You Make My Heart Sing

When I am moved by art, it is something special. I am very true to myself and I instinctively recognize true artistic genius on occasion. When I do, my heart sings. Lately Alex Cuba made my heart sing with his music. But Alex must move over temporarily for my heart now belongs to Serena Mae Evans. She is an amazing artist. Her fabric and fibre art works are simply inspirational. She is ninety years old, a resident of the Okanagan for ten years. She lived in Wales for her first 80 years. She does not sell her art. But she is showing her art at the Rotary Centre of the Arts in Kelowna, BC. Each of her pieces is hand sewn on an original blanket from her grandfather's mill.

I was feeling a little bad karma in my life lately and I chose not to fret about it. Today, I am happy to report the good karma is back. I am so inspired. Other artists and authors have recently moved me--made my heart sing and I am full of hope, excitement and perseverance once again. Well.. sort of...sometimes isn't it hard to find the time to do all the fun stuff in life? It seems just living takes up so much valuable time.

I am a little blown away by my dance teaching schedule in January. I have committed, it is in print and distributed city wide already. But unbeknownst to me, I am teaching 2 ZumbAtomics at the PRC. That means on Mondays I teach 5, yes, count them, 5 hours of dance. And these are not the usual dance classes where the teach instructs while watching. No, in my classes I dance full out, maximum energy for 1 hour. My legs are trembling just thinking about it. The 5 classes a day only lasts for a month so I am hopeful my body will rise to the occasion for me and my legs won't turn to jelly on me in the fifth hour. I am a little bit overwhelmed by my schedule. I think I'll cut right back to teaching only 1 ZA dance class in the spring and ideally I'd teach 1 adult Z everyday--this I like to do for my own workout. I truly just love to dance so much. I do have so many books to publish and paintings to tackle.

***If you have ever owned a dress, decoration or clothing item hand-smocked by my talented mom, please take a picture of it (or each of them) (simply hanging by a hanger or laying on a bed) or scan in a pic of someone wearing the item and send it to me : mixhart@gmail.com
I am going to post a beautiful blog featuring my mom's exquisite smocking.
It will mean so much to me and my mom if we can show case all her work from over the years :)

Enjoy some of Serena Mae Evan's work below.

May Serena Mae make your heart sing too: