Thought for The Day - The Saga Unfolds

Snippets,
Vignettes
Soliloquy
The Series
Documentary
Story

Through out our lives, the story is told. We who have the pleasure of sitting comfortably in a 'domicile' probably enjoy "dramas," the most. But in truth, our lives are full of drama as well...

As I write, I imagine stories occurring as people read. I'm "tapping" into your mind, the reader of this blog to see what words evoke your hopes and dreams, as well as your life story. I am fortunate enough to have experienced or told a great deal of stories, so at some point, in some way, "your story" might be told. But don't be alarmed or cautious, because "your story" is the life everyone lives! In one way or another, we all experience similar drama, comedy and even amazing, unbelievable sci-fi type stories.

Painting is the same as well. Standing at a canvas or sitting with pencil in hand, My mind is full of stories and scenes. Coming to mind, floating in my head, are the lives of family, friends, celebrities and people in countries, I "assume" exist. God even has a starring role, as I lay color and texture on a 2D surface. With a million stories, there are as many directions a piece can take. I might have in mind to put yellow over this blue, but as I'm moving the paint to that area, I am directed in another place, decisions, ideas and the Possibility constantly churning. I am bombarded - in a good way - with amazing choices! And the story never ends!

Every life contains moments, those little areas that hinge in our memory and we recall as pivotal periods. We all have them. For me, it's as if some actor decided to speak up and share their heart, with the spotlight on them only. And the same holds true, sometimes within one piece of art. There are sections that are highlighted, that stand above the rest. But they are an integral part of the larger piece or the larger series.

Thought for The Day - Bringing All The Pieces Together

Linen (the original) 30 x 40 Oil

Linen with a swirl 24 x 30 Oil

It is very much like assembling a bike, a baker's rack, a semi-portable basketball rim or backyard swing set. It is also like putting together a jigsaw puzzle. From the idea in my head, to the last stroke, there are parts that don't quite fit and times when there's no perceivable forward progress. But amazingly, I continue to move forward, ignoring the sense that "this color" doesn't match the overall scheme.

There are days when the closest I get to the canvas is tossing my clothes on the wooden stool I keep near the easel! There are the times, I'm practicing colors on a photograph, kept on my tablet, to get a sense of what's to come. And there are times when the odd shapes and colors come together. Slowly, the image materializes; my vision takes shape.

Painting this image is much the same as many of the other parts of my life; the two factors seem to be true: it takes a long time (seems longer than it should) and I CAN'T GIVE UP!!!

I did a series a couple years ago, entitled "The Turn." I went as far as blogging about it on my website. I didn't realize at the time, I was at the apex of a major shift myself. I only knew what I rendered and wrote, spoke to my murky feelings. Now, I believe I'm at a similar place again. And hopefully it is a "turn" for the better.

Peace be with you!

Thought for The Day - Thought Patterns

Linen with a Swirl 24 x 30 Oils

My wife doesn't "get" abstract art, but she loves me. :) So it's okay that I do what I love to do. I have explained the process but it bears repeating: themes run continuously through my head and yet, it isn't until I sit down to begin a new painting that "one of them" comes to the surface. The series: "Linen," is one of those patterns.

I have sat and stared at the pattern of woven material, many times and it never ceases to amaze me! the intricate over and under, the tightness of the material, the weave and texture - simply amazing! The same holds true for landscapes and cityscapes; look at the patterns and the way areas rise and fall as they spread out over the horizon! And one of the most amazing patterns is the pattern of skin texture. Simply look at your own skin (and rather than fixate on your flaws, actually look at the pattern that runs underneath), hold your hand up and look at the intricate detail "woven" there!

So with all the patterns in my head and found in a given day, "Linen" continues to grow!

Thought for The Day - The Inner Dialogue

I struggled with the title, but "id" won. :)

There is a a part of me that loves the brightness of the day and the quiet of the night. It isn't moved by the sense of right we "conscious thinkers" are troubled by. It isn't violent or prone to long dissertations about politics, race relations, and whether prayer should be allowed in schools. No, it's preference is to take in the many textures and tones around me. It loves to touch soft skin, to smell oranges and eucalyptus held by a lady on the train. There is this part of me that revels in music improvised by Robert Glasper Experiment, on the spot at a NPR Desk Jam - another smile!

But there is this other part of me that worries and frets over the appropriateness of the moment: should I be painting, considering there's a stack of laundry, books and tasks to be executed? I shouldn't spend too much time looking out the window at work; what would my bosses think? And who has time to get all this stuff done? Why isn't there more time in a day?

These parts (and so many more) serve their purpose. We are all composed of a myriad number of intersecting, intermingled and completely oppositional components. And yet, through it all, we get through the day, the week, this life. Just make sure you allow "joy" to rule the journey.

Peace
Be