The Daily Spectrum - Amoungst The White

     One can tell here in Maine that winter is slowly winding down. The days are actually getting above the freezing mark, temperature wise, during the day. The inclement weather we're getting in a mix of snow and rain. The Blue Bird of happiness, to the best of my knowledge, is still down south. Instead, I saw the Blue Jay of winter.

     He was a handsome fellow (I think - they say you cannot tell males from females by appearance), while he sat quite still on the branch outside my window. He seemed to be content to pose for me. I was almost finished, he winked at me & flew away. He, like I, have things to accomplish on a day to day basis. At least I hope we enjoyed each others company for a while.

The Daily Spectrum - Living The Pieces

     In this artistic life, the unexpected always happens. Both my daughters are grown women each with two children. My oldest daughter has two school aged children, while my younger daughter has a pair of much younger offspring.

     However, even after careful planning by my oldest daughter, she informed me at 6am one morning recently that her younger sister, whom had "babysitting duty" that day, texted her, at 2:15am no less, to say that her two children were feeling very much under the weather. Thus came my 6am phone call that started with, "Hey... do you have any plans for today", and eventually led to, "Could you please watch the kids today?" As these situations usually progress, this first day was day one of a four day stint that week.

     Grammy duty took precedence over painting. However, be not dismayed. I have once again gained insight into the world of CHILD as well as fantasy land.

     Inspirations abound with reorganizing my time and space. I am in a non-existent creative painting part of my cycle. Working with words - word smything if you will - clipping from magazines and creating free form until I can once again catch the wave with the painting muse and discover more of me. While working with scrap-booking magazine, this piece spoke to me...

The Daily Spectrum - Riding Out The Storm

     Daily painting blog - day #13. Emotionally, I've come full spectrum. I have hit bottom and am drowning in depression. I couldn't continue painting. Just after lunch, I flipped the painting over so it was face down on my table in my studio. I didn't even want to look at it.

     I broke down into tears and wept all afternoon. Black thoughts crowded my mind - I felt useless and full of self pity. It felt like a great overwhelming grief. I was drained and felt horrible having left the piece unfinished. I beat myself up for not accomplishing my goal. What was I doing? Do I even want to continue doing this? Was I being unrealistic in doing a painting a day? Was the painting good or was it shit? Will people understand what I'm trying to accomplish?

     Moreover, who is this tyrant that pummels me? The Sea Monster... (all I see is the monster in me during these times).

The Daily Spectrum - Valentine's Day; A Day Of Love

     Daily painting blog - day #12. My love of color dominated the day. Stained glass effects - harlequin costumes, parties in my mind - joyful effects derived from my work.

     For the scientific aspect of my mind I can see cocoons, emerging catepillars, and a butterfly all overlaid each other. Or perhaps a cobra head, a green heart - symbolizing a heart full of life.

     I also see sailboats, a tall man dancing, and a blue goose. What do you see? Isn't the imagination a wonderful tool and gift?

The Daily Spectrum - Which End Is Up?

     Daily painting blog - day #11. Paintings, as with life, can present situations we don't know how to deal with. One painting was photographed yesterday when it was half done - then it was rephotographed today. By looking at the two images, it completely revealed how complicated emotions can be.

     I thought the work was near done yesterday except that I hated it. My mind was reeling with conversations I wanted to have with my people. My energy was dark and negative. Thus, it was reflected in the painting.

     Today, resolutions to those imagined conversations came to mind and I imagined I was playing that 80's video game Pac-Man while lightening up the dark areas thus lightening my mood. This was a highly successful day of painting for me!

The Daily Spectrum - It Will Be What It Will Be

     Daily painting blog - day #10. This post is actually for Monday as it took me 2 days to do the painting! However, trusting the process both in painting and in my daily rounds has never come easy for me. I am forced out of my comfort zone and into a world I do not understand. The drive to press onward - see what I can see - propels me forward.

     It is bright and bold - but is it beautiful? If it is, then it's a beauty I have yet to comprehend. I paint on into the depths of my soul, probing even deeper for meaning.

The Daily Spectrum - Do What You Love

     Daily painting blog - day #9. An overwhelming sense of passion and desire overtake me as I dream of the process of painting. Painting is a skill - the creating of illusions on a two dimensional surface. This skill has driven my zest for life for over 25 years. I awake to see what colors are painted in the sky and on the sea. I observe all the colors that surround me. Never have I seen the same colors twice in exactly the same way.

     Using external and internal channeling with the abstracts, I produce the very same color combination seen in the world only not ordered the same way.

     Only in ones imagination can the colors of God be perceived and loved - filled with the emotion of joy, patience, and kindness that only true devotion can bring.

     By doing what I love, my life abounds in the riches of Creation.

The Daily Spectrum - Lightening Up!

Daily painting blog - day # 8. It took me two days to get this painting finished. I visited the "dark side", had to find a balance, and the next day, I went at it again & "lightened up". So, while this entry is technically a day late, I was still painting & working. It goes to prove that you can choose your mood.

If your ever depressed or down about something - whether it's the weather, the cold, the lack of sunlight, or any other person, place, situation or thing - go get lightened up! Go paint, draw, color, whatever! You owe it to yourself!

The Daily Spectrum - Window Wonders

Daily painting blog - day #7. I paint by blind faith. I stare at a blank sheet of paper & trust the process that I learned a year ago. I sit under bright lights while the color flows from the brush leaving infinite marks and a trail of wonder. Not really understanding how or why - just that when it's done, it's perfect.

One could call this work "Brain Drain" - as when it's done, I am literally drained energy wise as well as brain dead. This work is a combination of acrylic and metallic paints and photographed using natural sunlight as back lighting.

The Daily Spectrum - Wild Wonders

Daily painting blog day #6. Experimenting with bright, wild colors - and going out of my comfort zone.
Also, having an interesting time trying to photograph these paintings. The metallic paints are very reflective of any camera flash or light. Found that back lighting works very well. Using the natural light of the sun produces some great results.

Now I have to finish all these types of works before sunset...

The Daily Spectrum - Reaching For New Heights

Daily painting blog - day #5. Had a treasure for Tuesday. As the title states, was reaching for new heights, painting wise. Used new type of metallic paints. The result resembles a rose window at the Chartrez Cathedral in France.

The Daily Spectrum - Up and Down Day

Daily painting blog - day #4. Was a manic Monday - once I was able to sit down and paint, this is what came out of me. Hence the name "spew"...

The Daily Spectrum - Electricity... Or Lack Thereof

     Just like the title says - I had no electricity on Thursday due to a powerful winter storm. All rain, but the wind was a blowin'. As such, no lights in the studio - could not paint. Not enough battery power on the laptop - could not blog. They say the difference between chaos & order is electricity - so I took to pen, paper, and candles...

     "Every now and then, go away, have a little relaxation. For when you come back to your work, your judgement will be surer." - Leonardo da Vinci

     So - I feel okay about taking a day off, as long as I'm still creating art wise! We all know a picture is worth a thousand words, but since there is no painting, here are a few words I composed...     

     Any topic under the sun, the sun romances me,
     Winter morn, so pure and pink,
     Cold and crisp, the morning dew,
     Only enjoyed and savored by a few.

     Icy dew drop upon my face,
     Why am I here in such a cold place,
     Winter of my soul, dark as can be,
     Oh dear sun - please melt me.