The Quiet

November 7, 2011 / Terrill Welch / 18 Comments

Yesterday’s Third Salish Sea Sunday Savings event was the best out of the three with several individuals taking advantage of the offering. Thank you so much to everyone who participated! I am always amazed by your ongoing support. It is like a pleasant surprise each time I venture to promote my work.

Yet, even with all of this excitement, I am engaged in a time of quiet – a deep peace that seems to come with the low light of late fall. The tree that overhangs our bank at the back of the house is just starting to turn.

The sheep in the valley below the house seem to emanate my inner stillness.

I tend towards observation rather than engagement during this time of year. There is a lot to do but not much that must be done. This is why announcing the winner of the draw for small 7.5 X 12 inch canvas print of AMAZEMENT seems so perfectly placed. The winner is an expert at engaging stillness, reflection and capturing the everyday aspects of his natural surroundings. Can you guess who it is? It is Jeff Stroud! Allow me to link to a recent interview that I did with Jeff which will provide links to his outstanding photography and information about recent shows of his work and to his blog. Congratulations Jeff!

As we all know, this time of quiet is often fleeting. I will be spending this week getting ready for the Mayne Island Artisan Christmas Studio Tour where I open our home to the public from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm on Saturday November 12, 2011. If you are in the neighbourhood, please drop in and enjoy the transformation of our home into gallery space.

I also have one other fine offering that will be available until November 30, 2011. The producer, Blurb, of my book PRECIOUS SECONDS – Mayne Island in paintings and photographs is offering buyers a $10.00 discount until the end of the month. To receive this discount, type in BIGTEN when the promo code is requested during checkout.

Here is the fine print that Blurb provided with the offer…

*Offer valid through November 30, 2011 (11:59 p.m. local time). Receive USD $10.00 off product totals. Minimum purchase is USD $29.95. This offer is good for one-time use, and cannot be combined with other promotional codes, volume discounts, gift cards, or used for adjustments on previous orders.

Sprout Question: What triggers your quiet times?

Have a wonderful week whether it is quiet or filled with activity!

Liberal usage granted with written permission. See “About” for details.

Purchase photography at http://www.redbubble.com/people/terrillwelch

Creative Potager – where imagination rules. Be inspired.

From Mayne Island, British Columbia, Canada

Terrill Welch online Gallery at http://terrillwelchartist.com

Third Salish Sea Sunday Savings (creativepotager.wordpress.com)
PRECIOUS SECONDS – Mayne Island in paintings and photographs (creativepotager.wordpress.com)

The everyday with photographer Jeff Stroud

October 11, 2011October 11, 2011 / Terrill Welch / 34 Comments

Photographer Jeff Stroud has been a regular reader and engaging participant from the beginning here on Creative Potager. In fact, our connection goes back to an earlier community where Jeff introduced me to his online storefront at redbubble. I trust that you shall enjoy this feature interview with Jeff and the opportunity to get to know him better.

Jeff Stroud’s photography is one of common everyday nature, places we walk, places we drive by, our garden, our local park, and our neighbor’s front lawn. Yet there is nothing common about Jeff’s photography itself which is imbued with a sense of nature’s essences in all its purest forms.

Eight years ago after attending a Shamanic workshop and the practice of Reiki, a nature-based healing process, Jeff picked up a camera and has followed his bliss ever since. His approach to photography is one of gentle reverence, beauty, and honoring of nature as a life force. The purpose of Jeff’s nature photography is to share the beauty that is all around us – the beauty and life of trees, flowers, water, and sky.

(image may be purchased Here)

It is with great pleasure I bring you my interview with Jeff and a few images from this talented photographer.

What is the one thing that you would like readers to leave with after reading your interview?

What I would like readers to leave with is a deeper sense of what creativity can be for us in our lives.

What is your best kept secret (s) of creative success?

I don’t think it is a secret, but creative success is just allowing ourselves to be creative. Creative with our everyday lives. I create publicly with the exhibits of photography that I have the honor of being able to pursue.

What is your first creative memory?

Drawing, when I was a child I drew.

Where or when do feel most inspired?

I feel most inspired in nature, yet I can be and will be inspired when I get out of my head and come from my heart or spirit.

(image may be purchased Here)

Who are your creative mentors?

You! Terrill, you inspire me by your constancy in your expression of your art, and your ability to promote through your blog and other sources that are always stimulating. Also, Neale Donald Walsch, who has used words in the form of a book to create change in our world. This has given me a whole new perspective on the way I approach life and living. I am just discovering photographers and artist, and their influence has begun to express itself in my work. I hope.

Geesh thanks Jeff! It appears we are mutual fans of each other’s work.

What are you celebrating today?

I am celebrating today, right now, this moment!

If we could assist you with one thing this week that would make a difference in promoting your creative work – what would it be?

Follow my blog, join my redbubble site.
What is next?

I am hoping to get another First Friday exhibit which will be in a gallery in Old City Philadelphia. I have two pieces into the Philadelphia Photographic Society’s 149th year members’ exhibit, which is held at the historic Plastic Club in Philadelphia. I will also have at least 5 pieces in Deptford NJ Galleria exhibit in December 2011.

How are you going to get there?

By producing the best work/art I can. By being part of the art community, attending gallery openings and meeting other artists.

Tell us – what headline will we be reading in the New York Times about you five years from now?

If it is the New York Times, I must be true! Ha! That Photographer Jeff Stroud has a month long exhibit in such-and-such gallery. Jeff’s photography captures moments in nature and in everyday life as if it is blessed with spirit, and from the photographs we have seen he does just that.

Who and what would you like to give thanks?

I am grateful to you for hearing my call, for asking me to do this interview. I am greatly honored. I am grateful to my muse Nature spirit who allows me to “make” photographs that express the beauty even in the dying!

(image may be purchased Here)

Jeff’s Sprout Question: How do YOU feel about promoting your art?

Ah, you offer us a good tough question Jeff. Thank you Jeff for allowing Creative Potager to shine a light on you and your photographer. I wish you a much success in the future.

Dear readers speaking of promoting my art work, this coming Sunday October 16^th from 3:00 – 4:00 pm P.D.T. is the second of three Salish Sea Sunday Savings events here at Creative Potager. A special post announcing a draw for those who subscribe and spread the word will go up on Thursday October 16, 2011.

Our regular Creative Potager blog will be posted on Friday.

Best of the week everyone and I look forward to having you drop by.

Liberal usage granted with written permission. See “About” for details.

Purchase photography at http://www.redbubble.com/people/terrillwelch

Creative Potager – where imagination rules. Be inspired.

From Mayne Island, British Columbia, Canada

Terrill Welch online Gallery at http://terrillwelchartist.com

First Thursday Teaser (creativepotager.wordpress.com)
First Salish Sea Sunday Savings (creativepotager.wordpress.com)

Make the Most of It

October 7, 2011October 7, 2011 / Terrill Welch / 16 Comments

The morning had got off to a bad start. I went to put luggage in the truck parked on Arbutus Way after staying over night in Victoria. On the windshield was a $75.00 parking ticket because of… Alleged infraction 220. No Person May Park Or Leave A Veh in A Park Except For The Bona Fide Purpose of Visiting The Park.

The street sign did not say I couldn’t park in that spot overnight which was a through street from downtown at the edge of the park. The signage said nothing about park use parking only. The sign said I could park for 3.5 hours between 7:00 am and 6:00 pm. Like the other streets around it, I assumed the limit ended at 6:00 pm and night parking with no time limit until 7:00 am began. I was $75.00 worth of wrong. I felt like I had been unfairly tricked. I could likely argue the ticket but it just seems such a waste of my time. I decided I will pay and tag the City of Victoria in my post instead. After all, my arguing, even if I win, won’t help someone else from making the same mistake. But my blog post might.

Adding to this minor insult the day was heavy with cloud and gloom.

(image may be purchased here.)

But we didn’t let any of it get to us and spoil our fun. We made faces and laughed as we walked and took a break on the park bench for the baby to nurse.

You got it! We were visiting the newest grandson Isaac who is now 7 weeks old.

Now isn’t that a happy grandpa for you?

Giving him lots love.

Looking into this face who wouldn’t feel like the sun was shining and they didn’t have a care in the world?

Who cares about the City of Victoria and their silly old parking tickets or the heavy clouds over our head? Not us. It matters not one smidgen! We are making the most of it!

Sprout Question: When was the last time you made to most of it?

SPECIAL NOTICE: There will be no Creative Potager post on Monday. It is Canadian Thanksgiving and I shall be away visiting the other two grandsons while David keeps the home fires burning.

But we shall have an extra special post on Tuesday with a guest interview appearance with Jeff Stroud. Please do stop by then and say hello.

AND the second part of Leanne Dyck’s interview with me will be up tomorrow morning at THE SWEATER CURSE.

Best of the weekend everyone and happy Thanksgiving to my Canadian readers.

Liberal usage granted with written permission. See “About” for details.

Purchase photography at http://www.redbubble.com/people/terrillwelch

Creative Potager – where imagination rules. Be inspired.

From Mayne Island, British Columbia, Canada

Terrill Welch online Gallery at http://terrillwelchartist.com

Over eighteen thousand visitors

September 22, 2010September 22, 2010 / Terrill Welch / 20 Comments

Yes, over eighteen thousand creativity seeking visitors have been to see Creative Potager since the beginning of the 2010. To be exact, there had been 18,086 when I checked and 8:00 am PST this morning. After 141 posts and 2, 262 comments it is time to pause, celebrate and offer thanks to these regular Creative Potager supporters…

Laurie Buchanan: I don’t think Laurie has missed even one sprout question. She has faithfully come by and offered her heartfelt answer no matter what the question. Laurie has cheered, encouraged, engaged and inspired me to reach and stretched. We have been connecting online even before Creative Potager existed – in fact for years now. I consider Laurie a colleague and a friend though we have never sat across a table from each other in the same time and space. Thank you Laurie for being Creative Potager’s most regular sprout responder. You can read Laurie’s even day posts at Speaking from the Heart where there is a Colour of Wellness class under way.

Jeff Stroud: Jeff is here leaving comments and sharing almost as often as Laurie. He is a soulful and thoughtful photographer that never takes the easy road just because it is there. Jeff introduced me to the redbubble storefront through his photography a couple of years ago. Jeff has his own growth question for contemplation on each of his post at The Reluctant Bloger that will add another boost to your creativity. He is a passionate practitioner of Julian Cameron’s The Artist’s Way.

Kathy Drue: Kathy is a blogger extraordinaire with her Lake Superior Spirit blog receiving 64,311 visits since the beginning of the year. She often appears on the front page of WordPress and is interviewed from time-to-time about her blogging experience. Writing is Kathy’s passion and photography her supporting anchor. I am proud and thrilled that she finds the time and interest to drop in to Creative Potager.

Sam Juliano: Sam, like Kathy, is part of the blogosphere elite with his Monday Morning Diary posts at Wonders in the Dark sometimes receiving over 2,000 visitors in one day. Oh! Fair warning, horror films are the focus of current reviews. Remember it is make up. Each week, from almost the beginning, Sam has visited Creative Potager and reported back with a live link to his readership. Not only that, he did a full interview post Artist and Nature-Lover Terrill Welch: Mayne Island’s resident ‘Creativepotager” this past August. Sam will always be noted in Creative Potager’s hall of fame for his generosity, warmth, intellect, and inspiration for the arts and in particular film.

Jerry Shawback: A self-portrait artist, Jerry doesn’t always leave one of his reflective and thoughtful sprouts but I find him everyday in my tweet stream. He is passing along the latest post or just mentioning Creative Potager as he goes about retweeting from his outstanding list of artist and writers. Jerry is one of the reasons that about 40% of Creative Potager visitors come from Twitter. Some of these visitors leave comments but many more simply read, then tweet the link out to their tweet friends. Jerry is an important part of that exchange. Jerry is another artist and painter that I feel a deep resonance with and you can see some of his work at his profile on TheWhole9 website. His dedication is inspiring and his work shows this commitment to daily practice.

Leanne Dyck: Leanne is a fellow Mayne Islander who takes every possible opportunity to send a “shout out” on her website OKnitting.com or on her blog Author Leanne Dyck about Creative Potager or my recent solo art exhibition. She leaves sprout comments as time permits as she is a full-time writer meeting deadlines for manuscripts and revisions with publishers. It is a joy and a pleasure to have someone who lives just down the street drop in online, connecting my virtual home with my physical home.

Kimberly Grady: Kim is a butterfly sprout responder that brings her transforming presence as she is inspired. It might be here or it might be a comment on Facebook but wherever she shows up, I am always glad to see her and enjoy her unguarded reflections. She may visit her blog Butterflies Are Blue if you leave a comment…but again, she just might drop by and comment on your blog instead. Whatever, happens I know Kim will be inspire you to be genuine, to be yourself and to be creative.

May I request dear readers is that you visit these generous and gracious individuals and leave them a comment of thanks for helping make Creative Potager the inspiring garden of creativity that it is?

Thank you, dear friends, for hanging out with me in my creative kitchen garden.

Sprout Question: Who would be the top seven on your list of creativity supporters?

Liberal usage granted with written permission. See “About” for details.

Purchase photography at http://www.redbubble.com/people/terrillwelch

Creative Potager – where imagination rules. Be inspired.

From Mayne Island, British Columbia, Canada