Road Trip Inspiration

Winter weather is fine – if you’re of the age or agility to enjoy a good sled ride. I think I’d still enjoy it but I’m sincerely assuming my body would stage a revolt if I did. So until the miracle of space age medical replacements comes I’ll have to settle for fun memories and a heated window seat to the action.

Driving in winter weather leaves much to be desired. It’s not like the sled ride although both can be done with copious amounts of screaming. Luckily, this road trip is being managed by my husband. The DH is a winter warrior with a penchant for XM radio and enough focus for two. That’s excellent because I can concentrate on other things – like relaxing – NOT!

I’d been reading Niche magazine for part of the drive. It’s interesting to look at crafts through a retailer’s perspective. It also keeps my mind off of the tail lights of other cars and those well practiced lungs of my sledding days. HAH!

Once the magazine was done, and trust me I lingered on it, I looked out through the windshield and saw what you’re seeing in that photo. Photoshop sharpened it a bit for me but when I first looked up my eyes were just a bit blurred.

What I saw was an organic focal bead – Grey blue, hints of heavy evergreen, opal yellow (or uranium dots) with bubbles, and maybe a trailing of very lightly silvered ivory or transparent smoke. Call it snow blindness, cabin fever, or a deep desire to be on that torch and not on that road trip but that bead is coming. Sooner or later (as an art teacher once told me) you keep putting all that visual information in your brain and it will eventually reach the tips of your fingers. In one form or another I think every art instructor I’ve ever had that was into “art” and not just technique has repeated that same sentence. Input = Output. I’d have to add one more thing to that…..you can input your fanny off into your brain but without the technique it’s Art Appreciation not necessarily Art Interpretation. You have to HAVE the crayon in your hand and learn what it can do. Thank you so many teachers, past and present, for teaching me to see with my eyes and interpret with my heart.

See what a simple road trip can do to me.