Mystery Guest X and a new Clue about the importance of the lotus

This week is a twofor because I kinda forgot to post last week.

It seems that science is delivering us new ways to understand why the lotus is such an ancient symbol. It seems only right now that the ancient Egyptians connected them with immortality because genetic research is showing that is is closely related to the very first flowers.

Biologist Doug Soltis, co-lead researcher at the University of Florida in Gainesville says, "water lilies and avocado flowers are essentially 'genetic fossils' still carrying genetic instructions that would have allowed the transformation of gymnosperm cones into flowers." (More in esciencenews.)

Another interesting factoid about the water lily: last I heard it's closest living relative is actually the oak, proving that the quirks of genetics will not easily be untangled by deduction alone.

Now to Mystery Guest X. He is a painting that I have been working on. Don't be fooled by the photo - he's actually about life sized. I don't think he'll show well on the net, so I won't post a full picture, but you'l never guess his identity. [mwahaha] You'll just have to wait until I can display him in a gallery ;) (I also plan to add color to this so it's not exactly finished.) I will give you a hint. He is someone very famous throughout the world and still alive today, but the picture is also based on the koan 'Does a dog have Buddha nature?'

Sunset Clouds

Gosh, it's getting to be a theme, isn't it? Probably my unconscious answer to the cold weather. Look for palm trees next :)

For this painting I did the cloud's outlines in milk white then used washes of color over the top. Lessons learned: the milk white needs more experimentation, and I need to get much more experience using an XXL wash brush. And a better wash brush.

Dandelion Sunset

Nothing wrong with traditional, but we all like a bit of modern now and then, don't we? As I continue my experimentations with Asian-style painting materials, I am looking for ways to use the materials in a fresh, modern, and personal style.

This is one of this experiments. Washes of ink and color over my patent pending super secret invisible ink. I like the effect, I hope I can do more with it in the future.

I gotta be me, whatever that means.

Sparklers? In this season?

Don't mind if I do. I'll give you three guesses as to how I did this.

Red Lotus

 This is one of my favorite turnouts from the series of milk experiments I have been doing with my paintings. The centers of the flowers were done first with milk then painted over with red after they dried. I think they turned out some kind of wonderful.

The mums are done for

I managed to finish painting this before all the season's mums died off. How strange! 

Well, The effect of the milk on the painting it pretty subtle, but at least there's proof of concept for ya. 

See you next week!

Burnt out enso

One thing I think milk is going to be very cool for is calligraphy as with this enso, a zen symbol that sort of encapsulates the idea, 'form is emptiness; emptiness is form.'

No crying over spilled milk!

Now you never have to cry over spilled milk again - just turn it into art! 

I have begun experimenting with milk. It works a little bit like invisible ink. Paint it onto paper and when you paint over it - voila! All sorts of interesting shapes start to show up. 

I've already totally ruined about half of my test subjects. It's clearly going to take a bit of work to figure out how to use effectively (look forward to some more interesting experiments in the coming weeks,) but it certainly seems like it could have an interesting batik effect if used properly.

The piece above only has a background wash at present, but you can start to see some interesting things happening back there. On the right there are some more random practice brush strokes. High contrast definitely looks good with this stuff.

Female Whooping Crane

Continuing with the cranes, I have been working on this new pose. I think this is a female whooping crane, but I can't really get a look under the hood, so we'll just have to leave it at that. 

I can't really describe in words the sort of feelings it evokes in me. There is just this sort of calm and rounded sense of presence that words don't really do to describe. You might even say it was like calm abiding.

I haven't decided for sure if I will add some red to the composition. There's a computer generated preview of what it will approximately look like. I'd love to here your thoughts on the matter.

I am also trying to work larger. This one will be nearly 3 ft tall when complete.

Rocky Mountains foothills

If I recall correctly, this was done looking at a picture of the Rockies somewhere in Colorado.

Whooping Crane 1

I just finished this sumi painting last week, and it is one of my final selections to enter in a sumi paintig contest which will start Nov. 15th.

I started out wanting to paint a more lackadaisical crane but soon realized it didn't suit my current mood at all, so I went back to basics. I looked at pictures and remembered what I knew about cranes. And I thought of a National Geographic episode that showed whooping cranes and remembered how heart-breakingly beautiful they are, and this is what evolved.

This is in essence my archetypal crane, the one that sort of lives in my head. If I imagine cranes, this or it's mirror image is pretty much exactly what's in my mind. So this crane is also me. I feel it's very me-ish, anyway ;)

And the winner is....

Our Contest winner is Blythe! Congrats to Blythe and thank you to everyone who participated. You have helped me pick the best dandelion (d), and Blythe, you can contact me about your prize.

Elephant man is finished - and about time, too!

I'm not sure if I want to call him and elephant god or spirit or sprite or what. But whatever he is, he's done!

Do you know this butterfly?

I just saw this butterfly outside and I had to take some snaps. It was smaller than a quarter but so beautiful. He is so tiny and adorable I just can't stand it ^^ Gawd - why do they make me turn all girlie?

Anyway, if you know what kind of butterfly this is, please let me know!

Dandelion Contest Entry

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 Please help me pick the best dandelion to enter in a painting contest . Leave a comment with your choice for best dandelion, and at the end of the month, I will randomly draw one name to win a prize (see here and in the picture below.) You will have a choice of three designs for your prize. You should definitely leave a way for me to contact you if you want to win.

Thanks for your help!

Bad Santa come early (or so late he's early)

I actually painted this last year and meant to have it mounted and ready to post before Christmas. Sadly, right about that time my grandmother had a whole big medical to-do, and I got pretty side tracked.

Still, better late than never. And really, if you want to post anything remotely Santa-related, I suppose you have to do it in summer these days ^^

At any rate, I love, love, love this guy :D I'm not sure exactly where he falls in Buddhist traditions, but I'm assuming you don't want to mess with him too seriously.

See more at http://www.etsy.com/listing/55173770/bad-santa

The politics of painting

This piece is a little bit different, and I like that. It marks a change in direction for me because I have spent such a long time studying how to use the Chinese brush and various Chinese and Japanese painting techniques. Here, after all that work, I am able to depart from traditional subjects and lessons and begin to develop my own style with these exotic materials.

I think the Western art community has ignored the potential of this medium. Oil paints and canvases stretched on wood are still king in Western painting. There is an attitude that a painting is not real art if it's not oil and canvas, and I think that's a shame because there's a lot to be learned from Asian art practices that are every bit as impressive and important to art.

For me, a big one is learning to be in balance with the materials themselves in order to create more direct expression. Every brush stroke carries more meaning.

In current Western art practices, so much attention is focused on the new, on proving that one is a unique individual. But new for the sake of new is empty. Trying to make things look edgy and avant-garde in ways that are irreducable to some underlying concept, philosophy, feeling, or worthwhile intention, is empty.

I would rather try to be one with my art, and someday maybe I will achieve that.

To see full views of this painting and learn more about it follow the link to etsy: http://www.etsy.com/listing/54683272/fruits-of-nature

Musings (can there be too many?)

Welcome to my world - a place of magic, wonder, and... magic ;)

I have been experimenting recently with mounting my rice paper paintings to colored paper, and I'm really pleased with the results so far. You can just see a bit of the blue paper that this piece is mounted to peeking through.

See more of this piece on Etsy: http://www.etsy.com/listing/54052495/musings-1

The moon-winged butterfly has landed!

Well, I almost thought it wouldn't happen, but I have finished this painting, mounted it, and listed it. This painting has been a nice experience. I got to do a goof bit of experimenting with layering color, painting clouds, and doing that most difficult of artistic feats: painting a nightscape.

One of the experiments in this piece was mounting the translucent rice paper painting to a colored paper. Usually it's all just white paper I use for mounting, but this time I used a blue-brown paper. It really enhances the night atmosphere and I'm really pleased it didn't ruin the whole thing, which was a risk.

If you want to see the entire painting, it is right here for sale on Etsy: http://www.etsy.com/listing/53846993/moon-winged-butterfly-original-painting

The dancing elephant takes shape

I am having some fun with this painting, being messy and whatnot. Is it too messy? I guess only time will tell. When I add the fine linework, that will probably change the appearance significantly. I hope it forms a pleasing contrast.

I accidentally pokes a hole in the paper, but hopefully I can fix it during mounting.