Title: Window of Opportunity. Original Painting (SOLD). Prints are available in my etsy shop.
i took the day yesterday to “look after myself” (as the lovely louise gale so appropriately calls it). i’ve realized i’ve felt stretched pretty thin these last few weeks. and with more and more good news going on, it’s hard to want to stop. but i needed a day to myself.
so i took the day to sip tea on the back patio. and a lady bug landed on my cup. it flew to my hand and reminded me of my first week on the job as an editorial assistant at an arts newspaper (my first job out of college). i hated that job, but it taught me a lot.
during the first week on the job, i remember taking lots and lots of breaks and going outside. i couldn’t stand being in an office and sitting all day long. yet everyone else seemed okay with it all.
Title: Window of Opportunity. Original Painting (SOLD). Prints are available in my etsy shop.
i’d go outside and enjoy the beautiful summer day. and i found this spot out back behind our building where no one ever went. my office was in the warehouse district in downtown minneapolis, so it faced the abandoned train tracks, but i’d found the only spot that allowed for a bit of green grass. and many times a day, i’d take a few moments and sit or walk barefoot in that grass.
and when i first found this grassy spot, it was flooded with lady bugs! i mean everywhere! it was magical! all of these little orange dots fluttering in the doorways and above the grass. i loved it! it reminded me there is magic in the world. you just need to find your little spot and make it exist for yourself.
so right now, more than ever, as i’m on this amazing creative journey, i’m reminded that i always knew what i longed for most and where i felt my best. it just took a while for me to admit it, then accept it, and now find it in my every day.
***************************************
ps. i’ve been loving your responses to my ART SAVES story on crescendoh.com! THANK YOU so much for all of your support + incredible kindness!
Related posts
A few years ago, I wrote a novel about a magical world. I was one of 14 writers accepted into a 6 week writing workshop on the east coast. And when I finished my novel, I flew out to Washington DC to meet with my ideal literary agent. But then I got super scared and burned out. Because of that burn-out, I needed to heal... Continue reading
I used to be afraid to raise my hand in class. I’d learned that my ways of thinking and seeing were different from everyone else. When I shared an idea, I was often laughed at or told it was impossible. So I learned to stay quiet and be shy. When I was in the third grade we had an art project where we were supposed... Continue reading
Lately I’ve been going back to painting owls. For awhile I had been creating these very renaissance-style portraits with soft, realistic faces and incredible hair. I enjoyed that I could make them look very human, but still full of magic and color. While I still adore creating these flower girls, I found that these paintings were missing something. After countless attempts in the studio, many... Continue reading
12 comments on “the magic of ladybugs”
NatashaMay
It's nice to take some time off for yourself. 🙂 I know I need it. Beautiful painting!
Artistic Accents by Darla
LOVE this post! Are you still in the cities area?
I don't get to meet too many other blog artists that I'm within driving distance too 🙂
Your work is awesome and am so glad you are doing what you love!
samos
it's those moments in our lives that bring us to where we are today. thanks for sharing Juliette and love the new painting!
Juliette Crane
that's one of my favorite things to reflect upon-how every moment and experience leads us to where we are and helps us prepare for what's ahead.
i'm not in minneapolis anymore, darla. i'm a bit south in madison.
Kerri
so glad you were able to sit out on the patio and think about that! i love the painting- looks very small which i always love-
Tiffany
Thank you for sharing this today~ I really needed it~ REALLY ALOT! So thank you sooooo much! 🙂
chrissy
loving your “art saves” story sweetheart.
and
YOU
ARE
A
SWEETHEART.
thanks for sharing it with the world.
loves,
c
Kelly Berkey
OMG! So cute! I LOVE it!
Dianne
Your spot sounds like it was magical… just goes to show you that you can always find your place in the world…
Carissa
juliette,
that is so beautiful and touching and TRUE!
i too have connections w/ little lady bugs messengers! mmmm. little polka dotted messengers 🙂 once w/ hundreds and hundreds like you spoke of! and i've sure been in office jobs i hate w/ secret hideaways 😉 how i love secret hideaways!
loved your art saves story! <3 <3 <3
xoxo,
carissa
danasparkle
i love the movie “under a tuscan sun” one scene is gr8 where the main character is told to be still long enough and the ladybugs will land on her. and by the end the ladybugs land. its cute.
i took a photo of a ladybug in my garden recently and the spot was a heart shape. here's the link if you wanna see…
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sparkleandtwirl/4717176468/
who knew that ladybug spots can be hearts on the outside. thanks for sharing. sorry for rambling but your story made me happy.
*
Michele Fauss
This is definitely one of my favorites. It's so sweet and gorgeous. Glad you are where you want to be now, and that you found the courage to admit it. 🙂