- Published on
Home Is Where I Want To Be
Home Is Where I Want To Be
oil on canvas
12 x 16 inches
This item is unframed but ready to hang.
(click on the image tp purchase)
Home is where I want to be
Pick me up and turn me round
I feel numb, born with a weak heart
I guess I must be having fun
The less we say about it the better
Make it up as we go along
Feet on the ground, head in the sky
It's okay, I know nothing's wrong, nothing
Hi yo, I got plenty of time
Hi yo, you got light in your eyes
And you're standing here beside me
I love the passing of time - THE TALKING HEADS
oil on canvas
12 x 16 inches
This item is unframed but ready to hang.
(click on the image tp purchase)
Home is where I want to be
Pick me up and turn me round
I feel numb, born with a weak heart
I guess I must be having fun
The less we say about it the better
Make it up as we go along
Feet on the ground, head in the sky
It's okay, I know nothing's wrong, nothing
Hi yo, I got plenty of time
Hi yo, you got light in your eyes
And you're standing here beside me
I love the passing of time - THE TALKING HEADS
So the other night we were rounding up dinner (late, because that's how we roll - dinner around 9 pm) and we hear a knock on the door. It is a houseless. man, carrying a backpack, politely telling us how much he loves our yard signs (FIGHT POVERTY, NOT THE POOR and other expressions of our activism in the world) and he asks if we have any food he could have? And of course we said yes and put together a sack dinner for him and stuffed some cash in the bag.
As my husband handed the man the bag and explained what was inside (a sandwich, some fruit, a beverage, dessert and some money) the man reached into the bag, pulled out the cash and handed it back, saying "thank you but I can't eat that, you keep it."
And I was floored.
Because I had made an assumption - that what he really wanted was money (and who could blame him for that?) But all he wanted was what he asked for, and our yard signs let him know we were safe to approach. Whoa.
Now, you might be thinking, Lola, what does that have to do with art? I am fixin' to tell ya!
That moment of realization - where I saw something I did not expect to see, made a connection I didn't know I would make, felt things I was suprised to feel - that changed me. And that, that is what we hope to do as creatives. To make a moment like that when someone interacts with our art, our words, our writing (dancing, singing, sculpting, sewing, knitting - creating!) - that's everything.
The man taught me something profound. And I am deely grateful.
Because I had made an assumption - that what he really wanted was money (and who could blame him for that?) But all he wanted was what he asked for, and our yard signs let him know we were safe to approach. Whoa.
Now, you might be thinking, Lola, what does that have to do with art? I am fixin' to tell ya!
That moment of realization - where I saw something I did not expect to see, made a connection I didn't know I would make, felt things I was suprised to feel - that changed me. And that, that is what we hope to do as creatives. To make a moment like that when someone interacts with our art, our words, our writing (dancing, singing, sculpting, sewing, knitting - creating!) - that's everything.
The man taught me something profound. And I am deely grateful.
100% of the proceeds from the sale of this painting will go to the Portland Food Project
About the art: another murdered painting becomes reborn into something completely different! With this piece, I felt the urge to create a spontaneous abstracted forest-scape; something reminiscent of our hikes. I didn't think, didn't plan, just began. Once the basic underpainting was completed, I let it dry for a couple of weeks. Coming back in with a palette knife and a couple of brushes, layers were added, texture built up and colors deepened. A simple glimpse of a place maybe my feet have walked. Very satisfying.
Watch and listen to the blog on YouTube!
At the ending is a video of how the murder was committed. Oh oh OH!
Love that this is the aftermath of murdering yet another old painting, and loved seeing the video of some of the paint-over process—endlessly fascinating. In "Home," I am particularly struck by the paradox I see/feel … what appears to be almost a barricade of trees is part of a scene that is ripe with invitation. Exquisite tension.
Thank you SO much for sharing your story of a recent visitor and of your subsequent realizations and of the connection to creative acts.
xoxo
CS
Thanks for being here - I so appeciate you! xo
First off, the red and the blue - thank you for noticing! These colors are from tubes of paint gifted to me by Valerie Erichsen Thomson when she passed away several years ago. As long as these tubes last, I will keep using them. Like a lucky talisman to be gifted forward until it is all used up.
Second, I recall a post you made some years ago about that incident? Frightening! Ack! Here on our corner we have a lot of people living on the street passing by. We try to help where we can, but sometimes it is impossible (recently a man decided to build a fire on our front steps to make toast, for example. That had to be stopped.
And finally, YES to how our books came about! When sparks sparkle and things grow into BOOKS! I treasure our collaborations! xoxoxoxo
"To make a moment like that when someone interacts with our art, our words, our writing (dancing, singing, sculpting, sewing, knitting - creating!) - that's everything. " reminds me of a quote from a video I saw today "This for you is my world to look at" Wayne Thiebaud
A Wayne Thiebaud video! Squeee! I will go look for that, thank you! xoxoxoxo
I read something by a poet who said he was "NEXTING", as in "what can I do next?" to keep thinking of the next bit of good he can do. I like that idea, too! xoxoxoxo