A Simple Thought

Happy Holidays!
Digital Graphic
©BEDeuel Bronson Hill Arts 2014

The Golden Rule: Treat others as you would want them to treat you.

That would be the greatest gift of all from each of us to everyone else.

Happy Hannukah! Joyful Kwanza! Merry Christmas! Blessed Winter Solstice!


Happy Holidays!

Flowers & Five Senses

Bountiful Blooms
8x10" Watercolor & Water Soluble Pencil on 140# Strathmore 300 Paper
©BEDeuel Bronson Hill Arts

For so many years, I have gardened without gloves. My hands have been scratched, scraped, gouged, & bruised. Repeatedly.

With time, my skin also continues to get more and more sensitive to saps, sticky leaves and ant nibbles. So, this year, I've been trying to wear gloves to keep some of the "damage" under control.

I can't do it. It's too unnatural.

Just in the tedious task of weeding, it is much easier to "feel" where to grip the stem and how to twist and pull the noxious plant without gloves.

Then I started thinking about how tactile gardening can be: the silky sensation of a petal, the waxy smoothness of the pocket of a deep bloom. The strength that supports a multitude of colored crowns and the delicate curliques of a climbing vine can be sensed through naked fingertips.

Reaching deeper into the thought, it became obvious how the flowers in our gardens and in nature's fields envelop all of our five senses.

The visual beauty can be overwhelming in the flow of colors and textures. Either spread sparsely, elegantly amid grasses and trees or clustered like happy children, blending into a mosiac of life, the sight can be stunning.

Of course, inhaling the sweetness and freshness of blossoms is a treat beyond description. Memories and dreams are triggered with the slightest whiff on the breeze. Spring and summer become eternal, following a trail of scents that only flowers can create.

What do you hear in the garden? Whispers of the air sharing a laugh with you. The joyful hum of the bumblebees and the honey bees getting high on nectar. The swooping of swallow's wings, the hovering of the hummingbird.

How do you taste a garden? The berries, the grapes, yes. But just plucking a spike of chive and savoring the spontaneous zing can be delightful. Harvesting sunflower seeds, brewing chickweed tea. There are so many little surprises waiting to be sampled.

The next time you're feeling dull and uninspired, find a garden. Then let your senses run free!

Change of Direction: Balloon Amidst Clouds

Balloon Amidst Clouds
16x20 Water Soluble Oil on Stretched Canvas
©BEDeuel Bronson Hill Arts 2014

Having been lucky enough to get a solo show, the race is on! It's time to hit the studio and hit it hard!

It is amazing how motivated one becomes when a deadline looms close by. It also gives one the nerve to try different things, new ideas. It forces that change in direction that one often needs.

That being said, it is a small local venue, designed to showcase "emerging" artists. Since it's been a slow, but steady process of building the portfolio, a small venue is just right... for now!

So, here is the newest  addition, Balloon Amidst Clouds! Step 1 to the final:

Think it's time to change the calendar, though!

Organizing to Do



Step 1: The Sketch
Where to Next?

A fellow creative soul, as well as a dear friend, and I managed to exchange a couple of emails that somewhat constituted a conversation.  With our equally crazy schedules, it has become a rarity, indeed.

In her part of the initial conversation, she was able to take a break from her thriving craft business. Instead of pushing ahead with marketing tedium, she was taking the available time to reorganize her art studio and areas.

While in several ways this may seem as if it is procrastination, I can appreciate the need to regroup. It may not seem to be working towards a successful art business, the need to step back and look at your surroundings. But, it is actually crucial at times.

Often, it seems that when we just roll with the tide of life, we flounder, unable find a focus. When we stop, look and evaluate the direction of the tide, we can remind ourselves of where it is exactly we meant to go in the first place.

I’ve found myself doing a tremendous amount of reevaluating where I want to go with my art, and with Mike’s photography. In the rush to get our name out to the local circuit of craft outlets and art groups, I found myself  being approached to do things that were, honestly, not what I enjoyed doing.  It was not what I wanted Bronson Hill Arts to become.

I enjoyed trying new crafts and mediums, techniques and designs. But I  feel  as though  I have been sidetracked in developing the type of artwork for which  I am passionate.

So, yes, here’s to “procrastinating” enough to redirect and refocus.

It’s not only a necessity: it’s a wonderful thing to give one’s self.

Step 2: Watercolor Colorization 

 

Magical

Charlie's Cousin
Chalk & Pastel on Concrete
©2013 BEDeuel Bronson Hill Arts

 

Magic: An amazing part of the everyday, making every day different.

It is magical sometimes that an apparently uninspired day can become a day of creative fun and connection. As an aspiring artist, this is a common, incredible occurrence.

It can be accomplished with images, drawn, painted, shaped or captured digitally, words, notes of music elegantly strung together, movement both graceful and athletic.

Magic.

There is magic in babies, families, pets, friendships. There is magic in waking up each and every day.

There is no moral to this post. It is simply a celebration of magic, of life. So much has happened this past year in my world, good and bad. And I am still here.

Life is still good.

Hope yours is, too!

 

IF Jump

Jumpin' In!
Water Soluble Pencil on 9x12 140# Canson Watercolor Paper
©2012 BEDeuel/Bronson Hill Arts

The topic for this week's Illustration Friday is "Jump". And, with summer (hopefully) coming, thoughts turn to water, fun, even a little freedom from the humdrum.

While I've never had the opportunity, nor, likely,the nerve, to swing over a body of water and just jump into it, it's one of those images that defines summer and childhood in my mind.

No fear, no constraints. Uninhibited joy in a moment of daring. No hesitation in pursuit of happiness.

Full awareness of bodily injury, or even death, would make it impossible for me to possibly contemplate this type of stunt. Age can be self-perpetuating: physical safety tends to allow one to continue to age. Not a bad thing, really.

But, what about taking that sense of abandon to our emotional and mental endeavors? Why not look for a challenge and "jump" on it? No fear, no constraints. No hesitation in pursuit of happiness.

While there's no guarantee that I won't be one of those 80-year-old ladies who decide to skydive before they leave this earthly life, for now, I think I'll settle for some mental gymnastics over the physical ones. Mind challenges can be just as stimulating if you truly put yourself out there!

Enjoy the week, friends!

IF Heights

Height of Imagination
Softlead Colored Pencil on 6x12 Smooth Bristol #100
©2012 BEDeuel/Bronson Hill Arts

Busy week ahead, so just a short post today. Illustration Friday's topic this week is "Heights".  Monday Artday's topic is "Tiny Things". And, I came across an older journal with a quick sketch of a toddler playing with something on the ground. All of these brought me back to the amazing time in life called "childhood". When the world was conquerable and nothing was impossible.

And, though we may be a little more humbled by life experiences, it's good to remember this: With a bit of work, a little hope and a lot of imagination to keep you moving, never underestimate the heights you can reach!

Have a "super" week, super people!

IF Swamp

Sun and Swamp
Water Soluble Pencil on 4x6 130# Paper
©2012 BEDeuel/Bronson Hill Arts

We've been so fortunate to taste some early summer-like weather the last week or two. It's been quite remarkable in the effect it's had on people in general. The warmth and the sun have been reflected in everyone's hearts and faces.

A wonderful end to a mild and quick winter. Or a great start to, hopefully, an enjoyable summer!

What has been even more amazing is that hubby and I have actually taken the time for a couple of leisurely, photo-laden strolls. One of the walks was along a trail that was dotted with creeks, a train trestle, both straggly and uniform rows of trees, and, yes, swamps.

The word "swamp" can conjure an ugly image of mud and algae, bugs, and stench.

But, personally, I've often found that swamps are fascinatingly lovely. The sight of a cluster of trees immersed in water, dead or dying, yet majestic and dignified, can be inspiring. Artistically, the view can offer so many textures and depths in one sweep.

It all comes back to the idea that beauty comes in all sizes, colors and forms. If you get the chance, stop and take a long, thorough look at a swamp. Like so many other things in life, you might be surprised at the treasures it might hold.