Rufus, the final sketches- a comparative

If you have been keeping up with the process and progress of Rufus' portrait, his painting two-thirds complete_ is on-hold for now. I am so disappointed. Rightfully, albeit graciously, so is my client.
Even though the canvas as I say is two-thirds complete, and I have completed all four of the full-color drawings I knew I wanted to do in order to learn this dog, and get myself back into the habit of looking, seeing, and drawing in order to paint after nine years(!)_ it just got to be too tough to get through a creative project without my own roof over my own head! All the while attempting to keep up with a traditional job search, living in someone else's home who is unyielding and quite giving in real limitation, (yes it is a paradox!)_ think though, for the past twenty years I have been sovereign in my own queen-dom! Nonetheless, as awkward and disappointing as everything is right now, I am equally_ awkwardly grateful!
It is such a huge transition I am making in my life, and I really don't have quite the adequate resources to do it properly, to be affective economically and individually at the same time! I am pulled in too many directions where just an ounce of right resource support would make a universe of difference for the better!!
I think over and over, between meditating and looking for work I could sure do with an old-fashioned rescue: re-defined in an updated and healthy context! (i., e.; No obligations of sex for money or marriage, kind-of-fantasy_ bluntly put.) Just intelligent, human being-to-human being trust in the invested, based on my track record! Just plainly and simply, because you can and want to, and that is fulfillment enough for you.
Meanwhile, as sad as it feels not to be finishing this project and beautiful portrait, still(!) in the making, I will come back to Rufus when I am reestablished in my own place! I am a follow-through person. My client, has at least assuaged me with a good-hearted agreement to revisit this possibility, when that wonderful time comes.

As the wheel turns and I embrace the traditional job search full time again, I have also put out a new calling card/ business in art, to keep creatively active and try another approach to earning money by my trade. This approach is in a more streamlined manner, and meant to accompany the renewed full time search for the job-job_ the details of my newest hunger to be creatively fulfilled, can be found sketched out_ here. It is what I call painting the muralette: small murals, commemorating what is important in your life, for a set price! Done inside your home or office in a four-hour turn around from hire to finish! Simple, memorable, pleasurable imagery!

So come on world, be open enough! Be awake enough! Be brave enough! Allow in beauty enough to celebrate your world! Be open-minded enough! Support the artist enough!
Do you know how you got your favorite anything in your world? Design! Someone creative had to put the intelligence into making any object you may take for granted. It has to be functional for your use! That is all about design. So how valuable is the artist in community?!
Listen, most all artists do earnestly want to work for a living (doing their own work) and thereby be financially able to independently provide themselves their own place to live. How hard is that?! It's wanting a life that works, just like everyone else. Therefore, check out my new muralette idea and hire the artist! Thanks_ really!

By the way, I have posted all four of those color studies of Rufus on this blog. You can see them in the scrolling slide show at the top, or you can go back to December '07 and look over the progress posted to this blog, through the months to June '08. Again, thanks for your interest and support of goodwill at the very least! Hire the artist to assist you in beautifying your world! Celebrate! This is your life!

The Final sketch for the Painting

I will replace this image maybe tomorrow. If one looks closely there is a shadow from the 'batch automation' process!
Yes, that is a Fall season reflecting river with no leaves on the grass! You could say that I was excited to get it finished...! They will be in the painting itself. Still this image deserves a lot of touch-up time in, PhotoShop!
When I do get into the painting tomorrow, I am thinking of giving the light more gold, hence all the colors will appear a little less "Easter egg-ish" in tone; slightly more toned down! Maybe it is just the fallen leaves that are needed and that will tone down the grass.

Impressionist Rufus

In gratitude, I post the latest painting progress!

wild details

Painting Rufus

On the canvas in stage one, blocking in color and shapes.

As I stumble through to completion of this project, general attention jumps around quite a bit. In life, there is great transitioning from what was, to what is yet to be. This "Timeless Rhythms" journal has been created at the headwaters of this feed of my past life into the big river of life.
Like-wise, my focus on, and efforts to produce art also reflects the struggles and jostling with reality I continue to experience. What serious obstacle continues to repeat from the past, is too much isolation. Isolation, in trying to figure out what is holding up attention and ability to move forward in a coordinated manner between creating householder reality, and navigating out in the world as a multi-dimensional artist, woman and cultural human being.
At this stage of experience with paint and life, I sometimes call myself a Well-being Lifestyle Diplomat.
Wow, what has this got to do with the painting of Rufus in the now, you ask? Short answer? EVERYTHING!
Every stroke on the canvas is completely dependent or connected to the whole life-frame I have been testing and developing, for a very long time. An original vision that has guided my presence in, and healthy understanding of life since early childhood. All of my attention and priority has been intuitively focused on an individual whole-picture commitment for over twenty years, and now that foundation is strong.
What seems confounding at present, is what I call the appearance of distractions persisting in my immediate experiences; general responses to my intentions for creative work don't seem readily understood by most everyday people. Hence, the interconnected whole doesn't even make it to the table in a typical conversation... help! While it is true that I have counted on subtlety in large measure, assuming the intelligence of people to 'get it,' it appears that maybe it is me that doesn't get it... or is it a combination of factors that culminates in too little of any one forward moving element? Help!
I think, a team willing to take the time to learn from me could easily trust in my vision.
Then, the context of an appropriate place to work and live this commitment, would truly combine to answer my deepest nighttime conversations with the infinite!
The whole-picture impact of my work would be of perfect timing in the world now, as crisis impacts more and more everyday. I am quite good at facilitating BEING with what is... this is the truth that raises one's quality of life experiences with reality as it is happening. What happens in an individual's responses from this alignment in body/mind consciousness is truly what humans have historically referred to as the miraculous!
Even as I continue to simultaneously pursue a traditional job search, I put this intention for support to create for the greater good out into the world, and release all attachment to this request as much as I am able.

River Rufus seated!

Progression sketches, as vagueness abounds. I am searching for living/creating space!
Can you help?

Just about half-way across the world...

In fact, from about right here in: Iraklion, Irakleion, Greece, as it shows up exactly on my stat counter. Maybe even Virginia...

In the land of the Ancient Goddess, an anxious patron is significantly upping the traffic to my art blog. Bring some of the locals along for the view!

Here, I post new image progress on the canvas:



Continue to be patient and enjoy your travels. I am making my own progress in the inner and outer worlds, traveling closer to the land of the finished painting and hopefully, closer too, to happy employment everyday.

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Never say never

Which is your fav and why?

Rufus, the latest round of images!

Another image-posting on the progression of this particular portrait (in the process of preparing for the final painting) is soon to follow_ stay tuned!

Rufus!

This morning is March 20, 2008, Thursday. The day after I originally posted the latest round of Rufus drawings.
I had gotten up much earlier this morning, planning to write a brief synopsis of what stage the drawing process is in for my subject. What stage of creating I am in, as I get closer to committing to the painting that Rufus as subject, will ultimately become.
As a brief aside, one of a relevant few that may confirm potentially forming apprehensions that this is a morning, side-tracked.
Yet irresistibly, you must read on:
Last night, I was talking with another artist colleague. We were agreeing that posting artwork on the web is an intriguing visual experience: to look at our individual work in another medium.
Take these drawings of Rufus for example. I am noticing that the Prisma colors that make up the drawings look so velvety, all the more visually sensual when I stare at them on my computer monitor! I love looking them!

I also had planned to go to Seattle today, to check out the weather and other employment details of interest to me. Yet, thus far yes, I have let myself get sidetracked. Instead, I seem to be in Tibet, looking at wonderful people and their stories through their photography, as I found it on a "blog of note."
The idea to create a blog for a variety of Tibetan voices and views seems to be facilitated by a non-profit in NYC, called: Bread & Roses! Their goal for this and other photography projects around the globe as I understand, is to have the photos exhibited in a variety of venues in order to make the unseen, seen_ une idée naturellement qui est bonne! And because I have allowed myself a detour, I know this day has already been blessed.
I have cried recognizing the universality present in these images. That they are accompanied by very humble, articulate, and simultaneously noble personal stories enriches the viewing. I have learned these are life-stories in pictures and words, from a variety of Tibetan people currently in exile in Dharamsala, in Northern India.
Through this project, I have experienced an intimate glimpse into a way of being in the world: Tibetans who are of a spiritual history and culture, a human presence that embraces life in ways that are inspiring for me. Because of this detour, I am grateful to be a little bit better aware through their own words, their own images of a people I know I already love.
Yet, as an observer of other cultures this sounds very lame as I write it.
I have access to the Internet thereby experiencing the world at my fingers... but it isn't enough.
This recognition brings me back to my original intention for today, the reason for checking out Seattle in the first place: the job search.
My job search.
I am interested in connecting to meaningful work, where currently my own arduous transition, still seems to involve traversing no particularly dangerous mountain passes. Nonetheless, there are metaphoric and social mountains that do take their toll when one works vigilantly to find the good job. I won't quit until I find it, and even then, there will be countless opportunities to reinvest in it so that I continue to grow! My 'escape' to good work, is to connect to what I know at last I can be successful doing. To work in a setting I can stay with, will also help a lot.
I want to be effectively participative with the world, right along side many other employed people!
I have skills, a degree and I have a deep desire to work well and long. Now, where is my job and first right place of work in this world!?!
Pace and environment are my two criteria for success, oh, and the right money is also a factor. Wait, hang on! Hello? ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...!
That was my daughter! It's the morning break where she is training at her new job, and she called me! How cool is that?!
She is spending spring break training (and studying!) to work in a bike shop. Last summer she impressed two of the women working there, with all her enthusiasm for building her own bike so, they offered her a job!
We are actually a cool family. I am an artist who really wants a day job and has the skills and chops to back it up! My daughter is a music major at a very good school, and right now she wants to work on bikes!
It is this isolation, the helplessness one feels when one is unemployed that is a wasteful experience. Ok! I hear the voices saying the differences between successful people and those who wish to be successful... I am continuously doing stuff to keep my skills updated, knowing full well this is the kind of stuff that puts more polish on the rés...

Meanwhile the morning's adventures have also included another light-hearted stop here to visit cowgirls with dogs, both of whom I would like to know and know better! Oop! Time to get back to the drawings and painting then.

How's your day startin' out?

This just in...

I believe life happens the way it is supposed to, as horrible in many situations as that may be unfolding for any human being, myself included. Never-the-less, this bit of wisdom has arrived in my email box today, I believe to keep me going right now. Maybe it holds wisdom appropriate for you on your path today as well: ‘Social evolution is the result of interaction between two wholly distinct factors: the individual… bearing all the power of initiative and origination in their own hands; and, second, the social environment, with its power of adopting or rejecting both the individual and their gifts. Both factors are essential to change. The community stagnates without the impulse of the individual. The impulse dies away without the sympathy of the community.’ - paraphrased from, William James (1842-1910)

We are all connected. For society to evolve, its individuals must evolve. In order for individuals to evolve, we must be supported by society. Our growth goes hand in hand. When you look at how certain trends arise, you can find some examples of just how this works. Yoga has been around for centuries, yet just recently here in the west, it has become something of a phenomenon! It seems like there are yoga studios popping up everywhere. Likewise as more individuals become vegetarians, perhaps we’ll have more vegetarian and really healthy foods restaurants to choose from. The relationship between the individual and society can create remarkable evolution!


The key of course, for those who do not know, is to take wisdom metaphorically to your own circumstances, not literally! May you recognize wisdom (in you) on your path today.

Water-Rufus development

I consider this portrait nearly complete, even though the water in the upper left background is still not very satisfying. It is the one area that does not consistently move in the same way with the rest of the image when the eye comes to it. Given the composition, that experience is very important.
I will continue developing harmony in movement, and visual media-control until these elements take on continuity/ resolution. Then, I believe it will be a more finished-looking portrait-study.
Once that is accomplished, I move on to the next colour study: looking at the effects of light as it visually defines the coat texture of this big beautiful Labrador named, Rufus!
What continues to be obvious in my experiences drawing this lab, are physical features not quite true to Rufus' own character appearance yet. Therefore, the colour-study series is continuously folding in lots of information, familiarity, and strength as development material that I will ultimately use for a successful painting of his portrait.
On this note, I am grateful to my current client for the time this journey is allowing me. It is a re-entry to painting after a number of years being available full-time for my daughter's growing up years during her high school experiences. Nothing traumatic beyond her just needing me to be full-time present and hands on, with her.
As the timing in life is more open for me now, I am coming back to my own true medium. I have the great fortune to be working on a portrait of loyalty, comfort, and constant companionship. I am very grateful for the facilitation within the subject matter here, as my own life traverses the literal tumult of transition on all personal and professional fronts.

Rufus- 3 working sketches

Here are 3 initial images that capture the vitality of my subject. They range from the portrait focusing on Rufus' face while abstracting the frontal body mass, to working on proportion and foreshortening in the 2 outside images. In one, I started with mass, volume, contrast; too many considerations at once to get an early feel for the occupation and placement of any kind in space. Still, it was a good warm-up and practice that informed what I was able to accomplish in the linear drawing. In the linear drawing, I have just very simply blocked the whole figure in a horizontal composition at this point to gain a more successful feel for his particular mass in space, even though ultimately the final painting will have his proportions standing in a vertical space.

In the next drawing cycle, I am interested in turning up the details such as the moistness of his open mouth area and the eyes. I will also work the drawing to develop details of his eyes so they read more prominently, even though in life they are truly nestled in his voluptuous black coat without distinctive contrast. Never-the-less, I welcome all of that black information that makes up his whole external self to visually decipher.
I also notice that I am not yet satisfied with his legs. Rufus is deceptively a massive dog on very tall legs! It is an interesting combination to work out visually because he is big and yet, his height distributes his mass interestingly when you look at him for awhile. Meaning, as I understand looking at him right now he is big and tall, yet his mass distributes out to match the height he occupies!

The background is still percolating from several photo sources provided me at this stage, and find I am partial to elements in several of the photos. This means, I will be watching the overall "bones and body of painting notes" as I begin working up the next round of drawings. I am always curious to see if the background will get "built" along with the figure, or as in this particular painting, will I continue to be dominantly focused on working out all considerations for Rufus' physical demeanor first?
Stay tuned... as time is truly the center of making art. It is process by nature.