Goodbye Piano by Raphaella Vaisseau

Music played a special and sometimes complicated part of Dad’s life. In Fergus Falls, Minnesota, Dad enjoyed playing high school football and was good at it. However, his older sister Florence was intent on becoming a concert pianist, so his Mother moved them to Rochester NY for Florence to attend a music school for a year. He easily made the football team in Rochester too, until the coach learned he’d only be there one year. This disruption in his young life was something he spoke of often, wishing his Mother had let him stay in Fergus Falls with his older brother Homer and their grandpa Hale for that year.  Nevertheless, he accepted it and tried to focus on the benefits in the experience whenever it came up. Over the years, as it came up again and again, we talked of forgiveness and what could have been. 

Although Florence did not reach the heights of fame as a concert pianist she wished for, she did work in music her entire life as a college music professor, organist, and teacher. Mom and Dad sang in the choir in every church they belonged to. Music was always a part of our lives.

Our young family didn’t have a lot of money, but my parents were inventive with what we had. One of my favorite outings and favorite memories was driving around town singing 4-part harmony to songs like “When you wore a tulip” and other classic songs of the day. 

When Dad’s hearing started declining, it was music that was the most difficult for him. Melodies were distorted, and he couldn’t be sure he was singing on tune. He continued to sing at church, but no longer as a member of the choir.

After my Mother passed, I moved in to their home to care for him. He kept his songbooks by his favorite chair in the family room and I’d often hear him singing songs to her as he flipped through the pages. And, especially in the final months of his life, if he was feeling down, I’d encourage him to play the piano. He readily agreed, and it always lifted his spirits.

All of this being said, today was another momentous goodbye as his beloved piano was moved out of the house and on to wherever it will go from here. I thank God for music every day, and know that Dad, Mom, Florence, and all the beautiful souls on the other side are singing in harmony forevermore. Life here on Earth moves on. Goodbye piano. I love the gift of music you gave to Dad. Thank you.

-Raphaella Vaisseau

Teacher Appreciation Every Day by Raphaella Vaisseau - Heartful Art

The life you live is the lesson you teach. These words could be a companion piece to Gandhi's "Be the change you wish to see in the world." What we do, how we're being, what we say ... all these things are sharing who we are and what we're up to in life. This saying can inspire us to align with our highest expression and motivate us to make wise choices.

As classroom art, teachers can create lesson plans that explain what it means for students to be in alignment with their values, to "walk their talk" so to speak. I think Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson would like this quote. It's profound, yet simple.

My work with Heartful Art is to provide people with words and colorful art to inspire, motivate, and encourage thought and reflection. Whether you are inspiring yourself, your family, or a classroom of students, Heartful Art can play a part. Every day I appreciate the creativity, resourcefulness and dedication of teachers, and I continuously strive to proivide tools to assist them in their work with our children. If you are a teacher, during this Teacher Appreciation Week in 2018, and all year long, know that I thank and appreciate you.
-Raphaella Vaisseau

Nature's Art (and Music) on Caspersen Beach in Venice Florida - by Raphaella Vaisseau

It's always beautiful at Caspersen Beach in Venice, Florida. I've experienced the beauty there many times since moving to the Gulf Coast almost four years ago. I have often said it feels to me like I'm walking in a watercolor painting when I'm there. Yesterday I had the same visual feast as I usually do, but it was the sounds, and my hearing, that awakened more fully during my walk.

Perhaps it was because only a scattering of humans were there. It's off-season here, and it was dinner time. I had just rushed downtown to the post office to get the day's Heartful Art orders in the mail before closing. As I left the post office and got into the van I love so much, I felt especially free and happy from the day's work. As I asked myself, where should I go from here, I remembered I still needed to get my daily walk in, so I decided to go the extra couple of miles to Caspersen.

It must have been dragonfly dinnertime too. As I drove on the road to the beach, a million dragonflies swarmed all around my van. I happen to love dragonflies, so I slowed way down to 10 mph so I wouldn't harm them in their frenzied flight. It was an awesome sight.

After parking and leaving my shoes in the van, I found my way to the beach. The quietness was evident right away. The surf was calm; the waves gently lapped the shore. No wind or crashing water this time. As I walked, I enjoyed the shore birds feeding; witnessed pelicans diving for fish with power, beauty, and graceful accuracy; and noticed egrets intently focused on the water around the moss-covered rocks on which they were perched.

I listened as I walked, and as I did my senses awakened even further. I heard the sound water makes as it sifts thru shells and fine sand as the surf moves out from shore. Like a subtle tinkling of a percussive musical instrument of some kind that I couldn't identify. I walked through nature's artwork that is Caspersen Beach and was treated as well to nature's concerto.

Filled with appreciation for the ability to see and hear these beautiful things, I completed my time on the beach, which felt more like a meditation than exercise. Actually, it was both. I walked on the shell-strewn sand toward where my van was parked. After brushing the sand from my feet, and putting on my shoes, I drove again on the beach road. I watched for the dragonflies, but they had settled down and had pretty much finished their snacking. Nighttime. Time for home.
- Raphaella Vaisseau

Venice on Dwellable

God's Living Church Tops an Extraordinary Week with Surf, Waterbirds, and Garden Flowers

What a artful week this has been, filled with new stores, art sales, and gallery possibilities, most of which stem from having Heartful Art at the Venice Farmer's Market on Saturday mornings from 8am to noon. The downtown market in Centennial Park in Venice has been exploding with energy and enthusiasm since Linda Wilson took over as our Market Manager at the end of last year.

Twice this week my customers at the market took the initiative to bring their Heartful Art purchases into their favorite stores, resulting in two new locations in Florida that now carry our motivational, life-affirming Heartful Art in their shops: Mrs. Candlewicke's Shoppe at 307 West Venice Avenue, downtown Venice (across from Bank of America), and Angel's Garden, at 1208 North 12th Avenue in Pensacola.

Another customer who visited my booth at the Venice Farmer's Market fell in love with my art. She came to my home studio this week to purchase two originals: Angelica Garden of Light, which she bought for a friend, and Tulips in the Sun, which will enjoy a spot on the wall of her young daughter's nursery. There was talk of more art and commissions in the future as she and her husband begin decorating their new home here in Venice. I am at work on a 30" x 40" watercolor masterpiece with a garden theme to include tulips, anemones, lilies of the valley, and peonys.

This morning I woke early at 5am (that's when I have to get up on market days and my inner clock now thinks it's wake-up time every other day of the week as well), made a cup of coffee and settled in to ready my current favorite light mystery novel by dog-lover author, David Rosenfelt. "Asbury Park has long been a key city on the shore," he writes, "which is how those of us from New Jersey refer to the beach." This got me thinking about the beach. And walking on the sand. And feeling the spray of the gulf on my skin, and hearing the sound of the surf.

As the sun came up and birds began chirping outside, I put down my book and I thought about going to church this morning. I've been meditating daily all week (with Abraham-Hicks "Getting Into The Vortex" cds) and I decided today it would be fun to be quiet, focus on my breathing, and go to Nature's Church.

I gathered up my binoculars, sunhat, and keys and I hopped in my beautiful van (that I love so much) and headed to Casperson Beach. Arriving at 7:30am I was surprised to see only two other humans on this whole stretch of magnificent beach. I'd never been there when the shore wasn't covered with shark-tooth-seeking people with their little wire scoops, bent over, heads down, searching for the little teeth amongst the shells at the waters edge. Having people there doesn't bother me. I enjoy witnessing families enjoying nature together in this beautiful place. However, the silence and emptiness of the beach this morning, sans humans, was lovely.

I walked alone for almost an hour, enjoying the sound of the surf and the feel of the cool wet sand sinking beneath my feet as I walked. I spotted a fairly large crab scurrying around watching me. It took refuge within the roped off area of a sea turtle's nest, knowing I couldn't go near. By the time my walk had ended, a dozen more humans had arrived. And yes, they had their wire scoops and were busy looking for sharks teeth.

On the way home from Casperson Beach, I stopped at the Venice Rookery, the reason for bringing my binoculars with me to "church." It's a small island in a pond behind the DMV where nesting water birds are protected by the Audubon Society. I don't have a good enough camera to capture the beauty of the nesting birds, but other bird lovers do. Here's a link to Steven Scott's photonaturalist blog and his pictures of birds at the Venice Rookery. My favorite image this morning, through my binoculars, was an adult great blue heron watching over a new hatchling. Adorable.

Filled with the beauty of spirit, nature, birds, sun, sand, and life in general, I returned home to continue my morning meditation by watering the gardens surrounding my home. I enjoyed the Anole lizards watching me and running from the water spray as I moved from plant to plant. I cleaned out the bird baths, and I and drank in the color of the blossoms on the garden flowers with my eyes. I enjoyed knowing the water I was showering on the plants, trees, and bushes would sink down into the ground where their roots would be nourished. All the while being mindful of my breathing in and breathing out. Just me surrounded by the beauty of our natural world.

Choosing to go to God's Green Church was a wonderful way to start the day, and a perfect way to end a magical week of art success, meditation, and opening possibilities.

May your blessings abound.
-Raphaella Vaisseau, www.heartfulart.com

NOTE: If you're so inclined, you can vote for the Venice Farmers Market in the American Farmland Trust's "America's Favorite Farmers Market" contest. Here's a link to vote. If you're voting for our market, simply enter 34293 in the Market Map at the bottom of the page, click GO, and then click on the icon that pops up on the map of Venice, Florida. (There's a place to make a comment about why you're voting but you can vote without writing anything if you prefer.)

Raphaella's 64th Birthday - April 14, 2011

I had a nice birthday celebration all week long, with friends and family sending me cards and gifts and singing birthday songs on the telephone.

I also appreciated the gifts I received from nature, especially the birds (pelicans fishing on the shores of Siesta Key, an osprey in the cypress tree eating a fish high up on a branch, an egret in the lotus pond) as well as gaining new personal insights on living in appreciation.

On my actual birthday, my friend Joanie and I lunched at Sharky's. While snacking on bean and cheese nachos, we shared appreciations with each other and enjoyed a tropical afternoon in Venice. My cat, Diana, especially appreciated the flowers Joanie gave me.

I'm 64 and loving life still as a grand adventure. I look forward to whatever creations life will unfold as I walk through the year ahead.

Here's a creation of my own that I completed this week - a commissioned abstract painting called "Mirror Lake" (a companion piece for "Redwood Forest" which the collectors purchased a few years back). Whereas Redwood Forest, also an abstract, is an up-close look at the trees themselves, Mirror Lake is seeing the forest from a distance through the mist of a morning fog.

Thanks for being a part of my life. I appreciate you.