Trust & Clarity

It's my first week in Lake Country. It's fair to say I'm still adjusting and trying to find my grounds but I have found some very cool and exciting resources already. I've established contacts at each of the art schools in the city and many of the community centers as well. It's been a very smokey and hazy week and I think in retrospect it will be important to remember this time. I can't see the mountains across the valley anymore. I know they re there because I vaguely saw them when we first arrived.

The air is different here. I want to talk about it before the feeling becomes regular and I forget how much it contrasts from the big city feelings that I'd become used to. It's really fresh and clear ( despite the smoke) It's warm and more humid I'd say. Less dry. I love the way it feels.

There's a couple dogs that live at our new place and Mike and I adapted to them within the first 5 minutes of being here. We love dogs. These girls are so easy going and fun to be around and hang out with. I've done all my blogging so far on the front porch as Bri (Queen of the house you might say) likes to be close. She lies a few feet from me and snoozes. Sometimes she wakes up and eats a bee. I love her company.

Mike and I also welcomed Tom to the family this week, our half moon Beta. He's all set up in the living room with his treasure & underwater plants. I made them special for him.

Continuing on with the craftiness, I dyed an old dress today. I say old because I've had it longer than I can remember but in all honesty I can't remember the last time I wore it. I normally prefer to make light things darker. I do this as a means of preservation, art, and change. This is my first time dying dark to light but I'm thrilled with the effect. I've set up plans to shoot the piece this coming Sunday with a photographer that I am very excited to reconnect with once again. I've chosen a location where I feel the smoke is quite prominent and dramatic. I want to see it, so that I can remember this crazy blazin' time. I remember living in Kamloops when I was much younger and always hearing about the fires. I don't believe I've ever witnessed the effects so clearly first hand like this before.

Yesterday evening was my first class at the Vernon Community Arts Center. I popped into town a bit early so that I could meet a photographer I've been inspired by over the past few years. She was the nicest and I am so excited to shoot a concept with her in the near future. The class was fantastic and I'm off to my next tomorrow morning.

It's exciting to put new dates in the calendar and know I can look forward to adding more new date and opportunities every day, anytime really. It's nice to create a flow of opportunities. I find like to pick from more options than less.

I bought some candle making materials in Calgary and am thinking that might be the perfect craft for this dreary afternoon. Rain is no where in the future forecast but the smoke-filled grey sky makes me feel like rain could fall at any moment.

Sketches and the blind contour posted below were drawn by Chelsea Tellier. <3