Walkin' the Wheel

This is the first time in perhaps all the years that we've gathered 'round the 'Nature Calendar' wheel that I've had the opportunity to take a photo from this perspective: from a loft high above. At Hines Hill in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park we gather in an old stone house created from a wide assortment of high end carved wood, stone, leaded and stained glass not to mention simply superb design and masterful buidling. It is a most inviting setting, deer and wild turkey meandering about the grounds, for a day of creative opening.

Now I'm off to the Contemporary Art Center of Virginia to begin a new series of Media Blend studios with women making art. It truly is a wonderful life when we focus upon 'What would be good here?' and 'What would love do now?'

A Wonderful Journey

This is the Creativity Salon gang on September 20 at the close of two weeks of wonderful art/life in my old stomping grounds of Ohio.

My time away started with 20 terrific Art Therapy students at Tri-C Main Campus where I presented a workshop titled 'HALT, METTA and the Bodhichitta Heart'. Next day came the opening at FAVA GAllery, a beautiful exhibition with my pal Lynne Lofton wonderfully attended by many old friends and new. For me there was a blast from the past when Larry Plank came up to re-introduce himself after 30 years. He remembered my days back then of driving to church bazzar's with an easle in the back of my pick up truck. I would draw portraits of children from life for $2.50. The lines of parents with children would form. I'd work swiftly to capture a likeness in charcoal a practice that helped me learn anatomy and instantaneous critical review. What a surprising memory he delivered!

It's so fine to see paintings find their forever homes and that too happened a bit at the FAVA opening. As the afternoon came to an end the last gasps of hurricane Ike swept through the region wiping out electricity and bringing in another level of experience...call it camping out. I did that for 36 hours at 'Hummer House' a wonderful home in the woods bordering the National Park land where I was staying. When the 'lectric went out so did the well pump thus no water, no plumbing of any kind. Camping out. In bed with a flash light at 8pm hunkered down with Merle's Door a good dog story and a great read.

I had the joy of spending an afternoon with 20 college students at the Cuyahoga Valley National Park Association's Environmental Education Center bringing them ideas for combining Science and Creativity in my 'Scientivity' program which they can weave into their biodiversity lessons with the year long sixth grade residential program.

I also so enjoyed offering a private salon for a great women's art group who call themselves 'The Art Junkies'. Being with them and hearing their tales helped me get set for the last day and the Salon with the 20 of us pictured above. The 'Love...Your Life...Creativity Salon took place at Hines Hill, a magical place in the National Park. Anytime that I can be there with a group of creatives is a wonderland.


As the days unfolded there was time for family, friends and business including a meeting at the Cleveland Clinic's new Art and Medicine Institute. It's so fine to consider a holistic approach consciously being woven into the workings of this major medical center.

I remind myself that the ability to return to wellness funnels through both the Fine/Expressive Arts and the Medical/Healing Arts. As individuals we have the opportunity to research each of these dynamic pathways toward evolution personally and globally. Creating a mix and a blend that can serve to bring us back into a state of balance even if we don't necessarily 'recover' completely from what ails us.
I am ever grateful for the steps that unfolded for me when I needed to find my way back h'om'e following dire straits. This two week journey brought me back into contact with many of the environments, individuals and circumstances that facilitated that grand adventure.

Thank you to each and every one.

On the Road Again

Hanna moved through without leaving us anything other than leaf litter on the lawns....love it when the hurricane force wears itself out naturally.

And now we're off...well I am anyway. Don't you just love a road trip? This is a lovely trip 'back home' through the soft curving mountains of the Allegheny range and up into the farm lands and woods of the glacial moraines of Ohio. Petrol prices aside, the leaving of one place and the turning toward another seems a bit necessary for mental health from time to time. The winding road, the distance from here to there, the way thoughts wander as the miles unfold.
I particularly love the opportunity to look over my shoulder and see my day to day pattern from a distance. And the coming home to those we love is always the very best...so of course ya gotta go someplace first :-)

There will be a lot of art/life packed into this two weeks...a new grand niece to meet, that will be so fantastic in itself. And then there is the FAVA Gallery opening fun on Sunday. If you're in the Oberlin area hop over to see the beauty that Lynne Lofton and I will be sharing.

Throughout the time away I'll get to see many of my Lifecycle clients for updates and energy tune-ups, something that benefits us at any time don'tcha think (energy tune-ups we're talkin' here). In addition I will present 4 different workshops (two of them in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park with all of its amazing fall beauty, the photo with this post is from my last Creativity Salon at Hines Hill Conference Center in the park). And, last but not least, I am so happy that I have been recommended to meet with the Program Director at the Cleveland Clinic to learn about their new Art and Medicine Institute. I'm deeply moved when I can share my 40 year history and love of creativity as a healing tool.

All this plus the best of times with dear old friends (and new) will give this experience the most wonderful glow from beginning to end.
Happy Trails to you too!

Today's Mantra

Hot n steamy here at the beach. Perfect day to be in the studio playing with papers giving a large painting a new kind of life in a small 'mantra' format. I may have about 10 of these babies going with me by the time I'm ready to pack.

The Cuyahoga Valley National Park Creativity Salon of September 20 is filling and the night before there's a great group of "Art Junkies" with whom I will share 'HALT, Metta and the Bodhichitta Heart' . I presented a similar workshop at Ursuline College in February during 'Rejuvenation' though I make it a point of not repeating format or exact content so we're all discovering something spontaneous and fresh.

I'm researchin' soft roof top carriers for my little wagon. There's a feeling that all the gear can get there for ten days of fun in Ohio.

Turkey Vultures Knock My Socks Off...

It was fun and a complete surprise when my sister emailed me this afternoon to let me know that Donna Drozda carved tiles are being shared this weekend at 'Peninsula Python Days'...this bit of news has given me the chance to reminisce:


In 2003 and again in 2005 I had the honor of being selected as Artist in Residence for the Cuyahoga Valley National Park and the CVNPA Environmental Education Center. A stunning experience that gave me the opportunity to live and work, for weeks each time, in a comfortable old farmhouse (with a choice of studio spaces) feet away from a rushing river, nestled at the base of a steep and forested ravine.
Each day at dusk dozens of Turkey Vultures (one of my very favorite birds, their Latin name is Catharses Aura...as in 'cleans the aura' ...how great is that!) gathered to roost in the pine grove by the covered bridge a few hundred feet from my door.

Most evenings as the sun set I would dash down the path, binoculars in hand and stand enraptured staring up into the maze of pine boughs silhouetted against the darkening sky. One after another these huge birds flew in ready to roost for the night. As they flapped down into place on their chosen branch they would invariably knock someone else out of their space and a wild beating of 4 foot wing spans would ensue as one by one, in a comical domino effect, they fell from the highest branches down into the lower limbs. The sound of this was primal and ancient and magnificent. It would go on and on and on past nighfall and still I did not want to wind my way back to my door.
In addition to this landing fiasco it seemed they would fall asleep shortly after landing and then proceed to slip from their branch with, again, a raucous rattling of wings. I felt transported evening after evening observing their odd antics.


Throughout the night White Tail Deer roamed beneath the old gnarled sculptural cherry trees in the side yard. I'd often extinguish all lights and then lean against the frame of the expansive front room window, sketchbook in hand, quickly drawing their graceful movements as they grazed in the moonlight. At times there would be up to ten or more large ungulates within inches of the plate glass illuminated by the soft lunar glow.
I have great and grateful memories of weeks on end living alone in this preserved and protected forest.



What an irreplacable treasure we have in our National Park system. Cuyahoga Valley National Park is 33,000 acres of mixed hardwood forests, rushing rivers, working organic farms, and the historic Erie Canal Towpath restored now as a hike and bike path extending for more than 30 miles through the valley...all in the backyard of both Akron and Cleveland, Ohio.


Here's the copy and a link of all the events...this weekend...
Nature Notecard Art
From 11 am to 3 pm at Park Place, use carved tiles created by Cuyahoga Valley National Park Artist-in-Residence Donna Drozda to create your own make-it and take-it nature themed notecard.

http://63.84.59.169/page.aspx?ID=100