Lately things have been up and down. Well, always things are up and down for me. But lately, especially so. I had an art show and saw my friends - yeah! The following day I crashed a bit - the typical after show scenario, all that work and now it's over. My other job is going great; I love working on construction projects with architects, designers, electricians, and construction workers. Then I get bulldozed by bureaucracy that I have no control over. Up, down, up, down.

Luckily, I have a few stable things to keep me afloat or at least on the horizon line. Painting, collage, art, beautiful paper - these things are on the up side of life almost always. I am grateful that I know that much. I have the passion and luck to have made a life where I get to do what I love and what I love always brings me joy while I'm doing it.

Go to www.maureenmaki.com to see the latest concoctions of paper imitating life.

World of Fire, paper on canvas will liven up your life

The large-scale canvas featured above is called World of Fire and it is my new favorite. It is raw unfiltered good flowing energy. Elements of water, air, earth and fire tumble and intertwine celebrating and inspiring. Liven up your life and be surrounded by color, energy and inspiration. When I made it, I felt alive and on fire. When I look at it, I feel it too. That is how it should be - the transformation of energy from me to you to the world. World o f Fire.

I recently had an art exhibit and this painting is still hanging above my studio couch. Let me know if you'd like to come visit and see it in person, which is always even better than seeing it on screen. As much as I love doing art on my ipad (and I really do - they have all the tools in the world in the little tablet), there is something about physical original art that you can touch (well not in a museum) and see the real texture before your eyes. The experience of original art is special, like live music, and you can enhance your world when you have it nearby.

Kicking it Old School

Sometimes I just want to drop in an old painting cause it's fun. This one makes me laugh. Probably from the early 2000's. I was still collaging papers and painting on top of it, not so far from where I am today. I had a habit of painting everything in my life. And while telephones didn't really look that way anymore, it was still common knowledge that it was a phone. Now 19 years later, I am not sure that everyone can relate.

Oh, and for the younger people reading this, we all had to buy our computers in separate components and fix them regularly as they would break down all the time. The new generation is touted for knowing so much about technology, but I suspect they would be at a loss if their monitor went down and their hard drive crashed and their software wouldn't load... just an observation.

Again, I say, keep on going. If you've had the pleasure of living through no computers to computers in everyone's back pocket, you are amazing by the changing, evolving, incredible world we live in. Energy cannot be destroyed, but it can be changed and transformed - that's my art mantra lately.

Sometimes you have to Get Away From It All

Imagine me in a little trailer like this, up in the mountains, far above the ruckus below, with the heater on high, supporting my awesome musician husband. Sam will be playing in Idyllwild next weekend and it is a great opportunity for us to get out of the city, leave LA behind, think about simpler times.

If you do not know, Sam Lapides is my husband and an amazing musician. He does solo acoustic gigs, unless he is accompanied by Julie, and also plays with his band Sam Lapides and the Rotten Liars. Feel free to link to h is site and come check out his band when you have a chance. It's great to have an artist as a husband. We support each other and he gets the dubious honor of listening to me when I have minor freak-outs about all the ups and downs - as stated above. Little known fact - you can see my art on the front of his last CD. You can buy his CD and have a print of my art. Just ask.

Please email me your thoughts on my energy paintings. Let me know if you have any questions about my art, Sam's music, or the transformation of energy that takes place on the canvas. Email me here.

Maureen Maki

www.maureenmaki.com

Getting Through the Ups and Downs - Transformation