New Abstract: Spring

Spring
16 x 20
acrylic on canvas

New abstract, tentatively titled Spring.

Reminds me a bit of the ee cummings poem, [in Just-]: "when the world is puddle-wonderful."

Complete poem available here.

Long-necked

Long-necked, red-lipsticked woman.  

It has been way, way too long since I've done anything arty (besides photography), a complication stemming from moving, travel and a lack of self-control given access to cable TV.

I finally dug out a sketch book yesterday and played around with colored pencils.  I discovered I don't really know how to make good use of colored pencils, since they aren't all that amenable to blending.  But it felt good to draw and play with color in any case.

No idea who this is - imaginary woman from my head.  Her eyes are crooked and too large, and her neck probably longer than most found in nature (hey, Modigliani does it - why not?).  She lacks much attention to lighting or detail.

Still, I find something appealing about her cartoon-y self.  And any movement toward art is better than none.

Nomadic Month

Seagulls lining up on
St. Pete Beach, FL

For a variety of expected and unexpected reasons, I've been traveling a great deal over the last month.

Cemetery in McNeal, Arizona

First I journeyed from my former home in New Mexico to St. Pete, Florida.

Once returned to NM, I packed up and drove up to Portland, Oregon, stopping over in McNeal, Arizona and Klamath Falls, OR.

Flowers blooming in Portland, Oregon

From Portland, OR, I flew the friendly skies out to Portland, Maine.

I've seen weather fluctuating from 8 inches of snow to balmy sea breezes and 75 degrees, and zipped up and down from sea level to snowy mountain passes.  

In flight

Through all of this, I've kept my camera stashed in my purse, and managed to make good use of it here and there.

Sunset from car window,
Portland, Oregon

(I've also taken quite a few dreadful photos, rambling around rest stops to stretch my legs or sitting in doctor's offices blessed with surprisingly nice water views, and other places when I needed to pause for a moment. I'll keep those masses of less successful photos to myself.)

Hwy 97 north of Klamath Falls, OR

Lovely shots or not, I find focusing on images relaxing, a quick and easy way to tune down the incessant whirring of my sometimes overactive mind.  

After a month, I can tell you: this country is very large, and gorgeous in a myriad of ways.

I presume at some point I will be more clear on what season it is and what time zone applies to me.  We'll see.