Herd by Richard Bledsoe (acrylic on canvas)
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My husband Richard is an extraordinary artist..
just one of the many things I love about him.
He has sold many paintings over the years
but every once in a while
I stake my claim.
When Richard finished Herd
I told him it was mine.
So it is.
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One of my favorite pastimes
is doodling while I watch old movies.
Well..
maybe I’m not actually watching
since my eyes are on my drawings
but I still enjoy listening to them.
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Many, many years ago
when I lived alone with my dog, Gunther
I developed some strange habits.
Open packages of marshmallow Peeps
all over the place
slowly turning into Peep-jerky..
Dinner was often instant mashed potatoes straight out of the pot
drenched in ketchup.
I never used my oven for cooking…
just for baking all the little creatures I made out of Sculpey.
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What do you do when you have big ideas and limited resources..?
You get creative,
and you get to work.
To make a long story short,
I taught myself how to create, format and publish books.
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It is sad how many great books never see the light of day;
how many talented authors never have the opportunity
to see their work in print..
just because the process is too complicated, overwhelming,
time-consuming and/or expensive.
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I used to think that way.
But, now I can do something about it..
one book at a time.
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The students at SEEDs for Autism
have been writing in my class for years..
sharing their thoughts, feelings and experiences.
Responding to writing prompts,
telling stories and creating poetry.
So many different voices –
Now, all together
in a wonderful book.
And just in time for the holidays…
Sowing Seeds: A Collection of Writing and Poetry by Adults on the Autism Spectrum
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The beginning was horrific.
After dropping my husband off for work one morning
I returned home to a nightmarish sight…
what appeared to be a newly born kitten, lying in a bloody mess
near the step leading onto my front porch.
I was shocked to see that the tiny creature was moving..
impossibly alive.
A very premature birth..
Quickly, I reached down to rescue him from the swarm of ants
already blanketing the placenta lying next to him..
that’s when I discovered the umbilical cord
was still attached.
I severed it with my hands
and brought the tiny life inside.
I called him Bug.
Over the following 12 hours
I cleaned him
fed him, kept him warm
held him in my hands,
and loved him.
Sadly, it was not meant to be.
Bug was too premature..
not much more than a fetus, really.
Hairless, pink.
Eyes sealed shut.
Ears barely formed..
Incompatible with life.
I held him warm in my hands
One last time…
Minutes later
when I checked on him again
I saw that he had died.
12 hours..
From the moment I found him,
Until his quiet, peaceful death.
Still, I was heartbroken.
I wanted to keep Bug.
I wanted to keep loving this tiny animal
I wanted to give him a home
I wanted him to survive..
But, it wasn’t meant to be.
At the time, I didn’t understand..
I was not there to help Bug live,
I was there to help him die.
Bug did not suffer and die on the hot pavement,
exposed and alone.
For his short 12 hour life
He was warm and safe.
He was loved.
Goodnight, sweet Bug
You will live again..
in my paintings.
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I paint a lot of leaves.
I do this
because I love them.
Simple as that.
Illustrations from “Painting, Passion and the Art of Life” by Michele Bledsoe
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For many years
I had been trying to write a book..
but I failed.
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Actually, I failed many times..
over and over again.
I had lost my way.
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Then I had a revelation..
an epiphany.
I was thinking too hard..
getting in my own way.
I was trying to write a book
instead of writing a book.
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Filled with renewed passion and purpose
I poured my soul out
onto those pages..
and it became
the book I was meant to write
instead of the book I was trying to write.
Big difference.
.Big Big difference.
“A pencil is quiet, clean, odorless, inexpensive, and lightweight. I can slip it in my pocket and take it with me everywhere – my secret friend.”
Sherry Camby
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It has been many years since I’ve worked on this painting.
Maybe even a decade.
Yet, here at my easel..
it could have been yesterday.
I remember everything.
I dive in without hesitation..
effortlessly matching the subtle shades
of complex color
perfectly.
Seems I have never left you.
Trust the gift.
I arrived early for my teeth-cleaning appointment
to visit my favorite seedpod tree.
I was disappointed to see it had been trimmed recently..
with all its magnificent treasures far out of reach.
Nevertheless, I was determined.
Finding a long, sturdy stick
I jumped up..
whacking at the branches above my head
until I was able to finally knock one loose.
You’ll find a lot of these seedpods
in my paintings..
It’s where I keep all the things I love.
The Secret Kingdom 