Stray Dog Arts

"What you seek is seeking you." ~Rumi

As is your desire, so is your will.
As is your will, so is your deed.
As is your deed, so is your destiny.
                      ~The Upanishads

This past year I decided to let myself free fall.  That is, it's been a time of simplifying my life to the greatest degree, a time of letting go and of handing myself over to the unknown.  In the process, I ended up reconnecting with my most essential self. It has been an important and deeply satisfying time, indeed.

I've spent most of the past year with both feet planted in the natural world--painting, deepening into the art of photography, spending time with horses, dreaming, writing, visioning--undoing an old self in order to make space for what's here now and whatever is on its way.  I feel rested.  I feel fueled.  More than anything, I feel PULLED towards something, a mysterious and expansive energy.  I know it when I feel it and each time it takes over my body and bones, I find myself saying YES! Within a short amount of time a whole lotta awesome started showing up.  Pulled, pulled, pulled...being pulled into the mystery, into that place of YES, into my deepest purpose, my truest self.

2013 is already geared up to include a helluva lot of adventure, plenty of travel and an incredible amount of creative growth.  I'm excited to see where all of this is leading, but am stepping into it with an open mind and a humble heart. 

On Friday I will be traveling to the Cancun/Mayan Riviera area of Mexico.  It was a decision made in one of those spontaneous moments of YES(!).  While in Mexico, you can bet that I will be soaking up the sun and salty air, but more importantly, I will be photographing street dogs and volunteering at an incredible animal rescue, Tierra de Animales.  I'm looking forward to it, but am also not sure what to expect.  I'm not new to the world of animal rescue, but something about this feels different. I'm not so sure I can do something like this and not be changed by it.

I recently painted a portrait of a dog named Mr. B.  He was a Caribbean street dog who was rescued and has since come to live with a wonderful family and lovable canine step-brother, Darby, in Minneapolis.  Mr. B sparked something in me.  He was skittish and nervous and yet, given time, he melted into a back massage like you wouldn't believe. Meanwhile, I have been hashing out the details of rebranding my business, discovering new aspects of being, and reconnecting with the oldest parts of myself, too.

My business name, Stray Dog Arts, is inspired by a black and white photograph that I took in Kathmandu--a bunch of street dogs sitting together on a stoop alongside a bustling road.  It has always been my intention to return to India and Nepal to paint those dogs. But somewhere along the lines, I got distracted.  My business took off and I found myself spending the majority of my energy running just to keep up with it!  Then I left on this Northerly Painting Retreat, decided to free fall and, through a winding series of events, have found myself returning full circle to my roots, to the roots of Stray Dog Arts.  Oh, such a homecoming this has been!

And yet...nothing is the same.  Everything is new.  I don't pretend to know anything except that I must continue to follow this pull.  When my spirit lights up, I will continue to say YES.

"Mr. B and Darby" :: 24" x 48" Oil on Canvas Mr B (left); Darby (right)

In the coming months I will be traveling to Spain, Morocco, Wyoming and the Dakotas, New Mexico, New York City, New Orleans, as well as Mexico.  I'll be photographing horses, dogs and even people in preparation for future painted projects.  I'll be on an adventure of the spirit and, truth be told, I'm whole-heartedly handing myself over to the Universe on this one.

Something tells me that stepping into the unknown is the best decision I could possibly make.  I invite you to step in with me.