Freak out for a spell

So, there was the “election”. A heaving mass of hysteria and projection. Surfing through it became quite a feat. It took a long board, and a big piece of paper.

I am not one for “political” art. Having said that, the picture book I was utterly influenced by when a child (and then some), was completely political and fanciful and technically stunning and took place during the second world war. The artist’s name is Boris Artzybascheff. After the election an image came to mind from the book.; “Radio propaganda”. I used it as a basis for my own feelings on the election results.

You feeling it?

I made it my own, rendering orange hair atop the black and white face with its pinched, howling maw sputtering incoherent mush into a fistful of microphones.

Graphite. Nice and basic, elemental, meditative. Shish, shish, shish, using a few different grades of pencil – some softer than others. Right up on it. It’s HUGE, for me anyway, 40×26″. What about the back round? Black? White? Red? No. WORDS, a curse, an intention. I  methodically wrote; “go-go go get out now get away forever freak out now” etcetera. That was nicely focusing. Feeling better? Of course you are. I do.

So here it is. “Freak out”. Yah you better go-go now.

 

Light Victory Light!

I came across this item through an esoteric website I subscribe to. I had to have it.

What is it about the old symbols of alchemy I find so charming? The manner in which they are executed, surely. The earnest nature of their offering to communicate  a mystery. Definitely. The symbols of transmutation. One thing becomes another. A chemical change is permanent a physical change is reversible. One of those basic rules of science that stuck with me.

I don’t know what they mean, (well, maybe a little) but when combined together in a hefty large candle exquisitely crafted the meaning becomes secondary. I needed to have this item in my creative environment. A reminder.

The text reads “Do what you fear most and you can do ANYTHING”. Is this true? I find for the most part it is. Within reason of course (does fear trump reason?).

I light this candle most days when I am in the studio. This ritual sets the tone for my days work. It gets the focus humming. I make my music selection. Consider what I will accomplish for the session and begin to work. Sometimes its unexpected. I have to discern the difference between doubt and evaluation. After all these years evaluation wins all the time.

I have feared doubt.

It can be a crippling affliction, keeping your life’s energy from blooming into the expanse it is meant to be. Set doubt aside at every possible opportunity.

When doubt arises, look him straight on. What does he have to teach you?

Strength. Courage. Trust.

 

 

Going in, getting on it.

This painting is nearly finished. Here it is on its birthday. It’s very beginning.

It has Tuscan roots that began with a hike through ancient Tuffa cities, along sunken walkways of mustard colored volcanic rock. Most are deeply rutted from humans walking these very same routes centuries ago.

You can still feel them.

The art I make from these journeys emerges from my entire being. Its hard to say where it starts. I could say; eyes, breath, nose, my feet, skin. But its everything. EVERY THING. I feel all of its mystery. Mostly it’s the joy of being able to walk this amazing planet teeming with so, so,  much life and feel connected to it all. Without feeling overwhelmed. This is key.

When I return home and process the journey, the key element is HOW DOES IT FEEL? I have lived in these truly beautiful landscapes, and I want to convey that through imagery, color, form.

Walk with me. This is the first step.

“The way up, is the way in” work in progress 2016. Oil on primed paper

Monty, the outdoor man

This outstanding animal went missing. Just before labor day ran out and the switch flipped from summer people to locals.

I knew him and his brother, Miles (who was lost several years ago) from the time they were slithery kittens. A more social or friendly pair of cats never lived. You had to have a care when they spotted you and came trotting over to flank both legs. A tripping machine.

Over time, Monty and I became quite close. He would spend hours in my studio hanging out when he finally calmed down and stopped screwing around with my stuff. He had a chair he shared with my cat, Smokey (horrors! not at the same time). She’s quite a bit older (though in excellent health) and will have none of winters teeth and icy breath. So she pretty much stays inside when the weather isn’t prime. They don’t like each other much.

I love them both in their own way.

Monty had his own home across the street and was well loved. He was the man of the neighborhood, flopping down and offering his belly for a good rub, should you care to partake – and many passerbys did.

He had the most demure of meows – despite his 18 pounds of tabby brawn. I will miss him coming to my door wanting pets and treats and a nap. Its times like this that the concept of “impermanence” slices through loss and attachment, leaving you only the purest of residue at last. Love.

 

 

Immortalize it. Save it.

I have had this German candy wrapper in my paintbox for more than 30 years.

I remember Heidi R., her quick footsteps approaching my studio door at the Emerson Umbrella in Concord, Massachusetts. She came in with this offering from a recent visit to her home.

Exotic. We each enjoyed one that afternoon. (I suspect she had a stash of them, though).

After she left, I looked at the wrapper and quite deliberately placed it in this slot in my paintbox. I don’t know why. It does not move. Here it stays. Immortal colored mylar.

The paints and supplies that have lived on top of this little wrapper came and went easily enough. The wrapper stays, barely nicked  by chemicals and time. Tough little jacket.

I don’t touch it.

Why do I keep this? This tiny slice of permance. This shiny illusion of stability.  I don’t know really. But here it stays.

I am not even sure if Heidi still lives. Her memory does.

I have the evidence.

Yeah, it kinda felt like this

Ok me hearties, after several calls to tech support – who were all awesome by the way. And wiping dumb egg off my face for not SEEING the obvious. The new website is relaunched, or re-introduced in todays parlance.

So now I am reengaged in keeping it updated, since I am pretty much always making art and always will.

Jamestown had Open Studios this past Saturday the 30th. After an hour and a half of doing more sorting (it seems endless!) and filing my nails, the gate opened and wonderful people streamed in for several hours.

Who knew so many from Jamestown had been just as struck by Machu Picchu?? Really nice to connect with so many.

Looks like we will have another one next year! See you then!

This is how I felt about half way through the website.

 

Perk and Chuck

Sooooo…I officially chuck buzzpiestudio!

Instead I will have an online gallery with 12 pieces for sale at once.  When they sell 12 more go on the site. You get the picture.

It’s a lot to pull together conceptually, you understand.

It will be lots more up to date since I will update the gallery myself, aren’t you glad? I was told about a thousand years ago to “unmask yourself, it’s safe”. I will. I am. Time to exfoliate doubt.

Montemerano Hilltop Village Italy 2016

I am also working on the new Italian series. Talk about feeling like I was HOME. I had been painting and drawing aspects of that luscious landscape for YEARS.

Here is one of the photos that serves as vibrational reference. HUUUMMMM.

Tempo Kaputski

Looking for my website?

Its gone dark.

The host left the table. I am in the process of rebooting Buzzpie studio so I can add, subtract and drop in images with abandon!

It will take “awhile”. Since at the moment I am busy doing restoration/conservation technician work for 2 clients. I do love the “outside the studio” work, then there is the question of available time.

Not much of that right now.

5 Red truths.

This will shift as everything does.

This image initially came to me from a dream, then I modified the content when I started working on it in ernest.

Of course spring is being it’s usual fickle fem. See you on the flip side

Red riders win big

Get him! Get him now and forever until next time.

Get him! Detail of furry horse rider.

Trio of doozies, installment 3.

This time THE BAD THING is loud and behind me. So terrifying. I had to escape. Fortunately my alter egos were running the show atop a VERY POWERFUL red steed. They were not taking any shit from the army of anger behind me. They commanded the horse to wheel around and vanquish the bad thing.

This was done using a very defiant shout, which was all the bad thing needed…to shrink away.

Handy to have helpers.

It was a challenge getting the right feel to depict this dream “still”. Just like the other two. I don’t give up until that happens.

Neither should you.

You know when something, anything, has integrity or not. Honor that.

 

The Crown loves looping

When the wheel of time is experienced more as a circle, the passing of it is loaded with flux—the good kind.

So here we are, the end, the beginning. This the final piece from the chakra series.  I decided to go for 8, which includes the shining well hovering above each and every one of our heads.

Yes, EVERYONE. Some gain more access than others, and that’s just how it is for now – we can’t all be butterflies, or eagles.

Several pieces from this series found just the right home. That is the purpose of these visual portals after all, making the sweet loop with a human. Over and over again. Something new, fresh every visit.

Eye breath.

I really enjoyed working on the wood panels, a rigid surface felt more grounding than the slight bounce of working on linen. Now I mostly work on gessoed paper and work on the wall. That will continue for some time – though I do feel the call of linen again in my future.

Now, after a beautiful summer here on the island, the shift into cool happens. Gotta just ride it.

Get comfortable in that weather saddle of uncertainty.

8 Everlight shine on