Making Every Day Count

Today ... we bid farewell To January. The time seems to fairly have evaporated for Deb and I here in Rockport. We both have been very busy... ridding ourselves of responsibilities and  projects that we had undertaken late last year. Christmas is always about Family for us... and we always set that time aside to focus our attentions and joy purely upon spending time with our combined Family.

Now that this hiatus has  passed and our family members have dispersed and returned to their own busy schedules and lives, we can place our focus and energy... starting tomorrow for us both on business preparations for Summer 2013 at The Paint Box Gallery. Our goal in the next months is to design and produce some unique new inventory which relates to tourist interests and the purse of the hoards of summer visitors. That influx will begin to descend upon Rockport commencing in early May... and will run (dependent upon weather) through to late October.

I have been working to complete a painting which certainly did challenge me.  I am most certainly not, by any stretch of the imagination, a portrait painter. But this project was a special one for "Me" because I was emotionally involved in the subject and the circumstances. These factors fuelled me "to step up" and to work outside of my comfort zone. It permitted me as well, to work outside of the kind  of "commission" relationship and negotiation process which in reality is usually necessary in the portrait painting genre.

In this case... I " had the stick" - no time constraints - no expectations from the other side, nor more importantly, no monetary issues to distract or discourage. This painting is a heArt gift to a Friend from "Me", not only because I greatly admire her Art... but more because I admire her generous spirit. I am waiting for the painting to dry enough to allow me to varnish it... and I will then forward it to her!

I hold on to and practise certain "rules" or principles which guide my life... my actions and I which believe govern "good living." All, ironically offer me an immediate degree of return of peace and satisfaction. Unconditional acts of love... and kindness demonstrate the kind of humanity which can only lead to a more balanced and stable world around one."What goes around... come around."Simply... be generous for the sake of being generous. Don't anticipate a return.and you will never be disappointed. Allow the Universe to work its mysterious magic... and in every case... you will discover , as I have... that..."my cup runneth over"
with unexpected blessings!

Tomorrow... I begin my own February Challenge. "Thirty Thousand Islands Paintings... in Thirty Days"
Busy priming panels this afternoon... picking out possible locations to visit. Some will be winter images... but I will also require other seasonal offerings. Not all folks share my love of the Canadian winters... on location!

Wish me luck... and stay tuned!.....

"Listen... to the Guitar Man" - oil on panel 12x10 inches

"He can make you love, he can make you cry
He will bring you down, then he'll get you high
Somethin'  keeps him goin', miles and miles each day
To find another place to play....."

"Guitar Man" by the Band Bread


And "He" has found one! "Listen"... to the Guitar Man!


Good February Painting... to ALL!!