wishing everyone a
Happy 2017
from Paige Bradley

JANUARY comes with the promise of new things. Whether it is the personal resolutions, the clean sheet of new fallen snow blanketing my front yard, or the ever-changing global political landscape, I feel as if this is the time to recalibrate and set goals.

It is also in the month of January that I age another year and I have realized that I am not only mid-career, but I am mid-life. Time is precious. A hunter can’t stand with their bow drawn forever; timing is an integral part of life. I know my children are growing up every day, just as I know time with my parents is limited.  Every year speeds forward faster. I need to capture these precious moments of love and humanity in a static work of art, that even a camera cannot capture.

As an artist, it is important that my eye stays keen but my spirit and body remain youthful.  I still have much to do, in order to capture the human spirit in Art. In order to inspire, share, and create I must remain honest but humble. Productive but precise. Tenacious but tender.

So I picture myself like the hunter; I bend the bow with all the tension of worldly pressures upon me: time, accomplishments, money, status, expectation…but I don’t let it own me. I use the pressure to crystalize the sacred moment like a diamond. I breathe it all in, keeping my heartbeat calm and steady.  I set my intention on the center of my goal and finally, I release all my faith into that moment.

I share these thoughts with you so that we can connect in our similarities. This year, may we put down our smart phones a bit more often. Perhaps we may even pick up an arrow (of sorts), picturing intentions for our best life as our target. May we find time to breathe deeply, as we experience the present moment. May we truly BE with those we love and live to our fullest capacity.

Image:  Bow, bronze, 39 inches tall (shown in clay – available 2017)