The Risk to BLOOM

It is about springing! The painting shown is a portion of a large painting. The risk to bloom is an image I am passionately exploring, in art and spirit. Really all my paintings are in code for something deeper at work.  If you would like to see the painting, there is a painting tab above. Also it will be hanging at my new show in the Fine Line Bistro at the end of April.
Other great news is that I will be painting a mural in the city of Ithaca, stay tuned. Please look for my cartoons in the next issue of Fresh Dirt Magazine. There is a new show hanging in Manndible Cafe at Cornell. How do we know for sure it is spring? The farmers Market opens the first Saturday in April-look for me there as well as in Ithacamade. Yes there is always the possibility of visiting at my studio of course. Lastly I plan to have a show of my illustrations for a book in process. It will be a launch of a dream I've had, so a big festive party is in order! I know I will close down Cliff Street for it. Oh sorry, I got carried away. Do not worry though, you are personally invited.

inspired

i have been inspired, but mostly in my head, avoiding my studio. just sketching and thinking of ideas, meeting the clouds of winter. this painting is a lid for a cabinet which the lines are burned in the wood. the image continues around the sides. it's what my soul needed, capturing. sometimes i feel like i am hibernating or what i might call introspective. i am in the midst of reinventing my creative energy. which way will it go? meanwhile i have many new coded images that are my journals and love being in my home. the other day i looked around and laughed because it is so obvious i am in my home, surrounded by my makings and paint paint paint.

soul wire

 i like this because it is DEEP visual poetry, the title  is "when soul called."what if every moment in the day you were listening to your soul , like sweet piano music. i heard my soul the other day when i made creamy vegan cauliflower coconut soup. next time, i will also put on some piano music. in these cloudful days of january it 's important to find light.

 i was moved to the point that i lost my breath and quickly closed the book upon reading these words by marianne williamson- Think of your work life, therefore, not as separate from your spiritual life but as central to your spiritual life. Whatever your business, it is your ministry.

tears broke

Today i went to a funeral. She planned it herself. She even had her sister give us her parting words of advice. There we all were, connected. Luckily before i went i tended to my garden and wore lots of jewelry, because i thought it would help. Tears broke today of the shear beauty. I wondered the difference of sorrow and joy. Today they were mixed into one.
I call this painting "spirit," it seems to be perfect for today. It's good to touch the earth and gaze up at the sky, and hold those you love.

Oh my it was such a beautiful day, below the surface.

Communication

My friend Werner said "art is a communication." I loved the simplicity of that. When i am working on a show and creating piece after piece and lining them up along the wall, a story unfolds. I can feel it,  the images and characters emerge. It's about healing who you are, not about what you know. I am at a place where i just paint. Someone said      "what are those paint blotches on the background of that?" I have no idea, maybe they are paint FIREFLIES. This piece is hanging at Manndible cafe in Mann library, Cornell.

the risk to bloom

            this is a sketch for a large fence i may be painting.
 i wanted  a hopeful  image all winter long.  but everything is really always growing and blooming. today i was absolutely stopped dead in my tracks speechless when i heard news my friend told me. she is now a fresh new seed that just burst through the dirt toward the unknown. i am learning how emotional,  flowers can grow us.

ithaca

this is a sketch painting for an idea. it's the main character, of a painting entitled "ithaca." i think the person might be in the middle of a cloud, so seeing the sun doesn't matter as much, (in my imagination).
what i like about this painting, is it would look good turned in any direction. aha which is a great way to look about life. i am in the midst of practicing unconditional happiness.  it's been about a month now since i started this quest. anytime i am having an unhappy time, i remember my "practice", and that thought alone cracks me up!