SPRING ANTICIPATION, acrylic on canvas, 40 x 40 cm.

The days are flying by. To many things want my attention, and I have said YES to many things other than creative work. Plenty of 'to do's! out there, and believe me, a guilty conscience is just a single word away.  That word is NO.  Not good at that one. We love our families and friends and need them like flowers need rain.....but unless I get to release the mess of info. that my brain absorbs by putting marks on paper or canvas, I get downright twitchy (new word, I think....related to bitchy).  With an exhibit coming up in August, I NEED to concentrate some serious, sustained effort on some half-way finished paintings. At least I am not oblivious to my situation and will not be caught in the headlights come July 31st. Saying 'no' is hard, but having understanding, encouraging people around me gives me the courage to let the dust bunnies party and turn over the dinner planning to less competent, but enthusiastic substitutes. I can do ice cream for dinner........

Weathering the Storm

Sometimes I want to sell everything I own and move to Hawaii, or Fiji, or some other little island in the sun. The thing to do when I get in that kind of mindset is to head off early in the morning to the studio and lose myself in the process of creating. Don't always have a plan when I get there, but as soon as I smell the dried fish in the walls (!!) and then see the work from the last session, I get drawn to the paint like a moth to a flame. Often, a good night's sleep will give my brain the process time it needs to work out some quirky problems that my conscience, analytical self couldn't see before. Taking breaks is a very important part of working hard. Without pauses, I don't see the forest for the trees sometimes.  Tonight I am going to think about the current paintings that are swirling around in my head, and as I fall asleep, I will ask for some insight.  I have often done this, and the next day I get a couple of 'a-ha' experiences. I'm not afraid to give up some control and ask for guidance.  I love it when I just 'go with the flow', and wonderful things appear. It's what keeps us artists coming back for a refill, when we're sure that we have used up our last ounce of 'the gift'. Can't wait to go in tomorrow. Have a great day, you too! C.

After having spent the past couple of weeks grounded in Bergen, I have been at the studio regularly, and it's a kick to see what has come about. Seeing my work with different eyes after a break is a valuable thing. Reading lots of inspirational and educational books and re-running some of my art academy videos has encouraged, and challenged me. Color, being the subjective thing that it is, has been in my sights, because I have come to the conclusion that I need clearer colors, but not to the exclusion of beautiful greys. As a matter of fact, without the greys, blacks & browns, real color impact is wasted by a fight with the other colors. It's funny how I learned things decades ago, but info. only sinks in after a long internal fight and much trial and error. I mean.......it's amazing how information overload when you are young gets filed for later use and only pops up again when you have nearly given up, and re-scanned your inner depths for answers.  Books that I have owned for 10-15 years are just now giving up the info. that I didn't GET when I first read them. Amazing. I'm headed back there for a new round of 'remembering'.  Cheers!

CENTERPIECE, acrylic on canvas,  30 x 40 cm.

SUMMER OPTIMIST, acrylic on canvas, 90 x 70 cm.

Out from Under the Dark

Whoa....the past couple of days have included sunshine and blue skies, and I just don't know what to say. I guess what artists do when they don't know what to say is.....paint, make music, write, skulpt, etc.  This kind of weather, at the end of January, just lightens my heart and makes me want to throw YELLOW paint everywhere. I have been up in the mountains alot in January and parts of December (2011), and the white snow has blocked out most colors and given my eyes and mind a needed boost of light. Now, I think I am seriously needing some color to go along with that light. Blue sky is nice....pink sunsets are nicer.  Hoping for some more days like this so I can actually lighten my palette and paint colors. Dark blue is getting sooooo heavy.  White.....with some traces of color...............or pure color with some traces of white.........Sunshine does wonderful things for us. Off for a walk and a trip in to the studio afterwards.

2012-where do I go from here?

Really!! Where?? Forward? Sideways? Up? All of the above? None of the above? I have been traveling and collecting inspiration for the upcoming work period for the last 6 months. How will I do when it comes down to putting paint on the canvas? Will there be anything there worth telling? I have made decisions several times along the road, and tossed them out just as I came up with new ones.  One thing is certain...nature and organic forms will continue to play an important role. Perhaps in another, less obvious form...and in a more decisive format. Last year's paintings were a compromise in format. I listened to a type of reasoning that said  "smaller formats have a better chance of selling" --- !!###%&()(&(/R&>!!!! Learned the hard way that the ONLY reason to chose a format is because it answers to the needs of the painting's subject. I tried to capture nature's majestic scenery on canvases that were too small and consequently had no impact. I will not make that mistake again. This year will find me following my intuition and heart. Size IS important. Can't wait to start stretching canvas and throwing gesso around the room. To be continued!!

Where has the time flown...it's October already. One BIG fall storm is upon us as I write this, and the wind and waves outside the window leave me in awe of nature. Too bad it's dark outside, but I think this is supposed to last a couple of days, so tomorrow morning I may see more of the rage.
Painting, anyone? I think of all the artists around me who are in the middle of their processes-digging deep inside and dragging up all kinds of ideas that were so far down that they thought they were safe there. NOPE. That's what it's like to be alone with yourself when you're creating (at least for me). It doesn't just happen. You have to make it happen... with attention and patience. Also, you just have to LET it happen. I find that music helps...all kinds of music, depending on my mood and where I am in the process of the projects at hand. If I am totally present with myself, not somewhere else, listening and keeping still, I will talk myself into all kinds of solutions. It's exciting. It's what keeps me coming back to the studio and the paints. I have been away tooooo long, and now that the days are shortening and getting rough, I am soon going to hide out in my own space, with my own company, and see what I find.