Checking it out

What, you may wonder, is this? Well it is the result of the program I am doing for which I wrote the poem. I went to check out a possible place (that is not a formal gallery) to show some work. I liked the idea of this coffee/cafe, and also that this place is surrounded by LOTS of new homes that must have LOTS of blank walls. I am also VERY glad to have seen that it is an orange wall! So later in the week I will take a couple of paintings there and hang them up!

The Poem

Making it

or A poem for artists
Dedicated by Lynne Oakes to her new friends
February 19, 2008

Coming through woods
We arrive.

The wide sparkling stream rushes past
With beauty and indifference – like Life.

Choices are made to start across,
Going from rock to rock.
Each one intent on making his way.
Nearing mid-way, caution sets in.
We seek out the stable ones
Teetering on the little ones, but moving forward,
Always moving forward.

A flat boulder near the halfway point
Is especially large and does not move
As we land.
We congratulate ourselves
On our good fortune
and
dry pant legs.

Newly arrived, we stand there mute,
looking around.
Bright waters whirl swiftly the way
water does, moving past with
debris and delights – like Life.

Safely in this place for only a while
We grin smugly at our wisdom in
Choosing this sturdy place.
Let the waters swirl!
A secure place together.
A rock! A solid sun-warmed rock
Sprinkled with the treasure of each other
And glittering mica.

Blessed with a moment both magical
And temporary, we rest here.
It is but a small oasis in the rush of life.
We gaze outward on the scene,
on each other.
We laugh because we made it this far with no real damage!
And then soon we must assess and decide
Which way to go, which path to follow to make it
Across
Each one choosing their best way.

But just now, we stand here in this safe place
Gathering our wits, sharing our space
and
Wishing all to be successful in
Naigating the rest of the way.

Laughing
We set off.

Artist Breakthrough

Well friends, I have just had my first session
on the phone with 12 other artists...in a program
called Artist Breakthrough with Alyson Stanfield
of www.artbizcoach.com. It was so good and so
fabulous to be hearing from other artists that are
all over the US and a few abroad. This is a great
service that Alyson is doing and I highly recommend
her site and services. I am writing a poem that came
to me in the early hours this morning.
It is all about the experience. Maybe I'll post it when
it's done.

In progress

This is the first day's color work on this

piece. A few hours of juggling to balance

the tones and general colors back and forth.

Figures are very rough and are the last

thing I work on. I am loving that sky and

the golden quality over the landscape in the

late autumn day. This is a commission as

you might realize.

Work in progress

This is how I transfer my work to a canvas.

Color Chart - extreme detail!

So am I in love with this chart? Probably!

Here is the close up which shows my

key for each brand that I have in my

arsenal of paints. So now I'm done

showing off with this. Hope it has some

interest for others of you who have

bought so many tubes of paint that you

barely know what you have collected

over the years. Much less donations

made to your collection from the inventory

of expired painters whose offspring know

you are an artist and would like to have

them. Then there is Craig's list where

I had the good fortune to find a great

deal on Old Holland paints and well,

OK. The end.

Color Chart detail

Come up closer now and look at this

delicious set of colors! The pleasure of

taking color after color straight out of

the tube is really quite a different matter

than painting and mixing colors. Just

the pure stuff!

Be SURE to click on the image because

the color and detail is really neat to see!

Color Chart #2

So today I photographed my latest chart

outdoors so it would be a clearer and more

accurate representation. I spent about

12 hours on this and it is really satisfying

to work with the pure color right out of

the tube. As I said, I did this for someone

who wants to trade for a wonderful chair!

Banner #3

Here is the banner in the series I have

been designing and painting for the

private school where I used to teach

art. They are celebrating their 30th

anniversary and so this series is

being hung outside on supports that

were built by one of the parents.

This is a wonderful school, K - 12

that is in Springfield, Virginia.

Chesapeake Academy.