Writing on the Run by Araina Bond, a nice read in Runner’s World about author and distance runner, Michael Collins. I totally understand the connection between creativity and running…it feels so good!

My favorite lines:

“Collins never hit the trails without a pencil and paper in his pocket… I began training hard, 80 miles a week, stopping here and there, writing down expressions that became the touchstones for what I would write about later that night after work, he says.”

“To Collins, writing and running are natural companions. Beginning a book on a run has always been the most natural process, he says. I could not imagine sitting before a blank computer screen. Having that pause in the day with the release of endorphins frees up ideas.”

Last week, I was fortunate to present a new project at Towson University in Maryland. The exhibition curated by Prof. Susan Isaacs and entitled Fluid celebrates the 75th anniversary of the American Abstract Artists.  I was in great company with friends and artists, Lynne Harlow and Marthe Keller. The whole experience was simply wonderful — from the train from NYC to Maryland, the university and all the beautiful community who joined us for the opening. Universities have the most amazing energy and are so full of creativity.

I’ll be adding more images and information soon, but for now here is an image of the evening’s performance/collaboration with TU’s Dance department students and Prof. Vincent Thomas (VTDance) …which was absolutely inspiring.

Thank you Susan, Vince and all at TU!

Image:
Rossana Martinez
Wrap Yourself Around Me, 2011
Installation/performance with reused fabrics, artist book and ribbon

On the Run, a blog about the New York City Marathon. The Marathon this year is on November 7 and will have about 43,000 runners. So looking forward to it!

A Running Start, a free online coaching resource developed by New York Road Runners in response to rising obesity levels in children.

Enjoy and wishing all a happy healthy weekend!

Among the many reasons I couldn’t find time to write is that I have been having longer, deeper runs. Yes, my usual 3-mile runs have matured into 6, 7 and lately 8 miles. Longer runs make me feel great and have me inspired and playing in the studio much more. I’m still thinking about it, but I may run a half-marathon next year. As you can see in the photo, I have an incredibly active trainer who keeps me on the move in running and non-running days.

As part of my job, I’ve been taking an interesting class and traveling around the city. I like that I’m spending more time meeting people, and visiting and learning about new places in the city. There are days that my commute is so long, but to see the positive side of it, at least I’m not in front of a computer all day.

At the beginning of the month, we traveled to Miami for the opening of Matthew’s two-person exhibition (with David E. Peterson) at Alejandra von Hartz Gallery. It’s nice how art takes you to places. Loved her gallery space and the exhibition (on view thru Oct. 30) has great energy and dialogue. The art world needs more galleries like hers. Alejandra has such a friendly and welcoming personality. Congratulations Matthew and David!

Image:
Michelangelo
Sistine Chapel
fresco
ca. 1511

Happy weekend everyone!

“Rather than entering any situation wondering how it will serve you, let your entire motivation be to serve the greater good. Ask yourself constantly, how do I serve here, rather than how does this serve me and you put yourself in the great flow, which paradoxically causes life to serve you far better.”

Enjoy!

Finding of the week:

“We always need to remember that behind almost every great moment in history, there are heroic people doing really boring and frustrating things for a prolonged period of time.”

From New York Times, My Favorite August by Gail Collins.

Hope you’re all having a great summer. Here are some of my summer thoughts after having a wonderful time with family and at my favorite place: the beach.

It pleases me immensely to see how my boy loves the ocean. He was born in NYC, but his blood is Caribbean…and I truly love that!

Fruit and vegetable stands, surf shops and Rex Cream’s Ice Cream are my kind of places.

<3 running barefoot on the beach. I know I’ll be fine in a couple of days, but it was hard to run this morning and wear running shoes.

A bikini never goes out of fashion.

My nieces and nephews are awesome! When I grow up, I want to be just like them.

Photo:
7am swim with mama.

Swimming in the Caribbean. Surrounded by family and nature. I’m counting the days…

Where is yours?

Where is My Mind
By The Pixies

Oh
With your feet in the air and your head on the ground
Try this trick and spin it, yeah
Your head will collapse
But there’s nothing in it
And you’ll ask yourself

Where is my mind

Way out in the water
See it swimmin’

I was swimmin’ in the Caribbean
Animals were hiding behind the rocks
Except the little fish
But they told me, he swears
Tryin’ to talk to me, coy koi.

Where is my mind

Way out in the water
See it swimmin’ ?

With your feet in the air and your head on the ground
Try this trick and spin it, yeah
Your head will collapse
If there’s nothing in it
And you’ll ask yourself

Where is my mind

Oh
With your feet in the air and your head on the ground
Oh
Try this trick and spin it, yeah
Oh
Oh

“The critic has to educate the public; the artist has to educate the critic.”

-Oscar Wilde

“Yoga is about the union and integration of breath, movement and body, both on and off the mat. Our practice on the mat should hopefully guide us towards actions in the outside world: if we observe our actions on the mat, perhaps we can all try to apply them to the outside world, and together, in a united way, we can make a difference.”

Green Goa: Green Yoga, Karma Yoga and the Art of Transforming Practice to Life by Inna Costantini. UK Yoga Magazine, July 2010.

Happy summer!

Here I am, thinking of tomorrow’s NYRR New York Mini 10K. My first “big” race after baby. Feeling excited. I ran this race in 2008 and the experience was awesome. This is a women only race and it is truly amazing to see a sea of women running in Central Park.

My main goal tomorrow is to apply what I’ve learned from my active 15-month old boy and that we as adults forget to do often — run, run, run and just have fun!

A friend sent me this quote a couple of weeks ago — and it is so true:

“You should study not only that you become a mother when your child is born, but also that you become a child.”

-Dogen Zenji (1200 – 1253)

My first experiment with triangle pose was a couple of years ago. I created an installation with colored rubber bands entitled, Space Between. I didn’t set many rules while installing, I just knew I wanted to create a connection between triangles and colors. I began the installation — on what first felt as a huge wall space — slowly and carefully making triangles. But as I continued making triangles, the installation felt as a yoga practice — it began to flow naturally.

These days I continue to explore triangle pose — both — on my mat and in my home/studio. I’ll be posting images of this new set of triangles soon. I’m excited.

Oh, and how much I love google… While researching triangle pose, I found these great articles: Angle of Repose by Julie Gudmestad and Triangle Pose by Teri Leigh.

Enjoy!

Image:
Rossana Martinez
Space Between, 2007
Rubber bands

Finding of the week:

“A arte é a minha forma de conhecimento do mundo”

“Art is my way of understanding the world”

-Lygia Pape

Image:

Lygia Pape
Magnetized Spaces, 1968-2002
Spaces of the city

I’m glad to be back after a couple of weeks of too much happening at the same time. Here are some new discoveries that kept me balanced during busy days.

To begin a yoga practice at home, I got the podcast Yoga For Morning, Noon & Night with Jason Crandell. Each practice is twenty minutes and Crandell is such an excellent teacher. The noon practice is perfect during lunch break at work. The night practice feels great after a busy day.

I often find myself waiting for the bus to travel from the East side to the West side and viceversa. While I commute, I’m either reading or writing. But lately I’ve been looking and learning about NYC’s trees with the application for iPhone, Trees Near You. Watching how trees change in the spring is one of my favorite things and with this new application it feels magical.

With magic in mind, Nueva Luz, the photographic journal published by En Foco has always wonderful artists to discover. The current issue has a fantastic series by Pato Hebert entitled Trying to Catch Your Breath. Hebert describes breathing as a “manifestation of existence”. Wow! and to think that most of the time we take breathing for granted. Pato Hebert writes about the series:

“The images record my breath made visible when exhaled into the cold night air. This very simple but beautiful manifestation of existence moves me. Like my breath, which floats off into the chilly darkness, these images float between figuration and abstraction. They continue my explorations into the evocative and the ephemeral as it relates to our well-being. The title, Trying to Catch Your Breath, refers to the literal process of making the images, my effort to try to record my breath in photographic form. The title also alludes to the spiritual process of trying to catch my breath, to slow down and nourish a healthier, calmer mental state.

The hectic pace and imbalance in my daily living can lead to insecurities, anxieties and fear. Breathing is more of a process than a ‘thing.’ But in cold air, the breath is made visible. In this way the breath materializes and becomes a kind of thing, ephemeral yet palpable, unstable yet compelling. This chilly, condensed form of my breath is fascinating and magical to me, and I wanted to see how it would appear in photographically. These photographs reference the Buddhist meditation practice of focusing on one’s breathing as a technique for being more present and aware. By learning to listen to my own breathing and by remembering to breathe calmly and deeply instead of rushing or holding my breath, I am able to think and act more clearly. I have found this technique to be tremendously helpful in my efforts to improve my own awareness.”

Enjoy and Happy Earth Day!

We’ve been having glorious days filled with beautiful colors and sun. The weather always inspires me to choose what to experiment with in the kitchen. I have two new favorites: quinoa and kale. Cooking them is simple, their benefits are plenty and they taste great.

I was about to write about the benefits of kale when I found all I wanted to say (and more) in the great Brooklyn blog — Butter Beans Kitchen. This is a must read blog if you love real food. I agree with what they write about their blog:

“…If we want quality lives full of goodness, we have got to learn to make good choices about the food we plant and the food we eat. We have got to spend some more time in the kitchen and appreciating the food we have.

We have to teach our children, in a way that makes them want to celebrate. What could be more magical than the colors and tastes and sights that the Earth produces with sunshine, rain and a few pairs of dedicated hands…”

And here is the information about kale:

Kale — in April’s glow by Butter Beans Kitchen. They will add kale recipes this month.

Enjoy!

Finding of the week:

The 5 Warrior Warm-Up by Margaret Burns Vap

Everything feels so new in the spring. My curious boy has been showing me the world from a new perspective. This weekend, we spent long hours with friends, playing in the park, and looking at fresh bits of color — trees, magnolias, daffodils. Very refreshing!

The beautiful sun has inspired me to introduce him to the magic of running. So I’m looking for a running stroller and would love to hear about your experiences. Here are some of the qualities I’m looking for:

*lightweight (mama is petite and our charming neighborhood is old — streets have different levels)
*easy storage (we live in Brooklyn = small apartment)
*reasonable price

I really appreciate any suggestions and/or recommendations.

Thanks and happy spring to all!

“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.”
-Marcel Proust

running with
my favorite music
creative thoughts
and a happy heart

returned home
found two beautiful smiles
and a cup of good coffee

simple things taste so good!

The last couple of weeks have been full of creativity. I found some time to draw, run outside and explore for titles. I like titles especially for abstract work. To me, titles are the little things that tell our story. They help us share ideas with others, and begin a dialogue…

Finding of the week:

“What is often overlooked in this modern world is that everything and everybody has value, that each atom in the universe does indeed have a place…”

-Aadil Palkhivala

Welcome to my new website/blog. There are so many positive things happening this year, I hope to find more time to write. As you probably know, 2009 was an amazing year for me because I had an incredible baby boy. But as many artists who are also parents know, it is extremely challenging to balance a family, a job, to stay healthy and making art. I’m breathless!

I am grateful to have the opportunity to live and enjoy this whole experience. There are not words to really describe it…but my heart has grown so much since I became a mama. And I am thankful to have such wonderful community: my family, friends, neighbors and readers.

As I mentioned on my last post, this web project is a work in progress…My goal is to create a place where we connect, share and have a dialogue. I want it to have the quality of a studio visit, a great run or a yoga class.

Lastly, I want to thank and highly recommend Brad Stephenson who helped me with the new website. Brad is an actor, amazing father, technology developer, and huge Steelers fan — Go Steelers! — maybe next year. Brad was fantastic to work with and so patient with my slow pace. His website is www.bradpstephenson.com. Muchas gracias Brad!

Lately, the weather has been warmer than usual — perfect to run outside. Last Sunday morning was a beautiful and sunny fall morning. I managed to run five miles and felt I could keep going. I enjoyed the longer run, but now that the weather is changing again, I’m looking for ways to trick my brain to enjoy running in the cold.

In the I’m a Runner section of Runner’s World, I found an interview with Wolfgang Ketterle, Nobel Prize-winning physicist from MIT where he says:

“It’s quite nice running when it’s cold out. I like the contrast of the warm body, which is at a wonderful operating temperature, with the chill on the skin.”

I like the beautiful way he describes running in the cold. It also sounds like good material for a performance. I’m definitely going to remember his words while I’m out there pushing to get to the six mile…And maybe when I think of my next performance/drawings.

I found Issey Miyake Autumn/Winter 2009 show in Paris so unique. Color, fabric and bodies moving fluidly through a white geometric floor (square). A lot to like!

I’m looking forward to seeing the exhibition Georgia O’Keeffe: Abstraction. On view from September 17, 2009-January 17, 2010 at the Whitney Museum of American Art.

And would love to make a family trip to Washington, DC to see the exhibition Anne Truitt: Perception and Reflection. On view from October 8, 2009 to January 3, 2010 at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden. The first major exhibition of her outstanding work since 1974.

While strolling around the neighborhood, I saw this nice quote by George Eliot (her real name was Mary Anne Evans, 1819-1880).

“It is never too late to become what you might have been”

Enjoy!

A bunch of ideas for the new web/blog have been floating inside my head. I like the idea of a blog because it’s less static and could function as a sketchbook. I hope to find some time to make the changes soon.

My little Tarahumara will be 7 months next week and is already crawling fast! And while I attempt to flow in yoga class, I’m amazed to see him be so naturally flexible. He can flow from downward facing dog to plank to pigeon pose with no trouble at all. Signs that he may become a runner or yogi just like mama.

A good read for new parents is From Birth, Engage Your Child With Talk by Jane E. Brody. And Animal Playground by Putumayo Kids is a beautiful collection of animal-themed songs from around the world. The video above is from one of the album’s song The Littlest Birds by The Be Good Tanyas (Canada).

I can’t believe October is already here. Happy fall!

I’m currently reading the book, Born to Run, a book about the life and running skills of the Tarahumara Indians of Mexico’s Copper Canyon, which are considered the greatest distance runners in the world. I began enjoying the book when I read:

“…That was the real secret of the Tarahumara: they’d never forgotten what it felt like to love running. They remembered that running was mankind’s first fine art, our original act of inspired creation. Way before we were scratching pictures on caves or beating rhythms on hollow trees, we were perfecting the art of combining our breath and mind and muscles into fluid self-propulsion over wild terrain…”

I can’t explain how it happens, but one tends to complicate life and get tangled in the “rat race”. Suddenly, what we love to do becomes a chore. The Tarahumara’s secret is exactly what I want to remember daily. To always love everything I do…including just doing absolutely NADA.

Image:

Tarahumara men costumed for rituals. Photo from National Geographic’s article, A People Apart by Cynthia Gorney. Photograph by Robb Kendrick.

Our next Art Movement event is next month. We are participating in the 2009 Komen New York City Race for the Cure on Sunday, September 13th in Central Park. It would be great if some of you can join us. I’ll post all details about how to get involved very soon.

And as always, I’m enjoying my most precious project, Mateo. He is learning and growing so fast. As you can see in the photo, he really knows how to make me smile!

The list of things I would like to enjoy during these warm months is way too long. Sure I can do some of these things during the cold months, but the energy that the sun brings in the summer is unique.

I don’t know how it happened, maybe it was having beautiful Central Park as a background. I’m so excited that I’m running three miles again. Three miles isn’t a lot, but for me it feels like a marathon.

I also found a new yoga class that took me back to my very first experience with yoga. Everything felt so new and every muscle hurt the day after! I love when moments like this happen — when suddenly the things that we thought we knew how to do feel fresh and everything shines again.

Eating to Fuel Exercise, Runners Tell Their Stories both by Tara Parker-Pope, and The Reservoir in Central Park, an audio guide by the Central Park Conservancy are perfect to keep us moving and inspired.

I hope you’re all enjoying the summer and doing some of the things that you love to do!