“Garden Greetings: Have you met my son?” Oil on Canvas 24 x 24 inches. My artist’s guild is having a show based on the history of the area in conjunction with their historical society. I looked at some old garden photos from the historical society and created this imaginary scene, using some of their garden elements and a color palette and styles from the 1930’s.
I know I said I was going to spend a year working on 24 x 36 inch canvas in a minimalistic style. But sometimes my muse just wants me to paint a happy owl. Meet fluffy! And for those a fan of my black and white or more neutral work, yes, my black paints are laid out in the studio and more minimalism is coming.
“Flour Power” In 2020 many people turned to the soothing art of baking while in lockdown. Here is my still life with my baking tools, instead of vases of flowers.
A few things happened during the pandemic. People, unable to go out, to entertain turned to cooking and crafts and art. I have always baked my own bread. One day I went to the store and not a single bag of flour was to be found, the same for yeast. I found alternate sources and instead of buying yeast by the jar, I had to buy it by the pound from commercial sites. I learned to bake with Einkorn flour and learned the nuances of the different types of artisanal flours and raised my baking to a new level. The scent of bread in the house made us feel secure, and the loaves that came out of my oven, eased the fears we might not be able to get one or another item. Still lives are usually done with flowers in elaborate silver vases on rich tablecloths. But during the pandemic, flour had power.
I painted this during 2020, trying to record in images what was occurring around me in the pandemic. Oil on Canvas 3 x 4 feet.
There are a lot of images. First you can see the flag is divided to represesnt the discord that we see in 2020. The red and blue stars represent the states fighting over so many things this year. Fear about election security. Protests turing to riots, political discord, and fear of the future. It’s a lot for a small blue planet.
And even though we are a small blue planet, we are even smaller in the scope of the universe. With all the energy and vastness of the universe, a tiny biological particle, a virus has brought us to our knees. People are in denial that it is as contagious as it is so we see a second wave, healthcare workers over come, and the fastest research for a vaccine this planet has seen.
The virus started in China, and China was not transparent in the early days, hoarded medical equipement and supplies and let it spread to the world without concern for the other people in the world. Here I show the angel of death, a bat (one suspected source of the virus) and a cheating pig with a ace up his sleeve outside an ICU. Yes, I see You China and Xi Jinping.
But hope is on the way with vaccines for the virus released and near release worldwide. The dove is symbol of hope and I painted the fluid in the syringes gold, as it is liquid gold.
And 2021 is near.
And you would think that would be enough for 2020. But for the first time in 800 years on December 21st 2020 Jupiter and Saturn will conjunct, appearing as a bright star. Some astronomers say this may have what was seen as the Star of Bethlehem, the first Christmas so many many years ago. A sign of hope. So the top of my painting depicts that conjunction. We end with hope.
As the holiday season approaches, more then ever before, am grateful for the peace and plenty that I have. I feel very lucky to have been born in the United States. These thoughts and the turmoil that has been occurring in the world were on my mind when I painted this. This is a large piece, 36 x 48 inches, acrylic on canvas. I titled it ” Reach for Peace”. The constellation in the corner is Columba, which is Latin for Dove. And the white poppy has been a symbol of peace that was first used after World War I.
This series is an exploration of light in nature.
Morning light
Dawn
Beyond
Farther
