Drum Circle - Good for Your Health

Last year, I was at an art show in the Grove. I heard the sound of drums and people around me told me it was the drum circle. Apparently, I had been living on the moon since this was my first exposure to a "Drum Circle". I walked on over and they were friendly enough to invite me to join in. I sat down and started to beat on this drum. I quickly caught the rhythm of the group. It was great to look around the circle and see people of all ages beating these drums. As I was beating the drum, I started to feel a sense of freedom and just relief. Now, a year later I find out why I felt this way. It was not a "hippie flashback". After doing some research, I found, "Drumming induces deep relaxation, lowers blood pressure, and reduces stress." No wonder, I felt so good after this one session.

Since then, I have tried to attend the "Drum Circle" that takes place during the Grove Gallery Walk. Below are the videos from previous drum circles, see what you have been missing. I have also included a link to the benefits of drumming.

This is not just a fun time with friends, but an activity that is therapeutic.
Join us:

	Saturday, November 6 · 8:00pm - 11:00pm
Location	FLORENTINO PLAZA, 3444 MAIN HIGHWAY, COCONUT GROVE

http://healing.about.com/od/drums/a/drumtherapy.htm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7h6aTyR3eEE
www.artistamundo.com/rosieart
http://www.redbubble.com/people/rosiebrown

Finally........A Series

A few weeks ago, I painted my first Everglades painting. I wanted to do a series that showed three very important parts of the Everglades: 1) bird life, 2) plant life and 3) alligators. I knew many things would interfere with this plan. Since then, I painted a car for the "Car Culture" exhibit, a few miniature watercolors, visited the north Georgia mountains, and brought back and painted a few gourds (to be shown later). As if that wasn't enough, I painted a couple of palm fronds for the "Out of the Box" exhibit at the Grovehouse Artists Gallery, sketched a little for the "Sketchbook Project" and have taken lots of photos for Redbubble. Did I mention my share of gallery sitting, Docent Guild duties at the Lowe Museum and knitting for my granddaughter and her, soon to be born, sibling.

Friends and family always tell me how could you say you have no time, "You are retired!". Does it really sound like I am retired? I may no longer work for a living, but I am working longer hours than I used to. The big difference is that I make my own hours, I don't have to dress for success nor be politically correct. I am free to paint in my nightgown and knit in my pajamas. I am now free to be me!!!

www.artistamundo.com/rosiesart
http://www.redbubble.com/people/rosiebrown/art/6200570-1-moonlit-palms

Looking for Color

Here in south Florida, Fall is a time when the temperature drops a few degrees and the humidity becomes a little more bearable. We don't see the beautiful colors that this season brings. The first time I saw fall colors was in New Hampshire and Vermont. I had seen many pictures growing up, but one thing is a picture and another to be among the golds, the reds, yellow and oranges that these trees can produce. For an artist that loves color, I felt like I died and went to heaven. I imagined that it must be what some tourists feel like when they come here and see the ocean for the first time.

I am always inspired to paint some fall scenes at this time of the year. To do this, I depend on the photos I take while traveling to the hills of northeast Georgia. Lately, I am not just being inspired by these photos, but also making them available on line as greeting cards, matted prints, etc. I am quickly finding out that I enjoy photography almost as much as painting.

I left south Florida last week looking for color and, as you can see above, ..................I found it!

www.artistamundo.com/rosiesart
http://www.redbubble.com/people/rosiebrown/art/6118409-1-more-pumpkins