There are those among us who have endured and are still strong, are still happy. These men and women have used mind body and soul to overcome their challenges and with will and attitude have chosen. They have chosen to have a life rather than let life have them. This makes them more than Warriors, each with their own story each with their own set of wisdom, each leaders and teachers by the example of their lives. This series was inspired by them, those heroes who may or may not have kingdoms, wealth and fame for who they are but are wealthy and powerful none the matter. We know them, and we are them if we also choose to be.
Each piece is a symbol of the attitudes and impressions within this concept. I will detail them each for you in this entry as best I can but as we know with ideas, feelings and art . . . our language, our words cannot say it all and rarely say it accurately so I ask that you go beyond them. Search within these pieces your own meaning if you can, and I thank you in advance for your time. Each picture in the blog you can click to enlarge for greater detail. The text below each picture when clicked will take you to the gallery for the availability and description of that painting.
First piece titled "Sagittarivs" . Titled so by the bow in flex position he carries I wanted all three panels to create a much larger and powerful image.The strength to alter our environment sometimes even if it means the world within us requires bravery yes but is also requires action. Within the human heart each of us carry intent and action which expect to bring about a result. Very much like the act of firing an arrow. However, no matter how well are target is struck there are others affected by our actions. Some of whom we see directly, others still we may never meet but through laws of cause and effect like a ripple will be touched by our actions. The braided faces behind the main figure look onto the archer or away in anticipation of exactly where his arrow will fall and what it means to them.
As with several if not most of my work, the photographed pieces fail to capture a great deal of the texture in my technique. My collectors will tell you there's much to be said when seeing these in person. I love it when I show my work and people reach out their hands to want to run their fingers across it. Its really one of my favorite things to witness, grown adults with the enthusiasm and curiosity of children, I think thats wonderful.
The Second piece titled "Protonimvs". At some point where the warrior was not one yet. The process of becoming a life of empowerment is often painful and joyous at the same time. Becoming aware of ones own self is not always easy, sometimes its the most difficult, and the most necessary because to be aware is to be alive. Within each of us to some extent there is a battle raging, between the caring and the damaging. Alliances are drawn within our own head and contracts made with more lines between them than those in our own hands. We are only dealing with our own selves, our most challenging adversary and perhaps our most dangerous.
I'm often referred to as a 'green artist'. I think thats a pretty neat assessment. I use only natural inks stains and dyes I make myself out of raw elements and ancient recipes from around the world. I also use nature's dynamics themselves to apply these pigments. Using the wind to spread pigment, or feathers to apply fine lines. In this series p
owdered pigment was used during a rainstorm then the painting slowly rotated to form natural striations and variation in color. Raw spices such as coffee, cherry, kiwi, orange, henna and black berry were used to create this piece. There is actual plant and herb used in each painting to derive the colors in each of these paintings as a prime pigment for the paintings.
Each piece is kept pristine by a special formula which coats and protects the piece, preventing aging and oxidation. They are designed to be the antiques of the future, providing that the collectors understand they should be kept out of direct sunlight to prevent fading (most know this however as a common sense - - the sun bleaches color in time even with uv blockers). Anyhow each of these, a few which I demonstrated live to people, use natural inks stains and dyes that I create out of herbs, spices, flowers, fruits and minerals as depicted in more detail along with formulas and recipes throughout this blog.
Some of these pieces were placed at closed viewing to my collectors. From time to time with specific series over the years, I do these closed viewings for my loyal investors to give them first pick of the paintings they are most attracted to. You will see if you look at the gallery some of the collection has already been sold by the time this entry has been released and the series made public. I am old fashioned in the respect to my work, my vision and my prices. I cannot understand why any artist would stubbornly sit on a piece rather than allow it to be adored in a person's home. That form of compliment is priceless to me, the golden crown of accomplishment. When someone sees a painting and is inspired by it, understands it and loves it for its own sake to make it and in a way me guests of their experience. Yes there are price tags on my pieces but I will often negotiate my prices when asked for the sake of the work being loved and displayed rather than held in my inventory. I have never had to compromise to the point of loss. The value of my work has never depreciated because each painting is one of a kind, there are no duplicates it would be impossible to recreate an exact match for more than a few specific reasons some of which I share, others are secret such as hidden images and specific pigments.
Fourth piece, a double panelled painting titled "Icon", drew upon itself the concept that a Warrior though independant is also a representative of so very much. Its easy to understand how although we are individual we are not just one thing one integer one unit Why? We carry within us as many molecules as there are stars in the night sky within each the power of a sun. We each of us are caretakers of fourty-six to sixty-eight Trillion cells within our bodies. We go in life with the hearts and love of others. Our choices our direction and inspiration is rarely that of a sole purpose or act when we know family, friends and loved ones or passion in life. It is what in turn we care for that we fight to keep together, healthy, happy and safe. It is what keeps us up at night and wakes us early in the morning. What we represent, and where we come from makes us all a type of Icon. Staying in theme with this concept there are over 150 faces hidden in this piece. You will be able to see some of them easily if you look at the figure's chest, others just like the reasons we carry within ourselves, are not so easy to find.
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"The Green" Click to see this painting in the Gallery
This is the Fifth piece titled "The Green". Its one of personal significance as a two piece installment. Keeping in mind that the series is dedicated to those everyday heroes. That there are those among us who have chosen to have a life rather than let life have them. These men and women using their strength and self and inspiration to power them through difficulty, and hardship, even doubt and this makes them more than warriors. The inspiration for this piece was chosen because within each of us there is a moment when we know the suffering of being 'new'. And so within each warrior heart there comes a time when all at once to be good at so many things, and so bad at others. To know so much and not know what to do with it. To have so much passion and so little direction, its an ache not so much of being lost but of longing and this is the state of being in the green. |
This sixth piece has gotten a great deal of attention and review. One can never predict which in the collection is going to do that and I'm always surprised to see how many will gather around a certain concept that trines their own personal impressions.
There comes a time, when we choose and it can happen in an instant. When all of the past and the suffering of complications can no longer affect us. Within the warrior heart that moment is when we have had enough of it. It is a moment of clarity, of forgiveness and self acceptance where even if what happens next isn't perfect its the 1st step toward a new now. That moment, that split second of feeling is what I wanted to capture in this painting.
We each make our choices. Some do so without thinking, carelessly and void of awareness. Some make them so that each step is planned with risk, reward and balance in full mind. They choose so that eventually they arrive at a great center. At this center is home. For centuries the labyrinth has been a symbol to exercise the value of judgement. Anyone who has done it can understand that doing what you have to do now so you can do what you want to do and be where you want to be later is not always easy, some times its downright painful. However the reward is a sense of self priceless to ones being. A graduated soul who can through experience share that wisdom with those also in the mazes of their own lives. I demonstrated my use of fruits and herbs in the pigment of this piece to a few friends who were kind and curious enough to spend a weekend at the summer house and watch me paint. How fun it was that they were really entertained by the fact her eyes are made from black berry and her lips, cherry. Coffee and golden rod make her hair and skin. I dont normally paint in front of a group so this was special. I find the creative process is stunted when I have to answer questions on how this works or the oxidation process of raw vegetation or what to do to get powdered azurite and turquoise. It could easily turn from creating a painting to giving a class but in this particular instance it was really quite wonderful and a happy experience. It was fun sharing certain techniques like using evaporation rates to cause a crackling. I might even do it again sometime soon.
The eighth and final piece is titled "Totem". I felt it as an appropriate closing of this circle. This piece was also reviewed by Ms Shelly Gave, Art Contest Curator for "Tallenge, Literally Earth's Largest Talent Platform" for its texture, technique and color composition. You can see a snap shot of that here: http://twitpic.com/dc0f9p .
With 'Totem' I felt it important to state that each of us have a divine council. Loved ones, heroes, angels if you will, ancestors, those we admire who we reach out to in times of need. Be them in our presence or long parted from our world they are carried within us, their advice, and love guiding us. These souls are our totem, to remind us we are not alone.
Thank you all so much for taking the time and reading, the concept and vision behind the work is what makes it so important to me. So the opportunity to share this with you is really more precious than there are words to explain it and for that I am grateful. Stay tuned for the next in this years creative works a series titled "Alchemy". In the meantime stop by any time and filter through the previous entries theres recipes for home made inks and natural paints, also other concepts from work this year and in priors. More later . . . . . . . :)
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| on my 'painter's perch' working on "Icon" from the '2013 Warrior + Series' |
Some of these pieces were placed at closed viewing to my collectors. From time to time with specific series over the years, I do these closed viewings for my loyal investors to give them first pick of the paintings they are most attracted to. You will see if you look at the gallery some of the collection has already been sold by the time this entry has been released and the series made public. I am old fashioned in the respect to my work, my vision and my prices. I cannot understand why any artist would stubbornly sit on a piece rather than allow it to be adored in a person's home. That form of compliment is priceless to me, the golden crown of accomplishment. When someone sees a painting and is inspired by it, understands it and loves it for its own sake to make it and in a way me guests of their experience. Yes there are price tags on my pieces but I will often negotiate my prices when asked for the sake of the work being loved and displayed rather than held in my inventory. I have never had to compromise to the point of loss. The value of my work has never depreciated because each painting is one of a kind, there are no duplicates it would be impossible to recreate an exact match for more than a few specific reasons some of which I share, others are secret such as hidden images and specific pigments.
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