07 June 2011

A Borrowed Density
acrylic on paper
9" x 12"

It's been a bit since I posted last -- busy in the garden, then my son's 21st birthday arrived and family matters took over! Hard to believe the baby of the family is a grown man. Where does time go?

Funny that when you're focusing on other things -- family, weather, gardening -- suddenly odd things start to happen with your art. First, notice that the gallery was closing (not a good thing); then, a corporate sale of five pieces that the gallery negotiated before the closing (a very good thing); then an email from an overseas acquaintance who is producing a book of poetry and would like to use my works on paper throughout the book (a very amazing thing) . . .

And where was I during all this? Rummaging around under the roses, yanking out weeds and dragging 20 lbs. bags of mulch from car to perennial beds, trying to corral family members for a big dinner out of the 21st.  Just goes to show -- what, I'm not sure.  That when we're not trying to force a situation or on bended knee praying for that sale, good things happen?

Reminds me of Edgar Allan Poe's imp of the perverse -- that quirk of nature that, when we do not look directly at something, when we do not focus on a problem, we suddenly "see" that slight shift in our peripheral vision and spy the thing in question, suddenly find the answer we were seeking, that eluded us no matter how hard we concentrated. 

So, this summer I think I'll spend more time under the roses and trying to enjoy my painting for the pleasure it gives me, perhaps take a workshop and learn something I already had learned but forgotten.  What about you?  What will you do this summer?  I hope you take the time to smell the honeysuckle, stroll on the beach, maybe play with finger paints like when we were young . . .

"Life is what happens when we're planning for it."
                                                            John Lennon

4 comments:

david weir art said...

Hi Kelly, Love the works on paper,Its difficult to balance the artist life,with three boys under 8 im struggling to find balance.

Blue Sky Dreaming said...

Congratulations! If that is what it takes for such good news...by all means stay with the roses...enjoy the ride! Great piece.
My summer is finding warm days and when I do....float in the pool or play in the waves!

Laura said...

wow, wow, wow!!! sometimes it's best to just live life and trust that the seeds we've planted will grow even when we aren't paying attention to them.

Kelly M. said...

Thanks for your visits and wonderful comments! Life is so funny, so quirky sometimes - it makes my head spin! :-)