The impasto and Titanum White layering is drying up really nice. The rough edges and terrain is a characteristic in its own right. I will probably be able to attempt my first layer of brush work tomorrow.
The stomach inflammation has not settled in yet despite rest. It must be a bad case of food poisoning. I probably need to rest a little more and allow it to settle by itself
I did well with no FB distraction. The first layer of impasto and grains were applied quite effortlessly with no defined predetermined contours. It will take another 2 days for it to be completely dry, meanwhile, I could start painting on my metal canvas later. Once the canvas is primed, painting over the impasto would be a spontaneous flow of surprises with controlled brush movements and calculated blending of mixed hues in warm shades. I got a few nature inspired music CDs. This should keep me occupied for quite a while.
Milenko had suggested that I write to his student MK if I wish to go further into exploring my technical skills. I shall drop him a line once I am more settled with my running routine and training for the competition in 2 weeks time. I have seen M’s work at Ode de Art online catalogue. It is nice with a call for controlled lines and curves with special colours and effects. Works an interior designer will recommend as opposed to self induced vertigo works I would produce.
Asymmetry vs Symmetry
Free flow vs Defined
Vibrant vs Muted hues
Abstract vs Realism
Unpredictible vs Predictible
Looks like I am completely at the opposite pole.
It is not easy staying focused and do what is needed to get the artwork composed. For once, I hated social network that kept me out of line with anything but intellectually enlarged activities. Martin once told he never spend time on such activities rather, a good book or any reading material is always a wiser choice.
The smooth surface of the metal is just not my style. Tomorrow, I will have them all covered with impasto. The weight of the metal is way above my physical ability to manuever on my own.
So I have just eaten “Kettle”-Dijon Mustard chips. I last ate in a year and those oily crisp aunty fried. You could just watch those stuff enlarge while socking in the oil.I had ice cream as well. All those stuff within a span of 10 minutes. Blame them on the hormones!
M.Y cooked today. She is a creative cook. The whole pot of stew was completely devoured by everyone includung her friends. Mushroom, spare ribs in dark sauce, herbs and something else I guess. Tomorrow I am going to cook for her and her guests for a change. Not easy to please a discerning food taster though.
Timothy was running after a black snake this evening when I took him for a walk. It slitered into the drain and disappeared as quickly as it appeared. Shaun was a lot more calmer but I could not walk another 2.5 km after the first round with Timothy. The sunset was glorious. The clouds were streaks of bright orange against the pale blue skies. It has not rained in a while and the laundry gets back in by sunset which is always good.
Next week, I will need to start training for the 2 marathons I had signed up in July. The thought of the crowd can be quite daunting. Having solitary time for the longest time was indeed sacred treat. So, I am going to have this 9 kg metal on a table tomorrow and have them repainted.
Until I get the main composition done, there will be no social network with anyone Just me, the canvas, the music and me hearing my own breath in the stillness of the night……………..
Got to get up by 6:00 tomorrow. It is a school day again…So it is going to be busy. The dogs will be charging in. Everyone rushing for their own activities and yes, I am going to the market. You should have seen how the chicken seller knived and chop those poor carcass. The stench is so horribly strong. I only managed to suceed being a non meat eater for 2 years, many years ago until the dizzy and fainting spells got so bad and the red cross turned me away from blood donation drive, instead gave me iron tablets to go home with.
I met M today to get the legal paper sorted out for the unit. As we spoke, a golden crafted charm at the wrist caught my eyes. It was more of an aesthetic observation rather, M told me that it was a religious charm. It was written M and a cross above the alphabet. I thought it represents the name of M but it was in reference to mother Mary, who grants miracle to those who seek her help. I was given one in 1996 during my summer course in France by a housekeeper. “Elle est tres gentile” the next thing, she handed me that same Charm but it was a blue plastic one. I gave to mum when I visited her upon my return in 1996.
M told me that when a person dies, the soul goes to a place call “purgatory”a place on transit until the soul is completely cleansed before one ascend to heaven. Even the purest of mankind is imperfect in God’s eyes to deserve an instant ascension to heaven. When the soul is at the transit place, only the living can pray for the soul to be liberated as the transit soul cannot pray for itself. I ask M, if my mother could see us? See what is happening to life of her love ones? She replied, yes. I could communicate with her by way of prayer or speaking in the heart. M asked me to go to church and perhaps learn to pray. At that instance, I thought I was hearing mother speaking to me. “go to church”, “pray for your family, so that they will be blessed” I told M, I like the charm, and where could i get it? M, told me she got it from a goldsmith shop, but she could not remember, she would let me know if she remembers them one day.
My computer had an episode of overheating and decided not to light up again. So I am using this other loaned piece provided my KS.
So it wasn’t Momento but Magneto, I got all the names all wrong about the movie. M.Y returned today. I have not seen M.Y in a year and I am so happy to watch the beaming happiness written all over the small heart shape feature, full of youth.
When a new life begins, the existing one starts to fade….
I am waiting for the day I could say to myself… I am prepared and ready to exit……what else is there?…
I probably have 25 pieces of canvases and 100 tubes or more of pigments in hand. I could not put myself to paint in the last few days, probably preoccupied with other commitments to prepare, like running 2 marathons in the next 4 weeks and trying to keep my fitness level tip top while chugging with a sore right hip. HM told me before that if my ability has no direct contribution or impact to others, is it worth persuing? A painter will not succeed if she is operating under the “feel good” mood to paint. It has got to be a daily discipline with different sparks at different times. Which also means the need for solitary indulgent. There will be no works without time alone to reflect. The forest has been my recent patron of late.TImothy is not a big fan of long walks and soon I may need to give this four legged a break from the forest.
Are we operating under false impression of our own centrality and vividness?
“Do whatever you do for no reason other than you love it and believe in its importance” “The fulfilling life, the distinctive life, the relevant in life is an achievement”
I have difficulty reconciling inconsistent moods of others. Perhaps tolerance requires a lot of wisdom. So I am off to read a book and hopefully I could run more than 2 km tomorrow after a 5 weeks break. The car is back in the workshop and I will probably give Batu Pahat a miss at month end to visit the cousins. The driving up was quite a long stretch and I was very sleepy with the scorching sun beaming at the directions I was heading to.
Green, yellow, blue green. That will probably be the theme for my next painting, probably a sun burst yellow. A muted shade of rouge. I can’t wait to have my own place to paint. Another 6-7 months to go. I am ecstatic at the thought of having the floor to myself, to move around the canvas while I paint and scrape the palette knives with impasto on the canvas.
Dad seemed to like the artwork”Together” I did just one piece like that. Perhaps it is the calligraphy look alike that he was able to connect with. To achieve that effect, I stood above a 6 feet ladder to drip the paint over a sleeve on a painted ultramarine background. The effect is astounding but not without effort and risk of falling off the height.
I am painting over a canvas that is primed with egg tempera. This allows me to paint on individual cracked surfaces. There is nothing creative painting over confined borders. I prefer free flow movement of colours. I still kept the skitties although it doesn’t fit in the forest!
The large canves seem to giving way. Somehow the recent 152 by 155 cm are not sitting well on the wall. Despite double tapes, it doesn’t hold the edges in place. I guess the only way is to spend some money framing up the Fredericks canvas. The most economical is still running at half a thousand dollars. Looks like the only way to go about is to do smaller pieces from now.
I had my 10 km walk today. Took Tim along. He was on his fours by the time we hit 3.5 km into the woods. I was a little worried he was not going to walk further as he looked visibly tired and refused any water. Somehow, every moving creature fascinates him. He chased after monkeys, squirrels, lizards, butterfly and dried leaves. Running after him is far more tiring than walking all myself. My legs are really sore but the old hiking boots are really good on mud as it is water proof.
I am unsure about this warehouse thing. I just hope the purchase could pull though and I can have my own art studio by next year. I am tired thinking of the financing bit. I won’t have money to renovate it but I have this idea about a white washed studio. It drives me crazy when being horned on the idea of choosing practicality over aesthetic preference. My coffin is going to be white and not brown or black although darker colours can resist dirt. But if I am six feet down under, it doesn’t really matter, does it?
The last visual did not look as captivating as my earlier work. I need to create the spark as a focal point as with the rest of the artworks. I need to try again, I am just a little off these days distracted over other matters. I just want to walk and get fitter before I get locked in by my creative obsessions.
TIm looked so tired, I felt so bad to have walked him that distant!
I was at the library today and borrowed two books, mainly German contemporary works. My observation of their works reflect a lot of engineered, structural compositions. Lots of planning and less free flows unlike American artists.
Tomorrow, I will go for a swim at the shallow end. It has been a year since I swam
Man in Black 3 was futuristic. Nope I did not have any popcorn or drinks. Watching movie is a series business, just like anything else that matters to me.
Saw aunt J’s picture at universal studio at P’s facebook. That had prompted me to call for a meet up. I have not seen them in years following mom’s funeral. We had a great time feasting for 1.5 days at our leisurely time. Watching aunt J being dolled up reminded me so much of mom when she was alive. So we have 8 guests sleeping in with every little corner a mattress could occupy.
Thereafter
What happens After life?
_____________________
L’s children tried their hands in the painting studio. I like the free flow expressions drawn by Julia. She is very quiet and talented in her own right. I gave her options for 1) Graphite 2) water colour pencils 3) acrylic 4) Crayons . She selected the last option. The visual drawn is good. I suggest a hint of beige for the background and she did the colouring beautifully. Perhaps some spatial exploration will make the drawing more interesting with more layers of perspective. I realise I could not teach (how could I, I have not been taught either) but I could show them how to make their artworks more interesting.
I saw some drawings done by Colleen’s child. He is naturally talented and I really like his choice for secondary hues and magnificent shading effort.
I ran 2.5 km with Timon and walked another 2.5 km with Shaun on Sunday after the guests left for their hometown. Tim made me breathless with his quick steps and charging paws but Shaun being older just happy throttling at his own pace.
Tonight I am going to a real cinema to watch a movie, English movie. not French nor Spanish and it is going to be an IMAX experience. If I want to watch a movie, it is not going to be at home, or on my computer or my I pad screen. Real theatre and with sweet golden pop corns and pepsi. Not sure why they do not serve coke there. 7 years ago I used to be movie junkie. I went to movies almost every Tuesday night. I guess MSF has altered my earthly routine dramatically. Well AF said I am not in the field anymore. Guess about time, I need to be back to normality. I am indeed back to reality. I do not settle for anything less than several stars accommodation when on holidays, I feast well and sleep very well under such circumstances.
Oh oh I forgot, A has asked me for some creative ideas for the charity show. I told A I will need time to crack my skull for that. I shall do so soon! So, I am going to be in Penang in October to support the performance and I am looking forward to absorb the sight and sound of Penang life. I am hoping to visit some galleries when I am there. The most soft spoken and polite people I have met, came from that state. As a matter a fact, I can only say for the male gender. Tomorrow, I am going to ransack the store room for my music boxes. I love the wooden ones from Europe that project such lovely mellow sound. I had my 1st musical box at age 21. A Japanese made musical box from my graduation class. The second one is a pair of glass swans, can’t remember who gave that to me?? They are still working very well. Then I have this tiniest music chime from France and it has got to be manually dialed. C gave that to me on one my visit. The song is “I love Paris”
I love the music score for this link.
Just got back from a 2.5 km walk with the pooches. They need those walk more than me, I feel really bad to keep them at home without walking, look at them now, so dog tired and sleeping at the corner now.
I was trying to attempt painting with Alkyd a while ago but it felt like glue sniffing. The odor is incredibly strong. I shall wait a day or so to decide if I should attempt at all.
Found the little hair clip of my doll I kept since I was 6 years old. It is still in good condition and is really pretty. Those days things were made to last.
artbyflorencelim 