While driving to and from work each day I observe a little more. This day I notice an old couch and chair sitting on the front porch of my neighbor’s powder-blue house - a floral pattern in shades of orange and rust - long ago abandoned there and forgotten I suspect. Pieces of clapboard are beginning to take their leave from this old treasure just over one of the front windows.
I can see several additions to the house that appear to have been slapped together over time. The beautiful, old barn still stands straight and tall, shielding the old, bay mare from the northwest winds. There are several other outbuildings that sit adjacent to the house - a garage, a utility shed and a small building that may have been an outhouse way back when - all equally neglected as this house has become, each leaning in a different direction and heading ever closer to the ground.
I wonder again who takes no action to salvage these once-beautiful buildings, a testament to their farming past. It saddens me to see buildings like these crumble one-by-one. It saddens me to think about who resides within, hiding in full view.
In some ways I can understand this hiding. As I attempt to steer my life in a new direction, there are times lately when all I want to do withdraw, step away and hide. There is no doubt that withdrawing, abandoning my dreams and calling it quits would be easier. I can tell you that this path is a difficult and lonely one. I alone possess the vision and I alone must press forward or hide in full view.
My commute to work takes me past this old place nearly everyday and nearly everyday I search for the old, bay mare. Having owned a bay mare just like her many years ago, I feel connected to her in some way. I care about her well-being and enjoy the sight of her.
And then one day on my way to work I don’t see her near the barn. On my drive home from work I slow down, but don’t see her in the fields. The next morning I make an extra effort to catch a glimpse of her, but she’s nowhere in sight. Day-after-day I search, but can’t find her. My bay mare seems to have disappeared. After a few weeks I become accustomed to her absence though I think of her still. Her image lingers in my mind, but I’ve let her go to where ever she has gone.
All else remains much the same: the powder blue house with a burgundy sedan in the driveway seldom seems to have moved; a dim light shines from deep inside; the yard remains untended; the fields beyond the house are dotted with rolls of unused hay covered still by the winter snow.
Signs of life at this old place are very few and I wonder still who hides inside? Who it seems to me is hiding in full view?
The old two-story house - once a well kept home I suspect - has fallen into a state of severe disrepair. The last remnants of a powder blue paint cling in desperation to the gray and drying clapboard. Shutters, half on and half off, frame countless broken windows.
It’s early evening when I pass by most days on my way home from work. A dim glow can be seen from somewhere deep inside. A small, burgundy sedan sits in the driveway seemingly unmoved from last I observed it. It can’t be helped, the wondering, who resides in this once-loved place?
Large shade trees grace a front yard that has been left un-manicured season-after-season and now little more than a spot where burdock, ragweed and the like have run amuck. The weeds, having grown tall and gangly all around the place, leave the house shrouded in a lonely mystery - a stark contrast to the neighboring property all neatly trimmed and tended.
Heading west on 20 toward home I wonder again about my neighbor in the powder blue house. What circumstance could lead one to such a place of seeming despair and loneliness?
Most mornings I observe a bay mare standing next to one of the large, red barns on the property. There’s an old claw foot tub and a pile of hay nearby. The old mare seems well-fed in spite of her untended surroundings. Always standing alone in a warm sunspot dozing, her left rear leg in resting position.
Again I wonder, “Who it is that seems to be hiding here in full view?”
Original Watercolor, "Summertime Team," Image Size 4.5 inches x 3 inches (8x10 Double Mat, Unframed)
Finally, it’s Saturday and while Tom and I did try to sleep a little late Penny and the cats would have none of it. Fluffer Nutter was the most insistent…”meow, Meow, MEOW.”
Finally we dragged ourselves out of bed, got the coffee brewing and in our morning haze tended to all the needs of our furry family. The animals are a blessing no matter what time their alarm is set for and it won’t be long before we all head outside first thing in the morning to take in the fresh spring air. Today though - with two feet of snow still clinging to the ground - we gathered in the warmth of our living room and waited for the coffee.
The official start to spring is just a couple weeks away and I can’t help thinking about my gardens that are still under a deep snow cover. The anticipation of digging in the dirt, pulling out my gardening tools and taking a trip to the Carrot Barn for some pansies, geraniums and petunias is building.
I found the watering can in this still life at one of our local junk shops many years ago. It had such charm and even though it was dented and obviously well used I had to have it. I expressed my interest and inquired as to the price.
“Go ahead and take it,” the shop owner said.
“Are you sure?” I asked in disbelief. All that charm and FREE I thought.
“Absolutely,” he confirmed.
With his generous permission I took it home and now after many more seasons of use, and a little duct tape to seal a pin hole in the bottom, it’s usefulness has never waned, it’s usefulness would not be stopped by a little leak. In summer this old watering can sits in a place of honor on the steps near my kitchen door. Worn, used and mended this old watering can is my favorite garden tool.
Gotta love all the technology we have available to us these days! How else could I share these painting demonstration videos? If you’re anything like me - a visual learner - you know that watching someone else paint provides loads of valuable information. While I’ll not abandon the “still shots with commentary” it’s nice to mix it up a bit from time-to-time.
What you see here is part 2 of my watercolor demo - Winter in Upstate NY. Since I didn’t record any commentary with this video I wanted to share a few comments here in an effort to explain the techniques I’ve used.
As you can see, much of my painting is done on dry paper with watercolor washes applied in specific areas - controlled washes really. While I love the spontaneous nature of the watercolor wash, I like to decide where to use it (I admit to being just a bit a of a control freak).
Recall the sky wash in part 1 where I painted around the barns - that is a controlled wash. Throughout this piece I’ve used controlled washes and layering.
The foreground trees/brush on the right are started with strong brush strokes using a loaded brush, then softened with water, dried and repainted - over and over until you achieve the effect you’re after. Knowing when to stop is of paramount importance.
What I love about watercolor is that spontaneous nature that can be coupled with control. Watching water and paint dance on the paper -there’s really nothing like it!
I hope you enjoy the video. You can watch Part 3 - Final by clicking here. Please feel free to email me directly or leave a comment or two!
Our Beagle Penny … She won our hearts while peering out from behind the bars of her cage at our local pet store; and since becoming a part of our family almost 13 years ago we’ve had a roller coaster relationship to be sure. In time though Penny taught me about unconditional love and patience as she waited for me to discover just who she is and appreciate her for those very things that are at times annoying.
Driven by her acute sense of smell, insatiable appetite and stubbornness, Penny can try your patience and then she’ll look at you with those big, dark eyes and you can’t help but to toss her a tidbit reinforcing the very behavior you wish you could eliminate.
Penny is more reliable than my new clock radio - up every morning at 6:30 with a shuffle and a shake while insisting it’s time to EAT! And it’s that “feed me” behavior that prompted Tom to begin this series of videos entitled, “Will Penny Eat It?” So take a minute to watch the first episode of Will Penny Eat It! I hope she makes you smile as she does us.
The snow has just stopped - oh my… I spent the morning updating my “Who is Who?” page and little else. The day is still young . . . I’d better get busy! Click here to find out Who is Who?
Lilacs in Bloom, Watercolor, Image Size 2 1/4 inches x 3 1/4 inches, Unmatted, Unframed (Overall size 5"x7")
Welcome, again, to Art Auction Saturday. Here is the final painting — Lilacs in Bloom — that I’ve been working on this week. To give you perspective as to the size of this painting, I’ve scanned it with a quarter beside it. Small yes, but these small paintings can be fun to paint and interesting to the viewer. Don’t be afraid to tackle one of your own and don’t forget if you want this painting for your very own just click here to place a bid on Ebay. (I know . . . shameless self-promotion!)
I’m trying something new and this is the first - a short snippet of my painting process. This is my first attempt at doing a video, editing and posting. Bear with me… next time I hope for a better quality video.
Anyway… as you can see I’ve continued to apply layer upon layer of color (watercolor washes) always referring to my color study as a guide in my color mixing process.
While some artists are confident enough to apply dark, splashy washes with only one or two applications of paint, I tend more toward the “building process.” Building by applying one wash of color over the next (drying each layer thoroughly) until I get the desired dark value.
The beauty in creating art is that there’s no right or wrong way to get where you want to be. It’s all a matter of personal preference and style. I suppose that’s what I like best about art - in math 2 + 2 is always 4, but when I’m painting the answers are what I want them to be!
Once I have my foliage and such as dark as I desire I will then remove the masking fluid by erasing or rubbing it. I find using an eraser is cleaner as the oils from your skin can leave a residue on the paper that is hard to remove. Once those whites (your unpainted protected areas) are exposed then it’s time to paint those lilacs and make them bloom (as seen in this video)!
Something important to remember is that while our brain knows these lilacs are made up of hundreds of small blossoms in each bunch we need only focus on painting a “shape” that says “bunch of lilacs.” I have found keeping that in mind - paint a shape that says what we want to say - is freeing and keeps me from getting caught in fussy little details when a shape and color is all you need to say what needs saying.
What I wanted to say with this painting is, “Wow I just saw this beautiful, old country home with mature lilac bushes in full bloom. So vibrant and beautiful! Here look . . . see what I mean?” That’s my message. Can you smell them? Can you feel them tickle the end of your nose as you take in their sweet aroma? That’s my message. Sharing what I see and how I see it through my painting.
Well, I spoke too soon when I said “we haven’t had our usual snow fall amounts” in my February 22, 2010 post. This week we’ve had more than two feet of snow and it’s still snowing as I write this entry. Tom spent his day clearing the driveway, uncovering the wood and shoveling the walkway. I could see he was wet and cold - with shovel in hand - as I pulled in the driveway and easily pulled Ole Cash (my new Jeep Liberty) into the garage. Thanks Tom.
Tonight we’re planning to watch Survivor (my favorite television program) and then watch the Olympic competition that continues. These Olympic Games in Vancouver have been emotional, inspiring and provide great lessons with stories of perseverance, tragedy and triumph.
The human spirit can be strong and resilient. These athletes prove that with work and commitment you can indeed “go for gold.” Though not everyone can win a medal the very exercise of having a vision and then following the dream can give your life purpose.
I used to view these types of things more as personal accomplishment or self-glorification until I heard or read somewhere that sports, athletics and playing or rooting for a particular team enables our spirit to experience a vast array of emotions in a short amount of time.
That made sense to me. So just by watching or participating in an event, such as the Olympics, we can experience anticipation, anxiety and disappointment, as well as, joy, jubilation and triumph.
Whether you’re an athlete, an artist or a business professional - whatever your passion - taking part is important to spiritual growth. I’m finding that sometimes there’s an inner urging that cannot be quelled (as I’ve been experiencing lately) and these urgings should not be quelled, but taken quite seriously.
So as I watch the world of Olympic athletes compete tonight I know that I too can be an artist of Olympic proportions, but only if I exercise focus, perseverance and commitment.
