We are beyond excited and honored to be collaborating with A.Gallo Watercolors @agallocolors on this ***SPECIAL INSTAGRAM GIVEAWAY*** We are giving away two artworks by Pam Smilow and two of A.Gallo’s watercolor collections. The winner will receive: A. Gallo's full 48 palette watercolor set; an original mixed media Pam Smilow painting (choose among 3) measuring 20" x 16" on paper. One additional winner will receive: an A. Gallo Essential 6 pigment mini palette; and an 8" x 10" animal giclee print of your choice by Pam Smilow and Gert Mathiesen. ENTER TO WIN ON INSTAGRAM by following instructions at the bottom of this blog.
three things we love
Wayne Dyer’s film The Shift
Many of you might have heard of Wayne Dyer, the American author of many books on self help and spirituality. I can't remember when I first heard his name but I have been following him for a while now and always find something to relate to in his teachings. I admire his totally unpretentious, down to earth, compassionate style. Dyer's film The Shift is in a way a primer to his life's work. It may at first seem slightly hokey but stick with it--this seemingly simple film is, I believe, intentionally so as to reach out to a large audience and is actually very profound. He was a regular contributor to public television and after his death (1940-2015), PBS produced a commemorative series entitled The Forever Wisdom of Dr. Wayne Dyer. In addition to his many books, many interviews and material can be found on the internet about him if you want to explore further. There is a lot of wisdom to be had...And if you want to start right away, here's a lesson I found particularly useful on forgiveness.
A.Gallo Watercolors made by hand in Assisi, Italy.
Alina Santa Gallo and her small production watercolor "factory" A.Gallo Watercolors, is a marvel to me. I have known Alina, the daughter of one of my best friends, literally since the day she was born and she has blossomed into an incredible artist and small business owner. She and her husband Giulio make their watercolors in an Italian artisan workshop in Assisi, Italy, poured by hand and wrapped in individually painted labels. Each palette comes inside a professional artist tin with a Tintoretto brush. These beautiful paints are crafted with such love, according to a traditional recipe of raw pigments, gum arabic, local honey and rosemary essential oil and mulled by hand on a glass slab. Honey is added to help the paints retain water and increase their longevity. The colors are exquisite, rich, and so heavy on pigment and quality. Their business is doing so well that they sell out within hours after releasing a new batch. Take a look at the full array of their products in their shop and know that their next restock sale begins on February 28th (mark your calendars so you don't miss out) or enter our giveaway this week for a chance to win a set.
Portrait of poet Mary Oliver by illustrator Gillian Gamble (www.gilliangamble.co.uk) from the Children’s really cool book Holy Troublemakers & Unconventional Saints by Daneen Akers
I thought this Mary Oliver poem paired nicely with Wayne Dyer's message in his film The Shift.
The Journey
by Mary Oliver
One day you finally knew
what you had to do, and began,
though the voices around you
kept shouting
their bad advice --
though the whole house
began to tremble
and you felt the old tug
at your ankles.
"Mend my life!"
each voice cried.
But you didn't stop.
You knew what you had to do,
though the wind pried
with its stiff fingers
at the very foundations,
though their melancholy
was terrible.
It was already late
enough, and a wild night,
and the road full of fallen
branches and stones.
But little by little,
as you left their voice behind,
the stars began to burn
through the sheets of clouds,
and there was a new voice
which you slowly
recognized as your own,
that kept you company
as you strode deeper and deeper
into the world,
determined to do
the only thing you could do
determined to save
the only life that you could save.
And for those who want to learn more, here is a good interview with Mary Oliver from Krista Tippett's podcast On Being.
Instructions to Enter Giveaway
Rules to enter the giveaway 1. Click on this link to go to: Instagram, comment on my giveaway post and Tag two friends who would LOVE to receive this new beginnings watercolor and artwork bundle! 2. Follow @agallocolors and @pamsmilow on instagram 3. Share this post on your feed for an additional entry (optional) Giveaway is open worldwide and ends on Saturday February 27th. Winner will be announced shortly thereafter. This giveaway is in no way sponsored by Instagram. No private accounts please. Good luck!
photo by Johanna Resnick Rosen
About The Author
New York City based contemporary artist, Pam Smilow created the creative lifestyle blog “things we love” in an effort to foster a sense of community during times of isolation and reflection. To read more about her, check out the essay written by the Hammond Museum's Frank Matheis entitled The Sophisticated Innocence of Pam Smilow.
