Follow Your Bliss
Can you remember the first life changing experience that lead to "Follow your bliss" or your dream? Was it dramatic? Was it inspired? Was it meant to be? Did you know what you always wanted? Were you born with the dream, “I knew I would always be a singer, a dancer, a scientist, an artist”?.
Did your dreams take a detour? Did others influence you? Did extenuating circumstances, force you to do something else?
Did you believe if you followed your dream that you would lose the people you love? Did you think others would think you were crazy? Did you go against the norm?
Did you feel you were worth it or capable? Did you believe in yourself? Did you have someone believe in you?
All these are hard questions, I have experienced many of these situations on the journey to follow my dream, “Follow my bliss”, to become an artist. "Follow your bliss, is the heroes’ journey", says Joseph Campbell. You will find a lot of dragons to slay along the way. The challenge is not to be detoured and to not give up, to find a way to “Follow your Bliss”.
This is my thirty-fourth painting of my #paint52 challenge, Atelier Interactive Acrylic on vellum, measures approximately 7″ X 11″, price $230.00. The painting portrays the Streetcar found on the Embarcadero, adjacent to the Piers an addition to my San Francisco Series. SOLD
*All art from Janet Vanderhoof’s Fine Art Gallery, maybe seen in Janet’s studio at Morgan Hill, CA. You may purchase through contacting my email jvander51@msn.com or phone (408) 460-7237. Thank you!
Ernie's
Artists have you ever had a chill while painting a painting?
Influenced by the movie “Vertigo” directed by Alfred Hitchcock, I was drawn to paint a scene taken place at Ernie’s Restaurant in San Francisco. It became more enticing to paint, since it could also used as part of my San Francisco series.
There was no avoiding the red; it became very psychological, just as Hitchcock wanted it to be. He purposely used certain colors in certain scenes indicating warning, guilt, polarity, ambiguity and death.
It is hard to paint a red painting without be moved emotionally. Using a touch of pink softened the aggressiveness. The Hitchcock blue intentionally used in the suit of Jimmy Stewart's was to indicate guilt, I didn’t realize this until more research was found.
While painting the painting, my father showed up, with his familiar hairline, stature and common gesture of placing his hands in his pocket. No matter what I did, the painting resembled my father, my father who passed away 52 years ago. That’s when the chill came, my own little Hitchcock experience in my studio appeared.
This is my thirty-third painting of my #paint52 challenge, Atelier Interactive Acrylic on velum, measures approximately 8" X 8", price $175.00.
*All art from Janet Vanderhoof’s Fine Art Gallery, maybe seen in Janet’s studio at Morgan Hill, CA. You may purchase through contacting my email jvander51@msn.com or phone (408) 460-7237. Thank you!
A Dream For the Queen
What is it about Elephants that I love, that I feel a natural bond to? Could it be their ability to be socially complex, their well known intelligence, their ability to have deep family ties, their special individual relationships with humans, their strong unique personalities, the impact that the mother has on the family, their affection for their own, in which they take care of their injured families and grieve over their dead. Yes, I believe we can relate to all of these human qualities.
I was first introduced to “Return to the Forest” a documentary filmed by Patricia Sims and "Zo" Michael Clark , depicting the efforts to protect and return the elephant to the wild on the consciously aware blog site LAAH. The film will premier August 12, 2012, on the first World Elephant Day.
Inspired by this wonderful event and promise of hope for these wonderful Pachyderms, I felt a need to paint “A Dream For The Queen”, which is also featured on LAAH. This is the 32nd painting of my #paint52 challenge, measures 8” X 8”, Atelier Acrylic on vellum, price $175.00 (SOLD). All proceeds will be donated to the Elephant Reintroduction Foundation, in celebration of “World Elephant Day”, August 12, 2012.
*All art from Janet Vanderhoof’s Fine Art Gallery, maybe seen in Janet’s studio at Morgan Hill, CA. You may purchase through contacting my email jvander51@msn.com or phone (408) 460-7237. Thank you!
The Shift
These are questions that seem to come up for me as an artist, constantly. Artists do you have questions that come up for you regularly? What questions do you have? Would love to hear them.
Artists do you paint for yourself or paint for your audience?
If you paint something that sells, do you tend to repeat yourself and paint another version hoping it will sell again?
Do you bounce around painting a variety of styles or do you stick with one subject matter and pallet?
Do you take risks?
Do you experiment with different mediums?
Do you feel you are connected to your voice?
Is your artwork recognizable?
Do you have fun when you create?
When did you start acknowledging you were an artist?
*This is my 28th painting of my paint52 challenge. Painting measures 24" X 48", Oil on wrapped linen canvas. Price $2880.
"What I know for Sure" #paint52
The late Gene Siskel would ask, “What do you know for sure?” in his guest celebrities interviews, which inspired Oprah to write a monthly column “What I know for sure”, finding it a great way for her to take stock of her life. This is “What I know for Sure” now celebrating my halfway point, twenty-six paintings, towards my #paint52 challenge.
Mr. Oil is my first love, but I am becoming great friends with Ms. Acrylic.
Painting gives me energy.
I realize that fear in the studio is a good thing.
Inspiration shows up when doing the creating.
Show up!
When in production mode, I become less attached to the painting. Now I say “Next”.
Quantity produces Quality.
Resistance is the enemy.
I’m not so bad with color; in fact it may be my gift.
My art and my spirit are connected.
Good things happen when you stretch yourself.
Your art needs to be seen.
Honor yourself and honor your commitment.
I’m going to complete 52 paintings this year.
*"Submersed In Color", twenty-sixth painting of #paint52 challenge, mesures 8-1/2" X 8-1/2", Atelier Interactive Acrylic on vellum, price $150. SOLD