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murphy vs the mastodon

2/10/2020

8 Comments

 
"Murphy vs the Mastodon" - mixed media on wood panel, 16" x 19"..  Available here and at Artfinder.

There are eleventy-billion reasons to be very grateful for the special people in our lives.  But right now, in the studio, there is this gorgeous pile of hand-cut wood panels just waiting to be painted.  Because my special person happens to also be a woodworker. Holy moly. 

And magic happens on these panels.  Paint glides, textures pop.  I can't stop playing.  Which is what happened this week with this piece - a total playdate with wood panel and paint that became this fantastical world where alien yam men look elephants in the eye.  Which brings to mind Brian Rutenberg ... Shout your nutty ideas to the world - we need more stupid.​

​Well then.
Picture
Murphy vs. the Mastodon
Let's talk about Murphy.  Facing down a mastodon (well, at least that's what I see in this painting).  What on earth could that mean for us this week?  It rattled around in my thoughts until this dropped into my lap:

“A further sign of health is that we don’t become undone by fear and trembling, but we take it as a message that it’s time to stop struggling and look directly at what’s threatening us.”
― Pema Chodron


Oh.  Yep.  Looking directly at things.  Even those things which make us cringe and want to avert our eyes. I did that recently - stared directly at the elephant in the room (or the mastodon in the painting, so to speak) and voila!  A clear understanding of what needed to happen next to lead that pachyderm out the door.  Life imitating art imitating potatoes and behemoths.  It's going to be a good week. :)
8 Comments
Dotty Seiter link
2/10/2020 12:22:28 pm

Jen, thank you for Murphy, mastodon, and zen moments here with you at your blog where I immerse myself in your brushstrokes and your words, both of which embrace me as I look directly at all manner of threat.

Woo hoo!

And woo hoo to a gorgeous pile of hand-cut wood panels and the hand that cut them!

Reply
jen
2/10/2020 12:24:24 pm

Dotty! Looking directly at mastodons is something I just KNEW you could and would do. :) Fearless artist - you inspire me!!!

(and the wood...OMG!)

Reply
Carl Stoveland
2/10/2020 01:09:02 pm

Another widely good abstract. Thanks Zjen for sharing your artwork and thoughts with all of us!

Reply
jen
2/10/2020 02:22:51 pm

Carl! "Zjen" - I love that! Thank you! Cannot wait to see your foray into abstraction...

Reply
Carl Stoveland
2/10/2020 03:31:19 pm

Zen Jen finally one of my typos worked in my favor. You are hence to be known as ZJen

jen
2/10/2020 04:02:21 pm

ha ha! YES! I'll take that!

Reply
Carol Edan link
2/13/2020 06:07:42 am

Somehow comments from my tablet aren't showing here! Or I didn't press the publish/submit button? What ever! Murphy vs Mastodon... maybe I am missing something! I see an abstract landscape! When I finish my roll of canvas I am going to try wood panels!

Reply
Jen
2/13/2020 04:14:58 pm

Carol! It really is an abstracted landscape...but it is funny (as you know) to find things within them. I decided to embrace that with this one. And the wood panels! OMG! So amazing to paint on AND not expensive at all.

Reply



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  • Home
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