Happy New YEAR!!!

Make your own free photo slideshow

Happy in the New Year!

Red Cup by Patricia Alexandria

As Christmas passes and we get ready for the new year, we all start to think about our new year's resolutions and how we can have a fresh start and do something different next year.

A little more than a year ago, I decided that I was going to write a blog post everyday for 365 days. I was committing myself to it because I wanted to grow from that experience even though I knew it was going to take away, at the least, 365 hours out of that year.

Then, today, I went over to Denny's to get some lunch... As I waited for my food, I glanced up at the television set. It was an interview of a man who had committed himself to running a marathon everyday for a whole year. Besides making my commitment seem quite small compared to his, it made me think about how much more I can dedicate myself to...

So... as we think about what we'd like to dedicate ourselves to next year, try to think about something you love... anything you love... because doing anything you love will make you happy and that's what we all want to be... happy in the New Year!

And as I say that, I'd like to wish every single one of my readers a Happy New Year to come!!

Happy Holidays!!!

Make a thank you

Check off "New Post on Blog"

The day before every opening, I have a list full of "things to do" and my brain does not seem to go to sleep when I do... Although, with every opening, I get better at finishing my tasks faster and am even more organized than the one before, but I still feel overwhelmed and tired by the end of the day. Sometimes, I even feel like giving up and going home... But, today, I met a woman who gave me the power to let all of my overwhelming feelings of stress go and, somehow, move me along for the day. Coincidently, we began chatting in the line at the Dollar King and as I told her I was running the gallery up the street, she began talking about how she had put our postcard of the show up on her refrigerator and that she was going to join us tomorrow night. She told me that she loved the portrait of the woman and that she was so excited to come by and buy a piece of art. That was enough to put a smile on my face and get going on checking off my list of "things to do" for the day. Thank you to whoever plans to show up tomorrow night! Your presence is what helps me move forward and put these things together. Now, I can check off "new post on blog"!!!

Happy Holidays!!!

Modest Fly Art's Holiday Small Works Show DECEMBER 16th 7-10PM!

Modest Fly Art Gallery is having a group show of over 20 artists! It will be a fun-filled event with more than 50 pieces of artwork, smaller than 12", to choose from. You can choose to admire it for a second, hate it, stare at it, or take it home with you, but no matter what you'd like to do at the event, the room will be filled with so much talent and love for art that it might make you feel like you've been hearing too much Christmas music. There will be snacks and wine, which always make people happy... So, stop by and check it out if you have nothing else to do on a Friday night. Thanks and hope you'll join us!

"If You Build It, It Will Come"

Furniture... it's something I haven't had the pleasure of taking for granted in my house... until now. I believe that a piece of furniture should not be bought unless absolutely loved! After living in our home for about 5 months without furniture, sitting on plastic chairs and eating on plastic tables, I don't think I'll take my couch for granted now. We don't usually think about all that it takes to fill up an empty house with furniture and make it look like a home, but it sure took us 5 months to even begin the whole process. Armen says that if everything was already done and ready for me, I wouldn't notice it there and I'd take it for granted... He says, "If you build it, it will come..." And, for now, we live by that motto as I witness each molding and cabinet door put in, one by one. As we try to build every part of our life together slowly, we live each day as it comes...

Holiday Small Works Show

Personalize a free invite card

Be Forgiving

I've been married for about 5 months now and I have been given a lot of marriage advice... from the priest... to my mom... and married friends... to aunts and uncles... and the one piece of advice that everybody seems to have in common is "be forgiving"...

With Christmas coming around, I believe this might be the most kindest and most forgiving time of the year. It's sad that we are usually nicer when Christmas comes around as oppose to being nice all year long. Nice can be easy but forgiving can be much harder when we've been hurt. I think that being able to forgive someone can say something really special about you. I think that forgiveness has to be in our everyday with everybody, and not just in our marriage. I am sure that it's needed more often in a marriage than our everyday, which is why that is the one piece of advice that stuck with me. We have to be able to forgive someone when they don't pick up your call on purpose... when they are unkind and moody... when they don't think about your feelings... when they love you wrong... when they seem like they're always wrong... and when they seem like they don't care... We have to be able to forgive someone when they need to be forgiven...

So, I wake up every morning with this in mind... When he leaves his wet towel on the bed and his muddy clothes on the white carpet... and leaves for days at a time for work... I have to be able to forgive... because a wet towel might turn into something bigger one day and forgiving him now means I'll be ready to forgive later... and "be forgiving" is what they've told me to be...

So, I forgive and I hope to be forgiven...

“There is no love without forgiveness, and there is no forgiveness without love.” Bryant H. McGill

Songs in My Head...

Photo by Amber Sevilla

I woke up with a song in my head this morning...

I've been going back and reading some of my older posts and, I have to say, it's nice to go back and read what was going on in my head back then, and now... there's a song in my head.

These days, I'm not really sure what goes on up there... I don't pay much attention anymore. I don't know if that means I'm less emotional, or less attentive, or less spiritual... I don't really know...

I guess I've been busy with my personal duties and haven't given myself the opportunity to stop and think about what I am thinking about. I do know that I am listening right now... I am listening at this moment... and I can hear myself smiling and crying at the same time. I smile because I am at a great moment in my life and I'd like to stay right here. I cry because I am not at the moments I moved on from... So, as you can tell, maybe it is better if I keep myself from thinking too much... But, I have to say that smiling and crying at the same time is the best way I can describe what I am feeling right now and knowing that feeling helps me be aware of myself... and when I am aware, I leave room for songs in my head...

Happy Thanksgiving!

A free scrapbooking design by Smilebox

What I Love to Do

By Eerren

The one question I am always asked is, "So, why Modest Fly Art?"

And, when asked, I always have trouble explaining how and why it actually came about so I decided to write about it, copy and paste it to the virtual world, and point people to it when asked again. So, here it goes:

When I was in school for my Bachelor's in Illustration at Art Center College of Design, I had to pick my favorite word in a certain class and explore it. I chose the word "modest" and began working on what it means, what it looks like, how it feels, and where it is... Here is my short explanation of it from a couple of years back:

'“Modest” is a low profile word, used a handful of times, and possessed occasionally. The sound of modest is so quiet that it makes me feel, almost, shy using it. Modest can be humble, shy, unpretentious, reserved, and timid. When I think of modest, I see light colors, colors that almost fade and turn into white. It reminds me of pearls, lockets, antiques, grandparents, and the vintage. It is what everyone feels when they observe a bird feeding on seeds or when they encounter a ladybug and hold it in their palm. It is what I see when a little girl tugs at her mom’s dress for her attention, and what I experience when I sit in a room full of people and try to fade into the background. An old family tree framed on my grandparent’s wall is modest and a lantern on a street in Paris is modest. Petting a puppy is almost modest and so is a black and white picture. Modest does not exist enough, and when it does, it goes unnoticed most of the time."

So, there is is... my explanation of the world that surrounds me. As for "fly," it comes from a dragonfly necklace my mom used to always have around her neck when I was young. It was gold with turquoise wings and it was the modesty around the one woman I thought was perfection to me...

When I finally graduated and had to come up with a name to represent myself, Modest Fly Art was what I came up with, and "studio gallery" was added, obviously, to represent a place.

These days, it is more than just an explanation... it is what represents me and what I love to do...

Life Happens

Photo by Narbeh Iranosian

They say that girls marry their brothers, guys marry their sisters, and, in case you're a girl without a brother... I'm afraid you've married your dad...

Ok... that didn't sound as weird in my head as it did when I actually typed it out... But, the reason I say this is because I was home last night and I watched as my husband lay down on the ground, on his back, crossed his feet, and put his arms under his head as he watched t.v... I sat there and watched him and I went back 20 years and pictured my dad in the same exact position on our old carpeting, in our old apartment. Then, I thought about how life works out and how life happens...

Maybe it is a series of planned events... Maybe it is all planned out for us... or maybe it's all just a coincidence?

At this point, I'm not exactly sure what it is... but, I do know that whatever coincidences are happening in my life, they are specific coincidences and maybe, just maybe, one day, I'll figure it all out and have all the answers. But, for now, for me, life happens...

Picture Paintings Show Opening November 18th!!

Make your own free picture collage

Happy Halloween

Make a printable recipe card

What inspires you?

I was talking to a friend about inspiration the other day. He asked me, "So, what inspires you?" To my surprise, I froze... I had no idea... I went blank... I never thought I'd freeze when asked that. I mean, for someone who writes for the public, puts art shows together, and is an artist, herself, I thought I'd know the answer to that automatically... but, I didn't..

And, I've been thinking about that ever since...

Then, after a few days of trying to come up with what has given me inspiration all these years, I figured it out...

I find inspiration in all kinds of places... in other artists, movies, songs, words, people, etc. but, that wasn't it... my inspiration comes from love in my life...

It's not the love of a husband, mother, or friend... but, all the types of love in my life that come together and form the inspiration I have stored inside. Each person has certain feelings for certain things in life and that feeling of "my favorite..." and "I love..." is what keeps me fulfilled. The feeling I get when I watch my husband sleep... the feeling I get when I'm about to eat condensed milk out of the can... the feeling I get when I think about certain memories... the feeling I get when I miss something so much... the feeling I get when my sister calls me right when I'm dialing her number... the feeling I get when I watch my favorite part of a movie... the feeling I get when I hear a song that makes me cry... the feeling I get when I'm having a good dream and I go back to sleep on purpose... the feeling I get when I actually feel beautiful... the feeling I get when I see my parents fooling around like little kids... and the feeling I get when I can actually feel the inspiration... I love all of those things and all of those things are the loves of my life and they fill me with more inspiration than I can handle at times. I can't believe that I have more than half of my life to live and so much more inspiration to feel and fill my heart with... I can't believe it's possible to feel so much sometimes... So much inspires me...

What inspires you?

Thank You!!!

This thank you personalized with Smilebox

Cross Your Fingers

Here is a sneak peak at our opening tonight...

I have to say that the more I do this, the better I get at it. I am done early today and I sit here waiting for Fed Ex, who is supposed to bring me my pedestals for the sculptures. The shipment is supposed to be here by three o'clock. The lady over the phone said that they should be here by three, or earlier, unless there is some kind of a natural disaster that might keep Fed Ex from being here on time. So... since Gap closing and Taylor Lautner are trending on Yahoo news right now, I doubt there has been any kind of a natural disaster from here to the state of Colorado. Well, that is the only thing holding me back from opening the doors early for the opening... so cross your fingers and hope for a Fed Ex truck in the next hour...

A Little Bit of Everything Group Show Opening October 14th 7-10PM

Personalize your own free photo slideshow

Say Nothing...

by Marcy Eiben (Artist of A Little Bit of Everything Group Show)

The other day I was sitting there and thinking...

I thought, "Now what?..."

Ok, so the two lines you read above this... I've been looking at that for the past few days...

I have been thinking a lot lately... I've been trying to write lately... I've been trying to find that part of me that writes so well... but... all I've been doing is looking at those 2 lines for the past few days because I have been thinking... now what...?

Not to say that I haven't been experiencing a bit of life itself... I've been busy putting shows together, teaching, going to family events, dinners, loving, arguing, attending funerals, weddings... exercising, yogaing (if that's a word... I don't think it is...) but, yes, I've been experiencing... I've even had topics in my head I've wanted to talk about but, somehow, I always end up watching that blinking cursor and not knowing where to find my words.

Maybe, now is when I can't find my words and I don't know how to express my thoughts on life and my experiences. Right now, I'm blank...

Except for the words I use to explain my blankness, I can't find anything else to say besides... now what?

Now, is when I decide to say nothing...

“I have nothing to say And I am saying it And that is poetry” John Cage

Our Wedding Highlights

Armen & Iren from Eric Ajoonian on Vimeo.

Modest Fly Art Classes!

This free digital scrapbooking design made with Smilebox

Children's Art Classes!!!

Diving into...

by Daniaelle Simonsen

I haven't written in a while... I've been busy adjusting...

Adjusting to my new home... my new role as a teacher... a wife... Adjusting to changes... thoughts... situations... Adjusting to a new life...

It's funny, when you're married and have your own home, you find yourself saying, "I have to go home and clean." My sister said to me the other day, "I swear if you say you're gonna go home and clean!!!" It's hard not to think about going home to clean because if you don't get it done, nobody else is going to do it. You're on your own... You're on your own when it comes to making the bed, cleaning the toilet, mopping the floors, dusting the furniture, doing your laundry... I have to say that (admit that) my mom is still doing my laundry. She insists on doing my laundry so I don't want to let her down... No, really, she's having a hard time giving it up. At first, I didn't have a washing machine, then, when we got that, I didn't have Tide or bleach, and, now, well, now I need a drying rack so I can't do my laundry yet... Plus, it makes her feel better to do it. It makes her feel like I'm still around when she washes my clothes. She's going through withdrawal and I'm trying to make it easier on her... and... myself.

So, as I try to adjust to my new life, I try to keep some things the way they were so it's easier on me because I'm going through withdrawal... Withdrawal from my old life and diving head on into my new one... with my new new home... my new role as a teacher and wife... with all of my new thoughts... the new situations... I start my new life...

My Life as a Comedic TV Show

I am a fan of I Love Lucy... I have watched her so much I can relate my everyday situations to certain episodes. When Armen and I were on our honeymoon, I would bring up Lucy's European trip episodes almost everywhere we went and, oddly enough, funny things happen to me which make me think of her.

Speaking of Lucy, I've been trying to wallpaper my bedroom for two days. So far, I have two pieces up in the corner of the room and I think they look great but if you ask Armen, well, don't ask Armen because all he does is laugh at me about it. If you haven't tried doing so, wallpapering is difficult to do...

I tried the first one with the help of my sister and that didn't turn out so well. I finished putting paste on the paper as it lay on the floor, then, I picked up one end as I asked my sister to grab the other and follow me. She did so but as we got to the wall, we both got confused as to how we were going to turn it around onto the wall, and as she tried to get under me to paste it down, I started yelling, "What are you doing? Hurry up, it's sticking!!!"

With the way it's going, I can't help but think of Lucy's wallpapering episode. I guess life is good these days since I can relate it to a comedic TV show.

I Made a Difference Today...

I made a difference today... a small difference... but, still, a difference...

A 7 year old answered my question... he said, "Blue, yellow, and red... because you can... you can make every color with those... those colors."

After an hour of trying to keep them clean and dry, I just let them squeeze out almost all of the green paint from the tube and paint their rain forest, and what a beautiful, green rain forest it turned out to be. Two brothers trying to share the workspace and paint their own rain forest. It was definitely worth the mess.

Then, at the end, the answer to my question, "What are the primary colors?" answered correctly... It was definitely worth it because I made a difference today...

Thank You!!!

This thank you made with Smilebox

Without Restrictions Opening Tonight!

The Tierra Del Sol group show: Without Restrictions is opening tonight and I just wanted to give you a sneak peak at another piece in the show. Shown above is a piece titled "Sitting on the Giant Chair" by Sarit Halo

When putting up the shows, I usually start some kind of a theme around the show. Going through the work here, it was hard to ignore the simplicity of the work and all the different colors in it... like a child's playroom. So, that's all I will be revealing about the show. You have to come by to see the rest. Hope to see you there and thank you for caring about Modest Fly Art!

Wish Me Luck!

Tierra Del Sol Student

I read on Yahoo today that writing is one way to keep your mind healthy:

"To banish worries, put stressors on paper. Writing them down and stashing the note in a "worry jar" (or a drawer) makes it easier to compartmentalize and move on, says Andrea Bonior, Ph.D., a psychologist in Washington, D.C. Limiting anxiety is healthy. A surfeit of the stress hormone cortisol may lead to chronic pain, depression, cognitive issues and even heart problems, potentially shortening your life. Not to mention that constant worry is no fun." Yahoo News

I also read a comment from one of my readers today that said, "You inspired me to write today..." Now, I feel even better about writing my thoughts down for the public to read. As I went through one of the most life changing years of my life, I shared it with the world, and, now, I'm just trying to be mind healthy...

So, in other news, I am getting ready for an opening next Friday for the Tierra Del Sol group and, at the same time, getting ready to start my art classes the following week. I can't imagine what my life is going to be like trying to organize the classes and gallery simultaneously but I am so excited to be given this opportunity to grow. I just hope and pray that I can accomplish this successfully to grow even more. It's time to start what I have always wanted to achieve and if I don't succeed, which may happen, I can always keep my mind healthy by writing my failures down because someone once said to me that we won't realize our success without our failures.

Wish Me Luck!

TIERRA DEL SOL GROUP SHOW: Without Restrictions

This free invitation card made with Smilebox

Shades of Grey...

Kris Kan

As I try to settle into my house and my new life, I lose focus at times. I realize that I lose focus because I pause to think about what I want to do next... and how I want to do it...

And, as days go by, you realize that your marriage becomes what is in the books... the moments your parents had when you were little... the moments when your mom would curse at your dad under her breath, the moments of annoyance, the moments of wanting to pull your hair out and scream at the top of your lungs... but there are also those moments of waking up next to someone who adores you, eating cereal together before going to work, and waiting for the moment they come home each day. So, I take it one day at a time as I try to regain my focus on my life and everything it consists of these days...

And, as the days go by, I realize that even though life is clearer when it's black and white, there are always shades of grey, the areas that lose focus, and, it's okay to have those shades of grey because it's what completes the picture...

“Our lives at times seem a study in contrast... love & hate, birth & death, right & wrong... everything seen in absolutes of black & white. Too often we are not aware that it is the shades of grey that add depth & meaning to the starkness of those extremes.” Ansel Adams

Abilities with Disabilities

I have said before that I'm lucky... so I won't be boring you about that anymore. I can go ahead and express my feelings about the wonderful day I had yesterday, which was my birthday, and all the beautiful gifts I received, the great family lunch at the beach ending with a great big 7 layer chocolate cake... but... like I said, I won't bore you with all that. I'd like to express my feelings on something that I would like to share with you...

A few years ago, we went on a family vacation to Cabo San Lucas. We were laying out by the pool and my sister told me that if I put some lemon on the freckles on my nose, they'd go away. (If you haven't noticed, I have freckles on my nose and I have always wanted to get rid of them, somehow, obviously...) So, I believed her and did as she said... Well, the next morning I woke up looking like I had been in a boxing match. My eyes were swollen and somewhat slanted. I was horrified at myself and wouldn't go outside without sunglasses. I also remember it being my birthday that day too. I was so depressed over my physical deformity, I started crying and throwing tantrums. I even kept my glasses on in the plane on the way back home. After a few days, it was better and my face slowly went back to normal.

The reason why I'm sharing this story with you now is because I had a slight deformity for a few days and I couldn't live with myself. I realized that not everybody is built to handle emotional, physical, or mental disabilities. Which brings me to my next point... Modest Fly will be showing the work of a few great artists who are dealing with emotional, mental, and physical disabilities. The work of the students at Tierra Del Sol will be showing at Modest Fly for the month of September and I am very excited about this opportunity. I have so much admiration for these students and the absolute talent that they have. They're work is amazing, but don't take my word for it, come by and take a look at their great abilities, not disabilities. The show is titled "Without Restrictions" and it will be opening on September 2nd, 2011 from 7-10pm. It will be up at the gallery until September 30th, 2011.

Here is a little bit about Tierra Del Sol:

"Tierra del Sol Foundation began 40 years ago in Sunland, California and has grown into a recognized leader in developing innovative, accredited services enabling adults with developmental disabilities to realize their greatest human potential. Tierra del Sol helps more than 500 people across Los Angeles County overcome cognitive, physical, emotional or behavioral challenges resulting from developmental disability. Tierra offers a tremendous variety of educational opportunities for people to discover their own unique talents and abilities to contribute to their community and their family. Most importantly, we believe our community is stronger when all of its members are valued and appreciated. Through Tierra, people are supported to go to community college, to give valuable volunteer service, to create art and to build for themselves the lives that they want."

Steve Miller, Executive Director

http://tierradelsol.org/

I'm Not Alone...

I've been getting complaints about not posting... texts reading: "Why aren'y you posting on your blog??? What are you doing? or seeing me in public and saying, "Why don't you post up more honeymoon pictures?"

Well, honestly, I've been busy trying to get my life in order. I have moved out of my parents house now and am currently trying to make a "home." It's much easier said than done when you have an empty house to work with... no kitchen, no sink, no cabinets, bags of clothes without hangers, and much more... But, I have nothing to complain about because I get more done with each day and it feels like I am actually making a "home..." we both are... And, as we finish our chores everyday and go to bed in a silent home, I realize that it's just "him and I..."

The sound of the Food Network channel coming from my sister's room is gone... the sound of my dad's action movies is gone... and the sound of my mom yelling at him to turn it down, in the middle of the night, is gone... It really is just him and I... Laying there, in the middle of the night, listening to the silence, I realize that "him and I" are "us" now...

Now, it's "us" and "we" not just "him and I." Now, every time I get hungry, I have to see if he's hungry too... every time I wear my clothes, I have to make sure he's ready to go... every time I want to go to bed, I have to see if he's sleepy... every time I buy my favorite snack, I have to buy his favorite too... but every time I feel alone, I won't be...

What More Can I Ask For?...

It's been a while... but I'm finally back here, where my old world is, and it's just how I left it...

Here's a recap of what I've encountered in the last 30 days...

London, England... what more can I say?

Amsterdam, Holland and its unusually slanted buildings and Inception-like bridges...

Germany and its greenery...

Venice, Italy and its indescribable beauty...

Of course, Italy's historical beauty with a blend of undeniable fashion...

The Leaning Tower of Pisa... it was the one sight that made me catch my breath...

Carcassone, Italy and its castles and fortified city...

Italian wood-fired pizza...

Barcelona, Spain and its crowded, topless beaches...

And, last but not least, the one thing I was waiting to go back to...

Looking back on the last 30 days, I have witnessed so much history, beauty, inspiration, love, and love again... what more can I ask for?...