Weird and Wonderful World
March 31st, 2007
gelatin print made last summer
I've been feeling a bit quiet the past few days. The fiansor has been sick and so I've been taking care of him and I think I might be catching what he has because today I'm downright exhausted. I'm loving, loving, loving all the sunny weather we've been having. It was a bit crisp today, but still sunny. I met a friend for breakfast and then walked through the little town center which has a plethora of toy stores and gift shops. I walked into most of them, touching the pillow shaped like a tiger, the miniature playing cards, the vintage jewelry and eventually stopped at a section of children's books. As part of one of the book's exercises, I read a bunch of them, they made me smile. I loved a book called The Dot. I brought a couple home, one for my best friend who is pregnant and one for me, just cause. I picked out a bilingual version of Puss in Boots. hehe.
This week with Finding Water has been about being more gentle, letting go, and enjoying the moment. Several times I have found myself smiling quietly. Life is good. Last night I was reading The Red Book by Sera Beak (which is fabulous), and I loved a section on intuition which read: "...The universe was winking, and all I had to do was shut off my logical brain (and drop the expectations I had...) and follow through...Being intuitive is not about trying real hard, it's about relaxing real soft." (my italics) And it's so true, it's true not just about intuition, but about everything. I learned this lesson over and over again in massage school. Once you start, you need to let go of that logical/technical side, get soft in your body and go with the flow. At least that's what made the massage a good one for me. It's also true in my art. I think that's why I like to give myself permission to make crap. That permission allows me to let go of trying to get it right and allows my subconscious to come through.
This week in Finding Water, there's an exercise about searching for the silver lining in our rejections. Sometimes it's not even about searching for a silver lining, it's just about knowing that some things happen for a reason, a reason we won't necessarily understand at the time. This happens in small and large ways and this week I had a small example of this laid at my feet. I've been searching for a studio space for awhile now and now that my nanny job has ended, I've been trying to figure out where I will settle. Last Saturday, I went to see a space that is opening up in a few months. I'd been corresponding with a women who is part of a cooperative of artists who share one floor in an old mill building. I had a left a flyer there with my email address saying I was looking for a space and she responded. So, I went in there, thinking I was just meeting her and seeing the space and found out I was there for an interview. Five of the artists on the floor were there. The head woman asked me if I had brought slides saying, "I know I didn't ask you to bring slides, but did you?" Um, no. I was seriously taken off guard and then thinking on my toes, I spotted her laptop and suggested that she could look at my art website. They told me about how the space was run, a floor divided up into about 20 spaces, with walls that only go up about 8 feet in a room with super high ceilings, so the air space is shared (therefore you have to be careful about sound and smells). That was ok with me. We all sat in a circle and the head woman grilled me with questions about how I work, when I work, what I do, how I would afford the space, etc. I got the feeling she didn't like me much. I hit it off well with two of the artists though, so that was nice. But I felt so intimidated. It reminded me a bit of being back in art school and I felt uncomfortable, like I just wasn't good enough. The woman in charge let me know that they were interviewing other people and she'd let me know in a week or so. When one of the women gave me a copy of the floor agreements so that I could look it over, the women in charge stiffly said, "This is not an invitation. We're interviewing other people." I said, "of course, I understand."
At home, I told the fiansor about the space and how it made me kind of anxious, but that I liked two of the women and it could work. A few days later, I got an email from the head woman telling me that they had chosen someone else. She asked if I was interested in a two-month sublet this summer (I'm not) and said she'd put me on a list of people to notify if another permanent space opened up. I told her I was disappointed, but understood and to keep me in mind for future spaces. When I told the fiansor that I wasn't chosen he was very angry, but I laughed and told him I wasn't angry at all. I was disappointed, but not angry. I told him, that it just was not meant to be, something else will come up. I decided not to take it personally, who knows what went into their decision.
About 2 days later, I saw an ad on craigslist for brand new art studios in the same complex of buildings where I was last week. I corresponded by email with the woman who was helping out the landlord by posting the ad. She rented out space on a different floor from the one I visited and she was super friendly, telling me to come by for a visit. (There's also a really funny synchronicity in her being the one who responded...I saw a flyer of hers a few months ago in a Starbucks and wrote down the name of her website and loved her work.) I got in touch with the landlord and I'll be seeing the space on Monday. I can decide how much space I want, the windows and bathroom are brand new, it will be a floor of artist's studios, but sectioned off into individual spaces, I don't have to interview for the space, and this building will participate in the same open studios. Wowzers. I'm super excited about this and hopefully it will all come together beautifully. And I'm just so glad that I was able to see that the other space wasn't meant for me. For whatever reason, I trusted that something else would come. And I was right! There was something better waiting for me.
Sera Beak writes, "This is a mysteriously connected universe. We don't always consciously know how far our energy might reach and how intense its effect might be, but by doing what you intuitively feel you should be doing in this world...., you are actually, believe it or not, helping to infuse this planet...with deep soulful purpose as well as encouraging other beings to seek out and bravely live their own role." It is a mysteriously connected universe and I've always liked to think of these little synchronicities as winks from the universe. I have trouble trusting in these small coincidences, but either way, I love them. The blogging world is full of them, those crazy connections that bring us together. Just the other day, a new blogger let me know that on the same day I was taking pictures of jellies, she was doing the same on the other side of the continent. Life is weird and wonderful.
18 Responses
How dare she ambush you with an interview?! I guess that way she can always say she rejected those who weren’t ‘prepared.’ That woman’s got issues. Holding good thoughts for the space you’re looking at on Monday…hope it’s a good one.
Posted by: Marilyn | Mar 31, 2007 at 8:25 pm |
What an excellent reminder that the universe is in tune with us.
I really loved reading this post. I can so relate right now.
Best wishes for you & your artist space!
Posted by: bohemian mom | Mar 31, 2007 at 10:58 pm |
We don’t always consciously know how far our energy might reach and how intense its effect might be, but by doing what you intuitively feel you should be doing in this world…., you are actually, believe it or not, helping to infuse this planet…with deep soulful purpose as well as encouraging other beings to seek out and bravely live their own role.”
If anything is the core belief of my life, this is it. I so believe this. I do. I do! And I have been granted peeks at how it works – how something I said just being me led to someone doing something pretty grand – for instance, the establishment of a Humans Rights commission in Prince George Cty, MD. That was a gift.
Your Monday space sounds awesome! I will hope for your highest good around your searching for space. Nothing too good for your work! Can’t wait to hear.
Posted by: tammy vitale | Apr 1, 2007 at 8:28 am |
I really connected with that quote by sera -
and your gelatin print is stunning -
yu are soooo talented –
have a beautiful Sunday
Posted by: sophie | Apr 1, 2007 at 10:44 am |
Wow – That interview, evoking feelings of not being good enough, what a DRRRRRAG! As I was reading I couldn’t help but be completely puzzled, since you are wickedly talented. Good vibes and prayers heading your way for tomorrow. Oh, and I LOVE the comment about giving yourself permission to make crap – you just never know what goodness can come from doing something you’re not (initally) tied into to. And btw, none of your work I have seen is crap!
Posted by: eileen (the dream) | Apr 1, 2007 at 3:30 pm |
I’m reading The Red Book too. Isn’t it delicious? I love that quote!
The new space sounds wonderful! I’ll have my fingers crossed for you I’m sure you’ll end up in just the right place.
Posted by: Jamie | Apr 1, 2007 at 9:22 pm |
Very exciting about the potential space – I hope it turns out to be just what you want!
Posted by: Caroline | Apr 2, 2007 at 11:27 am |
eeeh!
leah, i’m sorry i haven’t been around lately. my life is all school-y scrambalicious. but WOW what a post to come back to.
random thoughts i had while reading: it’s cool how “massage” and “message” (ie: from the universe) are almost the same thing. i LOVED (and needed to hear) how intuition is about relaxing soft (and that passage should have been written italicized, good on you for recognizing its emphasis. ) i’m glad that you didn’t let that crazy woman faze you. i think you handled the whole scary ambush interview perfectly (i was impressed how you thought to show her your website) and it sounds like pure, universe-given synchronicity with the studio-space that will probably become your studio space.
i hope you and the fiansor are feeling better.
Posted by: bee | Apr 2, 2007 at 11:30 am |
OH, and the gelatin print! how the f**k did you make that? it’s pretty.
Posted by: bee | Apr 2, 2007 at 11:30 am |
The world really is a weird and wonderful place – I love it when the Universe reminds me of that with synchronicities…hope this next studio space works out for your Leah – it sounds better already!
Posted by: tinker | Apr 2, 2007 at 2:41 pm |
Leah, did you know that “The Dot” is also a movie?? Yeah, seriously… the movie rocks! Based on the book, and pretty much just the book read aloud, with pictures from the book moving around the screen… but awesome none-the-less. I plan to show that to “my kids” some Thursday night.
I’m proud of you for finding the silver lining… you rock girly!!!!!!
Posted by: Jana | Apr 2, 2007 at 4:09 pm |
Thanks for reminding me about synchronicities and doing what’s intuitively right. I have chosen to do that in my life and now have a sense of waiting, that something is just around the corner. It proved right for you with your artist’s space – enjoy! Also the Red Book sounds fantastic, I’ll be looking to buy a copy.
Posted by: Patti | Apr 2, 2007 at 11:38 pm |
You are making me miss “The Red Book”…I had to return it to the library. *sigh*
Anyway…I am SO glad that you are going to find a new creative space, one that won’t harsh your creativity buzz. Those women don’t know what they are missing. Your work is gorgeous.
Posted by: Mardougrrl | Apr 3, 2007 at 1:36 am |
What an insightful post! And the print is gorgeous!
Cxx
Posted by: Claire | Apr 3, 2007 at 5:09 am |
I am so impressed that you could be yourself and not cower in front of the interviewer and her issues. If you had bent to her will and her quirks she might have liked you more, and then you’d have been lumbered with her inferior space
Sending you positive vibes on your search for your new creative space!
Posted by: becoming amethyst | Apr 3, 2007 at 9:01 am |
Love this post, Leah, and am so grateful for your lovely comment today, thank you How odd that in spite of not managing to read FW (again) last week, I bought myself a beautiful children’s book! Seems I am learning in spite of myself!
I’m glad things turned out the way they did with those stuffy women – they don’t deserve you, and the new space that found you sounds perfect. Beautiful sychronicities!
Hope the fiansor is feeling better now, bless him.
Hugs and Love to you both. Have a wonderful week xXx
Posted by: Suzie Q | Apr 3, 2007 at 12:29 pm |
hey leah, i enjoyed reading your post very much. there’s a very good reason for you to not be at the old mill studio you will find the perfect spot — intuition and connectedness!!
i LOVE all your paintings/collages! my faves are Muses, Lonely, Jude, Eastwind to name a few.
Big Hugs,
Bette
Posted by: Bette | Apr 3, 2007 at 7:38 pm |
YaY! Yay! YAY!! I’m so happy you found a great space to create in. Hooray! The sun is shining and all is well, even on cloudy days. *hugs*
Posted by: Literary bohemian | Apr 3, 2007 at 10:38 pm |