Yemaja

I'm really very happy about this painting. Lately, I've taken some time off at work to be able to focus on my art. I love doing art so it almost feels like I'm slacking off when I'm not. This is my latest work, I feel that this summer I'll be very busy.

Yemaja is an Orisha of the ocean depths, she gives birth to all the fishes in the sea. I really feel attracted to this Orisha and I know she brings good things to my life.

The Moon Tarot Card.

Mercury is in retrograde right now in Pisces, and astrologically, this means that all sorts of things can occur. Old issues can be revealed, as in the case of one of my best friends, who's mate just told her her he fell in love with another woman.
Also technological problems can occur as in the case that my touch pad can't be disabled which means I have to shell out the money to get a keyboard. Good thing I work in a technology store. But it is annoying  right now because my cursor skips every time my wrist falls closer down to it.

Anyways, around this time there is a lot of foggy thinking, dreaming, illusions, but it's a great time to paint, so, considering my tendency to get caught up in the energy of each painting that I paint, I did realize that this period was an excellent time to paint the Moon.

I swear my cat is my crazy maker. While I was painting this painting he was digging through my plastic bags, clinging on my office chair, and mewing a heck of a lot. It was hard to pet him mostly because my hands were covered with paint.
My keyboard has paint finger prints on it. I guess that's bound to happen when you use your laptop as a display for the landscape that you're trying to paint.

I did quite a few studies on dragonfly wings, and also dancers, trying to get into the idea of what a fairy would look like. I started with something more illustrative in my smaller piece but then moved on to something more abstract.

I like to think I'm communicating with artist spirits as I paint. When I don't know what to do I ask them for the next step, and the answer comes to me. I know that's a little weird, but it works for me.

Newest picture, part of my experimentation. This is a very small picture, 13 x 11 inches. I'm trying to add a sense of magic to landscape. I painted a forest scene and added the fay creature. I may work on her a bit more after the paint dries, but I don't want to get too illustrative, instead I want to kind of keep her rough and ghostly looking.

Life Drawing Class

So lately, my daughter and I have been attending Life Drawing Classes at The Gladstone Hotel, downtown Toronto. I think it's important to make sure that an artist practices their craft almost every day. This is hard for me but with time I think I'll be able to focus in order to make that happen. Tonight, I'm going to work on my painting.

This is one of my favorites.

We had this model who was very dramatic looking nicely accentuated by her jewelry.
I also love the fact that Gladstone sells Lattes in their cafe/bar. So, while you are drawing, you can drink coffee, or have a glass of wine.

That place fills up fast, so it's a good idea to come early.

Work In Progress

I've been feeling a little moody lately. I have had a week off and things have not been working out  as well  as I would  have hoped.  First of all I ended up burning my wrist on Saturday morning.

The election in the US has kind of disturbed me, mostly because it’s something I can’t control. And, once again I’m distracting myself from my creative objectives by focusing on everything  else.

Working for yourself is the hardest thing. You got to motivate yourself even though it seems like you’re at the bottom of a large mountain, and you wonder if you have what it takes to make the climb.

I am full of passion and intensity, and I think that alone is the power to take me to the summit of this journey. Though I fear, I must swallow my fear and tread ever onwards to the top. If no one sees me till I’m dead, it wont matter because I am living the life I want to lead, one that I’ve dreamed of since I was a child picking crayons from a box.

This is my work in progress. But I am that: a work in progress—creative, full of desire, and trepidation.

Got to keep my eyes on the prize: everything else is inconsequential. 

Show!!!

One of my pieces is being shown in this gallery, please come!