My Cup Runneth Over

We want to be with those who fill us up. 

I just returned from spending 24 hours with my mentor, and my cup runneth over. 

Cheri is a master artist... and... she's my friend.

     I am filled with awe by her talent and skill...

     I am filled with gratitude for her hospitality...

     I am filled with the blessing of our friendship...

     I am filled with laughter from our shared secrets...

     I am filled with compassion for our stories of heart...

     I am filled with a plethora of artistic lessons which I must sort through in my mind.

I've told this story before, but I'll tell it again.  On February 22, 2007, I went to a painting class that she'd offered at our church. After that 6-week class was over, I continued to paint with her and learn from her every Monday night for 4 years... lucky me...

Now she and her husband (who I also adore) live 4 hours away in the middle Oklahoma on a great big farm that's close to... well... nothing... It's close to more big farms.  Their home... oh, my... She calls it their little farmhouse, but it's really a haven.  Her paintings are on the walls, and her artistic touch is everywhere. And, there's a feeling of peace and belonging that permeate the atmosphere.

For the selfie (above) I wanted to stand in front of her drying wall.  Wow... How appropriate that the word "inspire" is on the wall.

I hadn't seen her in two years, so I invited myself for a visit.  It was part slumber party, part reunion retreat, and part painting workshop.

I learn so much when I watch her paint and listen to what she's doing and why she's doing it.  I'm not sure she knew she was in for it, but I showed up with a plan.  Part of that plan was for her to give me a lesson. I brought "Strawberry Girl" because I wasn't satisfied with it and knew she could help.  Ha ha ha... oh, how I've missed learning from the best!  We worked that little painting over top to bottom!  In the picture (right) Cheri is probably saying something encouraging, sandwiching in the lesson on what she's doing, then finishing it off with another word of praise for what she sees that I've done.  (It's that middle part... the lesson that I need so much... well, along with the encouragement...) Let's see... we worked on the cheek, the chin, the neck, the nose, the forehead, the hair, the dress, the flowers, the strawberry, the hand, the background... yep... pretty much every bit of it... Now, I have a little homework to finish her... again. :)

Painting a human is just plain hard... wait... Painting a human WELL is just plain hard. :)

Until we we paint again, Cheri!