The Unclutter Your Life class that I took with Marilyn Nagelhas been over for about two weeks. I miss it. I miss the structured support of having someone remind me to toss something out, give something away, and donate something to an organization every week.

Actually I'm still doing that part; that's the easy part. The hard part for me is controlling all of the paper in my life!

I've learned quite a lot and highly recommend Marilyn's class to you. We worked with my friend Marcia Zina Mager'sbook, 31 Words to Create an Organized Life (which I also recommend). Turns out Clutter has SO much more to do with our inner self than it does our outer circumstances (I suspect you already knew that).

The speed with which I can organize myself, my studio, and my life is a direct reflection of my ability to make decisions. Yikes! I must get better at that too!

My studio and my business are both so full right now, that it's been hard to keep up with all the habits and tips and tricks I learned in class — but I am not giving up. I am taking a stand! I refuse to clear off my tables only to turn around and continue to pile the papers back on top! (No, I haven't yet completely cleared them in the first place, but I KNOW I WILL!)

The Cul De Sac cartoons byRichard Thompsonthat I have posted really tickle me, as his work often does. I hope you enjoy them too.

Last week I posted a heliconia painting in my eZine and asked readers to help me out with a title; more on the title next week. For now, I would like to share some memories from one of my students, Charlie Young. Charlie has been taking my watercolor class at Kaimuki for three semesters and has been making great strides in his technique and use of color. Go Charlie! Here is the painting and the thoughts he shared:

"Your floral painting triggered memories of when I was a kid running around the mountains here. I remember the bright flowers and plants among the tall trees, and hanging vines surrounding my many hikes with the guys on our "secret" trails; and swimming bare ass in the many cold streams in Nu`uanu and Manoa valleys.  

My mother was always afraid I would fall off trees or drown, so she always reminded me not to climb those tall trees for unreachable mangoes or swim in those dangerous streams. Whenever she asked, I told her “no” never did. Years later, my daughter told me that me mother laughingly always knew I did all those things with my pals because my hair would still be damp and my clothes muddy and soiled.

Before taking your watercolor classes and others. I ways intrigued with the thoughts of the artist behind their works.  I always wondered what their minds were processing as they painted, hour after hour.

For me, in the short time I have started in this field of art, painting and ceramics, I find my structured thoughts and rationale coming to a standstill, having almost no thoughts at times, and finding some kind of “feelings” coming into play; at times intermingled with some kind of vague memories about childhood. It’s almost primordial in a sense, many times triggering faint memories of my 2nd grade classes when the kind teacher put aprons on us, gave us paint brushes and paint, and patiently watched us children slosh paint all over the place, on the floor, walls, etc.

So far, that's what I am getting when I paint. I feel like a kid again.

Thanks for your guidance in this area."

You are MOST Welcome Charlie!!! Thank YOU for sharing your memories of times gone by.

First I must thank Scott Adams for the cartoon he published earlier this month. Brilliant! I am a sucker for cartoons pertaining to all things art/artist/creativity related. Humor, like creativity, is essential to life.

Whenever we feel the calling to create, we must answer. Sometimes we don't respond to it with pen and ink or paint and brush. Sometimes we use yarn and needles or sugar and spice. No matter, answer we must.

Creativity is a calling, an urge, and a muse that must be followed. It is the mystery and magic of life itself, the substance of spirit flowing through our lives ... sometimes even at four in the morning :-)

I received wonderful responses to my last eZine regarding Creatures of Habit and wanted to share it with all of you.

Andrea wrote to tell me of a wonderful sculpture exhibit called “Hook the Reef” at Marks Garage. You can read about it here: http://www.staradvertiser.com/features/20110519_undersea_yarn.html

Charlie wrote to tell me I had jogged his memories of growing up and playing in the waters off Waikiki. I asked his permission to share his reminiscences with you here:

“I grew up swimming along the entire Waikiki beach area, and one of my favorite swimming spots was near the end of Kalakaua Ave. the Diamond Head area. At that time there was a somewhat small, secluded beach located right in front of a huge old private residential mansion or estate, which was located on the water. They had their own private wooden pier jutting out into the ocean about 50 feet. As kids about 4 to 5 years old, my sister and pals and I used to play hide and seek under the pier with the waves sloshing about; we lazily suntanned and snacked on top of the pier. We would be in the water for hours ... just spending the whole afternoon in and out of the ocean, our skins getting wrinkled, until our mothers would beg us to get out so we could take the trolley bus home.

Today, the Kaimana Beach Hotel stands in place of the above old mansion property, and the Beach is now known as Kaimana Beach. Today there is no pier, no huge Naupaka bushes to play hide and seek in, and as you know, it’s also called San Souci Beach. 

In fact, the whole beachfront area from the intersection of Kapahulu and Kalakaua, on the Kalakaua Avenue side (going Diamond Head direction) the ocean side used to be sealed off. It was filled with many different huge private residential estates, which were owned by the power rich of Hawai`i. Back then, from Kuhio Beach to San Souci Beach, walking along Kalakaua Ave., you couldn’t see the beach because all these old estates walled it off. The City years later used the condemnation law for eminent public domain purpose and took over the land and opened up the area to the public. Thus the park, the Waikiki Aquarium, came to be and now we can see the ocean while walking along Kalakaua Ave.

I am glad you are enjoying San Souci Beach as I did growing up in yesteryears.

Charlie

PS. The whole area ocean side, near the end of Kalakaua Ave where the Elks Club (where I have been a member for 20 years) and the Outrigger Canoe club are — this whole area was privately owned by Mr. Dillingham who used it as his vacation home. It covered several acres of beachfront. He was considered the 6th most powerful business tycoon in Hawai`i at that time, in the 20s. 

In fact, he later built a huge waterfall monument near the end of Kalakaua Ave. dedicated to his faithful and loving wife. This waterfall fountain still stands today (we don’t know how he honored his several Hawaiian mistresses.)

Back then, Mr.Dillingham was a member of the Elks Club and used his vacation home for Elks activities. When he died, he gave the whole area to the Elks. At that time, the Elks Club was a racially restricted club, it was only for whites, non-whites could not become members. But some members of the Hawaiian royal family were invited to join the club for political reasons. How did Mr. Dillingham get around that racial rule? He categorized the royal Hawaiian family as white. The national Elks headquarters on the mainland accepted it, without any comments.

Your email certainly triggered old forgotten memories of my young growing up days in old Waikiki. I too used to swim under and follow the various tropical fishes swimming among the corals in the water, especially the fast moving Manini fish.”