‘pablo’s peaches’ ~ photo by madelyn mulvaney taken with a vintage sx70 polaroid camera
It is Sunday
I made cinnamon coffee in my moka pot and there is real Irish oatmeal with fresh organic cream, raspberries, hemp seeds and brown sugar (and a little drizzle of maple syrup)
the birds are singing and experimenting with interpretive dance steps outside my window
There is a record spinning on the turntable.
I read Lily’s (I call her Lily but she is actually Judy) interview curled up on the couch with said coffee listening to said record
and decided right then and there that Judy’s interview is a Sunday conversation
perhaps the only sunday conversation i will ever post because i am very territorial about sunday’s and would prefer to sing my own praises
but Judy’s interview helped herself to a cup of coffee and announced
‘I can’t help but think I am especially excellent Sunday material. Send me out there to wow your small but devoted audience.’
That question deserves a brilliant answer, but I can’t come up with one that sticks. As soon as I decide this is who I am, something shifts and I run into a new something about myself. There is always something else—something sad, something happy, something heartbreaking, something joyful—to experience. Maybe that’s why people tell me: “Judy, you’re something else.” Under my high school year book picture the phrase, “Never a Dull Moment” was used to describe me. I like that motto and that is how I intend to greet tomorrow and the rest of my life.
As an artist, what are your favorite ways to express yourself?
I adore painting, cutting and pasting and papier-mâché but I didn’t discover that artistic twist until I was in my sixties. I’ve lived a creative life, authored 12 books, counseled thousands of people, even been a guest on Oprah! Articles on my work have appeared in over 1,000 publications. It’s been wonderful. Now I’m stepping out again, having so much fun sharing my mixed-media collages and papier-mâché bracelets and bowls with others.
What is your creative process?
Writing is the most challenging for me because writing requires writing—whether I’m in the writing mood or not. I am more free-form than a disciplinarian so a schedule goes against my inklings. To keep the words flowing, however I know that not only do I need to write, I must rewrite and sometimes even delete my favorite sentences. I write first thing in the morning or last thing at night. There are days when thoughts do not cooperate. Forming ideas into words and sentences is difficult labor, like giving birth to a barbed wire fence. On those sweet occasions when the muse visits, when the words trickle down easily, when magically I’m transported to a creative zone, that’s a high to keep me writing year after year.
Cutting and pasting is a whole different expression, a meditation, a going inward, a resting in silence.
I lose myself cutting shapes and watching them merge into surprising designs. With cutting and pasting there is no intention and that’s’ precisely what makes it so refreshing for me. I have just completed my thirteenth manuscript and now I will reward myself by cutting up catalogues and magazines and shaping them into hanging or folding picture books.
What are you moved to express in your writing, art, photography the most?
Life is experienced moment by moment—from the whimsical to the heart-touching, from the lighthearted to the heart-moving, from the romantic to the silly, from sadness to joy and back again. I hope my art and writing conveys that quality of being alive with the juices flowing.
If there were absolutely no obstacles whatsoever what would you do tomorrow?
I like to think I would putter more. I love the idea of the puttering life—but that is not what life has presented so far. Life has it’s own agenda and my agenda has not always been in sync. Fortunately I’ve learned to be open to what life brings and that makes everything so much easier. Life has brought wonderful blessings, better than I could have designed myself. Of course sometimes I go kicking and screaming because I would prefer to be in charge. At the very least I can be in charge of my attitude and so I am committed to remaining a romantic optimist, full of joy and grief, a contradiction.
How do handle an interruption in the flow of imagination or writer’s block?
It’s the craziest thing—life interrupts my plans but never my imagination. That’s precisely why imagination and creativity are fundamental for not only surviving but for thriving. No matter what challenges we might face, we can get through by pouring disappointment and setbacks, sorrow and pain into creative expressions. Imagination and creativity transforms grief, that’s the silver lining.
I don’t succumb to writer’s block, in fact I wouldn’t use the phrase. As a creative person I know I need to allow myself down time. Wide-open space is as important to creativity as production. Imagination and creativity requires percolating time and wide-open space, that’s when my best fresh ideas come.
What brings you joy, contentment, happiness?
My daughter, the eagles nest outside my window, birds, sunrises, coffee shops, bus rides to town, paint brushes, a really good dinner, connected conversation, independent movies, documentaries, pop up books, sleeping outside on my outdoor bed, chimpanzees, elephants, chocolate, fresh air, willow trees, pussy willows, trees, sun flowers, tulips, hydrangeas, lilacs, wisteria, characters (as in people), studying what makes us tick, candles, my electric bicycle, hammocks, huge rings, huge bracelets, love in all it’s forms.
What holds you back?
Silly fears such as the delusion, “Something’s wrong with Judy.”
Who are your creative role models? What books, art, music inspire and ignite you?
The documentaries: Cats of Mirkitani
In the Realms of the Unreal
Young at Heart
The books: The Art of Loving by Erich Fromm
The Holy Man by Susan Trott
Everyday Matters by Danny Gregory
The movie: Happy Go Lucky
Matilda
among hundreds of others.
Where has love taken you?
Everywhere. Love has turned me inside out. By that I mean that love rules me, has a hold on me, breaks my heart, inspires me and lifts me up. By the time I was thirty-four I’d had every marital status there was: single, married, widowed, single, married, divorced, single again. Then at age forty-nine I walked hand in hand with death again when my partner died following a year long illness. His last gift to me was a book on papier-mâché with his inscription, “To my beautiful papier-mâché artist” and that began my thirteen process of creating a papier-mâché bowl that I was happy with. Love introduces me to places inside myself that hadn’t known before. At the end life the only thing that matters is how well we have loved and I think it might be possible to love the whole world. My prayer is: Dear Heavenly One. Please help me accept Love as it is given even though it may not come in the package I requested.
Famous last words?
—after making a fool of herself on more than one occasion, she committed to never ever writing an email or answering the phone until she rode her bike and cried her eyes out—–
Judy Ford, a trained professional with heart, soul, and life experience, is also a best selling author, relationship coach, mother, role model. She has worked for nearly three decades with families in various settings–from gang turf in the inner city to crisis intervention in hospitals. Judy has dedicated her life to the study of love and relationships, family healing and wholeness. She is currently in private practice in Kirkland, WA. With compassion and candor, her work speaks to the heart, inspiring us to love life, to persevere through its challenges, and to share our gifts with others.
She has written 12 books including the best selling Wonderful Ways series:
❤ Wonderful Ways to Love A Child
❤ Wonderful Ways to Love a Teen: Even When It Seems Impossible
and the bestselling:
❤ Single: The Art of Being Satisfied, Fulfilled and Independent
Her newest book:
❤ Everyday Love: The Delicate Art of Caring for Each Other will be published September, 2010
Dizzy Gillespie said ‘that trumpet is lying in the case every day, waiting for me.‘ My polaroid camera is lying in my satchel every day, waiting for me:)
This weekend I said yes to a glass of wine on the roof (watching the sunset vaporize into twinkling constellations listening to music), to purchasing a pair of boyfriend jeans for twenty dollars that I swear are the ugliest jeans I have ever worn and the most comfortable which means I will be wearing them all the time, to also purchasing jade nail polish because i am in a very girly mood lately and have a wonderful art opening to attend on St. Patricks day to thinking a lot about Irving Penn’s northern light and dirty windows and Dizzy Gillespie’s trumpet, to leaving lots of room for the imagination, and realizing I take pictures and write but am not a photographer and a writer…I just ‘am.’
Today I am quite grumpy with a lot of work I have to delve into and need to find my mojo when i would rather be packpacking around the world. Fancy that. Well, at least I have summer’s freckles to look forward to. And cherry blossoms are announcing themselves most everywhere these days so who am I to complain really?
everyone’s in love taken with a vintage sx70 polaroid camera, expired film
ee cummings said a poet is somebody to whom things made matter very little ~ rather a poet is obsessed with the making. It is a ’soft growing’ day and all the more resplendent for that, where the unhours (priceless ignoring of clocks) of a perfect morning are intimately obsessed with various makings. The making of wandering through the market (cheese and bagels and beautiful raspberrie jam for breakfast) ~ the making of many oooooooh’s! and ahhhhhh’s with colorful costumed market flowers (perfumed noise of thrillingness) And the making of a flute (hushingly, fingers reaching) and radiance (morning coffee adrift laptops in cafe) And pigeons and immense laughter with crinkling eyes (of course) wearing favorite scarves ~ Oh, and the making of a love affair with trains ~ but that I shall save to share with you for another day as I race out into the bidding sunshine (to begin all over once again.)
When Darlene and Duke were visiting me in Crescent beach last week, we quickly came to cherish our evening strolls through the softly lit lanes ambling along to the beach with my dog Roxy. One night it was pouring rain and quite naturally in the most surprisingly magical way. Well, we meandered along and Darlene would chatter away brainstorming creative ideas to embark upon and it was incredibly lovely and the togetherness was warmhearted and amiable in the best way possible. What is it about a simple evening walk that is so uplifting? It gives such a vast scope for space to think, for the body to move freely, for the soul to wander undistracted in the gentle peace of the wild open air.
Anyway…on this particular evening Darlene directed such an enchanting little film (if I do say so myself) of me skipping along Adam’s lane with Roxy and singing (which luckily you can’t really hear:) I truly love it. What you can hear if you listen so closely is Darlene’s happy voice and Duke’s murmur in the background which, awww! makes me miss them so.
speaking of moving pictures…i will be taking the train (sooo yay!) to seattle for a few days and can’t wait to share some of that fun in images with you
morning poem ~ with open window polaroid taken with my vintage sx70 camera
My weekend has been most beautiful and funny thus far pebbled with fresh wishes and writings. An outing for vegetables and fruit, cheese and bread to the market, a patio with a hint of summer here, a starry evening stroll there and a bit further along a bottle of blue moon wine and veggie burgers.
Today I have records spinning, there will be vanilla pears and coffee and an afternoon at the theater with my best friend Catherine. Oh Sunday how I love you. I have slept in a bit today but when my head is a little less fuzzy I will be back with a Sunday song. Have a most gorgeous day:)
All the grottoes, temples and churches could not compete with the natural beauty of today. Sun is pouring in my windows….the birds are singing ~ sort of a wordless beauty actually ~ the beauty of moments that just ‘are.’ I have the most delicious weekend ahead of me with an art opening, a play and splendid ideas for a breakfast picnic on the beach. Oh and today I am going to buy a lovely new dress ~ somehow friday just lends itself to the idea of a new dress. Have a glorious weekend!
“where always it’s spring ” cherry blossoms polaroid taken with my sx70 camera ~
Spring’s blossoming crescendo is announcing itself most triumphantly all about me and I am having a love affair with topaz, cobalt and violet. Please forgive my exaltations yet again as I wax poetic over my vintage polaroid camera ~ those images that I treasure for the romantic grain and glorious color leaks ~ truly polaroid lends itself so well to my poetic nature. That sound ~ the whirring of the picture announcing itself to the world is music to my ears.
This morning it is particularly beautiful outside with singing birds peering down at me from blossoming trees, the scent of seawater in the air and the lure of my bicycle propped up in my backyard. Perhaps I will fill the basket with thistles and blooming stems and peddle to the beach. Later perhaps alas since I am really committed to various work realities and must cover my ears to the beckoning sonnets of springtime. However I am also feeling incredibly girly lately and thinking I may have to buy some new spring dresses and shoes ~ I keep popping into a certain beautiful shop in seattle which I won’t mention because i get so grumpy with the prices ~ but oh! the dresses are divine. I am so committed to my morning yoga now so I am toning up for pretty summery outfits and feeling quite like this actually
This week has been….warm, lovely, receptive, magical with songbirds singing. My home smells like cinnamon coffee, there is blueberry/apple crumble in the oven and I am teaching tomorrow. Life doesn’t get more perfect than that, of this I am so sure. And well, a little love goes a long way.
Darlene took this photo in my studio the other day and i quite love it ~ it makes me smile for the light and twinkles and nifty yellow warmth. Today I cleaned up said studio as it was getting awfully messy with piles of books and records stacked on the table, floor and chairs. Not to mention all the crumpled up papers under my desk and various scattered mugs of coffee and tea consumed at odd hours of the night when smitten with my writing fits. It felt so good to clean my studio since I put on music and brought up a tray of chocolate biscuits and set about returning the room to a pleasing sense of order (all ready to be messed up again sooner rather than later but nevermind)
However I am not in my studio now. I am in my livingroom with a cozy fire and cup of homemade chai listening to the rain pattering outside in my garden. And thinking. Thinking once again of my grade seven’s I am teaching a photography class to. Oh, you will love this. This week we talked about love and beauty. I asked which they wished to discuss fist and they all shouted ‘LOVE!!!” We chatted about how deeply personal love was, so abstract and complex and difficult to define, we talked about romantic love, platonic love and spiritual love and how you will find it everywhere in art, music, dance, photography etc. We discussed deep tenderness and emotional closeness and how love makes you feel so great by the happiness of another. And then. A very sweet boy put up his hand and said ‘And there is self love too.’ “Self love” I responded “Oh yes, and why is this important?” And he said “Because if you don’t love yourself how can you really love anyone else?” And then another boy put up his hand and chimed in….”You know when I do things that make me happy for myself then suddenly I am all filled up with joy and I want to go share that with everyone ~ it makes me feel like I have more love to share and I am just bursting with it.”
And well, I have to tell you it didn’t stop there. Discussing beauty later we chatted about inside beauty and outside beauty, feelings of inferiority through perceptual experience of attractiveness ~ I showed them this film and then asked them if they could give examples of inside beauty. A boy put up his hand and said “Have you seen the film Forest Gump? Well, he really wasn’t that good looking of a man but he was SOOOO kind and soooo gentle and funny and inside he was a very special attractive person. Everyone responded to him even the beautiful girl in the film.”
And then it really hit me ~ children KNOW ~ children are born KNOWING and who am I to believe I am teaching what was seeded in their soul’s from the beginning? I am not here to teach ….just to remind…to keep the faith and and hope alive in our world that it is true and beautiful and worth trusting and illuminating in self expression. Children always have their arms wide open….they remind me how easy it is to connect with one another and how far we are capable of reaching out to each other.
I am so so so SO grateful for every moment I get to share with these kids!
See that most wonderful vintage mokka pot on the little pile of magazines? I found it this week at the thrift shop with Duke and Darlene and am quite pleased to report it makes the most astonishingly delicious expresso. (a big shout out of thanks to Duke for teaching me how to perculate to perfection) I am madly in love with it, and also the adorable vintage granny crochet pillow you see in the background which we also found at the thrift shop along with a delightful record happily entitled “Merengues and Mambo’s.” (which I am listening to right now as a matter of fact)
This morning I made oatmeal and a green smoothie (Darlene has been making them for us all week and now I am hooked) and am working on my lesson plan for my grade seven’s photography class this week. It is a quiet springbursting day in February and I just adore this photo Darlene took of me, this lovely set from ‘the four’ and this seaside shot I took with my polaroid camera ~ my greatest fear in life is to run out of polaroid film so if anyone has any stored away they would like me to take off their hands please do let me know:)
