The Art of Kristin Rexter: 2009-06-07

Saturday, June 13, 2009

My other sister, Katie

I knew I had a photo of my other sister, Katie from our night at Orzo! I didn't mean to leave you out!

When I blogged the other day about my "soul houses", I posted a quote by Henry Ward Beecher. I found his quote in a book by an expressive arts therapist. Today I decided to research who he is/was. I found the most amazing quote that should have been posted when I blogged about my book obsession.

Books are not made for furniture, but there is nothing else that so beautifully furnishes a house.

and this one!

Where is human nature so weak as in the bookstore?

Henry Ward Beecher

What a fantastic discovery! I am loving what this man had to say. Maybe a month ago I blogged about not saying something nice like "I love you" or "I'm sorry" and then following it with a"but"..........

The meanist, most contemptable kind of praise is that which first speaks well of a man, and then qualifies it with a "but".

Henry Ward Beecher

Thursday, June 11, 2009

Soul Houses & Soul Mapping

I have painted these houses over the last month in Jena's expressive arts therapy class at the Art Life Studio. This studio has become my sanctuary. Every Tuesday evening I look forward to getting together with an amazing group of women.....all creative and powerful. They inspire me. I have been painting houses.....my soul houses...in order to deal with past issues that have been holding me back.....keeping me from knowing true happiness. I love this creative and very healing process and I am happy to say that I am now very much on the road to happiness. Mapping my soul....my life....seeing where I've been and where I am now and where the road will lead. Thank you Charlie, Jena, Jill, Sally, Anina and Heather.....you are all amazing.

This past Tuesday I traveled with everyone's paintings....I emerged from the ocean with my beautiful blue hair (the first woman to walk on land), I walked out on Sally's balcony and looked out into the distance at the azure ocean and dreamed of distant lands, I sat quietly in a cocoon of protection holding my heart, a teenage girl took a 4 year old girl with raven hair for a walk on the beach, and I cried with my beautiful friend in her wedding dress.

The paintings are amazing. The stories behind them... emotionally charged. If I have permission from the wild women in my art class I will post them here. If not, you will have to use your imagination.

"Every artist dips his brush in his own soul, and paints his own nature into his pictures."

Henry Ward Beecher

Barnes & Noble

On Tuesdays and Thursdays I don't have to be at work until 10:30. After I drop Rowan off at daycare this gives me about an hour and a half to spend at Barnes & Noble. This can be quite expensive. Today I went in looking for a specific book called The Worst of Evils. My father wrote a review of the book and I just found it last night doing a "google" search. They didn't have it in the store. Instead of walking out and finding something less expensive to do I walked out with 5 books! (sorry honey) I am getting ready to get Rowan to bed and then I hope to flip through the pages of all of them. Rex is at the firehouse tonight so I can take up all of his space with books! Now....where to begin.......????

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

So much to write about................

I have been quiet in the blog world recently. May was a challenging month and I'm not sure yet how to process everything that has happened. Rex and I celebrated our fourth wedding anniversary on May 21. Late that afternoon we received a phone call that Rex's Father had died. We traveled to Newport, Rhode Island...just the two of us. We shared sadness, happiness, regret and discovery. We were quiet...we were chatty. We held each other...we gave each other space. I journaled...(a lot)...I was never without my journal, a glue stick, pen, mini-stapler and camera. Documenting everything...not wanting to forget anything... from how I felt to what we ate...to how the air smelled. In the coming days I hope to post some pages from May's journal.....to share my process of healing and recovery. Thank you to everyone who sent good thoughts and prayers our way.