Figuratively Speaking-Yellow and Purple

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8"x10" acrylic

Routines are really brilliant.  I have lived much of my life thriving on change and even some chaos. I am not sure if I was addicted to the energy of this, if it was truly my personality, or if I was just delusional, but now I like the discipline of routines.  I generally work out and/or recreate in the early morning, then I do some house things, and then head out to my studio.  I hang out with my husband and sometimes we go out in the evening.  It sounds boring when I put it like that, but it offers me time daily to exercise, socialize, keep up with responsibilities and to work.  My weekends are more varied. So this February I am participating in Leslie Saeta's 30 in 30 challenge, although since it is February, it is 28 in 28.  I have decided to paint a little clay sculpture my son picked up in Mexico and gave me.  I am focusing my paintings this month on identifying values in the shapes and on color harmony.  This one is shown with the complementary colors yellow and purple.  Unfortunately the values are not showing as well in the photo as they are in the painting.  There is more variety.  I am interested in how flat shapes can suggest volume.  Yellow and purple when mixed create a beautiful brown.  So I am adding another layer of routine to life, which is good, because my grandkids are coming to visit for 2 weeks and I suspect my routines are going to help me maintain my sanity but may also dissolve into enjoyable chaos.  Go Figure!

Figuratively Speaking - Baby Steps

Playing catch-up at Moon Brook Studio.  Life is good.  My kids and grandkids are healthy and Vermont weather is spectacular.  Foliage season is delayed in our area, but I am sure it will catch-up too.  All the disasters in our country and the world are really depressing, but plenty of wonderful things are happening everywhere.  Healthy babies are being born, couples are falling in love, students are getting good education and loads of folks are volunteering or working to improve conditions in the world.  Connections are being made and innovations are blooming.  In my world, creativity is happening and I hope it is in yours as well.  I read on a blog today (and can't remember which one it was, apologies to the author who found this quote) "The art of drawing which is of more real importance to the human race than that of writing...should be taught to every child just as writing is." John Ruskin.  Now that would be a great thing for our culture to catch up on.  Meditation is practical and good.  Drawing is practical and wonderful!  Can you imagine seeing all those people who have tilted necks and fingers pecking away at their electronics with little sketch books and pencils instead?  What would it be like if everyone was stimulated by art and creativity.  Something to think about.  Here's another one by John Ruskin, "Remember that the most beautiful things in the world are the most useless: peacocks and lilies for instance."  Mmmmmmm....Go Figure

Oh, here is my 30 in 30 collage.

Figuratively Speaking - Baby Steps #4 - Fall

6"x6" oil pastel, acrylic, water soluble graphite on Yupo   Price $50

Forty years ago, I lived in Summertown, TN, in a community of hippies called The Farm.  That day, Sept. 4, 1977, in my converted school bus, I gave birth to my only daughter who weighed over 10 pounds (the scale the midwives brought only went up to 10 pounds).  She was so perfect.  The first thing I said was, "She looks like my mom."  The second thing I said was,  "She looks like peaches and cream."  Even though I was a hippie, I knew I couldn't name her Peaches, so I named her Ruthann. Her brother, Adam, was interested, but not thrilled. I can't blame him, as he was a month shy of turning 2.  He was still a baby and the apple of my eye.  I thought my nest was full, but then a year and a half later, Harry dropped unexpectedly into our lives, compliments of the Catholic Women's Shelter.  Now they are all adults and I am so proud of them for growing into quality human beings. I have spoken to each of them today and I am so grateful we are close and even friends.   In the last 9 years, I have attended 5 more births, those of my grandchildren.  I know home birth is not for everyone, but it  is for our family and I am so happy I could be part of that tradition.  My totally normal daughter is on her way to the southern coast of Oregon to celebrate her birthday by spending a week in a Yurt with her husband and 3 kids.  The apple does not fall far from the tree....Go Figure!

A Walk in the Woods

5"x7" oil SOLD

HAPPY THANKSGIVING DAY!  It is such a lovely idea to spend a day giving thanks.  If you have a chance, take some time alone with someone you care about and just be totally with them.  I like the idea of taking one of my grandkids by the hand and walking with them in the woods just to see what they see and talk about what they want to talk about.  Taking a walk after a big feast is also a good idea.  I just wish you a day of joy, and contentment.

30-30 #22

2"x4.5" acrylic  sold

This is #22 of the 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge given by Leslie Saeta.  It inspired me I thnk because my grandkids were visiting for the weekend.  I find it almost impossible to paint when they are here (a very small sacrifice) but I was able to squeeze this one in.  Other than that, their grandfather and I got to do some outdoors fun things with them like fishing and hiking to the Clarenton Gorge.  We also picked mint, grapes and tomatoes and did some fine cooking.  The boys are 3 and 5 and their little sister, who is almost sitting up and almost crawling, is 6 months.