All posts tagged: painting

Miriam Feldman talks about how reality is written in pencil, not pen, telling her story & inspiring others, not being embarrassed by her son’s schizophrenia, self-care & so much more in HE CAME WITH IT

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By Leslie Lindsay A deeply profound and troubling story about one family’s struggle with their son’s devolve into a severe mental illness, and yet, it’s hopeful and unifying. ~WEDNESDAYS WITH WRITERS|ALWAYS WITH A BOOK~ Miriam Feldman, artist, a mother, writer, a mental health advocate, and so much more invites the reader into her chaotic, heart-breaking, but hugely honest and authentic life raising a son with schizophrenia in HE CAME WITH IT (Turner Publishing, June 23 2020). I’m no stranger to mental illness. My mother died by suicide five years ago after a lifelong battle with schizoaffective disorder. I worked as a child/adolescent psychiatric R.N. and to say that I’ve seen it all would be inaccurate. Each individual and each family present differently. We’re individuals. We don’t always respond the same, even if the diagnosis–or the overall issue–is similar. That’s why so much more awareness, openness, and advocacy is needed. And that’s why we need more books like HE CAME WITH IT. The Feldman-O’Rourke’s live in an idyllic L.A. suburb where generations of families enjoy deep roots in old homes. Miriam and …

Wednesdays with Writers: Luscious prose, the immense challenge of weaving two plot lines, creating a ‘likable’ character, how art informs the world, an abandoned house, reinvention, & so much more in T. Greenwood’s THE GOLDEN HOUR

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By Leslie Lindsay Lush, poetic, mysterious, with a touch of psychological suspense, T. Greenwood’s newest book, THE GOLDEN HOUR is like reading in a sun-dappled dream.  Greenwood’s prose is absolutely glimmering. Each character is richly drawn and the story itself, hauntingly beautiful.  In THE GOLDEN HOUR, T. Greenwood explores childhood trauma with present-day strife, each in equal balance, and each showing beauty and darkness. Wyn Davies is running from her past–when she was a teenager, she took a shortcut through a wooded path in her New Hampshire hometown, only to become a cautionary tale. Twenty years later, that horrific afternoon is rearing its ugly head. But now, she’s in the midst of a divorce, raising her 4-year old daughter, and struggling as an artist. And then, her friend suggests a Maine retreat. She can get away, paint and the past will just fall away. Or will it? The Maine house has been empty for years. It’s nearly falling apart. Abandoned. Yet there’s something so eerily alive about the house. Wyn finds cannisters of old 35mm film yet-to-be-developed. What she …

Cute & Simple: A Painted Party

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We had a fantab-ulous time at Color Me Mine in Naperville, IL for my daughter’s 6th birthday.  Here are some photos of the shin-dig, along with some crafty ideas you can re-create for your own child’s party.  My daughter and I especially had fun with the pencil-crazy-band favor she handed out to her classmates at school.  Most schools these days have a “no food” policy in place.  What’s a parent to do?  I typed up a quick little ditty on the computer–adding fun fonts and text color, adhered them to cardstock, securing to the pencil with a crazy band.  Done!  She’s already looking at pencil designs for next year’s pencil favor.  Other ideas: Make a bookmark out of cardstock, stickers, and markers (you can also purchase pre-cut bookmarks for less than $3 for a pack of 12+).  Tiny containers of Play-Doh with a label indicating the birthday child’s name and age Gel-clings appropriate for the season–look at the dollar store or dollar section of Target for small, individually-wrapped packages, or cut large sheets of them …