Heartwood Here I Come

One hour, forty five minutes, two toll booths, one medium Dunkin Donuts coffee with cream and sugar, lunch at KFC.

Heartwood college of Art and I are going to get along just fine. I sat with Berri who is an administrator, Audrey who is the schools right arm, and Susan Wilder the drawing teacher. I brought my selection of works, laid them out in front of these ladies and let them see what I've done. To my astonishment they only saw the beauty in my pieces. Ms Wilder really loved my black ink tree on the watercolored sky. She recognized my love for layering and noticed a textile design and feel in my work. Berri was floored by the complete connectedness of the charcoal sketches of the naked human form. "You made all the right connections!" she said with much suprise. "So many people can't do that." she explained as she pointed to the shadows under the knees and the highlights on the wrist bones. Audrey smiled politely and seemed genuinely delighted with my pieces.

My nervousness disolved. I had expected criticisms and direction and instead received "All you really need is studio time to enhance your skills."

Yes! yes! YES!

I explained to these women my fear of being put into a box, of having to do it this way or that. I've finally busted out of my self imposed cage and I don't want to go back there. No worries!! Ms. Wilder explained the value of learning technique while understanding that you can do it in art school then drop it forever if you want but the skill will be in your back pocket in case of emergency. Phew.

We discussed the campus. Okay, so the campus is one big building. This suits me. I don't need to waste time wandering along big lawns under gargantuan trees looking for my class. And oh, to my delight I didn't see more than ten chairs in any of the classrooms. The college is small and very student oriented. The teacher-student ratio is small. Inside the building is a large communal kitchen/dining room where students and teachers often sit together for meals. I'm told there is some great conversation going on due to the age difference in students. It's 50/50 traditional students to older gen like me. The young ones don't know Evil Knievel or the civil rights movement and it makes for lively discussion.

Bottom line: synchronicity at it's best, the admin recently decided on a new program called BOOMER U. It's designed for non-traditional students who are traveling from afar, like me. Beginning this fall the school will run ten week intensive courses. This means longer sessions (read four hours instead of two) for ten weeks and then no traveling during the holidays or during Maine winter months. We use the off time to stay home and implement what we learned. September-October-November, DONE! Take a break, start again in March. Then during the three month break they will offer some one week long courses for full credit. I'd say by this time next year I'll have completed four courses and will be in the middle of three more.

Admin determined immediately that I am not in need of a degree, unless I really wanted one, and I don't. They said they felt with my age being a factor why bog down with the busy work and book time involved with a degree. Let's just get to the studio time as quickly as possible. What this means is that I'll acquire a certificate in the field of concentration that I choose, in my case-PAINTING. I'll be doing 5 core classes, 8 painting/drawing classes and 6 electives. This tickles my heart because I was near tears choosing between painting and jewelry design and now I'll do both of those and more, including Book Art! ( EEEEEEEEEEKKK!!)

I am full! So full.

I left with my head spinning and my chest vibrating so fast that I thought I'd sprout wings and fly off. This is what Abraham-Hicks means when they discuss our inner-being speaking to us. The inner being is our emotions, our warning signals. When you are attracting what you want in life you feel good, joyful, excited, anything less than wonderful feelings means you are attracting and putting attention to the wrong things. With this pounding heart and full feeling in my chest I knew I was making the right decision.

I am filled to the brim with glee!! I couldn't wait to get home and do a journal page of my naked breasts with my heat chakra glowing and growing within it. This is how I felt as I made the long drive home.

I've found a new path. Heartwood, here I come.