TracyDove.com

We went to a birthday party in northern Arizona, last weekend. The house where the party was held was pure poetry. The drive from Sedona, through Page Springs and into Cornville was breathtaking. We spent the morning in Oak Creek Canyon soaking up all of nature’s best before joining the caravan to the party. This little paradise sits alone on a hill and offers the most magnificent views. We watched the rain pour down on Jerome, in the distance. Upon entering the courtyard, there was something magical to see at every turn. The owners are poets and artists (obviously). The world that they have created is inspiring from start to finish. I am more than sure I could visit many times and never see it all. It was difficult to decide on which photos to post, I have a ton of them and they are all delicious! A long, winding stairway leads from the house and up a hill to a ramada, appropriately named “Coyote Temple”. We rested on the big, overstuffed, southwestern  furniture and took in the high desert experience. Hawks flew overhead and the heavens blessed us with the perfect cloud show.

I returned to my Phoenix home overflowing with creative juices. I want to paint EVERYTHING. I always appreciate being invited into people’s homes, especially those that give me a new perspective and unleashes my creative spirit. This whole house and garden experience truly turned me on, igniting my inner fire and setting me free again. We all suffer through creative doldrums from time to time and I find the cure from getting inspiration through other people’s masterpieces.

Gotta’ get to painting today before I spontaneously combust!

I hope these photos inspired you, too.

~peace, love, dove~

AH! The end of another BEAUTIFUL day. I am on a manic painting mission again. Inspiration is coming at me from all sides. However, the big things are not what grabs my attention and tickles my fancy. The small, mundane, everyday things are most often what ignites my creative fire. Today a visit to the bookstore and the natural food store filled my senses and I couldn’t wait to come home, light some incense, put on some good music and work on a painting that I have in progress. It’s funny what can invoke a creative mood.  I have come to recognize that I sort of have some little rituals when I paint. I definitely burn A LOT of incense (LOVE it)! Music is a ‘MUST HAVE’. It is a plus if the windows are open…. especally when it is raining and the weather is nice. Unfortunately, it is hot now and we are locked behind closed windows with the air conditioning keeping us from melting. I am really looking forward to moving to cooler and higher ground. Until then, this is where I am and everything is as it is. And everything is perfect.

A painting that is near and dear to my heart just moved to Sedona this weekend. The Beatle’s song, “She’s Leaving Home” plays in my head! (bye bye….)

I am happy that she has found a wonderful, new home.

~ “STILL BREATHING” ~

I finally finished “BED OF ROSES”, and she is temporarily hanging over my piano.

It was nice creating and spending time with this one. We got to know each other pretty well! HA! Sometimes my paintings really show me who I am. A lot of solutions to problems have been found just by painting. It allows me to slip into another dimension or world for awhile without leaving the world that I am living in. Mind travel and day tripping is freedom.