Kissing Day Celebration

"Kissing Day Celebration"

July 2016

oil on panel, 11 3/4" H x 33" L x 1/4" D

Its separate halves are shown below.

Left 1/2 of "Kissing Day Celebration"

I'm beginning to allow myself much wider latitude in my rendering of things.  What a relief!  

And here's the fallout:

1)  I'm enjoying painting more because my attitude is far less exacting, &

2)  I'm finding that I also enjoy other people's work that's more abstract than I usually lean toward.  I can feel the artistic process in this method, which lends itself more to intuition & Divine Ambush (you know what I mean ;)).

Here's the other half:

Right 1/2 of "Kissing Day Celebration"

oil, 11 3/4" H x 33" L

I am showing you the halves separately so that you can enjoy brushwork & other details more.  

Isn't that red flower delicious?  

I don't like to eat cake (unless it sounds good), but I fell in love with the image of an off-white cake.  It was so darling I had to paint it.  I am trying to stay away from symbolism & meaningful images for awhile, so "darling" is my current attraction.  Yeah yeah, I know.  Frosting & slathered-on cuteness could be too cloying for some.  But for many, there are never too many love songs, nor too many hugs, too much kindness, and so forth.  It's a form of yoga. 

The cakes, right to left:  Orion Cake, Filigree Cake, & Art Cake 

I launched this painting on the Fourth of July, after my husband & I went to the parade in Roundup, Montana (where they were filming the first part of a media series with a compelling-sounding plot).  So in my mind this is also a Fourth of July painting.  

But I feel that Kissing Day, annually worldwide on July Sixth, is a most important holiday to observe.  Easy for me to say, since I'm ecstatically married.  But love is love.  It's that simple.  Blow kisses to your divine all day!

I waited until now to explain the cakes, so that you could form your own impressions.  But truly, I imagined being at a wedding reception with white cakes.  What would I like to see on them, as a group of three?  That's what I painted.  You get to choose the inside.  It could be anything.  The more you use your imagination, the more easily you will hang on to radiant brain health. ...  

Besides, it's fun!

HAVE FUN KEEPING YOUR BRAIN HEALTHY

Teacup & Apple

6" x 6" oil

June 2016

"Two Swan Necks"

This is a tribute to Sarah Orne Jewett (my fave author when I lived in New Hampshire; she lived in Maine 1849 - 1909) because she would LOVE the teacup, & she painted on porcelain (which both of these objects are).

I'm working w/ a simpler composition in order to use this as a study in diffuse reflective light.  Since I've been enjoying lightly colored herbal teas, & my work area is directly beneath an oversized skylight, I painted the sky reflected in the tea.  This is the only intentional symbolism in this piece.  I don't need to be literary ALL the time; I just need to improve my painting skills!

There is one trompe de l'oeil: On the teacup, to the left of the lowermost peony, is the capital of an Ionic column.  I thought a bit of Classical architecture would go nicely on a flowery teacup.  Then I painted the column's shadow outside of the teacup, as if the painted image is casting a shadow.  Why did I do that?  Ask me.

Exploring Indra's Net

Small section of watercolor.  Does this make you curious?  

I would enjoy hearing other people's stories about this piece  - what they think is happening, how they feel.  Viewers could think of it as "sandbox therapy", faerie garden, or as similar to watching a fish tank.

My abridged journal notes are below, for those who want a little brain gym (perceiving the details I point out in my notes).  

Perspective, With Gecko

8 3/10" x 11 6/10" watercolor, white gesso, & graphite on paper

June 2016

For at least 20 years, I have wanted to show Indra's Net in some form of 2D art.  Imagine 20 years of trying to envision it as something other than a net (because that's too obvious).  Indian traffic  - from a tuk-tuk or a bicycle -  is the closest I'm come to such a vision.  Riding in traffic is one of my favorite things to do in India.  I did this painting to express how I feel in it.  But instead of tuk-tuks & goats, I chose objects with symbolic content.

Before we look at the symbols, let's imagine  - for your scientific brain -   that we are both in downward motion & suspended from above by something else in downward motion, presumably with a mass/materials differential.  Just like in the painting.  Think about gravity, wind speed, & any external factors that affect angles & depth perception.  Think about lighting.

 >  Can you tell if the red Macaw-feather bowl (top right corner) is underneath whatever is suspending that basket? If it's not shaded, then which side of the basket is it on? How narrow does that indicate the "balloon" is? 

>  Why are some objects tilted more than others? 

>  Which forces is his mustache responding to? Is he wearing mustache wax, or did he just this moment thrust his head downward to look into the telescope, much like birders do into their 'scopes?  Which direction is he traveling?

>  Is gravity operating here as we expect?  Which elements in the painting suggest that it's not?  Do all the elements agree?  

>  Why do the leaning of the man & the clinging & wiggling of the gecko cause their vessels to tilt?

>  How heavy is each suspended object?  How would it move (ex., straight down? wafting? listing?)? 

 >  What factors would influence how it moves?  [Hint: the amphora & the elephant might be approximately the same weight & have the same wind resistance vectors.]  All of the factors (ex., whether or not external weight is applied & whether it's leaning or wriggling, shape & height-to-width ratio of vessels) are influenced by a host of other factors (ex., the unit of flowers from which each is suspended, the manner of suspension  - cord angles, attachments & materials -  tensile strength & elasticity of the cords, wind speed & direction, microdisturbances).

>  The birds are, of course, exempt from the abovementioned factors, but must abide by those factors that affect aviation.

OK, now for your literary brain....

The Symbols

Most of the objects are different from one another, to show diversity & uniqueness.  Even the elephant, though clearly a familiar type of ceramic vessel, is non-standard in several ways.  The tilt of its head, the soupçon that it is decorated, as well as the natural positions of the feet & trunk all contribute to the slight questioning whether or not this object is familiar.  Of trying to understand what you are looking at.  This moves you into the appropriate mindframe for viewing the painting.  

Then there's the hilarity of an elephant (presumably full of water) floating, suspended from a bunch of super-floofy flowers.  None of this makes sense.  This piece asks the viewer to suspend certainty about gravity & everything else.  This is one thing that quantum physics asks us to do.  Its word to express the idea shown in this painting is "entanglement".  I would love to name it that, but I don't want you to worry about the "air balloon" lines tangling ;P

>  Peregrine Falcon - 

     a). One of Indra's two animal companions.  Indra is the Hindu deva of rain & thunderstorms.  His other mount is a white elephant.  He has a long, crazy mustache.  Who in the painting has a long, crazy mustache?  Do you see a white elephant? 

     b). I love the word "peregrination".

>  Scarlet Macaw - Noise.  Because it can be kind of noisy out here in the field of possibility ;P  Besides, the amrit bowl is made of Scarlet Macaw feathers.

>  Field of Possibility - Essentially the same as Indra's Net, or the Matrix.  This term is from quantum physics.  Example in this painting: What are the chances of a huge, up-close pansy being in the precise spot to frame the telescope, hands, & face just when we were looking at them?  

     

> Gecko - To me as an individual, Gecko symbolizes the multiplicity of life forms & the astonishing resourcefulness of Nature.  Check out the anatomically-correct hairs on the bottoms of its feet.  Gecko can climb any surface & is terribly cute.  Most importantly, it is the perfect weird & random creature to be found clinging to pottery...in the sky.  As a lifelong natural history buff, I thought of many names for this new gecko species.   Do you ever do that?  I put an "eye" on its belly, a tribute to Nature's amazing adaptations.  Think about it.  It would be an effective adaptation to avoid predation.  It comes complete w/ a faux "glint of light" on the eyeball!  It's rare that Nature displays such asymmetry in design.  That's why I made it up.  Evolution  - the Great Tinkerer in Nature's Garage -  is an amazingly custom process.  Plus I needed something to cling to the outside of a tilting, ceramic vessel.  Only Gecko.

>  Amrit (in red feather-bowl) -  The quasi-mythical "divine nectar" from Hindu & Sikh traditions.  It first appeared in print between 1700 & 1100 BC.  The "drink of the deities," similar to the Greek ambrosia, but also available to humans in certain tantric practices.  I put amrit with the man's balloon as viaticum (food for a pilgrimmage), so he will never be thirsty or hungry.  Moreover, excellent nutrition prepares the body to receive the energies of higher consciousness.  Embedded in this image is the idea that the voyager has everything he needs, & "the gods will provide" everything else.  This makes our voyager an image of someone fulfilled in their life & ready to ask for higher spiritual gifts (such as love in one's heart).

>  Gem (they're iridescent) @ center of each flower - Clear reference to Indra's Net, which is big enough to cover the entire universe.  At each juncture of threads, there's a gem w/ so many facets that it reflects & refracts every single other gem in the Net.  From the Indian Buddhist tradition, this represents interdependent origination, interconnection,  & karma / cause & effect.

    >  Moon Pearl - This is at the center of the pansies.  The man is looking at it.  From Chinese tradition, the Moon Pearl represents the penultimate spiritual enlightenment.  The Chinese dragon is often shown chasing it, a common allegory in Chinese culture.  The dragon represents the scholar/seeker who perpetually strives for improvement, insight, & so forth.  In the allegory, the dragon never catches the Moon Pearl, but will never give up trying.  Persistence & humble sincerity are the qualities that this story seeks to develop.

>  Johnny Jump-ups - This is a specific type of pansy.  Due to their common name, they make terrific hot air balloons.

>  White elephant:  Indra's mount.

>  Glass vessels - Beauty & fragility.  Plus I wanted to experiment with reflective light opportunities.

     >  Amphora -  I'm fascinated by amphoras, their use throughout history, their use to maritime archaeologists, and other endearing traits.  Their shape is so simple & beautiful.  They are the archetypal vessel.  The ultimate servant (in the sense of service/seva/sat karma).  We can discern that this scene took place prior to the 7th Century BCE, when the one-piece amphora quickly replaced the neck amphora ;P

Here's a stanza from Victor Hugo's poem "The Marble Faun":

"Hid in the wood, methought a ghostly voice

Came forth and woke an echo in my soul

As in the hollow of an amphora."

>  Sight path of our voyager's eye - Eye, eyepiece, lens, subject being viewed: what do they have in common?  Is there anything else in the painting that shares that quality?

>  Telescope - Discovery, seeking, adventure, preparation, trust, curiosity, inquiry, learning, seeing.  Look at what's immediately in front of the the telescope lens, made visible by the dark petal behind it.  A disturbance.  This is to show that the act of observing  - & certainly of intently focusing -  changes the observed.  {Quantum physics' wave-particle behavior discovery.}

>  The Tamil writing on the pottery vessel says "Success" or "Winner".  How do you see that in the context of this painting?   I wonder what the man's basket is suspended from...

Running Shoes

"Running Shoes"

8.75" x 12" oil

May 2016

Adapted from a photo by me

I took this photo because I'm attracted to human-powered bicycles, rickshaws, and carts.  I liked the abstract, blurry way the photo documented our pace past this street scene.  Perhaps I will add some glazing to give this painting a similar effect.  But I'm liking the way it is now.  

Biggest challenges:  

 -  making the dirt & pavement street look sundappled and hot around 12:30pm

-  depicting the "ghost bike" which was barely discernible in the photo (a skinny blur w/ shine)

Q:  Why is there a curly-tailed dog in this?

A:  Because most feral Indian dogs have a curly tail.  They are ubiquitous in South India.  This provides Indian culture with a sweet metaphor about the futility of straightening a dog's tail.

Can you see the black granite deity statue, partly obfuscated by incense smoke?  The potted shrub next to this is Tulsi (aka Holy Basil).  The blue roof that's lower than the gabled building's roof is the blue-painted, carved plaster typical of small temples.  The roof of the gabled building shows additional living quarters (the red drape closes).  It's interesting & surprising sometimes to see how resourceful some Indian living arrangements can be.  I fancy that the produce seller  - & his happy family -  in this painting live up on that roof.   Near the corner of that roof is a round shape.  It is the apotropaic device, a cartoonishly "scary" head, that's installed on the roofs of numerous South Indian homes to ward off evil.  

What's the story here?  I have my story in mind {hint: it has to do w/ the title}, but I'd be so interested to hear other people's stories about this.  In fact, I want to paint backwards (as if you could read it from the road, but not where you, the viewer, are), in Tamil, on the forward banner.  I would let the collector tell me which words to put on the banner; something that sums up what speaks to them about this piece.

MAY YOU FIND HAPPINESS INDEPENDENT OF CIRCUMSTANCE

Discussing the Visible Light Spectrum

"Discussing the Visible Light Spectrum"

8.5" x 10" ArtGraf water-soluble graphite

& watercolor

May 2016

Adapted from a photo by Joel Bowers

What is happening in the distant mountains behind the wall?  Are you pulled back into the garden?  Which way is the breeze blowing?  Besides wind, is there any other form of energy movement?

Relaxing with my dear friend in the yard, we marvel together at how some creatures  - such as birds, bees, and some humans -  are tetrachromatographic (they can see a broader spectrum of colors, such as ultraviolet colors, and they can distinguish among colors better than, the general populace).  To see as a bee!  That intrigued me, so that's why the bee and I are seeing eye-to-eye.  That's why the bee is emerging from a visible ambiance of UV energy.  Can YOU see it?  Does that mean you might be tetrachromatographic?

Flowers respond to UV light, and yellow flowers tend to look especially amazing bathed in UV color (as mimicked using technology so that we can see as bees and hummingbirds do).  Hence its relationship to the bee... and to us, as healing, balancing, auspicious energy flows down into our limbs.  

I had to express the Ajna Chakra.  I would have made them smaller, less conspicious, but I was not painting.  There was painting, but no painter.  So the Divine made them big.  Like a gaudy necklace that you would wear under your shirt because you love it but wouldn't want to actually show it off.  It is much the same as with the Third Eye ;)  Healing energy is pouring into my friend, circulating through her chest and giving her face a slight flush, filling her with radiant good health.

She likes the title of this piece.  She said, "That sounds very intellectual."  I like having a friend who thinks that's cool.

This was my first time using water-soluble graphite (a gift from a friend).  I love this new medium, especially w/ watercolors!  The graphite behaves a bit differently; there's something very mineral about it.  It places the entire painting into a shifted phase.

I put the most craftsmanship into the pineapple finial on the metal gate.  I had it perfectly shaded so it looked liked cast metal & was correct per the light source.  Then I put on a graphite wash (the only place I regretted using graphite because it dissolved too much detail), then spilled frisket on it....  Below is a photo of it in process, before the spill.  I had to share this cute detail because I put so much TLC into it!  It's significant to the painting because the pineapple was the symbol of welcome & hospitality in the "Classical" (ancient Greek & Roman) World.  That's why pineapple finials are a common shape for gates, fences, entryways, & so forth.  This is underscored by our Classical gestures!  I was inspired by a finial we had seen at the Charles M. Bair Family Museum in Martinsdale, MT.

I hope viewers notice the extreme cuteness of the bee & hummingbird.  Below is a less-detailed study of the hummingbird, this one w/ watercolor, my first time using Bristol paper.  In both this tiny piece & the painting above, there are teensy, tiny gold flecks in several of the neutral colors (looks lovely w/ light on it), and the graphite has a captivating mineral sheen.  The tiny card is a trading card to be traded at a Billings Arts Association meeting.  It shows a Calliope Hummingbird (I'm still fond of those from the "My Calliope" painting).  

MAY YOU KNOW the JOY of RELAXING IN A GARDEN FULL of LIFE & FRIENDSHIP

Bluebird Day

6.5" x 11.75" watercolor

April 2016

I almost never take selfies (and, in fact, don't usually care to have my picture taken).  But I just had to document my permagrin on a bluebird ski day.  An attempt to capture the joy.

I grew up in a very, very flat region of the Midwest.  Downhill skiing was, in my mind, an exotic sport for crazy, reckless people.  People too lazy to put forth the effort required for cross-country skiing, which has been one of my favorite activities for many years now.   

Moreover, one of my Achilles tendons was severed almost two years ago, and recovery has been a long process (though not painful 6.8 months post-surgery, there's residual assymetry and weakness, and another tendon is torn but I'm not having that one surgically repaired).  My wonderful husband persuaded me to take up downhill skiing this past Christmas.  So when I go downhill skiing, I'm not merely having a good time.  I'm feeling the full effect of having worked past (though not entirely) tremendous fear, judgement, and physical limitations.  Such joy!  It's exciting, involves brain-healthy new learning and finesse, it's terrific physical therapy for my healing leg (and more of a workout than I expected), and I meet super people each time I go.  The camaraderie at a ski mountain feeds my soul as much as the activity itself.  

I took one liberty with this piece: what is reflected in the goggles.  Science-minded viewers will smile smugly, knowing the phenomenon that would cause a reflection of a shining image facing the opposite direction of the actual sun.  My Oneness family will smile at seeing the Jyothi Rupa :)

MAY YOU WALK THROUGH LIFE'S OPEN DOOR WITH JOY!

Throwing Petals

9.25" x 12" watercolor

April 2016

This is from two photos I took during an extravagant, elaborate, Indian-style puja (ceremony) at my house in 2013. A participant had brought her young daughter, who was the sweetest, cutest, most delightful child; many of us later agreed that she was the best expression of enlightenment there!  So it was only fitting that we asked her to officiate the ceremony, which is normally performed by a clergyperson or similarly ceremonious officiant.

We were all powerfully moved by the sight of this child offering flower petals to the Divine as we chanted in Sanskrit.  She had a great time.  At one point, she scooped up a whole armful of petals and heaved them up... not necessarily onto the altar, just up.  Flower petals were everywhere!  You can see one petal still falling (look at the hair of the bottom image).  Everyone in the room was laughing, filled with such joy, for a long time....  The ceremony stopped completely for awhile, as we all simply observed this little girl.  After heaving one armful, she sat down on a heap of petals, looking down, taking it all in....  In the next moment, she was crawling to gather another armful to do it again, and the laughter rose up again!  We all were touched by how the most glorious offering to the Divine  - petals, joy, awe -  as well as the most powerful sense of Divine Presence -  happened when the ceremony stopped.  

This painting shows the child's real mother squatting and reaching out in uncontained joy to her little girl (both in one photo), who represents Divine Child, looking down at petals as well as herself-as-human (in the other photo), who is reaching out to Divine Mother, symbolized by silver padukas (not in either photo).  We did have silver padukas on the altar at this ceremony.  In this painting, I showed them as mimicking the foot of the girl's human mother (as some padukas do have toes and toenails designed into them).  Padukas are an ancient Indian tradition that represent the feet of the Divine.  They are primarily associated with Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism, but I know of many people of several other faiths who use them.  I think they're a beautiful symbol.

Petals Falling

8.25" x 12" watercolor

I was drawn to do this still life to express an idea from a well-known story in Chinese culture:  A poet/calligrapher (a facet of my ancient Chinese hermit-scholar fantasy) was at his writing desk one day, working, a vase of flowers on the desk.  Noticing petals falling from the senescing flowers, he was overcome with a clear sense of the ephemeral nature of existence.  This was so dramatic that it changed his life.  Something so simple can be the greatest teacher.

This piece was started March 28, 2016, about 30 minutes before a surprise, life-altering event for a friend of mine I went to see that night.  The event is my friend's story to tell.  The coincidence of the timing of that event and this painting is significant to me because I was thinking strongly of this friend when I started the sketch.

La Negrita en Primavera

27 cm x 35 cm, watercolor, Spring 2014

"La Negrita en Primavera"

From my mind, onto which the composite of a multitude of images (all pretty much uniform) is still emblazoned.  It's because I did not use a reference picture that I was able to paint in a looser, mystical style.

I wanted to play with pearlescent watercolors, & I have long wanted to paint La Negrita.  The original statue is made of black basalt, so I thought she'd like to wear spring colors for a change ;P "The Little Black One" is Costa Rica's patron saint.  A huge proportion of CR's population + pilgrims from around the world participate in an annual pilgrimage to the basilica in which she is housed.  Many make the journey by foot; many crawl the last few kilometers or yards.  This website has an accurate description: http://pocketcultures.com/2012/08/03/costa-rican-annual-pilgrimage-to-honor-la-negrita/

La Negrita is one fascinating element of Costa Rican culture I learned while living there. 

~  The affection most Costa Ricans have for their patron saint is touching.  They speak of her like a good friend.  This is the most important take-home message.  

~  I was thrilled that this revered icon is black.  It begins to make up for the longtime distortion of the images of Jesus the Christ, the apostles, & other historical figures within non-Coptic Christianity.  Most of these people were not Scotch-Irish, Flemish, German, etc., as they are habitually depicted!  And the apostle Paul would not have ridden a horse, since only Roman soldiers were permitted to do so (and being a scofflaw had grave consequences).  I'm such a persnickety historian.  If you don't like it, just enjoy my picture & stop reading :)

~  I love the story that a little girl found her.  What would have happened if she hadn't given the "doll" to a priest?  

~  I have long been fascinated by enormous gatherings of humans for faith purposes.   "Miracle shrines" are also interesting.  In the basilica where La Negrita is housed, for example, numerous people have left behind crutches, neck braces, & other appurtenances of suffering healed.  Although science shows that some brains are more hard-wired for spirituality than others, this primal drive is undeniably encoded in our being.  Why?  What makes us do these things, especially when it often costs time & money?  How do "miraculous" healings happen?  Why don't other animals seem to share this propensity?  Why do many people insist that their faith's miracles are valid but those of other faiths are mere superstition?  How fast is this viewpoint shifting?  Why do we go on pilgrimage?  Could I consider it a "pilgrimage" to visit, for example, an illustrated copy of The Canterbury Tales in Middle English?  That was pretty special, too.  I was allowed  - under supervision -  to turn pages, but I had to wear white kid gloves.  In other words, what constitutes a "pilgrimage"?  For my fellow Montanans: What did John Wayne mean when he said, "Allright, Pilgrim..."?  That was the common nickname for homesteaders.

~  Despite what I know about history, theology, teleology, ontology, & other faiths/cultures, I still feel an overwhelming beauty in the power of sacred places, icons (including idols), music, gatherings, and so forth.  I sometimes attend various churches, & I always cry when we sing together.  My judgements based in history, etc. are suspended.

MAY YOU ENJOY THE COLLECTIVE VIBE OF FAITH GATHERINGS

Indian Writing

5.1 cm x 7.6 cm, 2B graphite & Not-2B eraser ;P

February 2016

From photos I took

"Indian Writing" would be a nice companion piece for "Steady Hand" (see Feb. 20 post).

The first two items are from photos I took at a heritage village, DakshinaChitra, on the Coromandel Coast of Tamil Nadu, South India:

~  an old writing tool (made of wood & metal, looks like a combination switchblade & hoof pick)

~  an old "book" of bamboo slats, bundled in its mid-section with a silk cord and sandwiched between two boards of elaborately carved wood

I don't know which language is written in the book.  I do know that some ancient Indian languages  - including Tamil -  were originally written on palm leaves.  Tamil, one of the most common languages of South India, is one of the oldest languages on the planet, yet it's still spoken by about eighty million people around the globe!

The writing tool was mounted to the wall on a plastic plate.  It was held open with fishing line (you can see its straight lines in the drawing) wrapped around a plastic knob (lower right corner of the mounting).  One thing I like about Indian museums I've visited is their resourcefulness in building displays.

The book was resting on a small plastic shelf, but I drew it as resting atop a stone.  A stone I saw somewhere else.

~  The stone is part of Kailasanatha Temple in Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu.  This temple was built in the 8th Century CE.  Nearly every surface of it has elaborate carvings of images & of script.  Yet none of it is guarded by "cinema rope" or anything.  Most of its outer sanctum & fifty-eight smaller shrines are exposed to the weather & to people.  A behemoth, ancient work of art, left unprotected because it is still a living temple.  It contains a symbolic passage for circumambulating.  If you want to know the meaning, you will have to either visit or ask me ;)  If you think circumambulating is silly, quaint, or atavistic, you should get yourself over to the labyrinth at St Andrews Church on 24th St W (Billings, Montana) & just try it!  You will surely discover something.

I was thrilled out of my gourd when our guide pointed to this stone  - and other parts of the temple -  and told us that the script carved into it is in Pali.  Oh what a thrill!  Why is this so arresting?

1) Pali is the language of the Theravada Buddhist canon, the first known documentation (1st Century BCE) of the historical Buddha's oral teachings.  The Buddha wanted people to transmit his teachings in their own tongues instead of using Sanskrit, the language of scholars & of the priestly class.  Truly a man of the people.  The joy of seeing Pali was akin to the joy I would feel at seeing Aramaic, the language spoken by Jesus the Christ in a time when scholars & clerics used Greek & Hebrew.

2)  Pali had non-aspirated consonants, so it would have sounded very, very soft to the ears.  You can hear 14 seconds' worth here:  http://www.omniglot.com/soundfiles/smp_pali.mp3.  One thing that always strikes me about so many Dravidian people is the extraordinary softness in their speech and movements.  It's contagious.  I soften there.  On the last trip it started the moment I stepped out of the airport & smelled burning Water Buffalo dung / cow dung.  South Indians say "Slowly" quite often, a gentle reminder similar to Costa Ricans' "Tranquilo", but I have seen some running... in bare feet... on stone.  The day after I first ran & danced barefoot on marble, my heels were so painfully bruised I could hardly walk.  I never had that problem again because I've adopted that wonderful Dravidian softness... at least while I'm there.

Above the book at DakshinaChitra was a sign whose words & font I copied in this drawing.  I found it interesting that the sign was in English, one of a handful of linguae francae in India (with 23 official national languages).  I also get a kick out of the juxtaposition of "Please Do Not Touch The Exhibits" & all the historical objects & places that don't make this request.  I question reliance on our decent upbringing ;P

MAY YOU BE AWARE OF YOUR CONNECTION WITH ANCESTORS

MAY YOU RELAX INTO SOFTNESS IN YOUR BODY & HEART 

Keeping an Eye on You

 13 1/2" x 10 1/2", watercolor & watercolor pencil, December 2008

From a photo I took

I wondered if this Great Green Macaw, its beak tucked under its right wing, was trying to sleep.  I don't see how they can sleep, since they're so noisy! 

  My dad often said, w/ a wink & a smile, "Someone's always gotta keep an eye on you."  So even today, when I focus on the eye of a creature, I remember this & feel Dad's loving presence :))  And I get why he would think that....

My husband, his daughter, & I were illegal immigrants for about ten minutes when we entered Panama (en el camino to the Bocas del Toro Archipelago).  After passing inspection at the first passport-inspector, the next border guard denied us passage unless we had proof that we would return to Costa Rica.  What to do?  We had already walked  - carefully! -  across the dilapidated bridge into Panama (which quite a few Latinas glided across with surprising grace & aplomb in their stiletto heels).  

A helpful Panamanian told us we could go to a nearby kiosk & buy a bus pass, good for the rest of our lives.   A meager amount of dollars later, we presented our bus passes to the same border guard, who waved us through.  The same stranger who told us about the bus pass kiosk offered to lend me his jacket for the three days we would be in "Bocas" because it gets cold at night.  He also phoned the shack at the über-rustic boat dock, asked for me by name, and said he was calling to make sure we were being taken care of & didn't need anything.  This gentleman made up for the chap in the passport office who reproached Em & I for the USA's attack on Panama City... when I was at university & she was a small child.

Stay tuned for artworks that tell more true stories:

~   of how singing "Buffalo Soldier" along w/ a crazy-behaving person in Bocas made him smile warmly... then go away {Moral of the story: You never know what snippet of experience or knowledge you have that will help you in the future; life itself is education!}

~  of an even more nervy border crossing from Nicaragua to Costa Rica; being called into the border station for questioning because they thought I was taking a $20,000 cultural antiquity out of the country; the relief & bonhomie everyone in the station felt when we figured out my mistake {Moral of the story: Take whatever happens to you in good faith, & remember when the culture you're in uses commas vs periods!}  [The Nicaragua series (yeah, there are more cool stories) will probably be "framed" in cigar boxes.  There's a reason for that ;)  BTW nobody asked about the $4,000 hammock!]

~  of the 14+-hour flight from Dulles (in D.C.) to Dubai, seated between two Afghani brothers who treated me like a queen... we prayed together, sang, & laughed our heads off for hours {Moral of the story: Prepare, at all times, to be delighted.  "Nothing is exactly as it seems, nor is it otherwise."  - Alan Watts}

Metric tonnes of true stories are clamoring to come out of me!  They're drivin' me nuts!  But now that I've given them some airtime here, they will relax so I can make more art (whew!)....

MAY YOU NOTICE THE BEAUTY OF THIS WORLD & THE GOODNESS IN PEOPLE 

Hope is the thing with feathers

watercolor & watercolor pencil, 2009

size: ? I don't know.  Given as a greeting card to someone.

from a photo I took in our yard

"'Hope' is the thing with feathers -

That perches in the soul -

And sings the tune without the words -

And never stops  - at all-

And sweetest  - in the Gale -  is heard - 

And sore must be the storm -

That could abash the little Bird

That kept so many warm -

I've heard it in the chillest land - 

And on the strangest Sea - 

Yet  - never -  in Extremity,

It asked a crumb  - of me."

- Emily Dickinson

from The Poems of Emily Dickinson, edit. R.W. Franklin, Harvard University Press, 1999

This is one of my favorite graces for mealtime/anytime: giving thanks for things in nature that don't demand anything of us.  

Provocative question: Does the universe operate on a quid pro quo basis?  Does your conclusion carry a prescription for how we should operate as humans?  How does this inform our relationship with the Divine?

I chose the Black-capped Chickadee for this poem because of (besides its Cute Factor) its remarkable ability to regulate its body temperature.  You could look it up ;)

Holding Her Station

24.2 cm x 32.7 cm soft pastel, May 2007

From my mind.  I have since learned that a bullfighter does not wear a flouncy scarf.  But I would ;P

Originally I made "Holding Her Station" to describe my overall feeling while being groomed to assume directorship of a prestigious, international, private, K-12 school in Costa Rica.  I had never lived outside of the USA, had a paltry command of Spanish (though I needed that as well as French, Russian, etc.), & was in a job w/ more challenges than I had encountered since puberty.  My characteristic, lifelong hiccups disappeared for two weeks!  But I felt so alive.  I felt like I was contributing in some bumbling manner, walking w/ a positive footprint... and standing in my suit of lights, facing El Toro (challenges).  You can see the "Whoosh!" of the air above my red cape.

{BTW while doing this piece, I thought that a toreador suit would make a fabulous (& highly visible) cycling kit!  Pearl Izumi said they would evaluate a design if it was patented.  There's an idea for you, anyone who wants to do this.  Just please make a woman-shaped version of it, too.  And notify me so I can buy one.}

Now I relate to this piece as a metaphor for facing the slavering bull of managing my time.  A brilliant cellist has curvature of the spine from his work.  A great & influential thinker got carbuncles on his bum from sitting to write his magnum opus.  A master painter had a disastrously messy home.  I am grateful to people like this for their sacrifices for their huge contributions to humanity, but I choose a more balanced, healthful life for myself.

I enjoy connecting w/ people (friends/strangers, in all moods/dispositions).  People delight & energize me.  I enjoy doing useful things, whether vigorous physical labor, serving food to homeless folks, brainstorming/meditating together, or listening to someone unload (or lock 'n' load, since I live in Montana).  This human experience is so unbelievably rich!  

        .... But I'm doing art now.  I've given the last two decades of time/energy to helping/working (w/ & w/out pay) & stepping up to the plate when someone needs something.  These next several years are for Lisa.  I must create art w/ improving proficiency so that I keep my life force; I am sealing the leaks.  I must hold my station every time someone suggests that I should do more of whatever they are doing.  Of course it's so nice to be invited & to know that other people want me around (thank you; I'm fond of you too).  Of course I will continue to step up to the plate for friends, & as the Divine guides me to.   Will my intention be easier to notice if I'm wearing a suit of lights?  

I like the Costa Rican way of stating what one does (for occupation or avocation):  "I dedicate myself to...."  ¡Y así, me dedico al arte hasta nuevo aviso!

¡MAY YOU DISCOVER & RUN WITH YOUR PASSION!

¡PUEDE QUE DESCUBRA Y CORRER CON SU PASION!

No Ordinary Ride

2" x 2" 2B graphite (& Not-2B eraser)

From a photo taken by Kristi Drake

This is also going into the Sunrise Gallery Miniature Artworks show.  A magnifying glass reveals cool details (the expression & action of the walking figure, the textured design of the iron streetlamp, the topiary in front of the building, etc.).   "No Ordinary Ride" shows me on an ordinary; all other elements are from my imagination.  See my post "Too Short for This Ordinary" for the full story.  

I did research images to use (w/ credits, of course), opted not to use them, but want to mention one potential source anyway because I was so jazzed up about what this blogger is getting across:  mcaputo of http://www.hoerrschaudt.com/what-makes-a-great-urban-street/.  I think often about how public spaces are places for social connection, physical activity, & mental vitality.  

May you enjoy these opportunities in my belovéd Billings, Montana :)

Steady Hand

2" x 3", 2B graphite & Not-2B eraser ;P

Detail of a photo taken by Joel Bowers

Finished "Steady Hand" last night.    

It will be in the Miniature Artworks Show @ Sunrise Studio & Art Gallery (2923 Montana Ave) February 22 - March 7.  Come watch us actually work on art & meet the artists @ the artists' reception February 25, 6:00 - 9:00pm... & bring a magnifying glass!  

"Steady Hand" is from a photo my wonderful husband took in Nov. 2012, in Tamil Nadu, South India.  At 10:30am our friend Vijayji told me that extra digits are very auspicious in Dravidian culture.  Excited that their culture values this anomaly instead of cutting them off, I prayed for the sight of this.  4:30pm I noticed that the artist painting mendhi on my right hand/arm had a vestigial "thumb"  - no knuckles, nail, or prints -  on his right hand.  This drawing shows the moment I noticed (I remember how much of the design he had applied already).  I noticed mainly because of the facial expressions of Vijay Vijaysan!  BTW if you go to Chennai, you'll want to know Vijay, so ask me.

The Divine DOES respond to our prayers/intentions!!  And it doesn't have to be about something "noble" such as "make me more patient"!  Prayers can be "answered" so fast, in ways you didn't expect... so PAY ATTENTION :)

The script in the upper right-hand corner is in Tamil.  It says, "mendhi 80 rupees". 

Notice the perspective; the artist's toe in the lower left corner is a clue.  Which knee is my wrist resting on?  Whose hand is supporting the top hand to steady it?  What is his right pinky finger braced against to provide more stability?  Did I do a decent job of drawing a gold-foil mendhi holder (shaped like a cake decorator) in graphite?

This is the debut of my new signature.  The four dots over the "i" represent the Trapezium in the Orion Nebula.  This is gravid with symbolism & actual amazing facts.  But that's a whole 'nother essay.  Ask me if you want to know.  I will answer you during office hours :)

My Calliope

14" x 17", Colored pencil (some metallic) & metallic gold pen, February 2016
From a photo (I've taken liberties with) on this website: http://thc.utah.edu/lectures-programs/past-lectures/Allende.php

My favorite fiction author, Isabel Allende.  

The symbolism:

Main motif: Calliope Hummingbird.  Calliope = Greek muse of eloquence and epic poetry; the most assertive muse.  The male Calliope Hummingbird has a brilliantly-colored gorget.  This pattern of specialized throat feathers erects during courtship and territorial behaviors.  Although this is the smallest bird in North America and the smallest long-distance avian migrant in the world, and although males aren't usually aggressive toward other species, they are extremely aggressive toward other male Calliopes during breeding season and have been observed chasing large hawks!  Allende eloquently speaks her mind in epic style.  She's also a social activist, particularly in the realm of female issues across the globe.  In this drawing, there are two different Calliope gorget patterns repeated in the wallpaper, in Allende's skirt, and featured as a pendant at her throat. Her hair mimics some shapes in the gorget patterns (or do they mimic her?).  

Allende is way prettier than I have depicted (just wait 'til I gain some skill).  While I was drawing Allende's eyelashes in this portrait, I had memories of being late for classes  - while at university, nearly thirty years ago -  because I had "mascara accidents".  The only way to get your eyelashes to separate is to use a tool.  If you accidentally poked yourself in the eye, the eye would water so much that all the mascara you had already applied would cry right off, and you had to dab it thoroughly and wait for the eye to stop watering to reapply it, now a bit nervous about the tool.  After dipping into this memory, I realized too late that I had made the subject's eyelashes very unrealistic-looking.  Perfect.  This is what we women do... on purpose.  I think I'll wear makeup next Thursday (no tool this time)....

I changed the colors of her attire & background for symbolic reasons I'm sure Allende would like.  I made the way she is holding one of her books with its spine facing that hand, i.e., she is looking at the back of the book.  I imagine that she's feeling a surge of vitality after reading the words "crackles with action" in a comment from the Forth Worth Star-Telegram.  

I saw my rudimentary sketches of Calliope Hummingbirds as a chance to introduce layers of alternate planes of reality into this piece, since Allende's style is often described as "magical realism".  The bird above the quote at her right shoulder has a very assertive look to his eye and posture.  He appears to be part of the wallpaper, but also part of the wood-framed quote hanging on the wall.  The bird at her right shoulder is active, too, flying toward her with a more friendly eye, as if he is eager to tell her something (muse aspect, male voice).  The bird below her elbow is gazing directly at the viewer, at rest, as is Allende herself.  One commenter said it's an "'I told you so' look".  I like that.  There is a less-detailed (more in mystical realm) female (no gorget) incorporated into the wallpaper behind the direct-gazing bird.  She is active, but flying away and behind the scenes.  She is quietly carrying out the work of Allende's voice, both through eloquent words and her non-profit foundation.  The female (no gorget) above her left shoulder is whispering in my fave author's ear (muse aspect, female voice).  The male birds represent the yang way of working in the world (tangible, active, direct, using force, making things happen); the females represent the yin way of working in the world (mystical, subtle, indirect, using appropriate timing).  Both are needed; both are beneficial.  BTW this is about qualities, not gender.  Everyone contains both types of qualities.  Many people are born w/ physical qualities of both; see http://www.isna.org/faq/frequency to get an idea how common this is.  More on that later; this post is about this pencil painting.

BTW, it's meaningful/beautiful to me that I remember learning the word "calliope" (in reference to the music machine on wheels) from my father when I was a kid.  Many years later, I love the music from Baka Beyond!

MAY YOU HANG OUT WITH YOUR MUSES!