New Show Opening At Arts By the Bay Gallery on February 2!

I am pleased to announce that I will have five never-before-seen-in-print pieces matted, framed, and available for purchase at the new art show opening on Friday, February 2, 2018 at Arts By the Bay Gallery in Havre de Grace. The opening reception is that night from 7PM-9PM. Come on out and meet the artists of the gallery and be among the first to see the new art!

If you have any interest in purchasing any of the five pieces shown here, please contact me ASAP using the "Email Me" section of the side bar. Now is the time to speak up if you want the opportunity to purchase these Limited Edition (ONLY 1 of EACH WILL EVER BE PRINTED) art pieces prior to framing. Please use the name of the piece in your correspondence so I can give you accurate details on size and price.

Love is So Short-Forgetting Is So Long

True Harvest of My Daily Life

Duplicity

Time's Relentless Melt

The Herd

Hope to see you Friday, February 2, 2018 from 7PM-9PM!

33/365- Bull Headed

“It's useless to lecture a human.”
―Rick Riordan; The Lightning Thief

-------

I couldn't get away with just one piece of art featuring the bull skulls...I loved them too much. When I saw how the contours of the textured wall mimicked the texture and contours of the skull bone, I was smitten. 

I'm safely back in Maryland, having traveled home from Arizona late last night. I'm looking forward to unpacking and beginning the process of downloading all the images I took on the trip. Have a fabulous Monday.

xo

Memory, In Widow's Weeds 1- Portrait of a Flower

Memory In Widow's Weeds 1- Digital Art by Tracey Grumbach

Memory, in widow's weeds, with naked feet stands on a tombstone.

-Aubrey de Vere

I went for a walk the other morning and along the path I found quite a few Queen Anne's Lace plants blooming. They were so beautiful standing there, wild and carefree and intricately beautiful. They were growing in a large field full of unmowed grass and I knew I had to have a few. I pulled a couple and took them home, placed them in a small vase and admired the incredible details of the umbel. I knew I had to photograph its beauty, so I did a study of about 5 photos, all very different from each other.  I am looking forward to sharing them with you here.

After the heart wrenching events of the past few days it almost feels silly to share the news that my work has been chosen to appear on the cover of an upcoming issue of Harford's Heart magazine. I received the call on Friday and was honored and thrilled because not only does "Harford County's Favorite Little Magazine" have a wide local circulation, but they are historically supportive of the arts community here in Harford County, Maryland. The art director contacted me to tell me my work was selected and also told me they would like to include an interview with my pieces of art. They will be having a writer contact me soon to conduct the interview. The editor was interested in how Lyme Disease has influenced my art through the years. I am thrilled to have yet another outlet to get the word out both about my art and also how serious Lyme Disease can be. These opportunities are precious to me and I receive them with amazing amounts of gratitude. The issue will be released in the fall. More details to come!

Please hug your loved ones today and be grateful for all your blessings. As always, thank you for your continuing support and encouragement!

xo

I Heard the Fog Horn Sound- Digital Art by Tracey Grumbach

Bass-Harbor-Head-Lighthouse-Maine

Taking the old and making it new again. I've been falling in love again with photographs I took in Maine years ago and reworking them using some methods and apps I've learned over the last few years. The morning of this excursion to the Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse in Maine is forever sketched into my mind. The mist hitting on my face, the sound of the seagulls, the fog horns in the distance, scrambling over the huge rocks...it is like it was yesterday.   I'd love to go back one day. I have such wanderlust in my soul to see and experience all the amazing things this country has to offer and it seems like I can't get out of this house even for a weekend.

I'm feeling trapped and sad lately. It feels like groundhog's day over here. All the fun plans I had for me and the kids have not come to fruition. The summer is almost over and here we sit...in the house. So frustrating and lonely.

Anyway, I am sure I will be feeling better emotionally in a day or two. It is just frustrating to see all of my hopes and plans for the summer go down the drain. But you know me, the ultimate optimist, so I will get over it soon.

Everyone has been asking about Brenna...she was still very very sick yesterday for most of the day but once I pulled her off pain meds and switched her to milder anti-inflammatories and alternate pain control methods, she began improving. Those drugs are nasty! She actually was able to get up and shower last night. I didn't hear from her all last night so I am hoping that means she had a great night's sleep. I think she is finally turning the corner. Thanks again for all of the prayers and well wishes. 

Mobile Art Created on iPhone Apps- Don't Limit Me

Mobile-Art-Created-on-iPhone-Apps-Tracey-Grumbach

My newest figurative piece is titled "Don't Limit Me". I am still struggling to find just the right feel with this style of art, but I keep trying! I still haven't completed the third lesson in the Figurescapes class as I have been not feeling well most of the week, but I am starting to get antsy to finish it and start my second class about teaching online classes. So, my goal is to find time and feel well enough this weekend to complete the first course. So far I have completed 5 different pieces inspired by or required by this class: Dixie and Go Figure, No Fear, On the Edge, and this one. I was honored that On the Edge was chosen on Instagram as a featured piece by @ig_artistry. 

Speaking of Instagram, have you all heard about Chatbooks? They are these adorable little books that are printed from your Facebook or Instagram photos. I've heard so much about them and since I usually only print one copy of my art, I decided to have my Nine Acres Designs Instagram account printed so I could have a record of all the images I've created since opening that account. Well, yesterday I received 4 Chatbooks in the mail and I was in total love. It was so cool to see all of my Instagram posts bound together in a tiny picture book. My twins went crazy for them and immediately sat down looking through each one. They are decent quality for the value price you pay and it is nice, like I said, to have all of it printed. Each time you get 60 images on your Instagram you can print a new volume. Later today I will take a picture of the ones I received and put it up on Facebook. Look for that if you are interested!

Tonight is a special night because it is the artists' reception for the Art Without Boundaries exhibit in which I have two pieces showing. All the art was divided between Bel Air Library and Havre de Grace Library but both of my pieces of art are showing at the Bel Air location. I am looking forward to seeing the entire installation and meeting the other artists!

I'm also thrilled to receive the news that The Mighty, the online magazine which I am a contributing author for, is publishing my 4th article soon! I will for sure let you know on Nine Acres Designs Facebook page when the article has been published. I imagine is should be sometime today.

This weekend, if I am able to, is an exciting one. Tomorrow my son has a rugby match in Washington D.C. Then, on Sunday, my daughter has a performance at a local church for a play that she has been working on all week in VBS camp. Also on Sunday I get to pick up my oldest daughter from the airport after her amazing trip to Seattle and Vancouver. It will be good to support my kids this weekend and have my girl back home.

I hope you all have a fabulous weekend. Be safe and have fun! See you back here on Monday!

xo

Starry Crown- Mobile Art by Tracey Grumbach

When my son and I took a walk Tuesday morning, I saw this barn and the song Down to the River to Pray popped into my mind.  One of the lyrics says, "And who shall wear the starry crown" and a starry crown is exactly what I thought of when I saw this majestic, huge barn standing in the morning sun with the star near the peak.  It was such a beautiful morning and I felt like I had enough energy to do a short (and I mean short) walk, but now I've been paying for it. I'm not sure if it was the walk or not but Tuesday night and all day yesterday the pain in my legs has been unbearable.  This after my pain has been controlled really well for most of the month. My next appointment is Tuesday, so I am anxious to hear how my labs turned out.

My youngest daughter LOVES this song and sings along every time she hears it. I love it too, so I will share it with you...

Down to the River to Pray
Alison Krauss

As I went down in the river to pray
Studying about that good old way
And who shall wear the starry crown
Good Lord, show me the way!

O sisters, let's go down,
Let's go down, come on down
O sisters, let's go down
Down in the river to pray.

As I went down in the river to pray
Studying about that good old way
And who shall wear the robe and crown 

Good Lord, show me the way!

O brothers, let's go down
Let's go down, come on down
Come on, brothers, let's go down
Down in the river to pray.

As I went down in the river to pray
Studying about that good old way
And who shall wear the starry crown
Good Lord, show me the way!

O fathers, let's go down
Let's go down, come on down
O fathers, let's go down
Down in the river to pray.

As I went down in the river to pray
Studying about that good old way
And who shall wear the robe and crown
Good Lord, show me the way!

O mothers, let's go down
Let's go down; don't you want to go down?
Come on, mothers, let's go down
Down in the river to pray.

As I went down in the river to pray
Studying about that good old way
And who shall wear the starry crown
Good Lord, show me the way!

O sinners, let's go down
Let's go down, come on down
O sinners, let's go down
Down in the river to pray.

As I went down in the river to pray
Studying about that good old way
And who shall wear the robe and crown
Good Lord, show me the way!

-Songwriter- Philip Anthony Lawson
-Lyrics- Hal Leonard Corporation 

 Hope you all have a fantastic Thursday!
xo

Southwest Terminal- Photo Artistry by Tracey Grumbach

Southwest Terminal- BWI Airport- Mobile Art by Tracey Grumbach

On Sunday I had the opportunity to take a few pictures outside my normal realm of country scenes and barns. We took my oldest daughter, Brenna, to BWI airport where she was taking her first solo flight to meet a friend and her family on vacation out in Seattle and then from there driving over the border into Vancouver. She was nervous about navigating security and finding her gate prior to her flight but she did great. It was good practice for her to spread her wings a bit before she heads off to college in August. As I was riding the moving sidewalk (do they have an official name?) back to the parking garage, I looked out the windows just to my right and I saw this scene. The lines and lighting caught my eye and I immediately knew when I edited I wanted to create a futuristic feel. I left swiped my iPhone 6S Plus and grabbed a photo. Editing came later when I had time to concentrate and complete the final look.

I am pleased to announce I have been asked to be the featured speaker at the Chester County, PA Camera Club in November of this year. They have asked me to speak to their club of approximately 100 members for about an hour and then stay for some Q&A. I am quite honored to be asked and I am very much looking forward to doing this in the fall. I am not sure what topic will be most appropriate for me to discuss yet...it depends on their interests and needs. I am still in discussions with the VP of the group about details, but whatever the topic, I will be thrilled and excited to share my love of photography and digital art.

I'm also actively working on the details of my very first Introduction to Mobile Art Class in September. Right now the tentative date and location is Saturday, September 16 at Bel Air Library. These details are NOT confirmed, but please, if you are interested, pencil it in as tentative.  A class description and sign-up will be coming out soon.

I've also been asked to do an Understanding Exposure In Photography class as well. This will probably be a bit later in the fall and will be scheduled over three separate Saturdays, one for going over each of the three elements of exposure- ISO, aperture, and shutter speed. I am so excited to get back into the teaching groove as soon as the fall hits!

I also have a few other class ideas brewing...Creative Exposure in Photography, and Introduction to Black and White Photography are in the future as well. Now that the my older kids are heading out on the next phase of their lives and my younger kids are heading back to school, it is time for me to focus on healing completely and accomplishing my goals as an artist and teacher.

It's Hump Day, y'all. The weekend is within sight. I am heading to Ikea today if I can summons enough energy and stamina. I'm in the market for a large art table for my studio! Yippee...somewhere I can practice drawing, painting, collage, and mixed media instead of my teeny, tiny, wobbly, warped, crooked table I have now. I hope I can find one that will work well for me!

Hugs and lovin'

xo

Amish Washday-Mobile Art by Tracey Grumbach

Amish Washday- Mobile Art by Tracey Grumbach

This was taken last Friday on my trip Exton, PA with my son and my husband. We were checking out a trade school for my son there, so I kept my eyes out for interesting scenery along the way. As fate would have it, our trip took us straight through the heart of Lancaster County Amish country. I didn't get any shots on the way there because it was pouring rain, but on the way back the sky decided to show off in the most summery way with huge puffy white clouds. Also as luck would have it, it turned out many Amish do their laundry on Friday and tons of farms had their traditional clothes flapping in the breeze on their laundry lines. I am totally in love with this shot.

Since this is one of my favorite mobile art pieces I've done this summer, I thought I would share a list of some of my favorite things I've come across lately. What are some of your favorite things you've discovered recently?

1.  My daughter is heading off to college in August so she has been busy scouring ways to decorate her apartment. She happened to come across this site, Society6, and shared it with me and now I find myself drooling over some of the designs on this website. Check it out. I can't vouch for the quality of their products because although she did order a wall tapestry, we haven't gotten it yet! I will let you know how it turns out.

2.  So, we've started composting here on These Nine Acres. Two reasons this is a good idea for us...first, it will eventually be great for our future gardens (we have plans to build more next spring) and it reduces our environmental footprint. In order to collect scraps from the kitchen, I bought this Natural Home Stainless Steel Compost Bin for my kitchen counter. Not only is it beautiful, but it is also convenient to throw compostable items in it on a daily basis. It comes with a filter to keep bad odors from escaping, which I love because who wants to have stink in their house? I fill it up with plant based scraps and egg shells (sometimes coffee grounds too but not too many) during the day and then Brian empties it into our larger outdoor compost bin where he mixes in hay, yard scraps, etc. Great for us and great for the environment!

3.  Vitality Extracts Bracelets- I splurged on a couple of these essential oil diffuser bracelets a while back when this company was relocating warehouses and had a massive sale to liquidate much of their stock, so I got them dirt cheap. Can I just say I don't go a day without wearing at lease one of these? Many times I actually wear them stacked. I dab a bit of lavender oil on the lava stones and I smell lovely all day. I not only love how they work but I love how they look too. I can't vouch for their oils as I have never purchased them, but I can totally recommend their bracelets.

4.  I have a confession. I have a thing for paper. Truly, it is an obsession. I love writing old fashioned letters on cool papers. I love using paper in art. I love hanging up beautiful papers for decorations. The list of possibilities just goes on. I totally should be a collage artist because I actually lust over paper, but alas, I am stuck in the digital world for now. But, I can indulge my love for paper through Flow Magazine. I have a disclaimer here, people...they are NOT cheap since it is an imported magazine from the Netherlands, but oh my goodness do I love it. I sometimes splurge at Barnes and Noble and buy their magazine or books for paper lovers. This is the most recent one I purchased and I just sit with my coffee in the morning and devour all the deliciousness of the papers. I know...it's weird, I admit. I'm already daydreaming of all the letters I will write to my kiddos when they head off to college/trade school.

5.  My obsession with PBS Masterpiece shows still rages on with my latest love, My Mother and Other Strangers. I can't wait for Sunday nights for this delight to air! One has to feed an obsession while one waits for Poldark, Call the Midwife, and Victoria to return, doesn't one? Alas, Downtown Abbey is sadly dead and gone for quite some time now and I've devoured the entire series Larkrise to Candleford on borrowed library DVDs. I'm part of the way through Home Fires on DVD too. Seriously, my 1/3 British heritage must all be expressed in the entertainment genes because I just can't get enough.

Pop on over to Facebook or leave a comment here and tell me something you love that you've discovered lately.

Have a fantastic Tuesday!

xo

On the Edge- Digital Art by Tracey Grumbach

On the Edge by Tracey Grumbach

Today's art piece, On the Edge, was inspired by the processes I've learned in the digital art class I am taking and is dedicated to everyone who has ever been at the edge of a huge life change and can feel the weight of decisions on their shoulders. Should you leap or should you back away from the edge? As I was browsing one of my favorite sites (either Pixabay or Unsplash...I can't remember now), as I often do looking for inspiration, I came across a photograph of a woman standing on a chair. This image was my muse for this piece. After I finished, I showed this piece to my oldest daughter and she said, "Mom, this is full of emotion." I was excited by her comment because that is what I was striving for...to show emotion figuratively without the need of facial expressions. I'm glad it worked out, at least in how it made her feel when she saw it. Perhaps it makes you feel something to.

Many times people ask me about my process, so today I thought I would share mine for On the Edge. Sometimes I know what I want the end result to look like when I start and sometimes I let the process dictate what the result will be. For this it was a mix of both...I had a general idea of a human standing on the edge of a ledge looking downward, but I let how I felt as I moved through the process dictate color choices, texture choices, and the addition of other elements in the scene. I put together a slideshow showing some of the incremental steps labeled with what app I was using to share this process with you. This piece took me a few hours from start to finish. Some art pieces take days, some hours, and some only minutes depending on what it is I am creating. I hope you enjoy this peek inside my process.

**Note- My working title for this piece was Leap? but I changed the title after I made the video...didn't want to confuse you. :)



Have a beautiful Monday...I hope it is getting off to a great start.

xo

Highland Presbyterian Church

Highland Presbyterian Church, Street, MD

How many of you completely forgot yesterday was a weekday? I kept thinking it was Saturday and was thrown off every time I realized it was, in fact, Tuesday. I am thankful Brian had off yesterday, but it sure did make me confused on what day it was!

While visiting family for a 4th of July cookout yesterday, I wandered off a bit to examine a beautiful church across the street. It called to me with its church bells, which chimed every hour, and then drew me in with its beautiful steeple and stained glass windows. It was the epitome of a country church with its white clapboard siding, perfectly manicured landscaping, decorative windows, and of course, the church bells. This digital image was the result of my exploring. I could have stayed there for hours checking out all the details including the quaint graveyard, but the family celebration continued on across the street and my obligation was there. I'm glad I have this image to remind me of the few minutes I had, quiet and alone, drinking in the splendor of this quaint church.

Today I am working on another article for The Mighty discussing why holidays can be stressful and anxiety-ridden for those of us with Chronic Lyme Disease and other chronic illnesses. I find the writing process to be very cathartic and soothing, especially after a difficult day like yesterday, so please keep your eyes out for that, if the article is chosen by the editor to be published.

I hope you all had an enjoyable and safe Independence Day yesterday! Have a beautiful Wednesday!

Single White Rose- Digital Art by Tracey Grumbach

Out of all the flower and still life shots I took the other day using my tabletop soft box, this one is my favorite. I used a single LED light that came with my soft-box setup to create directional lighting and beautiful shadowing on the rose and the bottle. Then, I took a picture using my iPhone 6S Plus (I didn't have enough energy to climb my studio stairs and work with with my Canon 5D Mark III) and edited it in various apps including Brushstroke, Image Blender, Snapseed.  Next, I beamed it over to my iMac using PhotoSync to tweak it in Photoshop CC. I love the shadows and light and also the painterly quality of the texture. I hope you like it too.

Yesterday was a huge turning point for me as a mom getting ready to send my daughter off to college. While we were sitting as a family at dinner, my husband announced that Brenna, my oldest daughter, now has an address for her home away from home. The apartment complex where my daughter will be living has identified the specific apartment she will get and sent us all the information as well as the lease. I know it sounds weird, adding her Winter Park, FL address into her contact in my iPhone made her move feel so close and so official. It was another level of reckoning in my preparation of watching her spread her wings.

In addition, Brenna and I did a big burst of online shopping together to pick out some essentials she will be needing to furnish her apartment! On the top priority list was bedding, lamps (there is no lighting in the apartment except the bathroom), shower curtain, and a cover for the used couch that was given to her by a neighbor. She has collected a lot of free hand-me-down furniture for the kitchen and living room and we are transporting her own bedroom furniture when we move her. Family and friends have given her some other essentials like bath towels, kitchen utensils and towels, silverware, dishes, etc. I think she is pretty close to being prepared to leave. We are just about 6 weeks away! Crazy. It is a lot for this Mamma's heart to contend with but I am so thrilled for her. Fly, baby girl, fly!

Remember when I told you yesterday that I was signing up for a class to learn how to video, market, and run online art classes? Well, while I was on the website to sign up for that, I came across another fantastic class called "Figurescapes." It is a digital art class that combines abstract iPad drawings of the human form with digital elements to create a final figurative piece. Since I am always on the lookout to expand my knowledge and art repertoire, I signed up for that class too! I am so stinking excited. The good news is that both classes are self-paced and I have access to the lessons online for a lifetime...there is no need for me to feel pressured or stressed about finishing at a certain time. It is perfect for me right now...I can do bits and pieces as I feel up to it and not worry about losing my money if I don't feel well enough for a few days.

Last, today I am humbly requesting prayers today, specifically that my white blood cell count may be high enough to perform the blood test that I desperately need. Last week the lab called my doctor to report my white blood count was too critically low to even perform the test, so after a week of immune boosting medicine, I am hoping today my white blood count cooperates. Thank you!

Have an amazing Thursday...Friday is in sight! xo

Hope

Kousa Dogwood

There was never a night or a problem 

that could defeat sunrise or hope.

Bernard Williams

Hope is knowing the sun still exists even when the night of the new moon wraps your world in total darkness. Hope is hearing a symphony burst forth out of the discord of individual instruments. Hope is thinking you are totally and utterly alone in the world in your experience and finding someone else who understands. Hope is the sound of a baby's laughter. Hope is going to sleep when the bud is tightly closed and waking to the flower spread open in all its glory. Hope is knowing that nothing is impossible in the hands of God.

I'll be honest. There are many times along this journey where I have lost hope. I have reconciled myself to the fact that for the rest of my life I will live in pain and uncertainty, with limited mobility,  and a burden to the rest of my friends and family. When in the midst of so much unrelenting pain, it is easy to lose hope; to see only the darkness; to forget the sun is behind the clouds. But, despite how low I became, I hung onto the my last shred of faith which resided only in God, that He knew the answers and loved me enough to show me the path to healing in His time.

So, when I went to my doctor's appointment yesterday, hope was difficult to find. I have been in Chronic Lyme Disease and co-infection treatment over and over only to relapse again and again. Over the years I have times where I feel close to normal only to fall into pain and worsening symptoms again. I have walked this walk, done all the things I was told to do and still was sick on an almost daily basis. Having only started treatment (again!) a month ago and knowing that things often get worse before they get better didn't help my mental state. Hope was running thin and I could feel depression set in. I wanted there to be new answers, new things to try, new explanations as to what was happening inside my body. However, I felt like I was rewalking the same path I had walked before surrounded by the same scenery.

My prayers for renewed hope were answered yesterday.  After going into more detail with my LLMD (Lyme Literate Doctor) about my joint pain and the history of stiffening, swelling, and pain in every joint including my knuckles, toes, knees, shoulders, hips, back...you name it I had pain in it either currently or at some previous time; he suggested that my pain may not have everything to do with Lyme but with a problem referred to as leaky gut. Sounds gross, right? Well, actually it is gross. Leaky gut is when your stomach becomes damaged from prolonged illness, prolonged antibiotic treatment, or other factors and small particles of food that haven't been digested get passed through a hyperpermeable stomach lining into your blood stream. Once in your bloodstream, these tiny particles can become lodged in your tissues and the immune system then attacks the particles thinking they are bacteria or a virus, causing inflammation, pain, and stiffness (among other problems). This issue can become so severe that it can render patients with such arthritic pain they end up in a wheelchair. So, to see if this is a factor in my situation, the doctor ordered a blood test that will evaluate how my white blood cells react to over 450 individual foods, additives, colorings, molds, functional foods, medicinal herbs and chemical substances. This will tell me what food sensitivities I may have that could cause inflammation and pain. This renewed my hope for better days because it makes total sense to me. I do notice a correlation between eating certain foods and having a flare of my symptoms. So, this may not be the total answer, but if avoiding trigger foods can help reduce my pain levels in the long run, I am willing to do whatever I can to help return my life back to normal.

So, I'm still clinging to the hope that more answers may be out there for me, despite that voice in my head that keeps repeating, "Just give up." Please pray that this course of action may find some relief for me. I have to wait for my next appointment (a month away) to get the results, so in the meantime I am on a severely restricted diet to see if restricting certain foods (such as the nightshade category) will help with my pain levels.

Thank you, as always, for your continuing prayers, cheers, and support.

xo

Strength and Stability- Mobile Art and Photography by Tracey Grumbach

Strength and Stability

Remember, the storm is a good opportunity

for the pine and the cypress to show 

their strength and stability.

-Ho Chi Minh 

For those who don't follow me on social media, I'd like to share the wonderful news that I will have an article published for the online magazine, The Mighty, based on this post I wrote last week. Because of the wonderful encouragement of many people who approached me and wrote to me this week saying how much the blog post helped them better understand the perspective of someone who has a chronic illness, I decided to submit the blog post to see if it could be helpful to larger audience of readers. I was modestly hopeful the editors of this website would see the value in my point of view and in my writing. After just a few days, I was thrilled to hear they accepted my writing for publishing (although it may be a few weeks before it is actually released) and offered for me to be a contributing writer to the website. I was so honored and excited for this amazing opportunity to use my voice to spread awareness and help others. I will let everyone know when the article is live. Thank you to everyone for your undying support in all my ventures. Whether it is for my art, my writing, my journey through homeschooling, or my fight against Chronic Lyme Disease, so many of you have been there to cheer me on and lift me up when I fall. Thank you.

Today I have a doctor's appointment with my LLMD to check on the progress of my treatment plan, see the results of my liver function tests, and discuss the next steps in this phase of my treatment. I would appreciate any and all prayers for wisdom, guidance, and good news. After so many years of a roller coaster ride, staying positive and maintaining hope for a full recovery is extremely difficult for me. Thank you in advance for your positive thoughts, prayers, and vibrations!

Also, today I will be delivering the two pieces of art that were accepted into the Art Without Boundaries Art Show! It is always fun and exciting to be a part of a juried art show and have my work displayed in new places. I was thrilled to find out that one of my dear friends, artist Kara Main, will be showing along with me in the same exhibit. So proud of her! Click on her name to check out her beautiful, thought provoking work.

Have a beautiful Tuesday- smile at a stranger today and make the world just a bit happier.

***Edited to say- the article HAS BEEN PUBLISHED! That was quick! You can read/see the article here on The Mighty. You can see my author profile here.

xo

Fawn Grove Church of the Nazarene

Fawn Grove Church of the Nazarene- Pylesville, Maryland

You know how it feels when you climb into your favorite pair of warm, soft pajamas after a long, cold day? You know how it feels when you read a perfectly entertaining book curled up under a worn, favorite blanket with your pet snuggled in close to you? You know the feeling when you sit with a long time best friend and laugh together over shared private jokes over a warm cup of your favorite coffee?  After 20 years of not having a church to call home, that is how I feel when I walk into the doors of Fawn Grove Church of the Nazarene. It is so good to finally find a spiritual place to call my own and feel perfectly comfortable, warm, and content.

Thank you, Pastor Johnathon and Michele. We absolutely adore you both.

xo

Individually, We Are One Drop

We Are One Drop- Photo by Brenna Grumbach; Edited by Tracey Grumbach

Individually, we are one drop.

Together, we are an ocean.

-Ryunosuke Satoro

It was a bright, perfectly warm day, about 75 degrees, when we stood together on this California beach. We stood in awe as the Pacific waves crashed terribly, forcibly into the rocky cliffs surrounding the sand. The noise was an unrelenting cycle of pounding surf punctuated with the high pitched squawks of seagulls nearby. It was too loud to talk comfortably, so we stood in silence, observing. Our bare feet sunk slowly into the cold, wet sand, eventually lost beneath the ever transforming earth. We squinted, despite wearing sunglasses, as the sun reflected off of the water like a million diamonds floating in the sea, the color of the water so turquoise that we wondered if it were real. The spray and mist from the salty water permeated the air and clung to our skin and hair in micro-droplets, surrounding us in a moisture filled hug from the sea. Negataive ions of crashing water swirled around us, luring us closer to this undulating, breathing giant. We were there together, but separate, lost in our own thoughts and sensory experiences yet united in this common experience, this common place. 

I will never forget this moment I shared with my daughter and my husband on a trip we took west to explore colleges back in September. As we were driving along the coast, north to Los Angeles, we spontaneously pulled off at a parking area and got out to explore this beach. This moment is engrained in my mind, which is why this altered photo means so much to me. It was a collaboration of her photograph and my editing, used with her permission and blessing. As she is getting ready to leave for college in less than two months, I want to capture, memorialize, and remember these individual memories I've shared with her. Her absence will be felt deeply here when she is gone, but I am so thrilled for her to spread her wings. A bittersweet dichotomy...

Have a blessed day.

xo

I Accept That I Do Not Know Where I Am Going- Digital Art by Tracey Grumbach

About this image- Do any of us truly know where we are going? No, we don't. No human can predict the future and therefore doesn't ultimately understand the exact direction we are going. We can point ourselves in the direction we want, but life circumstances can change the tide of fortune and send us off in a different direction. How exciting is that if you let go of the anxiety of it? We as humans are blessed to live such a life...full of adventure and unknowing.

One of my favorite symbols is the compass or compass rose. I've always said that if I were ever to get a tattoo, it would be of a beautiful, fancy compass rose. Perhaps, something like this. I love to travel and discover new places but that is only part of what I love about them. I like the deeper symbolic meaning of them as well...a tool for always knowing which direction to walk. To me it represents spirituality, a moral compass, a representation of unknown possibilities and adventure. It is the voice of God, the whisper of consciousness telling us in what direction to turn. It gives me a feeling of comfort while at the same time promises excitement and new experiences.

Maybe I will get this image as a tattoo since I love birds and compasses so much. Perhaps not...sometimes Chronic Lyme has a way of stopping me in my tracks when I think of injecting ink into my already overloaded system. I still have 4 kids to raise and get out on their own. I need to be healthy for that feat! Perhaps for my 60th birthday. By then all my kids should be out. I hope. :)

Happy Friday, y'all. Have a fabulous weekend!

xo

I Am Wonderfully Made- Self Portrait by Tracey Grumbach

About this image: There are times in life when things that would have taken a long time to learn and accept come much easier and softer. There would have been a time where I would have taken so very personally that friends I have known for a long time have moved on and are no longer wanting to be in touch. To be honest, there was a time when I took everything personally. However, through maturity and through illness, I have learned that all people in my life serve a purpose, sometimes for me to learn from them, and sometimes vice versa. I truly believe that some people will come and go in our lives once the purpose of the relationship is served. People grow, change, move on, and walk a separate path. And that's OK. When I realized this week that friends I have been reaching out to for a while now have no interest in remaining in close contact, I could have been devastated. It hurt at first, to be truthful, but then I quickly realized this is about perspective. Instead of being bitter, I chose to be thankful for having them in my life for so long and for learning the lessons I needed to learn from them. Then, it was time to gracefully set them free. This self portrait was birthed from that experience this week. It comes down to loving myself enough and trusting God that it was time to let go and move on.

Psalm 139:14- I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.

Have a wonderful weekend! I will be busy with art all day tomorrow. Stop in Arts By the Bay Gallery, voted Harford County's Best Art Gallery, between 11AM-2:30PM to see me and all the wonderful art. Then from 7PM-9:30PM I will displaying art at Bel Air High School for the Susquehanna Symphony Orchestra concert! Hope to see some of you there!

We Leaped For the Mechanical Things- Digital Art by Baltimore Artist

I think the human race made a big mistake at the beginning of the industrial revolution. 

We leaped for mechanical things, people need the use of their hands to feel creative.

-Andre Norton

Have a terrific Thursday. The weekend is so close I can taste it.

xo

Moving Gently Into the Night- Harford County Artist

About this image: It has taken me years to realize that I am an empath. I think becoming ill with Lyme disease and dealing the neurological effects of the disease has moved me more deeply in that direction. I absorb the emotional states of those around me. It is not something I want to do, but something that just happens. So, this is why I found myself alone, in my truck, in the parking lot of a church last night as I waited for my youngest daughter to complete her first day of chorus practice. The practice is one and a half hours long and I couldn't stomach sitting in the waiting area the entire time with all the other parents. I am not antisocial and they are not mean, but I just crave peace, alone time, and calmness.  So, after being in the church for about 40 minutes, I strolled out to my truck. While I was sitting in the front seat, I saw the bell tower and steeple rising beautifully into the dusky sky. I was totally inspired. As I sat and stared at the changing light on the steeple, I thought to myself, "I love how gently we are moving into the night." It was like watching a slow motion video of a changing sky, a changing light, a changing world as the sun sank deeper on the horizon. And when it was fully dark, I went back into the church again refreshed and ready to deal with the crowd of parents and kids again.

Have a peaceful Wednesday, y'all.

xo

Harford County Homestead- Digital Art by Baltimore Artist

About this image: The beauty of where I live is that almost everywhere you look there are quaint nooks of farmland snuggled into the rolling hills. This property belongs to a friend of mine and I created this digital painting from a photograph I took back in 2010 when she was hosting a Polar Bear Plunge in her frozen farm pond. In the original photograph there were people all around the pond in their bathing suits in the freezing cold weather and snow. However, for this digital painting, I just wanted nature so I left all the people out of the final piece. I was not one of the crazy dippers that day...I preferred to record all the action with my camera. My kids and husband did plunge, though, to help raise money for the Special Olympics. It is one of those fond family memories that we have and will never forget.

Speaking of looking back and memories, I've had so much fun looking back at old photos lately, that I've decided to share the fun with you and post an update on Nine Acres Designs Facebook page if there was a post from years past on that day.

It's Friday, y'all. I hope everyone has a great weekend. I am hoping my jaw pain stays in check so I can begin to move about a bit this weekend. Sitting still gets awfully boring.

xo