Swirly Girl

Love Letter to Amsterdam

Dear Amsterdam...I have been here only just over 24 hours and what can I say?  I'm already madly in love with you!  OK, so maybe I lucked out with beautiful weather, and I'm also here on a weekend, but still, I cannot help but gush.

Our hotel is close to the Red Light District, so from there we have taken our time walking to the Anne Frank House, the Flower Market and, today, the Van Gogh Museum.  There are people everywhere - cafes are full, narrow streets are crowded, bicycles are whizzing by, and the canals have oodles of boats filled with revelers of all kinds.

The atmosphere is friendly in a whoop-it-up-let's-party kind of way, and as I stroll around I find it hard to believe I didn't make it here on the two big backpacking trips I took to Europe right afte college.  Then again, I might have had a little bit too much fun had I been here in my early 20s, so perhaps it was for the best.

In any case, I'm in love with you now, and I'm so grateful to have shared this time with you.  Tomorrow I am on flight number two of the five I'll be taking on this trip - headed to Berlin - but please know I will be leaving with a smile on my face.

Yours forever, Christine

Love Letter to Jenny Doh

[Jenny Doh :: The creative visionary behind Crescendoh]

Dear Jenny,

What can I say?  You had me at Happy Dance.

Although I knew we were creative kindred spirits after hearing your talk on the opening night of Squam Art Workshops last fall, I had no idea you would play such an important role in my life.  The simplest way I can put it is to say that you have given my creative, desire-to-inspire spark a whole new life.  This light never went entirely away, but a while back it went through a bit of a storm, lost some of its sparkle, and I then had to begin the work of building it back up to its original strength.  When I met you, I had been fanning the flames, adding fuel, and focusing on the task at hand.  When I met you, I knew I was moving in the right direction, but was still sometimes plagued by the worry that I might not be able to get it back to its full strength.

Every once in a while someone walks into my life to remind me of all that is good and passionate and clear in the world, and while I must acknowledge that my family, circle of friends and creative community is filled with such extraordinary people, there is something special about the light you shine, Jenny Doh.  You once wrote (and I quoted you here on this blog not so long ago):

"The lesson I've learned through it all is this: work hard.  ALWAYS WORK HARD.  And always be committed to quality and attention to details.  Because when you do, you create a foundation of credibility that can weather anything ... a foundation upon which you can construct with unbridled imagination, your destiny."

When I first read this, I already had the honor of working with you on a number of different projects, so I knew you were bona fide, but with these words you caused the spark within me to burst outward like a giant sparkler.  You reminded me how simple it all really is - that no matter what, whether the sun is shining or the storms are raging, my best and most positive course of action is to do my best work.  To sit quietly and let the storms pass in their own time, to get to work on a painting or a piece of writing or even a doodle instead of giving negativity one millisecond of air time.

Thank you Jenny Doh - for your passion, your positivity, your hard work, your exquisite attention to detail, and your commitment to all that is good and light and beautiful in the world.

Blessings...Christine

Kindness Embodied

As many of you know, registration for Squam Art Workshops begins this Monday, February 1st.  As always, there is a lovely array of classes spread out amongst five different sessions.  I am excited to be on the roster for the June and September sessions, teaching Book in a Day again with Marisa Haedike.

Gus Harper is also part of the Fall Session teaching team with a class called Diving In, and I'd like to go ahead and say that after you've taken his class and/or met him this September, please let me know how much you appreciate the fact that I pestered Elizabeth enough to talk to Gus about teaching and bringing him on board.  Here's how the conversation went:

Swirly:  "I think you might want to talk to Gus Harper about teaching in the fall."

Elizabeth:  "I think I am all set with teachers, but thank you."

Swirly:  "Um, no really, I think you need to talk to Gus.  Trust me - he belongs at SAW."

Elizabeth:  "No really, I think I'm all set."

Swirly:  "Seriously, why don't you talk to Gus.  Have I mentioned I think he would fit right in at SAW?"

Elizabeth:  "All right, shut up already, tell him to call me."

OK, that isn't really how it went.  Elizabeth is far too kind and gentle of a soul to ever utter words like shut up, but I have a feeling I was on the verge of pushing her to that edge.  And who could have blamed her - she is the Director of SAW, is she not?  And here I was sending email after email, trying to pester her without being too pester-ish, trying to convince her she needed to follow my intuition about what was best for her event. 

Yeesh - some people.

But I am happy to report that Elizabeth and Gus had a lovely chat, and because of that I am here to tell you that Gus's class is going to be a great class, as he is an extraordinary force of creativity.  I was in his studio the other day, and just standing amongst his latest work made me want to run home and paint all day.

Not only is Gus an amazingly talented artist, he is one of the kindest human beings I know.  For any of you who have dreamed of picking up a paint brush, but don't know where to start, and are eager for a safe, nurturing guide to walk you through those first steps, Gus Harper is your man.  If this class looked intriguing to you, all I have to say is this:  SIGN UP.  You won't regret it.

P.S.  He's single.

Love Letter to Uppercase

[Another new category for 2010:  Love Letters!  I think you'll get the point...]

Dear Uppercase,

It must be said:  You had me at hello.

I remember the day Ms. Blue Poppy told me I had to check out a new magazine called Uppercase.  I immediately went to your website and ordered a subscription, and when the first issue arrived at my doorstep I knew I would not be disappointed.  I want to applaud you not only for creating a beautiful publication, but for having the passion, vision and courage to launch it right smack in the middle of a whopper recession, a time when most seasoned accountants would have probably told you to quietly set your vision aside and wait until "the time was right."

I don't know if anyone actually gave you that advice, but either way, you decided that the right time was when you said it was the right time, and for that I will always cheer you on.

As far as the actual magazine is concerned - the paper alone would have been enough for me.  No glossy, flimsy, easily-wrinkled pages - no, you've created something that will have a permanent home on my bookshelf.  I even got a bright orange canvas magazine holder especially for my issues of Uppercase.  Beautiful photography and artwork, great interviews and so many inspiring bits and pieces that I usually have to set aside each issue of Uppercase for at least a day or two after it arrives for fear I'll tear the pages in my excitement over all the new goodies.

I also want to tell you how honored I am to have a wee byline in the latest issue.  I was beginning to feel slightly stalker-esque with all the essay and article ideas I sent you, having decided that if I didn't have my name attached to a story in Uppercase then I simply couldn't go on (the needs of the ego and blind ambition unite!)  I hate to tell you that this doesn't mean I'll stop sending story ideas your way, but for now I am content to contemplate getting new business cards printed that say:

Christine Mason Miller
Artist * Writer * Explorer
Uppercase Contributor

Your Superfan 4Ever...

Christine

Love Letter to NYC

Lights on the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center, NYC.  Taken December 10, 2006.