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October 11, 2024 In art By Patricia Saxton

When Pencils Meet Ideas

With my Drawing Class over, Illustration Workshop complete, and my Creativity Workshop on the horizon, part of me is in teacher mode, so I thought it a good time to answer a pressing question some of you have asked! … which is:

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What’s the difference between drawing and illustration?

Aren’t they the same thing? … Well, yes and no.

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DRAWING is pretty much as straight forward as it sounds. A subject is chosen, let’s say a bowl of fruit, which is then recreated using pencils, ink or charcoal. Styles and techniques vary, and the subject may be interpreted realistically, simplistically, or as an unrefined sketch – but the subject is still being represented as a bowl of fruit.

ILLUSTRATIONS can be representational (think botanical, anatomical, medical, architectural) – however, they become more than a drawing, and often a different animal entirely, when pencils meet ideas.

An illustration visually interprets an idea. It problem-solves how best to depict a narrative, a feeling, thought or emotion, often relying heavily on imagination. And while an illustration might be executed in the form of a drawing, the stylistic range is much broader – it could be painted, collaged with paper or made with a mixture of mediums, all of which open whole new doors to creative expression.

For example, instead of a simply drawing of a bowl of fruit, the fruit might be rendered to look like it’s made of flower petals. An illustration can also be a brilliant New Yorker magazine cartoon. Or a business promotion. Or maybe the adventures of a cat, a fiddle, a dish and a spoon. Or the life of a beagle who imagines himself a pilot. Or, of course, a book-reading dragon. The possibilities are endless!

So.

Drawing tells us about a thing.

Illustration tells us a story.

And there you have it.

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UPCOMING CLASSES AND WORKSHOPS

Next up, a 3-day workshop on November 5-7 called Unleashing Your Creativity. On Fridays in January I’ll teach a Writing & Illustration a Children’s Book class, then a class version of Unleashing Your Creativity on Fridays in February. All are held at the Sedona Arts Center. Join me if you can!

August 31, 2024 In appreciation, art, creativity, fine art, inspiration, life and the universe, teaching, travel By Patricia Saxton

Postcards from Austria

First, a note: Something is amiss with my blog. Recent posts that I’ve shared with you have (for the most part, I believe) arrived in your email inbox without the accompanying pictures (also with fonts changing, which you may not notice, but I definitely do!). Finding the solution has been harder than expected and is most frustrating – so my apologies for the less interesting visuals you might be seeing. Your patience is appreciated! For the fully pictured as-intended version, please visit the blog itself. 😉

Art Retreat Extraordinaire

Mission complete – the 2024 Art Retreat in Austria was beautiful! Art was made. Exquisite food was consumed. Spectacular views were breathed in at every turn. Friendships were discovered and deepened and memories were carved. Magic walked among us.

There was painting from life and painting from pictures – and certainly no shortage of inspiration. We were wowed at the gorgeous mountain lake known as Lünersee (and for some, a blissful relief when finishing the lengthy drive up zig-zaggy Alpine roads going ever higher!). We reveled in the sheer immensity of the Alps during our foraging-for-herbs expedition, and were awed by the nighttime James Turrell SkySpace art installation. We were regularly treated to flower-filled window boxes in charming towns and the sweet chime of church bells on the hour. And we all left a piece of our hearts in this magnificently picturesque country.

I am deeply grateful to our Chalet-M hosts Franz and Laurie for our top-notch accommodations and spoiling us with incredible, drool-worthy meals, for making us feel cared for in every way, and for our seamless teamwork in creating an amazing experience that will long be cherished.

And to my “retreaters” – what a great group! I couldn’t have asked for a better, more cohesive collection of souls on our maiden Austrian Art Retreat. Living, laughing, painting and exploring together, it felt like the best kind of family.

‘Til the next time… Es war eine wunderbare Zeit!

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There are far too many picture choices to make into actual postcards, so please enjoy this special 1-minute reel of highlights displayed below!

August 26, 2024 In art, creativity, inspiration, life and the universe, travel, work and play By Patricia Saxton

Where It Began

At five years old, this little girl with sparkly glasses from the small town of Warren, New Jersey, was about to embark on the trip of a lifetime.

She would travel with her family across the Atlantic on board the original Queen Mary ocean liner (where, among many other adventures, she’d befriend a waiter named Tony, who would sneak her extra boxes of Sugar Pops, her then favorite cereal), landing on the shores of Southampton, England. From there the six-some would travel by train to Karlsruhe, Germany. (Of note, one brother was inadvertently delivered elsewhere, after strolling onto a car of the train that broke off and headed to France. Fortunately, despite initial panic, he was found and the family remained in tact!)

Once settled into a little house on a street called Gretelweg, she would walk a cobblestoned path to the bus that brought her to kindergarten, where she mostly remembers drawing a lot. She would also play with the neighborhood children, develop a fondness for Toblerone chocolate, visit castles and lap up their lore, travel on winding alpine roads, gape at tulip fields, and collect a doll from each of the umpteen countries they’d visit before arriving home a year later, by then fluent in German.

It was an impressionable age and may very well, as her father suggested, have unwittingly sparked her love for seeing other parts of the world.

While it wasn’t a long stay, Austria had been one of the family’s travel stops. Twenty something years later, she would again visit Germany (and their old house on Gretelweg, which looked even smaller then!) and would again see Austria, noting the similarly striking beauty of both countries. And now, about 60 years later, she’s off once more to Austria – this time to lead an art retreat in the Alps.

Life works in mysterious ways, doesn’t it? I kind of like that. It’s not exactly where it started, but close enough. And part of me will bring the spirit of “little me” along on this next adventure, where I’ll also, no doubt, be drawing a lot and playing with friends.

♦

Side note: I wrote this pre–Austria trip, and have since come and gone (it was glorious), but am just now getting caught up here on my blog. Retreat details coming next!

July 26, 2024 In art, children's books, creativity, drawing, fine art, illustration, inspiration, painting, teaching By Patricia Saxton

Let’s Be Creative Together

IT’S TIME!

I’ve been drawing as long as I can remember. And those of you who’ve known me a long time, know that I’ve been professionally designing, illustrating, writing and painting for decades! All in all, pretty much a lifetime of creating. And I dearly love what I’m able to do – but something felt missing. That element? Sharing what I know in a more official way – and maybe, just maybe, helping you to tap into your own magic.

Soooo, in early September I’ll be teaching a class in Drawing at the Sedona Arts Center in my beautiful town of Sedona, Arizona. In October I’ll lead a 3-day Illustration Workshop, followed in November by a 3-day workshop that I’m calling Unleashing Your Creativity. In January I’ll teach a Writing & Illustration a Children’s Book class, and in February a class version of Unleashing Your Creativity.

Beginner as well as intermediate level artists are encouraged to join in. Whatever your experience, my goal for each offering is to help you explore and expand both your skills and your creativity. To stretch, play and grow. To feel inspired, build confidence and honor your own artistic expression. And to enjoy the process while receiving plenty of individualized attention.

Registration is now open! You’ll find full descriptions, pricing and dates at the Sedona Arts Center website – this link will take you to my instructor page – just click on any of the classes you’re interested in.

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THE TRUTH IS, WHEN YOU DRAW SOMETHING, YOU SEE IT DIFFERENTLY AND SOMEHOW MORE PROFOUNDLY. AND WHEN YOU PAINT SOMETHING, YOU CONNECT TO A WORLD YOU NEVER KNEW EXISTED. IN ALL FORMS OF CREATIVITY, YOU’RE MAKING SOMETHING FROM NOTHING – AS IF BY MAGIC. BUT THE MAGIC IS ALREADY IN YOU, JUST WAITING TO BE TAPPED.

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June 4, 2024 In art By Patricia Saxton

Passion or Bust!

Does anyone else feel like time is moving at warp speed? Every year it seems faster, but, so far 2024 feels crazy fast. Like a relentless, churning sea rushing against an invisible clock.

One of these days I’d like to master time. It’s been said that time exists so that everything doesn’t happen at once. Which sort of leads to another line of thinking that the past, present and future are actually occurring at the same time – which is a hard concept to wrap one’s head around, which can then leave us with the classic wisdom of the present moment being the only one that matters – the only one where we have any tangible influence – and that that is where we should bestow our precious attention.

It’s pretty fair to say that I don’t always know where the time goes, but there’s lots of attention on creativity over here, so I’ll share some of what’s been happening around the studio.

ART COMMISSIONS continue to be flowing. (Including a work in progress that aligns with this Year of the Dragon, making for the ethereal company of marvelous, fantastical beasts while I paint!) Not all artists like commission work, as there’s an extra pressure involved painting for someone rather than painting whatever flows. That said, I appreciate my commissioning clientele – they respect an intrinsic need for artistic freedom; they understand that while I can produce what they’ve asked for, there’s very much an element of “as the spirit moves” to my work. (After many long years at the proverbial drawing table, this was inevitable.) “Passion or bust!” another someone once said, and I concur.

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APRIL saw a nice feature article on yours truly in Sedona Monthly, a well-respected and beautifully produced magazine. (Read the feature here.) There’s a lot of talent in this town, so I extend many thanks to the team over there for including mine.

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IN MAY Sedona was graced by the Aurora Borealis.(wow!) The wildflowers and cacti are blooming now, and the golden sun on the red rocks continues to hold my heart hostage.

IN OTHER NEWS, I’ll be teaching several classes/workshops this fall at the Sedona Arts Center. I’m not sure what took me so long to offer these, but I’m looking forward to them all. Lots of planning … stay tuned for announcements on those!

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THE MOUNTAINS ARE CALLING AND I MUST GO . . .

Also stay tuned for postcards from Austria. (Maybe not actual postcards? Although I like the idea now that I think of it …) Considering how quickly the months are flying by, our Art Retreat in Austria is just around the corner. August 4 – 10 to be precise, and it’s going to be grand. I see it as a bit of a “life, art and the universe” experience where everyone can not only expand their creative expression but, in the process, just might infuse some hand-and-heart-made love, joy and beauty into this very messy world we live in. Cheers to that, I say!

October 25, 2023 In appreciation, art, creativity, drawing, fine art, inspiration, life and the universe, painting, teaching By Patricia Saxton

Austrian Alps Art Retreat: August 4 – 10, 2024

Would you like to …
Make art in a gorgeous, relaxing setting?
Amp up your drawing skills? Learn to paint?
Find new ways of seeing the world?
Feed your spirit?
Share the joy of creativity?

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Join us for a week of making art guided by lifelong artist Patricia Saxton. There will be learning and feasting and camaraderie. There will be mountains, lakes, forests, cows and goats. There will be soaking in the incredible summer beauty of the Austrian Alps.

All experience levels are welcome.
Come along, be inspired, create some magic and nurture your soul. It’ll be amazing!

– e a r l y b i r d o f f e r –

Register with required downpayment by December 1, 2023 to receive 10% off the listed price for the retreat.

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For the best experience with personal attention, the retreat is limited to 10 participants.
Click here for the details, itinerary, pricing and sign-up form!

December 26, 2022 In art, color, creativity, fine art, painting By Patricia Saxton

New Work / Show Time!

Paint dry. Signatures done. Hardware on. Five new pieces have been delivered and are now on display for The Azadi Exhibition at Sedona, Arizona’s Rumi Tree Art Gallery.

This was an inspired – and fast – turnaround. I’m just now surfacing from the creative process (which often feels like a spirit driven, caffeine-fueled alternate universe…) and wanted to share this update with you.

About five weeks before the exhibit opening date, gallery owner and fellow artist Sahar Paydar felt moved to make the theme of the show about Azadi, which translates to liberty in her native Persian language – and so, The Azadi Exhibition was born. Featuring four women artists and focusing on Art, Women and Liberty, I was all in. It meant switching creative gears in a short period of time, but I loved, loved, loved the concept and realized it was a perfect opportunity to begin a series of portraits that had been on my never-ending list of ideas for quite a while already.

I conjured up and completed three strong women for the exhibit (more are waiting in my wings), and I’ve called them I Am Freedom, I Am Grace and I Am Wisdom. Painted in oil, they represent empowering qualities that I believe all women inherently possess; qualities I feel should be embraced, honored, and unabashedly lived.

In addition to the portraits, I included two of my joy-activated acrylic pieces in the show: Joie, and The Grove.

These five new original paintings (shown below) are available for purchase at Rumi Tree Art Gallery; email rumitreeartgallery@gmail.com or call 928-862-4221. (You can contact me with questions as well.)

Clockwise from top left: I Am Freedom, I Am Grace, I Am Wisdom, all three.
Each piece is 20 x 20 x 1.5″, oil on canvas.

On left: Joie, 10 x 20 x 1.5″, acrylic on canvas.
On right: The Grove, 10 x 20 x 1.5″, acrylic on canvas.

More original works are available through patriciasaxton.com, where (as you may already know) I also offer giclee prints of select pieces.

Enjoy the holiday season! Warmest wishes to you and may love abound.
~ Patricia

July 14, 2019 In art, color, creativity, drawing, illustration, imagination, inspiration, life and the universe, painting, work and play By Patricia Saxton

After the Leap

I’m a bit giddy about my new series of abstract paintings, so why am I choosing to share this pen and ink drawing from my early days? Blame it on Mercury Retrograde? Or the sense that my own sails are raised and ready for new adventure?

A symbolic piece then, of voyage; of casting off and setting sail; a metaphorical departure from the safety of one shore to the wilds of an unknown other – in this case, a marked departure from an innate, well-practiced tendency towards detail to a deeper, and ultimately freer, realm of instinctive expression. It’s exciting to look ahead, but the occasional revisit to where you’ve come from can also be worthwhile – like puzzle pieces of how you got from A to B to P to Z.

Here I can feel my younger self dipping her calligraphy pen in and out of the ink jar to get just the right amount of liquid on the nib (delighting in each stroke that didn’t bleed or drip!), her steady hand and sharp eyes playing with light and shadow to create a recognizable two-dimensional thing, the pleasure of her then new-found discovery of knowing when to stop. I was in college for this piece, and someone (a professor?) had the brilliant idea of turning it into a metal engraving – I’m guessing to make prints of some sort, which I don’t recall happening – but I still have the engraving, which somehow feels like a work of art in its own right.

In this moment though, perhaps this pen & ink sailboat jumped out because the past two years have seen quite a lot of casting off and setting sail. I took a leap – from the sea, from green mountains and lush gardens and quaint, old-moneyed towns, to clever cactus and red rocks that reach into your soul and great big breathable skies with extra shiny stars. A leap from knowing lots of people nearby to knowing no one. From a home of 20 years, to 3 homes within one year. There’s been the shedding of tired emotions. Letting go of old stories. Creating new stories with new faces and new hearts. Making new paintings, writing new poems. The waters have been choppy – other times smoother than silk (even marvelous dare I say) – and I have not one regret.

Now as I sit poised for another step in this high-desert adventure, I thank my younger self for her artistic diligence; I thank my illustrator self for her imagination and storytelling, and the landscape and pear-painting me for her care – just as I welcome my current self’s desire to throw paint around willy-nilly. Because what’s created with joy will breed joy. Or so one hopes!

Here’s to everyone’s adventure, whatever form it takes. It can look like moving across the country with dreams yelling in your pocket, but it might not. Adventures start inside, and may just take you around the corner, but if you hear the call – whatever calls to you – I think you ought to listen hard.

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She took a leap of faith and grew her wings on the way down. – David Brinkley

Don’t refuse to go on an occasional wild goose chase — that’s what wild geese are for. – Author Unknown

You’ll always miss 100% of the shots you don’t take. – Wayne Gretzky

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September 21, 2018 In art, communication, creativity, design, illustration, inspiration, life and the universe, peace By Patricia Saxton

Unity, Peace & the Autumn Equinox

“We are each other’s harvest; we are each other’s business; we are each other’s magnitude and bond.” ~ Gwendolyn Brooks

September 21st is the officially designated International Day of Peace. Events coordinated by the United Nations, various peace organizations and interested local groups are intended to create a wave of peace around the globe, or at least to put some hefty, prayerful weight behind that intention.

For one day, concentrated collections of humanity unite with one hope: peace.

But that’s not all. It’s also the Fall Equinox – one of two times a year when day and night are of equal length. Where spring’s equinox ushers in longer days and more light, the autumn equinox provides a period of balance before the darker, more introspective days of winter. It’s a time to appreciate the reaping of harvest; a time of giving thanks.

For whatever reason, no doubt influenced by my father’s rural roots, I’ve always found the cycles of the natural world both intriguing and instructive … and I’m kind of giddy that the International Day of Peace coincides with the day on nature’s calendar that exemplifies balance and fruition. Makes me smile. As if there just might be some divine order amid the madness.

My artwork (shown above) was created in honor of this unified effort – the inspired energies focusing on peace across our beautiful planet, on this most balanced day of the year.

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I don’t usually explain my art, but I’ll break form for this one. The colors of fall blend to represent all people, all colors, all walks of life. The bird – a symbol of hope, promise and freedom – faces forward with optimism, its swirly feathers joyful. The word “unity” is filled with a world map, signifying (perhaps obviously) global camaraderie. The two lines of vertical text show the word “peace” in a multitude of languages. The stark black and white background represents the balance of light and dark, and the idea that hard-edged barriers can be fluidly crossed and complemented. I tried to show that simplicity that can be distilled from complexity, and that a sense of groundedness can coexist with dreams and maybe even lift us in flight towards the possibility of peace.

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Here’s to dreams ~ Patricia

February 13, 2018 In appreciation, art, creativity, design, fine art, inspiration, life and the universe, painting, photography, poetry, writing By Patricia Saxton

Ah, Cupid…

“Be of love a little more careful than of anything.”
~ E. E. Cummings

“Two Tulips” / © Patricia Saxton / oil on canvas

Ah, Cupid. Fickle, passionate, God of Love whose darting arrows don’t always hit the target … we celebrate you nonetheless, along with the eternal stuff of poetry and song, and hearts that beat a little faster.

Some celebrate you with devotion to whispers of sweet nothings and a worship of chocolate and roses. For some it’s more bitter-pill than joyful-tonic. Others prefer to spend the day with their cats. (I get that.)

I can count a few especially thoughtful, romantic Valentine Days. But as the story goes, those went all wrong in the end (beware the man who writes you poetry, a friend once told me…), so I turn instead to unscathed memories of shared Valentines from grammar school, or the hand-made kind we gave to our parents, with big red construction paper hearts and white lace around the edges, filled with unabashed adoration. And those we give our own children marked with a thousand x’s and o’s.

Beyond that I admit to a dose of romantic cynicism – but even so, I am a believer in love. I don’t mean the love-you-think-is-love that hurts. I mean the fact that love heals, love lifts, love binds, love seeds and nourishes and shines a light; love enhances, love honors. Every task we do, every word we utter, every hand we shake, is better if there’s love in it. Love is the purpose. Love is the cause. Love is the root of all good that ever was or will be.

So let sweethearts swoon. Let the day be thick with roses and chocolates for all who’ve ever felt the exultation – or the sting – from Cupid’s arrows, all who’ve felt their heart swell, their color blush, their energy soar and their selfishness cease in the face of unbridled love.

And with or without a “Valentine”, maybe we can share a little extra heart today. For self, for others, for your pets, for your garden, for your books, for your bicycle, for your favorite chair. Even for the guy trying to make a left turn on a busy street. Raise up the heart quotient all around.

Celebrate love. Read some literary candy (a selection included below for you and your cat to enjoy). Give someone a cupcake. And smile, because – despite or by means of Cupid – love still exists in this mad world.

♥

Love is Not All (Sonnet XXX), Edna St. Vincent Millay

Love is not all: it is not meat nor drink
Nor slumber nor a roof against the rain;
Nor yet a floating spar to men that sink
And rise and sink and rise and sink again;
Love can not fill the thickened lung with breath,
Nor clean the blood, nor set the fractured bone;
Yet many a man is making friends with death
Even as I speak, for lack of love alone.
It well may be that in a difficult hour,
Pinned down by pain and moaning for release,
Or nagged by want past resolution’s power,
I might be driven to sell your love for peace,
Or trade the memory of this night for food.
It well may be. I do not think I would.

18th Sonnet, William Shakespeare

Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?
Thou art more lovely and more temperate:
Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,
And summer’s lease hath all too short a date:
Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,
And often is his gold complexion dimm’d;
And every fair from fair sometime declines,
By chance or nature’s changing course untrimm’d;
But thy eternal summer shall not fade
Nor lose possession of that fair thou owest;
Nor shall Death brag thou wander’st in his shade,
When in eternal lines to time thou growest:
So long as men can breathe or eyes can see,
So long lives this and this gives life to thee.

How Do I Love Thee? (Sonnet 43), Elizabeth Barrett Browning

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
I love thee to the level of everyday’s
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood’s faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints,—I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life!—and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.

Love’s Philosophy, Percy Bysshe Shelley

The fountains mingle with the river,
And the rivers with the ocean;
The winds of heaven mix forever
With a sweet emotion;
Nothing in the world is single;
All things by a law divine
In another’s being mingle–
Why not I with thine?

See, the mountains kiss high heaven,
And the waves clasp one another;
No sister flower could be forgiven
If it disdained its brother;
And the sunlight clasps the earth,
And the moonbeams kiss the sea;–
What are all these kissings worth,
If thou kiss not me?

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January 29, 2018 In appreciation, art, books, branding, business, children's books, communication, craftsmanship, creativity, design, drawing, fine art, illustration, imagination, inspiration, life and the universe, words and language, writing By Patricia Saxton

33 Years

The original Saxton mug. Best mug ever.

Thirty-three years. Practically vintage. Possibly even fossil material. (yikes – let’s stick with “it’s a good long time”.) But maybe thirty-three years in business is worth something. A pat on the back. An acknowledgment. A bit of reflection. So here goes.

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January, 1985. Think Madonna, Whitney, Aretha, Sting. Think “Back to The Future”, “The Breakfast Club”, “The Color Purple” and “Out of Africa”. Think Keith Haring and Jean-Michael Basquiat. Think dance clubs. Think big hair and huge earrings and shoulder pads, leggings and high-tops and high-waisted pants.

And a young woman at a drawing table dreaming big dreams. Conjuring. Plotting.

So it was that Saxton Illustration & Design began in a small apartment in Chatham, NJ with a spark of an idea, a sweep of unexpected boldness, a love for freedom and a sack full of creativity (and some clients in her pocket; she wasn’t entirely reckless). It’s traveled far since then.

Countless designs for boatloads of clientele, hundreds of drawings and hundreds of pencils, pens and tubes of paint, miles of paper, an intimacy with tight deadlines and working round the clock, branding and more branding, words and more words, an endless array of pencil points, several Macs and four books later – it’s been quite a ride, full of plot twists, feasts and famines, joys and frustrations; all of it.

There was also the discovery of my love for tea. There was Center Street. Brainstorms with Kevin. Collaborations with Glenn. Magic with Leona. Lunches with Milton. Angie’s with everybody. The Midtown Direct. A brief stint with the mob. Art shows. Paper samples. There was Kenya, Egypt, Scotland, England, Germany, Venice. Jose and Yoko. Mary and Pete. Barnes and Noble. Sabbatical in Sedona. Motherhood. Lasting Friendships. A richer relationship with the Universe.

And while it’s evolved from t-squares and triangles and rubber cement to my first little Mac (then another and another…), from printing presses to screens, fax machines to email, brochures to websites, floppy disks to clouds, postcards to blog posts to facebook and instagram … my rules are the same: : 1.) Listen well. 2.) Stay current. 3.) Be reliable. 4.) Always do your best.

So there you have it. Except for one more thing. Having taken a few more leaps since 1985, I’ve learned that creativity never goes out of style, nor does it stand still – I’ve learned that it’s a restless and demanding master, and I its humble servant.

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January 2018. Think Hip-Hop. Think Netflix. Think Street Art and Online Galleries. Think leggings and high-tops (yes, they’re back – just be thankful the shoulder pads aren’t.)

And the girl at the drawing table? Older, but still dreaming, conjuring and plotting. 😉

The Classics.

December 10, 2017 In art, books, children's books, craftsmanship, creativity, design, drawing, illustration, imagination, life and the universe, peace, work and play, writing By Patricia Saxton

Dragons in Sedona (and other magical things)

The adventure is in full swing – it’s been at least a few months since I’ve posted here; my more regular sharing preempted by selling our sweet New Jersey home and moving across the country with our two cats and a few suitcases in tow – and by all accounts, so far so good!

Surrounded by magnificent rocks that shine bright orange-gold to fire-engine red as the sun goes down, stars so close you can pluck them out of the night sky, where javelina roam and bobcats prowl and hawks and ravens fly in circles in big, blue expanses over red earth rich with evergreens and cactus and magic…. all this I get to enjoy while finding my way to settling in (with a proper studio and a much anticipated reunion with my own things currently in storage back east).

And while I wait, what better way than my books to make a little mark in my new town – a place where dragons surely breathe amidst those rust-colored mountains piercing the sky, and fairies flit between rocks and splash their wings in the creek (and where, perhaps, mermaids only wish to be!).

Fortunately for me, the wonderful folks at the highly respected Sedona Arts Center thought it was a good idea, too, so next weekend (December 15^th and 16^th) I’ll be in their gallery between 6 and 8pm, pen in hand, meeting more good people and signing books.

Oh, the magic.

If you’re anywhere near Sedona, Arizona next weekend, I’d love to see you. If not, but like the idea of giving the gift of reading and imagination to the young (and young at heart!), all my books (and mermaid dress-up game) are available on Amazon.

Stay tuned for more notes to come. More art. More writings. More of what happens when you surrender to your callings. Most importantly, enjoy your holiday season, be safe and love well, because that’s the best magic of all.

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August 22, 2017 In appreciation, inspiration, optimism, philosophy By Patricia Saxton

Our Mad, Good World

I’ve been super busy lately, which has created somewhat of a buffer between myself and the mad, mad world out there – but not so much to be unaware of what a disaster it seems to be in many ways. It’s troubling, disheartening, frustrating, shocking, sickening and feel-angry-worthy. It gets you riled up.

But then I run some errands and I’m reminded how good people can be. Yes, mine is just one small slice of the world, but people are people and you never know what they’re going through, so I try to be nice to whoever I meet. And guess what? They’re usually nice back. Or they’re nice first.

Oh, there are the idiots too, and I can’t say a few choice words haven’t slithered off my tongue (usually while driving … slamming the steering wheel at the same time). But tonight, they were all good. There was no sense of the hate we hear so much about; none of the prejudice and disrespect we’re lead to believe exists on every single corner. Not even a hint of the ugliness rampant in the news was on display. No trepidation. Nobody looking for a fight. No chips on shoulders. No judgment. None of the divisiveness we see everywhere on social media. There was just the friendly, gay part-time sales clerk; the french-accented saleswoman, black woman and a waspy woman who as a team went above and beyond to help me for a product that wasn’t in their department; a salesgirl wearing a hijab laughing with coworkers. A Latin-American saleswoman helped me pick out the perfect product, walked me to my car (each of us carrying part of my purchase) as we bonded in that rare instantaneous way over a brief conversation that left us both feeling uplifted. Later at the grocery store, a black man and I smiled and said hello as we passed. I admired the beets an Indian man was buying, who then told me about wanting to make a drink he had in Brooklyn called “Beet, Pray, Love” (side note: I love that!). The young white male checkout guy couldn’t have been nicer.

There are a lot of good people in the world. Let’s remember that.

And I’m guessing that this little snippet of my day could have been anyone’s snippet, so let’s remember this reality – because yes it’s a big fat mess out there, and there are some really awful, ugly, maybe even evil, people; there’s no denying it, no pretending otherwise. But I think we would do humanity a favor by recognizing the good, by being the good, appreciating the good, and broadcasting it loudly. Because it kinda seems to me that whoever shouts the loudest wins – or, perhaps more truthfully, they’re given the most attention, and then we’re all walking around troubled, disheartened, frustrated, shocked, sickened and angry – and what the hell does that do besides keep ugliness stirred up?

No, “being nice” will not solve the world’s ills, and I’m the first to admit that sometimes a stronger hand is necessary. And true, compassion and kindness may only touch a few people – but that’s a helluva good place to start. Moods can be contagious. Group consciousness is not a joke. Let’s raise the bar. Raise the conversation. Raise the spirit. Let’s raise each other up.

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August 6, 2017 In creativity, inspiration, life and the universe, philosophy, work and play By Patricia Saxton

Hello Adventure

“As you go the way of life, you will see a great chasm. Jump. It is not as wide as you think.”*

Not the jump-out-of-an-airplane kind of adventure. Not diving with sharks, and most definitely not (ever) climbing anything resembling Mt. Everest.

No, this is an adventure of heeding the voice that shouts “go that way!” when staring at one of life’s crossroads.

Sometimes we listen to that inner voice. Sometimes we don’t. Sometimes it takes a while for the message to get through.

Well, I’ve been listening. For quite a long time now. And despite its ever-growing volume, I, naturally (as any rational person might), had plenty of perfectly tidy reasons for resisting what I’ll call the calling of my soul. Things like: It’s not practical, not sensible, it might be lonely or I might fail. And those things may be true. But no degree of stewing or planning, and certainly no length of talking about it, lessened the feeling that I was being led somewhere else, and that a leap of faith was required. Reasonable or not, resistance was futile. It was time to answer the call. To say “yes”. Period.

And with that realization – that acceptance – my anxiety and indecision fell away. Poof! The “where” became clear; I would go back to the southwest. It’ll be my Sedona: Part II. Confirmations appeared. Synchronicities. Opportunities. Details began to align. Amazing.

So. I’ll soon be trading tree-lined suburban streets for red rocks and cactus. Shingles for adobe. Manhattan’s high-rises for big wide skies. With my sensible list out-maneuvered by a relentless push for greater creative expression, I’m full-tilt trusting my gut and hoping the universe has my back.

Of course, yes, there’s a stack of bittersweet that comes with it. I’ll miss being close to the sea. I’ll miss my Japanese maple and tending my sweet English garden out front. The swings hanging from a big old oak tree. Copious amounts of tea and conversation shared with friends. Hot fudge ever present on the stove. (Wait. Actually, that probably won’t change.) Walls that expanded and rooms that comforted. This is the home where I raised my daughter, my heart filled to overflowing. Twenty of the more than thirty years of my graphic design business happened while here. Books were born into the world. Paintings were made. Heartaches healed. Joys. Tears. Laughter. Magic. If a house could love, this one did. Some of my best years lived here, so there’s been some “good-bye” that’s had to happen.

But I’m reminded that nothing is permanent. I’m reminded that a spirit denied becomes cranky and impatient. I’m reminded that we must, indeed, be true to ourselves.

And as I leap across Joseph Campbell’s proverbial chasm – it could be my imagination, but – it seems the universe is dancing. A new chapter begins; adventures await.

* Advice given to a young Native American, noted in Joseph Campbell’s “Power of Myth”.

July 4, 2017 In appreciation, art, books, color, craftsmanship, creativity, design, histoty, illustration, inspiration By Patricia Saxton

Stars & Stripes: A Visual Tribute to the American Flag

In May 1776, Betsy Ross sewed the first American flag. A year later, the Continental Congress passed the first Flag Act, establishing an official flag for the new nation:

“Resolved, That the flag of the United States be made of thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new Constellation.”

However, between 1777 and 1960, Congress passed several legislations that changed the shape, design and arrangement of elements on the flag, eventually settling on extra stars and stripes to reflect each new state. This broad span of time without specific guidelines resulted in a variety of design interpretations – which, in a way, also reflects the deeply rooted sense of freedom so cherished by Americans. The expressions were rich and proud, evolving into the flag we pledge allegiance to today.

Carrying that theme of evolvement forward, in 1986 I discovered a beautiful book by Kit Hinrichs, called “Stars and Stripes” – a compilation of exceptionally creative American Flag images created by some of the finest graphic artists of our time. I found it absolutely delightful, and a great tribute to the creativity and talent that abounds amongst us – and the creative freedom we’re able to enjoy in this great land of the free and home of the brave.

Below are just 13 samples of the many ingenious designs from that book honoring our American flag. Enjoy, and Happy Birthday USA!

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