What Mark are you Leaving on Earth for others to Follow?

"Sea Breeze" 30 x 24 acrylic wrapped canvas

People are so predictable. When the forest fires rage along the highways and hinterlands, we pray for rain. And what do we get? A deluge! Then we pray for the rain to abate, and the interior once again grows ripe for lightening strikes and more fires. The cycle of nature and of our whims is relentless.

In nearby Naples, flooding has contaminated waters and inundated roads, lawns and ditches. Tow trucks are having a heyday pulling vehicles from low lying areas and storm drains. Firemen are busy in the dry season, and auto shops and insurance companies thrive when it’s wet. When the citizens mourn, somebody always makes a good living.

Work-in-Progress #1

 Summer brings red tides and algae blooms both of which are toxic and dangerous. Every season, no matter where you live has its challenges. When summer is gone and the fear of hurricanes disappears, there are frosts to contend with that threaten orange trees and winter crops. We humans must adapt to changing environments and learn how to cope.

All of this is normal, even though, for us, it may be the first time we’ve experienced such drastic ups and downs. 

Work-in-Progress #2

History reminds us that there were similar or worse storms to face by our ancestors. Pioneers in early America fought off wolves and wild animals when they settled. They fought crop damage, hailstorms, fire and flood just as we do. But they pushed on, in spite of the pain. They lost much, but they started over. During their short lives their accomplishments overwhelm us.

Our forebears paved the way for all of us to achieve and aspire. 

Work-in-Progress #4

Famous American artists recorded the emotions and importance of what was happening around them: Winslow Homer, John Singer Sargent, John Whistler, Grant Wood, Georgia, O’Keeffe, Edward Hopper, Norman Rockwell, Andrew Wyeth, Thomas Hart Benton, and Andy Warhol  to name only a few.

Looking back we may see the whole rather than the nuance or out-of-context parts of the story. History can teach us about ourselves and about the truth of our lives. Facts separate themselves from fiction and provide a clearer picture of what was rather than simply innuendo.

Artist Winslow Homer

Artist Winslow Homer

Artist Edward Hopper

What will your generation’s history tell others about you? Will your achievements offer hope and promise to those who come after? Are you setting a firm foundation that will provide guidance and strength for others to follow? Will the coming America be better than the last century? Are you building bridges to the future or stumbling blocks?

Artist John Singer Sargent

Stepping out of Your Comfort Zone

"Hey, Coconut Mon!" mixed media on canvas

When we’re young, we test the rules and skirt the ragged edge of danger. We experiment. We try on different styles and personalities. Some of us flaunt the rules and go into the unknown only to reap the consequences of our experimentation. But for most of us, somewhere along the way, we settle into what seems right and comfortable.

Don’t you wish that for a brief moment you could step out of the present paradigm and slip into another? Do you wish you were more daring and less predictable? A few days ago I decided to give it a go. I had a vague notion of what I wanted on canvas. I made no sketches. I didn’t even test the waters of my idea.

Work-in-Progress "Sea Breazes" acrylic on 30 x 24 wrapped canvas

I started to brush. It felt good! I slathered on paint and let my muse lead me. Swept along by intuition, I dabbed on color and highlights. Now I’m letting it rest while I contemplate my next move. Will the canvas require more changes? Probably. What will I do if it’s an utter failure? I’ll likely paint over it and start again. We all need to have that feeling of freedom. You know, when you just allow what you have learned and what you yearn for to take over?

If your idea doesn’t bloom and grow, it doesn't matter. You are experimenting with feelings, shapes, color and texture. The context is the story you are trying to tell. My current work-in-progress was inspired by my love for palm trees and my fondness for living near the ocean and the Gulf Coastal regions.

I added more color, but did it work? More contemplation!

The colors are those that I live with every day. I hope I can find the right combination of dazzle and sizzle to make my creation work. I’m calling this piece: “Sea Breezes” because that’s exactly what’s happening as the soft warm air flows across the Gulf through the palm fronds and into my world.

Take time once in awhile to leave your comfortable habits behind and open yourself to discovery. Switch things up. Change your usual canvas size. Go bigger (or smaller). Use a larger brush. Try a new color combination on canvas. Add a collage or two and a smattering of design in the background. The point is to do something different from the norm.

I recommend these books. They will not only inspire you, but dare you to experiment and then show you how: “Experimental Painting” by Lisa L. Cyr; “Art Revolution” by the same author (see Youtube fideo below), and “Journeys to Abstraction” by Sue St. John. 

If you discover something new about yourself in the process, please share it with me. I’d love to hear what happened when you crossed over into that ethereal place where things of wonder are created and magic happens!

"Window" oil on oval canvas