Long day--

What's wrong with this picture? I'm almost always writing my blog post of the day after midnight. Today, I wish it was earlier since I left home this morning before 10 AM and got home tonight after 10 PM. That isn't a normal day but it's not often that I have meetings with both of my artist friend groups on the same day. My marketing salon group met in Coarsegold for our first meeting in 2010 and lunch and my potluck critique group (MY term for us!) met for dinner and our monthly critique.

In Julie Cameron's books, she talks about "believer mirrors"--people who reflect back at their artist friends with positive support and encouragement and that artists turn to in times of need with no fear of negative consequences. Both groups that I met with today are made up of people most of whom I consider to be my "believer mirrors". They give positive feedback and suggestions, constructive criticisms and are very supportive, knowing when I need encouragement the most whether or not I realize that I'm asking for it. I greatly appreciate the individual personalities in both groups and the feelings of now and then isolation that they help alleviate.

My evening group is made up of some creative and wonderful cooks and if the critiques are lacking because we haven't painted "to the topic", the food never is! My saxophone painting received a lukewarm reception, partly I think because it's so different from what most of the other members of the group do. But looking at it across the room with different eyes was very helpful to me--I know what I need to do to make it better and then I will consider it ready to frame.

Thank you, dear friends, I appreciate you all!