A time of gratitude and joy.

This is the time of year when we celebrate many things in many ways.

The holiday season is here. It is a time of gatherings, cooking and baking and remembering family and friends near and far. The seasons changing and that special feel of Thanksgiving, Christmas, Chanukah and the many other celebrations that we enjoy at this time of year can also be very inspiring for artists. The music, traditional and new, the writings and stories from the past and present and the paintings, drawings and sculptures that represent this festive time of year become a very important part of our celebrations and dear in our hearts. We feel a greater sense of care and gratitude at this time more than any other during the year.

String of Hearts painting by Catherine Gorski O’Connor

I know that I feel more inspired to create light and fun paintings at this time of year. I did not realize how much I enjoyed snowmen and snow women until I looked at how many I have painted and written about!! But who doesn’t like a good snowman whether real, painted or in a story? I wrote a story many years ago when my now adult children were little. The rhyming story called THE SNOWMAN CHOIR was inspired by watching my kids having fun in the snow and memories from my own childhood of snowball fights, making snowmen and all the magic that swirls in the imaginative minds of young and old alike. It took me many years to publish it , but now it is a book my grandchildren are enjoying. In fact, the book is in homes across the United States and even a few other countries. I like the story of my grandson in Florida finding the book in his reading teachers classroom. He couldn’t believe it!!! I became a cooler grandma then.

I hope you take time to enjoy the beauty of the holidays. May you feel more gratitude and joy and that your heart be light. May the magic of imagination swirl in your thoughts and that you pass that on to others. I wish you happy and healthy holidays and a beautiful end to this year.