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Hello again, it's been awhile.  Sounds like a song doesn't it?  Been rather distracted these days, I don't know about all of you but is something going on we weren't told about?  We left our studio in late January, our landlady wanted to sell the unit and we could see things going south in the economy so we're back in our condo studio and though it's nice not to have a 7 day a week commitment,  we do miss the company of our fellow humans.  Where is everyone?  No doubt at home on the net ordering their necessities online---oh yeah we see them in the bars and restaurants occasionally, but not in the malls or on the streets supporting the retailers who likewise are no doubt wondering where everyone is.

The shift was imperceptible at first but I'm starting to see that a major, cataclysmic change is creeping upon us.  We're being "handled", manipulated and befuddled by sources unseen who are re-programing the matrix we've been living in and many of us are now waking up to this nefarious plot.  I'm just surprised that we're all so unaware that we've gone along with it without knowing.

This sounds like a conspiracy plot to many but take a look at the facts.

1. We can't get any real news anymore.  Everything is skewed to a motive or agenda or personal opinion.  Every news station parrots the same fodder, nothing seems to be fact=checked to any degree and everything seems to be personalized to the extent that people are vilified, condemned and judged without them having a hope of getting their story to the public.

2.  Ditto for social media.

3.  Ads and marketing seem to be the driving force behind absolutely everything.  Nothing appears to be  what it is, shills to make us spend, spend, spend especially through that behemoth Amazon.

4.  Behind the scenes the narrative is being manipulated, edited and skewed to put forth an agenda for whomever is paying the bill.

5.  Scripts of sorts are introduced online or in the media about what something, or someone is and this is then taken onboard as fact.  Millions buy into it as fact.  This is undeniable.

We don't know to what or where to turn to get the actual picture.  This is putting fear at the forefront and the effect is palpable. We don't know who to trust and therefore we trust no one.  

I do trust that there is a power that knows the way and I trust that, only.  Live without fear for ALL IS TRULY WELL'.  Somehow, when we least expect it, the answer comes, just as it has always done when all seemed lost.

Meanwhile I 'll watch, wait and paint my way through.   hugs Marilyn

OK, so let's get one thing quite clear; art does not have to match your sofa ---there, I've said it, but having spoken it, it’s not a capital offense if it does.   Choosing art to compliment decor is fine,  but it should not be the overriding factor in buying art. Art is very personal and perhaps that's why people may opt for mere decoration, preferring not to parade their feelings or preferences for all to view.   Also, decision making can be confusing, given the abundance of fine art available not to mention the abundance of reproduction technology, which make for even more options.   Fear not, your neighborhood art gallery can be your best friend when facing those daunting empty walls.

It is worth remembering that art is the soul of your home, it can reflect your personality, your travels or just your love of culture and of course in buying art you help support artists. Artists sublimely feed the soul of your community with inspiration, innovation and courage, for it takes a brave heart to enter the arts and remain true to one’s passion, no matter the economic hardships endured.   Buying decoration is fun, but buying art is an experience that enhances your life.  Decoration is mass created, whereas art is created for the individual.

Most true artists prefer to paint from the intuitive area of consciousness. This state is common to us all,  but accessed only when the thinking, plotting, outlining of the mind is quiet. We all experience this when engrossed in an activity we love, time dissolves and we're in flow with whatever it is we're doing. So, when you come across a work of art that touches you, this is the connecting link between “your own inner artist” and the one who created the piece:  and the romance is on.

Once you've discovered the joy of art collecting, you want to nurture it and finding artists you connect with can be fun and addictive.  You want to discover the artist background what motivates them, what keeps them going even in economic hardship. You ‘ll want to see new work as it comes into the gallery and even enjoy meeting them in person if you can.

Art and art collecting is a massive subject and will be discussed here regularly, so please check back often for more information and insights into the “artist mind and soul”.

Hugs Marilyn Hurst  painter

It’s the day after International Artist Day and I’m reflecting on the world-wide response and it takes me back to the beginning of IAD, it’s inception so to speak.  The background is interesting in that it hadn’t been even conceived of before and it was our questioning of this very question that instigated the idea of IAD.

It was 2004 and Chris MacClure, my art/mentor/husband and I were having breakfast at the Baja Cantina, on the marina in Cabo San Lucas, before heading over to our studio/gallery (The Golden Cactus Gallery) for the day.  The TV monitors were on, as usual CNN blasting on about something or other when we heard the announcer pronounce it was “International Talk Like a Pirate Day”!  After a little rant about the trivial mundane drivel the “world” gets all up about, we had a serious think about “our world of art” and why the public has so little interest in it.  

We assessed that it was a lack of education on the role art/culture of any kind plays in an individual or community life.  Somehow the arts have taken a back seat over the years, change is inevitable, but underling everything is a creative “spirit” unseen but bubbling up through those individuals who tap into it’s wellspring and bring forth the masterpieces which show us the ineffable life in a world which devolves into the mundane.  We have lost this knowledge and art is a vehicle to bring us up short and realize our own invisible, divine nature.

Chris went to the web and began the work to draw attention to artists and their work to bring the creations of the invisible to life.  This has been a personal task which he has undertaken with an amazing amount of patience and perseverance over 20 years as of next year.  No monetary rewards, hardly any recognition but he was determined to leave this legacy for artists in the hope that the arts will continue on in society despite the lack of real interest by the majority of the public. 

This year an amazing amount of interest has exploded on the world stage and more and more interest in countries, especially so called third world countries in preserving art for their cultures.  

If you are reading this blog you too can help support the arts.  Encouraging the arts, buying art, donating to museums, visiting national galleries these all tell the powers that be in charge that treasuring our artists is an important role government can play in supporting the arts.

Thanks for taking the time to read this

A delightful young couple in their early 20’s dropped in yesterday, I was impressed by their interest in art as since we opened here, very few young people show any curiosity and sweep through here like they’re on a mission barely glancing at the artwork.  They loved an original and I made it affordable and they committed on the spot.  On chatting with them, they “get it” about art and why it is so important to them.  

Art takes us out of the “surface” of things, life, objects, ideas.  There’s lots to discuss about art, how the essence of a piece can reflect a mood, feeling, place or time and in fact is a timeless reminder of the real essence of life itself, as artists render the nothingness into something tangible.   

Art is not just decoration — in fact the major galleries of the world depict the history of civilization through the artwork of the artists in their time.   Since caveman days art has chronicled the struggles, loves and wars and everyday existence of our mortal lives.

Art takes appreciation and that takes time and attention, activities that can’t be quantified or qualified.  The internet can give you lots of information but seeing and experiencing can only be done in the flesh.

Coming on Oct. 25th is International Artist Day.  This day was chosen to honor artists and their contributions to our society in general.  May I suggest you help us celebrated this day by:

1. Visit a gallery or studio and or an artist.

2.  Take an artist to lunch or for glass of wine.

3  Buy that painting you had an eye on

4.  Watch a film on a famous artist or buy a biography on one.

5.  Visit the local art co-op and wish them a happy IAD.

6.  Check out the website for International Artist Day.com and learn more.

Thanks for taking the time to read this blog and drop by soon to our studio.  Hugs m

We’re five months in and loving it - again.  So perfect for a studio.  Didn’t realize how much I missed actually going out to work in a space that expresses so much creativity and yet affords us the chance to meet new folks every day.  

As many of you may remember, we were in this same location all during the pandemic event.  It seemed more people were out and about, being confined to home and masking took its toll and a trip to the beach was a treat indeed.  

Love to see everyone again, please drop by and check out our newest works and wearable art collection.

We never mind putting down our brushes to say hi and catch up with old and new friends.  Also, Chris is starting up his painting classes again, as you know he’s a great teacher, one on one or in a small group.

And by the way, International Artist Day is coming up, Oct. 25th, we’re involved to help celebrate White Rocks Arts Festival and are having some of our professional artist friends drop by the weekend of Oct. 14th & 15th to meet and greet clients, other artists and the general public at our studio.

We’re open every day 10ish to 5ish with 4ish being “wine-o-clock”.  Hugs Marilyn

MY SINCERE APPOLOGIES TO ALL FOR MY NEGLECT OF ANWERING EMAILS AND ENQUIRIES ON MY WORK.

I have been remiss in checking for messages from my web site, thinking that they would somehow show up on my email site but in fact they do not, and I have to go on my site then transfer them over to my email.

If you want to contact me, please send an email to:  goldencactusgallery@yahoo.com

Thanks and sorry again.  Marilyn

Almost 2 years have past since my last post.  WTH has happened to us?   Must be the baby boomer blahs.  We left our studio to find whatever we thought was missing and arrive back at the very same spot!  How’s that for irony ?   I think there’s a story about that, something about a holy grail.
 

Looking at the cold hard facts, we listened, not to our intuition, but to our minds, which truth be told got a little side-tracked what with the pandemic/economic side show.  The break was good for a time but we have had to admit we really did like what we were doing in our studio but fell prey to world opinions and went off on a Don Quioti-ish quest for “something better”.

Returning from Cabo this January, we cruised by the old “hood” and lo and behold there was a for lease sign in the window of our old studio!   Well we love the signs the universe sends us so frequently, even though we ignore them to our peril often, so,  long story short—-WE’ER BACK.

We’ll be up and running shortly after we take possession April 1st.  Drop in to visit.  Looking forward to catching up with everyone we’ve missed these past 2 years.   

Ironic, isn't it?  Last Blog just over a month ago and already losing it!  Actually, much inner work has been accomplished over the past month.  Something keeps telling me to close my ears to this world and taking things to the extreme as I do, I stayed away from everything I deemed not worthy of my attention.  I've plowed into my painting and produced some not too bad work.  It's not easy to tune out what's happening in the world so we rationalize our perceptions to accommodate what we see around us.  Really, we're so skittish about "ourselves"---what's to think about?  We do what we do----end of story.  No point debating what we should, should not, or cannot do===IT IS DONE!  Why do we think what we do, or say for that matter,  is soooo important?  

From this tiny spot in the universe, can we actually have any idea what's going on????  Hubris to the max.

So, back to the easel - just painting what I paint with the knowledge that somehow it'll be ok---let's leave everything alone, stop judging and be joyous and free.  Happy Independence Day everyone.  hugs. m

Hi Everyone and thanks for tuning in.

I set this blog up several years ago, intending to dole out little pithy articles around art and living the life as...etc.

My muse was unamused and promptly dried up...until today.  Meditation has been very important in my work and life since 1990 and I guess this dry spell was a lesson because it seems the drought has ended.  This blog by the way, is the fourth one I've tried since this morning....somehow I'm not getting the hang of this new computer and they haven't managed to stick.  They disappear into the vault of blue I know not where.  Anyway, I digress....

We closed the doors on our studio when our lease expired,  after 2 years on the waterfront and now we have "left the building" we are our own artists in residence in our residence.  Funny, we agonized over taking the space, the rent seemed exorbitant and we were iffy on Marine Dr. to begin with but we believed our energy could pull it off and we started off doing ok.---- then the Global Pandemic hit and it went downhill fast after that.  We hung in there, though obviously we had lessons to learn, and did our best to keep things interesting and welcoming.  The Studio became a sacturary of sorts so we dug our heels in and rode it out, gratefully, (what else would we do anyway)without losing our shirts.  

The point of all this is that as artists we are at the mercy, even more so if we are sensitive, of the "world".  As a serious meditator since 1991 I spent a lot of time trying to avoid the more ugly aspects of "this world".  When we open our doors, the world enters---hello???--we are the world and can't avoid it's messiness.  This is a major lesson and one of the hardest to reconcile with oneself.  Being naive about what's happening can lead one down dead end paths or into a polyannish attitude which is irritating, to others and self,  in the extreme.  

Here's a few principles we learned:

1.  Nothing that happens is worth losing your cool. Being centered reduces stress. (always working on this one)

2.  Everything you do matters---to you. (don't try to get everyone on your bus)

3.  Do everything with heart---no expectations

4.  Have gratitude for your blessings and gifts

5.  Know what your blessings and gifts ARE!

I have a good feeling about our times----we are learning lessons and taking names.!!! Thank you to all our clients, friends and fellow artists---I will keep posting when the urge from within strikes and let's keep communicating---we need to remember that we are what we are because it's GOOD ENOUGH.   hugs. m

Well, isn't this a fine turn of events?  Nothing could prepare us for this unprecedented shut-down of our normal way of life.  Not that life could ever be called normal but we do love our routines, work and familiar sights and sounds.

When we are finally able to return to "life' can you please please please think carefully about where you give your support and attention.  The box stores are doing just fine as are most large grocery shops, pharmacies and essentials and particularily, Amazon.com.    Those not doing well are your local retail businesses.  Most have had no income but still have to honor their leases.  Chris & I of those who have had to stick it out without government support, and many others are like us.

Your local artists where ever you are have not faired well during this crisis.    At the best of times, art is misconstrued as luxury or special indulgence and I put to you that it is not.  Art is essential, for your soul, spirit and joy.

No matter what your income, orginal art is affordable and especially now, you can make an artists' day by finding something to raise yours and the artists spirit.  Buy art from artists in your community, please!

Please shop local for at least 60 days to help your neighborhood businesses. 

Thanks Marilyn

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