The Daily Spectrum - A Change Of Pace

Holding on to hope and making smart choices lead to positive changes. Opening my mind to the possibilities life has to offer. Sometimes the very things we perceive as a negative, ultimately turn out to be a good thing.

 - "Give me the splendid silent sun with all his beams full - dazzling"
     Walt Whitman, Leaves of Grass

My personal goal is to feel genuinely the joy of life. It begins in this moment and my choice to be grateful now. My healing process begins with the choice to separate myself from the old story and bring in supportive people to assist in "reprogramming" me. Part of this goal is self growth... exploring healthier tools for life. I face my own mind and stop thinking negative thoughts and emotions. It is a form of violence to myself.

Using my mind in a trained manner - I sit like a bee sucking in the moment. While I grieve, a dead leaf fell upon me. Turn my negative thoughts into hope and joy. God's spirit within me creates a journey full of excitement, passion, and joy.

Until next time,
The happy painter,
Jill

The Daily Spectrum - Among The Trees

A new spirit has emboldened me to push ever onward as a person and as a painter. What I'm doing - not many understand. My fellow artists have flown the coup of Maine for warmer or different climates.

I am a pioneer in the deep woods. I am the solitary eagle soaring high on the winds. I am the wave crashing on the beach.

I am painter - one with all I capture. Huntress searching for my sustainable meal. I paint - you purchase the work - therefore I can eat.

Until next time,
The happy painter,
Jill

The Daily Spectrum - My Passion, My Art

Dedicated to beauty. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. So - what is beauty? To one person, it is the colors of a vibrant sunset; to another, the geometry of the city walls; yet to a third person, beauty is found in objects that bring comfort.

I'm changing my focus this season - barns as well as farms have been the background of American culture from  the Native Americans who grew maize, to the Pilgrims, to modern day farmers and backyard enthusiasts.

To plant is to grow. To paint the plants is to expand. For me, painting barns connects me to the people who built America - the down to Earth ones.

Until next time,
The happy painter,
Jill

The Daily Spectrum - Finding Your Inner Moose

I'm finding it difficult today to let go of the morning madness that always ensues. What can I do today to improve my emotional and mental health? When I'm balancing another for my circumstances, it keeps me stuck offering no hope for change and improving my conditions.

I have personal power. It's my choice to plug into it today. All it takes is the decision to take my life into my own hands - to be thoughtful, prayerful, and 100% responsible for all that I do to nourish my developing self. I strengthen my sense of self, heighten my well-being, and move closer to wholeness.

Self-realization is the most important search of all. I don't let pain and discomfort hinder me from searching myself in a true and honest light. I am open and willing to learn life's lessons. I aim to walk with God today in an ordinary way. Spiritual truth is learned by atmosphere and things become possible that weren't possible before. You will find a new vision and a new purpose.

Until next time,
The happy painter,
Jill

The Daily Spectrum - Spring Has Come To Maine

This is the time of year when I seek diligently to find new things to paint. Driving through the backwoods of Maine, exploring places I haven't seen yet. You might think I'd get tired of old barns and farms. I don't. They each have a personality like the person who designed and built them.

There is the purpose of the barn to consider. Does it house cows, horses, chickens, Alpacas, sheep, goats, rabbits or guinea pigs? Each animal has different requirements in a shelter as well as a unique personality - a cow can be easily fenced, where a sheep cannot.

Does the barn have a colorful tin or metal roof, or is it a shingled one? Moods and time of day need to be taken into consideration. What is my color palette? What am I trying to say about this farm?

Why do I paint farms? Farmers provide for our needs - food to eat and wool for clothing. Farms are also 100% American made.

I sharpen my skills of perspective with each barn scene I paint. They say practice makes perfect - but even the Amish drop a stitch in their quilts to remind themselves to be humble. I paint in a red plank in the same vein to remind myself it's okay to make a mistake. Only God is perfect.

Until next time,
The happy painter,
Jill

The Daily Spectrum - Days of Winter

You may have wondered what happened to me, the studio, and this blog since October 2013. My husband Dave and I journeyed south where we thought there would be warmer weather. I could paint outdoors and he could find more stable work.

Unfortunately, neither of these two things happened very often. The adventures of our trip can be read and followed on NomadicAmericans.blogspot.com. We found ourselves in winter everywhere. The temperatures hardly rose above 50 degrees in the states we found ourselves. The blessings of our journey art-wise however, were that we saw many a pastoral countryside and I now have an assortment of photo references now to paint from.

My method of painting begins with my palette of favorite colors; what I call my basic 8 - two yellows. a light as well as a dark medium cad, two other reds, two greens, and two blues. All other colors I can mix from these. I have over the years picked up a dioxide purple and an orange as these can be time saving when I return to a painting in progress and spare myself some frustration. This in turn, helps me remain a "happy painter".

Until next time,
Jill

The Daily Spectrum - What Color Are You?

Color is as major a decision in making art as it is a personal choice. many professionals in advertising, home decor, real estate, and even photographers know how to utilize color in order to help sell a product. They realize that color elicits a certain response in the human psyche - whether we, the consumer, are consciously aware of it or not. For example, red signifies a hunger response; therefore, a hot dog or cut of meat in a particular advertisement may be intentionally reddened in the photograph being published. Another example, is an dining area in a restaurant may be painted a certain shade of maroon.

Wearing colors is a bit more tricky - some will enhance your complexion while others make you look and feel sick and/or run down. Usually the brighter the color, the more vibrant and lively the person is.

The art of living begins by knowing the particular colors that appeal specifically to you. Are you a primary person, or a rainbow (muted)? Do natural colors appeal to you or industrial ones?

You may be wondering what any of this has to do with painting - I'll tell you what... paintings are made of all sorts of colors. From high intensity to low, vibrant to dim, light to dark. My color pallet won't be the same as yours - and that's perfectly fine. We may be painting the same inspiring scene together, but color choices are still up to each individual and are just as unique as a finger print.

What is the purpose for your painting? For myself, the beauty of a pastoral landscape can't be beat. I long for the simpler days and quieter times even though I personally haven't lived on a farm. I am enthralled with the songs of birds, the whistling wind, and the bouncing dried leaves as they pass by. I hear the woodpecker tapping on a tree for his meal. I am so blessed to be able to do what I love for a living and be in a laid back state.

It's been quite some time since I've put a link to my website in the blog, so here it is again -
http://artscapedesignstudio.wix.com/jadl

Until next time,
The Happy Painter
Jill