Living Waters Undulate, Inundate, and Facinate Artists

"Skudeneshavn Norway" 20 x 16 Oil on canvas

It’s always hard to get ahead of the curve. Just when you think you’re pulling forward, someone or something pulls the plug on you.  Last week it was a leaky roof. Our place is about 17 years old, and one by one, the houses around us have been getting new tile roofs. Now it’s our turn.

Once the water gets through, however minimal, the damage above has already occurred and wood rot begins. We’ve repaired three fascias’ already, and there may be more. But that’s “water under the bridge.” (I couldn’t resist).

When our family lived in Kansas City, we battled water continually. Except for a bedroom for our teenage son, the leaky parts of the basement had prevented us from refurbishing it.

Finally we found a solution to the crack that ran diagonally down one wall. A friend who repaired swimming pools slathered it with a rubber adhesive that sealed any leaks. We were ecstatic.

"Arabesque" 18 x 14 Oil on canvas

After several dry months went by, we painted and laid carpet in our new family room. The children and their friends finally had a place to hang out. And then the spring rains started up with a vengeance. We held our breath, but the patch held.

The rains continued; one of the heaviest downpours in K.C. history. The front window well filled and flooded into the basement, and then another and another. We started a bucket brigade, but couldn’t keep up with the water filling the wells back up again.

We ended up taking out our soggy new carpet and replacing it with area rugs that could be rolled up in a hurry and put away. We dug trenches around the wells and added pipes to draw the water away. We slanted the front yard so the water wouldn’t come towards the house. Alas, nothing worked. A hard rain could still wipe us out in a matter of minutes simply by filling up the window wells.

"Egret Reflections" SOLD/Prints available.

Water is one of the necessities of life we cannot live without. We fear it. We’re drawn to its sparkling surfaces and its shadowy depths. Without water we would perish; and yet, we have difficulty controlling its unpredictable movements and enormous strength.

Recent flooding this summer in the Midwest brought back so many memories. Artists try to capture the violence and beauty of water; its serenity and peace.

How do you make reflections both in the water and on top of it? Small wavelets on the surface create white netting in the sunlight. Depth changes color. Clarity demands a different technique to indicate a translucence that depicts the sandy or rocky bottom below. 

Painting water requires practice. Once you get the hang of it, brushing on water is fun and addictive. 

Water droplets seem almost impossible until you realize that you have to get away from the canvas before they appear realistic. When you learn how to make them, you have to learn when to stop. Too many of them may give your canvas the look of poke a dots.

"Kelly's Rose" (A rose heavy with rain water) 16 x 12 Acrylic on Panel

It is easy to get carried away as you get better and better at painting lakes, seas, oceans, rivers and puddles. Samples of my own work throughout this blog illustrate how you get better at painting water with practice.

“To live a creative life, we must lose our fear of being wrong.”
Joseph Chilton Pearce

I chose the following three artists to demonstrate their personal techniques for water paintings done in acrylics.

Marion Boddy-Evans shows you how to paint water droplets 

@ Marion Boddy-Evans Water Drops

Lori McNee has the best suggestions for painting different types of water 

@ Lori McNee Painting Tips

Mark Waller shows you the fine details and colors that make up the ocean’s surface.

There’s “Nothing new Under the Sun”

"Reggae Night" Acrylic on 18 x 24 canvas (Won Special Recognition, see below)

I was watching a PBS fundraiser featuring music from the Eighties.  All of the colors and geometric patterns of today were alive and well. No matter how advanced and contemporary we believe we are, as the ancient Biblical prophets said in Ecclesiastes 1:9 (NIV):

⁹ What has been will be again,
    what has been done will be done again;
    there is nothing new under the sun.

In most cases, everything has all been said and done before. Our challenge as creators and artists is to take the ideas from the past and remake them into something fresh and exciting. Even contemporary science and technology has its basis in history. Researchers and engineers always build upon the foundation of knowledge and facts established before them.

These molecular building blocks join the past to the present and create promise for the future. You can use these same principles in creating something different and forward thinking from what has worked before. They used to call it “thinking outside the box.” Now they are suggesting we get outside and look within at the interior and find different ways to relate, to see, to think.

(Work-in-Progress "Egrets and Mangroves)

Your own personal perspective generates the diversity and originality of thought that gives you an edge over those who came before you. Your unique skills and experiences shape how you express yourself and define your style. Whether you look within or explore exterior planes, there may be something vital and cutting edge in what you discover.

Being alert to opportunities and emerging trends gives you a head start. There are openings almost everywhere you look. Social media advertises jobs, creative connections and links that may lead to something promising; but along with those ads come risks.

I’ve received an abundance of spam and damaging email links over the past few months; most touting opportunities for jobs or products promising success. Even my medical records were tapped. The up-to-date ways physicians now communicate with patients are being used for profit. I was shocked that my email had been sold to other health advertisers and that the medical portals I once considered sacrosanct were up for grabs.

"Great Egret" 11 x 17 watercolor

Put your own name in a search bar and see how many times it comes up in places you never knew existed. Everywhere you post, comment, and “Like” links back to you. Be alert to scams, dead-end postings and emails. If you have any doubts at all, don’t click on them. They may transfer you to a site where you will be spammed or worse. 

My blog was shut down for several weeks last year from a code I picked up by clicking on one of those links. It took me weeks to track down where the code was embedded on my system. My LinkedIn friends gave me the necessary information to find it and shut it down.

In spite of that there are legitimate sites you can trust and several online contests which prove beneficial. One such place is located at this link:   http://www.art-competition.net/ where I am entered in their March 2016 competition for “Faces.”

I won an “Honorable Mention” for my painting “Reggae Night” shown above, and several weeks of Special Recognition along with other winners at this site: https://www.lightspacetime.com/ Give it a go!

Here are some other verified and authentic contest sites you may want to try:

http://www.theartlist.com/    http://www.asingularcreation.com/calls-to-artists.php http://www.myartcontest.com/  

"Beach Buddies" Oil on 20 x 16 canvas. . .popular with many buyers.

Are you Satisfied with Average?

Key West Sunset

Water is so relaxing. Hearing it tumble over rocks, flow into rivers, trickle into brooks and streams is the best way I know to fall asleep. Its movements can also be hypnotizing as you watch the way it rumbles and rolls over hills or slowly meanders into low-lying crevices and gullies.

Water follows the path of least resistance. It doesn’t run up hill without a fight. We can learn a lot about life by watching this liquid essence travel. What keeps it going?

1.    A strong source

2.    A Constancy

3.    A Tenacity

4.    A Clarity

The same vital traits you and I need to keep pushing ahead. Without them we would sink to the lowest level and settle into the comfortable ruts of familiarity. With them we can rise to the highest level of our abilities.

Effort is nothing more than a methodical plodding toward your end goal. There is nothing magic about achievement. It is hard work made visible. Sometimes it’s luck; but without the talent and skill to back it up, overnight success may be exposed for what it is – a sham.

"Mount Rainier"

Where is your source, your fountain of inspiration? Where does your energy, your power and motivation come from? Only by understanding the source of your strength will you be able to access and use it. 

Some people call their source a muse. Others credit God or the gifts that they have been given. Whatever drives you, recognize where it comes from and learn how to harness its power in your life.

Review again water’s four traits above. Constancy is a given. Unless you keep on keeping on your skill will not be developed nor will it improve. Only through practice and effort can you achieve a professional level of perfection and polish. Skill is not a gift. It is learned through perspiration and hard work. The more you do something, the easier it becomes to repeat. Repetition expands success.

Tenacity means you don’t give up easily. Water always finds a way. So when your ego gets knocked down, get back up and try again. You are on a journey. Don't let others or your own defeat deter you from your goal.

Clarity is essential. A muddy or congested waterway eventually slows down. It may also widen or overflow its banks and lose its original path. If you can’t see your way clear to forge ahead, you’ll get bogged down or lost in overwhelming detail. You need a clear plan. You need oversight and a glimpse of the “big picture.” Once you know what you want and where you are going, the thrust of your passion and your desire will propel you forward. Let yourself go!

(Overlooking a water spillway)

Ode to a Loggerhead Turtle – Antiquity in Fluid Motion

A large loggerhead turtle was released on the beach yesterday after a long rehabilitation effort to make it well and strong. I shudder to think of the thousands of dollars this cost taxpayers.

On the other hand, I’m humbled by the familiar story called “The Star Thrower:”

“A young girl was walking along a beach upon which thousands of starfish had been washed up during a terrible storm. When she came to each starfish, she would pick it up, and throw it back into the ocean. People watched her with amusement.

“She had been doing this for some time when a man approached her and said, “Little girl, why are you doing this? Look at this beach! You can’t save all these starfish. You can’t begin to make a difference!”

“The girl seemed crushed, suddenly deflated. But after a few moments, she bent down, picked up another starfish, and hurled it as far as she could into the ocean. Then she looked up at the man and replied, “Well, I made a difference to that one!”

“The old man looked at the girl inquisitively and thought about what she had done and said. Inspired, he joined the little girl in throwing starfish back into the sea. Soon others joined, and all the starfish were saved.”

— Adapted from The Star Thrower
by Loren C. Eiseley

"Window on Pine Island" oil on wrapped canvas

It would be wonderful if we could save all the hurting children in the world and all the abused animals. What an enormous job for one person! But we can save the ones that are nearby. We can contribute to organizations that do the work for us. We can help our family, our neighbors, our friends and community.

That noble loggerhead turtle was valiant in facing the elements and the wide blue-green Gulf to transition back into the wild. I worried that our efforts to save him would be in vain. What danger awaits him out in the deep? Will he find his way back home? Although he was tagged for identification, we may never know.

"Pelican at Rest" oil on canvas; prints available

If we were to question every effort to help a living creature, a person, a child because the end result was unknown there would be little good done in the world. We help because we must. It’s called compassion, empathy and character. If we cease to act on these divine qualities that reside within us, the world would become a savage and brutal place.

Nature ravages earth's population enough without our adding fuel to the fire. This morning on our walk I saw a baby bird sprawled on the sidewalk. The storm of last night had blown him from his nest. He was a wet wilted pile of feathers; neck and legs outstretched in rigor mortis where he’d fallen. The sight brought back all the times I’d tried to nurse a baby bird back to life and failed.

The future is a blank slate. We can’t stop doing good things just because we don’t know if it will change the outcome. You or I could step off the curb tomorrow and that would be the end of us. Fearing the unknown is part of human existence. But that knowledge shouldn’t affect how we live our today's. 

For that reason, I’m going to assume that the loggerhead released into the ocean finds its way back to a wonderful existence where it may live for another 100 years. Marvelous creatures they enshrined with dignity and mankind’s history imprinted on their backs.

"Beach Buddies" mixed media on canvas

Artistic License – from the Poetic to the Absurd

"Easter Lily" photo of my own potted plant!

Authors and fine artists must take risks when it comes to making a statement. They can only harness their passions and intentions for so long and then they must either step over the line or die trying. Today we call it “cutting edge.” In the past it was viewed as a daring attempt at expose’ to flaunt the accepted norms of society.

I attended the movie “Noah” with these thoughts in mind: "How far is Hollywood willing to go to exert their artistic powers over the Word of God?”

In a normal collaboration, the author is consulted on all points where the Producer or Director differs on presentation. Did the collaborators consult with the author of the Holy Bible? Did they meet with leading Christian leaders about their decisions or ideas or check them against accuracy?

"Bird of Paradise Bloom" (an amazing flower)

Apparently, not! The story of Noah was tweaked in dozens of places. For those who may have thought the Book of Genesis was legend before will surely believe that it is now. The movie included a taste of Science Fiction, a change in all the characters and their roles, and a distortion of the actual plot. Unfortunately, the smattering of truth displayed was overshadowed by a bizarre rendition of the truth and a lack of faith and obedience by the stalwart figures like Noah as represented in Genesis 6 (KJV).

Mystically, the animals were all put to sleep by a magic potion Noah himself concocted and not by the power of God. In Hollywood’s mythical version, the characters did not have to feed the sleeping animals which made it easier for Hollywood moguls to grapple with logistics.

In actuality, Biblical verse 21 of chapter six states that Noah was commanded: “And take thou unto thee of all food that is eaten, and thou shalt gather it to thee; and it shall be for food for you and for them (animals) Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he.”

"Fan Palm" in our neighborhood

Noah’s obedience to God doesn’t sound like a man who would willingly kill his own fictional newborn granddaughters as soon as they were born does it? In Hollywood’s twisted version of Noah, there was little food to eat anywhere, so how could they gather up any food?

Hollywood’s ark was also a strange affair and did not follow the constraints that Noah was given in Genesis 6:14-16 (KJV), neither alike were the number and sex of the only people saved on the ark. Fictional characters replaced Biblical ones, and instead of Noah releasing the raven and the dove at the appropriate time, it was his wife. Ham trudged off without a wife after they landed leaving behind his mother and father, a younger brother, and brother Japeth, his wife and two daughters.

I’m supposing that in order to preserve “political correctness,” females in the story were more vocal and performed many tasks usually performed by men of that day. Yes, I’m on a tirade; but how far is artistic license allowed to go?

"Sea Grape" Their deep roots are vital in protecting our coastline from erosion.

Will Noah’s Ark be a box office winner or a big loser? When we attended there were fewer than 10 people in the audience. When it was over there was no applause or standing ovation as in the most recent uplifting movies or Christian films.

Hollywood is trying to hang its hat on the countless successful Biblical and Christian productions in the last few years. Their own titles have been less well attended and the market for sleaze and violence is slipping. They are trying to mimic the formulae without the substance. The proof will be in the pudding.

(Copse of southern pine and small lake surrounded by dried up "alligator or flag grass")

Faith, Family, Community and Work – Nothing Else Matters!

Cute enough to paint -- Amelia the Cook! (my granddaughter)

Have you ever tried to plug up a leak? No matter how hard you try, if there’s a weakness, the water (or air) will find a way to escape. My bicycle tire had a minute leak so small we couldn’t find it; but sure enough, by the time we were half-way to our next destination, the tire was flat. Slowly but surely, the air, under pressure as the tire revolved, pushed out from a tiny hole.

Like air, Water finds the place of least resistance and flows where gravity pulls it. Under enormous and unending pressure, a dam requires constant monitoring to ensure that it holds back millions of tons of water weight. A leak can weaken it to the point of destruction.

Liken the water and air pressure to Passion. If you have it, you can’t stop it! The same principle applies to all living things. A seedling fights to obtain sunlight. It will bend and twist and elongate in order to find its energy source, its power. In the same measure, if you have the passion to excel in your field of endeavor, nothing but your own negative thinking can stop you.

Proud as a Peacock!

A Winter Olympian was asked by a Reporter about competition and how her team handled stress? When problems arise, how do you respond?

Her answer: “We’ve done it before. We know how to do it. We try to stay focused and that kind of takes the pressure off.”

Creative people need to adopt this same kind of fearlessness. When failure or negative thinking wedges itself into your normal routine remember that “you’ve done it before. You can do it again and stay focused!

An Earned Taste!

If you’re passion doesn’t drive you and it isn’t as powerful as your need for water or air, get inspired. Find time to think and dream. Restore your imagination and creativity by feeding your empty vessel. Fill yourself so full that eventually you’ll “spring a leak” if you don’t sing, write, paint or work.

"Dainty Diva" a 20 x 24 oil on acrylic under painting of Amelia a few years ago.

I recommend a YouTube video called “The Secret to Happiness” presented by Arthur Brooks from the American Enterprise Institute. Happiness is all about building your life not your career. “Don’t spend your time obsessing about the ‘great big splash’” Brooks recommends. “People who are happy in their work feel they are creating something of value and serving others.”

Get inspired. Watch this short film:

“A Change is as good as a rest,” or so they say

"Arabesque" oil on canvas

Sometimes we don’t realize the traps we set for ourselves on a daily basis. We get caught up in minutiae, and use every excuse in the book to stay put; feet firmly planted in the ruts we’ve dug. Let’s face it; the chores at home never end. Soon they begin to grind and irritate us. Not a good prescription for progress or creativity!

Thanksgiving Day I left the confines of home with my husband heading north toward other family members in the area. As was our tradition, we made Thanksgiving reservations at a restaurant located mid-point between our two separate locations.

A morning chill turned temperate, and the warmth of the sun made our road trip bright and pleasant. Our once Northern blood has thinned from years of living in Southern climes, and we were wrapped in sweaters dressed for any outcome unable to tolerate even the slightest drop in temperature.

"Pelican at Rest" oil on canvas

I realized too late that I’d forgotten the camera. When we drove over our first bridge across the inland portion of the Caloosahatchee River I remembered. There’s nothing like an expanse of tropical blue water against brilliant green trees and variegated grasses to make you regret being unable to capture a photo memory.

When we got closer to our destination, I was even more dismayed. The Gulf waters were blue-green and crystal clear near the shoreline. We crossed two bridges to reach our destination of St. Armand’s Circle on the ocean side of Sarasota. Seagulls fluttered overhead and pelicans dive-bombed for fish. On the underside of the bridges where palm trees, sandy beaches and lounge chairs beckoned, fishermen cast their baited lines into the water.

"Seashells by the Seashore" acrylic on canvas

Our reservation was at the Columbia Restaurant, a famous old chain popular for Cuban food. Our traditional dinner had a distinctive Cuban flair, it was both exotic and delicious. The stuffing was the best I have ever eaten and the gravy was exceptional! Not only were the mashed potatoes fluffy and white, they were tasty. A sweet potato dish was topped with sugary, buttered pecans. I longed for more, but my aching stomach kept me from asking for seconds.

When dinner was over, I had a pumpkin flan instead of the traditional pumpkin pie. The rest of my family had a generous wedge of scrumptious key lime. Unlike its cousins, this key lime was made from scratch using fresh limes. It was heavy, tart, and succulent. “So this is how a key lime pie is supposed to taste?” I thought to myself.

"St. Armand's Beach" taken two years ago

As we moaned and groaned and loosened our belts, I couldn’t help but miss the faces that weren’t there; the ones of my own family members, especially my children who reside in the distant corners of the United States. I hoped they’d had a lovely time with their families. Time and distance has taken a toll on our closeness as has the divorce that first tore us apart. 

I know many of you are in the same boat. We can only make the best of what happens to us and move on. If nothing else, my excursion on the road with its breathtaking views, and photo-ready snapshots gave me a much needed journey out of myself and into this wondrous world we live in!

"Canals at St. Armand's" taken two years ago

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)

Start Today with a Clean Page; Enjoy the Moment

"Sponge Docks" in Clearwater, FL

A few days ago, I received a pocket calendar for 2014. I flipped through its blank pages like a “deer panting for water.” The days were glistening white; unmarked by crowded schedules, important appointments, or family birthdays and anniversaries.

My current calendar looks like Graffiti on steroids. Black ink saturates each page with notes, people’s names, important events, telephone numbers, commitments and activities. In addition, medical problems and emergency appointments have filled its pages during this past year. Critical junctures like weddings, flight plans, and vacation dates have recorded important information adding to the chaos.

"Tree-lined street in Gateway Community"

 It’s always gratifying to catch a glimpse of the future, unmarred by what is to what may be. The white calendar pages remind me of blank pages yet to be written.

In the past I did write with a pen; the transition to keyboard was difficult. I also typed manuscripts on an old Smith Corona using carbon paper between the sheets; six copies, to be exact, which had to be erased one by one if I made an error.

Now the spell check on my laptop does the work for me. I have learned to create at the keyboard; the wonders of modern technology. What next? I’ll probably speak my mind into my ipad or droid and the text will appear magically on the screen. Others are doing it, why not me?

"Fort Myers Beach" the perfect way to relax

Next to a blank calendar, a new white canvas excites me just as much. Having a clean virginal surface, spotless and free from brush strokes, gives me “a tingle up my leg,” as Chris Matthews would say.

Each new day should give us that same exhilarating feeling. Yesterday’s mistakes and stresses can give way to hope and the opportunity for a fresh start. As Scarlet O’Hara said in “Gone with the Wind,” “Tomorrow is another day!”

Things always look better on the other side of a good night’s sleep. Once refreshed, we gain objectivity and perspective. We can distance ourselves from yesterday’s pain. Of course, some things take time. But each new day brings us closer to closure. If bitterness doesn’t take off our edge, we become wiser and stronger.

"Bird of Paradise" on the wane

Is it possible to create our future by having a positive vision of ourselves? Can we mold the possibilities and our potential for success by controlling what we write on those blank pages?

Forget about yesterday. Who and what do you want to be? As the saying goes: “Today is the first day of the rest of your life;” shape it as you would a fine sculpture. Mold it, smooth it, work it with your hands, and explore its possibilities. Let go of yesterday and live in the exquisiteness of today.

"Another shot of the Sponge Docks"