More detail for "Phoenix NOW"

Okay, I changed the title; "more experimenting" was "experimental.:) No, as I looked at the image, the bird them seemed to be there as usual and a bird in the middle of what seems to be activity and death (that's what it seems like to me) rising from the ashes, but fiery and full of life. A Phoenix NOW. Cheers.

Formation of His Words

It’s pretty late for a guy who will be up in a few hours, preparing to meet the challenge of another day. But I have my music playing on shuffle; the sounds are soothing and at times bumpy and disturbing. Occasionally I pause to look at the smudges on the tips of my fingers from pastel crayons I’m working with. This is life for me. The other stuff? I think that is the dream I’m preparing to wake from.

In the scheming and preparation of His Words, the sounds of music, the hum of tires driving in the quiet of night, the tap of the keyboard at my fingertips and the swirl of ideas in my head, all mix in a world of creative adventure. My brain at times seems incapable of bringing forth the many concepts beneath the surface but in truth, in each stroke of paint and each word I write a world is revealed. It isn’t a private fantasy but a dream shared by so many.

When I write and simply write from my heart and soul, I don’t worry about who will understand. My words will sink in; someone will see their reflection rendered in the words. They will stand and stare at a painting I’ve been blessed to render and the message will become more intense than a camera’s flash.

More Experimenting

Just trying out different things with pastels.

Experimenting...What is it 2

Still just trying out things. The clouds were originally the focus but had to have another place to focus attention. I may do one later where it is 90% clouds and sky and 10% bluffs.

Experimenting...What is it?

Okay, I'm just trying things out. If you figure out, don't read too much into it. This has no meaning, hidden message or design. Just trying things out.

Life Lessons

Trying out this thing called life. Throwing into words and images. His Words. His Images, the smells, sounds and silence of it all. It (life) isn't final; seems so obvious, but I know what's it like to think "I failed at _____" and think it's over.

Man, I tried "His Words," in 2001, feeling like I wanted to do 'art' and 'words,' somehow. That 'somehow' was a 25 pound blob of clay I left set out for others to shape. Big mistake!!! But life goes on and that is the greatest lesson. What seems like failure is the seed of success. One person was buried, and all assumed his life's mission came to a close. But here we are so many years later, calendars rearranged around his estimated birth, days set aside to celebrate his birth, death and resurrection. Whether you agree, accept or understand 'that' you certainly understand that life does not come to an end when you fail! You have to get up, you have to keep living and if you have an inkling of life in you, you know what you'll do? YOU WILL TRY AGAIN! And again! And again! You will not allow the life in you and around to forget your place in it. You will continue trying until you're heard, seen, until your dance and your song is sang with such force, that it seems the heavens and earth tremble!

Learn the lessons, live the lessons, teach, preach, sing, dance and paint the lessons!!!

The Exercise of Art

I remember sitting in a cube a few years ago, frustrated beyond belief, feeling like my life didn’t count for much (His Words was on a hiatus and as far as I was concerned it was a mistake never to be repeated). And I wrote in all caps I WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE!!! Even bolded each word and increased the font size to 24 for emphasis. I needed to make that declaration and if I weren’t such a “proper” gentleman, I would have stood on the top of the desk and screamed it.

What I’ve discovered about painting and drawing is the process and results are like doorways of light. Light illuminates and places emphasis on a subject. Reflecting art over the years, some seemed to speak of chaos or imply a world barely distinguishable. Where I’m employed, there’s no shortage of original artwork and many people have opinions one way or another. What seems to be consistent among those I work with is the expectation that images should be clearly identified; they don’t want to see something that looks like it was done by a 6 year old. But what I know of the exercise, is art reveals what a ‘simple’ mind understands. Not a simple or foolish person but one willing to open their mind to messages not easily discerned. Those are the messages accepted by faith. And faith has a wonderful capability of opening a limitless unclouded world to the faithful!

A few paintings I’ve worked on in the last few months emphasize the contrast of dark vs. light. It is another theme that is being detailed in my life and with time, patience and diligence I will understand it better. I’m sitting here at the moment looking at a blank sheet of newsprint paper. What a wonderful sight! I see so much that the human eye will not and each page allows the same possibilities. It is an exercise in capturing a moment or rendering colors with textures. But more importantly, it is communicating the message of one’s soul.