Unleashed

Unleashed

OK. So what the heck is this? It's a place that existed only in my imagination before I painted it. My imagination tends toward the fun and foolish. My motto is "If it isn't fun, I ain't doing it!"

What we have here (in case you can't tell) in this mythical place is a calm pool in the background and the water rushing out in the foreground, with wildflowers on the hillsides watching the festivities.  I kinda wonder what else exists behind those wildflower covered hills? I'll bet five bucks there are some teepees back in there.

Walker

Bird Man

Bird Man

I don't know exactly what this is. Just another fantasy of mine. I'm sure it is inspired by American Indian images I have seen somewhere along the way. Certainly, not local, probably further south.

Also, I was wanting to play around with the idea of feathers, what brush to use and the stroke. I love my freewheeling, undisciplined way of painting but the downside is when I'm done I have absolutely no idea how I did what I did. It's a bit of a problem when I wish to recreate the effect. Every painting is truly original, even to me.

Walker

Playing With Pyramids

Untitled

I must ask myself, what is this?

And, I must say to myself "Beats me!"

I had this notion I wanted to play around with geometric designs. I marched myself over to Michael's and bot some French Curves, templates for this and that and a compass.

I went right home and drew some triangles on a canvas, the three you see in the painting, and promptly put the canvas aside. When I came back to it I looked at those triangles and thought "What the heck am I going to do with this?" That became the exercise and the above became the painting.

The triangles became pyramids in my mind. The two triangles in the sky show the sun and the moon. Pyramids are thought to be very powerful designs. I have always thought it was interesting that the western indian nations designed their homes in the shape of pyramids. Many tribes have legends about gods coming down from the skies. The Sioux refer to Star People in their legends and songs. In my mind it somehow all ties together.

Art critics will tell me I committed a cardinal sin by placing the teepee smack dab in the center. All I can say is, it wasn't a teepee when I put it there. It was a triangle and then it was a pyramid and then it was a teepee. I think of it as a power center so being in the center is precisely where it should be.

The little fetishes resting in the grass are buffalo.

And, as always, I just love the colors!

If anyone seeing this would like to take a stab at naming it that would be great. Just leave it in the comments.

Walker

Blowing Through The Jasmine In My Mind

Blowing Through The Jasmine in My Mind

When I first started to see this painting take shape, as so often happens, a song began playing in my mind but I couldn't get a handle on it. I could hear the melody and the lyrics "summer breeze" but just couldn't pull it out. The best I could come up with was Landscape of My Mind so I went with it. Just a moment ago, the melody still wafting in my mind, I had a Eureka moment and there it was Seals and Crofts Summer Breeze. Maybe it doesn't work because Jasmine are generally white but that's beauty of imagination isn't it? Maybe Canyons In My Mind would be better?

I was in an expansive frame of mind so I treated my mind to a little color therapy. I've been looking at a lot of impressionist paintings lately; Monet, Manet, Van Gogh. Maybe that's where it came from. I can just stare at beautiful colors like these and be transported to another more peaceful place. Gads, I love color.

I tried like crazy to get the true colors of this painting. You'll have to take my word for it the actual painting is, to my way of thinking, prettier. Don't know why I couldn't get it right. Probably a light problem. It's fixing to snow and there's not a lot of natural light to be had. It's still very nice this way.

Walker

Always Express Your Inner Light

Aurora Borealis

At this point in my painting adventure I consider everything an experiment, an opportunity to learn. So, I won't beat myself up for this painting. It is very amateurish. I think even the reflection on the water is backwards.

I'm have not been clinically diagnosed as dyslexic. I avoid MDs like the plague. But, I can tell you, I see things 180 degrees opposite of how most people see things. Sometimes I almost feel as though I live in an alternate universe. So, I must muddle my way. Once upon a time it was hard. Now I see myself as blessed.

As usual, I love my colors even if my technique will not pass muster.

My advice to all: Don't let bullshit keep you from expressing your inner light and creativity. Love what you do. Love who your are. Love what you create if it is a creation of love and not hate. Never ever align yourself with negative rhetoric.

Walker

Aztec

Aztec

As so often happens I started this painting with an entirely different destination in mind. It took me so long to finish it I have completely forgotten my original idea.

The main thing is this piece gave me a great opportunity to find the right brushes for detail work. I have watched any number of You Tube tutorials and notice that different instructors favor different brushes for the same effect. I've also noticed that the sizes of the brushes don't always seem to jive.

As usual I've decided to figure out what's best for me through trial and error. I recently watched a video in which the instructor revealed her "secret" tip for painting fine lines, an angled flat brush. I was quite excited. But, it sure didn't work for me. Through this exercise I have stumble upon a small filbert that gets the job done for me.

The geometric designs were another experiment and practice.

I call this guy Aztec but maybe he's a Martian that came "Through the Looking Glass"?

Walker

Monet Must Be Spinning In His Grave

Once upon a time, when I chose to express my creativity with a camera, I took a photograph which would become one of my all time favorites. I entitled it "Monet Aspen" To me it looks like a Monet only it is a Mother Nature Monet. I think Monet would have liked it too. It is a photograph of aspen trees reflected on a pond in Montana. I adore Monet and impressionism.

The other day I decided to try and paint the photograph. I suppose I should have known better but I couldn't help myself.

Monet Aspen - The Photograph

Monet Aspen - The Painting

 Well, what is one to say? I just have to laugh at myself. If Monet were to view my painting I am certain he would exclaim "mon Dieu!" and not in a pleasant way. My reaction was "Merde!"

Because I so often just go slapping paint on the canvas without any direction in mind I'm afraid I have become a little lacking in self discipline. I think I'm addicted to reckless abandon. It feels great to me but probably doesn't make for much of a painter.

Still, I want to learn how to paint with a purpose. I realize that if I'm going to do this I have to have a plan and work it. I must really think about what I'm going to do before I do it. It is so clear I did not do this when it came to painting the green leaves in this painting. I must remember to restrain myself and ponder with purpose. Probably an experienced painter could do this without thinking but I am a long way from there.

There's more to learn here than just painting. Painting is a great enterprise for developing patience and mindfulness, two qualities I wish to improve upon in my life in general.

As a means of my own encouragement ,I will say, I create absolutely delicious colors. Now if I could only make something of them.

Walker