PineShoreStudio/Paintings by Helen Harris

Ha! I'm looking forward to the rest of this day & tomorrow. Time to myself these days has been elusive. Remembering to take time for myself is not as easy as you may think. It took an intervention by one of my 3 daughters ( I believe the other 2 thought she could get through to me best)to say ENOUGH! As a full-time painter my 12 hour days of work were tiring but not as physically exhaustive as my 12 hour work days as the owner of my own bakery & cafe. Equal attention to both has proved to be frustrating and I need to accept that one will get more attention than the other ....for now. Hopefully this way of thinking will help me not be so hard on myself and begin to enjoy each day again. The days of longer sunlight are not far off with the beginning of Spring...my gardening,as well as my painting will be renewed....balancing the work days of baking.......hmmmmm...these are my plans........ Is that the sound of God laughing?

I am ever hopeful of returning to my studio to paint on a regular basis. Towards that goal, I am hosting an Art Show & Sale @ The Cookie Cab which will include my work as well as 3 other talented local women artists. I invite you to join us.

In my last post I asked "What next?" The answer today is....The Cookie Cab Gallery, which is the showcase for my work as well as 4 other local artists, will hold an Art Show & Sale this Spring . The tentative date is Sunday, May 2nd. Preparations are already underway and I am pleased with the invited artists quick responses & the enthusiasm from the public. The last show I organized was years ago for The Ocean County Artists Guild. It was a state juried show & it took months of preparation . This is a little different but I hope all the years of being a participating artist in shows will give me an advantage to prepare well. A well organized show can make a big difference in the experience for both artists & public. I'll reveal the artists & some of their work in the next few posts.

January 1st...has that new feeling..the anything could happen feeling. The past few months has been a whirlwind of changes for me. Closing out my season of art shows early, a new grandchild ...and the opening of my shop The Cookie Cab. Each event has been a new marker in the path of my life and each very special. January 1st.....expectations are always high followed by a nagging sense of the past year's missteps. I'm not one to make resolutions...lol ! I know myself too well..... January 1st...... What will happen next? This past year has been such a surprise, unpredictable and exciting. It was a good year ...now I look forward to 2010.

I am determined to paint! Whether it be on cookies with Belgian Chocolate or on paper & watercolor..I will paint! Lol! For those who have been following my saga of opening The Cookie Cab, a bakery/coffee shop...these are the latest cookie design I've worked out for our Holiday selection. Check out more photos & information about The Cookie Cab on FaceBook!

My first chance to paint since opening my new business The Cookie Cab. This original,vertical floral is a mixed media/collage using my signature textures. Unframed, it can be purchased directly from my web site.

As hoped...The Cookie Cab Gallery has come into existence. I have filled the walls with art work from a local art group, provided them with a meeting place and initiated a commission for one of the artist...all while baking & selling cookies! The group is currently having an ATC (Artist Trading Card) activity. The reality of painting again is not an easy one to attempt each day ,especially as work increases with holiday orders. I have splashed in some paint but more importantly I have returned to my drawing. On Wednesday evenings, The Cooke Cab stays open until 8pm to accommodate a large group of high school students that enjoy a teen night at the local library. We bake/ chaperon & interact with this group in our shop . I have enjoyed the activity of observing & sketching the scene and will post some drawings soon. As the days pass The Cookie Cab is evolving into something more than just a bake shop...and being a part of it is an unexpected joy. Lol ...Sharon, the oth...