Life below the surface.

Give us a little heat! If I'm going to read about a bunch of people who drive Volkswagens and seem to have mostly Volkswagen-sized problems, and the writer shows them driving around on the top of the ice, I want a sense that there's a lot of very, very cold water down below. I eventually want for someone to crash through. I want for people who write to crash or dive below the surface, where life is so cold and confusing and hard to see. I want writers to plunge through the holes — the holes we try to fill up with all the props. In those holes and in the spaces around them exist all sorts of possibility, including the chance to see who we are and glimpse the mystery.
      - Anne Lamott from her book on the craft of writing Bird by Bird

There are always a few who get at and feel the undercurrent, and these simply use the surface appearances selecting them and using them as tools to express the undercurrent, the real life.

If I cannot feel an undercurrent then I see only a series of things.  They may be attractive and novel at first but soon grow tiresome.
      - Robert Henri, The Art Spirit

. . .

In art we search for the undercurrent, where life is cold and confusing and hard to see. In each of our lifes there is an undercurrent, guiding us without us knowing it. A life that lives in harmony with its undercurrent has a special power. 

  • The Heron Dance gallery is in the process of getting reorganized around new semi-abstract work. When enough new paintings are ready, I’ll take all my former work and put it in a separate room in the gallery at 50% off. That should take 3-4 weeks. In the meantime, I want to offer this discount to you who have supported Heron Dance and made it possible.

  • This discount is for all framed, unframed originals and framed prints. Also almost all unframed prints (those not included would have to be specially ordered — and not the new originals in New Original Art). If you’d like an unframed print, order it. If we have it in stock, we’ll sell it at the discount. If we have to special order it, the discount won’t apply and we’ll refund your purchase. If you’d rather check first, email Rod (rod@herondance.org). The discount doesn’t apply to books. In a couple of weeks, this discount will also be open to nonmembers including visitors to the gallery.

  • Member discount code: Member50. Enter this at checkout.

  • All are signed and numbered. All prices include including taxes and shipping.

  • Although there are a lot of different originals and prints, there are only one of most.

  • Scroll down for examples.

  • Members also get free access PDFs to all recent Heron Dance Art Studio books here.

  • You can order print editions of recent Heron Dance books, here.

  • Everything Heron Dance does and offers summarized here.

  • Projects and Random Thoughts: What’s happening behind the scenes at Heron Dance.

  • If you are not already Member, you can become one here.

Heron Dance Books

Creativity as a Way of Life: Journal Meditations of a Working Artist

Inspirational thoughts on the creative process and an exploration of journaling as a method of accessing inner worlds. Includes questions important to the creation of unique work and a quality life and journaling tools useful in uncovering the hidden currents of energy and inspiration that affect our lives, often without us realizing it.

To be published in February or March of 2025.

A PDF of this book will be included in Membership for all who support Heron Dance. Print copies, wire-o, lay flat binding will also be available.

There are still a few copies of the first edition of Nurturing the Song Within available. This is a premium art book with a Smyth-sewn lay flat binding printed by on high. quality art paper. It explores the inner work underlying creative work and the creation of a unique life.

Each day two-page spread includes a painting and journal notes on living a creative, meaningful life.

  • Hardcover first edition with dust jacket. $95 including shipping and taxes. Order here.

  • PDF $9.99 including tax. Order here.

  • More information here.

Below, two sample pages from my recent art journal, and the related diary/planner
Nurturing The Song Within

There are a few copies of the first edition (hardcover, dust jacket, premium art paper) still available. After they are sold out, we don’t plan to republish, at least in that format.

A mockup of the first two pages of the new book, Meditations on Gratitude, Beauty and Mystery. It is available now as a PDF, and in the next few days as a hardcover.

A mockup of the first two pages of the new book, Meditations on Gratitude, Beauty and Mystery. It is available now as a PDF, and in the next few days as a hardcover.

A mockup of two pages of the new book, Meditations on Gratitude, Beauty and Mystery.

Front cover, The Pausing For Beauty Poetry Diary. PDF and Softcover (Lay Flat, wire-o binding) versions available. Visit here.

Two interior pages, The Pausing For Beauty Poetry Diary. PDF and Softcover (Lay Flat, wire-o binding) versions available. Visit here.