights from a passing car would shine across the wall the shadows seemed to come alive. Then the lights would fade and the shadows would be still. I heard a train in the distance, "Woooooooo Woooooooo". "Mom, where is that coming from?" I called. "Go to sleep," Mom answered from her room. A cool breeze came through the window and tickled my skin. "How nice," I thought, but then it was gone. Firecrackers went off in a neighbor’s yard. Some boys laughed and ran away. So many sounds when everyone is supposed to be asleep.
My eyes couldn’t resist peeking around the shadowy room. On the far wall a head with large pointy ears and long sharp teeth peeked up from behind the dresser. Another car zoomed down the street and the lights flashed across the room. The teeth grew longer, the ears pointier and the shadow grew and faded again. "Mom, there’s something in here," I cried. Mom came running in and switched on the light. "What is it Lucy," she asked. "There!" I pointed but the shadow was gone. There stood the dresser and on the top was a jar of pencils and a lamp. "It was there," I said. Mom smiled. "There's nothing here. Now get to sleep young lady. You’re going to be very tired in the morning." Mom switched off the light and as she turned to go she blew me a kiss then walked down the hall to her own room. Her footsteps on the creaky floor echoed in harmony with the crickets outside my window. A chorus of wind chimes rang unexpectedly as another light breeze teased the warm night. So many sounds when everyone is supposed to be asleep.
The moon rose higher in the sky and the light turned the big shadows back to their normal sizes. I lay quietly with my eyes shut, but the insides of my eyelids were like a movie screen playing all my thoughts back to me, and I couldn't turn them off. I could see the swimming pool where I swam earlier with my best friend Cindy. I could see her cat Molly’s kittens being born. And I could see myself stubbing my toe on the concrete and trying not to cry in front of my friends. In the end, the tears felt hotter than the sun on my cheeks. How it hurt!
I put my head down at the foot of my bed thinking that might help me get to sleep. I turned my pillow over again. The sheets were cool just for a moment, then I moved just in time to catch another cool breeze. I could smell a sweet, familiar scent. Mom calls it’s "dama de noche," a night-blooming flower. Some people call it jasmine. Imagine, flowers that bloom in the night when everyone is supposed to be asleep.
The air quickened and I heard some papers rustle on my art table. A little flash of light in the distant sky meant a storm was coming. I could hear the low rumble of thunder. A car alarm went off somewhere on the street. A dog barked. And then, "Woooooooo Woooooooo." I never heard so many sounds in the night when everyone is supposed to be asleep.
I got out of bed. My toe still ached a bit but I tiptoed quietly to Mom’s room and opened the door. "Mama, can I sleep with you tonight, I whispered." Mom moved over and let me lay in her spot. She leaned over, kissed me on the forehead and said, "You’re so much like me, aren’t you? I can never sleep on these hot nights either. But we’re in for a storm. Let’s lay here and watch the lightning show."
Mom pulled the shades up high and we waited together in the warm summer night for what looked to be a grand performance. We propped up our pillows and waited as the storm grew closer. A gust of cool air parted the curtains as if to announce the storm’s arrival, and we watched. We saw lightning bolts dart across the sky. We counted the spaces in-between thunderclaps. And then we listened to the rain tap a steady beat on the roof. The rain was just enough to lull us to sleep. And all night long the sounds of summer played on.
"© Copyright Shawn Marie Hardy 2004, 2006

I MADE IT!!!

Well I just got my CONGRATULATIONS email telling me that I have been juried into EBSQ Plus. Those of us who applied have been sitting on pins and needles all day because they were a day late getting the details out. But I'm in and now I can breathe again. I'm absolutely thrilled and pleased with the comments from the jurors. My pieces were well-received and I also got some good constructive criticism. If I wasn't sick I'd go out and celebrate but instead it looks like another night of laying low. I'm over the moon!

Sickness

It's been a bad week here for sickness. Daughter is sick - pneumonia. Boyfriend is sick. Now I'm sick. I'm lucky though - this is the first time in about two years. So I've been cooped up all week playing nurse maid and haven't been able to work or do much of anything. I'm bummed because I'm missing a show at St. Andrew's Hall in Detroit tomorrow night. If I'm in a big smokey room it'll be a bad thing. I'm sorry to be missing Bob Pollard and his new band but these things happen. Tonight I'm going to stay home, put Ella to bed early, then we'll sit here and veg out with a movie & popcorn. Not a bad idea at all.

I am working on a project in honor of the Titanic and those lost at sea on April 15, 1912. So far I have finished two. They are called "Ship of Dreams" and "Where You Go, I Go." You can view these images larger by clicking on them. They should pop up in a new screen and if you move your cursor over the lower right corner you can click again to supersize it. Here they are:

A new day

What a terrific day! It's going to be in the 60's today - that's for me!!!!! I am feeling a little sickly with a little tickle in the back of my throat and a few sneezes here and there. I think it will pass without coming on too strong. Ella is very sickly so I have to drive into Lansing to her doctor's office. For some reason I have not had much of a cold in two years but Ella has had 4 since December.

I plan to spend some time out in the sunshine today catching up on some Vitamin D. It's the kind of day that I'd like to go out shopping for spring clothes - but not until I shed the 10 pound winter weight bundle that has wrapped itself around my mid-section. I have gone to a protein bar in the morning, the biggest meal of the day at lunchtime, and a salad for dinner. Unfortunately, I have a sweet tooth the size of Texas.

This is a new piece that I finished last week. I have been trying to free myself from the grasp of rules when it comes to painting. I'm one of those people who finds it difficult to make the first mark on a white sheet of paper or canvas. And I'm also someone who finds it hard to go outside the lines - or bend the rules. It would seem easy to slap some paint around the canvas and let it go this way and that. But it's really not. You can easily end up with mud. I have been enjoying the work of Casey Matthews - I love her sense of freedom. Here's a link to her site: http://www.caseymatthews.com/ and she has turned me on to her friend, Carol Winner - her work is at: http://carolwinnerart.com/Site1/. Enjoy!

I'm off to start working now. Have a peaceful day!

Work

I have completed 5 new paintings that I'm very happy with. These are from my "Pavement" series and I've submitted them to EBSQ's juried exhibition - here are a few. See the rest at ShawnMarieHardy.ebsqart.com - I will find out in the next couple days whether I'm accepted or not. I'm not going to hold my breath because I did that last year and was turned down. One thing I do know is that this month I have had nearly 6000 views on my EBSQ show entries (do you even care what that means?:) Well, it is nearly 3x more than any other month. And in general, I have many more hits on my site than ever before and have received a lot of praise and encouragement via email, which is nice. I also know that my site is being viewed by someone who would probably rather I just vanished off the face of the earth and I just wish she'd stop it. But you can't change someone else's way of thinking. Hey! I have an idea! Why don't we just sit down and have a cup of coffee instead?

Well, I'm off. I hope to make it back here before the next 6 weeks goes by but no promises. Feel free to comment, criticize, or purchase one of these pieces. You can email me at shawnmarie1961@gmail.com

A bit of a springtime bragging session...

Another 6 weeks has passed since the last post. Geez! I'm not good at this sort of thing and never have been.

Well, I survived the winter and spring is finally here. There have been some crocuses poking their little heads up out of the earth and yesterday I noticed fresh new baby grass blades popping up just underneath my garbage can. What a place to start a new life. This is a good time of year for me - I usually start moving on my art work more than ever and seem to be more excited about self-promotion.

I have been painting more than anything lately. I have done a few bits and pieces in the form of ATC's & some Art Squared pieces besides my paintings on canvas, but painting is where my heart is. The others are sure sales for me so I make them for an income. My paintings are more personal and are very difficult to part with. But I do part with them. I am going to enter a few contests this year and will also try and get gallery representation, which will be a first. I have not exhibited anywhere except for online for two years and I feel it is necessary for my resume.

The next big event in my life involves my daughter. She is about to turn 8 years old in a couple weeks. She is an amazing and wonderful girl - she is my best buddy in the world. Of course that comes from a mother who would think no other way about their own child. But really, Ella is my pride and joy and has taught me so much. She is a gifted kid and with that I will have my hands full. She has acquired her father's uncanny ability to come up with a clever song - lyrics, melody and all - upon request. She writes poetry, stories, and keeps a daily journal. She paints - has even sold her work on eBay. This one sold last year and is titled: A Day in The Park. She gets up in the morning and makes her bed and straightens her room without being asked because she likes things organized. Ella reads at a 5th grade level - this can be a problem because she is the one who finishes everything first in her class and then she has a tendency to be disruptive because she's bored. She has a sense of humour that many adults can't keep up with. I am very proud of her and always try to encourage her to try new things and enjoy life. She has decided that she wants to get involved with animals so I am thinking 4-H might be the way to go (she says she wants to be a vet). Ella was a Daisy then graduated to Brownie status where she has been for almost two years. 4-H should go along nicely with her Girl Scout duties. She went from being a princess to being a self-proclaimed tomboy overnight and she is a very determined girl. She has just had a cheerleading clinic, is getting prepared for the summer acting program at the Boarshead Theater in Lansing (she was in it last year and it was a huge success), and will start piano lessons next year. This all just makes me realize how fast the time is going by and that the challenges of motherhood will be greater as time goes on. But I look at my girl and I know that I have done a good job. Of all the things I have ever done in this lifetime, being a mom is what I've been the best at. And it shows.

Love

I've been very lazy here and haven't posted in awhile - not yet this year in fact. That's my history with journals. Actually, I have been very busy creating and I have little time for blogging. But I am here to spew forth things that I love since Valentine's day is just around the corner. These aren't in any specific order but people do come first. This is a brainstorm session so there will be things I leave out and I might return later to update. But for now, here are a few of my favorite things:

1. Ella
2. Ron
3. Mom
4. Dad
5. Todd & Eric
6. Malaga & kids
7. Serrana & kid
8. my whole family & friends network
9. the sky at night
10. thunderstorms
11. tornados from a distance
12. history
13. the Edwardian era
14. mint-chocolate chip ice-cream from Baskin Robbins
15. a long hot shower with Aveda Rosemary Mint hair products
16. a good massage
17. sushi
18. a mocha from Starbucks
19. Reading - non-fiction books like Into Thin Air and The Perfect Storm, Arts & Antiques magazine, books about real life. I'm not much into fiction and I HATE romance novels.
20. anything to do with Mt. Everest or Nepal,
21, New Zealand, Australia, England, Canada, THE USA
22. travel in general
23. film noire
24. Lots of other genres of film - old B horror flicks, foreign, a good psych thriller, anything with Russell Crowe or George Clooney
25. Particular films like The Pianist, The Piano, Brazil, It's a Wonderful Life, Gladiator, oh gosh-there are too many to mention
26. Music - classical, indie rock, classic rock, old country, Celtic, Cajun, Brazilian jazz, old R&B (marvin gaye in particular), Power Pop - also, too much to mention
27. Taking a long walk on a fall afternoon or a summer evening walk
28. The sea
29. Mountains
30. Flowers
31. driving in my car with the windows open and the music blaring
32. Internet Hearts
33. Painting & Drawing
34. Looking at old photos
35. Reminiscing about high school days
36. Going out to eat
37. Going to the movies
38. Historical museums
39. The planetarium

Giving

As we get closer to Christmas I feel the noose starting to tighten around me with the realization that I have not even started buying Christmas presents. It makes me feel sick to know that our capitalist country has created this pressure and that our society has fallen into the trap. Christmas is not supposed to be about buying a ton of presents and going broke in the process. For Christians it is a celebration of Jesus' birth.

I heard that the ipod is the hot seller this year. I don't think that this celebration originated with the idea that one day in the future people would be scrambling on December 24th to pick up last minute ipods and other such lavish electronics & gadgets that we have shoved down our throats via advertising media.

I have tried over the past few years to get my loved ones to understand that we don't even have to give presents to each other - that merely spending time together is enough. But the pressure is just too much for some and there is that need for those folks to go out and spend money they don't have so that they can give me a box to open. And in turn, I feel obligated to present them with a gift. Well this year my gift will be in the form of cookies. I'm baking Oatmeal Date Bars, Anna's Snaps (like a cross between a gingersnap & a molasses cookie), Peanut Butter cookies, & Banana Muffins. You can't download music on them but what could be better than homemade cookies that you don't have to make yourself? I am getting back to basics -after all, the true meaning of Christmas doesn't come in the form of a material object. It's a celebration of the birth of someone who would probably rather sit down and have a cookie and a glass of milk over listening to an ipod.

I hope everyone has a safe and happy season.