I'm Tired

I’m tired of
being manipulated and herded
 
I’m tired of
having notices, ads, opinions, etc.
shoved in my face constantly
 
I’m tired of
politicians telling me
what I should believe
and what they believe
we, the people, need
 
I’m tired of
them spewing pretty words
and making false promises
knowing people believe the do-gooder words
and do not pay attention to the actions
of those who say they are protecting us
 
I’m tired of
hearing the word “free”
big corporations/organizations don’t do things for free
someone, somewhere has to pay,
and it’s usually the taxpayers and consumers
 
I’m tired of
all the fundraising campaigns
because big business,
including the medical profession and insurance companies,
have such exorbitant pricing
that people can’t afford good services
and can’t get the help they need
 
I’m tired of
having freedoms disappear
in the name of protection
and good will
 
I’m tired of
society becoming so automated and impersonal
that personal human interactions
are disappearing behind masks and machines
 
I’m tired of
having to talk to a machine when I make a phone call
or having to listen to the automated answering service
ramble on how much they care about my business
while trying to upsell services or products
as I wait for the “next available rep”
who then can’t help me
 
I’m tired of
seeing people so pulled into their devices
they’re forgetting how to think for themselves
and really live their unique, interesting lives
 
I’m tired of
so much scamming and criminal activity
I don’t know what or who to believe anymore
 
I’m tired of
all this stuff taking up precious time
and taking me away from the things/projects
that bring me joy
 
I’m tired of
feeling I can no longer
trust or rely on anyone but my self
and sometimes, not even that
 
I’m tired of
feeling like I have to hide
that I have to be careful of showing the real me
 
I’m tired of
losing the peace and quiet
in a neighborhood now devoted
to loud machines with roaring engines
 
I’m tired of
feeling like I can’t live
a good, simple life…
my way – writing, painting, gardening
without annoying interruptions
of tedious chores or have-to-dos

What do I do Next for a Painting?

April 17: I was in a quandary on what to do next as I’m close to finishing “Lost to the Misty Mountains.” Then Duane posted his morning photo, and I was captivated. My eyes were immediately on the river and how it disappears on the horizon. The outcropping of trees and rocks on the left gives shape and closer, the tree-reflected water on the right with its ripples creates movement.

My eye is also drawn to the leaning birch trees along the right-hand bank. There’s a tinge of red around the tips of the bare branches hinting at spring.

I edited (lightened to show detail) the photo and printed including a grayscale and cropped versions. I made a few notes in the margins as I contemplate how to tackle this as a pastel painting. What do I remove or add to create a better composition?

Part of me is tempted to crop the left, but part of me likes those evergreens in the far background. I’ll make the decision when I do the initial sketch. At the moment, I’m not playing around with rule of thirds. At the moment, I'm calling this "Ready for Spring." Next I'll have to do an initial drawing to see how to work the composition.

While working with that photo, I saw I’d already had this one in the For Paintings folder. Oh, this is lovely, too! I printed these photos and start planning the painting. I'm calling this "A Glorious Dawn."

The colors of this glorious orange dawning over a meandering river with morning mist rising off the water is so captivating. Of course, the printed versions are not as brilliant as the original and my mind works at getting the feel for how I will pull this together.

My eyes immediately are taken in by the sky, but then my view drops lower, past the beautiful mountain, and I’m drawn to the vanishing point in the river. I pull back and take in the rest of the scene with its contours, shapes, lines, etc.  I begin to get an idea of what I’ll be able to do with this and I’m excited.

I almost feel the black and white version is prettier and more interesting. As always, I thank Duane Wheeler very much for providing such stunning photos!

 

Journey in Pastel Painting: three more days' work

April 11: I changed title from “Towards Misty Mountains” to “Lost to the Misty Mountains.” The new title gives it more emotion. Then, I spent  another hour in the studio working sky and mountains. I tried different colors. I took a soft charcoal pencil and worked lines. Not as satisfied today, but when I step away, it doesn’t look bad… as long as I’m not comparing to the photo.

I think part of my problem is I made the mountains too big. And the trouble with opening the photo full screen on the computer, I can see nuances which I can’t figure out how to put in the painting… not that that matters because no one will really know unless they’re comparing the painting to the original photo. I didn't take a progress photo.

April 12: Tried adding some white to create mist and fade the mountains. I don’t know if I’m getting it right. Then again, it doesn’t have to look exactly like the photo. I used a soft charcoal pencil to define some shapes. I’m in a dunno stage. 

April 13: Another hour in the studio. I again worked with color of the mountains and the mist. The photo is so vibrant, but I know I can’t have that for the painting. The distance needs to be softer and faded. I used a Mount Vision for the mist. Still not sure about the mist. I need to make it fluffier.

I spent most the time working the horizon line, trees and foliage. I also began adding some depth/darkness and color to other trees to get a start on setting the stage for along the river. This helps me see if the depth of the distance. I need to fade it more to give it that distant feel. It will come together.

Journey in Pastel Painting 22-005; Starting the Pastel Work

April 10: While doing morning pages and writing about yesterday’s work, more ideas and thoughts came to me. I cropped the original photo into thirds (left, middle, right) to let me see more detail. I printed each as 5x7 image size and made notes and with a black pen, defined shapes that are somewhat otherwise more subtle... but I still need to be able to see them and put the detail in the painting. (I should have done this before starting the drawings.)

Later, I Spent 1.20 hours in the studio. I put pan pastel on the sky, mountains, trees, and water. 

Then I moved the paper and photos to the DT easel to do sitting work. But as I worked the sky with Sennelier and Mount Vision pastels, I realized I shouldn’t put color into the trees until I do the sky as it’s difficult to keep the green out of the sky as I blend.

Also, I once again had trouble getting the right color. I went back and forth to the pastel trays a few times searching for colors that will work. As usual, I have to do my own thing. In the end, it’ll work out.

I worked and worked the sky. I gave up trying to make it look like the reference photo and worked at making the sky dramatic and realistic.  Mostly I only worked the left side to the edge of the right-hand trees, and, of course, once I put the treetops and mountains in, that will help.

I was actually surprised when I stood up to quit and realized the sky doesn’t look too bad. Yes, there’s still work to do.

The challenge now will be getting the clouds on the mountain tops and the mountains themselves in and looking good. 

Journey in Pastel Painting 22-005: The Beginnings of Another

Photo courtesy: Duane Wheeler

I was just starting work on the fourth painting of the year when my friend, Duane Wheeler, posted another absolutely stunning photo on March 19, and I couldn’t resist it. (He’d given permission for me to use any of his photos for reference.) I was too far into the other to let this one take precedence, but this one called to my soul.

The stormy sky, misty mountains and distant trees, and the river flanked by trees and bushes along the shore totally drew me in. I couldn’t even find words to describe how this scene captivated me. It pulled at my heartstrings.

Even though it was an editing workday, I took time to print two 5 x 7s (one in color and the other in grayscale) and one 8 x 10. These gave me details and perspectives and help me see nuances.

Initial 5 x 7 drawing 

The original photo, printed as 8 x 10 image size, actually measures 4 x 10. This creates a challenge when I use papers of different sizes. My preferred sizes to paint are not the popular sizes and are more rectangular than the panoramic view his photos depict. I have to play around with the composition to fill the paper while still keeping the scene realistic.

I did an initial drawing on a 5 x 7 sketch pad using a sketching pencil and vine charcoal. Then this was put aside while I finished the other painting.

I'm calling this "Towards Misty Mountains," but I'm not sold on the title.

Setting the scene with shapes and values

On April 9, I was ready to work on this one. The paper I chose measured 9 ¼ x 14 ½ when I taped it to the board. I measured out approximate thirds on the original photo and the paper and again, using a sketch pencil and vine charcoal, sketched the scene, set shapes, and values.

Painting Update and Giving Critique with the Intent of Helping One Another be Better Artists

"Gentle Sunrise at Winter's Ending," 9 x 14 pastel on BFK Rives paper using a variety of pastels and a little charcoal. Still lots to do.

March 29: Worked more on the left side trees, added a touch of yellow in the sun. It’s not quite right yet, but I wanted to give a hint. I’ll make it better towards the end.

I faded the far horizon, then began working down on the left side. I better defined the path/ridge along the left side riverbank, then worked on closer ground, creating rocks and dark spaces.

The challenge is the rocks and dark areas trying to get it all to look natural. There’s no way I can totally copy the photo (which is not what I’m trying to do anyway.) There’s just too much odd detail which I can’t really see clearly. So, I’m just making lots of rocks. I’ll add more color later.

March 30: In doing show ‘n’ tell with Nan, she commented how one of the ice chunks along the front edge looked too pie shaped. Oops, it does. I quickly fixed that.

We discussed how having another set of eyes view our work really helps us. I’m always amazed how something can be staring me in the face, but I’m so busy looking at other aspects, I don’t see it until it’s pointed out to me. Duh. I love that a simple comment can open my eyes to see better. That’s when having a good fellow-artist friend is invaluable and being able to get good critique.  

I’m slowly feeling confident to give kind critique in return. I made comments on her latest work. We both agreed on the importance of giving critique in a tone showing our intention is to help one other be better at what we can do. A wrong tone can sound like fault-finding.

I am always amazed at our friendship and artistic bond. We both mostly do similar-type landscapes, but our styles and techniques are very different. She strives to be a photo realist working in a tight, specific style creating miniatures in acrylic. I work in a bigger format using pastels which, of course, is a much looser medium although I, too, strive for sharp, realistic lines.

It's wonderful to be able to share ideas, comments, and technique without either of us feeling the other has to do what is suggested.

What’s funny, too, is while she and I were discussing these things, I realized what I need to work on next is the water along that left shoreline as that’s below the rocks and layer of ice. And, even though she hadn’t said anything about that, just standing there discussing the painting allowed me to see more.

 

Ignoring the Creative Muses Because I’m Busy Doing Other Things

 

"Angel Pose," pastel painting

I’ve commented from time to time about the seemingly inopportune time the creative muses show up. They always show up on days when I have other work to do. And the trouble is, if I don’t pay attention when they’re here, they may not come back for a while.

Of course, I always thank them and apologize for being too busy to give them attention. I tell them I appreciate their patience with me as I get pulled in other directions and ask their forgiveness.

Then yesterday I thought: If I want to honor the muses for helping inspire my creativity, is it a dishonor if I ignore them when they show up? Is my being too busy doing something else fair to them? After all, if they take the time for me, shouldn’t I stop and take the time for them?

I’m always crabbing about my precious time being interrupted. Wouldn’t it be similar for them? They come to offer me inspiration and guidance and if I don’t take the time to accept it while they’re here, how can I keep expecting them to return? Thankfully, they do.

One thing is, I’m not a one-pony show. I have multiple passions – writing, pastel painting, poetry, photography, and flower gardening, to name a few. Sometimes my mind is so wrapped up with it all it’s hard to decide which to do in the moment… and it’s even harder when the creative fires are roaring, and I have to damper the flames to do household chores and editing for the InterTown Record.

I’m also very intuitive and much of my work is emotional. My heart and soul wraps around whatever project I’m working on at the moment, and yet, there’s often the pull to work on one of the other projects, too.

I start everyday writing morning pages and often, those are interrupted as I think of other things to write about, or I have ideas for different projects. And, if I don’t write things down when I think about them, I forget about it later. (My mind does three times the work of my physical body, ha-ha. By afternoon, I’m exhausted from thinking so much!)

I want to give honor to the muses. I am grateful for their help and inspiration. It’s also a collaboration. Sometimes a thread of an idea will call them in, and words will start flowing, often faster than I can write or type. In the studio, sometimes I pick up a pastel, and my hand starts moving seemingly on its own accord without my brain really thinking about what I’m doing.

In those times, the creative fires are raging. It’s exciting and wonderful, and I feel so good!

Then I come back into myself and start questioning/finding fault with the work I just did. Duh. Yes, sometimes fixing or cleaning up needs to be done, but usually, in the end, the work is good and after a couple minor tweaks, I have to call it done and leave it alone.

PS: Whether the muses are from the Great Spirit, God, Angels, or any other Divine Beings, I don’t know. I never get a distinct feeling of WHO is coming through. I just know I’m getting guidance, and I am grateful. (I always tell myself, “A rose by any other name…” The specific name or being isn’t what’s important. It’s about the message.)