Best of 2012

For many, today is a time for reflection on the year just ending and contemplation of our aspirations for the year about to begin.  And as with our twin blog, the Salon deWinchester showcases, I reflected on what were some of my better or most favorite works of the past year.  (Also check out the Salon "Best Of" post, via AWESOME LINKS.)   Since the Painterly Thoughts blog began in September, I decided to pick my Best Of's from the months beforehand.  My intention was to limit it to three.  We'll see how I do.     

These two chuckleheads were from my Blowhards series, inspired by the four winds of Greek mythology and my 2011 Faces of Evil series.  The ever angry pig, Mr. Limbaugh, needs no introduction but our other blowhard stumped a lot of people...  he's the unhinged, uninformed Glenn Beck.

Stupidoofus, Blowhard of the West

Porcusiratus, Blowhard of the East

My series, the Three Madgi, was a pun-ly trio of Madge the Manicurist of Palmolive advertising fame, Madonna "Madge" the ever more frightening megastar, and Her Maj-esty, Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom.  If I had thought about it, I probably should have felt intimidated by the thought of painting the Most Depicted Woman of All Time.  But that only occurred to me later so I think I got a pretty good result for two and a half hours of painting time.  My chief regret is that I didn't take more time to render all those diamonds a little better.

Her Maj...  Glorious!!

Finally, I can't say this last selection is a very good painting but:  who doesn't like tulips, and I always enjoy looking at it.  I hope you do, too — and with that, we're done except for me wishing you all a healthy, prosperous, and Happy New Year!

Tulip Bowl

Send in the Clown 2012-W52

Like many of you, I'm very unbusy...  defrazzling from the Christmas experience.  I had the good fortune to travel both ways with virtually no delays or airport headaches.  In between flights, I had a lovely visit with family I haven't seen for a year.  My, how time flies these days.  I hope you had a nice holiday too.

Most of my family somehow ended up in Texas, but we do maintain outposts in Chicago (yours truly) and Maine.  Like myself, the nephew in Maine misfortunately has his birthday in the cold miasma of the post-Christmas lull.  The weather outside is frightful, but the fire is not nearly as delightful as it were a week ago, all bedecked in garlands and with stockings awaiting to be filled by Santa.

Young people are poised to build up a head of enthusiasm for the revelry on New Year's Eve, while many of us watch for the imminent arrival of a dreadful Visa bill.  Egad!  It's no wonder that birthdays go off with more whimper than bang at this time of year.  Fortunately, Capricorns are dutiful and we soldier on nonetheless.

As he and his parents continue to wrestle with that wicked puzzle (as presented in the W37 and W44 posts), the boy will celebrate his birthday this weekend and so before Christmas I made and sent off this card in my efficient Capricornian way.  Avid readers might recognize the clown as a certain Uncle who blogs and thinks painterly thoughts...

I, Clownius

Merry Christmas 2012-W51

Last week I bought the lushest, best looking little Poinsettia ever—and at Aldi no less!  It stars in today's painting, a quick sketch with no drawing.  That's always a little scary.  Not sure I did her justice but perhaps it may brighten your holiday a bit, just the same as do our beloved Christmas carols.  Speaking of which, one variant of Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas goes "Through the years, we all will be together—if the fates allow..."

You may remember that verse as it occurs right before the hard part with the very high notes.  And through the years at the family Christmas Eve dinner with her children gathered around her, my mother choked back tears.  Momentarily overwhelmed, she gurgled out words that we knew to be "the fates have allowed", for which she was clearly grateful.

Some time has passed since last we all crowded around that table, and things are different now.  My father is no longer with us and my brothers have their own family traditions & obligations.  So, we're fewer in number at the table; Mom and I are on our own for Christmas Eve this year.  Still, we shall muddle through somehow and look forward to family joining up with us on Christmas Day.

Whether your holiday focus is on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, or neither, I wish that the fates allow you all to gather together and celebrate the season with the friends and family that are dear to you.  Have yourself a merry little Christmas, now.

Impression of Aldi Poinsettia

The Greatest Gift? 2012-W50

Amidst the hustle-bustle of everything else going on during the holiday season, I elect to undergo my various annual medical assessments around now.  Don't ask why...  maybe a wiser person would think about shifting them to June.  But with the yearly physical now behind me, I can say with relief and pride that I am in excellent health all around.  My natural, unmedicated blood pressure is 110/80 and my vitals signs are superb for a man my age.  Or younger.

In my youth I might have joked, "I wish I could attribute it to good living".  However, since I turned Oprah30 = human50 a few years back, you can be sure I redoubled my efforts: start eating more healthfully and continue to not smoke or drink, get regular exercise and practice good sleep hygiene.  It appears all that good living on top of advantageous genes have given me the gift of being well.  Of well-being.  I can't think of any gift that could outdo that.

None of us know how long we have on this earth, but barring some misfortunate wrong place/wrong time scenario I hope to be around for many more years.  Good thing, because I feel I have many paintings yet to make.  Please enjoy today's effort from our last Salon of 2012.  The Painterly Thoughts blog will post as usual next Saturday on Christmas Eve-Eve-Eve assuming the world has not ended on the day before.

Bluffs

Cruise Control 2012-W49

I feel fortunate that most of my holiday season tasks are accomplished and what few remain are well-organized and doable.  What lies behind this miracle?  A few years back my family decided we would stop exchanging gifts among the adults and limit it to the children.  Of which there are only two, so shopping is a breeze and I aim to get'er done in November.  All presents have been delivered and now my biggest challenges will be waking up for my flight.  And "the tree".

Never ever have I spent Christmas alone.  (Ironic, because I appear as an extra in Home Alone.)  For most of my years I've put up the family tree — since before I started shaving — and except for a few years in the 1970's, my mother insists on a real tree.  She particularly fancies a prickly sticky variety of fir, and as tedious as all that can sometimes be, I'd rather put the tree up than take it down.  One aspect I do enjoy is hanging some of many ornaments I made as a lad.  Some are painted, others rendered in whatever craft was current at the time.  "Decoupage" springs to mind although I forget now what exactly that was.  Regardless, it's always nice to see those "old friends" along with the dozens more ornaments I've bought through the years.

This year, mum only wants a small tree, and so on the one hand it will be fast and easy to put up.  But on the other hand, how will I choose which ornaments make the cut?  Still, a tiny tree seems apropos for the very few packages that will nestle beneath.  Which brings me to my thought for the day:  why stress about the shopping and the myriad other preparations?  The wisest among us know that Christmas comes without presents and without decorations and without a roast beast.  As a Grinch would tell you, it comes just the same without any of the trappings...  Christmas joy is in our grasp so long as we have hands to clasp.

I'll say more about that in a week or two, so meanwhile take a deep breath and enjoy this so-so landscape.  Give yourself the gift of relaxation, if only for a minute!  And for those who are curious about such things, Loch Eilt is in western Scotland... about 40 miles as the golden eagle flies from where my family sprung.  And as anyone who's driven in Scotland can appreciate, only 90 miles by automobile.  Peace!

Study of Loch Eilt Shoreline

 

The Joy of Painting 2012-W48

This week I stumbled on a retrospective documentary about PBS show The Joy of Painting and its inimitable presenter, Bob Ross.  Like many Americans, back in the day I watched that show often...  mesmerized by the visuals and by Bob's soothing voice.  (So soothing it may have induced a nap or three.)  Although I'd never painted at the time, thanks to Bob I felt no doubts that I could do if I chose to.  Even now, I believe that Bob's happy approach is the correct mind set.

Watercolors are more like cats than dogs.  They will obey you up to a point but ultimately, they alone decide how they will behave.  (Especially today's paints as shown in this swatch; an aggressive orange, a weak granulating violet and a cold green that tends to flake.  Egad!)   My theory is that being a good watercolor painter entails being good at guessing how the paints will misbehave and possibly cutting off their routes to those paths.  But I am getting away from the point I really wanted to make.

Which is this. 
Since I learned to paint, I have also learned to pay no heed to how the painting on paper differs from its conceptual vision in my mind's eye.  Because differ they shall.  Rather, I enjoy whatever result comes off my brush and I do my best to pass off any happy accidents as intentional genius.  No painting of mine may ever hang in a museum, but that doesn't diminish the joy I feel making them.

Before I watched the documentary, I hadn't realized but now am certain that this positive outlook has grown from seeds that Bob Ross planted.  I'd already planned this painting, but now in memorium to Bob Ross, today it was my pleasure to paint these "happy trees".  It would be neat if you enjoy them too.  Thanks, Bob!

Happy Sequoia in the Mist