may this dress, and TedTalk, help us to see our challenges as 'magnificent gifts'!!!!

I suggest that you get some kleenix handy before watching this most inspirational talk!!! 

"Instead of looking at our challenges and limitations as something negative or bad, we can begin to look at them as blessings, magnificent gifts that can be used to ignite our imaginations and help us go further than we ever knew we could go."

Amy Purdy

This is the most inspiring talk that I have heard. I didn't know who Amy Purdy was or her story until this TEDTalk so I was truly blown away.  I find this woman inspiring and amazing!! I hope you do as well!!

peace, va 

** featured dress:  'torqued & tethered . . .' (2013)
shown here exhibited @ fountain street fine art

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may this dress celebrate our strength and resilience!!

'carbon footprint dress* -  fountain street fine art'
2011

Adversity is like a strong wind.  

It tears away from us all 

but the things that cannot be torn, 

so that we see ourselves as we really are.  

~Arthur Golden,

Memoirs of a Geisha

*This dress is part of my carbon footprint series, created during my two person show with the lovely and talented Lisa Barthelson @ Fountain Street Fine Art in 2011.  

The 'carbon footprint' dress is created during a certain set time at a certain place.  

The dress is formed by the footprints of the people who walk on the 'dress', which is formed on a heavy artist paper which is attached to the floor, on which I form a stencil made of tape.  

The tape is then removed once the allotted time is over exposing the clean paper and the remaining detritus from the bottoms of people's shoe is a dress shape.  

To learn more about this process and series click here to read more on my art blog - www.virginiafitzgerald.blogspot.com

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may this dress bring you heart . . .

The Journey 

by Mary Oliver

One day you finally knew

what you had to do, and began,

though the voices around you

kept shouting

their bad advice-

though the whole house

began to tremble

and you felt the old tug

at your ankles.

“Mend my life!”

each voice cried.

But you didn’t stop.

You knew what you had to do,

though the wind pried

with its stiff fingers

at the very foundations,

though their melancholy

was terrible.

It was already late

enough, and a wild night,

and the road full of fallen

branches and stones.

But little by little,

as you left their voices behind,

the stars began to burn

through the sheets of clouds,

and there was a new voice

which you slowly

recognized as your own,

that kept you company

as you strode deeper and deeper

into the world,

determined to do

the only thing you could do-

determined to save

the only life you could save.

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may this dress bring you passionate curiosity . . . .

I have no special talent. 
I am only passionately curious.
Albert Einstein 

today ~ be curious!! come explore the Natick Artists' Open Studio and make sure to visit Eujin Kim Neilan and myself in my studio at 25 Washington Ave. then come passionately celebrate the opening of 'breaking open' ~ my two person show with Anne Gilson ~ reception tonight, 

Saturday, October 19, 5-?? (7 :) at Fountain Street Fine Art

'breaking open' 

Two mixed media artists break from the old and turn to new frontiers, exploring the darkness in the cracks

See more images, and get more information, about the exhibit.

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may this dress remind you to be the 'artist of your days'!!!

“Each of us is 

an artist of our days; 

the greater our integrity 

and awareness, 

the more original and creative 

our time will become.” 

― John O'Donohue, To Bless the Space Between Us: A Book of Blessings

As many of you know I have been possessed with putting together work for a two person show at the Fountain Street Fine Art Gallery in Framingham.   Yesterday the show opened and needless to say I was working up to the very last moment, but now it is DONE!!

Here are some photos from my iphone of the installation of my pieces! The owners of the gallery, Marie Craig and Cheri Clinton do an amazing job of curating and hanging the work.  Here is the link to the gallery's blog with more image and more information about the show and my awesome co-exhibiter, Anne Gilson. 

 

'to have and to hold', 'womb wrap(uterus)', 'raw' and 'random' with Anne's paintings

'to have and to hold', 'dear jeff' and 'metamorphosis' with Anne's paintings

'this is me, a work in progress'

'shiva'

'tethered and torqued' and 'breaking free'

'to have and to hold', 'womb wrap(uterus)', 'raw' and 'random' with Anne's paintings

'random' (detail)

'metamorphosis' with Anne's paintings

'tethered and torqued' and 'this is me, a work in progress'

'to have and to hold',(detail)

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may this dress bring you a dreamy journey . . . .

A #2 pencil and a dream 

can take you anywhere. 

Joyce Meyer

very excited about this weekend!! 

going to lock myself in my studio and 

follow my dreams and get ready for my upcoming show!!!

:)

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may this dress help you to LET GO!!!!!!

You must learn to let go. 

Release the stress. 

You were never in control anyway. 

Steve Maraboli

a good reminder as my life seems to be 

turning up the intensity?!?! 

this next month is full of wondrous opportunities ~ 

the two biggies:

 teaching at Dana Hall 

and my two person show, breaking open,

 with Anne Gilson 

at Fountain Street Fine Art.

All good but  . . . 

can spark some stress.

So today I will let go, 

remember to breathe 

and enjoy the process!

peace 

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Creative Every Day Challenge #8

my cedc from yesterday ~ an anniversary present for Marie Craig and Cheri Clinton!! What a spectacular first year at Fountain Street Fine Art!!! super job!!! xxxx

"edify me!"

dress #16

I love this page for many reasons ~ 1. crossword puzzles (i love crossword puzzles) 2. my name :) in the puzzle, 3. the wine top ~ which came from a bottle of wine that a friend brought to my opening @ Fountain Street Fine Art, which was on this day & 4. i REALLY went wild with the sewing on this page!!!

I called it 'edify me' because at this point in my life I am so hungry for growth ~ artistically, spiritually, emotionally and intellectually!!

But this easily could have been called 'let's dance!!'

ed·i·fy/ˈedəˌfī/

Verb: Instruct or improve (someone) morally or intellectually.