DivinePainter

Divine Roots

2011-08-26T08:42:00.000-04:00

I recently found myself back in the neighborhood where it all began: an historic, charming section of Brooklyn, NY called Park Slope. "It" meaning, Divine Rooms.

Streetscape. Park Slope, Brooklyn, NY

Amongst the rows of beautiful brownstones, I took a break from painting and just sat on the stoop to take it all in. I began feeling quite moved by all of my memories that came rushing back, without want or will. "Transported" is a great word to describe this feeling. It's an incredible experience to have the past, present and future all merge into one moment. About 14 years ago, this is the place where Divine Rooms came to be. (And incidentally, right at the corner, Methodist Hospital, was where I gave birth to my other "baby," my precious son.)

I knew, without a doubt that I was standing (or stooping, rather) on very fertile ground.

Before the business came to be, 1997 was a roller coaster. An uncertain, rocky year in my life. But it was a good year, one that ultimately changed my destiny as it led to the discovery of my true calling. A bit of the experience was captured in an article I wrote for NY Resident, and it is a story I love to share.

While sitting on this stoop and feeling transported, I remembered the greatest lesson: the most beautiful things are happening to us during the "in-between" stages of life. The symbolism of a "hallway" is a pretty good one. Sometimes these hallways, or passages are disguised as boredom, indecision, searching, longing... Ironically, these fertile, powerful times are often faced with impatience and discomfort. Swift changes, endings, confusion, even darkness. Yet they somehow always lead to something special. Something better. You can never really see it while you're really in it. It's as if your soul moves your vision out of focus. Things are blurry and non-distinct. If you cannot see, how can you move forward? How can you actually do anything?

Ahhh.... that's kinda the point, isn't it?

An enlightened moment captured during a recent trip to Spain.
Wide awake, ready for action and forced to sit still.
Not an easy lesson for a "mover and a shaker."

The past few months have been challenging for me. Quite familiar and quite reminiscent of 1997. My life looked like it was going to change. And I was ready to leave and start over again. Reinvent myself. Do something else. Things happened that were ultimately beyond my control to support these ideas. The economic climate was nudging me as well.

I felt like a plane ready to take off. Fully loaded and fueled. Just idling in the tarmac. A strange cocktail of frustration and curiosity was pretty much on the menu everyday, for months. But this time around, I knew from experience that this was also a magical time... and something great was going on behind the scenes. I had no choice but to remain patient and have faith. I had to trust the unseen hand was moving me forward, even though there was no detectable movement.

That day, I looked down at my paint covered hands, and up at the tiny slip of blue sky visible between the narrow streets of brown sugar-colored stately architecture and it all made sense. My roots are here, and my branches are strong. An inner knowing washed over me, and I sensed I am exactly where I need to be. I came full circle, and journeyed right back to the place where I belong. For now.

Self-portrait and self-realized together with a work-in-progress.

Also that day, together with the brilliant and talented Jenn Danza, a stunning mural was born. A nursery. A baby-to-be. A crisp, sunny summer afternoon. All was well. All always is.

And then that weekend, magic happened too. The answer to a long-standing challenge arrived... with swiftness and precision, my world shifted. I was rewarded for my faith. Things fell into place. And it was Divine. Once again, a tree grows in Brooklyn.

Tree Mural for Baby's nursery. Crib will be placed just to the left of
the trunk. The carved heart features the initials of the parents.

Art truly does imitate life. In very magical, symbolic ways. And now it's back to the future...

xo,
AGP

Banding

2011-08-08T09:20:00.000-04:00

Back to basics.

It's the simple, classic styles with a subtle new twist that are captivating my imagination this summer. Horizontal striping, or banding, is tre' elegant in larger widths and shimmery, neutral colors.

8" taped-out, troweled-in Shimmerstone bands

A new twist on an old classic.

Subtle artist's trick: ceiling is painted a flat color that closely resembles the Shimmerstone hue, to maximize the drama of the top white stripe. It's the "little things", remember?

xo,
AGP

Black and White

2011-07-29T07:58:00.000-04:00

Beautiful girl in the garden. Dear comrade, Lexa Martins

Sometimes life is black and white. Definitive. Pure. The things you know for sure.

It's yes or no.
Stay or go.
This way or that way.
Up or down.
In or out.
Right or wrong.

Lean into the moment. It is perfect just the way it is.

It's clarity.
Simplicity.
And, although it's concrete, it's also elegant. And easy.

And refreshing.

When you have clarity, you have security.

Enjoying a golden sunset.
Sag Harbor, NY

I'm embracing black and white these days, against the colorful landscape of life. A world of absolutes against a world of change. Balance in a world in transition. And I love the contrast. Apparently my friends do too! These outfits were not planned, mind you. Spontaneous wardrobe choices on an enchanted summer evening! A good reminder: great minds think alike.

What's on your mind? Get Clear. Be happy.

xo,
AGP

PS: Synchronicity: there's something called a black moon (or a "chance moon") happening this weekend... It's quite special... and it's right on time. Thank you for posting this M!

Pinch Me!

2011-06-13T23:17:00.001-04:00

Just me.
Bare-faced.
Natural and happy.

I am fresh from a great adventure. Life handed me a magnificent opportunity and I somehow, magically, divinely was able to step into it with grace...

What can I say? In a nutshell, America's greatest living designer needed a painter. And I was available.

Only one caveat (don't you know there's always a caveat?). It was a "Top Secret" project. And I am now limited as to what I can "Show and Tell." (Apparently privacy and discretion are paramount to the super-rich, super successful and super powerful. Can't imagine why.)

That's all OK by me.... I'm an artist, remember? We are specialists at creatively solving problems and managing loopholes! "Allegedly..."

So here goes...

"Allegedly" there was a lavish wedding to take place on the grounds of a private estate in Bedford, NY.

A tool shed and maintenance house on the Estate.
Hmmm.... makes me wish I were a handyman.

The vast grounds are "park like" and "private" with both rolling
acres of open land and small nooks of natural enclaves.
Everywhere, the air was perfumed with the scent of blossoms.

The wide open space and blue sky was breath taking.
There were also ponds, a lake, bridges, a brook...
Guest houses, stables, garages...
Oh gosh.

As with all splashy affairs (ie, "movie sets") there are elements of custom made and hand-painted "props" to create the venue and anchor the ambiance. I can't really show too many decorative pieces that were created, lest I give away a valuable piece of posterity not actually "mine" to show... but I can and will show you a very small, yet poignant piece of the puzzle... ("allegedly" innocuous is best!)

There was a pool. And a pool house. And some stone around the pool and pool house that needed to be duplicated in "faux" as "riser" for some decorative urns that would showcase some important flower pieces.

Pool

Pool House

Me, at the Pool House.
PINCH ME!
Am I really here?!

My work space...

My Ride

My set up (before)

Yes, those are bales of hay in the background.
Good thing foresight had me bring Benadryl.

After! Pool Stone successfully duplicated.

Detail of "pool stone"
Taupe, grey 1, grey 2, grey 3, beige, cream, followed by taupe 2.
(all custom mixed...)
Rolled, Hand-brushed, Sponged, Sponged, Cheeseclothed, Brushed again,
Sponged again, and Cheeseclothed...again.

As I was working it occurred to me the easiest route would've been to use Ralph Lauren's River Rock. This product is misunderstood and under utilized. In the right hands it is a fantastic medium. We adore it! Amazingly, this product in one or two coats would've had the same effect.

A recent project using Ralph Lauren's River Rock
Hand brushed (cross hatched) over a rolled out coat.

Ralph Lauren's River Rock. Can you imagine the the irony! Ooops. Did I just say that?! I mean, "allegedly" that's very ironic! ;)

xo,
AGP

P.S. - On my private Facebook I made the jokey-announcement to my fabulous friends that I witnessed and photographed many, many things that I am not permitted to publicly disclose... but that if you took me to dinner and liquored me up I would tell and show you "everything." I had many offers, but one stood out. Ha! Love you Melanie! Off to Barcelona, Spain on a special mission to do just that... and more! See you on the other side of wonderful...

Sorrow and Tomorrow

2011-06-06T09:21:00.000-04:00

"It is possible that a miracle was not something that happened to you, but rather something that didn't." (Jodi Picoult)

According to legend, even the angels weep.

Sadness, Loss and Sorrow are a part of the human experience. It's normal, natural and healthy to feel these emotions. "Endings" and "change" are usually the culprits.

Pain is a sign you are walking through an important passage in life. Sadness is a sign you were attached. Fear is a sign that you don't have all the answers. Listen to your feelings. They have much to teach.

Every emotion is a gift. No matter what you are going through, at any moment, please remember you are a part of the great human experience. Your feelings are an experience. That's all they are. An experience. Be in it... be conscious of it... and flow with it.

Look with clean eyes through your tears and you just might see the miracle. Ultimately, you are always being taken to the place where you belong.

xo,
AGP

Shine On

2011-05-30T11:06:00.000-04:00

Metallics in design have long been sought after for their versatility, elegance and glamour. Need a little drama in a room? A "shine" or "glow" could do just the trick.

Metallics by nature reflect light, so they look different from every angle... hence their mysterious beauty. But to welcome this "phenomenon" you must be willing and open minded to experiment.

A stencilled accent wall, angle 1
(Wallovers "Decodence" rendered in copper & gold over olive green)

Same wall, angle 2
(Wallovers "Decodence" rendered in copper & gold over olive green)

I've always said, paint is a great metaphor for life. What do you have in front of you that looks different from every angle? I'll bet the true beauty shows best when it's the angle that reflects the most light...

xo,
AGP

Maybe, Baby

2011-05-23T12:44:00.000-04:00

Maybe is a big word these days.
There is so much volatile energy on the Earth right now.
You feel it. And you're pretty much flowing with it, or fighting it. Or both.

Remember this: You are creating and being created in the same moment.
The universe is alive.
There are no absolutes.
You are living (active) your destiny (passive).
Positive and negative.
Yes, it is duplicitous. Hence, your power. And your powerlessness.

Life is long, the Earth is big. So many choices, so many options. Maybe I'll go here. Maybe I'll do this. Maybe, maybe, maybe, maybe...

I'm an optimist so "maybe" to me is a sexy word. Sizzling with potential. Tell an artist "maybe" and it's a first class ticket to a dream. Artists are natural creators. Seamlessly, effortlessly, powerfully our brains click into gear and the engines start running. Road maps are created, options explored, emotions gauged. The imagination is sparked.

Think. What do you have in front of you that is a big "maybe?"

Should we paint?
Maybe it's perfect just the way it is...

Maybe it has potential to be better than you ever imagined...
(Metallic & Antique Washes, private residence November 2010)

What is fueling you towards this "thing"? What is blocking you from this pull?

A FEELING.

We are all magnets. You feel the pull every day of your life. That "pull" is in your soul.

What are you feeling when you think of the "maybe?" Narrow it down to one word.

I promise you...
In fact, I am willing to bet my life on it...
That two words will come up over and over again.

LOVE
or
FEAR

Yes. Those two words motivate every single individual, every single day. In their own way. Duplicitous. Accurate. Honest. Every single thing you do is motivated by either LOVE or FEAR.

Ready? Let's play.

What energies do you give in to? LOOK AT YOUR LIFE.

Do you play it safe? Do you stay small? Do you go by the book? Tradition at all costs? Rules? Are you constantly worried about what other people think? Have you continuously let opportunities and chances pass you by? Are you sad? Depressed? Do you abuse substances? Do you wake up in the middle of night, unable to sleep? Do you suffer from anxiety? Regret? Do you have continuous health issues? Do you need multi-tasking, constant entertainment and distractions to function? If you died tomorrow, is there anything you have left unsaid? Undone? Unfinished? (Um, we could go on and on over here... but I can't... because just thinking about it sucks the Life Force Energy out of me.)

On the flip side:

Are you happy? Grounded? Clear? Do you feel like a part of something greater than yourself? Do you like your life? Do you feel blessed? Do you have a purpose? Do you regularly and quickly see the fruits of your labor? Have you felt passion flow through your veins? Do you set goals and achieve them? Do you live in color? Do you feel better in nature? Do you keep your own counsel? Do you sleep well? Are you healthy? Can you look others straight in the eye? Can you live within your own silence? Are you honest? Authentic? Are your relationships meaningful and real? Do you feel a connection to spirit?

Need I say more?

Some things are sacred, but weathered.
Should they remain untouched? Unchanged?
Maybe.

Maybe not.
Everything looks better after it's been loved.
(private residence, July 2009)

Maybe...

I was struggling with how to end this posting, since it occurred to me that sometimes there are equal amounts of both LOVE and FEAR when presented with a MAYBE. Hmmmm....

It's rare, but possible, to be exactly at 50/50 most of the time. How does one manage that? Wait til one emotion wins out? Act passively and let life make the decision for you? Surrender your own power? Yes, you could do that... if FEAR seems to be at 51%. So, I turned off the computer and went to Yoga this morning. Many answers come to me when I am in that space.

And like magic (or as they say, when the student is ready the teacher appears)... I heard my Yoga Teacher, Nancy, say in today's class: "All you need to do to is just push yourself to your personal edge every day. Things are always changing, so just go to your edge. Give it your all and then let go."

Ahhh... yes, that makes perfect sense to me. If LOVE is at 51% bring your energy to your edge. And then let go... The flow will do the rest.

xo,
AGP

Everyday Magic

2011-05-16T20:54:00.000-04:00

Cold Spring Harbor, July 2008

I do believe in an everyday sort of magic... the inexplicable connectedness we sometimes experience with places, people, works of art and the like; the eerie appropriateness of moments of synchronicity; the whispered voice, the hidden presence when we think we are alone.
-- Charles de Lint

"I often have extraordinary experiences wherein I sense that something important or meaningful is happening. The more I do whatever I feel called to do in the moment, the more this sort of thing tends to happen. This is how the universe aligns us with the information, connections and experiences we most need; it nudges us to get up and go somewhere, to open up to a stranger, to suddenly reach out. The more we listen to these nudges, the more amazing synchronicities bless us with an extraordinary, mystical sort of journey." -- Julia Melges-Brenner, editor of Kajama.

Intuition is really a sudden immersion of the soul into the universal current of life. -- Paul Coelho

"When people first attempt to develop their psychic abilities, they are often tripped up by a tendency to try to think their way to answers instead of vibrationally aligning with guidance and allowing it to flow in. When we are stuck in logic, our own thoughts are so incessant that they prevent us from hearing the voice of spirit; when we relax and open our whole being to guidance, insights naturally begin to bubble up from within." -- Julia Melges- Brenner, editor of Kajama

Relax. This is a test. This is only a test.
Had this been a real life you would have been given instructions and told what to do.
Hmmmm...........

A card that was taped to my door. It suddenly won't stay in place.
It just keeps falling on the floor.
OK, OK... I get it. I hear you!
Image created by Anahata Katkin

As a true artist, I am a person committed to living the essence of a creative life. Simply put, I must always stay in the Flow. The flow of Life Force Energy. It means surrendering. It means believing that everything is both "destined" and "in genesis" at every moment. It means trusting in the unseen. It means living in a state of grace. It means always moving forward. It means allowing things to unfold.

This commitment is the greatest commitment any human being could ever make. It is a commitment to Life. It is the greatest leap of faith, the greatest show of trust and the most powerful, intoxicating ride you could ever experience.

It's not always easy. And it is not an event or a one-time choice. By nature of it's meaning, It's a LIFE-style.

What sustains me? Every day magic. Ordinary miracles. Clarity. Synchronicity. Signs. Second chances. Major shifts. Vibrational alignments. Sudden endings. New beginnings. Insight. Intuition. Knowing.

Buckle up, baby. It's all happening.

xo,
AGP

PS... congratulations to my dear Protege'. It came to be! Witnessing your journey tested me to live my faith in action. I am so proud of you. Bliss!

Work-In-Progress

2011-05-08T19:58:00.000-04:00

Me and my boy: both of us a work-in-progress.

Dear Mom,

Without you I am an empty tissue box.

With you, I am a strong tree.

Without you, I am a TV with no sound.

With you, I am safe.

My life is full of joy with you at my side.

Sincerely,

Andrea Perrone Jr.

My mother's day poem.
I especially treasure the eraser marks and misspellings.
And I adore that he used his full name.
*sigh*
Only a mother could understand that!

TRUE STORY:

Me: Oh, Peanut! What a beautiful, touching poem! Thank you! From the bottom of my heart, thank you. You are so talented, and so expressive! (wiping away a tear)

Him: I wrote it for you.

Me: Yes, I see that. It's signed "Sincerely, Andrea Perrone Jr." (and I begin to chuckle)

Him: Do you like it?

Me: Yes! I love it!

Him: Then why are you laughing?

Me: Um, well, honey... it is a beautiful and touching gift from your heart, and I will treasure it forever. I just think it's kinda funny that you used the word: Sincerely.

Him: But why? Is that wrong?

Me: No, it's just that "sincerely" is usually only used in business correspondence. Not heart-felt notes or letters. I'm laughing because it's precious!

Him: Yeah. And I'm laughing now because you don't realize that being my mother is your job!!!

Ha! I love this kid with all my heart!

On a more meaningful note, if I were to write back, my poem might look something like this:

Dear Peanut,

I am a better mother to you

for remembering this one small truth

every single day of your life:

God is just loaning you to me.

Love always,

Mommy

Happy Mother's Day to all of the women being celebrated for the greatest and hardest job in the world! Sincerely!

xo,

AGP

Lost & Found

2011-05-03T21:00:00.002-04:00

iphone 4 + AGP = ?

It's been a rough week.

I recently lost the second Great Love of my life. Or was it the third? Fourth? Hmmm... Can it be that I'm losing count of my losses? Or am I losing count of my Great Loves?

My iphone and I had a whirlwind courtship. After years of admiring this sleek little technical toy from afar and dreaming of one day calling it my own, the day finally arrived when Sprint pissed me off enough to divorce them after 12 years. Verizon, my desired carrier was now offering service for this phone, I had a little spare change left over from a recent job... things just connected. BAM. Within a few hours of pulling the trigger, I carried home this long desired, prized possession. It was finally mine.

For 16 days I had the priviledge of marveling over this brilliant gadget. I truly was enamored with the power and precision of this ultimate utility. Having grown up in the 70s and 80s, and still recalling the rotary phones of days gone by... with their ultra long, tangled cords and having to step into the kitchen pantry to get any sort of youthful privacy as I chatted with my friends over nonsense... simply having a hand-held mobile phone was a brilliant miracle and it profoundly changed my life. But this... oh this. An iphone. There is quite simply nothing to compare it to.

Within a few days, that iphone became my everything. It was there greeting me with a wake-up call in the morning, came with me everywhere on my adventures throughout the day, kept me in constant contact with friends, family and clients... held my photos, music and calendar... not to mention the hours of meaningless pleasure simply spent gazing upon it. I admit, was hooked and touched it almost compulsively. Suffice to say, it was too hot to last. Some things are just not meant to be.

Lost... stolen... dropped... swiped... misplaced... accidentally thrown away? I don't know. I just don't know. But when I realized it was over, gone, vanished, my loss was profound.

Anger. Shock. Denial. Bargaining. Hope. Despair. Elizabeth Kubler Ross and her seven stages of grief were coming in quite handy here.

I won't bore you with the details of what transpired, but I will quickly share what I learned. And I promise you... it won't be a waste of time. Please read this with an open mind. Remember, I said, it's been a week of great loss and gain... and near misses.

Thank you, Great Spirit, for allowing me to hold onto my greatest
gift. Thank you to the driver who stopped on time. Thank you for
the mother who cried out and stopped the car. Thank you to all
of the angels who were there in my absence. And thank you, dear
Andrea, for staying for another day and letting me be your mother.

1.) Technology is a gift. It is a privilege, not a right. It won't always be there, so never, ever take it for granted. And if you have to live without it for awhile, so what. SO WHAT?! The world will not end. You will not die. Nothing will happen that can't be fixed or solved with minimal effort on your part. People matter. The people you love matter the most.

2.) Breathe.

3.) Always have a back up plan. Always. In my case, an old phone (battery charged full and removed to insure it didn't corrode, along with a charger) stored in a ziploc bag in my desk drawer enabled me to rescue 3/4 of my contacts. I also have a land-line which enabled me to make and receive calls. A back up plan in life allows you to remain grounded while experiencing change. Change that is planned or unplanned.

4.) Notify your nearest and dearest, and let the rest go. Enjoy the silence. Think. Be bored. It's OK to sit and a red light in your car and just... stare at the red light. Relax. You are not missing anything important. You are not that important? The world will still continue if you miss that text. Be unavailable... and take the extra time to focus on your life and what is meaningful in it.

5.) If something is meant to be, it will happen with or without your approval. God is never going to send you a memo, you won't be invited to the board meeting, your vote will not count and there is a chance you will not have very much say in it at all. Does it matter? Yes. Nothing is ever truly within your control. The minute you know that and accept that, is the minute it all comes together. Live in the flow. It's all there is.

6.) You are all you have. You are not your job. You are not your address. You are not that image in the mirror. You are a spiritual being having a human experience. You have a profound responsibility to surround yourself with like-minded beings if you wish to enhance this experience... and if you falter, you risk lowering your experience. See who and what you are. Own it. Attitude really is everything. It's OK to compromise. But never settle. Ultimately... you deserve what you get.

7.) When faced with loss... know that something better is coming. The universe cleans house before it sends a gift.

Closure... that is a haunting word.

Guess what? There is no closure.

When you experience a state of "non-closure" it means you are ALIVE. Always remember that. And that... with it's duplicitous blessing... can one day maybe "be" your "closure."

Loss, like many other things in life, deserves a cocktail and a toast: "Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it." (George Santanyana).

Stay awake.

xo,
AGP

Translating A Foreign Language

2011-04-25T11:04:00.001-04:00

The hallmark of good ambiance is a feeling of being transported.
The blend of warm/cool elements in color, shape and texture lend a distinctive
style, that is reminiscent of grand kitchens in the European countryside.

Project notes:

This was a challenging job for me. Presented with the raw elements of the space: dark wood, white tile, pops of dark blue, grey marble, terracotta floors, various appliances... it felt disjointed, all over the map. I saw Provence. Tuscany. Belgium. Barcelona. And a hint, just a hint of Manhattan. Pulling all of the elements of a "world vision" space together is not easy. Electric eclectic!

The clients are dear friends (and neighbors!) of mine. They are extremely well traveled, and clearly wanted the kitchen to be a Euro-blend. The first step was clarifying a vision. What is the common denominator, the inspiration behind all of your selections... these greatly varying elements? "We selected only things we loved." During the planning stages, I often heard them say: "I'm not sure if this works, but I love it." My attitude? Then we will make it work.

A lot of heart clearly went into their choices. Years of travel. Years of experience. Rich, fluid moments of foreign adventure. It was up to me to pull it all together. Have it make sense. Create something cohesive and useful. Love went into these decisions... how could it NOT turn out right?

I covered the hood range in Anaglypta, an embossed, paintable wallpaper

from England. It was treated with layers of metallics and antiquing

glazes to mellow and tone... and give the illusion of a time-worn surface.

Detail of Anaglypta.
The copper color is reminiscent of the terracotta floor
and helps balance the warm tones in the space.

The walls really unite the space.

I envisioned a gentle patina, in the tradition of limewash, but with more "body."

A soft grey and a warm ochre were independently washed onto the walls so that the

colors would lay together in "continents" without blending. A rustic, elegant finish.

I ended up re-learning, re-membering and re-applying the most elementary art lesson: Color is the great unifier. The international language of love is color! A journey well traveled, and I never even had to leave the block.

xo,
AGP

PS: Very special thanks to Lorraine Spina for the gorgeous photographs. It is so difficult to capture the subtle nuances of decorative painting, but you managed to do just that. You have a great camera and an even better eye!

Getting Stoned

2011-04-11T08:54:00.000-04:00

A Photographic Journal of Transformation

My client told me this fireplace reminded her of a Jack-o-Lantern! Ha!
My reply: this fireplace needs to get stoned!

Viola! A Fabulous Faux Fireplace.
Smokin' Hot!

Like a good plastic surgeon, I marked the stone shapes before committing to the sculpture.
The facade was cleaned and protected. The bricks were primed white.

I began by sculpting the "keystone" and worked out, right to left.

Work in progress, detail.
It's important to hold your vision.
Art in progress is often messy and unattractive.

The original bricks are buried under my "clay."
The sculpting clay is a special mixture of paper mache, clay and another binder.
It is sandable, paintable, lightweight and easy to work with.
We will soon find out how flamable it is! (ha ha... just kidding Susan!)

With wet hands, I "surface skim" the stones to smooth
and level them, while carefully preserving the textured finish.

Done!
Now, we let it dry for 24 hours. We will return to aerate the
special clay mixture stones by pricking them with a sculpter's pick.
This insures deep curing, not just surface set-up.

Spaces between are caulked and stones are individually painted.

Each stone is given 2 to 3 layers of custom colored,
tinted glaze washes for depth. And sealed 3x with a dull varnish.

Stone details... (left)
The background was layered with a sand-additive mixed
with paint. Then a top coat of Ralph Lauren's River Rock
was hand-brushed over that for additional fine texture.

Stone details (right)...

I wish this lovely family many beautiful moments as they celebrate life in front of a crackling fire! (And I hope they invite me back to roast marshmallows.)

From my hearth to yours...

xo,

AGP

Back to the Future?

2011-03-31T08:14:00.001-04:00

Profile of our latest project... quite reminiscent of my first!
Three-color sponging technique, strie' mouldings and a colored ceiling.

"The wheel is come full circle." William Shakespeare

Return to the Start. Everything old is new again. Back to the Future.

Am I experiencing a time loop?

Funny. An amazing thing just happened. I just re-created my first professional job ever!

Remember sponging? Well, I started my career because I was a whiz with a sponge. Here is the first, real job I ever did for a paying client that wasn't a relative! Circa 1997, Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn NY. (For an more embellished and entertaining narrative of how my business came to be, please read the story I wrote for NY Resident.)

1997

I recently installed a fresh finish for an awesome client inspired by the above project, MY FIRST JOB EVER (did I mention that already?!). And here I am "reflecting" on how far I have come in 14 years.

2011

This is a sponging variation technique that I have mastered.
It is created with at least 3 colors.
The trick is to always keep a clean, wet sponge near you...
for knocking down the wet color and softening the freckles.
Sponge On, Sponge Off...

What they say about time is turing out to be quite true.

Yes, it does go fast. And yes, much has changed yet much remains the same.

The wall colors vary slightly from the Alpha to the Omega, but both ceilings are Benjamin Moore's #256. It's still one of my favorite colors.

#256 is not yellow. It's not green. It's Golden Green. A rich, full-bodied color that is the ultimate neutral. A little bit of a "surprise," lending a gentle "pop" to a very classic, serious room. It pushes the envelope ever so slightly... just enough to keep you on your toes. Gorgeous with red. Stunning with navy blue. Lovely with yellows. Elegant with browns. And magnificent with creamy whites.

I have to laugh because when I started my career Benjamin Moore did not have names for their colors. Colors were only referred to numerically. And so things change. #256 is now referred to as Westwood Tan.

Yet, nothing changes either... and to this day, whenever I show someone these old snapshots of the Carroll Gardens job, everyone ignores my painting and fawns over the fireplace! You did too, didn't you?!

xo,
AGP

Divine Intervention: Rescuing A Room

2011-03-28T08:10:00.000-04:00

So what happens when you have a room, with walls that boast a very expensive, muli-layered finish (like venetian plaster)... and you can't stand it?

Perhaps the artisan who installed the finish made one or two boo boos that you thought you could live with. And you were wrong.

Perhaps this room is a small powder room on the first floor of a really busy, bustling home... and is hands-down the most often used room in the house. Over time, additional boo boos, nicks and bruises appeared.

And finally, perhaps you have children... three to be exact... so add them and their antics to the mix and well, you can guess the picture...

Yuck.

Before you paint over it and trash the whole thing... is there another alternative? YES! You say a little prayer and you call Divine Rooms!

This olive green venetian plaster treatment was discolored in a
few areas. Note the patch above the sink. This annoyed my
clients but they cleverly hid the spot with a mirror!

This would bother me too.
These patches happen when the plaster is applied too
thickly. It tends to dry darker. Very thin, tight coats are
critical for proper installation of venetian plaster.

I'm not really big on "inheriting problems" (contractor-speak for fixing, repairing or finishing another artisans work). But I felt up to the challenge. It was a perfect candidate for Divine Intervention.

Venetian plaster cannot be repaired. I knew to "fix" this issue I would essentially need to do two things: 1.) distract the eye and 2.) camouflage the boo boos with "pattern." The perfect way to achieve this was to stencil a dense design and add more colors. Because the surface was a high gloss, waxed finish I didn't want to compete with the shine... so I selected mica powders as my medium, for their rich metallic lustre. Gloss and lustre compliment each other quite well when you are looking to enhance with richness and depth.

This stencil, called Corsini Damask, is from the lovely
and comprehensive Royal Design Studio collection.

I chose to work with a darker green (for a tone-on-tone effect) and a complimentary reddish, coppery color for highlights. The green color was created by mixing a Modern Masters green metallic, gold mica powder and brown metallic powder together with a pinch of a very durable, clear medium that dries rock hard. The second color is a coppery reddish gold mica powder mixed with a touch of brown metallic powder, also with the clear medium. Applying anything over a waxed surface is not easy, as wax is intended to seal and thereby render the surface impervious. However, I tested my mixture on sample boards and was confident they could withstand wipe downs and heavy room traffic.

The mica mediums went on somewhat sheer so as not to obscure the venetian plaster underside. Oh! And before I began I washed down the walls. Very important if you intend on "rescuing a room." Always, always, always start with a clean surface. You wouldn't put make-up on a dirty face, would you?

Beautiful! The essence of the room is hard to capture
due to the high-gloss shine and glow of the materials.

The wall with the most damage... viola!
Nothing but gorgeous now!

Another look... BEFORE

and AFTER!

Sometimes it really isn't necessary to scrap a room and start from scratch. Sometimes all you need is a little faith, some patience and a pretty stencil!

xo,
AGP

Spring Forward 2011, part 2

2011-03-24T09:32:00.003-04:00

The hearty crocuses in our front yard now covered in snow.

...so as I was saying with Monday's post... what a difference a day makes! And still trusting in the Divine Design... the walk of faith continues...

In Brooklyn, we awoke to snow on the ground for the second day in a row. We are still moving forward into Spring... although this wintry mix has us all thrown. Sometimes a frozen day is just an optical illusion!

Here's my story: I prepared (for 3 days) an outstanding blog posting on a recent design event I attended in NYC. This blog was pretty comprehensive... chock full of inspirations, information, photos and corresponding links to artists and designers I wished to share with my readers.

I incomprehensibly (and stunningly) accidentally deleted it.

I tried for nearly 2 hours to retrieve it, to no avail. So, rather than just cancel a blog entry today and curse the computer gods... let's instead look at what simultaneously is on my desk top. And let's remember there are no accidents.

Important: to hear the gorgeous music that fully enhances each video clip, please disable the music on DivinePainter by pressing the pause button on the aqua blue ipod to the right and down a bit on your screen...

This beautiful video was posted on the incredible website Crystalinks. This is a website devoted to all metaphysical topics. The founder, Ellie Crystal, practically invented the blog over a decade ago. I couldn't believe the synchronicity of our recent blog postings. I watched this video with tears streaming down my face!

This clip was shared by friend, Matt Wade, this morning and absolutely made my day... Incidentally, Matt is the CEO of Talisman Guidance Solutions. Talisman: from Greek word "telein"means "to initiate into the mysteries." How rich is that?!

Divine Design. I am a part of the Great Creation.

Isn't it amazing how the universe immediately shifts and hands you a situation to match your thoughts? A chance to put wisdom into action? The unseen hand has other ideas about what I should be sharing today!

These videos are simply extraordinary. Aren't you incredibly uplifted knowing you are a part of this Great Creation? Isn't technology (another aspect of the Divine Design) playing an extraordinary role in our enlightenment and spiritual development... (especially when we delete stuff)?

Wishing you all warmth and joy on this early spring, snowy morning. Happy weekend!

xo,
AGP

Springing Forward 2011, part 1

2011-03-21T11:56:00.000-04:00

What a difference...

...a day makes.
(Small and hearty crocuses in our front yard!)

A special person (Kindred Spirit) in my life is undergoing a complete transformation (upheaval) and experiencing all sorts of wonderful opportunities (crises). Here's a sampling of our most recent dialogue (therapy session) that I just have to share with you (remind myself):

KS: I am numb, completely numb.

AGP: Have faith. Just hold on and have faith.

KS: In what? Nothing is working out. Nothing is going as planned. Everything is falling apart.

AGP: Have faith that it's all coming together, it's all going according to plan. Not YOUR plan. THE plan. Divine Design?

KS: I'm trying, I'm trying... it's so hard and it hurts so much.

AGP: The root of all suffering is attachment. LET GO and let it happen. Let it unfold!

KS: I know, I know... I have no choice, I'm exhausted.

AGP: That's why they call it "surrender." When you are exhausted and have exhausted all means by your desire and your will, then let go and let it be. I tell you this from experience. From the experience of heartache and despair, I tell you, just HAVE FAITH.

KS: But faith in WHAT? What am I believing in?

(Um, this is a really good question... I think this is the question that pretty much defines the human experience. And it's one that I've struggled with. Acutely.)

AGP: Well... I know this: you are a part of the great creation. So do nothing. Full steam ahead... doing nothing. Have faith in the Divine Power. And walk the path prepared by the very same Force that created the snowflake and the sunflower!
KS: (silence)
AGP: I mean, I think you're in good hands...

Silence...

Pregnant Pause...

Deep sigh...

Laughter.

Yes!

The very same Force that created the snowflake and the sunflower.... I think you're in good hands!

Did I really say that?! Did that come from me? I love it!

And if I could expand upon that for a moment: remember, no two creations are ever alike. That's right. Infinite possibilities.

Divine Design

Remember, no two are ever alike... and they are all perfect.
Photo by Wilson Bentley

Divine Design

...and again, no two are ever alike.
Photo Credit: Terry Sohl

Happy Spring, my dear readers and Kindred Spirits. Get ready for the captivating, spectacular production nature has in store for Earth and FOR YOU.

Part 2 tomorrow!

xo,

AGP

PS: Happy Birthday to my sister, Livia! Isn't it amazing how a sibling can be the closest thing to "you" and simultaneously the furthest thing away? Oh right... no two are ever alike...

My Yoga-licious Life

2011-03-10T09:03:00.002-05:00

Is it a bird? A plane? No, it's a Divine Painter!
Yoga has enabled me to be more flexible and given
me better balance for work... and play.

On March 8th I celebrated my one year anniversary as a Yogi. This is a re-print of a Testimony I wrote and had published in Bikram Yoga Bay Ridge's Hot Times newsletter in August of 2010. It's worth sharing again 6 months later, as I truly believe devotion to this practice has altered my destiny.

"One often learns more from ten days of agony than from ten years of contentment."

- Merle Shain

Sometime during the Winter of '08 I was walking on 83rd Street and happened to run into a friend of mine, Jeff, a contractor who was building out a new store on the corner Fifth Avenue. He took me in for a tour and explained to me what the space was intended for. He told me all about this new exercise craze... people doing yoga in intense heat. I thought he was pulling my leg. People intentionally enduring high temperatures while doing yoga poses? To sweat? In an orange and purple room? This felt wrong on so many levels. Bay Ridge wasn't ready for this, I thought cynically. In 6 months this will be just another nail salon! But strangely, this non-distinct little brick corner studio must have had some sort of staying power.

For two years, as I did my errands or circled around looking for parking on Fifth Avenue, I would curiously notice the sweaty people leaving... or milling about inside... and I would shake my head and wonder why. But I have to admit I was intrigued. Not enough to actually walk into the studio and inquire... but enough that it stayed within my peripheral vision. What brings people here, I often wondered, and what do they take away with them? I just couldn't figure it out.

Besides fast-walking I never really exercised. I was in pretty decent shape because of my active lifestyle. I am an artist, an entrepreneur and a single mother. Not an easy combination by any stretch of the imagination. I own and operate a decorative painting company that specializes in faux finishes, Divine Rooms. My life and my work largely rely on my physical strength, stamina, skill and agility. Just living my life is a "work out." It's not easy to maintain a home, raise an active young boy and haul paint cans or climb up and down ladders all day.

For years I took my health and my youth for granted. I smoked cigarettes. I drank lots of wine. I ate whatever I wanted. It was nothing to coast on 5 or 6 hours sleep, a few coffees and the sheer will to succeed. Then, last winter, life woke me up with a thump and said in oh so many ways: that's over! And my body chimed in and said: you'd take better care of me... because I'm all you got! I turned 40 and almost like clockwork things started to wilt. My complextion changed. My back hurt. Somehow, I was making it through each day. But I was tired of pushing myself and I have to admit, I was depressed.

A fellow artist friend began chirping in my ear about how wonderful her life had become since starting a yoga routine, at, you guessed it, a Bikram Yoga studio in Williamsburg. She was in great physical shape and I noticed her posture had improved. At the risk of sounding too poetic, I must say she looked almost metamorphisized. I wanted what she had. That peace. The glow. An exercise that gives you energy? Keeps you youthful? Works all your organs, muscles and tendons? Cleanses and detoxes? Improves your emotional balance? I thought of the non-distinct little brick corner studio just 5 blocks from my home... and I knew in my heart I had to try it.

Bow Pose or Dhanurasana (Sanskrit)
One of my favorites of the 26 postures.

The very next day I found myself nervously sitting on my brand new yoga mat, in this very, very hot room, anxiously surveying the crowd, wishing I had brought a bigger towel and more water, barely able to breathe. I silently prayed I wouldn't get sick, or worse die, and wondered why it was so quiet. I told (warned) the two people next to me this is my first class... and I'm really clumsy... They smiled and assured me I was going to be OK.

Suddenly, the flourescent lights flip on and a near-naked man in tight, tiny yoga pants welcomes the group. We stand up for Prana Yama Breathing and I am already sweating... oh dear... I have no idea what is in store for me.. but I let it all go and decide to just flow with the experience... and simultaneously, at that moment, I cross a threshold. At that moment I am at my most naive and my most brave. I take the proverbial leap of faith. I have no idea how profoundly that 90 minutes is going to change my life.

I somehow make it though this class without dying. The next morning I wake up sore all over and feel a strange sensation, like a tiny current of positive electrical energy is running throughout my body. I feel something I haven't felt in a really long time: alive.

It's been six months now, and I guess you can say I am hooked. I feel stronger. I am more disciplined. My balance is better. My skin glows. I am more emotionally stable. I feel purified from the inside out. Gone are the blues, gone are the restless, sleepless nights. There is an incredible sense of satisfaction and accomplishment after each and every class. I enjoy the friendly, familiar faces at the studio. I feel like I am a part of a meaningful movement, like I'm part of something important. When I am practicing I feel connected to something. The edge is now gone from daily life. I feel softer, lighter, happier and healthier than ever. My work has improved and my stamina for physical labor has increased. I swear I feel younger than I did 10 years ago. My body has become a finely tuned instrument.

My arms are raised about 50% of the time I am working.
Practicing Yoga has helped further strengthen my
muscles and build more stamina.

Nothing good in life comes easy, and this is no exception. It's a big work out and a huge commitment. I still hate to sweat. And some days I am so tired from working so hard... but I come anyway. It's a love/hate relationship. I hate it while I'm there but I love it after I leave! I guess there is a beautiful duality about Bikram Yoga. For example, you are alone in your practice and yet you are in a room of people. It's a pretty "loud" experience: the heat, the sweat, the pain... but it's also a place that forces you to hear your own silence. You will fight to find your peace. For 90 minutes you put 100% of your head and heart into a practice that somehow manages to reveal your soul. Tense, stretch and release... and get ready to sweat out all of the tears you can't cry.

I saw a t-shirt recently that to me sums up the essence of Bikram Yoga perfectly, it said: "Pain is weakness leaving your body." How true! My entire relationship with myself and my life is truly evolving. And this is totally and directly proportionate to my new relationship with pain. In the human experience pain is unavoidable. I have learned that pain is not something to fear. It is simply something to move through. As soon as you make the decision that pain is temporary and you are brave enough to feel it, it's over. Gone. That's it. I am devoted to pursuing Bikram Yoga because this practice has replaced my weakness with strength of mind, body and spirit. Every day I tell myself what I learned in class: keep bending and you will never break!

Bikram Yoga (a form of Hot Yoga) is a set series of 26 postures and two breathing exercises ideally practiced in a room heated to 105 degrees with 40% humidity over a 90 minute duration. The postures systematically move fresh, oxygenated blood to one hundred percent of your body, to each organ and fiber, restoring all systems to healthy working order, just as Nature intended. Proper weight, muscle tone, vibrant good health, and a sense of well being will automatically follow.

"Come every day for the next three months and I will give you a new body, a new life!" - Bikram Choudhury, Founder

Namaste,
xo,
AGP

Anatomy of a Wall

2011-03-07T08:52:00.003-05:00

A shimmery, crystally, classically-modern Master Bedroom Accent Wall
(Private Residence, Brooklyn, NY)

All hand-painted walls with subtle depth and rich finishes require many, many layers of work to achieve. The artist has to actually create a "formula" to achieve these results. The invention process takes place off-site, in a studio, on sample boards. I'm not sure how everyone else works, but for me, this is the most special part of the process. I love playing around with different products, mixing up colors and experimenting with new things. The most important part of this process is keeping good records (or "recipes," as I call them). You have to be able to reproduce your creations!

Here's a glimpse of a work in progress in the studio. I have kept
test cards, recipes and records of every color, every finish and
every project ever accomplished in my 14 years of painting!

Before I get to the design studio, the genesis of all new projects really begins with a Consultation. This is a no-charge, initial meeting where I travel to a client's home, view the space to be painted and discuss ideas and designs. Measurements are taken, samples and photos are shown, colors are debated and a preliminary budget is discussed. This is, in essence, a "first date" of sorts.

I have a pretty good sixth sense at these meetings. I seem to have the ability to pick up on a client's creative vibe. Sometimes, I intuitively know what they would like and then attempt to translate that into what would work in the space. Sometimes, it's not that easy. I have to ask lots of questions and dig a little to get those answers. Once in awhile, I show photos of previous work or tear-sheets from magazines... and as soon as I see a client's eyes light up, bingo! There's a clue. Other times, I get lucky, the walls just speak to me and I "see" something in my mind's eye. Mostly, I just absorb what is already in the space that inspires me... and then I take that to the next level: selecting colors and patterns that will enhance the prettiest things already in the room.

There was a little bit of everything happening on this consultation, for a Master Bed Room. The clients were a fun and friendly couple with three young children. They were extremely good communicators, very receptive to different ideas, willing to take a design risk and supportive and understanding about the creative process. I kept envisioning a "boutique hotel look" for them, and imagined a luxe, tranquil space for them to sink into at the end of a long day. They commissioned me to make them a few samples based upon a few ideas discussed, and loved what I presented to them a few weeks later.

I was really attracted to the smoky mirrors and silvery accents already existing in the Master Bedroom. Silver, glass and mirror always lend such understated elegance to a space. They suggest a little romance, a hint of mystery and a sexy, old Hollywood vibe.

This gorgeous piece in the room inspired me with it's
shimmery silver-leaf and classic, geometric lines.

I also really liked this smoky, oversized mirror with beaded trim

The other accent pieces were of mirrored finish and all of the
artwork was framed in a silvery-hue.

To compliment all of the existing elements in the space, I specified a sophisticated indigo for the room. The perfect cool hue to ground the light and sparkle of the rest. The headboard wall would be the wall for my special hand-painted creation.

I started out on a pale grey, flat painted "canvas" that was prepared for me by another painter. My first step was painting the wall metallic silver.

Always apply a metallic over a base of paint in similar color.
It will give a richer over-all hue to the finished product.
In this case I used a base of flat grey for a silver top coat.

Next up was a troweled-on layer of ShimmerStone tinted silver.
ShimmerStone is just like Venetian Plaster, except it has a
"pearlized" finish as opposed to a "glossy shine."
I love working with it!

Note: This is what it looks like while it's "setting up."
I know, scary right?
And you thought airplane pilots had nerves of steel?

Next up was a custom sized stencil from Wallovers. The entire wall needed
to be stenciled with flat white paint as a "backing" for the glassbead gel
that I would be applying. The glass bead product dries to a clear and
would get totally lost on the wall if I didn't back it with something.

So, here is the wall, now completely stencilled in white and ready
for the lovely glass bead gel application. As I was working, the
wife just happened to mention that her hubby has OCD.
I could tell he was kind of a perfectionist, but... seriously?
Um, Great! Thanks for mentioning that!
Better knowing late than never! That level never left my side.

....and.... I called in the Reserves...
Here's my clean-freak, slightly neurotic (in a good way) friend,
dear Robin. I hired her to clean up after me and keep the stencils
SPOTLESS, thereby insuring the crispest lines on the wall.
Fighting fire with fire!

I applied the final layer, Golden's Glass Bead Gel, with a rubber
spatula. It was pretty simple, like icing a cake, but a little tedious
because it added weight to the stencil and required scraping of
the excess and cleaning the stencil after every pass. Oy.

So here is the wall half-way stenciled with glass bead gel.
You have to wait until one area dries to the touch before
stenciling the area next to it, as the stencil must overlap
the previous area to form a continuous pattern.
The gel goes on white but will dry clear.

So there you have it. The wall is really beautiful and looks different
from every angle of the room, depending on how light hits it.
Silver, pearl and glass beads all reflect and glow differently!

Here's another view...
Note: the white spots is where the glass bead gel is still setting up

Here is a detail close-up of the glass beaded stencil pattern

And one more shot of how the wall works in the space...

The clients were ecstatic over the finished product... and Mr. OCD was relieved that he could now sleep in the room. Mission accomplished. Beauty, custom art and... comfort to those afflicted with anxiety disorders. Can I now add this special skill to my promotional materials?!

xo,
AGP

Modern Problems

2011-02-28T09:54:00.000-05:00

Paint Pals
(Me and Jenn Danza experiencing "great heights" on scaffold)

Oh... riiiiiight... I'm a painter. I almost forgot to blog about painting. OK, enough about the romantic, creative stuff or the spiritual journey... let's come back to Earth and talk about a recent paint project.

There are some jobs that present "modern problems." I have nicknamed them such, because architects and builders of today use very different solutions to maximize space and build profitably. Some homes have unique wall breaks, larger rooms with different ceiling heights, random soffits here and there, open staircases, two or three storey foyers, and my personal favorite, the "main wall" that runs from the front door all the way to the kitchen in the back of the house without stopping.

Clients often call me for a solution on how to paint these "modern problems." Where does one room end and the other begin? What is the ceiling? What is considered the "wall?" The answers are as unique as the situations, and no two are alike.

One recent example was "Miss Avery's Room," a little girl's bedroom on the third floor of a home located in a beachy suburb outside of NYC. While renovating, Miss Avery's parents maximized all available space in what was originally the third floor attic. Miss Avery's room, as a result of this, had some really unique walls angles and slopes. Upon my first visit, I could plainly see how the average homeowner would have no idea where the walls ended and ceilings began.

As a remedy, I suggested we paint the entire space above 30" a pale aqua blue (inspired by the world famous Tiffany box). Blue tends to be a very transcending color. It works well when you desire the ceiling to "disappear." I custom made a second "off-spring" shade of blue by adding 30% Super White to the original color, thereby lightening it about 3/4 of a shade. This was applied to the lower wall, all of the space below 30" of height.

See what I mean?

Look at this dramatic wall/ceiling slope!

I then defined the two closely related blues by creating and applying a custom cut stencil of polka dots around the circumference. This "circular shape" border does double duty by simultaneously anchoring you in the angled room and softening the hard lines of the space.

I began the stencil on one wall (the one to the left)
where I saw a break I could work with. I then
stayed true to that line height all around the room.

I custom cut the polka dots into a piece of 7 ml mylar
and stenciled this border to anchor the room

As a finishing touch, the very talented Jenn Danza added a hand-painted monogram-type personalization to the room with the addition of Avery's name above the crib.

The monogram is a great way to personalize a child's room
without using wall-hangings. The idea crystalized after all
of the other elements were in place.

Jenn used a book of Font Styles to inspire the overall look. We also used our
camera phones, an ipad and Skyped on a lap-top to communicate our ideas
and progress with Miss Avery's mom who works in Manhattan.
Modern Problems and Modern Solutions!

The results were lovely and the clients were thrilled. Sweet dreams, Miss Avery... may you enjoy many happy memories in your new room!

xo,
AGP

Dreams and Visions

2011-02-24T10:09:00.001-05:00

When I was a little girl I once saw a rainbow at night... No one believed me.
Over the years I completely supressed this memory as an actual experience,
and always attributed it to a "dream." I recently had a dream where I stood
with my little girl self and we witnessed the very same celestial miracle, together.
"I believe you" I said to her.
"I know, that's what I'm counting on" she replied.
(rainbows at night are commonly referred to as "moonbows", they are quite rare)

Lately, I have been experiencing intense night time dreams. Colors are more vivid, scenarios are more realistic. I have also been awakening in the morning quite tired, as if I hadn't slept at all. Residual emotions experienced in these dreams are staying with me for long periods of time. My psyche is apparently being greatly affected by what is transpiring while I slumber.

These aren't bad dreams, per se, but they are slightly disturbing. "Disturbing" (for lack of a better word) because these dreams are more like "experiences" and are quite different than dreams past. These "experiences" are powerful: they are awakening long-buried memories and changing my perceptions in daily, waking life. In fact, the line between what is real and what is a dream is getting a little blurry.

The fragments that I can remember are extremely detailed with bold imagery. Scene after scene, I am digesting enormous amounts of information. The best way for me to describe it is this: If my brain is an iphone "my apps" are being rapidly updated and installed at night, every night.

On the upside, as a result of this I have had pretty awesome experiences; some psychic (like blurting out information that I have absolutely no business knowing) and some cerebral (I recently skimmed and fully digested a 462 page book within 3 days).

In some dreams I'm getting the chance to revisit childhood memories (as an adult) and spend time with my little girl self. How cool is that?! I'm also working and creating interesting things in these dreams. Or, should I say, un-creating. You see, I find myself now strangely un-painting rooms. Yes, "unpainting." I walk into a gorgeous, finished space and step-by-step, un-paint it layer-by-layer. These intense dreams are affording me the opportunity to now simultaneously live forward and backwards? Time isn't linear. In fact, time doesn't exist.

Flaming June by Lord Frederick Leighton
"Dreams are illustrations from the book your soul is writing about you." (Marsha Norman)

My body is also being affected. I am waking up feeling "spent." Isn't that the opposite of sleep? I mean, come on... aren't I going to sleep so that my body and mind can rest and rejuvenate?! Apparently not!

I had one particular dream that something physical happened to me and I woke up with an ache in that exact spot. Did my subconscious mind build an elaborate scenario to explain or cause the ache it felt while I slept? Or did something I did in the dream cause my physical body to manifest this pain as a result of the intense reality of the dream? Maybe it wasn't a dream at all? Hmmm....

Secondly, I had a few experiences where I remained conscious as I lost consciousness to sleep. "Falling asleep" is aptly named. The feeling as if I were falling out of my body, with a downward gravitational pull was so strong it was as if a great magnet were pulling me away. I felt my entire body go into a deep sleep, and my mind, however relaxed, remained conscious and was only half-way there. A few minutes later, I felt my body get very dense, heavy. Something kept tugging at my mind... pulling... pulling... and I let go... zzzzzzz....

On the way back, I have also "crash-landed" a few times. As my body began to wake up, my consciousness remained elsewhere... and bang! I felt myself awaken with such a jerk, such a force that I swear, the bed trembled.

OK, so these are are normal and explainable patterns of sleep that all human beings will experience at one time or another... but so frequently? All at once?

It feels like the entire process of sleep is changing for me. I have spoken with several close friends, all "creatives" or "spiritual sensitives" and they too are having similar experiences. What we have in common with one another is our "open state" and our right-brained leanings. We all agree: maybe when our energy vibrations are raised (creativity, enlightenment) our higher level of consciousness also shifts during unconscious states? Meaning, perhaps the dynamics of sleep, dreams and astral experiences also evolve and mature in direct relation to a person's level of spiritual development?

Or, even more interesting, perhaps humanity as a whole is being "upgraded." Many people believe great shifts in consciousness are happening on Earth right now. Many awesome things that could be connected to 2012 and the Mayan calendar. Some believe it is a time of endings... some believe it is a time of beginnings. All who study this interconnectedness of the universe agree, something big is going to happen. Are these sleep and dream experiences "reviews before an ending" or "preparation for a new beginning?" I don't know. I guess I'm going to have to sleep on it.

Life is getting richer and more mysterious by the moment...

xo,
AGP

Decisions, Decisions...

2011-02-17T09:34:00.000-05:00

A comforting reminder on a greeting card made by

PaPaYa! The circle, to me, represents pure consciousness.

There is always some madness in love. But there is also always some reason in madness.
-Friedrich Nietzsche

**Are you having difficulty making a decision? If you are, here are a couple of methods that you can use that might make your task a little easier.

One of the reasons we have difficulty making a decision is because we often do what other people want us to do and not what WE truly want to do. When making a decision, try to take out all the factors that influence your decision, and then you should see more clearly what you want to do.

This means that you need to sit down when no one is going to bother you and pretend that whatever decision you have to make will be perfectly okay with everyone else in the world.

For example, if you were trying to decide whether to separate in a marriage, imagine that if you left, your partner would be neutral about it and any kids would be perfectly fine. Relatives would agree with you. Friends would support and encourage you. There would be enough money. Fear would be non-existent because everything would turn out great. No one would say anything negative to you, only words suggesting that the decision you made was the right one.

Get yourself to the point where you feel that and then ask yourself: If everyone was okay with my decision, what would I do? This should give you a clearer answer. Taking out the mind clutter and outside influences helps you get to the bottom of what you truly desire.

I used to have a lot of difficulty making decisions for myself, and then I was given the above exercise. It made the decision-making process a lot easier. I got to the heart of what I truly wanted instead of letting myself be guided by guilt or fear. I started taking responsibility for my own actions and did not allow myself to guided by all these people who thought they knew what was best for me. I discovered that I knew what was best for me.

**She said it first and she said it best... therefore this is reprinted from an article written by Wendy Kay

(My two cents: whether this decision is big or small, life changing or life enhancing...what color to paint your kitchen or if you should cut your hair, if you should go back to school, get married, quit your job... any and all decisions should be made with your heart. I have learned by experience these are the decisions you will never regret.)

xo,
AGP

Party Time!

2011-02-14T14:13:00.000-05:00

There will be some serious cupcake decorating tonight!
photo credit: Mary Murphy

It's a busy, busy day here in Brooklyn. My Little Valentine and I are hosting a party this evening!

Our V.I.G.s (Very Important Guests) are some of the most special people we know...
our fellow Single Moms and their Sons.

Oh! And one very lucky Single Dad and his Daughter.
A fox in the chicken coop? Hmmmm.... this is going to be interesting....

You know this is a serious party when I break out the fondue pot!
Love, like everything else, tastes better dipped in chocolate...
photo credit: Cooking Light

My wish for you dear, kindred spirits: that you see and celebrate all of the love around you today. In the moment. Exactly as it is.

xo,
AGP

Dry

2011-02-07T16:59:00.001-05:00

"Think of your head as an unsafe neighborhood; don't go there alone."
-- Augusten Burroughs, Dry: A Memoir

As a creative person, I rely on a constant flow of Creative Juice to fuel my work. And this "Juice" is intoxicating. Luckily, I have learned over the years that the very best way to make more Juice is to use more Juice. Yippee! Therefore, I allow this creativity to flow into my whole world. Creativity is best served as a lifestyle.

Creativity is a Right Brain activity, therefore, we are all born with the potential of tapping into this power. Our "computer" came fully loaded with all the right software. When you are fully engaged in Creative Thinking you are opening the doors to your personal, limitless power: your imagination. You are also directly connected to Source. The universe is yours to behold. You are "tapped" into Life Force Energy.

Creative power is available to everyone, at all times. What makes me and other Creative People different is that we use it regularly. Therefore, we have more. The more you use, the more you have. Like energy. This is just one of the greatest mysteries of the universe.

Sometimes... seemingly out of nowhere... I feel like I've run dry. It's as if the cord to Source has been cut off or blocked. My tentacles are ever reaching for that elusive answer, my ideas are flat. The world is a little less animated. Sometimes I can feel it happening. It feels like swimming in from the depths of the ocean.... and knowing you are approaching shallow waters. Land ho!

When I hit the sand it's waking up from a great dream and re-entering the three dimensional world. Everything goes grey. Suddenly, I notice gravity. My body feels heavier and it requires more attention. I am more conscious of time (and it moves slower). I find that I need more of everything: more sleep, more food, more entertainment, more distractions, more support, more attention from friends. My identity becomes challenged, my perceptions shift. I have re-entered the world of logic, numbers, rules and reality. Suddenly, a fallen leaf is just a fallen leaf. A cloud is just a cloud. There's no magic. No sparkle. The wind isn't calling your name. You're just.... you.

Everything has its wonders, even darkness and silence,
and I learn, whatever state I may be in, therein to be content.
-- Helen Keller

Obviously, this is all an illusion... you are never "cut off" from Source... Spiritually and intellectually I know this... but my emotions and fears love the chance to come out and play, too! And like bad party guests, they really know how to wreck the house.

When I was younger, these dry periods of dormancy, felt like a punishment. To experience the height of Life Force Energy and Creative Output and then come back down... felt a crash. As soon as I attached emotion to it: it became a tortured existence. No wonder some of our greatest artists were institutionalized, cut off their body parts or ended their own lives.

During "down-times" times, I would grieve my "highly creative periods," it felt like I lost my best friend. I used to panic, will it come back? Negative thoughts would creep in... was I worthy of the gift in the first place? Was it real? And then that ubiquitous, existential monster would thump around in the closet of my mind: Who am I? Why am I here? What's it all for? As they say, what you focus on expands... and so my twilight would then become full-fledged darkness.

Like all "immortal" young people fully engaged in harnessing their youth and vitality, I also used to add insult to injury by thinking I could "control the flow." Like water from a faucet. And I would attempt to push it. This was never the right answer. Fighting for this control, forcing the feeling often led to frustration, depression, and yes, I dare admit, even despair.

Eventually, I got tired of fighting it and I just let go. I surrendered. That's when two things would happen... I would sink a little deeper, hit bottom and then... a natural buoyancy would occur... pushing me back up, off from a solid base. And I would start to ascend. Happy Days were here again... That is when I accepted the genius of "letting go."

Great lessons, I learned, open the gates for miracles to occur... I soon realized, letting go is the ultimate act of creativity. And my whole world changed. Releasing your intention, your consciousness, your plan, your attachment to the outcome... and surrendering to the Force... is you BEING CREATED.

The intellect has little to do on the road to discovery. There comes
a leap in consciousness, call it intuition or what you will, and the
solution comes to you, and you don’t know how or why.
- Albert Einstein

Yes! I am not only IN a constant state of creation, I AM a constant state of creation!

As I got older, I got more comfortable embracing this new consciousness and really began to see the big picture. I am now more accepting of these "downtimes." I know what they are. And I welcome them. This pattern is normal and healthy, and always serve me well. I have learned to be kinder to my creative self in dormancy. I let her have her rest. She and her Source are working on something that I am not ready to see.

Some of history's greatest thinkers, the creative geniuses, the "life masters" all had their dry spells. Now, when I stumble upon a quote from these wise, well-seasoned humans, I record it. In case I slip, I need my sponsors. They comfort me, as I now hopefully comfort you, that yes, this is just part of the process. Yes, you will one day be back in the flow. Yes, this, like everything else is temporary. And then the cycle becomes a shared human-spiritual experience. A bond.

Remember: let go and let a cycle complete itself. Rest. Know you are safe. You have not been forgotten. Trust. There is a greater wisdom at work here. Our lives are our own greatest creations; never judge a work in progress. And regardless of what time it is, it's always happy hour, somewhere! :)

Actually I don't remember being born,
it must have happened during one of my black outs.
-- Jim Morrison

xo,
AGP

A 45 Day Flight Delay

2011-02-03T10:45:00.001-05:00

This image by artist Kathleen Rossi-Howell for PaPaYa!
hangs above my studio work bench. A powerful and
inspiring picture that reminds me what it's all for.

So, here we are just beginning the shortest and most brutal month of winter... ushered in with a big storm and some good news. February is quite a duplicitous month. We're still buried in snow (and ice and rain and wind), but they say we'll have an early Spring. Well, I don't know about you... but that's good enough for me!

I'm preparing to FLY. That means simultaneously caring for the nest and preparing to flee it. As of today, there are 45 days to go. And there's a lot of magic to be squeezed out of those 45 days.

I am busy making a special list. One that includes all of the things I want to do and see, and all that needs to be done to get there. Loose ends and new beginnings. Completing Projects. Planning adventures. Taking care of business. Looking for new opportunities. Cleaning out the storage room. Signing up for a new class. Taxes. Teeth cleaning. New samples for my portfolio. Tossing old products. Jury duty. And it goes on.

I love my lists. They keep me organized and focused. There is nothing quite like achieving a small project and crossing it off. Done. Onto the next. It is so satisfying. I can feel my wings stretching.

What do you need to do to FLY?

Write it down. Writing something down brings an idea into the material world. It is the beginning of a quest, an adventure, the genesis of a dream. It is a powerful act of intention. Thoughts can become heavy when unexpressed and carried around in the luggage of your mind. Clear your brain! Putting it on paper frees you from having to "remember." How refreshing it is to have all that brain-space for other things! And once you write it down a "thought" becomes a goal.

When I write things down my life definitely better, easier. I stop living in my head and I can be in the "now." My time is more fluid. My sleep is deeper. My dreams are pleasant. My mind is sharp. My thoughts are crystal clear. My creative muscles are flexed.

Because I am still in the nest, small tasks that make me happy and comfortable in the moment are important too. Another list I keep focuses on the smaller stuff; reminders to connect with friends, buy a new book, stock the pantry. Keep extra postage stamps, batteries and lightbulbs. Make a fresh pot of vegetable soup. Following through item by item makes me feel loved, cared for and cozy. I am both mama bird and the hatchling!

They say God is in the details. Life is in the details. The also say Love is in the little things. Think about it. The broad vision plus the details and the little things is extraordinarily powerful. Having a larger vision is good... and backing it up with small steps is satisfying. Cities are built brick by brick. A life is lived moment by moment. And who could not envision our mighty Grand Canyon? Never forget what a tiny, continuous drop of water can do.

Write it all down and make it count... Get ready in the moment for the moment to come. Prepare to FLY!

xo,
AGP

Know by heART

2011-01-31T08:58:00.001-05:00

A clump of seaweed washes ashore
and delivers a really important message.

Well, this is a very, very important day.

Why? Because there are three important things I remembered to remember and that I am going to remind you of right now.

These three very simple, yet very profound "memories" have the power to shift every problem, crisis, challenge, doubt, obstacle or issue you are facing in your life.

You already know these things. Yes, you do. You just forgot you know. And remembering these things is going to change your life. Right here, right now.

Are you ready? Of course you are! You're reading this, aren't you? (Remember this too... there are no coincidences!)

1.) All is well and everything is exactly the way it is supposed to be.

2.) Everything that is happening right now is happening FOR YOU not to you.

and

3.) You are loved.

Oh yes, especially number 3. You are loved. You are very loved.

Do you feel it? Do you see it?

Look again!

melting snow

garlic clove

paint drop on a pair of jeans

pebble

crumpled piece of paper

NYC subway floor

broken bit of seashell

floating in a cup of coffee...
(this photo courtesy of Jenn Danza)

These sweet, surprising hearts pop up all around me, every day, in the most unusual of places. "Hello," they say... "Here we are! Remember, you are loved." And I do remember. And it makes all the diference.

Who says you never find love while you're looking for it? Nonsense! The more you look, the more you'll find, actually! It takes an open mind and a creative eye... but it's there waiting for you. It always was.

xo,
AGP

A Book Is A Friend, Part 2

2011-01-27T05:19:00.000-05:00

One of the Little Toot books in the series written and illustrated
by Hardie Gramatky, a playmates's grandfather. (c.1975)

When I was a little girl, growing up in Glen Rock NJ, amongst many things, we shared the pleasure of relaxed property lines with our friendly neighbors. Children were permitted to "cut through" neighbors yards to shorten their traveling time from house to house. Therefore, to visit a family that lived around the block you didn't need to actually walk around the block to get there... you simply went down a neighbor's driveway, through some hedges, walked up another driveway and voila! You arrived! (This is a total small town phenomenon, circa 1970s, I doubt this courtesy still exists.) We never had "play dates" we went "calling for" friends. So "cutting through" made "calling for friends," (and disappearing at chore time or darting away from pesky younger siblings, and such) very convenient.

One of my closest childhood playmates, Tina S., lived around the block and we utilized the "cut through" several times a day from the time we were very, very young. Our mothers decided it was safe as long as we met each other half-way. One afternoon, (I must have been about 5 years old) I remember waiting patiently for my little friend in the hollows of a large rhododendron bush on the side of a neighbor's yard. I finally saw her approaching... but with an older-looking man, wearing a cap, in tow. As they came closer, I saw that the man looked quite jolly and he seemed to be taking great delight in the adventure of "cutting through." Tina was smiling and waving at me, but still... this "guest" was quite unexpected. I was terrified at the sight of a stranger and as they got closer I really lost it. I turned and shrieked and ran back home to my mother with my heart in my throat!

A few minutes later, a laughing gentleman with twinkling eyes stood, with my playmate, at our back door. He was Hardie Gramatky, the famous author and illustrator of the classic children's book series, Little Toot. And Tina' grandfather. He was visiting from Connecticut and Tina wanted him to meet her little friend. What a lovely welcome I gave him! Nevertheless, a thoughtful Christmas gift still appeared under our tree that winter, inscribed and signed to my sister and me.

"For Angela and Livia Gorini, with love from LITTLE TOOT
and Hardie Gramatky, Christmas 1975"

Oh, how I treasured that little book (but not that memory, necessarily)! The Little Toot book series is still one of my favorites: a collection of lovely stories about a mischievous, imaginative tugboat. Each adventure revolves around a small, seemingly insignificant "little boat with a very big job." Little Toot makes his mark with acts of bravery and fortitude... always managing to save the day. The cheerful illustrations have just the right amount of wit, and the sweet, classic style makes me as nostalgic today as it did in my youth. Is it possible that some things just get better with time? It is no wonder many of these stories are still in print today!

As an adult, I now realize what an accomplished artist Mr. Gramatky was. A recent visit to his beautiful website lists the awards he received for his watercolor paintings (over 40!), as well as notable projects (he worked with Disney on animations), and gives a comprehensive overview on his life and impressive body of work.

Hardie Gramatky, 1907-1979

Considered by Andrew Wyeth to be

"one of the 20 great American watercolorists."

To meet a renown author (especially under such dramatic circumstances!), whose work you can truly relate to, when you are a child of such an impressionable age is a very powerful thing. I remember being inspired to write and illustrate stories of my very own, thinking maybe one day, I too could create something special. I shall never forget the charming man, with the twinkling eyes, who opened one of the many doors to my imagination.

You know, I still have some of those stories I wrote and illustrated as a child. Even though the paper they are written on has yellowed with time and the colors of the drawings have faded, the memories of those dreams are still very much alive. I loved expressing myself through images and words... and obviously, still do! Hopefully, like Little Toot, I'll keep getting better with time.

xo,
AGP

Think Bliss

2011-01-24T11:59:00.000-05:00

The artwork that inspired a recent paradigm shift... and a paint project.

Why should your life be anything less than bliss?
Really, why?
What purpose does your unhappiness serve?
Seriously

On a cold, grey winter afternoon I decided I needed a fun activity to keep myself busy and entertained... something satisfying, without causing too much work for myself.... A small home improvement project... Something whimsical, something fun...

Change is good. Change is important. And change is necessary. You are your rooms. Yes. You are. Look around. Do you like what you see? "The house is but the externalized man." (Frank A. Parsons) If this room was me... I needed a change. The room needed a shot of adrenaline. Fresh air. Whimsy. A reason to smile. Truly.

Hmmmm.... I looked up at the ceiling and pondered my options.

My bedroom "before"

What is it that I was after? Bliss. The word popped into my head immediately. Then, an artist's image came to mind: a glistening, bejeweled homage to the promise of perfect happiness. An image of a rose in full bloom, radiating stripes of color. I adore this image so. What is bliss? What does bliss feel like? What does bliss look like? Guided by the artwork I closed my eyes and experienced "bliss" as hot pink. I imagined it surrounding me, bathing me in it's glow. I felt joy. Wow, I could live with that... I thought. And so I went with it.

My bedroom "after"

A bold stroke of color changes everything!

Before
Elegant, but plain.... (yawn)

After
That's hot!

Guess what? I feel like a new person in this new space. It's happy and fun. It's a small thing to paint a ceiling, really. And it's a big thing, too. Suddenly, life feels a lot less somber. White, cream, plain-Jane vanilla ceilings are everywhere... for no particular reason. Sensible, monochromatic, "safe" colors have their reasons... but not right now and not in my room.

Every now and then a sweet, candy-kiss of joy bursts through the monotony of every day life. You can capture that essence in the form of color. This "essence" reminds me to 1.) be an artist 2.) embrace change 3.) go with your gut 4.) express your vision 5.) take a chance.

Painting a ceiling doesn't require an entirely new color scheme, new bedding, curtains, moving furniture... It could be the biggest little thing you can change. GO FOR IT!

If this is the path to bliss, I like it already. Things are looking up.

xo,

AGP

A Book is a Friend

2011-01-20T08:48:00.001-05:00

I won a bookmark contest at the Glen Rock Public
Library when I was in 2nd grade. This was printed
and distributed to library patrons during the fall of 1977.

For as long as I can remember, I have always loved to read. I was the classic "kid under the blanket, reading with a flashlight" 'til the wee hours of the morning. To this day, I am still a total bookworm. As I knew at 7 years old in the 2nd grade and as I know now, a book really is a friend.

Have you ever experienced that distinct pang of loneliness after finishing a really good one? It's probably a combination of how deeply you identified with the story and the quality of time and space the book filled in your waking life. Sometimes it's the author's voice, or the colorful characters and their interesting lives. Other times, it's just the rich act of reading: being deeply focused on the written word, your imagination fully engaged. Whatever the reason, the story ultimately merges with yours, and in a way, forms parallell emotions and memories. When the last page is turned and the author's voice is silenced, there can be, most certainly, a palpable sense of loss.

But a true friend never really leaves you. My favorite childhood books seem to still be with me, in me. The powerful words and imagery still live in my heart, even after all these years and countless numbers of books. With great recall I could recite you lines from the stories, and vividly describe the illustrator's drawings. Even down to distinct style and colors. As an artist, this has served me well over the years when designing children's rooms for my clients. There is a rich "library of memories" inside of me.

Most of the books of my youth were borrowed from the library or passed down from me to my two younger sisters in succession. These "hand-me-down books" were either lost or discarded, worn out, or given away to other children. When I had my son it occurred to me that I really should start tracking down some of these books to share with him.

Thanks to the internet and a little ingenuity I have slowly, but surely, re-built my collection of favorites over the past 10 years. I have new and wonderful memories wrapped around these lovely treasures!

And now, without further ado, I wish to introduce to you (or reacquaint you with) some of my dear, old friends...

(Copyright 1957)
One of the most haunting and beloved books from my childhood.
Was out of print at the time I purchased on Ebay for over $100.

Growing up, I never owned this book. It was one that I checked out at the library, about 400 times. I was thrilled to have found it in 2005 as I was going through a challenging time of transition in my life. This "treat" was worth every penny. Throughout my childhood and even times as an adult, I really identified with The Lonely Doll, named Edith. So impressioned was I with this book, the Little Bear character in the story even made his way into my award-winning bookmark (see above)!

For those of you who are familiar with this story, who could forget the artistic, haunting images of Dare Wright's black and white still photos? The little expressionless doll, apparently neglected in some anonymous, gloomy New York City mansion, was elegantly posed in true-to-life vignettes: eating breakfast, feeding pigeons, gazing out the window and wishing for friends to play with. Out of the blue two teddy bears, aptly named Mr. Bear and Little Bear, show up and the real fun begins.

This haunting image has always remained with me.
The Lonely Doll and Little Bear cross the Brooklyn Bridge.

I heard that the book caused some controversy a few years back, when it was re-released, due to the "negative messages" it may send to little girls of today (the doll was "punished" for putting on lipstick and acting sassy, amongst other subjective actions). But it deserves respect for the time and place it was created and for the millions of little girls (now women) of a certain generation who adored it so. This may be one to appreciate for yourself and hide from your daughters!

A lighter, more whimsical story, The Big Tidy Up by Norah Smaridge (copyright 1970), was also a dear favorite. Again, I never owned this book personally. It was one that was checked out of the library about 300 times. (As you can see, I really loved the library). I found this one on Alibris in 2007 for about $200. Yes, that is a lot of money. To cheer myself up during a sad and difficult time in my life, I splurged. It's cheaper than therapy! The book had been out of print for nearly 20 years and I hadn't seen it in about 30, but it still had some potent magic in it. The day it arrived was a really happy one!

What made this book so special "then" is that 1.) There was finally a misbehaving child that I could completely identify with and 2.) Her room was worse than mine! And what makes this book so special "now" is... er.... the very same thing! :)

My sisters and I can all still quote, verbatim, at least half the book, beginning with: "Jennifer knew as well as you that everything had it's place... but she didn't care a whit nor a bit, so her room was a real disgrace."

Scene from Jennifer's disaster zone, before the "big tidy up" that the book is named for.
My son loves this book, too... but he is not allowed to keep it in his room
since a.) it is a collector's item and b.) his room is too messy!

Perhaps you remember these stories too? If so, please share your memories in the comments. I would love to hear your thoughts. And I have more special "old friends" to share with you in future posts. Stay tuned...

xo,
AGP

Dream Board

2011-01-17T11:46:00.000-05:00

My Dream Board, a work in progress

One afternoon, while cleaning out a bookcase in my art studio, I stumbled upon an old manila folder of tear sheets from magazines that I had completely forgotten about. For the convenience of my decorative painting clients, I have always saved tear sheets for consultations. The pages torn from shelter magazines are not only for ideas and design inspiration, but are also good communication tools employed for clarity.

This forgotten collection of pictures was different. This one was just for me. I started this collection of images a few years ago... so I only vaguely remembered the contents. As I began to sift though them, I felt my heart start pounding and my knees went a little weak. Here were my very favorite clippings and tear-outs from all the magazines, safely tucked away... beautiful interior and exterior images of classical designs. Statues, fountains, gardens, mosaics, richly colored rooms with embroidered fabrics, soaring columns, antiques... Feelings of excitement and anticipation welled within me. Each image was at once so fresh and yet, so familiar. That old folder held a treasure trove of decoration and delight. It was exactly what my hungry creative eye needed.

Buoyed by the excitement and anticipation of this recent find, I manically began to pull stacks of magazines from all corners of the studio and the rest of my home. Under the sofa, under the beds, stacked in closets... these magazines have been rich sources of detail for me over the years, and were, therefore, difficult to part with. But now I had this juicy new project that seduced me into the arduous task of editing through them. A treasure hunt was at hand. And out they came.

So, I spend every spare minute of the next 4 days clutching my islice (one of the greatest inventions EVER) and sifting through each and every issue. I don't waste a moment analyzing why, or sorting them into distinct piles of reason... I just cut and tear. And cut and tear... Amongst the design images I also add a few extras: a picture of a puppy, a large canary yellow diamond. A vineyard. Bouquets of roses. I have no idea what it means, but I toss them in anyway. The common denominator? The image speaks to me, it resonates an emotion within. In colloquial terms: I'm feelin' it.

Before long, there is a bulging file on my desk and 16 bundles of magazines on my curb awaiting recycling. The best parts of them surgically removed. Phew. A big project. My apartment sighs in relief. My space feels better. Open. Cleaner. And my hungry creative eye is satisfied by the visual feast it just devoured.

Ironically, within the next day or two, yet another magazine arrives in the mail. It's the an issue of O (Oprah's Monthly Lifestyle Bible). I am not a subscriber, this is sent to me as a promotion. It feels like a cosmic joke. Tired and slightly burnt out, I quickly leaf through it with a strange feeling of obligation (it is a free gift from the Queen of Media, after all).

Then, as if by perfect timing, I stumble upon an article that seems to have been planted there only for me to see... The Vision Thing. "Step One: Cut out pictures of things you love. Step Two: Paste them onto paper. Step Three: Realize your life's ambition? Well sort of. Martha Beck on the right way to use your vision board."

I read this article, in it's entirety while standing at the mailbox. I like this Martha Beck immediately. She is descriptive and slightly sarcastic; an open-minded skeptic with the task of writing about a New Agey twist on The Law of Attraction. She rightly calls human imagination "one of the most powerful forces on our planet." And I remember one line that sums up the article succinctly: Consciousness can shape reality. I whole-heartedly agree with both of these statements.

So much so, this begs repeating: Human imagination is one of the most powerful forces on our planet... and consciousness can shape reality.

She is obviously speaking directly to me, right?! I mean, what are the chances? I feel blessed. I feel guided. Incredible forces of synchronicity are obviously already at work here. I immediately understand what it is I must do.

And so it came to be.

As you can see, my vision board is a mosaic of images mounted with thumb tacks. It's still a work in progress. I like the idea that I can move things around and add to it whenever the mood strikes. When I look at these images I feel both grounded and elevated. These images raise my vibration. On my board is one phrase. It says: Serendipity: Love at first sight. This is to keep me focused: only put things on the board that you love immediately, instinctively. No compromises. No settling. Period.

A second view of my Vision Board, a work in progress.

(North wall of my home studio)

Using a large bulletin board allows me greater flexibility

for creating and re-creating this piece of "art."

It's too soon to tell how this board will "manifest" these things in my life. And I'm not concerned about it. I clearly manifested the board, didn't ? In the meanwhile, it brings me joy just gaze at these lovely images. They keep me in a constant state of wonder. They remind me of how beautiful things CAN BE. We all need something to strive for. Something to aspire to. These elevated forms of beauty and balance finel-tune my eye and make my heart sing. And, in moments of solitude or doubt, they are a comforting reminder of dreams and how utterly powerful they can be.

A final thought for today and always, but especially today... If you are a dreamer like me, stand proud and stand tall, for we stand in very good company.

In memory of Martin Luther King, Jr.

xo,
AGP

NOW You're Pretty!

2011-01-13T10:19:00.000-05:00

The surprise diamond heart pendant that made me pretty

I hope it's not too late to tell you this story.... I think it's still good enough to still share, even though the parties are over and the decorations have been put away.

An unexpected gift appeared under our tiny Christmas Tree this year. My 9 year old son simply could contain his excitement, and repeatedly begged me to open the small, expertly wrapped box over and over during Christmas Eve dinner. We usually open all of our gifts on Christmas morning, as with preparing and serving the big fish dinner, I am often too tired to really enjoy the gift exchange "ceremony." But he really pressed, and I must admit, I was a little curious. This is the first gift that appeared under the tree for me from him that I did not purchase and wrap for myself!

When I finally relented, he was thrilled. Too thrilled. It made me a little suspicious and I feared the worst... was this some sort of joke? What could be in this box? An old, dried out carrot hidden in a napkin from the dinner table after an argument over eating vegetables? A dirty tissue from his coat pocket? Oh, my mind went to the darkest places...

As I began to open the gift, he hovered over me with such enthusiasm it made me nervous, so I turned to him and asked slightly impatiently: What is this? "I don't know," he shrugged. "Open it!"

Words cannot properly express the full spectrum of emotions I felt when I opened the box and saw the lovely, diamond heart pendant just sitting there and sweetly smiling at me. When my son saw my surprise and joy, he jumped up and down and yelled "hooray!" as if he just won some great prize. It became so obvious that he and I were both seeing this necklace for the first time. I hugged him and thanked him and told him I was the happiest mom in the world. He helped me put it on, stood back and said: "Oh yeah... NOW you're pretty." I nearly died from a heart explosion of love.

You have probably heard a story like this before... it reads like a "Chicken Soup For the Soul" chapter, or a Kay Jewelers commercial, even. The kind that makes you want to gag and change the channel. But not so fast... this story has a twist that makes it actually interesting.

There are obviously unseen hands here that worked quietly to make this gift happen. My son is way too young to have purchased this necklace on his own. But he had it in his heart that he wanted something special for me. It takes two things to make something happen: desire and action. Children sometimes need the adults to fulfill the action of their purest desires. And so he expressed this and the adults that "could" DID. But these adults were not the "usual suspects," ie, my parents/ my son's grandparents. They were Unseen Hands of a most unusual sort... my son's dad and step-mother. Let me say it plainly: my ex-husband and his new wife.

Yes. These two mature and caring adults deserve acknowledgement and praise for such a beautiful gesture towards me. I thank them for stepping up, letting the boundaries melt for a moment and acting on my son's behalf with this very special surprise. It was a gesture of kindness I shall never forget.

I am a firm believer of going the extra mile and practicing random acts of kindness. My heart actually hurts if I become conscious of a way to give, heal or help and don't. So I do. It's second nature to me. I know I'm not alone. There are many of us "sensitives" out there. Wired for loving unconditionally, giving our all, seeing the good, making things better. All of the time. Even if the recipients appear undeserving or ungrateful (sigh).

Well, may I remind you of this... none of it is ever in vain. It WILL come back to you. It WILL be multiplied, reflected and shown to you in a miraculous way. I promise!

Special Request Insert: If you are part of a special family... one that mom and dad co-parent their child/ren from two different homes... there may come a time or a place where you will have an opportunity to help your child show affection for the other parent. Be an angel. Be a silent hero. Be the unseen hand. Do it on behalf of your child. Do it FOR your child. You lead by example... so set the example. These are the legacies, these are the memories and these are the traditions that are worth remembering and cherishing.

Before I go, may I add: it's really wonderful that this year's Christmas Tree was a small, potted plant. It now sits on my tangerine-colored desk as I write this. The green remains a great symbol of life against the bleak backdrop of winter. And the pine scent is clean and fresh. I play with the heart pendant around my neck and start thinking about how I will plant this little tree in the garden come spring. Some things just deserve roots.

xo,

AGP

1/11/11

2011-01-11T08:39:00.000-05:00

Hello World!

Today is an excellent day. Very auspicious. 1/11/11. Everything is aligned.

According to numerologists 1 is the number of new beginnings. It is also the number of individualism and unity. The number one even sounds like a victory. One... Won.

11s are special, too. They are Master Numbers. 11s represent illumination, magnetism, vision, artistic talent, humanitarianism, and heightened awareness. They also say that 11 is the number which awakens your consciousness and brings you to a higher plane of awareness.

Put them together and WOW... this day has great potential.

For a long time, perhaps as long as I can remember having some form of a digital clock, I have often glanced up and noticed the time being 11:11. Haven't you? This always prompted me to say aloud to anyone around me: "It's a 11:11 Make a wish!"

This beautiful image by Anahata Joy Katkin
hangs on the wall at the foot of my bed.
It is the last thing I see before I close my eyes,
and the first thing I see when I open them!

It may be child-like to suggest we all wish for something today. But why not? Make that wish. Focus, close your eyes, send your request out there. I do. Every single day.

My wish today was for you to read this. See? It's all happening. :)

Thank you for visiting DivinePainter... please bookmark me and visit often...

xo,
AGP

ps -- Sending especially (((BIG HUGS))) to Jennifer Danza of Cool Blue Studio, Lisa Weatherbee of L Weatherbee Design and Donna Mcleer of TunnelVizion for getting me here today, on-time and smiling.

Debut Practice Post

2011-01-05T19:22:00.000-05:00

View from my writing desk

Dear Reader:

It is with a happy heart that I sit here, on my freshly-painted writing desk (tangerine-colored to enhance creativity), typing away on my brand new MacBook, in my new little writing nook. My desk in front of three large french paneled windows that face south (Feng Shui practices say that this promotes Yang: active, productive energy).

This moment and this space feels magical. The sunset is to my right, the moonrise is to my left... the sky is a brilliant twilight blue... and the crisp, white snow sparkles on the ground. In front of me, just outside this second-storey set of windows is an enormous tree. A strong, tall tree. Her empty, cascading branches belie the life force that flows within her. She called me here, to this spot to do my writing, this magical, barren tree. For despite winter appearances, she knows what she can and will be one day.

Although I desired to create this blog for a long while now, life just kept getting in the way. Also, for various reasons (professional, personal and practical), the timing just didn't feel right. So, to silence the words that just kept flowing, I kept a notebook, a journal, if you will, of writings and musings about life, love, creativity, spirit and insights developed along the merry way... with an eye on the future of maybe sharing it someday. That day just never seemed to come. For three years.

I have to admit an article of clothing pushed me over the edge. In a flash of memory I saw clearly a t-shirt I bought for a friend once. A frustrating procrastinator was he. He never got around to doing anything he said he would do. At the time it was a light-hearted gift meant to send a serious message. The shirt simply read: Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday Thursday, Friday, Saturday... See? There is no "Someday."

I will be the first to say, sometimes we just need to take our own advice. So, the time is right, simply because the time is now.

I'm not 100% sure what this platform will evolve to be but I hope to achieve this: a connection with you, dear reader. Three things make for a well-lived life and a well-written blog: our observations, experiences and connections. If my voice connects to one person, across the miles, through the mysterious ethers of the internet, my leap of faith will have been worth it. May we all somehow, in our own way, "someday" or today, inspire one another to lead richer, more meaningful lives.

Angela Gorini Perrone
aka "DivinePainter"

12/27/2010