You can make a Difference if you don't Give Up

"Tansy's Pride"

In addition to loving books written about the Depression Era and World War II, I enjoy novels about slavery, especially from the perspective of a slave. Once immersed in the heartaches and hardships that come out of these historical time periods, you can better relate to the families that came after and those in the present day.

Everyone has a different memory of the same event. There were courageous and honest people who helped others and made their own lives count, and there were shallow people whose actions were hateful and spiteful. There were those who committed monstrous acts of violence and treachery that can only be called evil.

In the book "On to Richmond 1861-1862" The second book in the Civil War series written by Ginny Dye, the slave Rose asks her mama "How do you endure? How do I endure, Mama?" Her mother answered: "by going around every obstacle and embracing every hard time as if it were a friend carrying you to your final goal." Talk about positive attitude.

Reading opens up your world. You can gain understanding of other peoples and races. You can learn new skills. Education may expand your thinking and change the way you see your life. With knowledge comes responsibility. Your capacity to change your circumstances and conversely change the world becomes tangible. You can make a difference!

I taught myself to do many things while I raised six children. Each week we selected 10 books from the library that they could share. I also chose a few for myself. I studied writing, I read plays, I created scripts. I went on to study art in all of its forms. I experimented. I grew. I hungered to learn. I think my children caught my enthusiasm because they were full of never-ending questions.

If you're feeling trapped and think that you don't have the time or money for classes or that you'll be stuck in the same rut for the rest of your life, think again. You have it in your hands to create the life you want.

Think creatively. Reach out for help. Don't give up just because your life doesn't fit in with the pattern of others. Like the slave Rose learned from her mama, "embrace every obstacle, every hard time as if it were a friend carrying you to your final goal."

Nothing worthwhile is easy. You've probably heard that many times. It's easy to give up. You give into your fears, your imperfections, your lack of self-confidence. But you don't have to! Your state of mind determines where you go in life and how you end up. Take the reins of your thoughts and accomplish what God intended for you.

Norman Vincent Peale a famous Pastor and the author of many motivational books wrote this challenge in "Positive Thinking for Every Day of the Year:"

"Are you going to live all your life and never feel the presence of God?"

I issue a similar challenge. Are you going to live the rest of your life never feeling the exhilaration of overcoming weakness or the power that comes from self-control? Be in charge of your life. Don't succumb to indifference, laziness or fear.

The painting below is the first coat of paint on a gesso board. You can still see the white gesso show through in come places. I will show this work-in-progress over the next few weeks.

(Work in Progress)

Those Inevitable Signs of Aging: Cellulite, Age Spots, and Wrinkles!

"Emma" a drawing I did for her 93rd birthday

The ugly truth is out! Unless you have a bank account like Jane Fonda or Cher, eventually you’re going to fade, rumple and sag. The time will come when you can’t hide your age behind a Mu Mu or a Caftan. Bye and bye gravity takes its toll.

The idea for this article came to me while I was ironing. It’s a chore I hate and one I do as little of as possible; but, hey, the fashions of spring and summer seem to require a good press in spite of the “no fuss” labels.

If there's any compensation for pressing out those wrinkles, it has to be the upper arm exercise required to push my outdated steel steam iron across my tottering ironing board. They’re both almost as old as I am.

"A Joyful Heart" 9 x 12 pastel drawing

When elephants get wrinkled and leathery it’s quite fashionable. Their tough skinned outer wrapping protects them from assault and predators. Unlike human beings, the oldest elephants in the herd are given respect and power. They’re not ignored or put out to pasture just because their old.

Older people are difficult to draw or paint. Some artists use lines for wrinkles which makes them harsher and more unattractive than they need to be. Shading will produce a more subtle result. By highlighting the highest skin areas on either side of the shading, you get a softer wrinkle.

"Pansy's Pride" 9 x 12 pastel drawing

My husband and I recently had our photograph taken. The photographer asked us if we’d like a “touch up.”

“How much?” I asked him.

“$60,” he quipped; “but it will remove spots, wrinkles, and even the sag under your chin.

Humph, I thought to myself. The proofs looked pretty good to me. 

“I want my children and grandchildren to recognize me,” I said as I added a disgusted “No, thanks!”

Why are we so afraid of aging? Why do we treat our seniors and middle-aged population as if they were no longer worthy? No longer capable of holding a job?  

We should equate aging with wisdom. Knowledge and experience are nothing to sneeze at.

I’m saddened by our youth obsessed culture. The young and the beautiful seem to live from one high to the next either drug induced or through exaggerated self adulation. The newspapers record their escapades and their fall as if none of it really matters, but it does.

We only have one life to live. I for one am trying to make the most of it – wrinkles, sags and all!

(My sweetie and I "warts and all!)

Self-confidence supports and propels, but is it enough?

"Hibiscus Glory" 16 x 20 oil on canvas (SOLD) Prints available

I was struck by the comments of my favorite artist and blogger Robert Genn in his last newsletter.

“A recent issue of the New Yorker Magazine had a cartoon titled "Faith-based cooking." The example they gave was a faith-based tuna casserole. "I got the recipe from the Internet," says a frazzled woman holding up her dish. "We didn't have any tuna so I used yesterday's leftover Chinese takeout. It should still be okay". 

"The cartoon reminded me of a friend who painted only one painting in his entire life. He was a businessman--a very successful one--who told me he didn't know anything about painting but that he had it in him to paint a magnificent one. I bought him everything he needed, including a giant canvas I primed for him. "I don't actually know what I'm doing," he admitted, "but I have faith I can do it and faith will be enough".

"Blending In" 12 x 16 acrylic on panel in barnwood frame

Genn continues: "The painting, long since lost to posterity, was pretty bad on most levels. It was done after Botticelli's Venus except there were many more Venuses. It was so bad that ordinary people had trouble looking directly at it. It was so bad I don't think a top notch New York art dealer could have got a bid on it. 

"To be fair to my friend, when he was not making money he often traveled to the great art museums. He could talk authoritatively about Caravaggio, Daumier and David--three of his favorites. But when it came to the art of drawing or mixing a sophisticated grey, he was running on a low tank of faith. 

"Now you know I'm not one to debunk faith. Strength of purpose and human confidence arise from it. Without faith, no one would take a chance on anything. But faith has to be built on some greater knowledge, some understanding of ingredients, things that actually interact and work with one another and methodology that has, if not provable, likely results. Throwing in yesterday's Chinese takeout to make a tuna casserole just won't cut it.”

"Home At Last" acrylic on 16 x 20 panel

Robert Genn is a master. He knows what he’s talking about. Wanting something is one thing. Actually accomplishing or mastering a skill is another. Wishing will never replace the constant effort of practice, learning and knowledge. Pretending may make us feel good, but in the end the prize goes to those who actually run the race, struggle to overcome, and then win.

If you’re putting in your time, don’t be discouraged. There is always a learning curve and darkness before the dawn. Don’t wave the white flag of defeat just yet. Keep at it and eventually you will achieve your dreams!

"Kelly's Rose" 12 x 16 oil on board

Will Libraries be Obsolete in 2020 and beyond?

"An Open Book" acrylic on canvas SOLD (prints available)

I haven’t checked out a library book since I purchased my Kindle a few years back. I must say, my experience was a refreshing change. I’m more at home in a library than anywhere else in the world next to a paint store or an Office Depot.

I love the smell of books, the excitement of having the world at your fingertips, and the thrall of people with the same sense of drama. Today was no exception. Our library is adjacent to the local high school, and is home to a poor but diverse community.

"Broken" mixed media on canvas SOLD (Prints available)

On this Saturday, every computer, every chair, every table was filled with students and adults reading magazines or searching for books, and parents helping their children find books for themselves. Movies were being checked out in abundance. Non-fiction books seemed more popular than fiction.

I was struck by how vital a library is to a community; especially one with few resources. I sensed that this weekly or monthly trip to the library was an exciting part of each family’s agenda. Eager smiling faces added to the vibrancy that filled the building.

I waited in line with my books: two on pastel techniques, and two on general basics; my way of taking a refresher course in between regular painting sessions and classes. A woman next to me said, “Oh, you’re an artist, too!” Then she proceeded to tell me all about the class she was taking and how she picked up some books to reinforce what she was learning.

"Victims of War" mixed media on canvas

I hope the public library will always be with us. It meant so much to me as a child. I’d walk a few streets on my own and spend the whole afternoon in its warm embrace reading books, sniffing their wonderful pages, and settling into an imaginative world that took me from my small town roots into an adventure with other worlds and cultures.

In some regions, they are already phasing out the library as we know it. Books are being replaced by computers and digital books. You can download books and never have to return them. It seems to be catching on.

I’m sad for the children who will never experience what it feels like to curl up with a real book and smell the wonder of its pages. As a child, I’d sneak a flashlight into bed. After my mother left the room, I’d read under cover for as long as I could. When she discovered my secret, the magic ended, but not my love for books.

"Fish Market" acrylic on canvas; Uganda

That day in the library, I was happy to see parents and children who still had the excitement of books written on their faces. They renewed my hope in America and in the world. Hunger and thirst for knowledge is a good thing. I hope we never lose it!

The freedom to ask questions and search for answers is what keeps us alive and thriving. Without it, we would become puppets of the state and emotional zombies unable to appreciate a world of wonder and beauty.

"A Joyful Heart" 9 x 12 pastel on Bristol; man from Uganda