My happy feet in the sands of Sanibel Island.
Some shells I collected. Each was chosen with a monkey in mind.
Along the shore
I met some Pelicans
Mr.Elevin's family catching some sun.
The big family weekend came and went. It was a celebration of birthdays. Mr. Eleven, his mom and sister all had milestone birthdays, 40, 50 and 75. We rented 2 cabins on the beach, brought a beach tent and everyone came equipped with plenty of reading material. I was on a mission. Monkey business!
When you are dreaming, there is a moment when you can stay in the dream or wake up. If you wake you know you can't go back to where you were, but sometimes you trick yourself into thinking you can control it and go right back. It is never the same. Leaving my work is like that. What kind of a shitty girlfriend (wife) would I be if I didn't go to my guys 40th birthday. Or missed his mothers 75th or sisters 50th birthdays? I know it was a huge sacrifice to spend 5 days in Florida. 5 days on one of the most beautiful beaches I have ever been to. But I bit the bullet and did it.
Oh poor me it was horrible--just kidding, it was amazing! First of all I really enjoyed my relatives. But on a more selfish note, it was like leaving my dream only to find, I landed in a better one. Maybe the one I needed just then. I have been using shells in my work for about a year now. Sanibel Island the beach we stayed on is all shells. Big and small all shapes colors and textures of shell. Or as I saw them Monkey ears and eyes and penis' all over the place as far as I could see as far as I could walk!
I walked and walked and hunted for the perfect Monkey parts. I knew I could only take a small amount home. It was my job editing my haul down and finding shells I knew I would use. I felt like I was keeping on track, with my work, even though I was on vacation.
On one of my walks, 3 water birds (they looked like loons, but I have no idea what they were) swam in the water next to me as I walked along the shore. Not the Pelicans in the photo above those guys were awesome but they didn't walk with me. The beach was very secluded, I barely saw any people, just lots of shells, sea, sand, sky and these birds. As I walked along the Golf beach I thought about that bird I was just referencing here on the blog, the one covered in oil, in this same body of water a little over a year ago. The one that inspired me to start on this Monkey quest. It was one of those moments that when you try to express it to your dearest friends, you can see their eyes rolling. In your heart you know it had profound meaning. Like that dream you just woke up from the importance is just a feeling and the parts you can relate seem silly and disjointed. I can say I had a moment and I can still feel it. I am pretty sure the tears in my eyes right now, are not from the pollen outside but from a memory deep inside.
I am back in the studio with my shells and ready to get to work,
onward Monkeys!
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