"Let There Be Light"

"let There Be Light," 6 x 6 acrylic on gallery-wrapped canvas

In the beginning...it was a very busy time. Still is, especially it seems to me in the beginning of a new year...so much to do.

I don't make resolutions, but have goals, like a long "to do" list...of a new year, that can be attempted or checked off.  One of last year's was "Don't piddle, paint." Alas, there was still too much piddling.

This year, I will try to paint daily, put some paint on something almost every day, whether complete or not, whether in minutes or hours.  And the way I paint is often an interruption between episodes of thinking and evaluating.

But at a beginning of a new year, the idea of one more black and white painting came to mind, for our January member show at  In Your Eye Studio and Gallery in Paseo Arts District.

"Let There Be Light," the first painting of 2023, resulted, palette knives and brushes.

A day of light in days of darkness

"Christmas Light" 5 x 7 watercolor card

“In Him was life, and that life  was the light of men. That light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not understood it.”--John 1: 4-5

Nothing much has changed in human nature since Jesus was born some 2,000 plus years ago. War, poverty, disease, racism, violence, bigotry, greed, the list goes on. 

 "Progress" in technology and science hasn't defeated that darkness inherent in the most dangerous species because it is only physical.

Ignoring His teachings of forgiveness, of love, of mercy, of hope, of inclusion, those who use organized religion for personal power,  profit and politics  (the spiritual offspring of the hypocritical Scribes and Pharisees who crucified him for those teachings 33 years later),  literally and blindly "take the Lord's name in vain."  John knew what he was talking about.

But His teachings still bring life and light and hope into the world for millions, struggling for survival just as his early followers struggled.

This day is testament to that life, light and hope, in spite of the darkness.

Thus today's painting.

Why not?

"Why not?" 5 x 7 watercolor, 140 lb. Fabriano Artistico rough press

 Healing. 

Good medicine.

Vibrant color in  drab times, life and world.

"In the beginning God(s) created color." "In Him was the color of the world."

Why not? After all, what is light but colors. No light, no color. 

The more color, the more creativity, the closer to the creators of color.

Healing. Good medicine.

Why not?

Today's 5 x 7 watercolor.

When Darkness Closes In--5 days 'til Christmas

"If Winter comes," 5 x 7 watercolor Christmast Card

"If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?"--Shelley

When darkness closes in, as it has throughout this year, and the shortest day of the year looms, we need more light and warmth, especially mentally and emotionally.

Light and warmth are vaccines for survival in such dark, isolated times--if we accept them. Look at the stars, at the Christmas decorations...enjoy the brief moments of interaction with polite, kind people.

Treasure each moment, each memory, knowing that after tomorrow and as the year ends and a new one begins,  after medical vaccines and political changes, the light and warmth of sunshine begins to return, even if slowly.

As the days get shorter

"Solstice Mood, " 5 x 7 watercolor holiday greeting card

As the days get shorter, I value the light even more.

Think about that.

After the storm

"After the storm," 5 x 7 watercolor holiday greeting card

Colors seems brighter, almost glow,  when they follow the darkness and danger of a storm.

"The light shines in the darkness," to quote the Apostle John, forever true since God created colors in the Beginning.

We've been through, are still enduring, plenty of storms this year in addition to nature's storms--pandemics of disease, racism, violence, intolerance, and political sickness and turmoil.

But that is also why the beauty of nature, the kindness and goodness of most unselfish people shine so much. Color, shining, after the storms.

Thus today's watercolor, evening sun on an adobe, after a snow storm. 

We all need more color in our lives these days.

Let there be color

 

"Let there be color," 5 x 7 watercolor holiday card

We need light more than ever, especially as the country suffers a year, a season of darkness of pandemic, racism, political chaos--and the physical season of darkness  approaches.

It dawned on me this year--no pun intended--as I continue to try to learn watercolors, that the command "Let there be light" in Genesis can be translated, "Let there be color." No light, no life...yes. But no light, no color either.

So as I begin my tradition of painting holiday cards, seeking originality in ideas, subjects and techniques, I'm experimenting more with color. What makes watercolor really sing, and what I struggle with, is its transparency, letting light through. Mine are too often too dark and opaque. 

Winter may be a season of darkness, but there is abundant color there too if you look, and there is abundant color in our world and in people despite the darkness of pandemics and more.

One of the examples I know would be the "Northern Lights," Aurora Borealis, that I've only seen once or twice when we lived in Iowa, but they inspired me today in these seasons of darkness, even though we're too far south to see them.

Today's watercolor may have too much darkness, but the light of colors helps rescue the efford.

Gifts, giving--two days 'til Christmas

"Season of Gifts," 5 x 7 watercolor card

Christmas is a season of gifts...of giving, of life and love. Symbolized by a star, yes, but also of a Christmas tree with packages underneath. 
I wrote the following 10 years ago in the first year of this blog, tinged with my thoughts on teaching. It's been on my mind recently, given the season of peace and love versus the political atmosphere of suspicion and hatred, made worse by unbridled "social" media tirades.
I think it's needed more than ever, for both reasons.

If you want something—give it
"Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure-- pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return." –Luke 6:38

1. If you want love
2. If you want money
3. If you want generosity
4. If you want friendship
5. If you want professionalism
6. If you want success
7. If you want rewards
8. If you want admiration
9. If you want to be liked
10. If you want silence
11. If you want gifts
12. If you want to get along
13. If you want happiness
14. If you want humanity
15. If you want humility
16. If you want humor
17. If you want respect
18. If you want honor
19. If you want trust
20. If you want maturity
21. If you want enthusiasm
22. If you want organization
23. If you want thinking
24. If you want spontaneity
25. If you want energy
26. If you want fairness
27. If you want privacy
28. If you want time
29. If you want scholarship
30. If you want timeliness
31. If you want listening
32. If you want participation
33. If you want attendance
34. If you want up to date
35. If you want cooperation
36. If you want excellence
37. If you want high standards
38. If you want trustworthiness
39. If you want passion
40. if you want hard work
41. If you want learning

Or

43. If you want griping
44. If you want insecurity
45. If you want arrogance
46. If you want backbiting
47. If you want insincerity
48. If you want arguments
49. If you want grumpiness
50. if you want contention
51. If you want anger
52. If you want empty flattery
53. If you want stinginess
54. If you want mistrust
55. If you want backstabbing
56. if you want gossip
57. if you want selfishness
58. If you want disrespect
59. If you want laziness
60. If you want criticism
61. If you want dishonesty
62. If you want accusations
63. If you want racism
64. If you want sexism
65. If you want bias
66. if you want discrimination
67. If you want hatred
68. If you want contempt
69. If you want rudeness
70. If you want wordiness
71. If you want tardiness
72. If you want lying
73. If you want lack of preparation
74. If you want disorganization
75. If you want excuses
76. if you want inconsistency
77. If you want low expectations
78. If you want arbitrariness
79. If you want boring

Warmth in a cold world--3 days 'til Christmas

"Season of warmth amid the cold," 5 x 7 watercolor card

In Oklahoma, before you go outside in these brief days and long nights this time of year, you look at the temperature, the sky, trying to decide how much you need to wear to stay warm.
Not so in much of the Great Plains and north of here. "Bundle up" is unneeded advice.
It's a cold world out there, but not just this time of year, a time where warmth is welcome, light is life, home is hope.
Has it not always been so? Such is the appeal, the wish, the hope of Christmas, symbolizing the warmth, the life, the hope of a Messiah who came to help people bundle up against the cold world of cruelty and injustice.
A star--a sun, a source of light and life, of warmth is the symbol of his arrival and reminds us there is supposed to be warmth in our lives, "not as the world gives," to quote Jesus.
As Christmas has faded from religious remembrance to retail revelry, much of that warmth disappears, swept away in the cold north wind of greed, even when we need it more than ever.
Thus a star, thus warmth, in a cold world.

Shadows of a year, 10 days 'til Christmas

"Shadows from the light of a star," 5 x 10 watercolor

Where there is light, there will be shadows.
Or, no shadows, no darkness, no light.
Contrasts, opposites, create life. Sorry-happiness, tragedy-triumph. Failure-success. Trials-peace. The list goes on.
Read Thomas Merton, Richard Rohr, King David, and others...coming out of depths of despair, of illness, of injustice, of judgment, of racism, of  hatred, of condemnation, of hypocrisy, of selfishness, of fear and death, comes maturity, wisdom, survival, and eventual peace, for those who survive.
Or, as Jill Castilla, President and CEO of Citizens Bank told my students in the Twitter for Media Class, in the Department of Mass Communication at the University of Central Oklahoma students this fall, “You go through trials, and they’re preparing you for something greater.”
As the stars align in this month's star journey toward Christmas, the traditional, but not factual symbol of the birth of Jesus, those lessons come into focus. Out of poverty, into trial, into fear and death, came a joy and peace the world celebrates, if it certainly not always remembers or practices.
"And Jesus Wept." No wonder. They forget the star.
So, today's watercolor.

In the beginning-"Let there be light."

"Let there be light," today's watercolor, 6" x 8 1/2"

Day one of #WorldWatercolorMonth daily challenges. Today's prompt: Primary colors. 
Here it is--only yellow, red and blues, 300 lb. d'Arches cold press paper.
Hint: wet paper, pouring colors, yellow, then red then blues, with some spray.
"And the spirit of God flowed upon the face of the earth..."
Hint --No light, no color.
Dedicated to my friend John Lawton who painted terrific abstract, mystical paintings. May 15, 1931-June 29, 2019.
Observation--When the Great Mystery created light, he/she/it created color.

Shadows, and branches - six days 'til Christmas

"Shadows," 5 x 7 watercolor, 300 lb. d'Arches

Where there is light, there is shadow.
We and all creation,  cast our own shadows, darker at times, lighter at times, depending on how far we are from light sources.
As part of creation, we can also be light, or shadow in our own lives and to those around us. Are we not branches of creation, casting shadows?
Darkness only exists because there is light, and in this world today, we need to remember that more than ever.
And what better time that this season, that celebrates  the light of a star, the symbol of light coming into the world? 
"In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. ...The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world." --from John 1: 1-10

Color in action

"Verb," 5 by 7 #watercolor, 140 lb. Fabriano Artistico cold press paper

Perhaps the most moving force in creation and the universe is the verb. Consider this Spanish translation of John 1:1, more accurate than the English, but you have to know your theology to fully comprende:
"En El Principio, era El Verbo, y El Verbo...."
On a gray rainy day, color stands out, the product of light, of light. Thus yesterday's unicorn, full of color and action and creation.

"And God created...Color!"--Creation!

"Creation," 8 x 10, 140 lb. d'Arches cold press paper

"Celebration of Color," concluded the #watercolor prompts for the 31 days of July, #Worldwatercolormonth.
Color, the spectrum, light. Genesis. The Big Bang. What you see in a rainbow. No light, no life. Science, faith.
Art is creativity, a child of creation, regardless of beliefs. Do they not all merge together?
Here is what brewed in my head and heart and the primordial soup of creation, for today's #watercolor: The spectrum of color, the spectrum of light, the spectrum of life. 
Celebration, appropriate ending and beginning to 31 days of watercolor.

Three days til Christmas - light in darkness

Light in darkness, 5 by 7 watercolor

Three days til Christmas.
The day after solstice, a few seconds more light as winter officially arrives, but holding the promise of warmth and life.
Light becomes more precious as darkness descends--on a room, a nation, a world, a life. When a living creature dies, the light goes out of their eyes--as it does with a nation, a world.
Light--the  hope of life amid death and despair and destruction.
That's why humans have always wondered and worshipped stars, and the moon, and the rising sun.
Would that all those who worship at Christmas would bring light into this darkening world.
Was that not his wish--the man whose birthday is celebrated in three days--trying to bring peace, and mercy, and forgiveness--not the darkness of division and judgment and violence and hatred?

“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me

will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

15 days til Christmas - light becomes a treasure

Awaiting light, 5 by 7 watercolor

15 days til Cshristmas--the days get shorter, the darkness and cold gets deeper.
Light becomes more valuable as darness decends, a needed treasure--anticipating the dawn and the warmth of the sun, and of the fire and light in a warm home.