Conceit 2016-W17

Perhaps based on interpretations from the Bible, or perhaps merely arrogance, some humans harbor a conceit that we are the only "animal" that can feel or express certain emotions — human emotions, if you will. Many other humans know better; further proof was delivered by a moving episode of PBS program Nature, where we see a number of reunions between animal orphans and their carers.

The reunions happen after the animals have transitioned to partly or fully lived lives in the wild. We aren't so surprised by the gorilla... after all, they're primates as are we. As it happened, the gorilla seems rather "matey" and waved his horde of wives in to meet his old friend and carer. More surprising were the elephants. And the man who raises elephant orphans, whose devotion inspires. In this reunion, we see not one but two excited young elephant ladies and a bit of a girl fight over their long unseen carer.

Very surprising to me was the cheetah. Long story short, she allowed a human to be near her litter of cubs. And even let them clamber and explore her human friend as he lay back. Whatever emotion she felt toward him is nothing we can fathom — we aren't cheetahs. But what is clear and incredible: her emotional bond with the human put her at ease in a situation where she by nature would be her most vigilant and dangerous self.

Lastly the chimpanzees, and as with gorillas we expect them to act like us. They practically are us, after all. While those reunions unfold as expected, the stunning surprise here arose from a different situation. As she was caged, being transported for release to the wild, a chimp was comforted by a woman the chimp had never met, and only knew for the hour or so that the boat ride endured. Ashore and released from the cage, the chimp explored this new space and then leapt atop the cage, near the woman who gave her comfort. And then the chimp hugged this woman so tenderly. A virtual stranger who made an immediate emotional impact on this animal.

We can never know exactly what this chimpanzee was thinking or feeling. We can't say what message she meant to convey to her source of comfort. But we can say that what the chimp felt was the equal of any of our more lofty human emotions. Maybe "human emotion" should be retired as a meaningless phrase.

I'll tackle another meaningless phrase in the next post. Meanwhile, here's a recent abstract study. I think at the time I gave it a jokey name like Square Planets in a Warm Galaxy but I withdraw that. I enjoyed deciding which side was up... see if you agree!

Abstract Study

That's More Like It 2016-W15

Last week/last blog I stopped painting at a point where I liked what I had about as much as I thought I could like that particular painting at all. And I liked it well enough but in short order I decided to do it again this week and I'm much more satisfied.

As I started to write the blog, my 20-month old neighbor let rip with quite the volley of noes before launching a level four wailer of a meltdown — not sweet, but it was short — and after it ended I again felt satisfied. (She's moving soon and I'll miss seeing her toddle around in the back yard. Good luck, little lady!)

In the week between versions of the ninth banshee, I had two lunches. Each with a former workmate who's now a friend. Always nice seeing them, and even more so this week as I shared how much I enjoy doing the work I'm doing now. That was satisfying.

It sure is nice to be back on the sunny side of the street. I'm looking forward to the coming week. Hope yours is a good one, and enjoy (or don't) today's painting!

Substantive Variation on Banshee IX

Damn Right, Linda! 2016-W13

Recently I was YouTube surfing one evening — as you do — and I can't recollect if the all knowing Google recommended this video, or did I just stumble acrost it? Never matter, the point is I watched it all the same. So what was it?  Near as I can tell, it's an hour of raw footage of living legend Linda Ronstadt being interviewed for TV circa 2012. If you don't know who she is, GET OUT NOW.

Along with the heartbreaking news that, due to her Parkinson's she no longer can sing, I also learned that she is a voracious reader and (I think) has a very good head on her shoulders. But that isn't why I landed on her as today's topic.

More than once in her interview, she said emphatically that everyone should sing. Brilliant artists — and she named several but excluded herself, even though she dropped 8 straight platinum albums, boom — brilliant artists exist to inspire the rest of us. And we enjoy their great talent but that should never stop us from making our own music as best we can.

I sing not so great. Fortunately, as long as my youngest brother is nearby I have plenty of scope to avoid being dubbed "worst singer present". (If not "ever".) And the same goes for painting. I have previously written posts on my painting motto, which is: keep up the bad work!  If you do, eventually you make one that's pretty good. So very satisfying when that happens.

Still, even the bad ones have their charms. After all, I'm the only one who could have created them. I was startled to hear that Linda rarely listens to her own music, because each recording is a static snapshot of art that she feels evolves each time it is performed. She hears all the flaws in her recording of Blue Bayou, which I think most other music lovers would call a triumph. Even baseball fans recognized its genius: "Linda Rondstadt" is now synonymous for a fastball. Because, you know, it "blew by you". Har har.

We all of us should pay heed to Linda's admonitions and keep singing, or dancing, or painting, or whatever it is that you're not world-famous for. Life is too short to worry about how it will be received by others; what's important is that you put it out there.  As for Linda not loving Blue Bayou, well that's just Crazy — which is my favorite of her many brilliant solo recordings even though it was only the B side on the single. Go figure.

Today's subject is a hate monger but ineffectual so I decided to not name her and deny her that empowerment; she isn't nearly as pretty as the painting. I had planned to take today's painting a bit further but stopped here because it felt right. I don't know if I'd call it A-side material, but even if it's a B side I like it and I hope you enjoy it too.

Banshee IX

More Respect for Mother Hubbard 2016-W11

Children are precious, and to budding artists each new work is fairly literally their baby. And you could never give away or sell one of your babies, right?! Look — but don't touch.

As time goes on and your inventory mounts, it becomes easier to send artworks off to live the larger world. And sadly, now some of them are... forgotten. Surprising when you run across them again. "Oh yes, I remember you" and such is the case with today's painting. Which I guess will be Olive IV. This temporarily forgotten painting just had its first birthday a couple weeks back. Poor thing.

I'm writing I wrote this first part a few days ago on Saturday, fresh from the big Trump rally brouhaha in our fair city, and just ahead of our primary vote. I'll pick up the thread on Wednesday after the results are known and the pundits have re-predicted what comes next. But before I wrap part 1, I will say to the many protesters who also were freely expressing their own First Amendment rights Friday night, and except for the violent bits: good on ya, lads. And ya lady lads.

[Montage where four pages tear off the daily calendar...]  Or maybe 7 pages...

So it turns out I abandoned the thread until today, Saturday, whereas our Illinois primary went off without much of a hitch and not too many surprises. Other than we had some wicked winds that delayed some suburban workers from getting home in time to vote. That force majeure is a real bitch.

As MegaTuesday and its nuances have now percolated through the system, things appear to have sorted themselves. But I wouldn't say they have settled themselves. I expect much drama in the weeks and months ahead — even though I think that as far as November is concerned, the die is cast.

Sadly, we still have nearly 337,000 minutes of air time for talking heads and campaign ads to fill. Egad. Fortunately for me, I can just turn off the TV and paint. I hope you enjoy Olive IV, and ya'll come back!

Olive IV

I Blame Daylight Savings Time 2016-W10

Not really tho. I somehow tricked myself into thinking I had posted for week 9, but facts say otherwise. And amen anyway. I can relax about posting "every week" this year and enjoy life a skosh more. Plus it also led me to new insights about the word "skosh".

But back to D.S.T. and why does it spawn such a blizzard of (the same) articles year in and year out? What haven't we already heard / learned / accepted / rejected?  Still, as with all media now there are pages and minutes — and blog spaces — that need afillin'. Not my blog of course, now that I'm even more relaxed about keeping to a metronomic beat of paint & post.

My muse today I don't think can be identified from the painting, unless maybe you're a super-recognizer. I had a couple references and chose today's source as the more recognizable of the two. How ironical. I'll belay the reveal until after I make the other painting, but I will hint... not Buffy. I don't know if I would call it a painting or a study, but I have enjoyed its cartoon look.

I'll tell more of her story and mine when next we see her. Which I hope will be sooner than later. Meanwhile, thanks for stopping by, and enjoy!

Banshee VIII

Just in the Nick 2016-W08

Here on the last day of week 8, I managed to whip up a new work and get the blog posted with about five hours to spare. Booyah!  I craved a distraction from my grand work-in-progress — grand as in "large" — and this morning I saw today's subject for the second time.

Banshee VII (Robin Roy) is a rapt Trumpette, showing here a mix of ecstasy by and astonishment at the momentary touch of attention from himself the Donald. It's a wonder she didn't faint, and did she wail? I also wonder, does she number herself one of the 20% of Trumpians who believe Lincoln ought not to have freed the slaves? (Wow)

She is but one indicator that we live today in very interesting times, exposed to views that you could never imagine anyone could hold. In closing, if the Donald touched me I would have a very different reaction that he would not enjoy. With that said, you please enjoy today's latest banshee.

Banshee VII

Blah Humbug 2016-W07

Hi all. A bit of a ramble today, but at least it's a short form!

Don't quote me, but I seem to recall a weathercaster pointed out that the rate of increase in day length accelerates around mid-February. I know I've been waking up earlier, and these days night doesn't fall until sometime around 5:30 (even though my living room lights still come on at 4:30). We got tame little snowfall beginning yesterday afternoon, which should melt off in a day or two as our temperatures climb.

I'd say Spring is trying to spring forth.

Which is backed up by recent groundhog observations. Normally I feel like if I make it to Valentines Day, then I've won another round of David vs Winter. Consequently I should be a little more chipper lately but I can't seem to muster enthusiasm. I'm having a case of the blahs.

Only this weekend did I finally get back to my painting work-in-progress, and I didn't accomplish much. I can lay 20% of the blame on the terrible paper... it doesn't behave well when it gets very wet, which is fairly unavoidable when laying down a wash. Paint a little, wait a lot.

But mostly I think I feel paralyzed by a myriad of things competing for my attention.

Last week I unconsciously opted to ignore them all rather than pick something and move it forward. Not that I didn't have good intentions. Never short of those, and now that I think of it, I did accomplish some goals on the health and wellness frontier. I've gotten back to my workout regimen after nearly 9 months and definitely feel the benefits already. But on the whole, I squandered a lot of February so far.

So, once again, I begin a week with good intentions: trying to clear chores off my to-do list and working more earnestly on my job search. My hope is that the outcome will be like quitting smoking. Difficult, but every time you make a try, your odds for success increase. Wish me luck!