INSPIRED!!!

I am writing today from the Reno-Tahoe Airport as I wait for my morning flight.  I am heading to Vegas (yes, once again) but this time for work.  I'm also happy I'm flying this time around.  As much as I truly enjoy the trek through the state of Nevada, I also like the prospect of being at my destination in less than two hours versus a tedious 7+.

As I enter my busy week, I'm glad that I was able to enjoy a fairly low-key and relaxed weekend.  The highlight was on Saturday evening when I drove up to Virginia City.  One of my closest friends was hosting an art exhibit with her father at the St. Mary's Art and Cultural Center.  I wasn't sure really what the whole event was about, but I was ready for a mini-excursion and to support my friend.

 

The sun setting behind V.C.

The evening was filled with wonderful surprises.  The St. Mary's Cultural Center was actually housed in the old St. Mary's hospital in Virginia City.  It was a wonderful old building that has been refurbished and restored into a great venue.  I'm a sucker for old buildings and I loved spending the evening in such a historic building. 

It reminded me a bit of being in Reno's Lake Mansion (if you've never been, go check it out). The Lake Mansion is an old historical building located off of Arlington and houses a non-profit called VSA (Very Special Arts). Just another example of how an old building has been given new life!

The next surprise was the exhibit itself.  My friend had told me that she and her dad would be displaying their art. What I didn't realize until I got there was that it was ONLY their work shown. The main floor of the old hospital was adorned with paintings, sculptures, drawings, photos, and mixed-media artwork all done by my friend and her father.  The theme of the exhibit was "Our World of Color" and it was truly phenomenal!

The placard with the exhibits name

My friend's paintings on the left, her father's big one on the right.

There was a few things that really struck me as I toured the exhibit.  The first was how cool it was that my friend and her dad had collaborated to create such a wonderful event. Even though they had done their work individually, there was so much cohesiveness between their masterpieces. 

This made me long for something I can do with my dad.  While my mom is one of my best friends, I still see my dad as, well, dad.  He's an amazing man, who works hard, and is not only respected in his profession...he's considered a guru and is more-or-less worshipped (although he's so humble, he would never admit this). He and I have begun to start working on our relationship, and have started to find activities we can do together beyond just grabbing a bite to eat.  After seeing this partnership between father-daughter (expressed through art) it made me realize how much I would love to collaborate with my dad on something.  Not sure what that would be, but I know "it" would bring us closer and help us understand each other better.

Some of my friend's paintings and photographs

Another thing I realized while viewing the exhibit was how impressed I am that recently many of my friends have chosen to express themselves in a variety of different mediums. While this friend decided to pick up her paints and pastels, I have other friends who are expressing themselves through their writing, photography, etc.

I feel blessed that I have so many creative people in my life! It's fun to admire and appreciate their work.  And honestly, it motivates me to continue to CREATE.  My form of expression at this point in time is this little blog of mine.  I am loving the therapeutic aspect of expressing myself through my words.  I write for myself, but enjoy that I have a small (but growing) audience.  But seeing all this creativity flowing from my friends, inspires me to do more!

My favorite pieces of the exhibit!

I guess time is of the essence though.  With my busy daily schedule, all I really have time for is the hour or two each day that I commit to writing. And as for this moment, my time is up.  My plane has arrived and it's time for me to board.  Sin City...here I come!