Before you move forward, you sometimes must look backward

"Innset Kirke, Norway" 11 x 14 Oil on Canvas SOLD (Prints available)

History is our infrastructure. It provides the foundation that steadies and grounds us. Where we come from gives us added information about our physical characteristics, about our likes and dislikes; our weaknesses and strengths.

My family has a history of musical talent. Two of my grandfathers were violinists and composers. An uncle and his family were musicians and played musical instruments and sang for the community.

This musical talent skipped over my generation. My children, on the other hand, are not only gifted in this area they are music teachers, and their children are excelling in music and the arts.

"Skudeneshavn, Harbor, Norway" 16 x 20 oil on canvas SOLD (Prints available)

My father was artistic at heart. In his limited spare time, he drew portraits of people and animals. He loved to doodle. Unfortunately, earning a living for his family kept him away from home and from drawing most of the time. I think my love for drawing and painting came from him.

My husband’s family came from Norway. His great grandfather carved a beautiful family emblem that has passed from one generation to the next. Another grandfather was a lighthouse keeper who loved the ocean and the beautiful Fjords of Norway.

"Vikeholmen Lighthouse" Skudeneshavn, Norway, 16 x 20 acrylic on canvas

I painted some of these scenes for members of the family and have sold prints, cards and originals to other Norwegians around the country. I’ve heard many artists complain that they don’t know where to get ideas. Have you ever thought about looking backward? Find out where your ancestors came from. What were their customs? Where did they live? There may be ideas just waiting for you to find them.

Sometimes the simple, unexplored objects that surround us become beautiful paintings simply because the right artist saw something unique and shared his or her vision on canvas. Examining the detail, emphasizing the way sunlight glistens from an object or the way it casts a shadow may be enough to inspire a work of art.

"Vikeholmen Lighthouse" (close-up) Skudeneshavn, Norway 16 x 20 acrylic on canvas

There is a walnut tree not far from us. After a recent rain storm, one of the encased nuts had dropped to the ground and shattered, but the nut was still intact held within the other half of its covering and still attached to the original twig. Its maple color and layer of skins was a work of art. I carried it home, and today it nestles in a basket of finds on my dining room table.

There is beauty all around. Look behind at what links you to the past. Look ahead at what draws you to the future. Celebrate!

"The Neptunes -- Golden Girls" 11 x 14 acrylic on canvas (3rd in The Neptunes Series)

Dark Secrets about Black, the Color Artists Fear

(black background on this oil painting) "Sandhill Crane" 

A myriad of artists on LinkedIn argued over, under and around the use of the color black. Most were taught not to use black at all, but to mix their own shades from other colors.

Renoir called black “the queen of all colors.” Black is loved. It is feared. Most artists prefer mixing their own black rather than using it straight from the tube. Color combinations such as yellow and purple or other premixed combinations and Payne's gray are more subtle. 

According to one of my favorite artists, Robert Genn, “black works as a darkener because it’s near chromal neutrality does not sully the color it grays. While scorned on a few snooty palettes, black is the loyal friend that helps make other colors look more brilliant than they are. Wise artists do not say derogatory things about black.”

(black background) "Sunshine" oil on canvas

Here’s the real scoop (according to Genn):

1.       "Lamp black is a pure carbon pigment made by burning oils and collecting the soot from flues. It's one of the oldest manufactured pigments.

2.      Ivory black, originally made from burning real ivory, is now a bone byproduct of the slaughterhouse.

3.      Mars black is an iron-oxide product that in many ways is more stable than the other blacks. It does not effloresce, maintains total integrity in oil and water-based media and, to my knowledge, is the only paint that's magnetic."

(I used Payne's gray and a light purple in the highlights) "With These Hands--Love" 24 x 18 mixed media

Genn continues: “Give black a chance. A challenge is to work with only black and white for a day. After a week one begins to feel the brilliance of black. As seasoned artists have found out, if it works in black and white, it works.

“Try the method of grisaille--a monochrome painting executed in shades of gray. Used as an under-painting, grisaille was first popularized by the Northern Renaissance artists. These days, using bright white grounds and a range of grays, full value can be had by glazing with acrylics or other media. In painting, black is mother of learning.”

I did my own grisaille mini-paintings in a class on portraiture. I was amazed with the results at how life-like the models and forms appeared. It’s a great way to learn about value and shading.

(I had more difficulty with this one in the class. You can see it's not as fresh and loose as the first one)

“Timid souls use Payne’s Gray” Genn wrote. I gulped as I read this since Payne’s is my color of choice. 

Well, this timid artist is going to “break out.” I’m going to test the waters and use more black. If Genn is right, Mars black seems like the better choice.

"India Rising -- the Lost"  24 x 18 mixed media on canvas (I used Ivory black and Payne's gray)

Catchy Tunes and Titles become the Springboard for Ideas

Father and daughter welcome new baby

Artists, Small business owners and entrepreneurs are getting hoarse trying to hawk their wares in an overcrowded marketplace. As they vie for attention, their petulance is showing up in ads, and in their names.

“Angry Orchard” is a new brand of apple juice “with a bite!” If that isn’t feisty and in your face, I don’t know what is? Let’s hope their bark is as good as their bite.

“Wild Dolphin” is a start up company that is capitalizing on the sugar and citrus products grown nearby to make rum. It’s a perfect fit. Tours and samples lure customers to taste and see if this isn’t the best rum made anywhere!

"Does this hat make me look fat?" 11 x 14 pencil drawing

“The Purple Dragon” capitalizes on Mahjongg lovers in the area who want to make new friends and play the game they love. Of course, Chinese Dragon’s, especially purple ones, create a fun environment where winning is not only based on skill, but the luck of the draw.

Names do make a difference. The title of a book certainly attracts attention. And yet fine artists seem reticent to name their paintings preferring that the viewer draw their own conclusions. The thinking is that the artist doesn’t want to influence a viewer’s perception or imagination. Whether this is a good practice or not is still being debated on social media.

Personally, I enjoy knowing what an artist has used as a title. I try to envision what he or she had in mind when they created the piece. Sometimes I see their vision and sometimes I don’t, but it doesn’t stop me from looking and wondering.

"I Stand on the Brink" 8 x 10 pencil drawing

I also enjoy letting my own fantasy run wild through the forms, shapes, and colors on a canvas. If done well, the painting will lead me through a labyrinth of contrast and values that are interesting and exciting. In my opinion, a title just gives the viewer a nudge and a head start.

Search engines find your blog titles much easier if they have some length and substance to them. Understanding “catch words” and trends can help bolster your topics. Words in headings that have fire, sex, red, wild, or sizzle seem to attract readers. Hit songs with fire in their title have become instant hits. However, overuse of any hot word or phrase becomes old and tired in a twinkling on the web.

It’s fun to create catchy titles. Sometimes the titles I create actually give me an idea for a future painting or a themed series. In your spare time write down those catchy titles and save them. See if they don’t become a springboard for creation.

"Guess Whoooo?" 8 x 10 pencil drawing

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:

Addictions that Drive us -- the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

"Lucky Lady" 11 x 14 acrylic in red box frame http://etsy.com/shop/anfinsenart 

We hear a lot about addiction these days. Marijuana is being legalized in many states. Drugs are now consumed by more young people including children, much to their detriment. Despicable people are lacing those drugs with exceedingly harmful substitutes in order to make more money; the most recent a varnish derivative that rots you from the inside out.

Because of that, the word addiction conjures up thoughts of poison, destruction, and a world swirling out of control. Under the right circumstances, food can become an addiction. Obesity destroys health and sometimes relationships. Self-indulgence, sexual addictions and any number of habits that become all consuming may lead to disease, crime, and lack of self-control.

"And all that Jazz" 11 x 14 acrylic in red box frame  http://etsy.com/shop/anfinsenart

But not all addictions are bad. Forming good habits protects us from the bad ones. Habitual routines that keep us on track can protect us from destructive diversions. Goals, structure, and a plan can help us overcome bad influences that keep us from fulfilling our dreams.

Choice plays a vital role. With the goal of learning, we can add educational experiences that keep us involved and interested in life and living. Instead of watching porn which sucks us down into a dark hole, we can select films that highlight our highest aspirations with heroes and heroines we want to emulate.

"Shimmy Shake" 11 x 14 acrylic in black box frame  http://etsy.com/shop/anfinsenart

Life spirals downward when we indulge in self-pity and self-gratification. The only way to yank ourselves from this trap is to turn our attention outward, away from ourselves. Not only do we end up helping others, but we help ourselves.

For fine artists the adage to “paint every day” occupies thought and action. But once you get in a “bad patch” it’s hard to be creative. Going it alone as many creative’s do only exacerbates the problem. Reaching out for help or reaching up to a power source greater than your own is the only answer. 

Once you get past the demons, you can start over. Plan your days and set your goals. Be determined. Don’t let anything, especially your own pity party get in the way of your dreams. Even if you don’t become “King of the Hill,” you’ll at least derive great satisfaction from doing what you love.

Retro paintings afeatured are available in prints or framed originals

"Yes, Sir, that's my Baby!" 11 x 14 acrylic in black box frame  http://etsy.com/shop/anfinsenart

False Starts and Weak Promises Keep us from Finishing the Race

"A scene from my backyard. A great egret fishing."

In my guest closet is an unfinished quilt, a box of ideas for future paintings, and some amateur canvases that I’ve painted over waiting in the wings. I have an online folder titled: “To Paint” with saved photos, sketches, and ideas I don’t as yet feel passionate about. All are immobile. I'm hoping I'll get inspired and catch the spark that will burst into fire when the time is right.

Third prize ribbon for "Swamp Angel" at juried show.

It’s easy to start something. It’s not so easy to finish. We all have unfinished dreams, goals, and projects that never reach their conclusion. There are many reasons for this: we burn out, we lose the vision we had in the beginning. Sometimes we run up against obstacles that prevent us from finishing: ill health, financial problems, lack of education, emotional crises, etc.

Several ibis sneak in behind to forage on the outer perimeter of the lake.

Commitment is a promise we make to ourselves. Those uncompleted goals and unfinished projects that fill unused spaces in our homes and in our minds lack our commitment. Somewhere along the way, we lost our passion; we lost our drive. Like mirrors, they shine in the dark corners of our hearts and reflect back only our failures.

It’s time to turn those “dark hearts” into windows of opportunity. There must have been a reason those sad projects remained unfinished. Perhaps they were diversions from your real goals, the ones that capture your passion and lead to their completion?

A flock of cormorants, two woodstorks and a heron join the feathered throng.

It’s time to clean house! Don’t let those partially finished items drag you down. Paint over them, give them to someone else, or toss them out! A Fresh start will give you a clean slate to re-think your goals and your commitment. If these discarded dreams don’t grab you and inspire you then turn to something else that does.

Change is refreshing. It shakes things up and turns them on end. But before you make a clean sweep be certain that you know what you want and where you’re going. If you don’t, you’ll become a backslider and end up filling the empty places in your heart and home with more of the same.

This heart-shaped collectible is on sale on E-Bay. Search Popeye Collectibles; AnfinsenArt

Walking in the Shoes of the Masters and Trail Blazers

"The Neptunes -- Trumpeteers" 1st in the Neptune series 11 x 14 acrylic

Sometimes the most mundane things can trigger the subject for an article. While I was mulling over what to wear Friday night, my eyes fell on my choice of shoes. The weather was colder than usual in Florida, and I was lamenting the fact that all I had were sandals; a result of living in southern climes where the weather is usually warm year round.

I found a closed-in pair of black patent tennis shoes which should have been the end of that; but instead, I thought about shoes for the rest of the day. Not my shoes mind you, but those of others: the people on this earth and those who have gone before us who leave behind their achievements, their example, their courage, strength and love.

Work in Progress "The Neptunes -- Golden Girls" 11 x 14 acrylic

How do I fill the shoes of my mother, for instance, who had more courage in her little finger than most people have in a life time? Or the shoes of my sister, who struggled with multiple sclerosis a major part of her life, yet never complained and always had a smile on her face?

I don’t know about you, but the master painters of yesteryear have left behind some rather large shoes that artist’s of today, including me, must fill. Who is your inspiration? Who do you try to emulate?

Some of us get distracted by glitter and glitz. We jump into the shoes of the bombastic, the bully, or the billionaire’s expensive and glamorous Cesare-Paciotti’s trying to imagine what it would feel like. There’s not a “Techie” alive who doesn’t want to become another Bill Gates. But do you really want to experience his cancer, his pain?

We all have our lone walk to the end of our days. Our path is unknown. It may be rocky and filled with terror. The harder we struggle, the more apt we are to get blisters and calluses. Our shoes may become worn and dusty. We look “at the other guy,” and we think his road, his load is easier to bear. Not!

An American Indian proverb goes like this: “Never criticize a man until you've walked a mile in his moccasins.” Sometimes we think we know a person and what his or her life might be like, but unless we walk in their shoes, we can only guess. We fail to see their heartache and pain.

The trail blazers who go before us can show us how to persevere. They can enlarge our vision and teach us skills. They can inspire us to emulate them, follow them, and walk in their footsteps, but we can never fill their shoes nor replace them. We must forge ahead on our own two feet in our own uniquely soiled shoes.

Many years ago, I wrote a short play for the youth of our church called: “In the Shoes of the Master.” In the script, a teenager is trying to choose what kind of shoes he will wear and what kind of life he wants to live. The shoemaker represents the seductive snares that we all encounter as we make choices.

Of course, in the beginning the young man chooses a pair like the rock star he admires; his female counterpart selects a pair that shimmers and shines. At this point in their lives, it is all about the fame, the money, and the sizzle.

As the play progresses, the youth experience some of the downfalls of their choices. They suffer crudities, experience failure, and come up against hurdles they don’t know how to overcome. They want new shoes (or a new life). When they go back to the shoemaker, they see on the shelf a pair they failed to notice before: a dusty, worn-out pair of sandals. In this instance, the shoes of Jesus Christ “the master” of life.

Our choices are not always this clear. We stumble, we fall, and we pick ourselves up. History can teach us who and what to emulate. Experience can show us those things that outlast time and prove to be of great worth. Choose which moccasins you want to wear and make your own footprints in the sand.

"The Neptunes -- Octoband" 11 x 14 acrylic