Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Mahalo Maui, it's been beautiful...but are those MOUNTAINS I see ahead???!

This ohana has sheltered us for two lovely years, but my real home has no physical address.
 

As much as I love it here on Maui, with so much of the islands left to explore, I feel a calling to tread solid ground that expands far and wide - where I can drive for days...no....weeks at a time - and see something new every day!
I envision the landscape to be jagged and peaceful. Still and strong. Masculine.
Boulder is a safety net for me to land, since I've lived there before. It is where I first realized that my life could be more magical than I had ever imagined. It is where I transitioned from an art teacher to a full time artist. It is where I learned my endurance as a cyclist and hiker. It is where I met people who have inspired me so much that my life is more meaningful today because of them. It is where people dance in the streets, and where on any day of the week I could hear amazing music from instruments I've never heard played so beautifully....on the sidewalk or a simple open mic.
For example... at Amante Cafe, my artwork was hung for one month, and on a random Friday night, the most amazing xylophone magician/musician began playing and it literally put me in a trance. It was as if my spirit was overflown with the energy and light which was pouring into space from the sound waves of these wooden slabs. I never knew a xylophone could speak that way.
And going to a random open mic was like going to a concert with various guest stars, one better than the next. Talent from each individual - ranging from piano to guitar ...and all original singer/songwriters. The talent in that small city is unmeasurable.
The city looks like a beautiful large town, with it's quaint old buildings and historic and colorful Pearl Street. It's is so easy to get around by bike, bus or car. It's flat, yet pressed up against the foothills of the Rocky Mountains - so the Flatirons Mountain is the monumental backdrop when you face west.
And the dancing!!! Oh my. I just love to shake it to the music, esp the African drumming. And Bluegrass music is pretty much the "local" theme, which I admit I LOVE. I have no problem getting sweaty dancing my heart out to good ol rockin bluegrass!
OH BUT THE WINTER! HOW CRAZY! Well one of the most magical mornings I can remember was when I took a walk in front of the Flatirons - mesmerized by how beautifully the ice coated the finest twigs on the trees,  each and every blade of wheat, and how it coated the flatirons like sparkeling glass....under the beaming turquoise sky. The sun shone so bright that it began to melt the ice and it glistened like a magic only mother nature could create.
So people think I'm crazy to consider leaving Maui, but I have so many beautiful magical memories of Boulder, that I would be crazy not to visit there again. This time with a beautiful being by my side.
I could go on and on about many more aspects of Boulder that are wonderful, including the universities that offer master's degrees (esp Naropa) that interest me, to the farmer's markets that are so huge, and such an enjoyable social event to frequent.
There is a lot to look forward to!
But I will spend my last few weeks here, not only finishing the last two commissioned paintings I have, and selling my stuff (including 27 original Maui paintings which are hanging in my ohana), but more importantly ENJOYING the magical beauty of Maui.
Perhaps someday I will return. Perhaps as soon as Nov. 1! Who knows? I know one thing for sure....
so long as I have my daughter, I am fine. And so long as we are somewhere beautiful, I will be inspired to paint. So long as I'm inspired to paint, my work will sell itself, and my career as an artist will continue. The best way for me to stay inspired is to be somewhere beautiful where my heart and soul can sing and express itself from one moment to the next. No expectations. No deadlines. No pressure. One breath and one brushstroke at a time, my paintings will tell the story of my journey...and it always starts right now.