Wax 'n Wood exhibit at Art Center Morro Bay

This is why I haven't been posting lately. Show is up and open. The reception is Sunday.

I'm Happy

This is a small encaustic piece, Largo, that's just been accepted into the area Oil, Pastel, and Acrylic Group juried Brustrokes show. OPAG, thankfully, includes encaustics as well as mixed media in their group. The organization is part of San Luis Obispo Museum of Art, but the exhibit will be hung at Art Center Morro Bay in late July.

I enjoyed creating this piece - in part because I've included violin scores from one of Mother's old books. I've used her music several times, but this is one of the more successful results. As you can probably see, the painting was done on four permanently joined wood panels.

I'll be eager to see what else is in the show.

Nothing profound

Saturday - errands with Papa. They included eating smoked fish tacos at Rudell's in Cayucos. Oh, my. So good.

Sunday - a pleasant day with Buddy and Roo.

Today - gardening, shopping at farmer's market,helping a friend solve computer problems, and enjoying a dinner of our market salmon with fresh greens from the garden.

But mostly, I have been working hard on tasks for the art association. I am happy to say I am coming to the end of a major effort. Whew!

One painting is coming along. I will post it soon. I need to have it done by Friday:( I want to enter it in an encaustic show, so I will need to take its picture along with several others and have a CD ready to submit.

This week will be busy with art meetings, children, son-in-law's birthday celebration, working at the gallery, a drawing session on Friday, and a French lesson on Thursday or Friday. And I am delighted that I will be able to fetch a bundle of kid's art from an elementary school on Friday. We will display it at our gallery.

And, this week, I have to develop a list of prompts for my writing group. We want to encourage daily or at least weekly writing, so we will provide numerous prompts this month. Suggestions?

Studio discipline

Well when I tell folks that I paint nearly every single day and that I work in my studio from 9:00P to 2:00A, they gasp and remark on my discipline. However, I need to confess that it takes no discipline on my part. Quite the opposite. At 9:00 I escape to my studio to answer mail, then paint - unless I have pressing business to take care of. I think I mentioned this earlier. At the same time, I seize the opportunity to watch whatever TV programs I want to see and play with all the toys required for encaustic painting.

My problem is finding the discipline to put my toys away and sneak down to bed by 2:00. Last night, I looked up at my clock to see that the short hand was on three and the long hand was just after twelve. Oh, my.

Encaustics and life's meaning

Well, of course I don't know life's meaning/purpose. But my friend and I talked about it at lunch on Tuesday. After asking herself, "Is this all there is?" she looked at her great kids and decided that her contribution to their lives is enough. I agreed. I can look at my daughter and think the same. But I can't escape continually looking for purpose. Every day is full. I paint, I spend time with my grandchildren, I garden, I write, I cook, sometimes I knit, I contribute to the community - right now in our local art association. What more could I want? I am not sure. But I do know I am not ready to sit in my rocker and let the world pass me by. Can't. Nope, can't.

Some days I am content. If I am proud of an encaustic painting I've finished, conducted a good meeting, felt I have helped my grandchildren spend a productive, happy day, or have spent quality time with Papa, my daughter, or a friend, then I feel quite happy with myself. On other days I look around and see those who paint better, write better, spend their time better, and I wish for more.

Right now I want my paintings to be more. For years I have tried to make my painting meaningful, but often, in the end, meaning is lost. To me and surely the viewer. I don't want to be a silly old lady who paints pretty little flowers. I don't like what it says about me. But sometimes I like the little flower paintings.