relax, reflect, rejoice

...message from a park bench

casimira: luna

what do you thirst for?

take in tonight's full moon and tell her your dreams

"Thirst drove me down to the water where I drank the moon's reflection." - RUMI

casimira: authenticity

"My aim: never copy.  Create a new style, light, brilliant colours, and sense the elegance in your models."
- Tamara de Lempicka (1898-1980)

It is one thing is to be influenced by other artists, designers.

It is quite another thing to copy.

To copy is to have no shame and no self-worth, worse yet – no voice.

How can you be proud of yourself if you copy?

Authenticity matters to me.

casimira: a tree

"I think that I shall never see

A poem lovely as a tree.

A tree whose hungry mouth is prest

Against the earth's sweet flowing breast;

A tree that looks at God all day,

And lifts her leafy arms to pray;

A tree that may in summer wear

A nest of robins in her hair;

Upon whose bosom snow has lain;

Who intimately lives with rain.

Poems are made by fools like me,

But only God can make a tree."

-Alfred Joyce Kilmer (1886 - 1918)

casimira: art is air

el rey azteca se vistió de mis sueños

cantó de cristales y piedras con sedas y palabras

el arte es aire

...art is air...

exceprt from a short story

casimira: Picasso

excerpt from a series of writings featuring Pablo Picasso; the stories always come to me through Spanish dreams


un día de sol
Palo de Limón
se enamoro de Rosa Linda

con sus espinas ella le saco el jugo
con sus perfumes lo hipnotizó

después de mucho tiempo
con un poco de azúcar negra prestada
el finalmente la conquisto

una noche de luna
vestido de Toro-Cura
Picasso los caso con pluma, oro y luz

de esta unión
nació Pez-con-Alas-de-Mariposa

tu crees en estas cosas?
son maravillosas...son milagrosas



one sunny day
Lemon Tree
fell in love with Rosa Linda

and her thorns began to squeeze his juices dry
while her perfumes hypnotized him

after some time
with a bit of borrowed brown sugar
he finally won her over

on a moonlit night
dressed as Bull-Priest
Picasso married them with feather, gold and light

from this union
Fish-with-Butterfly-Wings was born

do you believe in such things?
marvelous and miraculous things...

originally published in 2007

casimira: embrace the entire world

"Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand."

- Albert Einstein (1879-1955)

how do we limit ourselves?

let us embrace the entire world...

casimira: RUMI

Rumi whispered a sweet song to me early this morning:


"The breeze at dawn has secrets to tell you.

Don't go back to sleep.

You must ask for what you really want.

Don't go back to sleep."

casimira: fairy

ribbons in her hair

a flower tucked behind an ear

rubber bands as bracelets

mother’s pearls - what pleasure

a crown of paper and a feather

oh nymph - oh fairy princess !

casimira: awake

universe breathed


LIFE


wind whispered


CHANGE


spirit signaled


FREEDOM


I sense it all...I am awake...

casimira: mujer

te pinto mi alma

en acuarelas de sueños


te cuento mis secretos

en murmullos celestes


te invento de recuerdos

en las paginas de mi ser


soy esa niña hecha mujer

casimira: song of my soul

my 2-year-old's art

life is made up of many little choices

each moment

every breath

offers a choice

little by little

I recognize nature’s melody

the song of my soul

today, I choose happiness...again and again


originally published in January 2007

casimira: surrender

...to live life with nobility, grace and elegance

casimira: gypsy

mi ojo

soy guerrera de otros siglos

soy reina desde antes

soy gitana bailando

soy esa que grita su verdad en silencio

soy mujer

casimira: thank you family & friends



 ...for always supporting me

casimira: Tio Alberto

contemplating the ephemeral, fragile beauty of life...the sacred cycle of birth, death and rebirth...

remembering beloved Tio Alberto

casimira: peace through smiles

"If we are peaceful, if we are happy, we can smile and blossom like a flower, and everyone in our family, our entire society, will benefit from our peace." - Thich Nhat Hanh

smile today and blossom

life is too short to carry around low energies that weigh us down

just smile

feel the sunshine on your face

breathe in the moment

casimira: moon to sun

I am goddess of pearl
born daughter of moonlight and stardust

he who seeks me
finds me not

until I say – my way
I need neither sun nor gold

and I never do as I am told
should you see him today

tell him you gazed upon me
making a wish in his name...

excerpt from a short story written many suns ago

casimira: love the whole world

Love the whole world as a mother loves her only child.
- Buddha (563-483 B.C.)

casimira: toddler art

I love his freedom and security...this is the first time he "paints" on the computer...

casimira: feel & be silent

"Observe the wonders as they occur around you. Don't claim them. Feel the artistry moving through and be silent." - RUMI

casimira: SHE

S H E

mother earth

vessel of creativity

we each sprang from a female womb

powerful protector

casimira: madre diosa

mother goddess energy surrounds us, guides and protects us
madre nuestra

madre diosa

madre majestuosa

madre tierra

madre naturaleza

casimira: mountain spirit

"You never conquer a mountain.
You stand on the summit a few moments;
then the wind blows your footprints away." 

- Arlene Blum (born 1945)

majestic

ancient

mountain spirit

casimira: celebrate the seasons of our lives

let us welcome winter's snow

with the wonder of a child

let us welcome winter's dance

and celebrate the seasons of our lives

casimira: take the plunge

take the plunge, she whispered.

--but the water may be cold...

take the plunge, she urged.

--but what if I drown?...

take the plunge, she pleaded.

--but I will get wet...

take the plunge, she ordered.

--but I am afraid of....of never wanting to come back for air...

take the plunge or you'll always be wondering--and how sad would that be, she said.

how many excuses do YOU have for not taking the plunge?

originally published in 2007

casimira: Eleanor Roosevelt

"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.


Beautiful young people are accidents of nature, but beautiful old people are works of art.


No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.


Great minds discuss ideas; Average minds discuss events; Small minds discuss people."

- Eleanor Roosevelt (1884 – 1962)

a few of my favorite quotes I try to live by

casimira: dreaming with pearls and diamonds

...dressed in a gown of coral draped with pearls and diamonds, she sat on her throne in the balcony of the great Parisian palace...

excerpt from 2006 Dream Journal

inspiration for sculpture and short story

casimira: inner rhythm

"She would never exchange her solitude for anything.  Never again to be forced to move to the rhythms of others." - Tillie Olsen (1912-2007)

Growing up, I often moved to the rhythms of others.

Today, I sing my own song and dance to the beat of my own drum.

I follow my inner rhythm...I must...

casimira: what do you love?

I love being a mother. I love being a woman. I love being with him.  I love writing. I love dreaming. I love playing... What do you love?

"Let the beauty of what you love be what you do." - Rumi

casimira: 50 years ago today

mixed media from a series I am very excited about

casimira: the dream continues to crystallize

eran las 3 de la mañana

de repente despertó

una nube la encontró

entre luna y estrellas

con Rubén y Margarita

la historia quería ser escrita


originally published in 2007, excerpt from a dream


today, the dream continues to crystallize

I am being guided by light

by stars holding secret messages

by the cycle of the moon

and the rhythm of the ocean

Margarita, esta linda la mar...

casimira: dreams

she weaves dreams with threads of memory and hope

casimira: we are the ones we have been waiting for

"Where are you living?

What are you doing?

What are your relationships?

Are you in right relation?

Where is your water?

Know our garden.

It is time to speak your Truth.

Create your community.
Be good to each other.
And do not look outside yourself for the leader.

This could be a good time!

There is a river flowing now very fast. It is so great and swift that there are those who will be afraid. They will try to hold on to the shore. They will feel like they are being torn apart, and they will suffer greatly.

Know the river has its destination. The elders say we must let go of the shore, push off toward the middle of the river, keep our eyes open, and our heads above the water.

See who is there with you and celebrate.

At this time in history, we are to take nothing personally, least of all ourselves! For the moment we do, our spiritual growth and journey comes to a halt.

The time of the lonely wolf is over. Gather yourselves!
Banish the word struggle from your attitude and vocabulary.
All that we do now must be done in a sacred manner and in celebration.

We are the ones we have been waiting for."

The Elders,
Oraibi, Arizona
Hopi Nation

casimira: murmullos celestes

te pinto mi alma
en acuarelas de sueños

te cuento mis secretos
en murmullos celestes

te invento de recuerdos
en las paginas de mi ser

soy esa niña hecha mujer

casimira: Martin Luther King, Jr.

...a heart full of grace...a soul generated by love...

"If you want to be important - wonderful. If you want to be recognized - wonderful. If you want to be great - wonderful. But recognize that he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. That's a new definition of greatness...it means that everybody can be great, because everybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and your verb agree to serve. You don't have to know about Plato and Aristotle to serve. You don't have to know Einstein's theory of relativity to serve. You don't have to know the second theory of thermodynamics in physics to serve. You only need a heart full of grace, a soul generated by love. And you can be that servant."

- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968)

casimira: mixed media

goddess of pearl, born daughter of moonlight and stardust

mixed media from a series

casimira: Andy Warhol

Andy Warhol and I are friends...I call him Andres. He wears CASIMIRA and likes to photograph me when I dance...

"Everyone must have a fantasy." - Andy Warhol (1928 – 1987)

what is one of your fantasies?

casimira: wise women through dreams & symbols

Who are the wise women in your life?

When do you seek their counsel?

The wise women speak to me through dreams and symbols.

There are no coincidences...I am being guided, moment by moment.

"In the ancient way of being, the earth not only creates, feels, and protects life, but like a mother, whispers through natural signs and images the secret knowledge of how body, mind, emotions and spirit work upon each other in an intricate, invisible weaving." - Johanna Lambert from "Wise Women of the Dreamtime"

casimira: wild

"You were WILD once. Don't let them TAME you." - Isadora Duncan

mixed media collage from an ongoing series

casimira: inspired by a toddler

I photographed my toddler this morning.  He enjoys complete freedom in his creations.  Who inspires you?

casimira: thoughts

we are all works in progress

let us be kind to ourselves and to each other

let us choose thoughts of peace and compassion
 
"Thoughts are like drops of water. When I think the same thoughts over and over again, I am creating this incredible body of water. First, I have a little puddle, then I may get a pond, and as I continue to think the same thoughts over and over and over again, I have a lake, and finally an ocean. If my thoughts are negative, I can drown in a sea of my own negativity. If my thoughts are positive, I can float on the ocean of life. I dwell on positive thoughts." - Louise L. Hay


from 2009 journals

casimira: Mary McCarthy

"In violence, we forget who we are." - Mary McCarthy (1912-1989)

casimira: Isak Dinesen

"The entire being of a woman
is a secret which should be kept."

- Isak Dinesen (1885-1962)

CASIMIRA updated daily since 2007

thank you for reading my online journal and inspiring me to continue

casimira: Maria Callas

"I don't need the money, dear.  I work for art." - Maria Callas (1923 – 1977)

Well, I do need the money, but I need the art more.
Money is useless without freedom of expression.
Art brings me wealth beyond imagination.

I often listen to Maria Callas while creating and dreaming up designs for sculptures. Her voice always gives me the chills...

I believe she would love my jewels...wear them on stage...

I have a dream of designing stage-jewelry one day...

casimira: Colette

"I love my past, I love my present. I am not ashamed of what I have had, and I am not sad because I no longer have it." - Colette (1873-1954)

casimira: Millicent Rogers

"Suddenly passing Taos Mountain I felt that I was part of the Earth, so that I felt the sun on my surface and the rain. I felt the stars and the growth of the moon; under me, rivers ran....."

- Millicent Rogers (1902-1953)

Earth is a Mother to us all.

She nurtures us with ancient wisdom.

She nourishes us with infinite love.

My spiritual journey is directly linked with Nature...Mother Nature, my Muse of Muses.

casimira: Sarah Bernhardt

"Life begets life. Energy creates energy. It is by spending oneself that one becomes rich." - Sarah Bernhardt (1844-1923)

casimira: Anaïs Nin

"Throw your dreams into space like a kite, and you do not know what it will bring back, a new life, a new friend, a new love, a new country." - Anaïs Nin (1903-1977)

a new year...let us surrender to our dreams...