Lessons of Summer & Beaches

Sand & Stones
for Paint Party Friday
4x6" Water Soluble Pencil on 140# Strathmore Paper
©BEDeuel Bronson Hill Arts 2014

It's the semi-official conclusion of this year's summer: Labor Day weekend.

It's the weekend that reminds us of all the things we wanted to do and of all that we didn't get done this summer.

Having spent the majority of my childhood near Long Island beaches,  it's odd having gotten through entire summer seasons without burying my toes in the coarse, sparkling sand for many years now.

The beaches were the place we went to celebrate freedom from the rigors of school at the first chance in June. Too much sun, freezing water, and lots of unneeded sand in the shoes officially began the long, lazy vacation. Throughout the season, cars would be packed tight with bodies and coolers and blankets for the day's outing to "the" beach. The summer ended with tans for some, freckles for others, jellyfish warnings in the heated ocean water, and a wonderful sense of justified lethargy.

Everyone was different in their perspectives, goals and needs. But, we were all the same when we played and baked our bodies by the ocean's side. And, no matter what sadnesses we carried, there was just happiness that reflected off those quartz granules.

Maybe that's why, though it's on my "summer to-do-list" every year, I have rarely made it back to a beach.

It wouldn't be the same. It couldn't be the same. None of us are the same as we were then. And, that's all right.

Summer ending can be a good thing, because, as noted by many before me, without winter's cold, how could we appreciate the summer's warmth?

We never seem to do everything we want to do because those every-day demands get in the way. But if we were always able to do everything we wanted, how would we appreciate what we have been able to do?

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Trail to Light
Fire Island Lighthouse 2012
©BEDeuel Bronson Hill Arts

Completely Fallin' Over Falls

The almost final of the Untitled Falls I posted a while back:

And, a little, teeny change and, the final painting:

And, the title is simple & to the point! "Stony Waterfall".

Accomplishment

Crossing
6x6 Water Soluble Oils on Stretched Canvas
©BEDeuel/Bronson Hill Arts

It’s been an interesting first quarter this year. Work issues, kid issues, art business issues, house issues, etc..

All the issues have been creating challenges and opportunities, equally.

My “free” time (yes, the time for which you don’t get paid) has increased quite a lot. It’s been nicely liberating, yet, overwhelming, too.

I’ve been able to dive into all the projects around the house and in the studio that I’ve wanted to do for the last 2 years.

Rearranging, painting, planning for new carpeting in a some rooms. Cleaning and purging the other rooms. Three new paintings in as many months. Pulling prints and pieces together for various charity auctions. Developing both the website for Bronson Hill Arts as well as trying to keep up BHA’s Facebook page. Researching other online options, too. Preparing for the spring onslaught outside of the house. And, a few dozen more projects to touch on as each one is, ahem, completed.

And, all of this is being done simultaneously. Needless to say, my home is a mess and I’m tired. I think I’m wearing my husband out as well!

When this surge started, it seemed as if it was going to be so easy; all this extra time. And, really, how much time does it take to sort and dispose of the excess collection of gadgets, utensils, pans, dishes, and cleaning products in the kitchen. Well, so far, it’s been about 7 hours. Still have about 3 more hours of sorting plus another 4 or more to truly clean the cabinetry and flooring.

That’s one room. Add another five rooms currently in turmoil to that list.

But it’s slowly coming back together.

The shifting of furniture and things from room-to-room is beginning to appear logical. The rooms look and feel better as the superfluous junk is chucked. The website is starting to look like, well, a real website and the FB page is really starting to reach people and galleries. The response to the auction and show prints as been very positive.

It’s tough to tear the everyday fabric of life into so many bits and then reattach them again. That’s the challenge.

But, once the patchwork starts to take on a pattern, it’s nice to know that you’ve utilized the opportunities to the fullest. Accomplishment can never be overrated.