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Thursday, March 27, 2008
Change of Plan(s)
"When you work seven days a week, fourteen hours a day, you get lucky." ~ Armand Hammer
I've worked really hard to be this lucky. On the flip side, I've also found when I exceed the fourteen hours a day, there's no wiggle room for life.
So this month I decided to stop. Well... that's not quite how it happened. Life threw some detours my way that made me stop.
Be back soon. Until then, here's a picture of my favorite oak tree in Charlotte, Arkansas.
Labels: art, Charlotte, Rest
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Waiting For Inspiration
If you wait for inspiration you'll be standing on the corner after the parade is a mile down the street.
Ben Nicholas
I am so grateful that my parents encouraged creativity. They didn't talk about it. It was simply how we lived. All of us played musical instruments and my Mom even sang to the dog! Dad designed countless gardens and created beautiful woodcarvings. And one of my earliest memories are of his set of pastels. Actually, I still have that set...
For me, creating is is like exercise. It's all about intention and action. Sometimes I'm inspired when I start and other times, the starting fuels the inspiration. Both states are necessary for me to get things done.
Nike's Just Do It campaign really strikes a chord with me. If you want to paint a picture, place your brush in paint and make contact with the canvas. If you want to write a book, put your fingers on a writing instrument and make contact with the paper or computer. If you want to write a song pick your instrument of choice and make contact with the air waves.
Does it all come out perfect....of course not! But it all comes out and what emerges either paves the way for the beautiful or truly is. So go ahead, pave the way, otherwise you'll miss the parade.Labels: art, music, Painting, Shannon, Shannon Grissom
Monday, January 28, 2008
Mile High Art
Mile High Art...hmmm...... it's not what you think. Or maybe it is!
The month started off with a trip to Orlando for the PGA show. I was home for a few days ,and then up to Portland to see my step-son, Dan. This year I am flying to many events. And if I've got any energy at all, I like to sketch. Drawing is meditative and restorative. It also helps me keep my mind off the occasional turbulence during the flight.
Here's a piece I created on the way to Chicago last year. I used to work in pencil but found I arrived at my destination smeared with graphite so I switched to pen. There are no erasures on the pen work. It's a good lesson in moving forward no matter what mistakes I've made! And in case you are wondering, I completed my crossword puzzle in pen too!
Speaking of moving forward, these pieces have really taught me to let go. For as soon as I'm told to put my tray table in it's upright position, I sign the piece and close the book. No looking back. OK well maybe I look back but I don't touch them again.
Below is a sketch I created en route from Portland to San Jose. Notice the difference in energy in this piece. You can tell the flight to Chicago was a lot smoother...
I'm going to dig up some of my sketch books and post more of my mile-high pieces from time to time.
What's next? Most likely Chicago. As for the subject matter, that depends on my mood that day.
So the next time you find yourself in the sky, get out your pen and doodle or sketch. It's a great way to pass the time.Labels: art, Eagle, Flight, Graphite, High, Mile, Pencil, PGA, Shannon Grissom, Sketch, Woman
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Runnng Down a Dream
Yeah running down a dream
That never would come to me
Working on a mystery
Going wherever it leads
Running down a dream
Tom Petty
Recently, at the YMCA benefit golf tournament, I was the high bidder on a Wild West Tour Package to the Pinnacles National Monument provided by Jim West. Talk about widening your horizons! We (Jim, Sheril, Dwight and Me) travelled in style in an open Model A .
I love to travel Highway 25 . In fact, one of my favorite drives is from Hollister to it's terminus at Highway 198. The beautiful scenery and isolation helps clear my head. Each time I drive, it's a different view. How much I actually see however, depends both on external conditions, and my state of mind.
That crisp fall day, our destination was the Pinnacles. Once you get up to speed, conversation in an open car is difficult at best. That suited me fine. I just wanted to absorb the experience, not talk about it. I would have grinned the entire way but I was soon reminded that I had no shield from the bugs. So I grinned inwardly, with my mouth closed. OK well most of the time.
Right now, the tarantulas are on the move. And though we saw few that day, this time of year you can see them in packs crossing the road. (Do they call them packs?) We thought there was some major migration/ homing pattern going on. However the ranger at the Pinnacles explained that they were simply looking for mates.
Oh.
Once at the Pinnacles, we had a great lunch catered by Victoria's Italian Deli. Victoria creates wonderful dishes just like Noni used to make. After lunch, Sheril suggested we take a hike and we all agreed. We chose a trail that took us to the caves and reservoir. A decent hike but not too strenuous. It was a perfect day for hiking. not too hot and not too crowded and wonderful, wonderful company. There's a special bond that develops between people when you spend time in nature together. The four of us became fast friends.
On the way home my thoughts drifted toward the Culinary and Hospitality Foundation. People who don't know me are wondering why on earth I am devoting so much time to this Foundation. Old friends and family see this as a really good fit. You see long before painting, there was food. And somehow, I've always worked with kids. Remind me to dig up those photos from back in the day when I taught pre-school and they called me Miss Shannon...
While there are no photos of me with my first painting, there certainly are photos of me with my early culinary creations. I just found a great one of my Grandma with her homemade raviolis. Grandma was quite a character. We had a putting green in our back yard and I can still see her putting in her high heels. But I digress, that's another blog...
Mentoring children is so rewarding. Their fresh approach to life is inspiring. I'm happy to help them gain focus and life skills and am grateful for the Culinary and Hospitality Foundation for providing vehicle to travel that road.
I'm engaged in running down my dreams. I want to show our youth that it's not only possible but vital that they follow their own.
No the dream doesn't come to you. But you can go to it. And listening to it's direction is important. I never could have guessed that the focus of my art business would be licensing, television and books but there you go. My canvas just gets bigger and bigger. The Foundation shows the children that there are infinite possibilities.
Other than sock monkeys, I've done more paintings of food than any other subject. And like the finale in an orchestral piece, I can see all these subjects merge together in my future to create a fresh new symphony.
Enjoy the visual accompaniment...
Me 1977
Yep, I'm a brunette! Think I need some work on my presentation skills!
Grandma and her Ravioli
(Pauline Cordone)
Jim and Sheril
Jim, Sheril and Dwight emerging from the caves.
View from Jim's Model A on Highway 25
Another view of Highway 25 from Jim's Model A
Labels: art, Culinary and Hospitality, Dream, Eric Maisel Ten Zen Seconds Shannon Grissom, Jim West, Painting, Television, The Pinnacles, Tom Petty, YMCA
Monday, June 11, 2007
Going for the Gold
I was ahead in the slalom. But in the second run, everyone fell on a dangerous spot.
I was beaten by a woman who got up faster than I did. I learned that people fall down, winners get up, and gold medal winners just get up faster.
Bonnie St. John
When I write my newsletter, it’s definitely results oriented. You hear about the projects I’ve completed. The projects that are in progress, and the projects I expect to complete. It’s a big garden. I’ve planted a lot of seeds, worked and watered the soil, and have been blessed with a bountiful harvest.
I don’t tell you about the seeds that I didn’t plant deep enough. Or the seeds I forgot to water. Or the seeds that I loved but just could not plant. And I’m not going to start now!
But I will tell you that there has been many a dangerous spot in this business of art and that I’ve fallen many times.
After reading Bonnie St. John’s quote, I realized the difference in my business now is my response time. I am grateful that I have been able to get up and dust myself off rather quickly. And the quicker I get up, the fewer dangerous spots I encounter.
I’m going for the gold!Labels: art, business, gold, medal, newsletter, seeds, Shannon Grissom
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