Category: Ellen

Posted on by Ellen Seaton - No Comments on More Reasons to Celebrate and More Creativity!

More Reasons to Celebrate and More Creativity!

For starters.……Good News! A personal essay I submitted has been accepted by Story:Color 2019. This will be an art exhibition, reading, poetry slam, etc. sponsored by some of the artists from the Silos at Sawyer Yards, Words & Art, and WriteSpace. They asked for some poems and essays from writers that artists could use for inspiration to create visual art. I am honored and delighted my essay was accepted. The Opening Night Reading and Art Exhibition will take place on January 12, 2019. I will be sure to share more details as I have them.

As for the journeys I took this past week, I spent Saturday afternoon in a Process Painting retreat facilitated by Cherie Ray of True You Creativity. Ah, yes. Another internal journey!

For starters, this studio is located in a relaxing embracing environment. Here is the outside of her studio filled with plants, trees, art and bird houses.

For those of you who haven’t had the pleasure to experience Process Painting, I will give a very brief explanation. This is a process of painting where the end result is not the picture that is painted. Rather it is the process of creating that is the focus of attention. The purpose is not to paint a pretty picture; rather the purpose is to put paint on paper and see what the process of painting can tell you. It is great for unleashing creativity and creative potential.

Here are some of my painting samples as they were in process of being created:

There was no right or wrong with these pictures. They just were. I observed what came up for me as I painted. I considered what the colors told me. I loved my spot right by the window, because I was visited all afternoon by cardinals, turtle doves, and other birds as they snacked from the bird feeder and tried to figure out what the silly humans were doing.

This process reminded me of writing. I can’t write the “great American novel” in one sitting or in one draft. However, I can write by sitting down and putting words on paper. You can’t write a book or a short story without trying out ideas, putting words together in different arrangements to see what works. As my wonderful writing coach, Max Regan, frequently tells his students, just write something that is really crappy. Then if you like your draft or idea, you can begin to work with it. If your goal is only to write things that are good and meaningful, then you won’t get much done. Just write and then write some more. Whether you are putting paint on the paper or words, let the creative juices flow freely.

Thanks to the guidance provided by Cherie, I went home Saturday afternoon inspired and ready to continue creatively with both art and writing. As I walked out of her studio, I saw one of the universal signs that everything was going to be okay.

If you are interested in Process Painting or any of the other classes and retreats offered by Cherie Ray, please check out her website at Trueyoucreativity.com.

Then after a great weekend, I ended my day on Sunday by going to see the play, The Mouse Trap, which is currently being performed at the Alley Theatre. This play was written by Agatha Christie and is a good entertaining mystery for a late summer evening. I won’t give away the surprise ending. You’ll have to go see the play yourself and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. The stage design assures you of mysteries and murders just waiting to unfold!

I am looking forward to more writing this week and beginning an Art History class at the Glassell.

More details to follow!

Posted on by Ellen Seaton - 1 Comment on Reasons to Celebrate!

Reasons to Celebrate!

This blog post is all about celebration! There are two reasons for my joyful attitude.

The first reason pertains to this blog in particular. I have recently learned that this blog is now read in 5 different countries! That’s three more countries than I have ever visited.

Yes, as a RoadBroad, I have to admit that I do not fly in airplanes. That is why I travel everywhere by road. Get it? RoadBroad? A Broad who travels by Road?

Back to the point I was making. RoadBroads is now read by folks in the USA, Canada, Bolivia, the United Kingdom and Denmark. Wow. I’m so excited that I think this is worth a glass of really nice champagne!

Well, yes, the champagne that is pictured is French. No, we are not read in France.…yet. But Dom Perignon is still a dandy champagne for celebrating. If you have a better selection, please let me know.

The second reason I have for celebrating is that yesterday was one of the most important days of the year for me. It all started out with a trip to the Galleria Mall.

Initially my reason for going to the Galleria was two-fold. It is August in Houston and that means it is really really hot outside and the Galleria is a good place to walk for healthy exercise. And walk I did. I strolled around without stopping as I passed by all of the clothing stores, the art stores, the restaurants, the ice skating rink, etc. I noticed there are several Starbucks in the Galleria. I can remember back in the old days when there was only one.

I also wanted to go on a journey for some sipping chocolate and I know there is a Godiva store inside the Galleria.

I walked and walked and finally found the nice little shop full of chocolate confectionaries. I walked inside admiring all of the delicious wares that were on display. I very politely waited my turn after the other customers had been assisted. However, when I spoke with the nice ladies about some sipping chocolate.…..There was none! AGHAST! No sipping chocolate. I became dizzy and grabbed onto the counter. Oh woe was me. My happy journey was at risk of turning into a disaster! What was I to do? I told the nice Godiva ladies that I might come back in December.

Then I stumbled out of the door. Thank goodness I had a friend with me to make sure I did not fall over third floor railing to a certain death. I walked and I walked some more. Then as I wandered my eyes spotted a store that had the one and only thing that could raise my spirits. That one thing was a Halloween Display.

I always celebrate the first time I see Halloween decorations out in stores. Even though it is the middle of August, I now know that summer is on its way out. It is my first sign that I will survive yet another hurricane season. Cool temperatures are just around the corner.

Also Halloween is my favorite holiday. I love dressing up. I love decorating. I love reading scary stories. I love all of it. I think of everything I am scared of and make a point of laughing at it.

No, I’m not this way about any other holiday. Keep your Christmas wreaths and lights. I save my heart for Halloween.

My thanks to the White Barn for making my day!

Now I am off to write scary short stories!

Boo!

Posted on by Ellen Seaton - 1 Comment on Imagination, Inspiration and Originality

Imagination, Inspiration and Originality

Wednesdays are fun here in retirement land. It is one of the few days when I look forward to waking up and getting over to my friend’s house by 10:00 a.m. Why yes, I set an alarm clock to get somewhere by 10:00 a.m. That’s how I roll now. I can’t remember the last time I got anywhere by 8:00 a.m. Morning rush hour is a memory.

Now I get to my friend’s house and meet up with a group of women writers where we all practice and improve our craft. The size of the group fluctuates, but there is a dedicated core group of us. You can see a sampling of the group below:

Some of the group is a bit camera shy, so I am just showing a sampling of what we look like while we are reading our work and receiving feedback from each other.

After being inspired such talented friends, I went by the Glassell School of Art. The new building and campus is really nice and finally open for classes again.

I have heard this artwork just outside the main building referred to as the “Glassell Bean”. I am fascinated by this sculpture. It sees everything and it reflects everything around it.

The class I have signed up for is called “Women in Art”. We will study women artists from the 19th century through to the present. Some of my favorite artists will be included, such as; Georgia O’Keefe, Frida Kahlo, Judy Chicago and Camille Claudel. This is also the best kind of class to take, because there are no tests. Just a gathering of people who have a strong desire to learn and discuss.

The lobby of the Glassell is a wide open room with lots of light coming in from all directions.

There are stairs and hallways that go off in all directions. It makes me feel as if there is no limit to one’s creativity. In the past I have taken many classes at the Glassell in the areas of ceramics, photography, and design. I have loved them all. Now I am looking forward to this next phase of my art education.

I personally find that art and writing go together. If I am feeling creative in one area, it helps me feel creative in other endeavors. Sometimes when writing about a particular historical topic, I will develop some collage work to help me to visualize particular events, styles, etc. I have also used collage to help me develop characters for short stories.

Now it is time to get back to writing and creating.

Until next time…

Posted on by Ellen Seaton - 2 Comments on Tunnels, Pathways and Chocolate!

Tunnels, Pathways and Chocolate!

It’s August! Isn’t that great! We are more than half-way through summer. I know the temperatures are still in the upper 90’s but in many parts of the country it’s Harvest Season.

In the old country it is Lughnasadh. I am not sure exactly which old country that would be, but one of the ones that’s been around for a really long time. It is now that magical time of year when we are supposed to reap what we sow. I personally am trying to sow cooler weather.

Houston has had some rain this week. That meant that I went to some familiar hangouts to spend some time with friends. Yesterday I went back to the Museum of Fine Arts. I just love the light tunnel.

There is one dark path surrounded by soft lighting that changes color from time to time. As you can see, I took a picture of my friend. Handsome, isn’t he? I like this picture, because you cannot tell if the person you are looking at is coming towards you or going away from you. I guess all of us, from time to time, wander our way through life. Hopefully we know if we are coming or going, but maybe not. In the museum light tunnel you are lucky, because no matter which way you go, you will always end up surrounded by art.

While I was at the museum, I revisited the bamboo sculpture and walked through it. Literally, you can walk through this art sculpture. As you can see in the picture, it is made completely out of bamboo and there is a path that takes you from the top of the structure to the bottom. You basically go from one floor of the museum down to the next floor through the bamboo maze. I hold on tightly to the railings. I know this structure is solid and many people walk through it every day. Kids run through quite fearless. Now; however, I am old enough to worry about falling and breaking things so I hold on to the handrails.

Another place I visited this past weekend was my new favorite chocolate shop, Cacao and Cardamom. Not only do they have wonderful “sipping chocolate” as in the following picture, but they also have a wide assortment of chocolates. I always purchase a few to take home and then see how long I can make the individual pieces of chocolate last. I will let myself eat one piece of dark chocolate candy a day, because it is supposed to be good for my heart. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

If you are really feeling adventurous, then you can try some of the bigger creations at Cacao and Cardamom. Check out these shoes:

Yep, all of those shoes and the clutch purses they are standing on are pure chocolate. Of course they have men’s shoes as well, but they are not as colorful as the ladies shoes.

Must close now, so I can go off and have more adventures.

Until next week.….

Posted on by Ellen Seaton - 2 Comments on Helpful Signs Along The Way

Helpful Signs Along The Way

In Melanie’s latest post, she discussed her walking road trip through nature and her observation of trees. Today my road trip will be somewhat different.

I begin this journey by traveling through a concrete jungle that is under construction. Going around road construction is a full-time hobby for anyone who lives in the Houston area. This little jaunt just happens to be along I‑10. I am on my way to visit the Swedish jungles of IKEA.

A friend and I made the journey together. He is an Engineer. If you have never traveled through IKEA with an Engineer, then you really don’t know what you are missing. I will explain as I go along.

To begin with, journeying through IKEA is like going through life with all kinds of assistance, hints, and signposts. From the moment you walk in the front door, you are immediately directed to go up. Go up, dear friend, into the spectacle that is Swedish furniture and housewares.

Then as soon as you reach the pinnacle of the escalator, you begin to see arrows directing you as to the path you are to take.

Where Dorothy and Toto followed the yellow brick road, the Engineer and I followed the white arrows painted on the concrete floor. Do I ever wonder on where I am going in life? I just have to take a trip to IKEA and am told what direction to take at all times.

Of course I am with an Engineer who can figure a lot of things out for himself. He can look at a map and tell where we should go next.

Since the Engineer has a Ph.D, he can even find his way between the Showroom and the Marketplace. He is very smart indeed! Then I noticed that if we followed the arrows on the floor, it will take us on the same pathway as shown on the master floor map and I almost feel as smart as an Engineer.

Actually we have decided to spend the morning at IKEA because I am rearranging my home. I have way more books than I have bookcases to hold them. Also, I have two closets that are completely disorganized. I am quite sure that if I just organize my closets, then the rest of my life will follow suit. Doesn’t that make sense? Also, since I have recently retired, I am motivated to purge my home of all the stuff I have retired from and no longer suits me. I hope I wind up with more room for lots more books and art supplies!

For the novice shoppers at IKEA, the store is great about providing the proper tools to find, measure and write down everything you need. When you travel with an Engineer he comes with his own high precision shopping tools as is demonstrated below:

Of course once all is said and done, it is important to keep a view on the big picture of your life. Again, IKEA helps with this.

From this perspective, you can see all of the tools that are there to help you and all the options you have for arranging and decorating your existence.

If any of this does not help you, then you can simply go home. Your cat will tell you to get back to work on your writing and stop goofing off.

Life can be so simple, if we will only let it.

Until next week.……

Posted on by Ellen Seaton - No Comments on The Road Trip Is Over, But The Journey Is Just Beginning!

The Road Trip Is Over, But The Journey Is Just Beginning!

I have been home for several weeks. I would say that my life has returned to normal, but it hasn’t. I am now really officially retired. I still have not determined what the new normal is going to be. This is a whole shift of consciousness for me, because I have either gone to school, worked, or both since I was about 15 years old.

The first thing I noticed when I returned from Colorado was that I slept.….a lot. I would sleep well at night. Get up in the morning, drink some coffee, watch some news, and then take a nap. I almost got worried that I was sleeping too much, but then I realized that I was feeling GREAT! Apparently I haven’t been this rested for approximately 50 years! I adopted a very mindful approach to my daily schedule and just observed. When I was hungry I ate, when I was tired I slept. How so very zen of me.

I have structured my daily life so I seldom have to set an alarm clock. At first I swung back and forth between waking up early in the morning and sleeping until 11 a.m. Some evenings I fell asleep early reading a book and other evenings I stayed up late watching whatever movie I found irresistible at the moment.

One day a week I get together with a friend for a day of culture or adventure or a movie or whatever strikes our fancy. The picture above is from the Big Bambu at the Houston Museum of Fine Arts. It is a sculpture made out of bamboo that is literally big enough to walk through. It’s another variation of a road trip. If you have a chance to go and see this exhibit, I highly recommend it!

Also I continue to enjoy the local road trips to the Alley Theater in the evenings. Their most recent production of Holmes and Watson was great fun!

I was reminded of the Sherlock Holmes exhibit that Melanie and I both visited at the Museum of Natural Science. We learned to observe our surroundings and pay attention to details. Perfect reminders for a writer. Observe and take notes!

And yes, I am writing. I have been mindfully experimenting with writing schedules and think I have just about found what works best for me. Some days I focus on writing. Other days I focus on culture/adventure/movies. So far retirement into full-time writer life is working for me.

I hope everyone who reads this is having a great summer! I will write again in about a week.

Stay cool!

Posted on by Ellen Seaton - No Comments on What Began Around Memorial Day

What Began Around Memorial Day

I’m home!

Melanie and I drove back to Houston yesterday. We got back a day early, but wanted to get ahead of any potential bad weather. After enjoying the low humidity and temperatures in the mountains, I am now enjoying the rain and humidity of the Gulf Coast. It is just too much fun to have my glasses fog up every time I walk outside.

I did face a bit of a welcoming committee as soon as I walked in the door last night:

Yes, there are two cats in the picture. Vesta, the Siamese, just likes to blend in with the carpet. By now they have almost forgiven me for abandoning them for so long — even if they were left in very capable and loving hands.

Today was a day to rest and begin to settle back in to home life. I only did one load of laundry, but I went through all of the mail that had piled up and I caught up with emails and messages. Even unpacked one of the two suitcases that traveled with me. I don’t want to do too much too fast and risk hurting myself. You know how that goes, don’t you?

Since I started off this blog writing about going to the Alley Theater to see Picasso at the Lapin Agile, it is only fitting that I end this segment of the blog with another trip to the Alley Theater. Tonight I saw a really good play on the downstairs stage at the Alley called, The Cake. Good story with humor, drama, food for thought and a happy ending:

After they play, they literally served small pieces of cake to all audience members. Yum!

Tomorrow I have a list of errands to run, unless it is raining too much. The good part about retirement is that I don’t have to set an alarm clock and if the weather is too bad, then I don’t have to go anywhere! Maybe I will just stay home all day reading and writing. Yes, retirement is good.

I am going to take a few days off from blogging. Both Melanie and I will return in a few days to share more adventures of the RoadBroads. Keep checking back and have a great week.

Good night!

Posted on by Ellen Seaton - 1 Comment on From Mountains to Canyon

From Mountains to Canyon

Melanie and I started the first leg of our journey home back early on Friday, June 15th. I specify the date, because it is now 1:28 a.m. on June 16th. Blogging during the early morning hours definitely has its advantages. I will sleep when I get home. Now I am still on an adventure.

We said good-bye to the townhouse that has been our home away for the past two weeks. Our handy AAA Trip Tik held tightly in my hands. We also have phones with GPS. What could possibly go wrong?

Driving away from Boulder, I take one last look at the Flatirons and all of the other mountain ranges. In the distance are mountains shrouded in a blue haze that I am told is from some distant wild fires. I see the warnings about fire bans as we drive down the freeway.

When we find ourselves in Trinidad, Colorado, we decide to stop for caffeine, a chance to stretch our legs and gas up the car. By using my smart phone, I see that there is exactly one Starbucks in Trinidad. What I didn’t realize is that the Starbucks is located in a Safeway Store.

Can you see the Starbucks? Neither could we. We drove past it once and almost twice. Finally Melanie noticed the familiar Starbucks lady in the window. Now can you find it?

It’s there and thanks to Melanie, I got coffee, she got tea. What we also found out is that Trinidad is a very interesting town with tons of history. It might be fun to explore this town during some future road trip. However, we are on our way to Canyon, Texas.

Yes, in one day we left Colorado, drove through New Mexico and finally arrived back in Texas. Now all we have to do is find the town of Canyon and check into our hotel. We are going to Palo Duro Canyon to see a show called “Texas”.

Okay, it was my fault. When we were looking for Canyon, I instructed Melanie to turn left when she should have turned right. Oops. I am such a city chick. The scenery on this journey has been so beautiful, but the Texas Panhandle really is wide open country.

Well, I managed to get us off on a wild goose chase for about 45 minutes. Where we thought we were going to have about an hour at the hotel to rest and freshen up, we had about 15 minutes. Melanie was very gracious about my mistake. Did I mention that we had a AAA Trip Tik and two phone with GPS? There is nothing RoadBroads enjoy more than a good adventure!

Then we got to Palo Duro Canyon. Melanie told me that this show was at the bottom of the Canyon and that this Canyon was the 2nd largest Canyon in the United States. I am such a “city chick”. What I found out was that this show was at the actual bottom of the canyon! Who knew? It was a steep descent with a lot of curvy roads. Yet, we made it, had dinner and saw a really interesting show about the history of the Texas Panhandle. Here is a picture of the stage…at the bottom of the Canyon.….

As exciting as the show was, I also loved just looking up at the stars. It was a beautiful night with a cool breeze and more stars than I ever get to see among the bright lights of Houston. That alone made the whole trip to see this show worthwhile.

Tomorrow we take off on the road again. We are paying attention to the weather that is being predicted for Houston this weekend. Lots of rain. Something I have not seen since taking off on the road.

I better get some sleep!

Posted on by Ellen Seaton - 3 Comments on Retreat Ends.…Boo Hoo!

Retreat Ends.…Boo Hoo!

I had my last and final meeting with Max for this year’s writers retreat. Sniff, Sniff. At least we met once again in the beautiful Dushanbe Teahouse.

It was a good meeting. We reviewed much of what had been covered during the retreat classes. We discussed both of my writing projects and the kind of writing structure I would maintain once I return to Houston.

In addition to learning and practicing new writing craft skills, I have the following takeaways from this 10 day adventure:

  • The craft of writing is a life-long endeavor. During this retreat, I read things I wrote several years ago and I can see where I have grown and evolved with craft skills.
  • Community really does enrich a writer’s life. Whether it is attending a retreat, attending a class back in Houston at the Spectrum Center, or just getting together at a coffee shop or in someone’s home, writers can really encourage and help each other.
  • I have learned how to truly live as a writer. My hobby has now been elevated to a passion. The next year is going to be great fun.

After I finished my meeting with Max, I got a table and sat down for a tasty lunch. The entire inside of Dushanbe Teahouse is a work of art. Here is the statue that I had the honor of sitting next to as I ate:

After lunch, I strolled once again down Pearl Street and did a little shopping. Since I had an elephant as one of my writing prompts here at the retreat, I found an onyx one in a local store. That along with two rose quartz hearts completed my purchase. Now I have an elephant totem and pieces of the heart of Boulder to take back with me to Houston.

Tomorrow will be a special day. I get to visit with my niece who lives in Denver. We have not seen each other since she graduated from high school. At this point she has been out of college for several years. I am looking forward to catching up with her.

Good night.

Posted on by Ellen Seaton - 1 Comment on Tea Houses, Flatirons, and Salons

Tea Houses, Flatirons, and Salons

There is nothing like the weather and scenery of Boulder to provide inspiring places for meeting and getting inspired about writing. I have already written about the Boulder Bookstore.

Now I have had a meeting with my writing coach on the patio of the Dushanbe Teahouse sipping fresh brewed teas while surrounded by beautiful roses.

What isn’t inspirational in that kind of a setting? Of course it helps that I finally have a solid story outline, I know where the story begins, where it ends, and what has to happen in between. Now all l have to do is start filling in all of the spaces and ideas I have outlined. It is very energizing to get to this point. Before this, my story was just this amorphous blob of an idea that sat in my mind without a good form. On with the first draft!

After my meeting at the Teahouse, I could not help but walk along the park and soak in the beautiful Boulder surroundings.

I keep taking pictures of the Flatirons as if I am afraid that they will disappear before I have admired them enough. It also helps that once I leave the park I know I am welcomed in Boulder because they have special crossing signs just for people like me. The good news is not everyone in Boulder is 20-something and climbing mountains every day. Some of us just want to go for a walk in the park and cross the street safely.

Tonight I did get my chance at reading at the salon. I picked out a selection that I wrote several years ago. I dusted it off, re-wrote, and edited several spots. The good news is that when I look at pieces I wrote several years ago, I can see that I have in fact grown as a writer. I have had a wonderful teacher in Max Regan and a wonderful writing support group in Houston. I felt good about my reading tonight and I received some very good feedback from the other attendees. It all inspires me to keep moving forward with my creative work.

But first, I need another good night of sleep and I have been sleeping really great in all of this clean mountain air!

Sweet Dreams!