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My Life is just the way I made it: Good.

Kal Barteski © 2008

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    Please respect the words and images on this blog as well as the iDeaMonsters and LoveLife sites - they're my own artwork, photos and words and also subject to intellectual properties, copyrights and all that jazz. Please contact me for permission to use them. I'm nice - I'll probably let you. Thanks. Thanks. Thanks. Kal Barteski © 2008

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September 21, 2007

LoveLife #268

Imreminder268 Today's LoveLife #268 is up now. Here. I received an email yesterday that reminded me of a little horse I was sitting high upon a few months back and it was a little bit of medicine that I think I needed in order to remember the privileges I have been fortunate to experience and the way our interpretations vary, but feelings are feelings are feelings. It was good medicine for me. It's always good medicine when you can see how the tables have turned and you can see what it feels like to be sitting on the opposite side.

I've also been inspired lately by the warm chocolate-brown that's taking over nature and setting off the other hues like fireworks. Normally - I avoid brown - but, with a clean line and a vibrant palette I feel like I'm taking a little bit of my own medicine and loving brown.

And as always, a spoonful of sugar really does help the medicine go down...  

Have a great weekend. Spread joy. Love life.

September 07, 2007

LoveLife #267

Imreminder267 Today's LoveLife #267 is up now. Here. I was inspired by this little elephant dude that seemed to find me. I was equally excited when I heard that elephants are considered good luck... BOTH elephant references reminded me of a song that I used to play on the piano. Baby Mine - from Walt Disney's Dumbo - and the only lullaby I ever really liked. Hear it here. That's Alison Kraus. And that, well - that got me to thinking about this little person that we're gonna meet in a few months and that it's kind of just a visitor - because I don't consider he/she something I get to keep - just something I'll be lucky enough to keep from crashing too many times until they're ready to go on their own. It's small - but I really think if you recognize that nothing is ever yours to keep - no one, no moment, no time - it all starts feeling like a really big gift.

Small is very, very big.  

Have a great weekend. Spread joy. Love life.

August 31, 2007

LoveLife #266

Imreminder266 Today's LoveLife #266 is up now. Here. Yeehaw. This magical fabric came yesterday in the mail from a friend very far away.That made me wax poetic on the sometimes randomness - always perfectly planned people we happen to meet and collect throughout our lives. That's pretty amazing. Thank you internet for adding to this nest. I thoroughly appreciate how this intricate network has brought so much joy and goodness and connectedness into my life. So cool.

See and appreciate your connectedness.  

Have a great weekend. Spread joy. Love life.

August 24, 2007

LoveLife #265

Imreminder265 Today's LoveLife #265 is up now. Here. Yes, finally. I was pretty taken with the squirrels that live in the Ash trees outside our house. They're moving very, very fast right now as the winds have quickly started to change. They know that winter's coming - change is coming, too. At one point - this squirrel found something he was quite impressed with and held it - gazed at it for quite some time and then took off to SAVE IT FOR LATER. To keep it. To hoard it. That's how I feel right now - life is doubly good and extra sweet and these totally beautiful moments appear like special surprises that I need to REMEMBER - to commit to memory - with winter and changes on the way.

Savour. Save. See.  

Have a radical weekend. Really. Spread joy. Love life.

July 21, 2007

LoveLife #264

Imreminder264_2 Today's LoveLife #264 is up at some point today. Here. I was totally moved by the fact that no matter how many times we do something and no matter how much we know it - there are these really huge moments of doubt that make us check ourselves at the door and remember that everyday is that tippy-wobbly struggle to find balance in our attitude, our lives, and the way we feel about what we do. This image is chalk pastel on slate with digital mods.

If the text isn't up yet - it will be soon. Don't worry. Hey what the heck - I'll post it here for now just in case.

It was what it was, but it certainly wasn't what I set out to do or anywhere near where I thought I was going. It wasn't. My own expectation tricked me. My own disappointment lost me for a moment and I was trepidation's fool. Foolishly. Sheepishly. Fooled. It was what it was, but it certainly wasn't what I set out to do... It's what I did.

Love what you are. Love what it is. 
 

Have a radical weekend. Really. Spread joy. Love life.

July 13, 2007

LoveLife #263

Imreminder263 Today's LoveLife #263 is up now. Here. I wanted to do something lighthearted this week and I wanted to do it in paint. This little alien creature has been hanging out in my imagination - holding a string. Tied to something, I guess. I was feeling and thinking about the feeling I get when I'm about to do something scary. I work it up in my mind, but when I finally jump - IT'S SO GREAT and I want to do it again and again and I can't believe I thought it would be scary. I've been summoning that courage and easy-breeziness for a few things lately... That's probably what this little alien dude is trying to tell me. Do it. Go. Come on, what are stressing about? Life is fun.

Have a radical weekend. Really. Spread joy. Love life.

June 29, 2007

LoveLife #262

Imreminder262Today's LoveLife #262 is up now. Here. It's about the series of really bizzare things people have said and done to me - all related to being pregnant. Yesterday, a woman at the dogpark SHOUTED across the crowd "ARE YOU PREGNANT - YOU HAVE A BELLY." Out of no where. Which I thought was completely rude and embarrassing. Or the lady at Starbuck's that thought she should touch my stomach (which I wouldn't recommend unless you'd like my fist in your eye). Or the woman on the street that said she could tell I was pregnant when she saw me on tv for my art show (which at the time I wasn't, but thank you anyways - you are too kind).

It's very weird... and if I can be so honest as to say - totally annoying.

June 22, 2007

LoveLife #261

Imreminder261 This one. This LoveLife #261 was an especially important one with an especially important message that I seem to need reminding of over and over...

This background is a bit more experimenting with the pencil crayon and paint pen... well, actually, pencil crayon and DRIED UP paint pen.

Looks like I'm off to the art store..

LoveLife #260

Imreminder260 LoveLife #260 is up now... Here. Inspired by the horned melon and a situation from a few weeks ago I was having trouble clearing from my brain - I often use LoveLife as a way to get-it-out - to clear my mind and make room for something new.

Love this green. Love that it's a surprise. Love that not everyone else loves it. Love that it is what it is.

And so are we.

June 08, 2007

LoveLife #259

Imreminder259 Triple Arm Pump to me. Yes, that's right. I got my arms-length list of things TO-DO done today. Made-in-the-shade. Including my printing. Including this LoveLife. Including the start to a new Tiplet coming soon for you. Including a new idea. Including a big, shiny, happy, bulletproof positive attitude... IN. FULL. EFFECT. Nice.

Booyah.

Have a great weekend. GO.