SPRING

There is something special about sunshine after a day of rain. A flicker landed outside the office window to soak it up. Or he was spotlighting himself for his date calling from a nearby tree. Spring is definitely here.

PASS IT FORWARD

Last week end my sister was sorting through stored boxes and found this treasure of a wolf image that our mother did about 15 years ago. By then she was in a small studio apartment to accommodate health issues. It was literally a "studio" apartment with a bed and kitchen and all her craft endeavors stacked around her. She made quilts, cookies, painted scenes on small furniture and tried anything craft-like that she could find. All this before she had her first computer.

This wolf was her repediograph phase. What a delight to have this drawing. Having lost mom just last May, it seems special we are sharing the same subject matter. There were always birds in her images choices and hopefully those will surfaced as well.

STORY BOOK BEAR

It will take my photographer to do this painting justice but I wanted to talk about it today.

The black bear experience has been enjoyable and I must admit, endearing. They are those rounded dark shapes that weave through the woods of greens and shades of brown simply going about life absorbed in the act of foraging for food, sleeping and with the female, nurturing her young. It's a private life except for interruption by man or another bear with territory issues.

What transpired on the easel has been what could become a story book bear in the future. I couldn't help but have fun with the sideways glances and that wonderful pear shaped muzzle.

Another black bear source that has been informative and enjoyable is http://www.americanbear.org/index.html. This site is also great for kids to view in that it provides clear and comprehensive facts and wonderful photos that are kept up to date.

ART AND COURAGE

When I read, listen to music, attend a performance or see an exhibit, it often occures to me that art takes courage. Courage and a special recipe of confidence.

The courage isn't so much in the sacrifices that come without a reliable income or weaving through life with an obscure identity that is difficult for people to relate to at parties.

It is the healthy ego and passionate drive that motivates the artist to put it "out there" and expose themselves. And it's the intrinsic private victory experienced having let go of that creative need.

Some readings to share:

"The courage to be is the ethical act in which man affirms his own being in spite of those elements of his existence which conflict with his essential self-affirmation"

Paul Tillich "The Courage To Be"

"The object, which is back of every true work of art, is the attainment of a state of being; a state of high functioning, a more than ordinary moment of existence."

Robet Henri

"life is short, art long, opportunity fleeting, experience treacherous, judgement difficult."

Hippocrates

SOMETIMES A LANDSCAPE

As one can see from the blog uploads , I tend to stray from my task at hand. The research on the black bear has been threading through several other projects like a child's chair for an auction and now a commission for a landscape.

While working on this canvas I can entertain the idea of a black bear female moving along the terrain with three cubs to teach and nurture. Fortunately my clients gave me an open ended request and that allows for visualization and creating my own stage.

On the topic of research I do want to share a wonderful resource I found on the web. The North American Bear Center. It's a comprehensive site full of informative videos , interesting categories and the underlying mission to preserve the bears and specifically the black bears in North America.

CATCHING THEM BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE

Graham has just turned 6. He has a wonderful imagination and is game anything. His parents agreed to let me teach him "easel painting" once a week. These sessions have blossomed into unexpected fun and unpredictable outcomes. His subject matter is self invented as well as choice of colors and working tools. My self appointed assignment is to teach him how to treat his brushes , how much paint to put on the palette and the maintenance of using acrylics. Of course there is the coaching of keeping the project moving forward.

The studio all feels lighter when entering the day after his lesson. He leaves a trail of giggles, stories and pure uninhibited confidence in his finish product. Some days I envy him that freedom.