First "Official" Day of Winter in Maine

Welcome, Winter! This particular storm started around 11am on December 21 and dumped about 16 inches of snow on my area. Unfortunately, I live on a double wide street, so the bank at the end of the driveway was about 3 feet wide and lots of shovels full deep! I say, if it's gonna be winter, though, we might as well have snow! I took this photo of the backyard before going in for some hot coffee and a big bowl of oatmeal. Maybe it will inspire a snow lobster or, perhaps, a fabric collage or two!

Cheers!--Janyce

Watercolor Landscape (By The Creator's Palette)

The Ballerina (by The Creator's Palette)

Interview with Melanie (The Creator's Palette)

The more I do these interviews, the more deeply I am honored by people's willingness to share their lives and, through their experiences, teach us how to live life with courage, creativity and grace. It is my great pleasure to bring you this interview with Melanie. I met her through the Visual Artists Street Team. She is the creative mind and spirit behind The Creator's Palette.

"When I was a little girl," Melanie tells me, "I was very active. My favorite thing was to be outside--twirling on the bars, learning to do cartwheels, roller skating, and riding my bike. As I got older, I did a lot of gymnastics, but never on a team. I did compete as a springboard diver for many years and I played tennis. My mom told me I would never be an artist. So--I never tried."

Melanie's life was characterized by activity. She obtained a degree in Early Childhood Education and taught a bit in the classroom before deciding to be a stay-at-home mom. "I was active in the kids' schools and taught my husband to play tennis with me." When her daughter had been taking ballet for 4 or 5 years, Melanie decided it was time to learn what all the terms meant. "I'd always loved ballet, so I began taking an adult ballet class. I also danced the part of a party parent in the Nutcracker (didn't really require much dancing) and eventually was cast as Clara's mother! What a thrill it was my second year as Clara's mother to have my own daughter dancing the part of Clara!"

Melanie was asked by the studio to develop and teach a preschool creative dance program. She trained and taught pre-ballet. During this time, she was also a published author in some prestigious magazines, had her own book in process and spoke at many women's conferences and retreats. "I had," she says, "a full and happy life."

But then came the whammy! "I was struck with a severe virus. From then on, I have slowly become more and more ill - dealing with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Dysautonomia. Both Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Dysautonomia cause severe weakness and fatigue and can have a profound effect on the daily activities of people with these conditions.

"My active life," Melanie continues, "came to a sudden halt! Yes, I had many pity parties, but I also soon began to seek out new things to fill my life. I watched a lot of PBS painting shows. I've always loved watercolor but had never tried painting." Melanie took an art class on basic drawing and color, but has never taken any other professional art classes. "I finally got up the courage to purchase a little paint and paper. I was disappointed. It looked horrible." Melanie checked out a few books from the library and switched to artist quality paints and paper. "As soon as I did--I was hooked!"

Melanie discovered ACEOs and began painting in this small, 2.5 inch by 3.5 inch, format. "What I sold my first ACEO on eBay, I was elated. I WAS an artist!"

"Now that I look back on my life," Melanie says, "I know I've always been an artist. It comes out of the soul. My art was expressed in the artistic dives I used in competition, in gymnastics, in dance, and now--it is expressed on paper!" Though Melanie's first love is and always will be watercolor, she has expanded to oil pastels and collage ACEOs. "Even if they one day find a cure for my illness, I will always be a painter!!! It is my love offering to God, my joy, and hopefully my way of encouraging others as they enjoy my creations!"

Melanie's caring and concern goes beyond her artwork and to social issues as well. "I care deeply about trafficked women in other countries - especially India. I feel deeply about the children who grow up in the red light districts and the women coerced into selling their bodies." It is difficult to document how many people--primarily women and children (though men are not excluded from being victimized by human traffickers)--are exploited throughout the world. There are powerfully complex economic and political forces at play that keep such activities from being accurately documented or eradicated. Particularly vulnerable are people from war-torn or devastatingly impoverished areas, though human trafficking and sexual exploitation occurs in every country throughout the world. "I wish even more for them (the victims of these atrocities) than just to find a way out," Melanie offers, "I wish for them to find hope, and a refreshed sense of self-worth, to really know who they are as an individual, and to experience genuine acceptance and love."

Hope plays an important role in Melanie's outlook on life. "When my days get tough, and they often do, I am mostly inspired by my HOPE. Hope that God loves me no matter what I accomplish today, what I look like or how I feel. Hope that nothing in this world can take away my two main purposes in life: to Love God with all my heart and to Love others. Hope that one day, I will be free of health issues and the real me will live in my real body! That's what keeps me going when life throws rocks at me!"

In the early days of dealing with her illness, Melanie found inspiration through the writings of Larry Crabb (Shattered Dreams), Joni Eareckson Tada and the beautiful paintings she learned to do with her teeth, and Laura Hillenbrand and her story of writing Seabiscuit in the midst of contracting Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

"As coined by Gary Thomas," Melanie continues, "I am a Sensate. I draw close to God and am moved and inspired by my senses! Smells, tastes, sounds and visual beauty are all important to me. I constantly have bouquets of roses in my house during the summer and candles burning the rest of the year. I LOVE music!!!!! It depends on what mood I'm in. I love a variety of music. I have a play list on my i-Tunes called "Relaxing and Painting" where I have mixed the best music to paint to. It includes piano music by Jim Brickman and Michael Allen Harrison, Enya, a few individual favorite movie soundtracks, and Solitudes - which are music and nature sounds mixed together. I also really enjoy Jack Johnson and there are times I have to go back to my long time, but always favorite, James Taylor. And I have favorite spiritual music, too. Some upbeat, some more quiet: David Crowder, Chris Tomlin, and Kathy Troccoli, for example. Many of these musicians have inspired specific art pieces with their music." In addition to music, Melanie adds "...nothing is more comforting to me than a perfectly made cup of tea!!!"

As to what shoes Melanie wears? "Slippers! Being chronically ill, I am home most of the time and spend the majority of my time in a recliner. Part of my illness causes my extremities to get very cold. Last Christmas, a friend gave me these wonderful down boots. I wore them all year. What a funny sight I was when it was hot: a tank top, shorts and my down booties!!! I've worn them so much that they are already worn through on the heels - just in one year! I love my down booties!!! But you'll also see in my picture, along with several pairs of slippers I wear around the house, I added my Adidas'. When I do get out, these are my favorite and represent the real me - active and competitive!"

You may find more information about Melanie's life and work at the following links:
The Creator's Palette Blog
The Creator's Palette Etsy Shop
The Creator's Palette Website
Melanie Pruitt
Melanie's Journey
Art Wanted
Image Kind
My Space
Zazzle

10% of all Proceeds from Melanie's work on Etsy is donated to The Whittemore Peterson Institute for Neuro Immune Disease.

For more information about Human Trafficking:
Trafficking Project
The CounterTraffickers: Rescuing the victims of the global sex trade
Sex Trade Economics
International Organization for Migration

What Shoes Melanie Wears

Inspiration with a Little Perspiration

The Perspiration: Peak Of the Ridges

Baxter State Park closes its gates for day use around the 15th of October every year. That's because the peaks start getting icy and snowy and there's not always enough light to safely complete all the trails. So, a friend and I decided to get in one last hike of the season Saturday, the 11th.

Our intent was to do a trail called "The Traveler," which encompasses 3 peaks. It was my first big hike of the season. If all went as planned, we'd be walking 10 to 12 hours. I'd spent the last six weeks in physical therapy recovering from a twist in the muscles in my back caused by too many hours at the sewing machine with really crappy posture. Fortunately, it's an injury that responds well to movement and exercise. I'd been walking at least an hour a day for a couple months had done some shorter hikes in Acadia National Park earlier in the season. As I packed my backpack, I was pretty excited to being going on an adventure.



This is a view of "Peak of the Ridges" where we'd decided to hike. It's about 6:30am. Cold, overcast, exhilarating...and, to me, a bit intimidating. I kept calling the mountaing "Top 'O The Mornin'" to remind myself to laugh and have a good time.



This is what climbing this mountain is like...picking your way over rocks at each step of the way. Doable, but be prepared for a rugged hike.

See that notch at the end of the lake? That's where the car is parked.



It's not too far into the climbing part of the hike that you start getting some views, though...



...and more views...



...and more views...



Look cold to you? YUP! That's because it was! And windy. We didn't hang out too long at the top. Don't even have a picture of it.



We made the decision at the peak of "Peak of the Ridges" to turn around and go back the way we'd come. My pace was pretty slow because of my inexperience rock-hopping. Earlier in the season, we would have had more light and could have finished the loop. As it was, we didn't want to put a time pressure on ourselves. Admittedly, I was disappointed not to do the whole Traveler loop, but it was a good decision. Better safe than sorry...



Afternoon shot of the mountains and lake.

This was a rugged hike for me--about a 9 hour round trip. It wasn't my first time on scree, but, really the first time I'd rock hopped for such an extended amount of time. It's tiring. You have to pay attention every second. I fell once. We'd reached a relatively flat part of the trail and I decided to grab a snack. Apparently, I can't walk and eat a peanut butter and honey sandwich at the same time. I whacked my knee hard enough for me to need a few minutes to decided whether I should go on or not.

I faced some challenges coming down the mountain. Parts of it were really scary. This kind of hiking brings with it its own kind of problem-solving. A lot of it was new to me. Doable, but new. In the past, I might have freaked out and become frustrated. This time, I didn't. I admit to a few...ah..."moments"...when I wasn't sure how to proceed, but my friend and I took it slow and remembered to laugh when we could. We focused not on what was ahead, but what each moment held in store. It's when you're tired you have to pay the most attention and, in doing so, I felt alive and present. It's a bit of an adrenalin rush! Despite its challenges, this was not a bad way to spend the day.

When we got back to the car my legs were achy. I definitely was ready to sit down. I had blisters on my feet. I was ready for a nap. And I was happy for the day, the fresh air, the exercise, and the companionship. It is not every day a person gets the chance to soak in the wonder of Maine's Baxter State Park. And, for me, personally, being in the park somehow helps me feel like I'm the right size. It's an awesome place to be...literally and figuratively...and I wouldn't trade a day like this for the world. I'm already planning to do the whole Traveler loop next summer.

The Inspiration: Mountain Escape Soft Sculptured Art Lobster Doll



Front View featuring a mountain day scene.



Back View featuring a mountain night scene.

"Mountain Escape" lobster is made from recycled/repurposed leather, cotton and denim fabrics, embroidery floss, cotton thread, beads, buttons, craftlace and cotton batting. It's machine stitched with hand embroidered embellishments. One-of-a-kind. ©2008 Sojourn Quilts. All Rights Reserved.

Lobsters! What Was I Thinking? - Part 3

This is part three of a series called "Lobsters! What Was I Thinking?"

The idea for these postings came from someone I met in Etsy chats who asked, "Why on this green earth did you pick lobsters?" Once I stopped laughing (it was meant as a kind-hearted comment), I started considering the question in a more serious way. This is my attempt at an answer. If you missed Parts 1 and 2, you can find them in the July 2008 and September 2008 postings on this blog.

The photos you see here and in the previous articles are by Liz Grandmaison, a photographer in Bangor, ME. She is awesome to work with, so if you get the chance to hire her for a project, I strongly recommend it. Otherwise, please do check out her website.

Today's featured lobsters evolved over time. As you recall, I started with plain lobsters, then developed vested lobsters and, now, occasionally, I get excited about fabricating a whole scene on the little creatures.



I have started seeing the lobsters not as stuffed toys or pieces of cloth, but as blank palettes on which pretty much anything goes. I am only limited by my imagination.

The older (or, rather more mature) I get, the more I value Maine and its way of life. Living in Maine is rugged and beautiful at the same time. Some of its mountain and ocean vistas are simply breathtaking. The more connected with Maine I get, the more its influences appear in my artwork.



While working on a vested lobster, I realized the actual piece work was very similar to the quilted wall-hangings I make. At first, it seemed far-fetched to quilt a lobster, but then I thought "Why not?" I did a few sketches to see what might fit on an 8 inch long by 3 inch wide lobster (body and tail) and took the plunge.

What is fascinating to me is how the lobster takes shape through the applique and piecing process. The creature comes to life in fabric. I just love how a speck of an idea grows and changes with the limitations of space and fabric. It pushes me to learn about and make the most out of the materials I am using. I have come to see the soft sculptured lobsters as quilted wall-hangings that happen to be shaped like lobsters.



Reflecting the dichotomies of Maine, I enjoy making each side of a lobster different. Sometimes, I choose a city and country theme. Sometimes, I go with a mountain and ocean theme. Sometimes, I think about the hikes I have done in Acadia National Park and Baxter State Park and I try to imagine what is on the other side of the mountain or forest path I have created. I like embellishing the lobsters with buttons and hand-embroidery to add interest or break up an open space.




Almost more than anything else I do, these soft sculptured lobsters feel like art to me. They symbolize a life style and philosophy that is difficult for me to put into words. Quilted scenes on lobsters will have to suffice. And, if people see them as silly or interesting or weird or beautiful that is cool with me. I have grown to love these little creatures and am happy to share the lobsters with anyone who finds a connection to Maine within them.