Positively Beautiful

My, what a beautiful two days I've had. I rearranged my art table and placed it in front of our large patio doors, facing north. Now we can actually eat at the kitchen table and I can leave my art out. No more facing a wooden wall. I can look out and see my favorite bird feeder and can watch my cats on the deck, birds flying over our house and into the field across the irrigation canal. I painted a picture, using Chinese brush strokes, of a rabbit. We subscribed to Netflix and I watched my favorite movie, Miss Potter. I love her determination and imagination. I also sorted my photographs and made a folder of photographs that I want to paint. I have started to paint a photograph of rocks on the beach on Vancouver Island. I was so amazed by how all of the rocks seemed to belong together like a puzzle, so diverse in color and texture, yet fitting perfectly together and rounded and shiny from the force of the high and low tides. I believe the photo was taken in Courtney/Comox, the first time I was near the ocean, beachcombing and discovering perfectly purple starfish. I think I am getting the idea of working faster and layering colours. It is still challenging for me to only use red, yellow and blue. It is fun trying to figure out what colours are really showing in the rocks! I am about half way done. I feel freer now that I have completed some decluttering exercises, reorganizing and purging (I finally built up the courage to throw out my ruined water soaked Canon camera and two lenses. They were my first expensive and exciting gifts from Jeff and my family, but it was time to let them go, they weren't functioning and the manufacturers would not even try to fix them, so now I have made room for other art supplies that can actually help me in my art adventures!)

I found this positively beautiful photograph while I was sorting through, deciding what to paint.  I love the way the vibrant colours and the clowns smile and eyebrows capture my eyes.  Even though I am not much of a fan of clowns, I love the spirit that is exuding from this clown.  I could actually run up to him and give him a big hug, and normally when I see a clown, I would prefer to run across the street!  Notice how the bird is mirroring his same enthusiasm.  One day, when I am feeling brave, I would like to paint this photo, but for now I will stick to rocks and nature, I am not quite ready to paint a human!

The photograph is the sole property of Renee Dowling.  If you are interested in using the photo or purchasing it, contact dowling@shockware.com.