This painting is #2 of a tryptych that I did a while back. It’s called “Look Who’s Coming To Dinner” and shows beavers in panels #1 and #3. This is one of those spontaneous paintings that I did at my dining room table, and even though the moose looks a bit like an elk, it is one of my favorite images. In fact, I use part of this image as my gallery logo. Acrylic on wood, this painting was sold out of the local coffee shop, JAVA MOOSE. I’m including it here in my blog to show something of a different medium. Of course acrylics go on opaque while watercolors are transparent. I like to think my style is recognizeable regardless of the medium.

Earlier today I posted the fish picture with the lilypad, and mentioned that it meant something to me, but I didn’t say what it meant.

I used to have an outdoor goldfish pond. I filled it in, and plant potatoes there now. But when it was a pond, I had somewhere around 20 goldfish and koi in there. I also had lilypads growing there. Anyway, when I’d look into the water, I wouldn’t see any fish. They would all hide. But if I sat down next to the pond with a cup of coffee or my notebook, and was still, I would begin to see fluttering fins and fish peeking out. The longer I sat still, the more they would come out. They would even eat from my hand.

So one day, it occurred to me that that is how it is with creativity. When I’m rushing through my day late for this or that, fretting, poems and paintings don’t come to me. They don’t cross my mind. But when I sit still and am open, pen or paintbrush in hand, the creative thoughts come to me and allow me to capture them on the page.

So that’s what goldfish and koi represent to me. Creative thoughts.

Earlier today I posted the fish picture with the lilypad, and mentioned that it meant something to me, but I didn’t say what it meant.

I used to have an outdoor goldfish pond. I filled it in, and plant potatoes there now. But when it was a pond, I had somewhere around 20 goldfish and koi in there. I also had lilypads growing there. Anyway, when I’d look into the water, I wouldn’t see any fish. They would all hide. But if I sat down next to the pond with a cup of coffee or my notebook, and was still, I would begin to see fluttering fins and fish peeking out. The longer I sat still, the more they would come out. They would even eat from my hand.

So one day, it occurred to me that that is how it is with creativity. When I’m rushing through my day late for this or that, fretting, poems and paintings don’t come to me. They don’t cross my mind. But when I sit still and am open, pen or paintbrush in hand, the creative thoughts come to me and allow me to capture them on the page.

So that’s what goldfish and koi represent to me. Creative thoughts.

Remember the movie Andre, about the seal? Well, that was dumb. The real Andre was a harbor seal, not a sea lion like in the film. I met the real Andre. I was even in the original documentary that eventually led to the film.

My grandparents lived in Maine, and we happened to see one of Andre’s performances. If you ever see that original film, I’m the guy standing on the rock with the camera. That’s about all I have to say about that. Don’t believe everything you see in movies.

Remember the movie Andre, about the seal? Well, that was dumb. The real Andre was a harbor seal, not a sea lion like in the film. I met the real Andre. I was even in the original documentary that eventually led to the film.

My grandparents lived in Maine, and we happened to see one of Andre’s performances. If you ever see that original film, I’m the guy standing on the rock with the camera. That’s about all I have to say about that. Don’t believe everything you see in movies.

I spent most of the weekend painting… Now this morning I’m a little worried. Are they too “cute”? I look at them and I love the quality of the line achieved by drawing with a brush, the subtle variations in line width. The absolute blackness of ink. I think of my own personal symbolism of a goldfish under a lilypad and the spiritual significance these images hold for me. Unless I stand there interpreting them, will anyone get a glimmer that they are more than just cute cartoon doodles? Or does that matter? I keep saying they are just meant to be fun. And maybe that is enough. I thought the speckling of the harbor seal’s fur was particularly effective and beautiful. Layers of watercolor, lifted here and there with drops of water, blotted.

The feeling is like stagefright. Now that I know my lines and blocking, I wonder if the script was ever that good to begin with. Always those doubts. But opening night is always such a rush. Same thing here. Friday and Saturday evenings will be awesome. Everyone will have fun. We’ll crowd into that unique space, shoulder to shoulder. Talk, laugh, love.

If anyone shows up at all.

I spent most of the weekend painting… Now this morning I’m a little worried. Are they too “cute”? I look at them and I love the quality of the line achieved by drawing with a brush, the subtle variations in line width. The absolute blackness of ink. I think of my own personal symbolism of a goldfish under a lilypad and the spiritual significance these images hold for me. Unless I stand there interpreting them, will anyone get a glimmer that they are more than just cute cartoon doodles? Or does that matter? I keep saying they are just meant to be fun. And maybe that is enough. I thought the speckling of the harbor seal’s fur was particularly effective and beautiful. Layers of watercolor, lifted here and there with drops of water, blotted.

The feeling is like stagefright. Now that I know my lines and blocking, I wonder if the script was ever that good to begin with. Always those doubts. But opening night is always such a rush. Same thing here. Friday and Saturday evenings will be awesome. Everyone will have fun. We’ll crowd into that unique space, shoulder to shoulder. Talk, laugh, love.

If anyone shows up at all.

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I made the paper today! Joan printed one of my dream fragments at almost full size. It looks great. 🙂

Can’t wait for the party next week!

CLICK HERE TO READ THE STORY

I made the paper today! Joan printed one of my dream fragments at almost full size. It looks great. 🙂

Can’t wait for the party next week!

These are a couple of my animal paintings… You can see them at my painting page. These are acrylic on wood. I sold a lot of this type painting over the last couple of years. One nice thing about them was that you could take them home and put them right on the wall. They didn’t need any framing and there was no glass to break. The wood was all recycled odds and ends from a cabinet shop that would have otherwise gone onto the burn pile. I think it’s a great way to paint, and I’m sure I’ll do more of this type as summer nears. For now though, I’m doing watercolors on paper. It’s good to mix it up a bit – keeps things new and fresh.

Oh, the supplies I was looking for yesterday came today. I’ll post brand new work tomorrow.