this little life of mine

For the first installment of the All About Me Blog Challenge over at Love, Kate's blog, I chose Art to represent the letter A. Art has always been a big part of my life from playing with colouring books or drawing stick figure pictures as a child to writing poems and stories, creating rubber stamped greeting cards, and taking artistic photos as an adult. 

Below are a couple of hand stamped cards I made for Thanksgiving and Christmas:

And a few years ago I made a chapbook featuring some of my hand stamped art, photography and writing including short stories, poetry and haiku:

Recently I have been participating in a Photo a Day Challenge hosted by Chantelle from Fat Mum Slim, and while I haven't always managed to take a photo for every topic or theme or whatever you want to call it, I have taken several pretty good shots. I posted 30 of my shots in a 30 Days of Creativity Wrap Up post just the other day. Check 'em out! 

I also enjoy viewing other people's art in museums, galleries, in coffee shops, or just on the street. 

Painting by a local artist displayed at Bru Coffeehouse in Atascadero, CA.

Graffiti found on a wall in an alleyway in San Luis Obispo, CA.

A statue in the Santa Barbara Museum of Art in Santa Barbara, CA.

As National Poetry Month comes to an end for 2009, we celebrate with A Poem in Your Pocket Day, where people are encouraged to carry around a poem with them all day and perhaps take it out and share it with someone. I chose How Do I Love Thee by 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 every day'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.

1.

In times of darkness

The children of God rejoice

The resurrection

2.

Easter morn brings hope

Christ is risen from the grave!

All sinners rejoice!

3.

Dark and empty tomb

When the stone was rolled away

The Lord is risen!