For the past forty years, people have been at the center of my professional life in a number of ways. I have learned to listen beyond the words people use to express themselves, and to hear the variety of messages they convey. Most of these messages are rarely spoken, per se. When recruiting, I strive to really understand the attributes, skills, experience and education a person needs to successfully fulfill the job requirements. In this setting, I sit back and take things in. As an observer, my intuitive skills have been honed to an art form. This is very helpful in making a hiring decision, and it's really no different in my personal life when I go about making friends. If anything, I become even more discerning in picking companions for friendship along my life journey. I have little time for pastimes, so in order to spend my time more productively, I am very selective about what I do and with whom I do it. I do not mind spending time alone. In fact, I need some quiet time every day. Maybe because my day's activities are so public, filled with a lot of people and drama, quiet time alone is precious. Some people meditate...I think when alone. I examine many things: people, situations, theories...and the list goes on and on. I turn them over in my mind's eye to examine and ponder from various points of view. This is a very satisfying pastime for me, as it allows me to see beneath the surface.
So many people reveal their core values and the goodness held within by the numerous gifts given to others of their time, talent and selves. This is even more amazing when the individual doesn't encourage close relationships, yet constantly gives. This type of behaviour reveals a caring and generous heart. 'By his deeds shall he be known' is an old saying that rings true here. I heard this growing up, and it remains alive and applicable today. Contemplating such thoughts as these led me to create this next painting. This work began as a random watercolor with radiant hues, splashed, dripped and painted on a 22" X 30" piece of Arches CP 140-lb rag paper. Bright, cool colors were interspersed with marks of a watercolor crayon in old gold green. There was no particular pattern, no form reminiscent of any particular object, just splashes and patterns of color throughout the picture plane. When this was dry, black gesso was brayered randomly over the surface to set up a visual tension between extreme light brights and darker darks. This application was allowed to dry thoroughly before an acrylic gloss varnish glaze was applied over the whole painting. This is a very important step, as it allows the colors to separate and 'snap' to the attention of the viewer, often defining random shapes and forms that heretofore were hidden within the painting's landscape.
After this step, I photographed the piece and called it Fire and Smoke, as it reminded me of ashes.
I began to see a heart form within the picture plane. Not totally satisfied, I continued to apply my 'edit-eye' for several days. I decided to pursue the heart shape, and to give it greater definition. I chose a translucent metallic brown paint to apply over the negative space surrounding the heart. The heart form is off-center and turned slightly, as if trying to escape the attention of the viewer. The brown was applied in thin layers, with some overlapping to form additional texture within the flat negative space. This created some visual interest away from the heart shape. The heart holds the viewer's eye as the focal point of this painting. I then added a bit of copper to warm up the sweetness of the pink within the heart. While the brown was drying, I drew into the surface of the negative space, making marks signifying the licks and kicks that life provides us on our worldly journey. Some of those licks cut deep and leave scars...heavy marks that teach us lessons along the way. These lessons are depicted in the painting by the black marks overlaid with red. The red here is symbolic of lessons learned. It is so important as we experience life, even though it may batter us a bit, that we never miss the lesson.
February is a month of celebrating hearts in all the various ways we experience love, friendship and caring. I call this painting I See the Goodness Within Your Heart.
This painting celebrates those friends who may never be able to say the words 'I love you', but tell us by their kind and generous deeds that spring from that vast reservoir held within...their heart of hearts.
Raise your glasses, folks, one more time...to February, before she slips away. Look around and see...love abides...here's to the goodness held within the heart.
