New work 2010

The new year began with some much needed time off and time on. I took a week off from each of my jobs to focus on some new creations. Painting is my passion and is too often neglected for quicker and cleaner creations. Art is art, and I'm happy anytime I can create, but there is a difference in satisfaction from medium to medium.

I got out the watercolor paints and after cutting apart several fiberboard boxes from Christmas, the painting began. It's been cold, very cold, and my work space is in the unheated garage. Out comes the portable heater... and the stocking hat.

Tree with a Thousand Stories

There's a park on the Eastern shore of the Hudson River at the end of the road where the river is at it's widest. Just to the South spreading out across the water with all of its legs and pavement stands the Tappan Zee Bridge.













The view to the Western shore welcomes me each visit to the park and prepares me for the wonderful experience ahead.

The Tree with a Thousand Stories is just around the bend right off the stone path.






From here the adventures begin. With the cold of Winter nearing its end this strange and magnificent tree stands tall stretching out each of its limbs and branches twisting, curling and even digging down into the earth and out again several feet away. A single limb coming out from the trunk reaches straight out, bends down and spreads some more. This limb is strong as though it was there a hundred years before.
The markings are a testament of its old age. As far as hands can reach and legs can climb the markings can be seen of past lovers and friends or the lonesome stranger.

On Top of A Hill

Through the lens of my camera I now live on a one lane paved country road with tall evergreens in the front yard. Through my eyes there are Blue Mountains in the distance with leafless tree covered mountains just before. The air is cold and the windy gusts send me deeper within my new winter jacket and the gray scarf made by Victoria.

The clouds cleared only for an hour or two today, only the first or second time since relocating. To say that it is "gloomy" or "dreary" would not be incorrect, yet without the negative feeling attached. Off the back patio I look down and see leaf free grass. There are so many trees lining the perimeter of each property I can only imagine the effort that went into clearing the yards of all the leaves. Feeling the wind makes me think there were natural forces to help with this effort... on the top of the hill.