Light Reveals Truth, Darkness Provides a Contrast

"Hibiscus Glory" 16x20 mixed media SOLD; prints available

I was intrigued by a recent study about people’s fears. It was done broadly (worldwide) to see if there were any differences in race or culture. The conclusion was that what people fear most, no matter who they are or where they come from, is darkness.

I wondered if fear was a part of us at birth or if it’s simply human nature to fear what we do not understand or that which is unknown? For whatever reason, the study concluded that most people, most children all around the world fear darkness.

As a Christian, this set my spiritual wheels turning. Scripture declares that every person “that comes into the world” is born with the light of Christ in his heart. (John 1:9 KJV) It would only make sense then that coming from our creator God “trailing clouds of glory,” as Wordsworth put it, we would be afraid of the dark which has always represented evil.

Believers hunger and thirst for light in much the same way that all living things reach for the light. A seedling pushes through the dark earth in search of the life-giving light of the sun that will nourish it and feed it as it grows. Even the lowest of animal forms seeks out light for warmth. On any given morning in Florida, my sidewalk is filled with lizards that crawl out of their dark havens to warm themselves in the light.

Snakes slither from their dark holes in much the same way. They become intoxicated and lethargic as they drink in the warmth of the sun seemingly blinded by the brightness. You can walk right by them and they barely notice.

Darkness is often used as a reference to evil, and good is portrayed as light. Darkness can also be seductive and intriguing. It is more difficult to ignore sin and temptation in the darkness. We are deceived into thinking that darkness somehow hides or “covers” our sin.

Light reveals and exposes truth and evil. No wonder we run from the light when we feel guilty or “bad.” No wonder people, especially children, fear darkness because it leads us into the unknown and may cause us to do bad things.

Darkness also has its own beauty: a starlit sky, the moon glowing through wisps of clouds, the skylights of a city sprinkled across the landscape. Darkness provides contrast. In a painting it’s all about light. The tiniest glow of light against a dark canvas looks even brighter. If the whole composition were light, the objects would appear flat and uninteresting. It is the contrast in color and intensity that gives a painting life.

How an artist handles the play between light and darkness, shadow and changes in value tells you a lot about his or her style. Some creatives like subtle changes and soft values. Others passionately splash color boldly and provide luminous eye-popping light that defines shape and creates depth. In this way darkness can define space and provide a backdrop for light making it glow with luminescence. 

The subject of the composition and its treatment determines whether evil is present or perceived. The color red may also indicate evil if the images are coarse and vulgar. A red rose may also appear holy and beautiful if the petals are delicate and soft. Treatment has as much to do with how evil is perceived as darkness itself.

Study the Masters and see how they contrast light against darkness. Analyze your own reaction to it to see if the painting registers somber, illuminating, inspiring or degrading. Your response indicates the power of darkness to reveal the essence of goodness or of light.

If You’re not having Fun – Re-evaluate your Priorities

"The Neptunes -- Trumpeteers" acrylic on 11 x 14 panel

Some time ago, I began to feel stressed out, pushed, and out of control. I was trying to be all things to all people. Once I started asking myself: “What do you want and need?” I gravitated back to basics and to what I felt were the most important priorities in my life.

We all get lost sometimes. We struggle with peer pressure, with other people’s expectation’s for us, and with simple lack of time. When we rediscover our own power and the freedom that we have to make choices, everything else falls into place.

Next in The Neptunes series: "Octoband" drawing (Marachi theme)

Yes, our choices belong to us. If they don’t, we’re allowing ourselves to be manipulated. Since we are the only one who is accountable for our choices, shouldn’t we be the one making those important life decisions?

Time is money. We’ve all heard that statement. We should live by it. Time is not only valuable, it is essential to our growth. If we can’t manage our time then time (and outside forces) will manage us!

We must harness the power within us to make choices that are right for us. For me that means listening to my heart of hearts and weighing and measuring those things that I consider meaningful and valuable in my life or that will help me promote my professional goals, my family goals, and my eternal goals.

Then comes the hard part: ordering those goals so that they fulfill our emotional, physical and spiritual needs. People are complex. We are not machines owned and operated by chance or fate. We have free will and determination. The power is within us to guide our own lives.

"Stepping Out" pencil drawing (prints available)

Instead of whining about what we don’t have or what we think we can’t do, we should be celebrating life itself. We are free. We can think our own thoughts, feel our own unique emotions, and allow ourselves to be as successful as our dreams.

"I'll never fly again!" from the book: "Inez
Ibis Flies again; the story of a courageous
ibis who never gave up!"

We can conquer fear. We can move forward in spite of deprivation or ill will. Through our thoughts, our choices, our determination, we can soar where we dream. If we link our hopes to a power greater than ourselves, we get a hand up and a hand out to greatness. We can be inspired. We can become.

"Bob White" drawing (prints available)

Perspective -- a Demon That Defines Reality and Depth

"Shimmy Shake" 11x14 mixed media

I have an artist friend who is an expert on perspective. She can spot an error in someone’s painting immediately. She has no trouble with her own artwork because perspective comes so naturally to her.

Others of us must work at it, study it, and practice it before it finally “kicks in.”  I am one of those people. Perspective has been a struggle for me. I remember as a child drawing boxes and three dimensional objects in school. I don’t remember discussing how that relates to eye level, center of interest, and perspective.

"Moonshines" 18x14 mixed media

Some things come naturally to an artist, and some things don’t. Learning from one’s own mistakes and practice are great teachers. Helpful critiques from fellow artists may also save you from making any glaring mistakes. Had I found the following videos early on, I might have “caught on” sooner, rather than later.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpCwVHXvyQk&feature=related  

The lessons are so simple and so easily explained, I wanted to share them with you to save you from learning late as I did. There are many helpful tutorials on YouTube. These are two that make understanding perspective a snap! I hope you enjoy them.

Some of my own paintings are sprinkled throughout this article; examples of the use of this tool. Yes, perspective is a tool that gives a painting depth, life, and reality. Although, I must admit some of my favorite abstract and modern art pushes perspective to the edge and pokes fun of it.

"India Rising -- the Found" 18x24 mixed media

http://youtu.be/WQj57V8v4pI

I adore paintings where the buildings are curved and seem to be tipping over. These are the quirky things that can be done once you understand perspective well enough to “bend the rules.”