The Direction of Intention

Root In Love [on Chicken Marsala Monday]

Posted on May 7, 2018 by davidrobinsoncreative

from studio melange, a quiet suggestion for the start of the new week.

For me, this Chicken Nugget falls into the category of what-more-needs-to-be-said. And then I hear the chorus of voices blaring from my past work-life that would call this Nugget idealistic pie-in-the-sky blather. “We live in a dog-eat-dog world!” they cry. “It’s survival of the fittest!” To that chorus I need to say more. Dog-eat-dog is a belief system, not an inevitability. Survival of the fittest is a harsh lens and there are, in fact, other lenses available. It’s possible to learn the distinction between human nature and acculturation. Through a different lens all of life is cooperative.

The noise of our airwaves, the chatter of our day is most certainly rooted in fear. It may not seem like a choice but the fear-root is an unnatural selection. People have to work hard to hate. Sadly, I admit, division sells, so the hard work of fear is routinely justified and rabidly defended.

Human nature rises through the noise and becomes visible when disaster strikes. Love is what we see when the hurricanes hit, when the forest fires rage. People running into fire to help. People risking their lives to save others because, in those moments, the truth is out: there is no separation. The political blather drops away. The moralistic chiming rings hollow. It is human nature to reach, not reject. To help, not to hurt.

It’s obvious and all around us if we take off the fear lens and look. Root in love. What-more-needs-to-be-said.

ROOT IN LOVE gifts & reminders

read kerri’s blog post about ROOT IN LOVE

www.kerrianddavid.com

root in love ©️ 2016 david robinson & kerri sherwood

root in love designs and products ©️ 2018 david robinson & kerri sherwood

Filed under: Chicken Marsala Monday, Love, Uncategorized | Tagged: acculturation, chicken marsala, Chicken Marsala Monday, Chicken nugget, cooperation, david robinson, davidrobinsoncreative.com, human nature, Kerri Sherwood, kerrianddavid.com, kerrisherwood.com, love, root in love, society6.com/chickenmarsala, studio melange, the melange | Leave a comment »

Roots & Wings [It’s KS Friday]

Posted on May 4, 2018 by davidrobinsoncreative

A composition of elements from studio melange on KS Friday

Kerri and I share this in common: behind each composition there is a story. My favorite moment each week as we prepare our melange blog posts is to ask Kerri about the story behind her ks friday music pick. There is always a top-layer story and then a deeper-layer story. And then a deeper story-layer still.

The best art is like that. It opens stories. It reaches deep down to the roots of being and then, through story, propels the human spirit to soar. Art is communal connective tissue.

This week in her blog Kerri shares the story behind Give Me Roots, Give Them Wings. My story, as I listen and give over to the music is this: the first time I stepped into this house I was overwhelmed with the feeling of “home.” It was something I’d never in my life experienced. It was a warm rush of surprise and I laughed. Give Me Roots, Give Them Wings reminds me of that moment, of stepping through a door for the first time and knowing that I was finally home.

GIVE ME ROOTS, GIVE THEM WINGS on the album RELEASED FROM THE HEART available on iTunes and CDBaby

ROOTS & WINGS gifts and products

read Kerri’s blog post on GIVE ME ROOTS, GIVE THEM WINGS

www.kerrianddavid.com

give me roots, give them wings – album released from the heart ©️ 1995 kerri sherwood

roots & wings designs and products ©️ 2018 kerri sherwood

Filed under: Family, KS Friday, Uncategorized | Tagged: art, coming home, connective tissue, david robinson, davidrobinsoncreative.com, give me roots give them wings, home, human spirit, Kerri Sherwood, kerrianddavid.com, kerrisherwood.com, KS Friday, released from the heart, society6.com/kerrisherwood, story, story layer, studio melange, the melange | Leave a comment »

Slow Motion Rain [On DR Thursday]

Posted on May 3, 2018 by davidrobinsoncreative

A DR Thursday dance from studio melange

MASTERlarger slowmotionrain copy 3 It seems my life these days is one big meditation on “not forcing” outcomes. I’ve been here before so I suspect this falls in the category of “life lessons.”

The Chinese have a term for this meditation: wu wei. Do nothing. In creative communities it’s known as flow. Athletes train, actors rehearse, but when opening night comes or race day dawns, the advice is always the same. Let go. Trust the work. In other words, cease pushing and get out of your own way.

Working from tension, pushing too hard for outcomes, causes injury. It jams flow.

The final pose at the end of a yoga practice is called savasana, or corpse pose. It is to surrender, not in the sense of giving up but more of giving over. It is a release of tension. My Earth Interrupted paintings have become for me a kind of savasana, a letting go. As Jim used to teach me, you’ll know you are in “that” place of flow when it feels like a dance of giving and receiving and you have no need to distinguish which side of the dance you are on. Both/and. Give/receive.

Kerri calls this morsel “Slow Motion Rain.” It comes from a moment of dance. Or, as we like to say in our house, “Woo Wee!”

SLOW MOTION RAIN gifts and cool products

earth interrupted IV ~ mixed media, 48 x 36IN

read Kerri’s blog Post on SLOW MOTION RAIN

www.kerrianddavid.com

slow motion rain designs and products ©️ 2018 david robinson & kerri sherwood

earth interrupted iv ©️ 2018 david robinson

Filed under: Art, DR Thursday, Uncategorized | Tagged: dance, david robinson, davidrobinsoncreative.com, DR Thursday, flow, giving and receiving, Kerri Sherwood, kerrianddavid.com, kerrisherwood.com, let go, process, savasana, slow motion rain, society6.com/davidrobinson, studio melange, surrender, the melange, trust, wu wei, yoga | Leave a comment »

Teach [It’s Flawed Cartoon Wednesday]

Posted on May 2, 2018 by davidrobinsoncreative

A teachable moment on Flawed Cartoon Wednesday from studio melange

This one is for all the teachers I know and love. They’ve made it their life’s work to seek the teachable moment and they are masterful at finding it. Everywhere.

On this Flawed Cartoon Wednesday, studio mélange pays homage to the elusive yet ever-present teachable moment.

TEACHABLE MOMENT gifts & products

read Kerri’s blog post on TEACHABLE MOMENTS

www.kerrianddavid.com

teachable moment cartoon & designs ©️ 2016/2018 kerri sherwood & david robinson

Filed under: Education, Flawed Cartoon Wednesday, Uncategorized | Tagged: david robinson, davidrobinsoncreative.com, education cartoons, flawed cartoon, Flawed Cartoon Wednesday, Kerri Sherwood, kerrianddavid.com, kerrisherwood.com, learning, school, society6.com/flawedcartoon, studio melange, teachable, teachable moments, teachers, teaching, the melange | Leave a comment »

Move! [It’s Two Artists Tuesday]

Posted on May 1, 2018 by davidrobinsoncreative

Some simple encouragement from studio melange on Two Artists Tuesday

Here’s one of my few guiding principles: knowing “how” to do something always comes after the fact. No one knows how. Truly. If you wait to start until you know ‘how’ you will wait forever. Just start. Make a choice and move. It’s a great gift to make a choice and let your choice be wrong. To make a mistake and adjust according to what you experience. That’s called learning. Sometimes, it’s true, the best choice is to sit still. Sometimes the best choice is to stop trying to figure it out. Try anything. Move.

From studio mélange on this Two Artists Tuesday, give yourself permission to play. That’s also called learning. Experiment. At the end of the day, after all the experiences and adjustments, after all the movement, we’ll ask you how you did it.

MOVE gifts & reminders

read Kerri’s blog post about MOVE

www.kerrianddavid.com

move/move designs & products ©️ 2016/2018 kerri sherwood & david robinson

Filed under: Energy, Two Artists Tuesday, Uncategorized | Tagged: adjust, david robinson, davidrobinsoncreative.com, experiment, how, Kerri Sherwood, kerrianddavid.com, kerrisherwood.com, learning, make mistakes, move, society6.com/twoartists, studio melange, the melange, try | Leave a comment »

Rest [It’s Chicken Marsala Monday]

Posted on April 30, 2018 by davidrobinsoncreative

From studio melange, Rest on Chicken Marsala Monday

Karola was old and wise. She was one of those rare people filled with laughter that spilled over into everyone around her. Go visit Karola and you’d leave refreshed and giggling. Each moment, each day for her was new and vital and a siren’s call of unknowns and adventure. She found more miracles in her backyard than most people find in their round-the-world tours. She was alive. She paid attention.

She was also one of those people who always seemed to know what you were thinking before you knew what you were thinking. We met at the pool and swam every morning before work. One morning, climbing out of the pool, she said, “You are exhausted.” It was true. I had no juice in my tank and hadn’t for many weeks. During my swim I was pondering my exhaustion and wondering how I was ever going to get everything done. I was worried I wasn’t going to be able to push through it.

“You never let your glass go empty! You fight it so hard that your cup can never refill. Stop fighting! Go empty. Rest. Allow some good space in there so new things can come in! She howled at my puzzled expression. “Rest,” she repeated. It’s the only way you will ever get everything done!”

From studio mélange on this Chicken Marsala Monday, listen to Karola and rest. Let the cup go empty. Make space for balance and into that space all good things will come.

REST gifts and reminders

read kerri’s blog post about REST

www,kerrianddavid.com

rest and good things will come ©️ 2016 david robinson & kerri sherwood

‘rest…’ product designs ©️ 2018 david robinson & kerri sherwood

Filed under: Awakening, Chicken Marsala Monday, Uncategorized | Tagged: balance, body wisdom, chicken marsala, Chicken nugget, david robinson, davidrobinsoncreative.com, energy, Kerri Sherwood, kerrianddavid.com, kerrisherwood.com, rest, rest and good things will come, reverse threading, society6.com/chickenmarsala, studio melange, the melange, wisdom | Leave a comment »

That Morning Someday [On KS Friday]

Posted on April 27, 2018 by davidrobinsoncreative

A sunrise for your KS Friday from studio melange.

I swear I knew this piece of music years before I met Kerri. I think I knew this piece years before she composed it. It is the soundtrack of a sunrise – and not just any sunrise. The Sunrise. Many years ago, on a California beach, wrapped in a blanket, after a night of revelry and playing in the surf with friends, I walked by myself toward the sunrise. I was utterly filled with peace, completely quiet inside. Content. It was a rare and precious moment and so distinct that it was forever burned into my memory. That morning changed me. I revisit that moment often. I revisit that sunrise when I need a touch of peace.

When I first listened to this track on Kerri’s album, Blueprint For My Soul, my mouth dropped open. “I know this piece,” I said. “I know it.” She smiled, “It’s possible.”

Yes. Possible. That Morning Someday is like a sunrise. It is about the quiet entrance of vast possibilities. Take a moment on this KS Friday, and give yourself a rare and precious moment. Revisit your sunrise. And remember what peace feels like.

THAT MORNING SOMEDAY from the album BLUEPRINT FOR MY SOUL (TRACK 11 ) iTunes

THAT MORNING SOMEDAY also available on CDBaby

THAT MORNING SOMEDAY/RIGHT NOW products we designed are sold at society6.com

read Kerri’s blog post about THAT MORNING SOMEDAY

www.kerrianddavid.com

that morning someday/blueprint for my soul ©️ 1997 kerri sherwood

that morning someday/right now product designs ©️ 2018 kerri sherwood

Filed under: Awakening, KS Friday, Uncategorized | Tagged: blueprint for my soul, contentment, david robinson, davidrobinsoncreative.com, Kerri Sherwood, kerrianddavid.com, kerrisherwood.com, KS Friday, new age, peace, society6.com/kerrisherwood, solo piano, studio melange, sunrise, that morning someday, the melange | Leave a comment »

Look For The Mountain [On DR Thursday]

Posted on April 26, 2018 by davidrobinsoncreative

A mountain morsel for this DR Thursday from studio melange.

Mountain In Yellow Sky

Kerri laughed her most devious laugh when I asked, “Where does this morsel come from?” I didn’t recognize it as a slice from any of my paintings. I usually know immediately where the morsel comes from. This one baffled me.

“Guess,” she said, laughing that laugh again. I knew I was in trouble.

Usually, when I hear this particular devious laugh, I look behind me. Or, I check to see if she is clutching cleverly concealed water balloons. DogDog knows this laugh, too. It means he will have to work very hard, go through all of his tricks, probably twice, before getting the cookie that she holds just above his reach. He always looks to me for support and I tell him, “You are on your own, Dogga.” I know better than to redirect her brat impulses on to me.

And so, like DogDog, I guessed. And guessed again. And again. I did tricks. I searched my folio site. With each wrong guess, her pleasure at my bewilderment increased, her laughter goading me on. I looked to DogDog for help. He dropped to the floor and pretended to be sleeping. I was on my own.

Finally, exhausted, beyond begging, she dropped a tiny hint. The painting no longer exists.

Thanks to Skip I’ve made it a practice of taking process shots which means Kerri has made it a practice of mining my process shots. Many of my paintings don’t make it to the finish line. They are either not composed well, are ill conceived from the start, or I overwork them and have to scrub them and start over. Sometimes they serve as rough drafts and i abandon them when I see the better path. This morsel comes from one of those – a painting that did not make it. It was poorly laid out. It broke the rule of thirds (and I didn’t want to cut the canvas to correct the problem).

Kerri’s made Together On The Beach art prints available at society6.com

Kerri jumped up and down with joy when I put it together. She knew that she was going to re-introduce a painting to me. She knew, given the right framing, I’d see the beauty of the unfinished piece. So, the morsel: Mountain in Yellow Sky. And, for my purposes, the beauty in the loose painting that no longer exists: Together On The Beach.

biggercropped on the beach painting jpeg copy 2

This crop of the original is also available as wall art at society6.com

It is potent blow-back to help me see the old anew. When I said, “I think I need to learn to stop painting sooner, to redefine for myself what is a rough draft and what is not.” she laughed that laugh again. The trouble I am in is so much bigger than I understand.

MOUNTAIN IN YELLOW SKY products we’ve designed are sold at society6.com

read Kerri’s blog post about MOUNTAIN IN YELLOW SKY

www.kerrianddavid.com

Filed under: Art, Creativity, DR Thursday, Uncategorized | Tagged: acrylic paintings, david robinson, davidrobinsoncreative.com, Dog-Dog, DR Thursday, Kerri Sherwood, kerrianddavid.com, kerrisherwood.com, mischief, mountain in yellow sky, paintings, rough drafts, rule of thirds, society6.com/davidrobinson, studio melange, the melange | Leave a comment »

Call It In The Air! [It’s Flawed Cartoon Wednesday]

Posted on April 25, 2018 by davidrobinsoncreative

A spot of Flawed Cartoon humor from studio melange.

MiceCheese Bigcopy copy 2

Is it a game of chance or is the toss rigged? I, too, am an idealistic, trusting mouse and never think to check the coin or calculate the odds before the toss. And, another question comes to mind: even if I know where to find my cheese, is the cheese worth the pursuit?

Existential questions from the melange to further confound your Wednesday.

CALL IT IN THE AIR products we designed are sold at Society6.com

read kerri’s blog post about CALL IT IN THE AIR

www.kerrianddavid.com

Filed under: Flawed Cartoon Wednesday, Random, Uncategorized | Tagged: call it in the air, cheese, coin toss, david robinson, davidrobinsoncreative.com, fate, flawed cartoon, Flawed Cartoon Wednesday, Kerri Sherwood, kerrianddavid.com, kerrisherwood.com, society6.com/flawedcartoon, studio melange, the melange, who moved my cheese? | Leave a comment »

Dance [It’s Two Artists Tuesday]

Posted on April 24, 2018 by davidrobinsoncreative

From studio melange a touch of goodness for your Tuesday.

There is wisdom in dancing copy 3

Had you attended our wedding you would have found yourself dancing. Even if you where a committed dance-a-phobe, your limbs would have over ruled your noggin and that deep river of wiggling that flows through us all would have broken through your protective surface layer and you’d have gyrated and twirled. You would have had no choice. The reason is simple. We call her Linda.

Linda is a muse of dance. A maker of enthusiastic merriment. She understands the world through movement. She understands that everything is in constant motion. The earth is moving, dancing. It IS dance and she dances with it. Academics would call her kinesthetic. Invite Linda to even the most stodgy of gatherings and soon everyone will be swaying en route to a raucous Irish folk dance. She knows how to help others dance with earth, too.

okay. i love these new wall murals….

There is wisdom in dancing and it is this: it is only possible to dance WITH others – and deep down everyone wants to dance. And, in the merry motion of common movement comes laughter, surprise, and heaps of generosity. From studio melange on this Two Artists Tuesday, we offer what Linda knows: sometimes wisdom looks a lot like dancing.

THERE IS WISDOM IN DANCING – products we design are sold at society6.com