Day of the Dead, Dia de los Muertos (altar)

Today is Dia de los Muertos...in much of South America, though it is celebrated tomorrow in Mexico.

Feliz dia to all our dearly departed!!


Here are photos of the altar we made for my papa, Luis Olivos,
Sergio's abuelo: Julian.
My abuelita: Gerogina.

Magnolia (Motherhood)

Magnolia (Motherhood)
Originally uploaded by olivosartstudio

Magnolia (Motherhood)

"If I had a single flower for every time I think about you, I could walk forever in my garden."

~Attributed to Claudia Gandhi

A mother's love is unconditional.  It is a gift that allows us to experience the very foundation of love.

Without it, we are lost and searching for love's meaning.

Love, when learned via the unconditional love of a parent- is pure and free- and sets us up to share it with others in our lives... for those of us who have had abusive mothers, it is often very, very difficult.... yet, when we ourselves become mothers.... we can give what we never received....

As the daughter of a Narcissistic Mother, I have grieved the lack of unconditional love my whole life, but I am grateful to have had the blessing of being a mother myself so that I *can* know what unconditional love really is.

As a mother, I know I love my son unconditionally.
Forever.
This unconditional love means that I cannot always predict my reaction or guarantee my strength, but I can guarantee that I am committed to his happiness, his growth. I will always accept him just as he is. I will always love him, deeply.

My favorite book to read to him since he was a toddler has been “I love you Forever" I can still not read it without getting teary eyed. I mean every word of it!

My poem: Curious Comet.Lost love

Last week, we had the Chilean poet Sergio Badilla in our home. We spent several evenings discussing various issues relating to life, art, and the written word.
It led me to think of my own poetry. I have have written several poems, most of them in Spanish.
My poetry is usually full of visual metaphors(no big surprise there!).
The short poem below, was written about 5 years ago. It speaks of the excitement of new love... and the frailty of it. "Lost" love

I feel my poetry reads better in Spanish. Funny, because I have more sophisticated language in English, but because Spanish is my native tongue- the language of my childhood... it lends itself better for my soulful verbal expression.

Cometa Metete

Le conte un secreto a la sombra que levita sobre el techo
en la penumbra sobresalida de una luna gelatinosa y melancolica
le conte un secreto (fue sobre ti)
.....unas cuantas palabras tiradas hacia el mensajero silencioso
mi unico testigo fue una estrella transparente y un cometa metete
le conte (que te quiero)
y la sombra lo escondio a la orilla del rio
....pero ahora que a pasado mucho tiempo, no lo puedo encontrar

Curious Comet

I whispered a secret to the shadow that hovers over the roof
in the penumbra of a gelatinous and melancholic moon
I told it a secret (it was about you)
…a few words tossed up to the silent messenger
My only witness was a transparent star and a prying and curious comet
I told them (that I love you)
and the shadow hid my secret at the edge of the river
…but now that much time has gone by, I can not find it.


Penumbra=the partially shadowed region which surrounds the full shadow.

Interview about Living my Bliss on BlissChick website

BlissChick is a blog that speaks to my heart. I was asked to write a post for the blog by answering a few questions I was emailed.

 As I wrote the answers.... things spilled out which are quite candid about my life, yet definitely give reason to why my own blog so often takes the direction it takes.

Take a minute to read the post
"SharedBliss: The Awakening of Artist Claudia Olivos"

Here is an excerpt:

One day as I questioned God about my life—it all seemed so unfair, my marriage was putrid in the inside yet on the outside looked so ’perfect’ – I felt like such a victim until God opened my eyes. It was a revelation… I was living to please everyone else when truly I should only care about pleasing God; and if God is all-knowing then who was I trying to kid? God revealed to me She already new my heart. I was going through the motions to please my husband, friends and family. God showed me that if I was trying to please Him/Her - she already knew my truth- and I owed it to myself and my creator to live it.

and another excerpt:

I could not continue to live under the guise of Bliss- when I was so far from it. I gave it all up—all the money, the dinners at Embassy row etc...to experience Bliss with my son in a little tiny house (where we still live). I took on a roommate to help ends meet, and worked two jobs to help pay for my graduate degree (MFA). I believe strongly in creating our own Bliss by the choices we make the things we choose to live with, and those we choose to give up.

and the last (please go and read the entire BlissChick bolg post)
Do not do anything you are half hearted about. There are so many choices in life- pick exactly what your heart desires. Your heart will lead you to you. And remember: there is only one “you”..the least you can do …the easiest thing to do: is just to be “YOU.”
When I internalized that, truly and deeply realized that -- I found my Bliss!/strong>em>