The Big Picture

12 x 12, oil on canvas

As soon as I spotted this darling little guy in a Nashville bookstore, all settled in with his big book, I knew I had to paint him. Over the years, that bookstore became a favorite lunch destination with friends, or a cozy spot to enjoy a cup of tea while browsing for books. Sadly, the bookstore has since gone out of business. But the good news is that the store's closing spurred author Anne Patchett to open up her own little independent bookstore: Parnassus Books, aptly named for Mount Parnassus, a haven for "literature, learning and music" in Greek mythology. Anne's charm and enthusiastic voice have made it a modern-day version of Nora Ephron's ode independent bookstores ("You've Got Mail").

"Never be so focused on the thing you're looking for,

that you overlook the thing you actually find"

Anne Patchett

white tea for a rainy day

8 x 10, oil on canvas

"Good writing is supposed to evoke sensation in the reader.

Not that it is raining,

but the feeling of being rained upon"

D.L. Doctorow

20/20

6 x 8, oil on canvas

"Literature is personal,

always one man's vision of the world,

one man's experience,

and it can only be popular when men are ready

to welcome the vision of others."

W. B. Yeats

dawn's early light

12 x 12, oil on canvas

"The borderlessness of our world is most evident in wild places.

Nature spreads herself in all manner of variety and helps us to grasp her unity.

The tumbling tumbleweed knows no borders...

By honouring our world we speak to the universality of our mother earth."

Robert Genn

Holding Hearts and Hands

16 x 20, oil on linen

If pressed to choose a favorite subject to paint, I would have to say that portraying children, who are busy exploring their world and just being themselves, would be at the top of my list. Pondering other "faye-vorites" inspired the whimsical list below...

A frosting of fancy pearls,

and flip-flops on hardwood floors.

a fireplace with flames aglow,

the soft caress of fleecy fabrics, and a fluffy poodle.

Music, compliments of a forever flawless Jagger,

and dreams of a festive, fabulous Italia.

a fragrant fog of fresh limon,

fleur de lis,

french-toast and

fancy chocolate strawberries with tea.

fresh floating flowers and fields of pink peony,

flutes, fireflies, and tiny footprints,

fairy-tales and fantastic sunsets all painterly.

Twinkling lights, fuzzy photographs and

four cherished loves added to my "five-fambily"

Fair of face,

February's child is humbled

by figure eights

filled with grace.

fcp

Here's hoping you too find ways to celebrate all your favorite things. A great place to start can be found in Ann Voskamp's "One Thousand Gifts". The author, a young mother of six, is a photographer and gifted "painter of words" that inspire and uplift.

explore, imagine and dream...

"Lila"

12 x 16

Author Peggy Orenstein writes that "Children are naturally driven to understand their world. They live by that incessant creativity-inspiring "why? Why does the grass grow? Why is the sky blue? Why can't I fly? and to answer these questions, they experiment, imagine and explore. Their minds are free to wander and wonder." And this remains true until they enter school. Once they become first or second graders, they begin to compare their work with that of their peers when Ms. Orenstein points out that "Suddenly there are right and wrong answers. Expressing their own tentative understanding of an idea becomes less important than figuring out what the teacher makes of it" and the rigors of school replace the why questions with "what do you want me to do and how do you want me to do it?"

If you broach this topic with adults, you will discover that almost all of us have a story to share where this truth played out in our own lives. As children we asked WHY? As adults, parents, grandparents, caregivers and teachers, we are beginning to ask other questions.

WHO will be at the forefront of discovering new paths? WHAT will future classrooms look like as we dare to imagine better solutions? WHAT innovative approaches to learning can we implement now? HOW can we honor creativity and wonder? HOW can we provide a nurturing environment that encourages experimenting, imagining and exploring, so all minds are free to wander and wonder?

yesteryear

8 x 10, oil on canvas

This a still life set up featuring items of days gone by, which made me think of a Cole Porter song written in 1934, called "Anything Goes". In Mr. Porter's day, people took great pride in the clothes they wore and how they presented themselves. Fashion in the 21st century was projected by TV and movies (think Star Trek) to be Futuristic Matching Uniforms. It seems ludicrous now, but if you think about it, isn't that exactly what happened? Except, of course, designers have coined a cutting edge term for it: loungewear (not to be confused with pajamas, which look identical, but sport a considerably lower price tag)...

(just a we bit of humor for a Wednesday - beam me up Scottie)

"In olden days

a glimpse of stocking

was looked upon as something shocking,

but now, God knows,

anything goes"...

Cole Porter

"Save the clock tower!"

9 x 12, oil on canvas

Every time I see these old buildings, it brings a smile to my face, because I am instantly "transported" to the 1985 "Back to the Future" movie starring Michael J. Fox - a "timeless" family classic!

"Time changes everything

except something within us

that is always surprised by change."

Thomas Hardy

the quiet light

12 x 16, oil on canvas

"It is light that reveals, light that obscures, light that communicates.

It is light I "listen" to.

The light late in the day has a distinct quality, as it fades toward the darkness of evening.

After sunset there is a gentle leaving of the light,

the air begins to still, and a quiet descends.

I see magic in the quiet light of dusk.

I feel quiet, yet intense energy in the natural elements of our habitat.

A sense of magic prevails.

A sense of mystery.

It is a time for contemplation,

for listening..."

John Sexton

Life 101

12 x 16, oil on canvas

"The difference between school and life?
In school, you're taught a lesson and then given a test.
In life, you're given a test that teaches you a lesson."
Tom Bodett

a new year

10 x 10, oil on canvas

Deepak Chopra says "babies bubble in bliss." And research supports this notion with the revelation that, unlike adults, the majority of a baby's sleep is spent in a deep, dream-filled slumber known as REM or rapid eye movement. Without the "noise" of language, infants have no labels, no judgments, and are never awake all night worrying about the future or regretting the past. Instead, a baby's world is filtered through the five senses. He learns to roll over, hold his head up, advance to sitting, crawling, standing. toddling--all in a matter of a few short months! With each stage of development, he acquires a brand new perspective --not just on January 1st, but in every moment, as each new situation becomes an opportunity for growth and discovery.

Children have so much to teach us about how to live and what is important, don't they?

~Wishing YOU

the innocence of childhood

fresh, new perspectives

with a dash of bliss,

And no matter what each new day brings your way,

may you find yourself wrapped

in a blanket of courage and hope,

blessings and light~

fcp

peace on earth

10 x 10, oil on canvas

as we welcome the coming new year, may we...

"have the opportunity once more

to right some wrongs,

to pray for peace,

to plant a tree,

to sing more joyful songs"

William Arthur Ward

Christmas Cheer

8 x 10, oil on canvas

"LOVE is what is in the room with you at Christmas

if you stop opening presents and listen"

Bobby, age 8

comfort and joy

6 x 12, oil on canvas

"He who has not Christmas in his heart

will never find it under a tree."

Roy L. Smith

Based on the above truth, wouldn't it seem logical to conclude that "he/she who has no Christmas in their heart January through November will never find it in December"? Or is it that the spirit/love/energy is just a little more "contagious" this time of year? Perhaps it is a case of "joy rising" as Oprah would say? Or yet another example of Jill Bolte Taylor's sage advice to "be accountable" for the energy we bring into each space (including the space in our hearts as well as that under the tree?)

Good Tidings

10 x 10. oil on canvas

"We who walk on this particular planet are dealt one 24-hour day at a time.

It is an arbitrary span,

like the opening and closing of a flower,

a time-lapse bloom of its own.

Creative people understand this temporary blossoming

and learn to take advantage of it.

Every precious day is yet another opportunity to serve--

to carry further wonder to the world."

Robert Genn

be a geranium

12 x 12, oil on canvas

I planted red, peach and hot pink geraniums in urns just before Derby Day this year (that's the first weekend of May to anyone not from KY). They were lovely all summer, and as fall approached they became much more magnificent and bountiful with the cooler weather. Still, I knew the first frost would zap them. But, slightly sheltered by the front porch, they not only survived Halloween, but Thanksgiving came and went as well. So this weekend, I said adieu and placed the last cuttings in a vase, again thinking they would quickly wilt--but no, they continue to remain beautiful and "posed" for this painting yesterday. I guess you could say they bloomed well past their season simply because they didn't "know" they couldn't. All of which begs the question...what if our children grew up in a world where no one spoke of perceived limitations and challenges? What if no one told them they were not good enough, wise enough, tall enough, talented enough...? What if we stopped telling ourselves those things?

What if we chose to be bold and joyful like the geranium, and flourish in all our seasons?

"Never limit yourself because of others' limited imagination;

never limit others because of your own limited imagination."

Mae Jemison

We Three Kings

We Three Kings

5 x 7, oil on canvas

"I'll tell you

how the sun rose

a ribbon

at a time"

~Emily Dickinson~

Miss Ashlyn

"Miss Ashlyn"

22 x 28, oil on canvas

This painting was a commission, painted from a photograph supplied by the owner. I have never met my subject, but I am told the blue shirt you see her lying on, is her security blanket. The cozy softness holds the scent of her beloved owner and offers comfort whenever he is away. Even though I have never formally met Ashlyn, I know her well. She is every dog I have ever loved, cherished, and adored. One look into her soulful eyes and you feel adoration, unconditional love and devotion.
Neuroscientist and author of "My Stroke of Insight", Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor, recounts how a massive stroke at age 37 shut down the left side of her brain--that is the thinking, analyzing, language side that allows us to name, code, categorize, and judge our experiences, people, places and things. Once the left brain was quieted, she was left to experience the world through the right brain and the five senses: rich with images, symbols, colors, patterns and light. While recovering, she recognized this "shift" and requested that her caregivers "take responsibility" for the energy they brought into her space. She noted that there are two kinds of people--those who take energy from you, and those who bring you theirs. Wow. Shouldn't we all be taking responsibility for the energy we bring into the spaces we enter? It would require us to leave behind the baggage of worry, anxiety, anger, resentment, ego--and just Be Present. Right Now. In THIS moment....And, isn't that exactly the way dogs negotiate the world? They constantly read our energy and emotions. They bring joy, curiosity and enthusiasm into our "space" - Just look at how ecstatic they are to see us when we walk in the door, regardless of how long we have been away! Without language, they don't understand the actual words we say, but instead, they zone in on the energy behind the words: our tone of voice, and the look in our eyes. They have no clue what it feels like to be burdened by a grudge, a judgement, or hatred.

There are no woulda, coulda, shouldas--just this moment. And you can see that in their eyes.

"We have the power to choose ,

moment by moment,

who and how we want to be in the world."

Jill Bolte Taylor

(to hear her TED presentation, click here)

Happy Thanksgiving!

an open mind

10 x 10, oil on canvas

"I suggest that the only books that influence us

are the books for which we are ready,

and which have gone a little farther down our particular path

than we have yet got ourselves"

E.M. Forster

Booked

8 x 24

"Living is like tearing through a museum.

Not until later do you really start absorbing what you saw,

thinking about it, looking it up in a book,

and remembering -

because you can't take it in all at once"

Audry Hepburn

CleoCatra

8 x 10, oil on canvas

I first met Cleo about 10 years ago. Nobody really knows how old she is, but we are fairly certain she will still be around with the roaches when Wall-E becomes a reality. Not everybody "gets" Cleo because she tends to be kind of bossy and, shall we say verbal, especially in the wee hours of night. Or, perhaps it is her Georgia drawl that makes "meow" sound like an opinionated "NOooo!" that is often misinterpreted? Either way, she and I see eye to eye, and over the years, we have developed a close relationship grounded in our many deep and meaningful discussions - like this one:

me: "hey, Cleo, these chocolate chip cookies look great! Mind if I have one?"

Cleo: "NOooo!"

me: "Ok, thanks, by the way, I'm thinking about getting my hair cut a few inches shorter. Do you think I should?"

Cleo: "NOooo!"

me: "Well, what is your opinion about these jeans? Do they make me look fat? Cleo? C-l-e-o? Hey Cleo, where did you go? come back, I have more questions..."

Cleo: "NOooooooooo!"

Summer

8 x 10. oil on canvas

"Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?

Thou art more lovely and more temperate,

Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,

And summer's lease hath all too short a date..."

William Shakespeare

three sheets t' th' wind

9 x 12, oil on canvas

"Three sheets" be 'n an ol' seafarin' term referrin' t' th' ropes holdin' th' bottom of th' sails in place. If nay securely fastened, th' sails were likely t' thrash about like a drunken sailor - thus th' phrase came known t' be a measure o' the sailor's seaworthiness! Betcha thought sheets referred to th' sails instead a th' ropes? Nay, 'tis an educational blog we're runnin' here matey!

And since three be me favorite number o' th' day; here be nay one, nay two, but three birthday quotes fer ye ponderin' sort a sailor...

~ ~ ~

"Youth be th' gift o' nature, but age be th' work o' art"... Scallywag Garson Kanin

"Knowledge be speakin', but wisdom be listenin"... Matey Jimi Hendrix

"At twenty years o' age, th' will reigns;

at thirty, th' wit;

an' at forty, th' judgement"

...Cap'n Ben Franklin

(Yo, ho, ho...an' a bottle o' rum!)

sea of inspiration

12 x 12, oil on canvas

When asked what is the driving force behind his creativity, Sir Paul McCartney responded:

"It's simple -- I really enjoy what I do.

I have quite a few passions, as you might have noticed.

It really is just when I have a minute and when a particular passion hits me.

I love to paint.

I love to write poetry.

I love to make music.

So it's not really hard work for me,

and if I have a strong urge for something,

then I just go and do it."

~What I love most about Sir Paul is that he embraces life with such gratitude, humility, grace, joy, humor and insight. He is worth an estimated $750 million, could live anywhere/buy anything; and yet - he chose to go on the road and share his music with 1.2 million of his "closest" friends this summer. He doesn't call it work because he loves what he does. He has learned to just be. BE, as in, be open to innovative ideas, be in alignment with what he is most passionate about. He says it's just that simple.

May we be as a sailboat gently floating on the sea, ever ready to hoist our own sails. And may Sir Paul's timeless words and music continue to illuminate the world, inspiring all to "just go and do" our part to spread the light~

a day well spent

12 x 16, oil on canvas

"Twenty years from now

you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do

than by the things you did,

so throw off the bowlines.

Sail away from the harbor.

Catch the trade winds in your sails.

Explore.

Dream.

Discover."

Mark Twain

something blue

8 x 10, oil on canvas

This Double Arch has been gently molded and shaped by the forces of nature, while the distant mountains serve as Something Blue; overlooking, sheltering and working in harmony with the surrounding gorge.

And in the same way, we are shaped by those we meet, and our hearts are sheltered by those we love. Congrats and much love to Jen and Carson.

Ever thine,

ever mine,

ever ours.

Ludwig van Beethoven

something borrowed

10 x 8, oil on canvas

Trees burrow in, cheerfully sharing their bright colors of autumn amid the welcoming grey cliffs. And the unions of friendship, support, and comfort are celebrated by gifts received, as well as those extended. Something Borrowed celebrates those reciprocal bonds...

"Love

is the condition in which the happiness

of another person

is essential to your own"

Robert Heinlein

something new

8 x 10, oil on canvas

a young pine tree miraculously sprouts up between the boulders...

and Something New ensures optimism for the future...

"The journey of a thousand miles

begins with a single step."

Lao Tsu

something old

10 x 8, oil on canvas

Switching gears to landscapes for the next couple of weeks -

There are more than one hundred natural arches at Kentucky's Red River Gorge, and this one represents Something Old For Continuity...

Music creates order out of chaos:

for rhythm imposes unanimity upon the divergent,

melody imposes continuity upon the disjointed,

and harmony imposes compatibility upon the incongrous."

Yehudi Menuhin

seven eleven

12 x 12, oil on canvas

Today is the seventh day of the seventh month, so I wanted to share an old joke:

"If Seven-Eleven is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, why do they put locks on the doors?"...

At first glance it is merely a humorous insight, but doesn't it also serve as a gentle reminder that each path we choose carries its own tempo and flow; and the only "locks" are the ones we imagine, or place there ourselves?

No? Uh...ok, sorry...maybe that was just an extra shot of caffeine talking...

"Getting started,

keeping going,

getting started again-

in art and in life,

it seems to me

this is the essential rhythm."

Seamus Heaney

young gardeners

12 x 12, oil on canvas

"How sublime to look down into the workhouse of nature,

to see her clouds, hail, snow, rain, and thunder,

all fabricated at our feet!

but, tho' an old man

I am but a young gardener."

Thomas Jefferson

As our country ages, may we choose to remain young gardeners, planting seeds of harmony and peace with each encounter.

Happy Birthday America!

Essere Italiano

12 x 12, oil on canvas

This is another study from the workshop featuring the gorgeous turquoise shade of blue that Dreama often speaks about. And no, she isn't really my cousin. And if you must know, George Clooney isn't either. But I am Italian! Actually I'm sort of Italian. Kinda. Somewhat, that is. Well uh...more or less...

"be a singer

be a lover

pick the flower now before the chance is past

Be Italian, Be Italian!

live today as if it may become your last"

Fergie ("Nine")

cousin daisy

12 x 12, oil on canvas

I recently had the honor of painting for a few days with my Kentucky cousin Dreama Tolle Perry (she would tell you that "our people" hail from Italy). In addition to painting, we share a love of writing, reading Deepak and Dwayne, keeping up with our kissing cousins George and Johnny... and did I mention all things Eeeeetaly? I would recommend her workshops but because her calendar is already filling up for next year, I'll just say please save a space for me...

"We've had cloning in the south for years!

It's called cousins"

Robin Williams

perpetual mornings

10 x 12, oil on canvas

"To those whom elastic and vigorous thoughts

keep pace with the sun,

the day is a perpetual morning"

Henry David Thoreau

Henry D. had me at hello. I fell madly in love with him during my 17th summer, and his timeless words still "blow my mind off" (as my favorite little muse would say).

How could I keep from falling for a guy who savored all that is magical and ethereal about summer mornings, nature, and life?

"Perpetual Mornings" that last all day? Oh, YES PLEASE! Sign me up. I'll take mine with a cup of tea, a fresh bouquet and an inspirational read. Cheers to the extra hours of daylight that have f-i-n-a-l-l-y arrived in time for new discoveries, new paths, new insights. And cheers to all the Henry D.'s who inspire us to keep pace with the sun.

the color purple

9 x 12, oil on canvas

"The Infinite has written it's name on the heavens

in shining stars,

and on Earth in tender flowers."

Jean Paul Richter