Halloween 2013

It absolutely kills me that my apartment doesn't have better natural lighting. The light over my kitchen table tints the most decorated part of the house (this sofa table) a gold-ish yellow. That's one certain thing about sharing a big building with other folks - only one side of your dwelling has windows. I apologize to your eyes now.

This year's Halloween theme was "heads". I always try to create a different look with the things I already have plus a few new treasures. It's not as gruesome as a head-inspired theme might suggest but decorating with a more apothecary/thriller theme scares the crap out of my kids. So we can call this "Happy Halloween Heads" and feel safe as we walk past this to go down the darkened hallway to the toilet.

Here we have a collection of faces, masks, busts, pumpkin heads and silly bobbley heads hanging from a tree. Some fall favorites, a parachuting faerie, and the Black Pumpkin herself in the center of the kitchen table. Happy Halloween!

Healing Waters

Palm Springs 2011

I was reminded today that Palm Springs, CA has over 22 different spa resorts which tap into its natural mineral springs known for their healing properties. I also discovered that one possible origin of palm in the place name comes from early Spanish explorers who referred to the area as La Palma de la Mano de Dios or "The Palm of God's hand." And a third discovery I came across today is this blog post about the metaphysical properties of intention and how human thoughts, actions and emotions can physically change a water molecule for better or worse. (Really, you can't miss the post - please go check it out. Fascinating truth.)

Healing waters. I love little droplets of information that come together and make a memory of light and water and energy that much more meaningful. The discoveries above combined to take me back to this picture of my little family captured in Palm Springs a year after my divorce. It wouldn't be appropriate to go into the details of it here, but I can say that it was the best decision for my family. It was the only way we could get out of a situation that wasn't right or healthy, then heal, and move forward with our lives in a manner that was best for all. 

This image is art rich with symbols for me and my life. I love to gaze at it and see the light in our faces, the joy, the hope. My heart smiles big to see my son with his arms thrown up to the sky in such a free and child-like way. He has had walked a harder path of healing than his sisters and he is now thriving like a champ. We all are. 

Two years later, we are even more healed today than we were in this picture. Kaiya is loving colorguard and performing with the brightest smile on her face. Trooper is learning to play the trumpet and passing the sacrament in church. Arie just donated her long hair to Locks of Love, becoming more involved in school activities (like Superhero Day!) and saying "apparently" a lot.

The last three years have been a testament to me of the healing power of the Atonement of Christ. His light and energy harnessed and focused in a loving, good way has the power to heal all things in the universe and make them glorious and bright again. 

-Britten

Painting Class

 Here is a very late post filled with finished works produced in my painting class this last winter semester. I learned to work with oils, stretch canvas, make my own wood panels, and various painting techniques. The above triplet is a portrait of author Franz Kafka done three ways.

Above and below are two grasaille paintings - studies of light and shadow.

This one I've named "Chairries" and it is a fusion of two different artists' styles, colors, composition and techniques.

Many classmates seemed to really like this bird collage. My teacher encouraged me to frame it, but first I need wall space to hang it....not much to go around in this little apartment.

 This simple apple still life might be my favorite of all. Figuring out how to paint the shaft of light while working in the studio at midnight was a surreal experience. It felt God-like to create light in the darkness.

 This last one was an exploration of layering techniques. It was interesting to me that in the process of layering and stripping paint on a panel, certain symbols for my life started to emerge unintended.

The apple represents choice

This honeycomb pattern, which actually happened by accident, represents my new home = The Beehive State.

The plethora of "4" is the new number of humans in my family covering up the old number of humans in my family. 4 is a very dear number to me. 

Part of the panel has a dark glaze over it, contrasting the lighter portion. Life has definitely taught me the difference between light and darkness. Both have their purpose.

Learning all I did in this class has encouraged me to paint more when I eventually get the time. Right now I am in the middle of my ethnographic field work studying the Daughters of Utah Pioneers museums which is a 40+ hour a week job, with late nights and semi-attention deprived children. 

One day, I will paint again. A girl can dream, right?

New Favorite Quote

One of the first things we read in my Anthropology Contemporary Theory class last semester was the King Follett Sermon by Joseph Smith, Jr. It's an address he gives at a friend's funeral about the nature of God and it is profound. If you get the chance, you should take the time to read it.

For what better way to understand the nature of man, than to understand the nature of God?

And since I love books so much, I thought it was a good reminder to keep the Holy Ghost with me at all times. He is the best self-help, advice, therapy, and choose-your-own-adventure book in the universe for he speaks TRUTH. And to me, personal revelation is more beautiful and real than any book I have ever read. And you can be certain there will be a happily ever after.

~Britten

Figure Drawings

End of semester 3 hour drawing - vine charcoal and conté 

So I'd say that my drawing has improved. Last semester I took a Figure Drawing for Illustrators class and it proved to me what drawing for 6-8 hours a week, with professional guidance from my lovely teacher, Erin Meads, can do. There is a 10,000 hours rule - if you work on improving a talent for 10,000 hours you WILL get amazing results. Plain and simple. Line upon line. One hour at a time. It's not a philosophy or opinion to be debated. It's a law of the universe. 

Now, I just need more time.

I thought I would post pictures of my progress from the beginning of the semester to the end to illustrate my improvement.

 This drawing was done a few semesters before taking the class in a live gesture drawing session.

This was a sustained pose done on the first day of class. This is the first sustained pose from life I had done in over 15 years. I was a little rusty.

Gesture drawings beginning to mid-semester.

Sustained poses mid-semester

Gestures and sustained poses mid-semester to end of semester

End of the semester portraits and sustained poses

This one is my favorite of all.

Erin Meads is a wonderful teacher. Tremendously positive and encouraging, she gave such soft criticism  while pointing out my strengths that only made me want to work harder. Because of her tutoring, I finally feel like a real artist.

To view some of Erin's work, you can visit her blog: Erin Meads

Happy New Year! Come Monday, I start painting for 6-8 hours a week. 

Wish me luck!