Approaching Storm

How do birds survive storms? 
We have the luxury of being able to run into our homes and get out of the wind and rain, while birds are seemingly at the mercy of the elements. Actually birds are quite resourcefully equipped to handle being out in the weather.  They have a sort of sixth sense that is sensitive to barometric pressure, so they know when bad weather is approaching. Then they immediately begin to prepare by foraging for food. They fill their bellies since they don't know how long the storm will last. Then they find someplace that provides some shelter and hunker down until the brunt of the wind and rain passes.  Birds are also equipped with feathers that repel water and that can be fluffed up or flattened down to keep them warm and dry. 

Much can be learned from birds about what to do when storms or difficulties of any kind beset us in our lives. Like the birds, we can be aware of the storms on our horizon   and take care of our basic needs until the storm passes. 
Approaching Storm. Oils on canvas. 16 x 20 inches. 2017.

Back In The Day

I began drawing as a child sitting on the floor in front of my father's television set as he watched the Saturday night fights. I tried to draw the boxers and wrestlers as they squared off in the ring. There were no art instructors in our small rural town and all I had was typing paper and a 2B pencil. Drawing kept me quiet and out of the way so my parents were happy, and I was happy too as I tried to draw the men in their stances.   

Despite my lack of training and exposure to art, I eventually found myself entering the university in the sixties and studying art as a major. Many of the students were from cities, some had even studied at the Art Institute in Chicago, so I was a green horn, a hick from the sticks who had a lot to learn.  A little intimidated at first, once I began to draw in the Life Drawing classes, I relaxed and felt at home. I went on to study a variety of different media, art theory and history. I loved it all.  The four years I spent there were splendid, perhaps the most wondrous years of my life - an experience for which I will forever be grateful. 

Back In The Day. Mixed Media on Tinted Paper. 9 x 12. 2017. Drawn from a photo of Jeff Barsky taken back in the day.

Figurative Study.

Meditation

I have been learning to find peace and stillness by practicing mindfulness and quieting the mind. Let go of all thoughts racing through the  mind and rest and relax into the present moment.  Breathing in peace and love gently. Breathing out all anxiety and all disturbance as it comes into the mind. Breathe in peace, quieting and refreshing the mind. . .
Meditation. Mixed media drawing. 16 x 20 inches. 2017.

Ennui

Many frequently fall into a state of ennui, boredom and weariness of the world, quietly struggling with the meaninglessness of life despite an incredibly fast paced life of constant stimulation. One escapes into daydreams and time goes by until we awaken from our reverie.

Been walking my mind to an easy time, my back turned towards the sun.
Lord knows when the cold wind blows it'll turn your head around.
Well, there's hours of time on the telephone line to talk about things to come.
Sweet dreams and flying machines in pieces on the ground.

Oh, I've seen fire and I've seen rain. I've seen sunny days that I thought would never end.
I've seen lonely times when I could not find a friend,
but I always thought that I'd see you baby, one more time again, now.

Thought I'd see you one more time again.
There's just a few things coming my way this time around, now.
Thought I'd see you, thought I'd see you, fire and rain, now. ~ James Taylor

I am exploring a medium that is new to me - Pan Pastel using a limited palette of sepia tones. It is a beautiful medium - soft, easy to blend, erasable and has much less dust than regular pastels. I also use pencils to add details. I am looking forward to working more with this medium as I have barely scratched the surface of possibilities.