The Holidays are not always Merry and Jolly

Christmas Lights and Gates within Gateway

The Holidays are difficult for many of us. My children happen to live in the far corners of the U.S. and I see them infrequently. Of course that makes me sad. I almost died one Christmas which was the precursor to a divorce that also clouds the holidays. But let me explain.

It was Christmas time. The freshly cut spruce we had purchased days before was decorated and waiting. My baking was complete; our freezer loaded with cookie trays for friends and casseroles for company and unexpected guests. I was on my last round of cleaning, adding the final spit and polish that “make the season bright.”

We wrap our palm trees in twinkle lights

Two things happened that day to add to the confusion: 1) I banged my wedding ring finger on a table and wondered if I'd broken it, and 2) I cleaned ever-so-efficiently behind the toilet bowl in our guest bathroom. At the time, a strong stinging sensation in my finger caused me to pull my sudsy hand back. It was the same finger I'd banged earlier. On my initial examination, the skin had been unmarred. Now the water-soaked skin had a slight abrasion or opening in the flesh.

I shrugged and finished my scrubbing. I was taking the kids to a holiday movie and put the events of the day out of my mind. Half-way through the movie, I was in a fit of agony. My finger felt like it was on fire, but its temperature was as cold as ice. What was going on? To make a very long story short, the continued pain sent me to three different hospitals over the course of the holiday weekend. A medic cut off my wedding ring as it cut into my flesh and restricted blood flow. An x-ray revealed there was no break. Puzzled, the nurse on duty sent me home and told me to soak my finger.

Love these tall graceful palms wrapped in lights!

At the next ER, I was feeling extremely ill. They asked if I'd been bitten by a spider, but I had no recall of such. On the surface, the finger didn't look that bad, nothing to warrant such pain. They sent me home with more instructions, none of which helped.

A third trip to another ER in the middle of the night proved as useless. While there, my whole body became immobile. I couldn't blink. I couldn't speak. I couldn't move one solitary muscle. I heard them say I had probably hyperventilated. It would pass. They sent me home. I was given no medication or antibiotic on any of these visits.

On Monday, I saw my own medical doctor. By this time a bright red streak ran from my finger to under my arm. My skin had a yellow cast, and my gums were purple. The doctor pronounced: "blood poisoning,” and asked again:” Are you sure you weren't bitten by an insect? " None that I could recall, I told him. When I mentioned the diagnosis of hyperventilation, he shook his head. "You were probably going into convulsion,” he said.

My ultimate favorite: a southern oak tree wrapped in lights. Spectacular!

I was placed in a private hospital room, and x-rays were ordered for my heart and lungs. The doctor had prescribed a complex antibiotic IV drip, but since the hospital was under staffed, they waited for my IV, wanting to avoid attaching it and then having to unhook me for x-rays and then having to start it up again. The IV was put off until after my x-rays; a six hour delay as it turned out.

Over the next few days, Gangrene set in my finger. A dermatologist was called in. He was the one that finally recognized my condition as the results of a brown recluse spider bite. He took one look at me, read my record, and said: "You should have been dead in 36 hours." It had been 72 hours before I received my first IV antibiotic drip. If they had known what it was from the beginning, they would have administered cortisone as well.

Moonshines -- Abstract mixed media on canvas (on my online gallery)

After my recovery, I analyzed the holiday puzzle. I remembered seeing tiny spiders in the toilet water during the holiday week and wondered how they got there? We later concluded there must have been a spider's nest behind the tank. So much for thorough cleaning! 

I never repaired my wedding ring or put it on after that. I looked upon it as a foreshadowing of what was to come. In spite of the good things that have happened to me since, whenever Christmas rolls around, I remember my near death experience, a separation and a divorce that became imminent one holiday long ago.

A Sandhill Crane in my neighborhood painted on black. Christmas Colors!

“Too much stuff” -- and More!

"Kindred Spirits II" 24x30 acrylic on canvas Today’s Guest Blogger is Robert Genn* Recently, Ed Kissane of Wantagh, New York wrote, "I'm constantly fighting a flood of paper that comes into my life. I have a bedroom and a studio and I try to keep the areas clear, but it grows every day like a giant amoeba. I try to downsize but I'm losing. The piles of paper diminish my time at the easel. (Magazines, book reviews, etc.) There is always something to read and once again the creative moments lose out. Any suggestions?" Thanks, Ed. Whenever I hear this one I think "avoidance system." I once knew a painter who subscribed to all the magazines, including ones in foreign languages he didn't understand. His wholesale subscriptions kept him easel-free for several decades. One day he thought he might paint, but it was too late. That night he subscribed to the big bundle in the sky. "Moody Blues" 16x20 oil on acrylic underpainting canvas  For self-employed artists, desire needs to trump distraction. Even regular checks in the mail shouldn't hinder an artist from his self-appointed rounds. There's something else as well. Too many art magazines may be bad for you. It's great to keep informed of the latest trends in New York, London and Paris, but what about the trending of your own creativity? Too much awareness of what's out there can give an artist a dose of, "What's the use? If everybody else is so wonderful, what chance is there for little old me?" "Kindred Spirits I" 24x30 acrylic on canvas How does one act against these common self-destructive tendencies? Taking into account that personal progress may have something to do with available talent or ego-drive, here are a few ideas: ·         Begin work before you're fully awake. ·         Name and claim your own creative processes. ·         Fall in love with your daily work habits. ·         Take time for creative novelty and exploration. ·         Teach yourself the arts of multitask and multi-track. ·         Alternate energetic activity with relaxation and calm. ·         Live in the work of your own making, not that of others. ·         Pencil in projects and set the unconscious mind turning. ·         Have your magazines delivered somewhere else. The story of individual progress is largely one of moving from the business of being entertained to the business of entertaining yourself. Blessed are those whose main entertainment is their work. "First Daffodil" 16x20 acrylic on canvas PS  Esoterica: I'm laptopping you from Yu Yuan (Garden of Peace and Comfort) in Shanghai, China. Koi circle among the yellow and white lotus as a rhododendron drops petals, forming a miniature fleet that moves slowly away on the stillness of the pond. A green heron waits for my thoughts from a nearby rocky ledge, and I'm remembering a kiosk just outside the dragon wall hawking magazines and newspapers printed in Mandarin and Cantonese. Alone in this inner fragrance, I'm considering the nature of passion. Featured Responses: Alternative to the instant Live Comments, Featured Responses are illustrated and edited for content. If you would like to submit your own for possible inclusion, please do so. Just click 'reply' on this letter or write to rgenn@saraphina.com

*(c) Copyright 2013 Robert Genn. If you wish to copy this material to other publications or mail lists, please ask for permission by writing rgenn@saraphina.com. Thanks for your friendship.

Five More Things from Milton Glaser’s Book

"Skudeneshavn Norway" 16x20 Commission SOLD (Prints available)

I have never done anything in my life the easy way. Art is no exception. After spending half my life marrying young, raising six children, working as an office manager and then a free-lance writer/consultant, I came to art in my thirties. Unable to finish college because of my children’s university expenses, I struggled on my own with the help of the Public Library and some inspirational art teachers.

My interpretation of the “10 Things I have Learned—The Secret of Art” by Milton Glaser continues.

"Inset Kirke" Original Sold (prints available)

Glaser’s book seems to be designed for those who had the money and encouragement to attend University and study abroad. It is designed for those who plan from the start to pursue a career in art or design. But there are things every artist can learn from his observations:

1.    Style is not to be trusted. Life is not static. It is in constant flux and usually unpredictable. That’s what you never want your style to become; predictable. If it does, your buyers will get bored; your work may become dated and obsolete. Glaser’s example was the famous bull painted by Picasso. Several versions were made, each a variation of the other beginning with realism and ending up with abstraction and a simple line. Each was unique, each a different style by the same artist.

Glaser’s point? “Anybody who is in this for the long haul has to decide how to respond to change in the present moment (zeitgeist). What is it that people now expect that they formerly didn’t want? How do you respond to that desire in a way that doesn’t change your sense of integrity and purpose?”

"Vikeholmen Lighthouse--Skudeneshavn, Norway" 16x20 Acrylic on canvas

2. How you live changes your brain. This statement almost sounds Biblical; “as a man thinks in his heart so is he.” (Prov. 23:7). Mahatma Gandhi put it this way: “A man is but the product of his thoughts; what he thinks, he becomes.” Ralph Waldo Emerson said: “A man is what he thinks about all day long.” Drawing each day changes the brain. Repetition and programming improves cognition. Your actions may literally change how you see things.
   
3. Doubt is better than certainty. “You just have to know what to compromise,” said Glaser. “Blind pursuit of your own ends which excludes the possibility that others may be right does not allow for the fact that in design we are always dealing with a triad – the client, the audience and you.” My interpretation: Being open and teachable is more important than being right all the time.
   
4. On aging Glaser said: “It doesn't matter!” I’ll go with that!
   
5. Tell the truth. If you’re in business, and art is a business, you must stand by your product, your word, and your promise. When you accept a commission or a project, you should seek to fulfill it. Customer satisfaction should be uppermost in your mind. You should go beyond what is expected and offer your customer some additional incentives for buying from you; free cards, a copy of preliminary sketches of the painting, or other gifts of appreciation. Never deceive a customer if you want a repeat customer.

"Egret Reflections" acrylic on canvas SOLD (prints available)

Featured Artist:

Kandy Cross, a teacher of art and art history who has since been fortunate enough to live near the sea, visit many of the places written down on her bucket list, and paint within the Mediterranean and Caribbean-inspired areas visited across the globe. Shown is the painting “Boats at Burano” and a link to Kandy’s online gallery.

http://kandy-cross.artistwebsites.com/featured/boats-at-burano-kandy-cross.html