by Kathleen O'Brien | Jul 22, 2015 | art shows, artists
Grace Cafe, a pay-what-you-can Community Restaurant
We’re so excited that Grace Café, located at 219 S. 4th Street in Danville KY, is now open. It is a nonprofit, pay-what-you-can community restaurant committed to serving delicious, fresh, locally-sourced, organic-when-possible, highly-nutritious food for everyone in our community. We were invited to their soft opening last week, it was fabulous. Executive director, Rochelle Bayless is a woman of vision and dedication. Speaking of vision, her husband Nick Lacy is an exceptional photographer, who has curated the first art exhibit there. I am proud to be showing my art in such a sweet location. (more…)
by Kathleen O'Brien | Jul 8, 2015 | 4 seasons
Making Flower Essences Begins August 7
‘Tis the flower season to be jolly about engaging in friendship with flowers of many sorts, wild and cultivated. By caring for flowers and plants we can develop a sensitivity to communicating similar to our treasured friendships, a pleasant giving and receiving. The nature spirit residing in flowers has much to share to with us to support growth on spiritual, emotional and mental levels, we need only to listen (in our Heart Chakra) and follow through. And there is much we can give back to the flowers – what is your gift to the earth? I have enjoyed teaching Making Flower Essences since 1991, and will present this summers’ installment as a Sunwise Celebrations. (more…)
by Kathleen O'Brien | Jun 27, 2015 | 4 seasons, inspiration, mediums
Summer Sojourning
Summer is here, a time of minimal online interaction because so much is calling me elsewhere. It is a time of external growth in the garden and internal slowing down long enough to allow new ideas to steer my direction. I have joined Cigdem Kobu’s Summer Sojourn, Slow Down and Get Spacious, a 21-day virtual retreat that guides you to slow down, feel grounded and recharge. Based on benefits from her programs, like the Winter Joy Retreat and as member of Progress Lounge, I look forward to allowing creativity to percolate in expanded ways. (more…)
by Kathleen O'Brien | Jun 10, 2015 | 4 seasons, works in progress
Spring Lineup of Art in the Garden
Most creative efforts for about six weeks have been in the garden. Like most people, I adore flowers, food for the soul. We also grow food for the body. We get so excited when we see the first flowers, daffodils. When they fade my sadness is brief, as the next and the next show up attracting our and the bees’ attention. I can’t help but photograph them to share their beauty with you. (more…)
by Kathleen O'Brien | May 27, 2015 | 4 seasons, artists, videos
Looking Back on Lilac Time
The cloud people were so generous with their raindrops this spring that the lilacs responded in multitudinous wonder at Sunwise Farm and Sanctuary. All I could do was sit next to a bunch and breathe. To date it is the most uplifted I have felt from “my” land. All I could think of was to call my friends and coax them out of their frenzy to take have an afternoon tea next to the west porch hedge. Or lie with the blossoms that were draped over the hammock. (more…)
by Kathleen O'Brien | May 13, 2015 | artists, talismans
It has been an honor to know Laverne Zabielski for many years. As a fiber artist, writer and no-nonsense wise woman she inspires me and her community forward into empowerment.
Art that Speaks
Guest Post by Laverne Zabielski
Living a layered life happens when every thing I do has the potential to be connected. When I can’t tell where one piece ends and another begins. When the colors of my shibori dyed silk drying in the sun blend with the flowers in my garden. The lines of separation are blurred. Every art form informs and draws from another. This is what I love about Kathleen O’Brien’s life and art. I can’t tell where one begins and the other ends.
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by Kathleen O'Brien | May 6, 2015 | artists, mediums
Lithuanian Knitting: Continuing Traditions, interview with Donna Druchunas
My friend, Donna Druchunas has a Pubslush campaign for her and co-author June Hall’s upcoming book, Lithuanian Knitting: Continuing Traditions. In the book you will learn about the traditions and techniques of knitting in Lithuania past, present, and future. Plus find more than 25 mitten, glove, and sock projects to knit.
They are more than 60% towards their goal that ends May 30. Please check the campaign details by clicking here. (more…)
by Kathleen O'Brien | Apr 29, 2015 | 4 seasons, artists, studio updates
Celebrating Mid-Spring, Beltain, Studio Update
It is hard to believe we have arrived at the mid point of Spring, for many of us the sweetest most favorite evening of the year tomorrow, May Eve, Beltain, and the beginning of the light half of the year. It is a joyful time to give a surprise bouquet to loved ones. This lilac picture is my bouquet for you. And click here for a video, Full Circle Tour of Lilac Lane April 20, 2015 Sunwise Farm & Sanctuary. It is kind of long, but we just couldn’t stop filming the thousands of blossoms exuding their fragrant invitation to linger and love the sight of them along with the innocent sound of birdsong. Perhaps in our life time someone will invent a way to layer the sense of smell onto the visual, audio levels.
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by Kathleen O'Brien | Apr 22, 2015 | artists, inspiration
Rivers and Roots, a Poem from Stan Brunn for Earth Day
Last week Stan Brunn, Professor Emeritus, Department of Geography, University of Kentucky sent me this lovely poem, with a suggestion that it could be a good theme for a painting or a song. So I took him up on it, as my way to say thank you to the Earth and my friendship with Stan. (more…)
by Kathleen O'Brien | Apr 22, 2015 | 4 seasons, Art Farms, inspiration
Finding Purpose
guest post~by Fox Hutt
Over the years the first person I think of to call with gardening question that will be answered from a holistic perspective is Fox Hutt. She kindly shares some of her philosophy here, and in a few weeks at the next Sunwise Celebrations event “Spiritual Gardening”.
“You and your purpose in life are the same thing. Your purpose is to be you.”
~George Alexiou
Being of like mind with Mr. Alexiou, I am glad that a good share of my purpose in this incarnation is being “me” while in my garden. A lovely rain shower just brought me in from my flowers and vegetables where I once again felt that wonderful deep sigh, that release that comes when I stand up from my work and look across my garden and pond at the radiant vital beauty around me, and know Satchitananda, which, in Sanskrit means “Awareness of Being is Bliss.” (more…)
