Guardian

This is a my palette after class the other night. It was a newly assembled class and we began a painting of roses by the ocean. My method is to start with a color sketch, an underpainting filled with wild color. For the duration of the class we danced on our palette thinning out paint and applying it to our canvas.

Its a very freeing process. Nothing is permanent at this point, so the fear of mistakes doesn't exist. Its a great way to attack that intimidating blank canvas. Bold color, loose strokes. We find the elements of our subject. Covering every white spot is our goal. Everyone goes home with a bright, colorful canvas which resembles our image, but is far more inspiring due to the creativity of the applied color. When they return a week later, the sketch will be completely dry and we'll begin laying-in thicker paint.

My studio is only large enough for a single painter to work, so I hold my classes in my large kitchen/dining room. With plastic covered tables, this well used area of the house turns into a giant studio. For three consecutive days the transformation stays in place. Easel, paints, brushes and canvasses all remain in the dining room. Its holiday time and my parents are visiting for a week. The next morning Mom called me over to the window. She had me turn towards the table. Yes I know Mom, I left it all a mess, but we have class again tonight. She pointed to my palette which from this direction was upside-down from when I painted. There amidst the swirls of colors, was an angel.

I'm not sure what to make of this. We had worked with such loose abandonment, yet there sat the image of an angel clearer than anything on my canvas. Different people could read many different things into this surprising occurrence. I like to think its a reminder that we have guardians watching over us. I'll let you decide for yourself, but I did feel inclined to share...

Please feel free to leave your comments. I'd love to hear your views on this.

Dare to Imagine...

Change. Dare to imagine change. Dare to imagine possibilities. What would happen if...? Open your mind and view the world from a different stand point. Reach out to people you haven't met. See where it leads you. This is exactly what I do. Sometimes I feel like I'm setting seeds of possibility down and in time, some grow.

Yesterday that happened. One grew. I received a phone call from a past friend and collector of my art. For years now a signed Christmas card is all the contact we've shared. What a delight to hear her voice! She is the type of person who instantly energizes your creativity. Do you know people like that? Just being in their presence stimulates you. Its like a giant wave of tingling energy starting at one point and taking over your whole body. I have always loved talking to June. So many creative thoughts go through my mind afterwards. I become a hyper child, unable to focus on one thought. There are too many.

Well June didn't call to simply say hi, though that would have been enough. A seed sewn years ago blossomed. To my surprise she offered me an exhibition at the hospital. Its a 3 year waiting list to exhibit there. I hang in 16 days! That makes it Dec. 26. Yes, a bit challenging, but certainly possible!

All that inventory that collects because art sales are down becomes a welcomed gift at times like these.

So go sew yourself some seeds! Expect nothing in return. Eventually some will grow. New opportunities will emerge. Dare to imagine!