Seeing Art (Outside the Box)

Tonight as I painted, I tried a new approach. It was called, “Mel takes off her glasses to see.” Sounds like an oxymoron, which I suppose it is, but that is what I did. (And just to clarify any safety concerns you may have in mind: yes, I was sitting.) 🙂 In fact, even now as I type, my gasses are beside me; same when I read or even eat, in some instances. Point is, I walk around in my glasses as if they are not my glasses–at first, it was just the left eye, after the cataract surgery, but now, it seems as if I am dealing with a cataract still in the right eye…blending with the grey haze. I can’t say this for certain, but will be discussing things with my various doctors in the next few weeks. I am ready to find out more of what is going on and what else we can do in this situation.

In the mean time, I find the best solution to avoiding headaches is taking my glasses off. My painting yesterday was the a simple prep of background for a painting I finished tonight and sorting through my button container to find the “finishing touches” of another. Add to that the fact it was mid-afternoon, so it was a more cheery work space, even with my glasses. Tonight I did paint two paintings while standing, meaning I was wearing my glasses. The first was a sunset–simple abstract, ten colors blending together; it’s style is one of my favorites to paint. The second was a redo, in different colors, of what my plans had been in the first attempt of Epic Fail. Using all shades of reds, pinks, purple and silver, I will be anxious to see how it looks in the full light of the morning. I felt as if I was playing more of a guessing game with my glasses on than an artist at work. From what I could see, I don’t think it will be another “epic fail;” but I already appropriately titled it, Love is Blind.

I am getting ready for my last Art on the Lawn Festival next week. I don’t expect my booth to be stuffed, but it is evident that I need a few new, smaller scale paintings. Yesterday morning, I sat at the kitchen table, glasses and coffee mug at the side of my notebook and I did some brainstorming, a little doodling and just staring out the window towards the beauty of Mom’s garden.

Painting is often like taking a picture–you can never fully re-capture the moment, though you can try. I wasn’t re-capturing any vivid memory photo from yesterday, but I was trying to keep in the mood, as if the brushstrokes were the quietness of the stillness I experienced when I just sat there staring out the window. I had quite the day today and found myself saying, “Good grief!”more times than a, “Thank you, Lord.” In just a little while, it will be the start of a new day…a new invitation to just sit a while and enjoy the stillness. Up until yesterday, I have not taken the time to do this–and now its all I want to do, even though I am dragging and so behind on other things. I need a better balance, but like Mom’s garden, I will not get very far in life without the proper nutrients. And so before I take to weeding and watering areas in my life, I think I might just sit. Just for a while.

If I could just sit with You a while, if You could just hold me
Nothing could touch me though I’m wounded, though I die
If I could just sit with You a while, I need You to hold me
Moment by moment, ’till forever passes by…

*words by Mercy Me.