Experiencing Joy in the Unknown

For the past year, I have been in one of those special places as an artist. I’m referring to the experience of beginning something totally new and not knowing where it will lead. It’s very much like the beginning stages of falling in love and just getting to know one another. Every moment is special and you don’t know how the future will unfold but you are immersed in the delight and energy of what the relationship is right now.  

I have been in a state of wonder as I’ve explored a new process and a new way of working. It’s been exhilarating and something I’ve wanted to keep mostly private, with very little sharing, as I develop and settle into this creative flow without rushing it at all. 

And in the process of discovery, questions arise: Will any of the past creative methods overlap with the new? Is it possible for this joyful flow to end up as a short lived series or something so much more? Will this be shared more widely or will my artistic love affair remain a gift for me alone?

This is what I know: I don’t need to have any of the answers. The joy is in the process of the creative unfolding, and I have no need to rush it. It’s a journey to be present each step along this path of discovery. I’m interested in the process as it develops, not the results. Much of my delight is in the wonder of where it will take me and where I will take it. And most importantly, I’m in love with the exploration of the Creative Adventure I have found myself on.

One of the joys of creating art is to get an idea or concept and to bring it to life… to make something that was just a thought and breathe it into existence.

What Would You Do Differently?

When you look back on your life, what one thing would you do differently? What comes to mind? I recently saw this question posed somewhere and when I pondered my response, I had my art career in mind. I immediately thought of the time, many years ago, when I bought way TOO MANY frames. And spent a ridiculous amount of money. 

It was sometime around the early 1990’s. I was producing quite a lot of art and it seemed like a good idea to begin buying frames. At the time, I lived on Long Island, New York, and there was a wholesale frame manufacturer that I could drive to in Queens. It wasn’t a terrible trek but something of a schlep.

So I began buying frames and attaching them to my completed work. I felt so very professional as I took those journeys to Queens. At some point, I decided to buy a quantity of frames in a variety of painting sizes so I wouldn’t have to make as many trips. It was not a feasible financial decision. Not at all. I spent way too much money and then had less need for the sizes and style I had purchased. In fact, all these years later, I still have too many of those metal frames hanging around the studio.

For years, I felt a sting when remembering that purchase. It’s probably one of the reasons I shy away from any real framing. I love the gallery wrapped canvases because I can paint the sides and avoid the framing. And if I really feel the need to frame a painting, I usually resort to the simple method I learned in High School… cutting wooden slats, sanding the ends, and nailing them to the stretched canvas.

It’s easy to look at a decision like that from my current vantage point and want to have chosen differently. But honestly, if I had it to do over again, I might end up doing the same exact thing (at that time). I remember my thought process back then and it seemed to be such a good decision.

What comes to mind when you think of one thing you would want to do differently?

Threads in Art

I love to use threads in my artwork, to have them appear as lines of stitching on cloth, and to watch them hang down below the defined border of a canvas. I love when they become another element in a painting as a jumble of tangled strings or simply provide texture on the surface below a layer of paint.

One of my friends on Instagram asked me the following question… Do the threads have meaning for me, do they represent something or symbolize something?

This is my answer… I am so attracted to the look and movement of threads, the way they meander and flow. For me, their meaning shifts depending on the specific piece of artwork.

In general, at the core, they are the threads of our connection to one another, to all life on the planet - past, present, and future, and to the Divine. They are the threads of a prayer shawl and those in the tapestry of life. They are the link that bind us to our collective history, to the pictographs and cave paintings, to the philosophers of ancient Greece and the builders of the pyramids. They are our heart connections and the very threads that pull at our heart strings.

And like the magnificent underground network of mycelium that enables communication between plant life, threads represent the unseen connections between all living things.

New Beginnings

“Opening to the Next Chapter” 18” x 18” Acrylic Mixed Media on Canvas

New Year, New Beginnings

I recently completed a painting for the New Beginnings show at Pajaro Valley Arts. I not only want to share images of the painting and it’s parts, but I’m also here to share the words that have been incorporated into the painting. The concept, words, and construction were all created in tandem. 

When I first heard about the show’s theme, I immediately wanted to incorporate a book into the painting I would create. That’s when I began to ponder the concept that as a new year begins, we are just starting to write the next chapter of our lives. The painting is titled, “Opening to the Next Chapter” and it is built with a cloth folded open to reveal the place to begin writing that new chapter.

As I began to develop the canvas and the pieces that would become part of the whole, I wrote. I wanted to clarify and understand the concept that I was building the painting around. And in the end, I included quite a bit of text into the work… much of it hidden under paint or cloth. I thought I would share some of it here along with images of the whole and it’s parts. 

These are the words that can be found under the piece of cloth on the left side of the painting: 

This is your past. You know what it holds. It no longer exists except for the place you choose to give it in your mind, in your memories. And you may add layers to it from a new perspective, from a different vantage point. You may try to hold onto some of the past with a firm grip while letting others fade away. As you stand in your now, with the new pages before you, can a firm grip on the past impede your ability to write your new chapter? Your new chapter begins today. What lies ahead?

Here are some details images of “Opening to the Next Chapter”

And if you are in the area, visit the show. It is filled with fabulous and fascinating pieces of art from local artists.

Pajaro Valley Arts Annual Membership Show
NEW BEGINNINGS - Exhibit dates: Jan. 18 – Feb. 26, 2023

Opening Reception: Sunday, January 22, 2023
from 2:00PM – 4:00PM

Location: 37 Sudden Street, Watsonville, CA
Gallery Hours: 11.00AM – 4:00PM
Open: Wednesday – Sunday

MASKS ENCOURAGED

2023 Digital Calendars

I’m here to share a new offering and a new experience for me. I created my first digital products, which led to me capturing my very first QR code. Maybe QR codes are an old concept for many, but although I have seen them around, I’ve really never known how to use them, and certainly never created one. So this has been a big deal for me. It’s like stepping into a new dimension that I’m finding super cool.

About the Offer…

There are TWO 2023 DIGITAL CALENDARS to choose from. Each one comes with 14 printable pages and is filled with art and quotes… including a cover page, 12 monthly pages, and the full year at a glance on the final page. The calendars display cropped images from one of two painting series… the Music in Art series fills one of the calendars and the more recent Affirmations & Meditations paintings are found in the other. 

Pages can be printed on your home printer or viewed on your desktop. So, pick a calendar for $6.97 and you’ll receive the printable PDF in your inbox. Scroll down to view images of some of the pages. To learn more, scan the QR code or CLICK HERE.

From the Affirmations & Meditations Calendar

from the Music in Art Calendar

Wishing you a very Joyous Holiday Season and a Happy New Year!!

Santa Cruz Love Note

“Santa Cruz Love Note" 18" x 18" Acrylic, cloth, papers, strings, and threads on canvas.

“Santa cruz love note” is currently hanging in a Local show.

Here are the details:

Exhibit: Local Visions
at: Pajaro valley arts
(pvarts.org)

When: Now until July 31, 2022

Opening reception:
Sunday, June 26
From 2PM - 4PM

"Santa Cruz Love Note” in process

I created “Santa Cruz Love Note” specifically for the Local Visions show at Pajaro Valley Arts, a membership exhibit. We were told to have fun with the theme and that’s exactly what I did. I filled the painting and layers of raw canvas with the many things I love about living here in Santa Cruz. And I could have added even more. In the lower right hand corner of the painting, I’ve attached something of a love note about the area. These words are somewhat visible under the paint.

Pajaro Valley Arts

For those of you who are unfamiliar with Santa Cruz, it’s a happy place, surrounded by natural beauty. There’s plenty to love about Santa Cruz County… with the magnificent redwoods, the hiking trails, the forests, the coast, the beaches, the arts, the people, the culture, the beauty, and so much more. Since I began developing this painting, my appreciation for the area has continues to grow.

Gallery Information:
37 Sudden Street, Watsonville, CA
Gallery Hours: 11.00am – 4:00pm
Wednesday-Sunday
Masks Encouraged

Here are some details of the completed painting:

5 Quotes on the Nature of Art

Rick Rubin quote

It has been a few months since I posted a series of Art Quotes. This group of 5 includes quotes on the relationship between art and nature, and on the very nature of art itself.

I’ve included quotes by:

Rick Rubin (record producer)
Scott Adams (Dilbert creator, cartoonist and author)
Neil Gaiman (author of novels, short stories, comic book series and more)
Anais Nin (diarist, writer of essays, short stories and more)
Saint Francis of Assisi, who needs no introduction (Italian Catholic friar)

“The power of nature is such that it’s what all art strives to be. The more we can get in tune with the harmony of the planet, the more our art can benefit from that relationship.”

~ Rick Rubin

Scott Adams quote

“Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep. ”

— Scott Adams

Neil Gaiman quote

“The world always seems brighter when you’ve just made something that wasn’t there before. ”

— Neil Gaiman

Anais Nin quote

“It is the function of art to renew our perception. What we are familiar with we cease to see. The writer shakes up the familiar scene, and, as if by magic, we see a new meaning in it. ”

— Anais Nin

Saint Francis of Assisi quote

“He who works with his hands is a laborer. He who works with his hands and his head is a craftsman. He who works with his hands. his head, and his heart, is an artist.”

— Saint Francis of Assisi

NOTE: On the Anais Nin quote, I added (or artist).

You may also be interested in:
5 Art Quotes to Inspire
5 Quotes by Famous Artists
5 Art Quotes by Audrey Flack

Connection and Disconnection

Threads of Connection and Illusion of Disconnection are two of my recent paintings. They are currently hanging in the tri-gallery “This is Now’ show at Curated by the Sea, in downtown Santa Cruz. The show is being held in partnership with Arts Council Santa Cruz, and showcasing the artists of the Visual Arts Network. It focuses on works created within the past two years that relate to current issues in our world.

First Friday reception April 1st, 6 pm - 8 pm
with live jazz music

About the Paintings: Although we think of ourselves as individuals, separate from one another, we are all connected through an intricate web of energetic threads. We are like single cells that come together to form the whole organism. Our actions, reactions, thoughts, and beliefs are not isolated within our small piece of the world but emanate out in unseen ripples to all. This was never more apparent to me than at the beginning of the pandemic when the worries and concerns of the collective unconscious seemed to be present in air. Meanwhile, in recent years we’ve seen an increase in a mentality of separation, an exaggeration of our differences, and an avoidance of finding common ground.

“Threads of Connection”

So, as soon as I heard the theme for This is Now, I wanted to create a pair of paintings around the concept of our connection to one another and the illusion of separateness we experience.“Threads of Connection” and “Illusion of Disconnection” were painted in tandem, stepping them through the process of development together, side by side. 

“Illusion of Disconnection”

In “Threads of Connection,” the cloth cut-outs on the top layer have been connected like a web, with each of the holes tied to all of its adjacent cut-outs. There are two quotes that reference our connections. One is by Martin Luther King and the second is from Mitch Albom.

With “Illusion of Disconnection,” the cut-out squares from the upper layers of painted cloth seem to hang in their separate spaces yet they are still connected, by the red threads, to the whole. I’ve placed the words of Albert Einstein in the painting, present but barely seen under the paint.

Show will be closing on
Saturday, April 9th.

Curated by the Sea:
Address: 703 Front Street, Santa Cruz
Hours: Thursday through Saturday noon - 4 pm

Sketchbook Love

Sketchbook Page: Playful Joy

It’s a joy to get lost in a sketchbook page. The art play that’s done in a sketchbook is a gift an artist can give themselves. I love being able to fill the pages with anything that’s calling to me. It could be pure experimentation and pure play. Any page can be unique and totally different from any other, or it could become part of a series of multiple images, exploring a single concept. The focus might be on an idea that’s been in mind for a while or just playing around with paint and materials with no idea in mind. And each creation becomes part of a hand held collection of ideas, a history of moments in time in an artistic journey.

Each of the 5 sketchbook pages being shared on this post, were a creation in joy. Although they are very different from my works on canvas, I’m fully aware of how my sketchbook art can end up influencing my paintings.

Playful Joy: The sketchbook page above, was started with the paints that remained on the palette from works on canvas. It was a playful process, filled with joy and gratitude. The marks, the colors, the writing, the cloth pieces (remnants of the current work on canvas), all coming together in a sketchbook experience.

Sketchbook Page: Grid First

Grid First: This painting was begun by drawing out a grid and once again, using up the leftover paint on the palette. The goal was to just play with paint, pencil writing, adding a bit of paper collage, and some scrapes and scribbles. The quote that I added was within arms reach, the first one I saw. Usually the quotes I use are related to the focus of the work, but this was for the fun of it.

Sketchbook Page: A Dialogue

A Dialogue: I began the page with the following written words: “a painting is a container for a conversation… dialogue between the artist and the Divine, between the created and the creator. It’s a give and take, a shared creation, a joint effort - the co-creative process.” When I paint, I am well aware of the dialogue taking place… the questions asked, the answers given. With this page, the focus was on that conversation… on the co-creative process that resulted in a playful sketchbook experience with a different look and feel.

Sketchbook Page: Color Play

Color Play: The goal here was to use a different palette, one that’s out of my comfort zone. The first colors I thought of were purple and quinacridone crimson. Then with some pink, red, and a bit of orange added in, this collection of colors didn’t look at all like me and what I am used to. I found this color palette to be too loud for me. I prefer a quieter, more earthy set of colors. Yet, I have to admit, I found the experience to be totally enjoyable and look forward to playing with new mixes of colors in the future.

Sketchbook Page: Playing with Paint

Playing with Paint: My primary focus here was to take the opportunity to get lost in a sketchbook page… to fill it with paint and then flick some sprays of paint off an old toothbrush I use for such things. I wanted to keep up with the sketchbook even though my days were being filled with the development of a new series. That’s where my head was at the time. So, I stepped away from the new works on canvas and gave myself a playful sketchbook experience.

I have lots of ideas on how I want to use the sketchbook moving forward. For now, I am more focused on the works I’ve been developing on my easel. But maybe this post is a reminder to take some time, from time to time, to show up and experience the joy that can be found on a sketchbook page.

You may also be interested in:
Finding Inspiration in the Sketchbook

Finding Inspiration in the Sketchbook

Recently, I completed a 30 day sketchbook challenge course from Cheryl Taves of Insight Creative. The completed pages were shared on Instagram and reposted to Facebook. Although I would love to share many of the images from that experience, today I’m focusing on the artwork which has been inspiring me outside of the sketchbook.

A pocket to hold notes in my sketchbook.

I’ll begin with the page that filled me with joy and delight, both in the conception of it and in its creation. Now, I’m thinking of taking this idea and creating a similar piece in a larger size… and it has already inspired some titles for additional paintings. (Maybe a series?) I amused myself with this one by creating a pocket to hold my “notes”… while using my most favorite material: raw canvas. And the addition of the circle, paper, and threads made me quite the happy artist.

Sketchbook page with text on cloth.

For several years, I’ve held a vision of a painting I wanted to create on canvas. So with some cloth and the words of Albert Einstein in hand, I proceeded to play with the idea on a sketchbook page. I loved the experience of seeing my idea come to life in an altered form. Now, both the original idea I had in mind, along with this sketchbook creation, have taken up residence within me, inspiring a desire to play with it more. (Variations on the theme on canvas?).

Sketchbook page using cutouts from prior page.

At this point, I might as well share this page too. I couldn’t resist taking the cloth pieces I cutout from the prior page and placing them in the same location they would have been but on a new page. (Playing with my first variation on the theme!) Once again I used the words of Albert Einstein and added some asemic writing scraped into the paint, a red square, and a similar black background.

Sketchbook page created with limited palette in a limited time.

I fell in love with a new color palette in the creation of this painted page. Since I was getting ready to leave for the day, it made sense to limit the time spent on the sketchbook page to 30 minutes. I grabbed some ivory black, titanium white, and yellow oxide paint to work with a limited palette, in order to create something in a limited time. I finished off the page with some text and music scraps that were on the art table within reach, and managed to achieve the 30 minute limit. Since that day, I have been inspired to use this color palette again and again.

I’ve loved experiencing the gifts of this sketchbook challenge… playing with ideas that have lived in my mind, exploring concepts that stimulate my creative thinking, trying things out that I would hesitate to do on canvas, and being reminded that we can continue our sketchbook practice even when time is limited.

So much inspiration can be found on the pages of a sketchbook.

You may also be interested in:
Inspired by Concertina Sketchbook Pages
Inspired by Concertina Sketchbook Pages - Part 2

5 Art Quotes by Audrey Flack

I became familiar with Audrey Flack many years ago when I attended an art educators conference. At the time I was an art teacher/art therapist for a small program of vision impaired multi-handicapped kids. 

Audrey Flack is an American artist who pioneered the art of photorealism. Her book, Art & Soul: Notes on Creating, is packed with quotable statements. Both her artwork and her words have been an inspiration to many artists through the years.

“The act of painting is a spiritual covenant between the maker and the higher powers. The intent of the artist flows through the work of art, no matter what the technique or style.”

Audrey Flack quote #1

Audrey Flack quote #2

“When you're in the studio painting, there are a lot of people in there with you. Your teachers, friends, painters from history, critics...and one by one, if you're really painting, they walk out. And if you're really painting, you walk out.”

Audrey Flack quote #3

“I believe in the energy of art, and through the use of that energy, the artist's ability to transform his or her life, and by example, the lives of others.”

Audrey Flack quote #4

“I do know that the process of art is a series of jolts, or perhaps I mean volts, for art is an extraordinarily faithful transmitter. Our job is to keep our receiving equipment in good working order.”

Audrey Flack quote #5

"True art puts you in touch with that part of yourself that knows the truth."

You may also be interested in:
5 Art Quotes to Inspire
5 Art Quotes by Famous Artists
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Circle Trios

“Expansive” 8” x 10” acrylic mixed media on canvas

“Meditations No. 6” 4-1/2” x 6”. Mixed media on paper

As I recently looked back on my use of Circles over the years, I noticed how often I’ve created works with three circles in a row. The imagery of the three circles is so reminiscent of a stack of stones and the beauty of the way they connect.

Where the circular shape, in itself, carries a simplistic expression of peace and wholeness, the threesome seems to portray a bit of drama. Like the stones, the image seems to have the unsettling possibility of looking like it could topple over.

Recent paintings and sketchbook pages with the image of the 3 circles.

You may also be interested in: The Circle: a Meaningful Symbol

5 Art Quotes by Famous Artists

Joan Miro quote

Last month I posted 5 Art Quotes to Inspire. This time I’m sharing quotes from well known artists. And you may find that many of them are just as inspirational.

Artists have a unique perspective on the world… and you can see it, not only in their work, but in their words as well. These quotes provide a momentary glance into their thoughts and the way they saw their work and the world.

I’ve included quotes of Miro, Kandinsky, da Vinci, and O’Keefe.

“You can look at a picture for a week and never think of it again. You can look at a picture for a second and think about it all your life.”

~ Joan Miro

Wassily Kandinsky quote

“The artist must train not only his eye but also his soul.”

~ Wassily Kandinsky

Leonardo da Vinci quote

“The painter has the Universe in his mind and hands.”

~ Leonardo da Vinci

Georgia O’Keefe quote #1

“I often painted fragments of things because it seemed to make my statement as well as or better than the whole could.”

~ Georgia O’Keeffe

Georgia O’Keefe quote #2

“Whether you succeed or not is irrelevant. There is no such thing. Making your unknown known is the important thing.”

~ Georgia O’Keeffe

You may also be interested in:
5 Art Quotes to Inspire
5 Art Quotes by Audrey Flack
5 Quotes on the Nature of Art

The Circle: A Meaningful Symbol

Some of the circles that have shown up in my art in the past 1-1/2 years.

Day 15 of 30 day sketchbook project

The circle has been a reoccurring theme in my artwork through the years. My first “real” painting that established my own artistic style, back in high school, was designed around two overlapping circles. Since then, the shape has shown up in different forms and in a number of series of paintings… mandalas and landscapes, in paint and collage, as closed circles and open.

Last summer, during the 30 day sketchbook challenge, I became reacquainted with this meaningful shape and all it can represent. I went from playing with a shape to connecting with it on a much deeper level. And with that, a bridge was created between my recent artwork and the work of the past. I felt empowered by a renewal of meaning in having these circles appear in my paintings.

Happy Birthday in Phoenician - acrylic mixed media on paper. 6” x 9”

The symbol of the circle holds so much meaning. Circles are our connection to the whole within us and to the whole of humanity, to all living things… the circle of life… our Oneness.

This unending  shape without a beginning and end, has been used by cultures throughout time. It is thought of as a sacred symbol and used to symbolize the cosmos and heaven. Circles have been used to represent the cycles of life, the seasons, and the unending nature of time itself.

I’ve found both comfort and meaning in this reintegration of circles into my artwork. It is likely to be a recurring element in the future as in the past.

Meditations #1 - acrylic mixed media on paper. 4-1/2” x 6”

“Meditations No. 4” 4-1/2” x 6”. Mixed media on paper

Series of Transition

“Release” 8” x 10” acrylic mixed media on canvas

I’ve begun a series of small paintings that seem to be a bridge between where I’ve been and where I’m headed. As a group, they’ve become transition pieces, with each painting carrying me closer to where I want to be. My creative explorations of the past couple of years have introduced me to a wide range of artistic experiences. Now it’s time to return to the work I feel most connected to.

“Cycles” 8” x 10” acrylic mixed media on canvas

The Inspiration: I’ve been reading the Artist’s Rule, a book that combines an internal exploration of monastic practices and art practice. With each chapter, I’ve designated a concept, with one word for what’s coming up for me on those pages. Then I create a small painting in response. So far I’ve completed 6 chapters of the 12, with the idea of devoting one week to the concept, artwork, writings, and reflections on each chapter. I’m getting so much out of this experience and the creation of the series has become a journey in itself.

Since these paintings came to life as a tangent of the prior series of Elements, they will join that series as something of a larger body of work. My recent paintings have elements of this past year’s experiences and some of the old is beginning to show up.

You may also be interested in:
My Artist’s Path: in Words and On Canvas
Inspired by Concertina Sketchbook Pages

“Now” 8” x 10” acrylic mixed media on canvas

“Essence” 8” x 10” acrylic mixed media on canvas

5 Art Quotes to Inspire

Quote to Inspire #1

For several years, I’ve been placing quotes into my paintings. Many of them are words of wisdom from the sages of our past… words that inspire. This year, I began keeping a collection of quotes about art and creativity… words of all ages and times. Some I’ve saved on slips of paper for many years. A number of them are new finds. 

And I’d like to begin sharing them here with you. 

This first collection of quotes have an inspirational or spiritual view of the art process or the art itself. They reference the broader connections beyond what we see with our eyes. 

“Art is standing with one hand extended into the universe and one hand extended into the world, and letting ourselves be a conduit for passing energy.” ~ Albert Einstein

Quote to Inspire #2

Quote to Inspire #3

“Art is a step in the known toward the unknown.”

~ Kahlil Gibran

“Art is a collaboration between GOD and the artist. And the less the artist does the better.” ~ Andre Gide

Quote to Inspire #4

Quote to Inspire #5

“To practice any art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow. So do it.”

~ Kurt Vonnegut

“Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time.”

~ Thomas Merton

You may also be interested in:
5 Art Quotes by Famous Artists
5 Art Quotes by Audrey Flack
5 Quotes on the Nature of Art

My Artist's Path: in Words and on Canvas

“Path” 8” x 10”. Acrylic, papers, cloth, pencil, gesso on canvas

This three stanza poem and the concepts behind the words were the inspiration for the painting I share here. “Path” is the fourth in a group of small works inspired by one of the chapters in the book, Artist’s Rule by Christine Valters Paintner. After reading a chapter, I focus on a specific concept, designate a single word to associate with it, and then create a painting with that focus in mind. This canvas was created to reflect something of the give and take during the creative process; between myself, the creation, and in collaboration with the Divine whispers. It becomes a beautiful dance.

Although I usually incorporate the words of others in my paintings, I’ve chosen to include a quote of my own words in this one. The handwritten words of the first stanza of this poem are barely seen within the painting. Here is the full poem:

“Path” a detail closeup

“There is a beautiful dance
Between the creative spark and the creation
Listening to the messages and direction
This is my artist’s path

Between the creative spark and the creation
Myself as an ongoing work in progress
This is my artist’s path
Becoming an active and visual process in creating me

Myself as an ongoing work in progress
Listening to the messages and direction
Becoming an active and visual process in creating me
There is a beautiful dance”

“Path” a detail closeup

“Path” a detail closeup of texture

You may also be interested in: Series of Transition
Inspired by Concertina Sketchbook Pages

Dancing as Process

Reorganized studio gave me more space to dance!

Dancing had always been a part of my painting process… turning up the music, moving my body and flowing with paint on canvas… that was my process for years. But for the past few years dancing has been a thing of memories. Maybe it was effected by grief from loss of loved ones and then came Covid?

Painting, Music, and Joy… Gotta Dance!!

But as I write this, the music is up loud, there’s paint on my brush, and joy is welling up inside of me. And there’s nothing else to do but dance! Once again, this cherished part of my creative process is back in my life and present in the studio. I love the energy and flow that’s created when my whole body is engaged and I’m so happy to be reacquainted with the joy it brings me.

Earlier this summer, I spent time reorganizing the studio, with the goal of opening up the space. Not only did I get the space I was craving, but now there’s more space to dance while I paint. Yahoo!! And I feel like the external space has helped create more space within… more room for the light to shine.

A Process Story

“Ennobled” 12” x 12” acrylic, papers, pencil on canvas

The experience of working on “Ennobled,” the 5th canvas in the Portals of Joy series, was a bit like maneuvering a boulder up an incline. All the while, I was able to experience these challenges with confidence and determination. It became an excellent exercise in creating and recreating, making changes, letting go and moving on.

“Ennobled” in process; initial color palette

I began the painting with a color palette that I found attractive but, it just wasn’t quite me. Once on the canvas it seemed goofy, like a Halloween candy wrapper. So I kept altering colors, one at a time, and adding textured papers to cover up some of the colors and create new ones. I found the process enjoyable, without frustration. I was able to draw on my confidence that each alteration would bring me closer to feeling as if I had made it my own. What a time consuming process it was! If I hadn’t been as focused on the unfolding experience of the process, I would not have been able to remain in the joy of creating.

“Ennobled” in process; at the start

Occasionally, a painting doesn’t flow as smoothly. Each time I find myself in that space, I have the gift of letting go and immersing myself in the painting process. I allow it to take as long as it takes, with no expectations and the willingness to continue to apply layer over layer, repainting areas one moment at a time. And with each alteration, I come closer to an image that will look back at me and say, “Ahhh… this is it.”

“Integral Flow” 12” x 12” acrylic, papers, pencil on canvas

Once I had completed “Ennobled", I shifted my focus to the newly started 6th painting in the Portals of Joy series, titled “Integral Flow.” The experience of painting this one was nothing like the last one. The process flowed easily from beginning to end. Of course, I chose a color palette I was comfortable with from the start. And maybe that attributed to the feeling of lightness that surrounded the painting process.

I experienced joy as I created both of these two paintings but that experience was so very different… neither better than the other. And I am grateful for the wonderful diversity of both.

You may be interested in a recent post: New Series: Portals of Joy

Turning Points

“Silhouessence - Vista” 14” x 18” Oils and recessed photo on canvas and board, 2005

Last year during the 21 Days in My Art World challenge we were asked to share a Turning Point in our art life. I wrote the following:

How I became a blank canvas and birthed a new series…
I entered 2016 with the feeling of unlimited possibilities and the ability to create what I wanted... But first I had to figure out what that was. And it seemed, the best way to start was to clear out my inner closet of the creative ideas I'd been storing for years. During several days at home alone, I released all the creative projects, ideas, and expectations I was carrying around by brainstorming them onto the large newsprint sheets I had hung all over the living room... each sheet for a different category. I also had lists of successes and achievements, affirmations and more. That experience opened the door to new influences, experiences, and finding the yards of raw canvas I had bought and stored years before. It all came together for the creation of the Transcriptions series and a new way of working and creating. I am so grateful for those days back in February 2016.

But thoughts on the subject didn’t end with that challenge prompt… Shortly after, I had the good fortune of connecting with Helen Rebello who welcomed me to be a guest on her Turning Points Project podcast. That got me thinking of the many Turning Points in my life and the effects they have had on the trajectory of my art and life.

This week, as part of the current 21 Day challenge, I am sharing another Turning Point. I’ve chosen to write about the one that was probably the most difficult for me. One that many of you already know… the point in which I needed to give up oil painting after a decade’s long love affair with those luscious paints.

“Silhouessence - Vista” detail of recessed photo

In 2005, while preparing for the annual Santa Cruz County Open Studio Tour, it became increasingly difficult for me to breathe while working on a new series of paintings. I was in the process of developing the Silhouessence series, in which each painting displayed a photo of a silhouetted landscape recessed within the surface of the canvas. The outer painting became a reflection of the photo within. As I worked on them, my ability to breathe became more and more impacted. I tried moving from the studio into the dining room where I could open the windows in all four directions. That didn’t help and I began to feel sick. I was determined to finish the paintings, so I then moved the process outdoors and quickly learned that spending any more than twenty minutes at a time left me in bad shape. Of course, I was determined to get to a point where the paintings could look complete (and be photographed) even if I knew they were unfinished. I achieved my goal but the process left me physically recuperating for weeks, and emotionally processing the loss of oils for years. I had become a painter who could no longer paint.

Although I thoroughly disliked acrylics, eventually I gave in and began to play with soft body acrylics. I needed something I was passionate about to inspire a new series. Music was the key (pun intended). And it was with the Music Series that I got back into painting. I had fun with the series even though the acrylics were not as lovely to use as oils. But they did inspire a brighter and bolder palette.

Then later on, with the Transcriptions Series, I finally returned home to the feeling of flow, energy, and love for painting that I used to have years ago. And as a gift to my soul, I began finishing off an occasional painting by using oil pastels for the last touch of color.

Now I am enjoying the playful use of acrylics and mixed media on paper and on canvas. I’ve found a whole new level of joy in exploring new ideas on sketchbook pages with the paints. And I’m delighted when I find myself using similar techniques with the acrylics that I used years ago in my oil painting days.

The gift of gratitude: I’m sure that without the loss of oils, I never would have published The Gratitude Habit journals. I so appreciate the experience of producing these two books and the lessons learned along the way. It allowed me to take an idea and bring it to life in a manner so very different than with a painting and so much more public.

Life offers up twists and turns, bumps and jumps that alter our trajectory and become Turning Points in our lives. They take us to places we might not have travelled and open the door to lessons and new experiences that can enrich our journey. You may want to reflect on the Turning Points in your own life.