Free Your Toes! Fill your Glass.

Rain paintings by Candace Berry, from her 2012 series "The Weather Within". Read more about it here.

Do you ever feel like sometimes you're walking through knee-high mud? You think you know where you're going, your feet are still moving, and yet it's really REALLY hard to get there? Of course you do. So do I. That's what every Creative Person goes through at some point or another. I was talking with some artist friends who are going through this, too. I have a theory about this, being someone who has gone through this many times in my career. Life would be pretty boring if it was too consistent and predictable and perfect, don't you think?

We need to soar over the peeks, and free fall down the valleys. 

Our wings always catch us from hitting the bottom, 

but it sure is a joy whenever we come back up and start anew. 

My creative ideas were starting to bottleneck. There is SO MUCH I want to do, yet creatively, I'm just not there yet. My mom sometimes needs to remind me of the Turtle and the Hare. Plus the pair of cute bunnies in my yard have their quiet way of reminding me every day, simply by the joy I feel in their presence.

This morning I found myself completely absorbed in an artist's website, a girl who inspires me to be a better artist and person. I fell in love with Candace Berry's work back in 2010 when I first saw one of her paintings (A Day at the Beach) at the annual Surf Art Show up the eastern shore past my home in Lawrencetown. It was captivating. I don't remember anyone else's work that hung in that show. It was a beach scene, and ever since I saw it I wanted to learn more about her, and I've wanted to paint a proper beach scene, full of sunbathers, bright beach blankets, and umbrellas. I think it's about time I do. Ahh, there I go... so many things I want to do! Last year when I went to see the Surf Art Show, again there was only 1 painting that drew me in completely. Upon closer inspection of the title card, sure enough it was Candace's painting. She wrote about this painting in her blog post A Life By the Sea.

The Sky's a Circus, original oil painting by Candace Berry. Read more here.

After my first introduction a couple years ago, I found her online and was absolutely in awe of this girl. I felt instantly connected to her, like she was a kindred spirit, a 'me' in a parallel universe. Right down to the roots in photography and road trips in her VW van. About herself, she even admits that she thinks, "the whole point of living is loving". Imagine how much more radiant the Earth and people would be if everyone felt the same way! I've often been teased that I have my head in the clouds, that I'm daydreaming of puppy dogs, butterflies, and rainbows :) But secretly, I kinda like that.

Photos by Candace Berry. Read more about her in Behind the Lens.

We've met a few times at my booth at the Halifax Seaport Market and had some great conversations about art, life, and travel. She and her musically-talented husband, David Bryant, recently returned from an amazing extended trip to New Zealand where she was the photographer for their friends' wedding. We've made lots of friend connections of the "do you know so and so? oh yeah I think so!" type, and then this morning I learned that a jeweller at the market, who's work I love (and shell earrings I wear all the time!) Gillian Hannah Berry Designs, is Candace's sister, and Gillian's fiancé, James, is David's brother. I love it! Candace recently took Gillian and James on a photo shoot road trip to celebrate their engagement. Check out her blog post A Valley Engagement and Prelude to Spring :: Gillian + James.

Photo by Candace Berry. Read more here.

Photo by Candace Berry. Read more here.

Photo by Candace Berry. Read more here.

So if you ever feel like you need to fill your cup, like you're walking through mud, or like the air is thick with fog but you can hear the seagulls calling you, you can feel the sun shining through, and you can hear the freshwater stream trickling nearby, then maybe all you need in that moment is to find someone who inspires you creatively, to help you free your toes and refill your glass...