Lola Jovan Art Musings and Random Thoughts

Home Is Where I Want To Be

2/16/2026

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

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.

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!

12 Comments

Author

Lola Jovan

Dotty Seiter link

2/15/2026 06:04:43 pm

Lola, my first thought was a reminiscence from way back in the day when we both participated in one of Leslie Saeta's 30 in 30 painting challenges and your theme was "Into the Woods"—I have no recollection of if you painted any slice-of-forest scapes at that time but I remember the theme : )

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

lola

2/16/2026 12:56:24 pm

Dotty!! "Into The Woods" is one of my favorite musicals, and thus a theme often repeated in the art. Thank you for noticing the tension in the painting! Many times (when wondering off-trail) we arrive at a point just like this piece - a barricade of trees (or rocks, or bramble) and then a decision: go around? go over? go through? Once we chose to "go through" and found ourselves walking on approximately six feet of a spongey compost of fallen trees, sticks, leaves and moss - like loamy quicksand! Oy! What a relieve to finally crest the hill and stand on rocks! xoxo

Carl Stoveland

2/16/2026 09:59:50 am

Actual tears are leaking out of my eyes. Thank you for that. The world needs more humans like you guys. My news feed even a tightly curated NPR and BBC World Service one makes me feel like there are no good people left out there. The surprising response to your generosity and your connecting it to your creativity is what makes this blog part of my Monday morning ritual. Keep doing the right thing just because and keep surprising us with your art. I'm going to devour the poem again while I gaze into your mesmerizing painting. Have great week.

CS

2/16/2026 12:59:06 pm

Carl!!! Thank you so much for sharing your response to the story and the blog in general. Truly, that means a lot. We've chosen to "do a little good" wherever we can, even though it is frustrating given the herculean effort which seems necessary to impact anything right now now. Baby steps, doing what we can, seeking hope and connection.

Thanks for being here - I so appeciate you! xo

Mary W. Cox

2/16/2026 11:57:37 am

I was thinking when I saw this painting how often that blue and that red come together in your art, and that was the comment I was going to make--and then I read the blog. What an extraordinary moment that must have been! In the first place, to open your door to a stranger at that time of night was a huge act of courage, and I was ready to say that, too. (Many years ago I opened my door to a stranger in broad daylight, with significantly traumatic results, so I would probably never do that ever again.) But then your conclusion about *connecting*, about creating something that touches someone else and makes a moment when something changes--wow! Yes! It made me think about how our books came about. Some of your art strikes sparks for me, and some doesn't, but I love your observations--and watching how your work constantly evolves!

2/16/2026 01:04:25 pm

Mary!!! It is a delight to see your name here! Yay!

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

Carol Edan link

2/16/2026 12:17:07 pm

What a great act of kindness! I really doubt I would open my door at that time of night! Treating another human as an equal isn't very popular now a days!

"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

2/16/2026 01:06:12 pm

Carol!!! Hello lovely friend! You are so right - the popularity of kindness and compassion seems to be on a downward trend. We're trying to push some boundaries on that, for sure!

A Wayne Thiebaud video! Squeee! I will go look for that, thank you! xoxoxoxo

Nance Fowler

2/17/2026 10:33:40 am

This is a beautiful piece - serene and sturdy at the same time. I feel that can reach into it and smell the leaves as they change color and form … thank you for sharing.

2/17/2026 12:41:28 pm

Nance!!! Hey friend, thank you so much! It is always a treat to see you pop in here. Send a little sunshine to the PNW, would you? xoxo

Avery Caswell

2/18/2026 10:53:33 am

Desperate to find a way forward during this stressful, uncertain time, I listened to a wise person who said the two most important things we can model now are courage and generosity. Well done, you two. Thank you for the perfect example.

2/18/2026 02:59:57 pm

Avery!!! Love those wise person words, and truly delighted to have participated in exactly that. We will keep doing it.

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

Home Is Where I Want To Be

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