Epiphany, Small Steps
January 6, 2010 by Janice
Epiphany is traditionally today, a celebration of the visit of the three Magi to see the Christ child. In New Orleans, it is the beginning of season and tonight, Twelfth Night, is the first of many balls. She who gets the silver bean is crowned reigning Queen of Twelfth Night. And the Forty Funny Fellows take their party to the streetcar and revel in the beginning of all the madness and excess leading up to Mardi Gras before it is given up come Ash Wednesday for the 40 day Lenten season that ends on Easter. So excess first, repent modestly later. Gratitude for the sacrifice and the rising to come.
Got that?
Supposed to remind us to carpe all the diem we can. Until we see the ashes on wednesday foreheads or the staggering hungover tourists at the airport or checking out of the hotels in the Quarter. Work hours on Ash Wednesday begin later in a tacit understanding that is a cultural mandate.
You don’t have to be Christian or Catholic, everyone is invited in.
You might have to wear a mask on occasion.
Or dance with strangers.
Or give up all thoughts of getting any where on a parade night.
And if you live on a parade route, your bathroom is a treasure. You will have friends for that reason alone.
I am not in New Orleans at the moment. So it seems that the hoopla will go on without me. But I cannot not mark it. Twelfth night always seems like a beginning to me, no matter where I am.
So I began.
With small steps.
Drawings.
The beginnings of what will become painting plans.
Drawings, and notes and reviews.
And you know what I found?
Epiphanies.
Abounding.
And excitement all over again for my work.
And that is a very good beginning I think.
A nice fresh start.
Small steps and pleasure in the origins.
I have decided this year that one of the most wonderful gifts we can give ourselves is to enjoy the work WHILE we are doing it.
While. So I am finding more ways of doing just that. I think we should begin as we intend to go on. So my love of drawing is taking the lead this month.
That’s where all of my work starts.
How about you? What is your favorite part of your work? And are you spending your time making sure you get to do as much of that as you can?
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11 Responses to “Epiphany, Small Steps”
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So many lines here to pick up on…
1. Do we now start counting Wednesdays instead of Monday?
2. I love the idea of excess first, midde and last and repent at leisure or not at all.
3. Since you are not in NOLA and it’s been a while since I’ve seen Emeril I will have to stay away-no essential friends.
4. I forget what 4 is but I’m drunk with the possibiities!
An abundance of epiphanies, what fun
Here’s to enjoying it as we go!
PB-We should do endless mad excesses of only the very best of chocolates and palate and palette satiating things we can possibly find during season…and counter them with very wise balancing things. It is horribly hard to work when parades are marching a block from the front door. Here in Texas, we will have be our own parade and march endless lovely work through our studios… while having said chocolates I do believe. I am counting only rhythms to make drawings by at the moment. And possible squishes we can make with paint. LOL
Joanna- Some of the littlest notes, I am finding epiphanies…new and fresh, it feels new and fresh. We will enjoy it as we go my friend.
Happy Epiphany,
right now I am having a mad love affair with my work so its easy to see the joy in all of it. I’ll have to get back to you in six months when it becomes more of a “job” if it does. Somehow I doubt it. I think all my stars have aligned and the goals I have been working toward fell into place.
Still the areas of droll discipline come into play even in the most passionate of jobs, so I will join you in trying to hold on to the joy of even those!
[...] Some epiphanies from Janice Cartier: Epiphany, Small Steps [...]
Wendi,
Ahh..the work before the work..LOL I am all for those mad love affairs..chuckling here..if we are lucky we get to have them with our work too…frequently I hope.
The favorite part of my work? Helping people bring their dreams to life. Nothing gives me more satisfaction at the end of the day to know that I helped someone achieve a lifelong goal, or even a small short term goal. Or just a goal.
Whether it’s a full on site or something as simple as a small ad for a new ebook, there’s a feeling I can’t put words to. Accomplishment? Well being? Generosity? Benevolence? Love?
Meh, the right word escapes me at the moment. At any rate, it feels damned good.
Deb,
Even if it is a small thing, if it has meaning, it can be huge. We’ll have to come up with a word for that. There’s a sparkle in the eye that goes with it, isn’t there? I think it goes way back to fire sharing. Here here’s a spark from mine, take it to keep yourself warm…there’s a kindred spiritness in it that warms everyone involved more than once. Very essential that.
@Janice: You just gave me a great idea for something. Perfect timing.
Deb,
Yay!!! I love when that happens. Keep me in the loop on it.