Out of The Raw

Phoenix 18 x 24 pastels

Spinning Blue Orb 18 x 24 pastels

Filtered Divinity 12 x 18 pastels

Rise! 18 x 24 pastels

We try to describe it

And in truth

We should revel in the power that is greater description

Words

Don't fail

They form

They capsulize

Colors

And descriptions of color

Emotions

Concepts

Inventions

Are

Our way of holding it

Managing it

Riding it like a creature we tamed

And yet

You can examine it

Study it

From now 'til

And it changes

Grows larger than you can tame

Again

And it changes you

Because this _____

Is greater

Untamed

And will be

When you

As you know "you"

Are someone/somewhen else

Thought for The Day - Decoding

I'm a fan of learning and a fairly wide scope of topics. Sitting here now, there are any number of sites open in tabs in my browser. As I sit here, I feel like I have antennae scanning the room and the house; measuring the state of affairs of the world, my children and determining the messages in lyrics of songs. I dive in deep, depending on the song or I sit at the edge of the pool and observe the depths, waves and light bouncing off the water, for it's beauty. In my opinion, there is no single way to learn and nearly everything is fascinating.

I take pleasure in the process of discovery; certainly there are bumps and hiccups along the way, but there is nothing more rewarding than seeing something through. I often compare the process to working on a jigsaw puzzle or a particularly challenging word puzzle. It's about examining the parts in light of the whole. The steps to assemble, break up, examine and act are critical to this process.

And in all of this, there is a deep underlying message; a word or expression that can set us free! Free from ________ and to ________, well that's part of the mystery! But it's a journey I've been on all my life. And whether I uncover it in part or whole, well that's also part of the challenge! I hope you are doing your part to unravel life's mystery. I feel the process and the goal are equally rewarding!

Thought for The Day - Searching for Me

Gathering the pieces

Not as in lost or abandoned

But as one gathers new and necessary components

Improving on the "model"

It's a life long process, discovering, letting go, making room, adapting and adjusting.

There is always a degree of self-examination to improve what is my life at the moment.

Thought for The Day - Talking

Saying something

Communicating

Words

Expression

RECEPTIVITY

A dialogue is communicated 24/7; your response to it as instant, whether you know it or not. We filter and catalogue more than we process acknowledge at one time.





And even when there is very little visually to process, we are

Hearing

Reading

And

Seeing





Don't worry...later on it will make sense.

Thought for The Day - The Unspoken Tongue

The Elements - 36 x 42, Oils

Red typically represents excitement, energy or passion. But it can also represent blood, which is life or in some cases, death.

Blue, depending on its shade, represents sky, water, cool, mellow or relaxed.

Green usually means life or nature.

Orange usually represents energy as well, but because of the association with the fruit, it can mean nutrition and healthy eating.

Yellow represents light, illumination and of course energy.

Without much thought, whether you have a favorite color or not, when you wear certain colors, it reflects your mood or personality. For some, it may represent a subtle impression about the environment where you are or you're going. Certain patterns in clothes, loaded with colors, attract us as we're shopping. Years ago, while working at a particularly reserved bank, a consultant came through and seeing the tie I wore that day, he said: "That's a power tie! That tie means something!" Mind you, I loved the subtle browns, deep oranges and burgundy colors of the tie and I know in some strange way, I liked the way it made me feel, but I hadn't given much thought to what others would think. I especially didn't think of it as a power tie and most importantly what "power" it gave!

Years ago, in college, a teacher of mine critiqued the above painting and said that I forced background tones to the foreground and vice-a-versa. Once again, I didn't see it that way; I only knew the feeling I had rendering it. I loved the way the colors moved and seemed to have an energy of their own.

There are things we immediately "know" while others dance around the periphery of our understanding. We can assume it's day because the sun is up or if you're like me, rising before it does, you know it because you're body responds to the time of morning. But there will always remain a degree of mystery; some facts remain incognito. But we can know about them, we can experience them without naming or identifying them.

Have you ever felt like the floor was dropping beneath you, or as if the area where you stood tilted? More on that another time.

Thought for The Day - What is It You're Trying to Say?

Add Caption (working title) 11 x 17 pastels

The language isn't unknown, neither are the words; it's our acceptance that requires an adjustment...

At the moment, I'm listening to a recording by John Coltrane from 1965: "Ascension (Edition I)." Recorded after "Love Supreme," some would call it an "epic fail," still others would call it the "primer for free jazz." Quite honestly, it is a recording, on many occasions I can barely stomach. Not that it isn't an excellent recording, but often my mind is in the "nomenclature" and "designation," framework. In other words, I need traditional structure to fence in my mind and prevent it from "going on an adventure."

In that respect, I am so much like those who look at my work and wonder "what is it you're trying to say?" Early on when I presented my visual work, one Facebook friend challenged me by asking for a name and further "what does it mean?" Now given her nature, a highly spiritual and grounded woman, she wasn't questioning my authenticity or casting doubts on the value of the work, what I quickly discovered is she was helping me understand what was being said. A lesson learned from that early process is the message is often so primal and so true, my "carnal mind" avoids its energy. Yesterday, my daughter said to me: "I'm not into abstract art;" little does she know, neither am I, but it is in me.

We prefer our message to be crystal clear, "tell me what I should get out of this." We are certain, in any given moment we possess the capacity to understand whatever it is being said to us. "How right you are my friend!" You can understand, you can comprehend, but more importantly, are you listening or are you trying to mold the message to fit your current thinking? All too often, the message is simple and profound, meaning its "application" could be spread and applied in multiple ways throughout our lives. In that moment, the minute your unconscious mind receives 'TRUTH,' comprehension begins. But it is the next moment, when "we consciously" choose to accept the message or reject it, that's the moment of decision. I'm sorry to say, so often we choose too quickly to ignore what is being said.