This week my students and I began to paint a picture of a summer sky. We had a wonderful time together, doing and learning. I tend to just keep jabbering about matters of art and life as I know that these students can multi-task. I know this for it seems that no matter what is happening, they are moving and doing something on several levels all at the same time. There is the I-phone, wires to their ears, talking, snacking on something etc. So I know they are hearing me blathering on about life and art as it relates (or doesn't relate) to whatever is the subject of the class.

It occurred to me that the whole world of painting is an amazing metaphor of life and living...really living. Living with (or without, sigh) light in one's eyes. For one, our lives are a painting in the making. Now, we can paint on practically anything, so the question is, on what is our life painting being done? Also, how is the surface of our panting being prepared? This base and it's preparation to receive the paint our life will require are two of the most important aspects of the painting itself. It will influence everything and anything done on the painting. For if the base is not prepared or is not long lasting in itself, the whole painting and thus our lives will be influenced.

 The Last Supper was painted by Leonardo da Vinci on the wall of a building in 1498. It was not a good long lasting surface and so this amazing painting began to suffer and
deteriorate within 20 years of it's completion. Ever since there have been what someone called "ham-fisted" attempts at repairs. Notice at the bottom centre of the painting, see the arch there. Well, at one point the painting was so far gone that they even punched a door through the wall. Then later closed it up again, filling it with brick and mortar, defacing the painting. Eventually repairs had to be made, not only to the painting but the very building and the wall it was painted on. Despite all of this, it is today one of the most scrutinized, well known and loved paintings of the world.

Whatever the base is, it will become the major influence as to the quality longitude and character of our painting of your life. 

So we move now to the actual surface of
the painting. What in fact will it be and how will this surface receive the paint? In other words will the paint "stick" to the surface? If it is a very hard smooth surface or an unstable surface, the paint will not adhere well. In a short time, it will begin to peel and actually fall off. So, to prevent this and to make sure we won't "fall apart" so to speak, the surface on which we paint our lives must be prepared in such a way that the life we live will last and stand the test of time. The surface must have what is called "tooth." It must be roughened so the paint will have something to "grab onto" as it is lived and applied.

It is very sad to see sections of paint peeling away from a good painting. How do we deal with that? Sandpaper! Yep, we need to give that surface a good rough scrub. The scrub can be shallow or deep, no matter, it must be roughened up so the paint stick. 

Wow, that sounds like "life" doesn't it? What is the foundation of our lives? What basic beliefs do we believe in and follow? What is our real "higher power?" Is it something sure and unmovable or is it something rather shaky and unsure?

There are some things we have no control over when it comes to life. Did we grow up in poverty or wealth? It will not be up to us, but we will have to deal with it. Do we have our health or not? Again, often we have no choice in such matters. Here, our painting will again be affected, but in what way? Will these situations make us better or will they make us angry and frustrated? The painting will reveal these things. With the right truth as the bases of our life painting, we can, despite circumstances, convey a message and life of the courageous overcomer. There are many who have experienced amazing pain, suffering and reversals in life and have become an incredible inspiration to the world.

In fact, the luster and beauty of Leonardo's Last Supper, despite it's deterioration cannot be hid.

This is good. Gives me something to think and talk about as we paint the rest of our painting next week. Thank you for helping me think through this metaphor. I'll report in again next week. 

Have a great long weekend.

This weekend is Mother's Day. Let me just think with you about the ladies in my family.

The photo above represents our two girls. Odia, who created the Instillation art in the background entitled "Evidence of a Trial." is our second daughter. In the for-ground is a piece entitled "Six Point Five Weeks" representing Candace who died after she had been abducted, hogtied and left to die in the severe November -25 degree winter temperatures. We found her in this shed 6.5 weeks later.

After the trial for the man who was accused of her murder I was exploding with a lot of different emotions. This piece allowed me to make something that would force me to go where no one should ever have to go. Creating this allowed me to go Into that shed in an attempt to feel what Candace felt that night. To imagine her terror and the pain of the rope as she's hogtied and tortured. Even imagine the confusion and horror of my13 year old innocent daughter as she experiences a sexual pervert in action. Doing this piece, I could weep and grieve. Where I could squish and manipulate the wet clay in processing my own pain, anguish and frustration. Where I could go to examine the depth of the forgiveness I would eventually actually have to go too. 

I had initially intended to make them her hands, but I just could not go there. I had to make them mine. 

Today U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama, a mother of two girls, addressed the world regarding the tragic abductions of girls from their school dormitory.

“This unconscionable act was committed by a terrorist group determined to keep these girls from getting an education — grown men attempting to snuff out the aspirations of young girls,” she said. “Let us hold their families in our hearts during this very difficult time, and let us show just a fraction of their courage in fighting to give every girl on this planet the education that is her
birthright.” 

My heart goes out to the parents of these 276 girls. We cannot imagine what they may be going through and we cannot imagine the anguish of their parents, and this weekend, their mothers.

May God bless our Mother's on this Mother's Day. 

Our family art show "Inexplicable, It is About Healing" is over and was by all accounts, an exciting success. Everyone in the family was encouraged in our art endeavors. All three of us who showed our wares came away inspired, our minds bursting with new ideas for future work.

One of the reasons for this was the personal connection we had with the visitors who came to see the art. Whenever we have shown in an art gallery, we have had the opening evening where we interact with the public viewing the show. After that we leave and have no further real connection with what is happening in the gallery. Here, in this case however, we sat the show every evening. One or more of us were there interacting with the public as they came and viewed the our art. Now, there is the guest book where folk note down their observations and these are much appreciated. But it is so much more impacting to speak to the viewers on a personal level, face to face, as they express their feelings about what they have just seen. It's much more impacting, encouraging and inspiring.

The piece shown above is called "Doubt." It speaks to what happens when one allows doubt to run riot in our minds. The  rising cloth of doubt makes things unstable and unsafe for us as it ascends higher and higher off the solid ground  of truth. 

Before the show, we felt that doubt. We felt a level of instability in 
our show and how it would be received. As the show went on though we all become less doubtful. The voices of wonder and encouragement from the visitors took affect. We began to feel less instability as the cloth of doubt lowered us to the solid ground of truth and confidence in our show. It was you, our viewing audience that did that for us. You came in numbers, viewed the show and shared your encouraging words with us. There was emotion. There were spiritual experiences. Many were encouraged to get into something creative. Some to return to creative efforts that had been abandoned in the past. Many of you were moved and we were moved with you.

Wilma, Odia and I, wish to thank you, our viewers for your encouraging responses, inspiring us to continue to work at our art. For inspiring us with ideas for new work we're just itching to get started on.

Like Cyril Connolly once said, "The reward of art is not fame or success, but intoxication."

That is what has happened to us. We're now drunk with that inexplicable healing medicine of creative energy. Where this will now lead us I'm not sure, but thankyou from the bottom of our hearts.