Brought to you by the letter "M"

Pre-printed items ready to purchase

I am not a big fan of the pervasive, sometimes invasive, marketing slam that happens at this time of year...or actually any time of year. 

When the need/urge to sell overshadows the substance of  life something is lost. 

However, I DO love giving gifts. As there aren't enough vertical hours in the day for me to MAKE gifts for all of the people on my list, inevitably I must buy some of them. This leads me to assume that others must do the same. 

My studio is a business. This means selling things when people are buying them...and making sure that people KNOW that I have items they may want...also known as...s-h-h-h "marketing". 

What if we, you and I, shed the shadow of the Money Monster Mucking up our Meaningful Memories and decide instead that this is Merely a Mindful Message Meant to Mitigate the Marking of Moments that Matter with Material Momentos of Magnanimous Meetings?  M-m-m? 

 If you are a gift-giver/gift-buyer and an art lover looking for unique, affordable, creative, items to share with others; this blog post and The Fifth Annual Snow Flake Festival may be just the place for you. 

December 13, 2014 from 10am-4pm, I will be participating in the Festival for the first time this year. Maybe I will see you there.

As much as I wish I could say that I am selling buckets of magic pixie dust to lighten the load of the problems of the world; this is what I am REALLY bringing along. 

Pre-printed ready-to-purchase Items:

Fine Art Coloring Books

All new 2015 Fine Art & Photography Calendars

My First Series of Holiday Greeting Cards 

Note Cards w/envelopes

Post Cards

11"x14" Poster Prints of my original artwork and photography

A wide variety of clearance cut prints of original drawings and photographs in assorted sizes 

Custom Order Forms for:

Your choice of Note Cards/Post Cards/Greeting Cards

Boxed Sets

Custom Wall Calendars

Commissioned Portraits 

or 

Schedule a 2015 consultation for larger Commissioned Projects. 

Because I believe in the Benefits of Art For Your Home and Business, I put much consideration into keeping items from the studio affordable. You can count on a diverse selection of sizes, styles, and prices all year long. Local Patrons may still select the Barter For Art option.

If you cannot make it to the Festival, you are welcome to Shop the Studio online. 

Closing In: The Windows and Walls of Winter

First Snow November 2014

Approaching the Ice-olation of winter. 

I know time is running out. I have been procrastinating this task for as long as I possibly can. With a heavy heart, I accept the inevitable.

After seeing the weather report predicting days of temps below 30...even calling for lows in the teens; I chose yesterday, with a high of 61, as the last possible chance to put plastic on my windows without putting myself out of commission for weeks*. 

This year, more than ever before, this task feels as if I am sealing myself up in this space ...not just keeping the cold at bay but, essentially imprisoning myself for the duration of this unpredictable season. It would appear that this summer was not warm enough to burn away the residual emotional effects of the confining Polar Vortex. I am DEPRESSED about it. There. I said it. It's out there. 

NOW,

How to cope with it....

Save (from my ginormous income) for quality storm windows that allow the sun light to get in....

Move to Panama (financed by SAME)...

or 

Become the the best prisoner I can be. 

The last flowers of the season. Snow is coming in...
cut these and brought them in to keep winter at bay as long as I can.

I am working on reminding myself that I am NOT powerless. 

I have preserved wild remedies to minimize my pain. Hopefully they will help. 

Like a squirrel gathering nuts, I have been collecting ideas and supplies for the making of art. My creative pantry is NOT going to be empty when the cabin fever is raging THIS year. 

Some New Things on the Shelves:

Brewing some crazy 3D ideas about Pine Needles. I have an abundant supply which, up to now, has been used only as mulch. I have also baked my Pine Cones...

New Holiday and Christmas Cards and gifts must be made. 

Creative Self-Care coping cards and similar projects to develop and share at artforarachnoiditis.org.

More Paint for Painting...MORE

Preparing for the SheilaLynnK Art Studio and BOFA event (March 21st) for SWAN Day 2015. 

Continue Arachnoiditis Survivor: A Portrait of Resilience Against Patient Harm in America and the rest of  The Art For Arachnoiditis Project. A project which was born of the confinement and isolation of winter 2013-2014. The First Exhibit will be at the Fountain Arts Center April 2015. The Book is scheduled to go to print by the end of 2015. 

I...We... cannot forget that this, too, is a necessary season.
There is work to be done. PAIN is not the only thing here. 
Healing, Recovery, Purposeful Activity and Connections 
reside within these walls. 

****************************************************************

*Because of arachnoiditis my nervous system receives pain signals from cold temperatures. 
Putting my hands in cold water actually makes me feel pain in the left side of my head...this also has to do with "wires" being crossed and sending signals to the wrong places. 

When the New York heat waves hit and my friends and family are sitting around melting in temps over 90 degrees fahrenheit, I am more active and comfortable than at any other time of year.

A quick splash of cold and I simply flinch like I've just been stuck with a pin. Prolonged exposure results in increased adrenaline, shivers, muscle spasms, shortness of breath, and PAIN. This pain eventually takes over my entire body...if I cannot get warm again quickly enough it can trigger a full arachnoiditis flare. Every year I expand my strategies to keep my house reasonably and efficiently warm. I do not need it to be a sauna but, it has to be warm enough to minimize sharp fluctuations in room temperature regardless of the weather activity outside. Basic intro to this phenomenon of cold=pain which defies the instinctive intrinsic powers of being born a winter baby:

"Sensitivity[edit]

Nociceptor neuron sensitivity is modulated by a large variety of mediators in the extracellular space.^[9] Peripheral sensitization represents a form of functional plasticity of the nociceptor. The nociceptor can change from being simply a noxious stimulus detector to a detector of non-noxious stimuli. The result is that low intensity stimuli from regular activity, initiates a painful sensation. This is commonly known as hyperalgesia. Inflammation is one common cause that results in the sensitization of nociceptors. Normally hyperalgesia ceases when inflammation goes down, however, sometimes genetic defects and/or repeated injury can result in allodynia: a completely non-noxious stimulus like light touch causes extreme pain. Allodynia can also be caused when a nociceptor is damaged in the peripheral nerves. This can result in deafferentation, which means the development of different central processes from the surviving afferent nerve. With this situation, surviving dorsal root axons of the nociceptors can make contact with the spinal cord, thus changing the normal input.^[6]" 

^{MORE INFORMATION:}

Heat, Cold, and Pain

Hot and cold senses interact: Cold perception is enhanced when nerve circuitry for heat is inactivated

Neuropathy (nerve damage) the cause and its relief

The Choice to Serve

Vietnam War Memorial 

I COMMEND THE SOLDIERS AND FELLOW VETERANS WHO SIGNED ON THE DOTTED LINE TO DEFEND OUR COUNTRY IN COMBAT SHOULD THEY BE CALLED TO DO SO...NO MATTER WHAT IT MAY COST THEM. Unfortunately, the definition of "national defense" is no longer the seemingly straight-forward, mostly honor-bound, purpose it was in days of yore. Because of that the associated "cost" to the individual soldier may be even higher than what was once considered an "acceptable" risk....
Though the risks for the individual soldier are clear and still dire in combat situations, the present mission is often hazy. It gives new meaning to the concept of "signing your life away." However, if NOBODY was willing to "sign their life away" who would be there, ready to move at a moment's notice, when National Defense is the true call to action? 

Saw this shared article shortly after seeing "Heroes don't wear capes they wear dog tags" on a T-shirt  and thinking. "True but it doesn't mean ALL people who wear dog tags are heroes". 

It is dangerous and misleading to assign any population with unanimous faults or attributes. Doing so implies that all in that population have the same motives, intentions, and goals...including those in a position of leadership. 

The article also discusses the antiquated use of the word "hero" to promote enlistment. Perhaps it is better NOT to "market" our soldiers at all (for the purposes of increased enlistment) but, to let individual integrity, or lack-there-of, stand for itself.

 As a nation our citizens must be ready to serve when called and must be equally able to realize that the call-to-action also means acting like responsible CITIZENS, capable of acknowledging our own power to control leading entities, instead of as a collective of tenants at the mercy of its leaders.
Service does not ALWAYS mean armed-combat. 

Fortunately...thanks to the soldiers who came before us...we have the right in America to CHOOSE if we are willing to be on call for that National Defense moment...Soldiers who do so now, are not only potentially putting their lives on the line for an honorable cause. They are also subjecting themselves to all of the questionable motives/consequences/incidents discussed in this article...so that they CAN be ready if/when they are needed for the "other kind" of "war" that WOULD inevitably occur if they were NOT. 


Also, thanks to the numerous soldiers who came before us...our citizens can CHOOSE not to make that commitment...and/or we can choose to be active, educated, informed, citizens who participate in the selection of our leaders who make these decisions. ...we can even choose to BECOME one of those leaders.

Lastly, thanks to those soldiers who came before us...If it be their truest heart's desire; our citizens can even CHOOSE to exist as inactive apathetic couch potatoes...and they can complain about all of the wrongs in the world that have been imposed upon them by the people who are not on the couch. 

Thanks to the American Soldiers who came before us, we own these choices.  

Other issues which effect these choices: 

The Best Way to Celebrate Veteran's Day~Stop Thanking the troops 

A former Army Ranger says he doesn’t want to be thanked for his service—he wants politicians to stop sending young soldiers off to die.

Refusing to Misunderstand the defense acquisition problem (2014)

American Soldiers Heroes or Victims by Arlen Grossman (2013)

Heroes, Villains, Victims (2013)

Defense:The Concise Encyclopedia of Economics & Liberty

Why the United States should spread democracy (1998)

November News from the Studio

Call For Entries: Arachnoiditis Survivors invited to join the project
DEADLINE: February 15, 2015
Registration Form

The Art For Arachnoiditis Project

The location & date for the FIRST Exhibition has been confirmed. 

The Survivor Portrait for Jack Pavlekovich is complete.

Just started the next Survivor Portrait for Arachnoiditis Survivor,Kenny Brooks.

The project Facebook Page has been added to the Wellness Universe Online Directory of the Best Wellness Pages.

Thanks to Pain Exhitib.org, the painting, Honesty & Hope (a.k.a. No Pain, No Gain) is featured as the Cover (with Essay p. 194) in Volume 28, Number 3, 2014 of The Journal of Pain & Palliative Care Pharmacotherapy...advances in acute, chronic, and end-of-life pain and symptom control. This painting is shared with the public to increase Arachnoiditis Awareness and Prevention Efforts. 

SHOP THE STUDIO

Fine Art Collection Calendar

Photography Collection Calendar

NEW Calendar Options Are Ready!!!

2015 Fine Art Calendar (12 Months) or a 
Custom Fine Art Calendar 

(12 Months)

2015 Photography Calendar 

(12 Months) 
or a
2015 Custom Photography Calendar (12 Months)

2015 Fine Art Calendar Poster 

(12 months ~ One Page)

Allow 4-6 weeks to print and ship these items. Local patrons may schedule studio pick-up to eliminated shipping cost.

December 13, 2014 10-4pm These and other pre-printed studio items will be available at the Snowflake Festival at the Fountain Arts Center in Belmont, NY 

Belfast Organization for Artists~ "Dolls Etc."

Doll show: hand-made Dolls and Accessories created by local Artisans.

On  display at the Belfast Public Library during the month of November.

Many Thanks to Events Coordinator, Kathy Garrison, for making it happen. 

RECENT ARTWORK

Family Portrait for My Cousin 

~ in loving memory of Landon 

Completed November 3, 2014

STUDIO in the LOCAL COMMUNITY 

Acting as a program operative providing a transition location for drop-off and pick-up of baked goods for Food Not Bombs in Wellsville NY.

ALL NEW~ No-tech/Low Tech Tuesdays and Thursdays

After much deliberation and no sleep, I have made the executive decision to unplug from the world wide web two days a week. This time will be designated exclusively to the Making of the Art. Messages will be monitored as usual the rest of the week. 

Health and Wellness
Enjoying some measure of relief and success with the use of the anti-inflammatory properties of mullein and ginger as well as exploring other natural remedies for pain relief. 

Also, happy to share that it has been one year since Malachi, our eleven year old "puppy" was diagnosed with an enlarged spleen and a huge abdominal tumor which threatened the proper function of said spleen. After a year of balanced, natural, dietary adjustments which excludes all processed foods; his x-rays show the spleen has returned to normal size and the tumor has actually gotten smaller. 

Malachi