Finally Finished

Finally finished, finally a 'me' painting!

"Veil of Tears" Completed

Creative Quest

I like to take photos of my work as they progress, it gives me a sharper perspective and often either confirms what I suspected needed work or shows me what isn't working. There's lots of refining work to do with this one.  Then, sometimes you just have to give it time before you are certain of what needs to happen next.  I seem to be doing a lot of that these days, waiting.  I've been blasting away at a creative block that has me struggling to enter freely into the process which is what it's all about for me, the process.     "The quest into creativity is a journey into the heart and soul..." M. Cassou 

Maybe it's because I work in abstract, I have no reference to look at and guide me into a piece, though I expect creative blocks challenge those who work in realism in taking what they see before them and finding a way to interpret in their own style.

I've received so much great advice and words of encouragement as I am struggling with this creative block. I show up each day and keep hacking away at it, not just with paint, but in doing the inner work of processing what life throws at us.  Things can become stagnant too darn quickly if we don't keep pressing in and doing the work, interior and exterior.

 My art journal is the place I go to work out colour combos, ideas and techniques for pieces I want to create on canvas.  I wind up with a journal full of backgrounds and random stencil clean ups that I then try to use to write out or further explore my inner world.  The right hand page is where I determined the colours I would use for the above unfinished piece.

This is my youngest Granddaughter, Lyvia's journal.  She keeps it here so Nanny can clean her brushes and used stencils in her pages giving her something fun and different for her to then add images and captions.  She has always been fascinated with my journals and would take several of them home with her if Nanny were ready to part with them :-)  I love to encourage my girls to explore and discover their unique voice, I tell Lyvia she is a 'Colour Layerist' a term she loves to mull over and think about how it applies to her creative bent.

"The quest into creativity is a journey into the heart and soul...When you step into the Creative Quest, you enter the unlived ground of your life, the wilderness of your soul."  Point Zero by Michele Cassou

Creative Blocks

From my previous post you know I've been doing some of the marketing challenges, Leslie Saeta is suggesting in her 30 Marketing Ideas in 30 Days.  Some of them I've been doing others I'm developing, a fancy word for I'm trying!  On day 9 she challenged us to take more progression photos of our work, so this is my efforts to develop this one painting. It's one of those times I wish I had just left it alone!

Well, as you also know if you follow my blog, I've found myself dealing with some head and heart issues that have cut me off from my ability to enter into my own creative process.  I'm working hard to get to that place again, doing the inner work and then coming to the studio and attempting to paint.

Blocks are funny things, and because I've not been painting for long, my experience with them are minimal.  There's the usual January hump that I've found myself in these last few years, but I know they exist because my body (and the fibromyalgia) shuts down after the demands of the holidays and I simply need to rest, rebuild, and the flow returns.  But blocks that come from emotional pain and heartache, well that's new to me and the complete inability to even enjoy picking up a brush is, well, shocking!  Not that there has not been heartbreak and difficulties in the past, there have been, but I was able to use my art to express my pain and reach for the healing I found in the expression.

I guess in life one can never assume anything, nor should we expect that what got us past one hurdle will work exactly the same with the next.  We are wonderfully complex beings, and I can only hope at the end of this journey into greater venerability it will lead to a deeper expression with my art and life.  Many of you have left wonderfully encouraging words, they let me know that we are never alone and always there is a common bond that makes us human and part of a greater community.  Thank You...

"The Dragon of Control...The lack of inspiration is a cover-up; actually, you are full of feelings dying to express themselves. But they are not what you expect them to be and may shock you. The feelings that need to be felt are outside your familiar way of sensing yourself."  Michele Cassou

Marketing Ideas Challenge With Leslie Saeta

Life has a way...of catching you off guard, leaving you floundering to manage.  Having one of those life moments and I'm afraid my art has taken a hit.  I can only trust the urge and ability to enter into the process of painting will return to me when I'm in a better head and heart space.

In the meantime, here's a piece that was a redo, I like it's long slender length and off course teal and golden crackle (it is golden not the orange showing here) always appeals to me.  It has a name now, 'Celestial'.

Have you heard about Leslie Saeta's 30 Marketing Ideas in 30 Days? If not you can check it out, there are a lot of us attempting to work on the marketing end of things. Thanks Leslie!

"Trusting the process is based on a belief that something valuable will emerge when we step into the unknown. There are elements of surrender and letting go...

The humblest expressions can be sources of insight and wonder...negative and fearful experiences can really test our capacity for positive reflection."  Shaun McNiff

Gel Transfers and Resistance

From the loft this week...

One down and others on the go.  The antique car photo is a gel transfer, I wanted that aged and battered look that you get from the imperfections of doing a Gel transfer.  (Notice the nicks and scares and areas where the photo was lifted)  So if your interested in giving the imperfect a try...

Using a Gel Medium, like Golden Regular Gel Medium (Matt or Semi-gloss):

-spread a thin but even layer of the medium on the canvas where you want the transfer to be.
-Carefully place the laser print photo face down into the gel and gently but firmly press the photo into the gel being careful not to get the gel onto the back of the photo. Wipe the gel off if you do get some on the back as I usually do!
-allow the gel to completely dry (I let it dry over night, drying time depends on how thick the gel is and heat/humidity of your work space)
-Once the gel is dry, spray the back of the photo completely with water, then using your finger tips begin to rub and roll off the back layers of the paper.  This is quite a process, continuing to spritz with water and getting all the backing off so that the imbedded gel photo shows through.  Once I've gotten the most of the white paper off and my image is showing up nicely, I then use a  Mr. Clean Eraser to carefully scrub off the fine white paper residue left on the image.


From 'Do The Work' by Steven Pressfield

"When you and I set out to create anything--art, commerce, science, love--or to advance in the direction of a higher, nobler version of ourselves, we uncork from the universe, ineluctably, an equal and opposite reaction. That reaction is Resistance. Resistance is an active, intelligent, protean, malign force--tireless, relentless, and inextinguishable--whose sole object is to stop us from becoming our best selves and from achieving our higher goals...
We can never eliminate Resistance. It will never go away. But we can outsmart it, and we can enlist allies that are a powerful as it is."

Been battling some resistance these days myself, how about you?  Here's to outsmarting 'Resistance' in our lives! 

Unlocking Wisdom

This new piece, "Unlocking Wisdom," is now hanging on my wall, so I can enjoy it for a time.  After posting a picture or two on Facebook, I was asked what its story was, so I'll try to explain it the best I can.

In truth there is always mystery involved in understanding completely the intuitive pull that has me adding certain elements. This piece is about the search for wisdom.  Decisions are made every day, our need for insight, guidance and wisdom is a constant.  At the top of the canvas I created the effect of tree branches for trees represent 'Wisdom' to me. Behind the branches I collaged in a blueprint that you will catch glimpses of as you look deeper into the piece, for wisdom often hides and it takes more than a quick glance to 'See.'

 The doorway to Wisdom is often locked and you will need a key to enter its presence, is there just one key or are their more?  The graphics at the bottom of the piece, lets me know I need to pay attention to the signs that surround me, speaking an ancient language for a modern time.  I used both collaged pictures of Hebrew writings as well as stencil work of the Hebrew language over top.  I love the visual effect of Hebrew as well as the fact that it is an ancient language so it served me well for depicting what I needed to about our search for Wisdom as we live our lives...

"Unlocking Wisdom" (24x36") is available for purchase, I'll be adding it to my website soon, or email me if interested.

"Where do our real thoughts come from? How can we access them? From what source does our true, authentic self speak?   Do The Work by Steven Pressfield

Resistance Plays For Keeps!

I like how this piece came out, it's rich tones and textures working with the image of one so ancient.  My younger sisters take time to roam the Graham family homesteads when they return for visits, cameras in hand.  My father and uncle spent their life working farms that were right across the road from each other.  "Up home" and "down home" to we cousins, and we roamed them freely, working side by side in haying season as our fathers did in most things concerning the farms.  The brothers have left this world, but everywhere we see the remnants of their imprint, their lives unfold for us in the land, the abandoned equipment and fence lines that use to be.  I'm so thankful that Kellie and Ree (Doreen) have chosen to capture all these glimpses, memories and echos of lives lived, with their cameras.

I love the old gnarled tree that Ree (Doreen) took, the four of us share a fascination with trees as did our father, he loved working in the woods, the fresh clean smell of the air and the wood sap that filled every fibre of his clothing at the end of hard days work.  All these memories and more came rolling together as I worked on this piece, earning its name, "Memory Echoes"

On the table currently are a couple more mixed media pieces, gaining some texture through collage and other mediums.

Been reading some from Steven Pressfield's book, "Do The Work" it's a hard hitting book for creatives, in this portion he is dealing with 'Resistance'

"The more important a call or action is to our soul's evolution, the more Resistance we will feel toward pursuing it."

"Resistance plays for keeps. Resistance's goal is not to wound or disable. Resistance aims to kill.
Its target is the epicenter of our being: our genius, our soul, the unique and priceless gift we were put on this earth to give and that no one else has but us..."

Strong words, but they do make me stop and wonder at the many things that life kicks our way and the impact they have...

Extraordinary Women

On the table this week, one on it's way the other almost complete.  The photo of the tree in the mixed media piece was taken by my youngest sister, Ree as I call her (Doreen Graham) and the wonderful old truck photo by my other younger sister, Kel (Kellie Graham).

I have these amazing women in my life, they enrich my life and inspire me by who they are, all the Creator has poured into them.  Mother, sisters, daughter. Then into the next layer of daughter-in-love and grand-daughters.  Their talent, intelligence and strength fill me with awe most days, then there are those times when they move into the extraordinary... if I could paint those qualities they would vibrate in depth, mystery and layers, it would be the work of a lifetime.

'Solar Flare' detail, visit my website

"When painting from intuition, you never choose an image, you just find it, obvious, alive, waiting to be painted.  It is born naturally out of the womb of your inner world."  Cassou- Point Zero

In Process

On the table this week...a nice 24x48" in lots of primary colours.  Now it's down to the details, floating in some inks and determining what areas need help.

Hope everyone is having a good week, got my Grand-daughters visiting today, it's March break here and I'm looking forward to hanging out.  We hang out now, they are growing up on me, Grace will be 12 in a few weeks and Lyvia will be hitting the double digits in April!

"Each of us is so totally unique that our processes are bound to be like no other when we let go of our expectations and travel in our Creative Quest." M. Cassou

It's all about the journey!

Support The Arts

Acrylic/Inks  20x48" on canvas-on display at Klub Soda, Fredericton 

Been a full week, finished up a few pieces and delivered 5 new pieces to be displayed at Klub Soda Salon, 480 Queen St, Fredericton. Drop by, the team there are wonderful and welcome the interest.  They have been great for local artist, giving us opportunity to show and sell our work.

If interested in purchasing email me or drop by Klub Soda in person

Tomorrow I deliver a few pieces to be part of a fund raiser for RiVA, (River Valley Arts Alliance) March 9th, Woodstock, NB,  Mardi Gras Dance and Silent Auction, live music, food and a chance to bid on some wonderful art from a wide variety of artists.  Sounds like a great time and a wonderful way to support the arts.

"Return to the place before your judgments took over. Every judgment or criticism brings a desire to control your images and colors.  To find your freedom, you must identify and lift all the judgments that are in your way."  Point Zero by Michele Cassou