There are weeks of sunshine and Unicorns and then there are other seeks.
This week has been one of those “other” weeks. Everything that was planned and everything that was unplanned collides together into one implosion.
So, whatever does that have to do with painting?
This rose is a gorgeous rose that hides on a hill, in a far corner of the Rose Garden. But it is an amazing little world unto itself. It has so many colors compacted into each bloom. Then as an added cherry: those colors change daily.
I love this rose and stop at the bushes every time I go to the Garden.
So, when I started making Getting Dirty paintings, this rose was a wonderful place to start. After I had set up the technical needs to make videos and had the process down to a system, I thought I was ready. I thought I could conquer this beauty.
I thought...
Painting with oil pastels is best for creating bold colors and large forms. So, of course, I choose to use them on delicate forms and delicate colors. That is just who I am. Why take the easy road when there is a much more challenging one?
Well, my system worked, I got a wonderful rose out AND a video to post. Until I looked at the video. A video was created. Bu,t it had been taken in Slow-motion. I needed a 30 second video. I had a 5 hour and 20 minute video. A little longer than necessary or even usable.
Sure, you can edit a video. There are ways to speed up a video, to a point. That point being 20X. Mathematically that cut 5 hours to 16 minutes. Still too long. So, almost as meticulously as creating the painting, I was able to manually break it down over and over and over again. The segments to create this video ended up being less than a half a second. And there are about 60 of them.
So, watch and enjoy. You are really watching 2 pieces of art in process. A Rose and a video. Both very handcrafted.
I present “A Moment of Beauty”
In our House
This last week has been a week of changes for our house. My father (90 years old, Alzheimer’s) has been living in a retirement home. It is an “independent living” facility; a kind of apartment complex with shared dining. That worked 4 years ago, when he moved to be near me. But it has become very evident that it is no longer appropriate for him. He needs more help. He doesn’t want more help, but he needs it. So, as his caregiver, I have spent the last two months working with him to help him realize that it is time. And he finally agreed. This is huge for me. He will be right down the street from me, instead of 30-45 minutes. But it has set so many balls in motion: moving someone, moving someone in Covid-times and moving someone into Assisted Living.
So, I have been busy.
And we have visitors, my brother and sister-in-law, have come to visit with our father. I love visitors. I love showing visitors the amazing place I call home: Portland. Covid has made that into a carnival of “is that open” and “do they have inside dining.” But just as fortunately the beauty and wonder that is around me is all outdoors. I am so glad that we are all vaccinated and can visit together.
So, I have been busy.
Oh, and I have mentioned that it is finally rose season here in Portland. And they are out in all their glory. So, my camera and I have been busy. And you can expect more rose paintings in the very near future.
— Cynthia