Spells of Calm

Every life needs spells of calm,

every life needs expanses of time when nothing much occurs, 

when one may sit for several hours 

in the same place and gaze upon static things, 

upon some waxen-leafed desert plant, 

perhaps,or a patch of dried grass. 

Alexander McCall Smith, The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection

Nothing like going to the pool early in the morning. Quiet, not many swimmers, sun is not high, and if you are lucky, might catch a slight breeze.  After my 16 laps, I like to sit and rest with the book I am currently reading. (Trying to get more into the reading mode) One of my favorite authors is Alexander McCall Smith, he has several series, but my favorite is The No1 Ladies Detective Agency.
Set in Botswana I find the naive fresh philosophy enchanting and easy to read.

Background

20" x 20" cardboard

First layer from the previous purple and magenta painting  Keep adding marks and this morning I dropped a small container leftover yellowish-orange paint that a spread with a sponge, then another with a little thin magenta paint spread with the container's rim. (bottom right) So now I found a great quote and a nice background two good reasons to make a post!

Tread Lightly on the Stones

“ The only difference between stumbling blocks and stepping stones is the way you use them.” American

Treading Softly on the Stones

WIP

20" x 20" FSC Organic paper 350gm

Acrylics and Mixed Media

Bossypants#4 on toned canvas

Lost My Way in Storyland

“We are, as a species, addicted to story. Even when the body goes to sleep, the mind stays up all night, telling itself stories.” - Jonathan Gottschall, The Storytelling Animal

I Seem to Be Lost in Storyland

WIP

20" x 20"  FSC Eco Paper 350 gm

Acrylics and Mixed Media 

Start 

I thought that this would develop into an abstract floral but using the prompts of Bossypants #1 it went into another direction. Used a limited palette of Chrome Green and a vibrant orange, a magenta colored ink intense pencil, oil pastel forgot which color, and graphite pencil and crayon.  This will sit for a while till I decide what story or stories I wish to tell. 

Purple Skies

“The sky is already purple; the first few stars have appeared, suddenly, as if someone had thrown a handful of silver across the edge of the world.”
― Alice Hoffman, Here on Earth

Color mixing never ceases to surprise me.  Just the choice of what 2 colors to use in my intuitive process is exciting. Today I chose a fairly dark Magenta and a bright turquoise! This along with a watercolor pencil, oil pastel ( most often randomly chosen), and graphite pencil or crayon make up my limited palette combined with black, white, and titanium buff!  So what a surprise when I combined the two colors and got a really bright purple! There is such a wide variety in a limited palette and a wide variety when using a set of prompts.

Found Myself Gazing at the Purple Skies

20" x 20" FSC Organic paper 350gm 

Acrylics and Mixed Media

May lighten the bottom section to create more contrast. Thoughts?

Saturday

Posted Instagram
Now to blog
Feed cats
Pool
Bourakitos
Brunch at Yael's

My last post  Days Follow Days posted the WIP which I have maybe resolved or not! I feel it may need more simplification.  I have two new starts!

I wandered through this Hidden City

20" x 20"

Heavy FSC Organic Paper 350 gm

Start WIP

added some graphite lines

Start WIP

Palette Mono-print

Have since added buff titanium shapes

( new favorite color) 

from another palette

My starts sit on my table and sometimes I just turn them around, and add marks sort of on the go!

Days Follow Days

Days follow days
today is Thrusday how
do I know..
appointment for Lily 
at the eye vet clinic

My last post, Early Tuesday Morning, was actually on Monday. Who noticed, who cared? Days melt into days.... tomorrow is Friday.... Saturday Brunch at Yael. Special occasions, like weekly shopping, vet appointment, an occasional family gathering, break up the routine of chores, meals, Lily, the pool, and time for creativity and blogging. Lily's appointment has given me the time to do some blogging. Decided not to try to break up my morning into too many small bits.
Lately, when I finish a session of painting I use the leftover paint for a new start! Sometimes using the brayer and sometimes just mono-printing the paper palette or sometimes both.

New start

20" x 20"

Heavy Organic Paper

WIP  from start

20" x 20"

Heavy Organic Paper

New Start 

Finally got it up

Have done some editing but not just there yet.

Well 2 out of 3.. can't upload another image. Hope Blogger will get there site working! The new format has much to be worked on, so back to Legacy which today is also not so well. Maybe my connection.... will give them the benefit of the doubt!

Early Tuesday Morning

The blinding sun from my window
The cool air without AC
The sound of building site across the street
Boker boker tov!

This has been on my table since the middle of July.  Sometimes I would add a mark or two, turn it around but never really got to me. I seem to be great at making messes. Too much going on. I need to focus, clean up, simplify. I really love minimalistic art but it seems to avoid me.

I was really in a bad spot, my angry, frustrating really bad personality was taking hold. Sometimes she just overcomes me where I freeze.  But I also felt some compulsion to resolve the issue. That was my problem solver coming to the surface. Maybe this is a good mix.

New Vistas

20" x 20"

Acrylic and Mixed Media

350 gm organic paper

Note: Bought some new paper through the printer's where my daughter works. Light cream and dark brown. Seems this paper is made from organic material and is FSC ecological certified. It is quite strong 350 gm and has a slight texture. Haven't yet tried it with oils

See Saw Margery Daw

The work becomes important when the meanings contained are greater than what the artist had in mind when he or she created the work. Ambuity helps the work transcend itself. Audrey Flack Art  & Soul

That's the general feeling nowadays! Up and down. Media makes it more confusing! Trying to keep busy and not let my thoughts run away. This week flew!

One of the most difficult parts of creating for me is after the first starts is how to continue! Especially now with my new journey into more intuitive painting love just picking up the paint and following the prompts... and then I just freeze... total blackout!

Well took myself in hand! Added paint, oil pastels, even some white charcoal! Not the best of photos!

Dreaming of New Lands

Acrylic and Mixed Media

19.5" x 19.5"

Cartridge Paper

Brayed color start on cartridge paper

Acrylic 19.5" x 19.5"

After the prompts

The Underpants

Should I have just left well enough alone?

Corona August Summer Slump

To live in this world

you must be able
to do three things:
to love what is mortal;
to hold it

against your bones knowing
your own life depends on it;
and, when the time comes to let it go,
to let it go.

“In Blackwater Woods” by Mary Oliver, 

Been having a hard time concentrating, staying focused and the summer heat hasn't helped much! Lots of new stuff but can't remember how they got started and really what is going on. Guess I will just have to move on and what is there is there.  Really doesn't matter how I got there.

Isolation

19.5" x 19.5"

Acrylic on 240 gm bristol