Restarting the studio for new work!

As you travel on through life, brother,let this motto be your goal, keep your eye upon the donut and not upon the hole!

As I clear off the desk I review my inner spirit! I am invigorated by the dialogue that began to occur around my work at my opening reception (see previous post) last Thursday. Although the concept of organizing time and pacing oneself  by the structure of the  hours of the day in prayer is a simple one, it reverberates deeply in my soul. Sometimes as I travel through my day, I neglect the inner awareness that needs nurturing on a regular basis.

Speaking of traveling, check out Casey Toussaint, who literally documents her travels while doing “everyday drawing & painting”.

So I reflect on a quote from a website I find inspirational, by Lisa Bowman. This a is a site worth checking out!

Wisdom in knowing what to do next.
Skill is knowing how to do it.
Virtue is doing it.

Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826)
Third President of the United States

Art exhibit-finally up and running!!

Seeing the watercolors all together in the space was inspiring!                                                                                                                           Below are a few photos of the art crowd at Michael Peter Hayes‘ Art Salon in  Locust Valley last night.It was so wonderful to share my work and hear responses to the work!!

It has been inspiring to carry on a dialogue with others about working with the effects of light as it changes over the day. I have utilized the structure of  the “liturgy of the hours” used by so many religious orders for daily prayer. This helps me to organize my vision and  awareness and document the effects of light and shadow on my perception. I reckon that a tradition of discipline that has encouraged heightened awareness and mindfulness in prayer would help me to attain that in my visual meditation of painting.

Any thoughts on that?

fresh watercolors of light & time!

I’m back!  The  show is going up today!  Check out my website to see more work! 

It is so exciting to see the work pulling together in this show! My current work investigates how light (and shadow, of course) informs our perspective throughout the day. Check out the portfolio of work in the show for more! here is one of my “vigils” or early morning observations of light and presence.

Where do we get new ideas?

 

trees by bvw

 

 

As I work in my studio, I have begun to list all of the ideas that waft through my mind when I am just waking in the morning, walking, participating in a conversation, and reflecting afterwards. I have decided to look through my main journal and then write the main ideas down in small color coordinated Moleskine  journals.  I think that is my equivalent of the box system that Twyla Tharp mentions.  Apparently, she creates a box for each concept that she is interested in developing, and begins to fill the box with anything that could possibly expand that idea. I like the organizational structure. Now when I have an idea, drawing, connection, metaphor that relates to my concept, I will have a place to put it where I can easily reference it!

I follow the blog of Clara Lieu, an artist and teacher, who I have never met, but discovered  online, while looking for references to dealing with transparent layers, which I work with in my art. She has amazing work, is consistent in her way of working, and extremely articulate at describing her process. Reading her blog is a unique opportunity to get to know her rendition of the creative process. Definitely worth following!     http://www.claralieu.com/work/digging/index.html

I found this link on her blog concerning new ideas..Try it!

 And as Twyla recommends, write/draw things down before they are forgotten!

Brooklyn Museum visit stretches my visual boundaries!

I needed to just see some artwork at the Brooklyn Museum today, and was treated to a smorgasbord of artwork that encircled, surprised and caused me to rethink how I paint and how I see.

First of all, there was an installation by Sun K. Kwak done with masking tape…black only! When in the room, I felt wrapped in a swirling and comforting ribbon river. I am enthralled that this effect came from nothing more than torn black masking tape! Simple. Different.

Gustave Cailebotte had a very pleasant group of paintings that explored the water, his love. he also rowed, raced and designed boats. Busy man!

It was also an interesting and practical touch to be able to use my cell phone to call the Brooklyn Museum and get the comments on his paintings that way. (I am easily amused.  And I like using what I have.)

 This was one of my favorites because of the energy in the line, texture and composition!  I feel the wind!

Gustave Caillebotte (French, 1848–1894). Cliffs in Normandy, 1880. Oil on canvas, 28 3/4 x 23 5/8 in. (73 x 60 cm). Private collection

“Waterfall” by Pat Steir was refreshing and powerful!

Waterfall

Here is the artist describing her approach to her work!  This is quite a bit for one day. Have you had your visual perspective readjusted lately?

Inspired again by Twyla Tharp!

After having read “The Creative Habit: Learn it and use it for life” I finally  saw “Movin’ Out” based on the music of Billy Joel and conceived by Twyla. The show was incredible, bursting with energy and a depth of communication that was moving and articulate. It made me want to move in  my ordinary daily movements with the grace, power and energy inherent in this dancing!  I want to be more focused and energetic in my creative movements and stance while I am painting and drawing, as I think it will help to make the work more expressive! 

So when I got back home, not only did I find “Movin’ Out excerpts on youTube, but a one on creativity and motivation!  Here it is! Your reactions??!!

Painting the hours of the day…

I am continuing my exploration of daily hours, by observing the light on objects and places that I inhabit.

I find patterns in the images themselves and then again in my repeated actions and routines. I document the hours, based on the times of the day remembered with prayers in monasteries, to find meaning and express gratefulness for the richness of my life. 

The more I observe the moment that I am currently in, the richer and multi- layered my painting sketches become.

I see things I never took the time to notice before. Does this occur in your life and if so, how do you create the space to see more?

Because of this attention to the sacredness of each moment, I love to visit the site Gratefulness.

lauds

vigils

Creating within a ritual of space & time

Consciously searching my room as I lay awake before dawn, I create a ritual which I find comfort in following. I look while still quiet.  Get up and stay warm, perform morning rituals and then meditate and do a few yoga stretches. It allows me the space and  peace of mind to allow the brush to follow the memory of vigils more closely. Vigils is the time before dawn, when it is still dark and all the world is quiet.   I am  inspired to  put down the colors and shadows that we see and focus on the moment in color and shadow. I paint by candlelight to be sensitive to the tonal quality of my brush strokes. 

vigils2a work in prog

 

 

Vigils 1a in progress

Elizabeth Gilbert’s observations and rereading Twyla Tharp’s “The Creative Habit” have bolstered me as I wade through this period of time when I find no familiar landmarks in my working. This structure of my practice seems to allow an easier flow. 

It is sometimes difficult to balance inner and outer life, but maintaining a balance seems to aid the flow of ideas. I guess what I’m saying is that world responsibilities sometimes trump the inner call until finding quiet time and space allows that inner spirit to be.

Elizabeth Gilbert on nurturing creativity!

more about “Vodpod Firefox Extension for WordPress“, posted with vodpod

Life as art…a balancing act

 

note to self with crayon

I look at ” life as art “. It makes sense to me that the very act of being requires creativity and can improve with self-reflection.  Reading, meditating and experimenting have allowed me to put together a holistic , creative way of balancing life.    I have created a  mindmap of the areas in my life in which  I want to be sure to develop and unify. 

When you are creating art, it is always good to take a step back and reflect on it, asking whether it needs color, a certain linear quality, a better balance. These are some of the elements and principles of art.

The elements of design are line, form, color, value, texture and space. These concepts are organized by  the principles of art . The principles of art are balance, movement,repetition contrast, emphasis, balance, pattern and unity. So, I decided  to  apply these elements and principles to the big art of my life and see what would happen!

The materials that I build my life with are artwork, spiritual growth, physical needs, intellectual development,  relationships, environment (surroundings) and riches (both financial and other). I knew it would be difficult to remember these areas on a daily basis, so I made them into an acronym, ASPIRER.  I like that word , so I remember it easily.

Each day, I plan my activities and goals around these seven areas. Some occur more often than others, but I generally touch base with each of the areas at least once a week. No real pressure, just a gentle reminder to balance myself with my goals.  Kind of a visual nudge, I guess.

Color is constantly influencing me from choosing what to wear, to creating an appetizing meal,  to seeing a rose -to -lemon sunrise on my way to work! Its broad spectrum and depth delight me everywhere I look!  Color changes in relation to its surroundings. This brilliance of color color and its changeability cause me to be aware of the corresponding qualities in my life. It reminds me, also, how who or what I am near to has a great influence on how I perceive things!

Color, anyone?