The Creative Life - Barbara Trovillo

"Soporific" Do you know this word? I first read it in the Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies by Beatrix Potter. It is about the time the Flopsy bunnies ate so many lettuces, they fell asleep and were put into a sack by Mr. McGregor. Apparently, lettuces make one sleepy if too many are eaten at once.  They are soporific. (As for the rest of the story,  read it for yourself. I won't ruin it by telling the end.)    Soporific. That is what January Days are to me. I am sleepy all the time! My friend who is a practitioner of Chinese Medicine says it [...]

“No matter how strong or strong-willed you are, you cannot live a stressful, maxed-out life without that pace eventually biting you in the butt. It is necessary to take breaks, set parameters, and be kind to yourself if you want to continue making an impact in your little corner of the world.” ? Cynthia Mendenhall, author     Some of us are more goal driven than others. I am one of those...always planning, problem solving, dreaming up dreams that require us to reach beyond our comfort zone. It can catch up to all of us, that's for sure. This past couple of years have [...]

I committed years ago to a daily painting practice. Showing up is half the battle. As in anything, improvement comes with doing.    Last year was a tough one for us. I continued to paint but had so much else pulling at me, I had a hard time focusing enough to actually do my best work. I felt rushed all the time, aware of things and people needing my attention. I did not produce as much work as normal and a few of those paintings I did finish, left me dissatisfied. Occasionally, I wondered if I had lost my ability to paint.    Now that [...]