Figuratively Speaking - Pink Ponies

8"x10" acrylic

Normally you would associate pink elephants with drunkenness, especially if you were from the Dumbo generation.  However, if you are a three year old, pink is the perfect color for horses.  I found two horse paintings in a pile of photos and momentos my mother gave me years ago.  One was a paint by number I did when I was young and the other one was a paint by number my daughter did when she was young.  Since my daughter's children were visiting me, I decided to give each of the boys one of the horse paintings and gave their sister the opportunity to pick the color for a third painting I would do.  They were in transition, moving from the west coast to the east coast, with most of their possessions in boxes while the family resides in a rental while looking for a house to purchase.  I thought this would give them each a painting to hang up in their rooms in the meantime.  I have encouraged each of my five grandchildren to appreciate art, make it and to start to collect it.  Of course it helps that my mother was an artist, I am, and my children are all creative as well.  My daughter has done an amazing job teaching her children about artists and how to handle art materials.  The three year old made a pirates' ship and carefully painted it with well thought out details and colors, keeping all the colors seperated, making no "mud."  It was quite impressive.  What an advantage to start at such an early age, with such a vivid imagination.  I wonder if a three year old consulted on the Dumbo movie.  Go Figure!

Figuratively Speaking - Sorting It Out

8"x10" oil  $75

It was a discovery for me that I really like the shape of circles and bubbles.  I have always loved bubbles, their shape, flexibility, reflective quality, but didn't realize how drawn (pun intended) to them I am.  Generally I paint alla prima (doing the entire painting in one session) but I let this one percolate for a while while "sorting it out."  What I mostly love about painting abstracts is that it makes me think differently.  A book, a movie, a play, a dance, a poem, music, even an exquisite meal, that makes me think differently brings me joy.  I am currently reading a satirical book about the ideal Republican.  I believe its intention is to look at the foibles of Republican thought and policy by expressing an inflated belief in them, but mostly it comes across as sarcastic.  I am not sure its intention is to also poke fun at a particularly narrow minded liberal attitude about conservatives, but it succeeds on that end as well.  So why am I reading it?  The reason is to understand the author better.  This is the second book I have read recently to better understand these authors as humans, because they touch the lives of those I care about.  Then I think about writing a blog and how that tells something about who I am.  Too bad we can't read our own writing totally objectively, or evaluate our own artistic endeavors totally objectively.  All we can do is try to "sort it all out" as best we can.  Go figure.

A Crowded Room

3"x7" original mixed media

I went to a workshop with abstract artist Mareva Millarc.  She utilizes the "left over" materials from her husband's workshop.  He is landscape painter Peter Huntoon who does beautiful watercolors and oils.  Mareva's method includes, music, mixed materials, freedom and identifying the interesting shapes and lines needed to make a statement.  Mostly it was just a lot of fun to try out someone else's method.