A Tragic Loss

We lost one of our finest artists this week to a senseless murder. Chun-Yan Hilyard was strangled by her husband Tuesday morning during an argument, then he dumped her body by a bridge not three miles from their house in Egg Harbor Township. Wednesday he reported her missing. And had the gal to go by the O.C. Center to demand the location of her paintings- not if anyone had seen her. Thursday a jogger found her body and not much later the police had the husband in cuffs. We're all stunned in the community. She was loving, giving, her art warm and ecstatic- impressionistic- and she was a rising star. They are holding a memorial at the Ocean City Art Center tonight. Her work is currently on exhibition there as well as here at theRRCA this month. She was just in here Sunday talking with me. She amazed me with her personal warmth and generosity of spirit.
Pointless violence snuffing out beauty that could not be contained.
She was a member of the RRCA, the Noyes Museum, the Ocean City Art Center and showed with a gallery in Stone Harbor. 45 with a 10 y/0 son and twin boys, younger.

Her website is- www.chun-yanart.com

Electric

By the way, some (John Sarno, Andrew Weil, etc.) call this type of back pain I think I had- TMS- Tension Myositis Syndrome. Sarno states that "most back pain is the result of the mind's interference with normal functioning of nerves and blood circulation to muscles" and I believe it because every time I got upset a localized knot of pain would surface. And the more I payed attention to it the more it would hurt. The more I wrapped my head around that knot, the tighter it got. Yoga and riding the reclining bike would erase the knot.
I rode my bike to Pathmark this morning for some healthier groceries I can't get at the local walkable mart, some would say that is far- it's enjoyable but it's also a chore. The traffic scares me. I recently told my mother that riding my bike for far errands was getting old- she said "But it keeps you trim". BUT. It's getting old. I'm 48. This morning I thought I'm not Wonderwoman, and I don't want to be. I'm way far beyond ever wanting to be Wonderwoman again.
My neighbor bought an electric bike this week. Hmmmmmm. Now, I've never thought about that possibility...........and I'm thinking.
I think partly why my back seized up was because I couldn't do it all and I was trying to with working. All anyone cared about was if I was producing more paintings for the series. I've half a mind right now to keep it to myself if I do continue the series and just "be" a Sunday Painter with my little watercolors for awhile. Sorry.
An electric bike. Hmmmmmm.........

Courtesy:)

I went out to eat tonight, all by my little lonesome, and an Andrew Weil book. Eh. It was a toss up, I could've- probably should've sweated at the gym. But I worked on the computer all day and have been cleaning- cooped up- and decided to relax tonight. Bubble bath next. I feel STUFFED- too stuffed- the new Chinese buffet in town, and with all the nutrition books I've been reading, half of me was wondering what preservatives and additives I was pouring down my throat. And I just made out a grocery list this morning for unprocessed foods, low fat, whole grain. So- it is out of my system- I wanted to try the new restaurant and go out alone. Doubt I'll repeat soon.

Reading "Spontaneous Healing", after "Healthy Aging, Natural Health- Natural Medicine", and a book on the glycemic index. I stopped eating candy, dropped seven lbs. so far and my back is no longer in pain. I don't expect the pain to return.

My fortune read "A little courtesy goes a long way" but when you are in doubled over pain at the end of each work day........Funny I still made it to the gym. They have a reclining bike and after sweating it out, the pain would disappear. Or was that stress? Yogic breathing when the pain hit would lessen it too. I don't know when it left completely. Just that it's been gone for quite a few days now.

Last week I only had one day off, this week I've had my three, next week I don't know as my co-worker returns to jury duty. So I've spent these days organizing- so I can return to work on art. Tomorrow my photos files.

Two more watercolor sketches. Don't know if I'll keep posting them as they come, but at least I've been getting some painting time in. I do have six blank canvases on my wall and some new fall photos developed into prints.....

Bubble bath with the Bach!

Oh, that was an error, the highlights in the last post, if it e-mailed that way.....

Yesterday

Yesterday's sketch at work. Usually I work just the weekends and Monday, but my co-worker has jury duty this week, and maybe another five days too. I was going to try and work on Artful Giving these three days off mid-week, but alas, I had to work. Oh well. Sometimes things don't work out. Can't be helped. Lucky that I am encouraged to sketch/paint at work. What a lovely job.

Still on the health kick. Reading up- it is just plain awful to realize the amount of chemicals in processed foods........In everything apparently. Cause for a major freak out if obsessed over.

I think this weekend, Saturday (I do have off), I will organize my computer photos so I can get to work on digital art again. Gotta be organized first.

Just a short post and pic of sketch. Maybe I'll fill the other half of the landscape sketchbook. I started it in 2007, kinda nice- that's how long I've been studying the river then.....

Relieved

Much cheerier still. Got good news this morning. To my ears.:) I had a 30 yr high school reunion coming up November 28th and was planning on going- for my sister. She informed me this morning that she really didn't care to go, either. I was only going to go for her. What good news. I didn't realize til my shower after this phone call cancelling, that this event had me somewhat bunched up.
It's been a gathering of old hs friends on Facebook, and reading posts- well, I don't have a house, a car, summers in Sea Isle. I do have over a thousand pieces of artwork, but do you drag them to a reunion with you? It was difficult visiting with my childhood friend couple weeks back, waiting for questions about my "situation". Someone told me such questions would be rude, I bit the bullet and told her about my jaw. I hate explaining that. I always get pity. I'M over the fact I was almost murdered- and now that 15 year old incident is just another piece of life. These things happen to people. I've moved on.
Anyway. With the reunion, and the visit, I was brought back to where I was in high school- not good enough. I wasn't, my family was poor. Never had the right clothes, hell- I was a transplant from North Jersey- I wasn't homegrown. Never in the cliques. I was in THE BAND, lol. Certainly not a cheerleader. What do I have to show..............
Who wants to go back to that after thirty years has passed?
That's why I said I felt Facebook was shallow. All you do is post what you do for other's attention. I went in for art connections and was eventually surrounded by high school. Bleck.

No more keeping up with the Jone's for me. Paint, paint, paint!!!!!!!!!:)
Off to work:)

New Series?

It's a shame when you have a blog, and don't feel free to give voice to your thoughts. I wasn't exactly complaining in my last post.........

......it took awhile, longer than I thought- for me it seemed to take forever- but I am finally in a routine when it comes to working. My health was a big concern. It's a good job, good environment, but I was very stressed in the beginning. I developed a kink in my back, a knot that would swell and pulse with pain the moment I tensed up. Partly due to sitting I believe, but I think too- psychological- it acted up whenever I stressed. I purchased a yoga for stress relief DVD, that always worked. But I was concerned with the lack of time now I could devote to physical fitness, and the lack of energy I had. And lack of energy promotes lack of energy. Couple more DVDs later- Core Fusion and Pilate's, with workout sessions I could fit into my schedule- I'm doing much better. Tonite I did 45 of Pilate's after work, and it comes easier now, which means I'm strengthening.- My view on exercise has changed, or should I say "matured"- along with lifting weights I make sure I get in some stretching and yoga- for the mind and spirit as well. I suppose I'm fit- but I could lose a few pounds. I work out at least six days a week, but I could lose a few. Candy instead of drink. So I also began studying health books. I feel great, so much better, about four weeks into this health kick. Halfway into this I had my cholesterol checked, bad is below and good is above. Sugar normal too.

I took my landscape sketchbook to work today and after chores settled down to photos and a sketch. Began in pen, but then decided on color and grabbed watercolors from the general supplies. Basic pans and colors. I think I will start a new series- "Fall"- an extension of the Riverwalk Series. Getting a little excited. Quite nice to paint again this week.

A rented movie is calling my name. I have just enough time to watch, eat dinner, and get enough rest to maybe wake up early enough for some yoga before work........

Breakfast by the river

I finally painted this week (plein air), after much time adjusting to a work schedule, and decided this morning to have breakfast by the river and extend my mood so to speak. There are moments- many of them- when I want to fold, walk away from the rat race. Even my painting was a little too hurried this week, so I thought; this morning I thought about how I used to have my own schedule and didn't have to "fit" things in. Like creativity. I won't leave my job though, I am fortunate to be working at the RRCA, and recently I was informed I may sketch at work on my down time, that it would also be good for the center. I haven't yet, but I think I will soon. I've been reading and perusing the computer. Facebook takes a lot of time and lately it has seemed shallow to me.

Life. Yesterday I went out to the river to paint and was greeted with very loud machinery across stream, they were clearing underbrush with a plow of some sorts, it was almost devastating- the noise. I thought about leaving. Had headphones/radio. This morning I sat down to munch on a pumpkin muffin and study the trees- maintenance men appeared to empty the garbage cans. I can't win, I thought, but this is how it is. All this "constructed" beauty under perpetual and constant construction, that's our arts district. If you choose to look at it that way. The bridge I painted this week has been out all summer, I haven't walked across it once to get to the other side. It doesn't suit me well this do, do, do, as the sell, sell, sell didn't either. I don't know if I'll ever get anything done for Artful Giving- I may just pull a Walden and just continue to paint the river..........