A Mystical Dawn

 

“Mystical Dawn”

  

 Finished and framed: 10 ½ x 19 ¾

 A neighbor posted a photo on Facebook in 2021 which I fell in love with. He’d given me permission to use a couple of his other photos for painting references. I always ask permission. 

The colors in the sky, the icy mysticism, scrubby landscape, and the reflections in the water had me speechless. I again asked permission. I was told he was in Maine, but his wife assured me he wouldn’t mind.

My emotions were at war with what I feel is ethical as the pull to do this as a painting screamed at me to paint the scene. The dilemma caused a lot of anxiety. I couldn’t stop thinking about it. The scene and issue invaded my sleep. I don’t sell or promote the photo as my own; I only use them as inspiration, and I usually take artistic license to make changes to make the painting my own. Still, I love to give photo credit where due.

I couldn’t wait. I was so excited. I was sure he’d give permission. I couldn’t wait and jumped right into doing an initial charcoal drawing in a 6 x 9 sketchbook. However, when I got to the foreground, I had trouble discerning shoreline and the far banking. 

I also realized, at this point, the river bent towards the mountains and widened. The foreground tree makes it hard to see what the water is actually doing. So, after finishing the sketch, I edited more of the photo, printed 5 x 7s of the original edit and one in black and white, and two of cropped areas to better see details. 

Still, I was so excited about doing this, I couldn’t resist going to the next step for the actual painting. First came choosing the paper. I pulled out the pre-cut BFK Rives. I chose a 10 x 20 piece but decided 20 inches was too long. I shortened it with blue painter's tape, attaching it to an easel board.

                                   

Two years later, in looking through photos and beginnings of painting to decide what to do next, I came across it again and decided to do this for myself. I taped it to the standup easel, decided in wasn’t panoramic enough and used the blue tape to resize the paper to 8 ¾ x 14.

I used pan pastels to lay down the background colors. Next came pastel pencils to better define mountain lines and the brook, then a couple soft pastels to lay in more color. I decided on the title.

Funny, with all the types of pastels I have, I didn’t have the right shade of blue – and again another reason why I don’t follow photographs exactly. As I worked, I kept telling myself I needed to make the painting more vibrant.

A month later, I moved it to the sit-down easel to do closer work. Added brighter color, better defined mountains and added colors and layers. And yes, I added more to the sky. (I always go back over areas touching them up.) Then I worked lower and lower. I took a charcoal pencil and defined some of the horizontal lines, beginnings of bushes and some lower terrain.

Days passed. Sometimes I’d work on this, sometimes on other paintings. Another month went by. The more layers added, the harder to get sharper areas. I finally called it finished April 10, 2025.

 

Morning After the Storm

 

 

9 ¼ x 14 pastel painting on BFK Rives paper

Jan. 20-Feb. 20, 2025

Again, a friend posted and gave me permission to use her photo as a reference. The sun on the trees in the background, the curve of the river, and the blues of the scene in the foreground called for me to see what I can do with this. Trying to pick out a focal point is a challenge. My eye is drawn to many aspects of the scene.

I taped a sheet of 10 x 14 ½ paper to the sit-down easel and used a charcoal pencil to start putting in shapes. Then I used vine charcoal to sketch in some of the trees. After going back and forth a couple times, I changed the size to 9 ¼ x 14 and added beginning color. 

One of my issues is getting what I call the horizontals right when I’m doing the initial work freehand between the reference photo and the painting. I’ve even tried marking off thirds and I still get confused. Then again, I’m not trying to replicate the photo. It’s just for reference.

I struggle getting whites to stay white because the darker pastel dust flies around. And, so often, when I start to walk away, I’ll look back and see something to fix.

The work continued with layering and defining specific areas. I added to the water with dark blue, a lighter turquoise, and some black (in the two dark pools on the right.) I made ripples, shadows, and reflections in water and ice. I also added more orange for brightness in the trees.

 

I was stunned and pleased how the center area water looked shiny… like water should. I need to stay more on top of these things.

By Feb. 18, it was all about the detail. I struggled with the two dark open-water oval pools on the right. I put in more orange in the sunlit trees, used various shades of blue pastels and a charcoal pencil on more defined lines and trees. I signed it. Is it done?

 Of course, a couple days later, I picked at it a little more and finally called it finished for sure.

Original photograph taken by Tara Holdner and used with permission .

 

25-001 Looking Up

 

Looking Up

Dec. 12, 2024, to Jan. 23, 2025

6 ¾ x 11 ¼ inches on black BFK Rives paper

 This is Mika. She was given to me on the late afternoon of Aug. 29, 2024. I wanted a sister for my kitty, Tuli. New kitty’s name was Mickey, but I changed it to Mika, a shortened version of Mielicki, goddess of change, providence and forests.

She didn’t come out of hiding for weeks. Then, I’d only catch glimpses of her. Eventually, I’d see her enough to get a few photos, but she wouldn’t let me get close.

What a challenge when I sooo wanted to pet and cuddle her. But I was patient. She is so darn adorable! I had to try to paint her, chose a photo and did a tracing of her outline and face. (I trace pets to make sure I capture their facial expressions which I don’t feel confident doing freehand.)

Finally, on Jan. 29, 2025, after being here 151 nights, she finally put her nose to my finger and let me touch her. It was a fleeting touch, but as weeks went on, she slowly came out more and I was able to touch her more (a little more, and I do mean little) though not every day.

I started the actual painting itself on Jan. 7.

 

I used pan pastel for the background color. A few days later, I went back in the studio and added a little brown to the background, so it wasn’t so glaring. I started the eyes and added a little fur texture.

The black fur was quite a challenge. I had to figure out how to add layers to the black fur to show highlights and not just be big, black blobs. Maybe a little brown, charcoal, and dark blue.

 

Subsequent days had me using pastel pencils to better shape nose, chin areas and whiskers. I reworked the eyes, too. I used soft pastels in many areas.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Term "... All Mean are Created Equal..." is a farce

The Preamble to the Declaration of Independence states “… that all men are created equal…,” and many Americans have held to that belief. But what does the term “created equal” really mean? Is being conceived and born the only real “created equal” part? Is it because everyone has opportunities? But are the opportunities the same for everyone?

The term has been bandied around for years, but are we really equal, except that we are human beings? Life is not equal. Sure, everyone has opportunities, but how accessible are they and to whom?

There are many factors that play a part in how a person develops. The type of family they were born into, education and where they’re raised play a big part sometimes. Then there are their own personalities which help determine the type of person someone becomes. There’s that something deep within the person that plays a big part in who they are, too.

The family we are born into helps determine who/what we become. Those in more affluent families have easier and better opportunities to life than those born in poorer families. Where a person lives also plays a part in the growth of that person.

Yes, there have been many from poor families who have climbed the ranks to be successful. And there are those born to wealthy families who turn to debauchery and crime. Who and what a person becomes comes about from things inside them, family influences, education (academic and life experience).

Is the term “created equal” an excuse, a set up for deception and misinterpretation? Who determines the terms? The wealthy elite and leaders who make laws to protect themselves and their cronies? Then the concept is told over and over to get people to believe, and when enough people repeat it, it must be true, right?

I don’t want to conform. I don’t want to “suck it up” and just “accept” because everyone says so. I don’t want to jump on popular bandwagons and follow every new popular person out there spouting how they think everyone should be while they themselves make exorbitant salaries, live in gated communities and not have to deal with what everyday taxpayers have to put up with. Taxpayers have become (have always been) slaves to the wealthy elite and leaders.

Watching shows and reading history books, I see it is what it is, somewhat. It’s been this way through millennia. The elite get away with whatever they want until there’s a total breakdown in society to cause their downfall. But then another contingency rises up, becomes the new elite and it begins all over again. In some aspects, history never changes because mankind will always have their humanness.

And the masses continue to believe the false promises that sound oh, so good. But those promises are only words to get votes and people to follow. People believe the pretty words that make them feel hopeful and don’t notice what is really going on. People hold on to the belief that their leaders will do what they promise… but how many leaders do?

Journey Between an Artist and a Painting: Part I

 

“Long Road Through the Winter Blues”

 Pastel painting, 11 ½ x 15 ¼ framed.

Tara Holdner posted this photo. The road winding between snowbanks towards the forest and mountain immediately captured my attention. My mind was already imagining what I could do with this scene. I asked and received permission to use it for a painting reference. I always like to give acknowledgement to the person who took the original photo.

I usually prefer to do landscapes in a more horizontal orientation, so I re-edited the photo and printed it as so. My goal is not to replicate the photo, just use it as a reference. I always put my own spin on the scenes.

This is is the initial small 6 x 9 sketch I did at the kitchen table. Then, in the studio, when I re-drew the layout onto a sheet of BFK Rives paper taped to an easel, I revamped the composition a bit. I can only work so long as my arm hurts raising it to paint, which means I work in small stints.

Progress is made over the next week as I first concentrated on the sky, clouds, and mountains. I used many shades of blue and darker details using a black charcoal pencil.

I often struggle with titles. Some ideas that came to me included: “Winter Becomes Her,” “She Becomes Winter,” or “Winter Blues” (as I was just listening to Elton John’s “I Think That’s Why They Call it the Blues.” Then changed it to “Winter’s Beautiful Blues.” Still unsure… “Winter Sings the Blues…” But what about the road? Should there be some reference to the road? “Road through the Blues?” “Long Road through the Blues?”

I try to also let the picture tell me which direction to choose, but sometimes I still can’t decide and will ask for ideas when I post the progress on FB. People always suggest wonderful titles, but then I have to decide which one really fits the scene and how it resonates with me.

I’m always amazed at the struggles. Each painting has its quirks and challenges. I played around with nuances in snowbanks and hills. I added ridge details to the mountains and did more with tree lines. I added a different shade of blue to some of the trees.

The hardest part was the foreground and the snowbanks along the road. This was my first time doing these kinds of snowbanks... a real experiment figuring out how to get that to look real. I reshaped the road a bit, too.

I also debated how to blur the mountains and background trees to help create distance. I chose not to put in the building that was in the original photo.

 But there comes a time when I have to stop picking at it and call it done. Heck, every time I look, I can see something to “fix.” In the end, I was very pleased with how this came out.

 

 

 

The Invisible Line

There seems to be an invisible line, that when crossed, people succumb to greed and power. Their words become lies as they’re willing to say and do anything to get them more votes, more power and more control over others while they become personally richer.

Initially, they may be the nicest people, but something happens to them when they cross that line of authority. (That line may be different for each person, but it’s there and it happens.) It’s something most people succumb to when they get into a position of authority.

How to describe those who cross the line into the elite cloud, where they’re above “regular” people, the everyday U.S. citizen taxpayer. Those who come into any kind of leadership role seem to totally lose touch with the middle class, the ones who are PAYING for most everything with their taxes.

(Do I have it right? It certainly feels that way to me.)

And I don’t think they really care about the poor, either. They create programs to make it sound like they’re helping, but all they’re doing is stealing from the taxpayers to make it sound like they’re helping the poor … They do some do-gooder work to be able to brag they’re doing something, but the bottom line is, they’re only stuffing their own coffers and making millions of dollars.

In wars, there are always people, businesses and industry making huge profits off the sufferings of the middle and lower classes along with the soldiers, sailors, marines and airmen in the midst of the actual battles. While those of the higher class and elite scramble for more wealth, power, prestige, and personal accolades.

I recently read that King Charles’ coronation cost the British $91 million. It again reminds me of super-rich celebrities and professional sports players. A while back, I stopped watching sports and will never attend another concert. I refuse to support these people making millions of dollars off the public. I’ve often wondered how many people can’t pay their bills because they spend their paychecks on entertainment. They can’t support their families, yet they continue to support the wealthy.

I know, there’s some different sides to this, but I am on a mission against continuing to support the super-rich while I struggle to survive. I believe this is an issue needing to be addressed.

And what about the members of government who get to vote themselves raises every year when they already make more money than they could ever possibly need. Oh, wait, maybe they need to own a few more mansions, Ferraris, or go on more vacations.

These elite help make the laws for the every day people, but they themselves don’t have to live by the same rules. They have their own healthcare programs (much better than the rest of the people) and they create laws to protect their personal wealth. For them, wealth and power is never enough as they continue to strive for more.

It’s time “We the People” stand up and say, “Stop!”

More on Propaganda

Years ago, I’d seen a PBS program on Rick Steves and Fascism in Europe. Recently, I watched one on “Fascism in Germany.” What I enjoy about Steves’ presentations is what he can accomplish in a half hour show by keeping to simple facts. (Not that life is simple; things easily get convoluted … and do they ever.)

 

Watching programs like this shows how charismatic leaders sucker the populace into believing what they’re selling – a promise of unity and care for “their people.” Some of the most horrific dealings throughout history have had these kinds of leaders. People believe the words and promises of their leaders because those ideals sound so good and right. And aren’t we supposed to believe our leaders? Don’t they (supposedly) know what’s best for us?

 

However, power corrupts. The more powerful these leaders become, the more power and wealth they want. It becomes not about the people or the country, but how these leaders and their closest administrators start believing they are gods, and no one is allowed to say anything against them.

 

There’s an invisible line that gets crossed somewhere along the way. Even those with the best intentions eventually fall under that addiction to power and wealth. They begin to think they have the right to decide for everyone else.

 

Over and over, history has proven this, and people go along with it until it’s too late. Those in power make laws to make it sound like the populace have rights and choices. The truth, however, is that many promised words have taken on new meanings … just words to deceive and get votes and support from the masses. It’s all smoke and mirrors.

 

Hitler, among many others, was a prime example of this. He kept promising the populace over and over how he was going to make Germany great. He was charismatic, energetic, loud, and his actions and hype gathered thousands of followers. He started programs to begin teaching children; indoctrination at a young age, so they’d be on board with his beliefs when they grew up. He told people what they wanted to hear; how he was going to save them. And they believed …

 

But look what happened. How out of control it got as he and his cronies gained more wealth and power. And, as they did so, their power turned more ominous as they quelled any kind of opposition to their goals. Then, in the end, Hitler was totally out of his mind. (Maybe he’d always been that way.)

 

What should this teach people today? After all, Hitler wasn’t the only one. There are and have been many. As Steves said, “Strong charismatic leaders capitalize on fear to lead a society astray. Democracy is fragile – take freedom for granted and lose it.”

 

Don’t get sidetracked by all the bullying and name calling the politicians do to one another. Ask yourself, “What are they hiding and not saying?” Don’t fall for the pretty promises that sound oh, so good. Look to see what these leaders are actually doing or have done. Don’t believe that going to the polls means you really have a choice. (Your choice is only whether to vote or not.)

 

The government itself isn’t rich … especially when you hear how in debt many countries are, including this one. Before jumping on the latest bandwagon good-sounding hype, be thoughtful and think things through using logic and reason. What is actually doable compared to what is being promised? What’s it going to really cost and who is going to have to pay for it? Who is getting rich off whatever new programs are being proposed? (Someone is always getting rich off most everything.) And look at all the programs out there to supposedly help people in need – that money must come from somewhere. Someone is having to pay for it.

 

So, don’t believe everything you’re told. In other words, as someone said, “Do not trust people that promise you very easy answers for complicated problems. It never works.”