Peace

This pirate ship is for my grandson. He is a big pirate fan. The illustration came from a book about pirates illustrated by David Shannon. I found it at a thrift store.Shannon chose to do his version in acrylic. I chose pen, ink and watercolor. I hope he doesn't mind me stealing his idea.

I found this dove image on pinterest a few days ago and the graphic design really  spoke to me. People of many colors working to coexist on the same small planet. It is a pretty image. My disabilty came about when a  person of color attacked me. Peace is something I struggle with. My life used to be so much different. I struggle to accept my current circumstances and my position in the world. Somedays it is difficult. I drive a car that is almost fifteen years old. I struggle with bouts of self-pity. My spiritual life has been the most affected. I really struggle with bitterness when I think about where I was twenty years ago and where I am at now. My concept of a loving God took a beating, pardon the pun. How does a person come to accept that a violent individual can change ones life in an instant? Depression can be a very difficult thing to come to terms with. It is late. I 'm tired.

      Forgive me for my bout with self-pity. Happy holidays and God bless. Dale

All Things Work Together to the Good...

I drew this many years ago. My hand was the model. I drew it because the quote really hit me. God made you and I and we are the stewards of our planet. We are here to try to experience its beauty and to care for it.. How do we do this? How do we stop our rampant consumerism and put Mother Earth first?
    Something was on my mind today. My disability is the result of a random act of violence. Tonight I received a survey about racial equality and the fairness of our system. My assailant was a person of color and the crime is unsolved. I struggle with letting this go and being the best person I can be. Yet, I have horrible dreams. I suffer from PTSD. It is a difficult proposition to forgive this person.. Somedays I struggle to the point that the only thing that I accomplish is being able to not take my feelings out on those I love.
     Yesterday I did a blog entry and deleted it. It was too harsh. It was about violence. I tried to let it go. I had to pray for my assailant.Sometimes it is very difficult. There is just so much hatred in our world. I accepted Jesus Christ into my life many years ago and recently renewed my commitment. I have a lot to live for. I have those in my life that I cherish.

     I am an artist. My reason for being an artist is so that I can focus on the beauty of God's world and I don't have time to hate. I CANNOT HATE. This is my goal. Somedays I succeed, many, many days I fail."Hate robs us of the sunlight of the spirit". -Bill Wilson

       Don't hate. Stop the violence. Happy Holidays. God Bless. Dale

Trust the Lord With All Your Heart

A good friend told me how they used to decorate their dorm room with rainbows as a way to introduce some positive energy into the space. I thought about how much the spectrum of colors affected my mood in a positive way and decided to do an experiment. I just wanted to use rainbow colors and see if it made a difference in my well-being. Honestly, I am not sure that I am satisfied with the result although mostly it is because it is so different from what I am used to. The colors strike me as being too bright. So from my point of view the experiment was a failure. It is fun to play around with color but it can also be frustrating if things go awry. It seems that I have had success with the colors of the light spectrum in the past, but their intensity was more subdued. Sometimes it seems to me that a gradual increase in intensity is the answer rather than going right to maximum strength.
     I have not been posting as much because the rainbow project has been my principle direction and I am really not too happy with it. Right now there has been more time expended on my experiments. Nothing  new, although I think that I am going to try doing a  few shell watercolors. But I have plenty of shells but nothing that is just downright exciting. Living in a landlocked area makes shell-hunting impossible. A trip to the shore is in order but it is a long journey and an overnight stay is required. Photos don't work for me. And it is really the idea that it is so exciting to go to the beach for inspiration. There is nothing like it. Even late Fall is a great time to walk the beach if you love it the way I do. Trusting God to provide the means to make an escape to more inspirational  surroundings is absolutely  necessary.
 Well, gotta go. Hope that the holidays are starting to provide a little excitement. I am looking forward to them.
God bless you. Dale

All Art Requires Courage

A new watercolor influenced by a website that posts a lot of quotes. I spend a lot of time reading quotes, this one I think is by Matisse. It is my interpretation of what Matisse meant. Matisse had a lot of rejection in his life, he was not considered a good draftsman.Matisse was famous for his linework, so many of creations were stylized images, but for many years he was not recognized. . His type of work has always excited me. Matisse was also famous for his use of color. One of the paintings of his wife was done with half her face green, the other half red.
 My response to Matisse's work is not especially good, the real essence of the drawing was its ability to move me to respond to the many quote sites that have sprung up.
     So lately I  have stopped painting realistically. Not totally, my recent shell watercolors attest to that. A trip to the seashore is one of  the things I enjoy most in my life. I just can't afford the expense anymore. So I paint shells and remember. The Bible says that: "For with God nothing will be impossible." Luke 1:27. Perhaps I will figure out some way to get to the ocean and fill that terrible longing in me to smell the sea air and see the gulls flying over the water. To take photos of the sunset. And to walk with my wife on the beach. Perhaps.
     Sometimes when one has a God-given gift there is a lot of guilt associated with asking for recognition for something that has been with me since the day I was born. Somehow it seems presumptious, especially in light of the scripture that says: Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink,nor yet for your body, what shall ye put on. Is not life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Matthew 6:25-28. What I mean is that when I think of trips to the ocean I often think about the cost involved, but God has always provided for my needs. And it is my belief that He cares enough to make sure everything necessary will be provided for. It is a promise. I am learning the Bible. I hope that I am credible and that God guides me. I was reading Romans a day or so and the message was: Do not be wise in your conceits. Do not assume that you have all the answers. Keep your opinion to yourself. I am still learning that particular warning it seems. I hope that you have a wonderful week. God Bless. Dale

(In order to see the image clearly, click on it. This is also approximately the same size as the painting. )

Grace

Hi. I did this on Saturday just for fun. Leonardo Da Vinci said always carry your little pad, so when I walk I am always thinking of quotes. This one seems appropriate. There is something about doing my own ideas that gives me so much pleasure. God gave me life. God woke me up this morning. Nothing I have done since the day I was born was enough to get this new day. It is a gift. A free gift.
     Somedays I get cranky and I forget that I am in the middle of a miracle. Picasso said that everything is a miracle, it is a wonder that we don't melt when we are in the middle  of a bath. Einstein said that there are two ways to look at life: we can either look at it as if nothing is a miracle, or that everything is. It is a wonder that with everything going on that there are not more miracles. Yet the thing that really makes me think is the idea that I am here. How can that be? I don't have to look at the night sky or at a bug, all that I have to do is consider that I, me, am here. And honestly, it scares me. What was enough to deserve this magnificent gift? How did I get so lucky? I asked someone this question when I realized that I had been given salvation and the only thing he said was : "Why not?" And for over twenty five years this answer has been enough for me.  I think, therefore I am. God gave me life because of His awesome power. Because He could. I know that means that I am fearfully and wonderfully made. My Creator is an Artist who creates universes. A very dear friend told me one time that God gave me the gift of art so that I could tell people about Him. He gave me pencils, and brushes, and paint so that I could tell the world about the Glory of God. Today, I know what she meant. Thank you Joan, thank you Mom. God Bless You... Dale

If you click on the image it will appear clearer.

Broken Shell

This is a broken shell painted in watercolor. It always makes me feel good when I tackle  this object. I guess that my wife and I picked it up at the shore years ago and perhaps because this was the only trip to the shore we've made together, it has a special meaning to me. The shell has been drawn in every possible way: watercolor, pen and ink, colored pencil,  pastel, and conte crayon. I don't think I have done it in acrylic yet. Anyway, this attempt has a few flaws and it is not one of my best. The color works but there is a problem with the rendering. It was done in pencil so changes could have been made. Sometimes I get in a hurry to see the finished product and overlook certain compositional shortcomings. Sometimes I get so anxious when I am presented with a problem that I rush right through it. It is a very old character defect and would probably explain why I never chose to improve my art skills and do more with them. I have not learned to deal with stress in a healthy way. I had some bad habits and learned that the least offensive one was eating a package of red licorice when I am upset. This one bothers me but so far it has proven to be the least irritating.
     Stress can be difficult. Art seems to be the way I deal with mine when I'm not munching on licorice. Just taking the time to create something that never existed before is rewarding. I'd like to say it always works but some days I settle for the candy. This can be problematic because I have some days when I just can just eat too much. Well, I will sign off, there are some demands on my time that need to be tended to. Hope that this missive finds its way into peaceful surroundings. God Bless. Dale

Experiencing the Divine.

Kat has found his way into the laundry basket for a warm place to go as the weather turns cooler. Today the high is 56 degrees.  He is nestled in this spot and is reluctant to relinquish it. I have a reluctance to move him as well, he seems to have found the place where our dog does not bother to check up on him.
     This week has been interesting. Someone invited me to join their blog and I have a new member to my site. These are firsts. I have been keeping this blog since 2009. It feels good to know that others  take the time to approve of something that means a lot to you. My interest in my Savior has taken on new meaning. It is such a personal thing, how does one share it? How do you tell someone that your relationship to Christ has given you new life and peace? How do you say, thank you Jesus for giving me new hope for the future? My early life was marked by trauma. My disability is an extension of that in some ways. To see myself moving towards a fuller, healthier life is both motivating and anxiety-producing.
    I finished a small five by seven inch watercolor titled "Broken Shell." I will post it tomorow. I have done this image  a hundred times. Pencil, pen and ink, colored pencil, pastel, watercolor. There is something that just amazes me about it. Boredom is not a feeling I experience when drawing it. I found it at the ocean six or seven years ago. To me there is something new about the experience everytime I translate it. It is not conscious. I found a quote by an unknown writer that says: " All true artists, whether they know it or not, create from a place of no-mind, from inner stillness." When I was very young I was aware of this phenomenom. 4-6 hours would disappear and I would be caught up in the experience. One artist once said that  the trick to being an artist is to be able to carry the experience into adulthood.
     Sometimes it is difficult to know what things separate you from God. What things prevent you from experiencing the best relationship with God? Rembrandt was a artist who drew hundreds of religious images. Perhaps to me a broken shell is a way of saying, this is an image that moves me to experience God's glorious creation. I can consciously remember the beauty of the shells that I found at the ocean that day and the exquisite sunset, so in a way when I paint a shell I am experiencing or re-experiencing that divine moment. Rembrandt  found beauty in the crucifixion, to me it is God's creation of a shell. Is my idea of beauty different from Rembrandt's? Should I do paintings of Christ's sacrifice to bring me closer to God? Perhaps I will start to create images like other artist's did as a way to testify to my love for my Maker. When I was younger I copied Rembrandt's etchings because something spoke to me.  In time, after many years, my images became different. Nature moved me. And it still does. It would be interesting to hear what Rembrandt would say about his idea of beauty... What would he say about his love for God? Something to think about.     GOD BLESS. Dale

Artist

This is a journal entry. I found the definition of artist on a website and I thought it was a good one. My wife had a problem with the definition but I thought that it described the best aspects of being a creator. Who is an artist? I don't know. Kiki Smith, an artist, said that all that you have to do is say, " I am one." I have always struggled with the idea of being an artist because I have worked my entire life at it and it seems to me that I have made little headway. When I was in grade school there was an artist in class who drew pictures for others. I asked him to do something for me and he said no. So I did it myself. So I was kind of an artist by default. In later years I would get recognized because I spent time drawing and I improved. But it wasn't until college that I found a teacher who really supported me. Twenty years later she is still doing it. In art school I could not take the idea of competition and left. I have mostly worked in isolation and art school left me feeling as if I were insignificant. I have been very fortunate in that I have always had people who supported me. Recently I have begun to put my work out for others to see and it has been a big risk. I have a lot of acknowledgement but I have also had a few lukewarm responses. Who is an artist? Is it as Kiki Smith says? That we choose as to whether or not we are gifted with creativity. Personally, I would like to think so. But when I was in school studying it just seemed to me that I did not have what it takes to be called creator.  Recently there has been material that has been published about art being a spiritual gift. One individual said that art and healing go together. The artist is seen as a healer. It has healed me in many ways, and there have been times where people have come to me and said that my work has brought them joy. It was only when a determination was made that I was disabled that art came to a place of prominence in my life. It has brought me so much joy. And perhaps that is all it is supposed to do. To create a change of perception in you. To help you to see a richer fuller reality.  Something to think about. GOD BLESS. Dale

Kat

Kat. Our male cat. He is a mixture of Ghengis Khan and Attila the Hun. He used to cause lots of trouble with our other two cats, he has calmed down in his old age. He is still rowdy at times but he has toned it down a bit. Last night he slept in the crook of my arm and when I woke up and dislodged him he had a fit and went after an inanimate object that he could destroy. He is my favorite cat. We have had our battles over the years and we have come to an understanding. If he gets mad at me he does it passive-aggressively. I think he was still mad at me later in the morning and adopted a tom-cat pose, but a hug calmed him down. We call him "big head." His head looks like it is a block and should be on the shoulders of a football player. I never had a cat before, except for a stray for a matter of weeks. Kat is my first attempt at understanding the feline personality. I can honestly say I love him. He comes when I call him. Except when he is lording it over the other cats. He usually comes then as well, but there are periods when he just decides that he has to get something out of his system. And then it is time to break up a disagreement. I chose this photo because Kath said that it looked like a good one. She knows better about these things. The illuminated strips added something to the composition. I hope that it does him justice. God bless. Dale

Interpreter.

Hi. I am sorry that it has been awhile since I wrote.. There is change in the air. My daughter bought a little secluded spot in the woods and it seems we spend more time talking and preparing her for her new life. I have spent a lot of time reading new quotes for ideas as well. And a lot of time in prayer and drawing. This little drawing is based on a painting by Rachel Kennedy. God is good. I was reading Psalm 1 this morning and I have always liked the image of a tree planted by water. I saw Rachel's painting and I wanted to interprete it with colored pencil. Emmylou Harris, one of my favorite artists, said that she was an interpreter. She sang a lot of other people's music. I have always liked to interprete other artist's work as well. It is a good way to learn, just so you long as you don't claim it as your own or try to sell it. My life is becoming more and more a miracle. I have been able to finally let go of some things that affected me in my adolescence when I experienced several major losses. I am sad to say that it was a rocky time for me and I did not handle it well. I left school when I was seventeen and left home... I was very ill and for a period I had nowhere to live.
     Today is a new day. Today is a day to carry God's vision into the day.  Thank you for experiencing this journey with me.

 God bless. Dale

Do Not Be Anxious About Tomorrow: Matthew 6:34

I keep this little sign on my computer. As often as I look at it one would think it would sink in. The last few days I have thought about the cost of chasing this dream. A creative life. No one seems to care that I do this and tonight I am tired and I am not sure that I care myself. There is an important reason for sharing Christ's message. He gave me life. He gave me the incentive to share silly little pieces of art that for some reason used to bring me joy. It is my way of expressing myself and my inner vision. Today it seems that it is all just an ego-promoting proposition. The last few days it seems that I have spent a lot of time in thought about this. What does the future hold? Where am I going? People do not seem to care about art. And if no one cares, why do it? What purpose does it serve?
     My disability was the reason I started doing this. At least it started out that way. What is my motivation now? Why do I create? Why do I spread the word of Christ? Christ exists. Romans 10:13 says if we are to be saved, we are to call on the name of the Lord. Lord, I need you. Help me. Show me where to go from here. I believe in you and I know that you gave me a life that has bounced back from a darkness that threatened to destroy me.
Thomas Kincaide was someone who seemed to have everything. Yet, he was also an alcoholic and a relapse took his life. I have one of Kincaide's books. As a younger artist he had a simple vision. When did it get so unmanageable? When did it become an ego-promoting vision? I know a little bit about the illness that produces an alcoholic. I saw it in my own family. It has been almost twenty-six years since I had a drink. I saw what it did to my family growing up. With God's grace I have chosen not to drink. I am an alcoholic.
     My point is that sometimes our motives start out good but we get lost. Spreading Christ's message is a good one. But if it becomes just a way to further one's ambitions, it is not a good thing. Norman Vincent Peale used to say if a thing is wrong, it can never be right. How does one begin to evaluate one life direction?  And the reason one does something? Thomas Kincaide was, I believe, fifty-four years old when he lost his battle with alcoholism. I saw original works of his right here in my community. He was extraordinarily prolific. I am not talking about how he got off track and traveled down a dead-end path, but in my own life I saw how I  became obsessed with an idea to achieve something. And I forgot that originally I just started sharing something that brought me closer to God. I am after all just one of God's kids. And I found that with some paint and a pen  and a brush I could express that part of me... Thank you for being a part of this journey. Some days it seems that there are no easy answers.  God bless you. Dale

Always Be Thankful...

Hi. Sorry that I haven't posted lately, though I am now feeling better after my encounter with shingles. They are completely cleared up with a little lingering pain at times. The shingles were caused by a virus in my body that was left there by a childhood bout with chickenpox.  I don't remember chickenpox. I won't soon forget shingles. They were the most painful thing I've ever experienced...
     This little five by seven inch painting is a copy of a painting that I had posted on the large corkboard in my workspace. It always reminded me to be grateful for things that come along, even those that might not necessarily be wanted. To be grateful for all things.(I Thessalonians 5:18.) Another little painting that I have  in my space is: Philippians 4:8. "Whatever things are excellent, whatever things are worthy of praise, think about these things."  If I use this tack I can thank God for my shingles. They remind me to never take things for granted. Don't let h.a.l.t get to you. Too Hungry. Too Angry. Too Lonely. Too Tired. I think a lot of this went into my shingles. I let myself get rundown. I can thank God for showing me what intense pain feels like. I am blessed with  being pain free most of the time. Or, at least pain levels that are manageable.  Even the backaches I experienced before the illness  were probably a result of the symptoms of the virus. It is funny how pain can be managed with a change of perspective. I learned something about doctors as a result of the virus. That paying attention to them can save you a lot of misery. The anti-viral medication they gave me saved me a whole lot of trouble. My symptoms were much less intense and of shorter duration than they might have been. This was worth the much-dreaded trip to the physicians.
    Have a great week and God bless. Dale
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The Remedy Against Bad Times is to Be Patient With Them

I finished this one tonight. I like the yellow frame. Not much to write about tonight. Kind of tired. I have a framed drawing of this quote on my desk. It is an Arab proverb. The last few years have been pretty stressful for our world it seems and this quote is a good one. My wife had a heart attack in April and she is in a hospital bed at home and it can be easy to get overwhelmed unless surrounded by positive messages. Or at least messages to remind oneself that bad times do not last forever. Sometimes it seems that optimism is something that has to be really aggressively pursued. I had a bunch of sugar earlier and I am paying the price. In a way it was a celebration for being so productive. Not a good idea.

Have a good week and God bless... Dale

(Click on the image to see it closer to lifesize and for clarity.)

Rejoice in the Day and Be Glad in It. Psalm 118:24

A painting I did tonight. I seem to be stuck in a rut. I have wanted to try pastel shades for mats since watercolor is so subtle. I wanted to see what a bronze frame would look like. That, plus it was the last frame I had. I would love to be able to develop more patience to do something different. I did a William Cowper quote for my wife last week, it was considerably longer in preparation. It was a seascape. But that was just an experiment. I will sign off. God bless. Dale

Creativity is the Highest Order of Things

I finished this tonight. I did the first one yesterday, I matted it, I framed it, and I hated it. So I decided that what I saw in my mind's eye needed to be attempted once more. This came closer. I saw a painting in my mind's eye that was much more finished. More technical skill. I didn't have it. So I will keep doing this 'til I get it. I have started saying something to myself now that I've never said before," I have a long way to go." I have finally accepted that this is not where I want to be. BUT IT IS A START. I don't understand how artists get so good. How do they do it? I have been painting most of my life, and if I'm lucky I have another thirty years to go. Monet and Matisse painted well into old age. And God willing, so will I...

Have a great weekend. God bless. Dale

For the technically challenged like me click on the drawing for a clearer image. 

Rejoice in the day...

This is a painting I finished yesterday. I call it: Sol, green and blue. Kind of odd I suppose,  but I have always enjoyed the stylized sun as an image. This is an analogous color scheme. My other half doesn't like it, but I really enjoy the color. I don't know that it works as an image, but the color sings. The analogous color scheme would be: yellow green, green and blue green. I am not sure why my partner doesn't like it. I have no input from others as to why this does or doesn't work. Except, as I said, my wife and she said that she didn't enjoy the color harmonies. A long time ago I went to the Torpedo Factory in Alexandria, Virginia. It was a group of studios set up so that artists could display their work and sell it there. I spoke to an artist and told her of my interest in setting up a studio. One thing that she said that has always stuck with me was that if I were to work in isolation, my learning curve would be much longer. And that is what happened. I had to learn by trial and error instead of being influenced by others work. I have had some training. I had a half-years worth of art credits in college and art school.  I worked for a picture framer for a little while. I worked in an artist's supply store for a period. I have taken courses at  local art associations. And I've spent a lot of time in museums. But it has been so slow. My disability has been a   hindrance. I get tired very easily. My head injury makes it very difficult to stay on task. It takes two hours to complete a work. This is the limit of my concentration. When I was young I could spend many  hours at a time on a project. When I was in art school I could spend dozens of hours on a work. Now my depression does not give me that kind of concentration. When I sustained my head injury I developed PTSD and this really affected my ability to focus.
     I hope that some enjoy this, it isn't much. I have been working this week on trying to get some of my ability to function back. I have not had much time to paint.
     Perhaps tomorrow will be a better day... God Bless. Dale

Click on the image if you want a clearer picture. This tip is for those who are computer-challenged like me.

Art and God

This is a color pencil drawing I did in my journal. It was suggested that I post it in my blog. I do a lot of these. It seems that this is just one of my favorite drawings to do. I apologize for taking so long to post, there has not been a lot of time to draw recently, my journal requires extra concentration. Also it seems that I spend more time with other responsibilities. Since I haven't had time to paint, I decided to post this. God is someone I think a lot about and my understanding of Him is very limited. When I think of God I see Him as this journal image. At times God has been an angry figure in my life, most recently He is bright colors and excitement. I think perhaps as a child might see Him. Jesus, I think, said that we would approach Him as a little child might. My understanding of Christ is quite limited and I don't mean to offend anyone. This is a relatively new relationship for me. I know that we all have different beliefs and this one is personal to me...

Have a Great Day and God Bless. Dale

This may seem obvious to some, but if you click on the image it will get clearer.

Blue on Blue

I have been experimenting with photographing  objects around the house. My wife asked me to pick up some sunflowers for her. They are so beautiful. The vase I picked up at a thrift store for a couple of dollars, the blue and white one was a dollar or so more. I have been stalled in my creating. My current illness makes it difficult to sit down and draw. Drawing really does require concentration. I can use the camera and just document what appeals to me but drawing and using my expressive writing requires more concentration than I currently have. I get so frustrated that my drawing is not pleasing to me. I used to be quite good at it, relatively speaking. Andrew Wyeth can draw. His father, N. C. Wyeth was an accomplished draftsman.  The illustrator Trina Schart Hyman was nice enough to correspond with me for a little while. She was so good that she won the Caldecott award for her children's book "St. George and the Dragon." My dream was to be an illustrator like Trina. Art school required more self-confidence than I possessed. It required a self-assurance that I lacked. My grades were excellent, my draftsmanship received excellent critiques from instructors. But I just did not believe that I could compete with other students... Hopefully in the next couple of days creativity will rear its head. I learned a while back that  if I cut my watercolor paper I will do the work. I have a work in the planning stage: William Cowper's poem "Light Shining in the Darkness." It is  very famous: "The Lord works in a mysterious way, his wonders to perform." Cowper (pronounced Cooper) lived from 1721 to 1800. He struggled with major depression most of his life. (I understand what that is like.) He had to be hospitalized several times, he just was not able to function with the conditions of the time...
     Hope you have a great weekend. God Bless. Dale
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Fruit of the Spirit.

                                                                                                       The Fruits of the Spirit are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,faithfulness,gentleness and self-control. These things seem so far away at times. I have a bad temper; patience is not something that comes easily. I get frustrated easily. I can be doing something and will just get exasperated because it isn't happening right away. My health issues seem to take joy from me. But even when I am feeling relatively good, joy seems far off. I struggle to keep my lust for material things under control and envy is a problem. Self-control would allow me to say it is no big deal, but I can't seem to get there. It IS a big deal. I have some gentleness at times but when the cat comes barreling onto my shoulder and sinks his claws into me I feel anything but gentle and kind. My wife tells me he didn't mean it but at that moment I just don't see it and I am incensed. He is a big cat he weighs almost twenty lbs. That may be an exaggeration, but he is a big tomcat and his claws hurt. Especially when I am currently dealing with my skin feeling like it is electrified. I threw him out of my room the other day and he was upset with me. But it was very difficult for me to say that it was an accident. The fruits of the spirit sometimes do not always come easily. Painting at least brings some of these things out in me. When it is difficult to see the fruits of a Godly relationship, looking at a sunset helps. Seeing a beautiful flower. My wife's smile can instill in me a gentleness that may not always be readily accessible. Just the idea that I know I am loved and appreciated is enough to stir many of these feelings. And that is awfully nice... Dale
( To see the image closer to actual size just click on it. )

Love & Roses

I did this rose in 2003. I sent it to my in-laws. When they passed away it reverted back to me. My in-laws loved roses. This week I took the frame apart and rematted the picture. I changed the background color on the rose and glazed it as well.
Today is a better day so far. With my illness I have to pace myself. Ohterwise the tendency is to have my body get very upset and achy. The pain can get very bad. Yesterday I just allowed myself to reach my limits. Today I got together with others and I went out to look at things as a diversion from my pain. Spirituality has been on my mind a lot . There has been this realization that it is possible to get my body calm if I take the time to communicate with a power greater than me. God. This requires a lot of time. I have realized that I have lost my center, the part of me that is alive and healthy. There was a time when I was always aware of that presence that is greater than me. I lost that. My recent illness is just an indication how far off center I am.
Those of you who have taken the time to visit my blog I am in your debt. It is just so important to me to share with my friends the gift that God gave me. It is humbling to know that it is not great art, it is just an expression of my love and faith. This gift kept me from going down a road that led to a nasty deadend. Thank you for being here and sharing this with me... Dale

A Rough Day

I took a bunch of photos today of flowers. Today was a rough day. I paid a large amount of money last month for medical costs and it is depressing. My health problems are giving me a lot of grief from the stress of mounting medical bills. Tonight my illness is causing me a lot of stress. I just finished my journal and there does not seem to be any end in sight of the sadness I feel. For seventeen years I have contended with my illness. It gets tiring. It seems that I don't have any answers. A medication I take has the ability to cause depression, it is one of the side-effects. I have avoided this effect for over a week but tonight things came crashing in on me.  The little book-mark I made says that nothing causes more problems to creativity and good judgement than bearing grudges. I am so tired of being poor. Medical costs eat up everything I have. I'm not sure who or what I'm angry at. My body perhaps. I used to go to museums all the time. I enjoyed cycling. I liked hiking. It has been years since I have done these things.

I am sorry to end on such a sour note. Hope that you have a great weekend.

May God be with you.... Dale

Cats and Roses

My blog goes forward... I have been enlisting the aid of friends to tell me what they like about this blog. It was meant to be just a place where I could share my thoughts on art and how it relates to my disability. I have been ill many years and it has been probably twenty-five years or so that I learned that art could inspire me to change. I have been ill all my life. Yet there have been few things that have kept me from at least trying to better my life...

Our cat, Little Bit...
She weighs next to nothing and is so graceful. She tends to be shy around me, she is definitely my wife's cat. I have a cat of my own. His name, appropriately enough, is Kat.

Heirloom roses. They are gone now, past their prime. My friend Elva and I came up with an  idea for a quote and a picture of the dessicated roses. The quote is: They're just so beautiful, even when they're gone. Elva pointed out that this would make a nice quote. I will paint a picture of the roses, a flower I love to draw and paint...

May God be with you.    Dale

Experiencing a Grace

A long day. I spent the last twelve years on a powerful medication that robbed me of a life. I was taken off of it in January because I could no longer find the resources to pay for the thirty tablets that cost one thousand dollars a month. Now I am sick. The stress of not having the medication kicked my immune system's butt. Stress. I have to figure out how to deal with it. I have shingles and they are the most painful thing I have ever experienced. They last five weeks and there can be plenty of complications. The pain can last for years ... I can go blind... I can have a stroke... I am working very hard to keep a positive attitude. I am  trying to visualize my body healing itself. The shingles running their course with no long-term complications.

     Someone today gave  me a Rumi poem and it is about how we were once destructive and through God's grace we have been turned into something beautiful. The shingles have the potential to change me into a better person. They are so painful. I have never experienced pain like this... And when your my age the chances are that you have been through some stuff. Actually, there have been a few times that have been very painful but not long-term like this...
     I have a kid inside me. The fish bookends are just one example of the things I like: bright colors and whimsical images. That is what I mean about the shingles taking me to a better place. My creativity will soar. When you are ill it is hard to create. I have always painted. Yet it is so much easier to focus on God's gift when you are feeling well. God willing, my creativity will reach new heights. This is a potentially frightening thing: perhaps the pain won't end after five weeks. Right now my back hurts so bad. Perhaps I will experience the long-term pain that is sometimes associated with the illness. Perhaps I will go blind...
    I choose to believe that things will get better. As an old saying goes: God hasn't brought me this far to drop me off. Grace is a free gift that God gives us. A protection.  A merciful reprieve from something that has the potential to destroy us. This would not be the first time I experienced a grace. I once spent a long time alone after the ending of a relationship. This period lasted five years. At the end of five years I found someone who has been with me twelve years. God gave me five years alone to prepare me for the most difficult and satisfying relationship I have ever had. At the time I hated being alone, but at the end of five years I made a wonderful friend. He was such a good friend that he was able to find somone else. That friend was me.

My Love Of God's Tulip's

This is a painting I originally created in 2006. I matted and framed it ad tried to sell it. I did not know how to utilize the color of the mat to best effect and I cut the mat wrong. It did not sell. The shop closed, my painting was returned. I love it. It is my first original work. Somewhat. It was based on a photograph of tulips. I changed the composition and the colors. What was once a nature photograph was turned into a watercolor painting. I try to get other's opinions but a friend told me that there was a problem with posting on my site. The name of the painting is: My love of Gods tulips. Tulips come up in the spring, I was born in the spring, very close to the time that tulips erupt from the earth. We have an affinity for one another.
     The book of James says in James 1:19: "Wherefore my beloved brethren,let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath." (KJV)  I am so slow to hear. A wise counselor told me to go easy on the use of the Bible, lest I appear a fanatic. Yet there are things that I've heard that I have struggled with. James said to bridle your tongue. 1:26   James said that speech is like a ship without a rudder. So my counselor is right in a way, I speak of things that I don't always understand... In a way I am a zealot. And I can be hard-headed, I don't always listen when people give me good advice... Apologies to someone who knows much more than I do... Dale

One Day at a Time

I went to the doctor yesterday and found that I have a new health problem to contend with. I had the opportunity a few days ago to look at this Bible  verse and I realized that I had not thought about the importance of the word "consider." And I started considering all the gifts I have been given: I can walk. I have a good mind. I can still drive a car. I can read. I can do this blog. I can see a sunset. I have a wonderful wife, daughter, and grandson. My blessings far outweigh my challenges.
     I am in a lot of pain and my new pain medication has a lot of side effects so I have decided to use an over the counter medicine for discomfort.  The funny thing about writing is that for some reason it puts me in the zone: I  forget about my pain. Art does the same thing. I said this yesterday, and it bears repeating,  "gratitude is a matter of perspective." Twila Paris. For some reason when I change my perspective I am better able to contend with a new emergency . But it can be difficult for me to focus on the positive when I am frightened. Being ill is kind of like losing control of  myself and if I'm not living one day at a time there is always the fear that things will continue to worsen as time goes by. But there is no guarantee of this.  It can just as easily go the other way: Things may continue to improve. The natural tendency is to get scared that there will be an increasing loss of control of my body. Keeping little inspirational quotes all around me reminds me to focus on the positive. This  does not come naturally. Internalizing  these little positive messages is a real challenge when I am  sick. I have to consciously focus on the positive message they hold. This has led to a long period of  attempting to comprehend the idea that I am in control of the way I  react to this illness. . For some it may be natural to go into a fight with all  their weapons at the ready. Some people are good in a crisis. For me it has been  an incredibly long learning curve. I think it takes courage and resourcefulness to face something that has the potential to harm us.  I am the kind that has had to learn to prepare for the battle ahead.  I hope these words will inspire someone else out there who is battling illness  to pick up the sword and shield and go forward into another day of battle. I once heard it said that  courage is fear that has said its prayers. In the words of Sir Winston Churchill:  "Success is never found. Failure is never fatal. Courage is the only thing."
  One day at a time... Have a great day and may God be with you. Dale

 (If you click on the drawing it will appear approximately life-sized.)

Do Not Be Anxious About Tomorrow...

I have had a pain in my side for a week now. I think it is being caused by a new medication I am taking. I have been procrastinating about getting off this medication because it caused my weight to drop by almost fifty lbs. And now my doctor can no longer find evidence that I still have diabetes. So she says it is being controlled by diet.
  The side effects of this medication are awful. I break out all over in itchy red patches. My side has welts all over it. I hurt like the devil. I did this painting a few days ago and I really am pleased with it. It was a sign on my desk that I had made, then I painted and framed it.    Sometimes it is so hard to believe that everything is going to work out okay. I have to be constantly reminded to stay in today, beause today is really all I have.Right now I am in my studio and the temperature is cool and I am listening to music. My little Bible quote is staring back at me: Do not be anxious about tomorrow.  Yet I have to go to the doctor in the morning and I am frightened...  At this moment all my needs are provided for. I am okay. The sun is out. My wife is sleeping peacefully and I am doing one of my favorite things, I am writing. I did a painting today that is one of my favorites. I  also matted and framed  an old work that looks great. Twila Paris said that," gratitude may be a matter of perspective." Sometime I just have to look at all the things I do have. And forget about the troubles tomorrow that may never materialize. Josh Billings said that,  "adversity has the same effect on a man that severe training has on a fighter: it reduces him to his fighting weight." Even though I am in a lot pain today, I have all the abilities I need to address it. I have the ability to change my perspective....

(If you click on the picture it will appear almost full-size.)
 Have a great day and may God be with you.  Dale

Counting our Blessings.

When you have been a negative spirit all your life it is hard to change. Looking at this little five by seven inch saying on my desk reminds to look for the silver lining. Look for the positive, there must be something that is worth being thankful for. There is always something to be grateful for. It is difficult to change old habits. There is always the tendency to see the worst in every situation. But by looking at this little painting   every day I am reminded  to question the things I am complaining about.  William Saroyan said," be thankful for yourself... be thankful." It is a gift to be here. Sometimes I forget this. Nick Vujicic said that, "I promise you for every disability you have, you are blessed with more than enough "abilities" to overcome your challenges." Nick would know, he was born without arms and legs. He is an inspirational speaker who goes around letting others know that it is important to count your blessings, because you have many... Dale

The Remedy Against Bad Times...

A painting I did a while back to get through some rough times. I keep it on my drafting table where I can see it. My doctor had me on a medication that really made my life miserable. But I was compliant and I figured it was helping. I gained fifty lbs. on it. I acquired diabetes. I painted pictures like this one to inspire me to stick with my doctor's plan. The medication's cost was over a thousand dollars for thirty tablets. I  was relieved when I could no longer afford the pills and I switched to something far cheaper. I lost fifty lbs. My diabetes is now controlled by diet. My physician wonders if I ever had diabetes.   My numbers are in the normal range. Painting has always kept me focused on the goal to improve my situation, no matter how bad it gets. Sometimes I struggle when it seems that nothing is getting better. Yet by painting I take each day and focus on my long term goal of trusting that things will turn out okay... No matter how difficult it is at the moment...

Using the Gift

It was suggested to me that I memorize this passage. So I decided to create a piece of art that would help me. The idea that we are being asked to improve our minds as part of loving God was a novel idea. We are to love God with all our heart, all soul and all our mind. We are to love the idea that He created us and to express it.   Being human is a gift. Yet personally I never give it a thought. . Having belief in God is a unique ability that not everyone has access to. Yet how often do I think about this gift and thank Him for it? To love God is to accept His gifts and talents to us and to utilize them. To thank Him for our good fortune and to accept them with gratitude.  If I love God and cherish the mind that He gave me am I willing to improve it and to think about some of the dumb things I say and do without questioning myself? To love Him with all my heart and soul and to always be grateful for this wonderful gift of a life and a spirit and a mind... Awesome.
     All of us have talents. Yet how often do we take them for granted? I seem to have a talent for numbers, yet my faith in myself never allowed me to utilize this gift. I thought I was too dumb to get things like algebra, calculus, and other elements of higher mathematics. Is it possible to push myself to excel and to use the talents God bestowed upon me?

My Stuff/ A Psalm

I finished a piece of art a day or so ago but I am not happy with it so I decided to take a photograph of colored pencils instead. . One of my favorite things are photos of  art materials. I think it is the color. And I think that it is the idea that all my life I wanted to have the materials necessary to create a work of art and I just like looking at the potential for art....A thunderstorm just blew in so I want to get off of the computer. My dog is beside me and he likes thunderstorms as much as I do.
      The thunderstorm passed. Lightning struck right outside my living room window. My dog and I had a near heart attack at the close proximity of the strike to us. He has become much better at dealing with these storms, while I seem to have grown more anxious as time has gone by.
    Here's an old painting of mine. A Psalm. It is one of my favorite works. This painting has  really made me happy, it just seems to express my feelings about the idea of faith.  I am  always hoping that everything is going to turn out okay, and it does work out, but I worry just the same. Sometimes it seems that we have made decisions in the past that have the potential to be disastrous, yet everything turns out okay in spite of our actions.. . Sometimes I think that I have a guardian angel that I drive crazy with my constant railing at God...  Doesn't it make you wonder how God could love us so much?  We have made so many dumb mistakes and He just forgives us. In spite of our stupidity and arrogance. In spite of the fact that we sometimes seem to just ask for disaster to strike.

Relieving Tension.

I found this little character at a thrift shop today and he found his way onto my drafting table. He is great. I found a piece of pottery as well, I love pottery. The pot is on the far left and it is a good place to throw my tiniest colored pencils. There is something very pleasurable about taking photos of my "stuff." Someone had suggested that I make a sand tray, a technique used to relieve anxiety. The figurine was purchased to use as part of the sand tray experiment. Ever since I ended up on disability anxiety has been a big problem. It creates a lot of tension and my art is one way of combatting it. My partner got very ill in April and it triggered my PTSD. Suddenly I found myself reliving trauma associated with old injuries and I found myself trying to keep my head above water.The sand tray was one technique that was suggested.  Basically, it consists of a rectangular tray filled with white sand. I am going to use a 9x13 inch baking tray. Figurines and other objects are used to work out various conflicts by acting them out in the tray  as I understand it.   I am very fortunate to have a good imagination. But it hasn't always been that way. My head injury right after it happened kept me from doing a lot of things. I read a lot of books on combatting head trauma but I could remember very little of what I read. I tried a support group of head trauma survivors but could not make the adjustment to the group setting. Art was the one thing I could do. I was fortunate in that when I experienced trauma as a child I had an aunt who used art as a way to get me to relax. Her help made art a fixture in my life when I was stressed. I was hit by a car when I was twelve. I stayed with her while I recuperated and her influence  helped me to deal with my injuries. She died of cancer when I was around fourteen and it wasn't until I was eighteen that I started using my art skills as a way to deal with the loss... If anyone knows where one finds white sand I'd appreciate a comment. My partner says that it can be found in nurseries. Any other comments or suggestions are welcome... Thanks. Dale

Art & Expression

A very old picture of mine that still moves me. It was done in the early stages of a relationship that is now fairly solid. This painting was taken  from the chapter on love from the book of Corinthians. Having spent a few years alone because of immaturity, when I found myself in this new relationship I wanted to express my deepest feelings. When I was a kid I would fall in love and use other's art as a way to express myself. I had no original ideas.  For a long time I painted no original art because I had nothing to say. Georgia O' Keefe said that," I can't live where I want to. I cant even say what I want to! I decided I was a very stupid fool not to at least to paint as I wanted to." It took me a very long time to paint as I wanted to. I had to live alone for five years without a relationship to realize that I had something to say. Perhaps I couldn't say what I wanted to, because there was no one to say it to, and at the time I could not live where I wanted to for various reasons, but I could at least paint as I wanted to.   Perhaps falling back on the Bible is not an original idea, but I was in good company. William Blake used the Bible for inspiration, Rembrandt used it, as did Raphael. Each said something unique using words and images that had stirred people's hearts for thousands of years....

Missing the Mark

This is an odd painting. Entirely too much caffeine was used in the process of doing it. When it was being done it seemed that it was turning out okay. But when it was finished, it was clear that I had missed the mark. I use transparent watercolor but there are sections of the painting that are painted opaquely. It just does not work. It is supposed to represent the sun coming up from behind the hills. But the hills should be brightly illuminated and they are not. They are muddy. I have an idea in my head, but I just don't have the skill to carry it out.  Too bad I am not someone like the late Thomas Kincaide was. He knew exactly how to represent light shining brightly. He was a genius... 

Rejoice in the Day

This is a very old drawing but the watercolor treatment is new. I found this work as I was going through an old portfolio and decided to salvage it. I was told that the colors looked like a poster from the seventies. The idea was based on a framed drawing I once had. The idea of each day being a new celebration of life is tough for me. Sometimes I wonder why I like this Psalm so much because generally speaking, being positive does not come easy. And this Psalm is certainly positive. Every day is new and we are to be glad for it. Imagine celebrating every day. Thanking God for giving us a new day of life. No matter how crummy I feel I try to  thank God for a new day of life.  That is when I think to talk to Him. Sometimes just rushing headlong into the day keeps me from thanking Him. It is tough to talk to whatever power we think made us when there is so much to do. It took me years of drawing variations of this picture before I suddenly realized that it was a gift to be alive. For a long time I didn't feel that way... And I still feel that way at times, especially when I allow resentments to build up.  

New Work

I did this little drawing last Sunday. It is five by seven inches. It is a watercolor and pen and ink drawing. I cut the mat for it and assembled the frame. Sometimes I cut the glass. This time a friend who is a picture framer gave me a good deal on five by seven glass. Many years ago I worked for her and she taught me to cut mats, cut glass, assemble frames and do T-hinges. Everything I needed to assemble my own artwork. She supplied the matboard for this picture, it is Ph neutral.. My paints are Winsor & Newton watercolors. My watercolor paper is Arches. The tape I use to make my T-hinges is Ph neutral. The picture, God willing, will last a lifetime. I use a Rapidograph pen by Koh-I-Noor. It is a #0.  Recently someone suggested that I donate my work to various organizations to allow them to use them as they see fit. I used to sell my work for a short period but the shop went out of business.

New Life

This painting has been sitting on my easel for a couple of years. It is mixed-media, consisting of colored tissue paper and acrylic paint. My work is considered expressionistic, my subjective response to a flower in this particular case.
     I worked on the painting yesterday after having a particularly bad day. I turned on my ipod and set to work.During the day I was ashamed of myself for some behavior that I found unacceptable. As the second child in a family of ten children and the firstborn son, I tend to be very hard on myself. It is a cultural thing I suppose.  I struggle with depression because I can never live up to my unreasonable expectations of myself. I'm a perfectionist and I don't allow myself a lot of leeway for mistakes. The day before yesterday was just one of those days where I had a lot of internal dialogue about what a screw-up I was... By the time I was finished I had convinced myself that there was no way out. I had screwed up too badly. I was really depressed. I was convinced there was no hope for me. I won't share what I did. Each of us has our own particular way of hurting ourselves. Some of us drink. (I used to do this.) Some smoke. (I used to do this.) If you are a guy there is a tendency to punch objects. I used to this until I once hit a wall and there was a stud behind it. I used to overeat. Ad nauseum. Suffice it to say my particular way of addressing my disappointment in myself was particularly stupid. After I vented my spleen I took my dog for a walk. I worked on my painting and talked to my wife for an hour. I worked on my journal and made matters worse for a little while. There is a quote that goes: Nothing interferes with creativity and good judgement more than bearing grudges. I was angry at some people who I felt had wronged me. I was angry at someone who told me that my behavior was bad and not the other persons. As someone who doesn't allow himself mistakes, this was particularly hard to swallow.
     The painting is called New Life. It is about starting over after really screwing up. It might be finished, I'm not sure. I have always blamed my past for the fact that my life is currently screwed up. It was my parents fault. That doesn't fly so well when both your parents have been gone for some time and you are getting pretty long in the tooth. In other words, I've been around long enough to know better. I have no one to blame but myself for my failures.
   Life is a learning experience. The next day I was really relieved that I did not do something irreversible. I did not drink. I did not smoke. I did not take my disappointment out on my wife. I went for a walk. I prayed and asked for help with the squirrelly behavior. I worked on this absolutely horrible painting. And then I went to bed. And the next day my attitude was entirely different. Someone very wise once said, stop beating yourself up. We are all living under grace and we all do the best we can. Sometimes it is so hard to remember this....  Dale

Using Art For Healing Trauma

Just an experiment. For some reason I couldn't find my picture files. Eventually they were located. I have found that if I don't write down every step of the posting a picture process, I will lose the steps and then have many frustrating moments trying to put them back together. It is difficult to say if this is part of growing old or my head injury. I have a sign on my desktop that says: Remember, never give up hope! Recovery is possible!
     Is it really possible to recover from head trauma? How much can you repair and how much is lost forever? A friend who has known me a very long time said that I changed after the injury. My thoughts were not the same. I became more separate from my mind. There was a gulf there that could not be bridged. 
Head trauma is frightening. There is the fear that more and more of ones's identity will be lost. Medications help and hinder. Depression is a constant companion. Anger pushes people away. It is frustrating trying to communicate what one is feeling when feelings are a novelty. What might have been a very intimate acquaintance with ones's feelings may suddenly feel like they are someone else's. I spent years in recovery trying to make sense of my emotions. Rage was a constant companion. Eventually this abated. But it pushed people away and alienated them in the meantime. How do you tell the people you love that the irrational behavior you just engaged in was just a response to your brain injury? How do you believe it yourself? And what do you tell yourself when it feels like you are going insane?

      Art is meditation. And it helps you calm down. It centers you when you feel as if you have no center. Art is going to another place inside you. Current theory says that art uses a section of the brain that is not as often accessed. When I suffered my head injury I discovered that I was much more creative as time went on. Not at first. Too much harm had been done. But the brain is amazing, it rebuilds itself through what some consider play. Colors, shapes, lines, strange words that pop out of nowhere and you have no memory of ever have used before.It is like taking a journey to a place that you've never been to before...

All the Things We Achieve Are Things We Have First Of All Imagined.

I found this in my files and it shouldn't be there. Someone wise told me you shouldn't use the words "should" and "shouldn't." There is a recovery saying that goes: Never should on yourself. All my life I wanted to be an artist. I am able to do a little. I have a very small amount of talent. It is an amazing thing when you get the chance to experience a lifelong dream. Art school was an experience that taught me I could do most anything I set my mind to. Lately I have been creating a lot. I hope to post a few pieces in the next couple of days. Art has always helped me to do the things I "shouldn't" have been able to do. I was a high school dropout. I left at the beginning of the tenth grade because of ongoing issues at home that I was too immature to resolve. Eventually I was able to get my equivalency diploma. I went to college and met a wonderful teacher who encouraged me to follow my  heart and go to art school. I did not graduate. I have always had health problems. And my health suffered with the stress of school. I eventually want back to college and graduated. I learned that with my art training I was a much better student, much more rounded. All the things I learned in art school helped me with my coursework. For a long time I felt like a failure because I did not finish my art education. I came to realize that art is only one thing I do and I'm capable of doing many things.

Moving Forward

I look at this birdbath every day as I walk my dog. I have been wanting to make a painting of it but most of the time I just keep my journal. It seems as if there is not much time for painting anymore.  I worked on an old painting yesterday after someone asked to see some of my work. I liked the drawing but I was not happy with the watercolor treatment. So I repainted it. I like it, but I am unsure as to whether others will see the same thing. A lot of my work is religious, and the painting that I reworked was Psalm 118:24 : Rejoice in the day and be glad in it, for this is the day God has made.  Not everyone believes as I do. I try my  best to try not to offend others with my beliefs. I remember some of the letters that the cartoonist Charles Schulz received. Some people were really upset with his cartoons that used the Bible as subject matter. It was quite a lesson to see that not everyone sees the Bible as a humorous subject. I read a joke the other day from a book of illustrations and basically it said the Bible is one of the very few books without a joke in it. I guess I had never really thought about it. 
     This photo is not especially good but that is the wonderful thing about painting, it removes all the flaws. I ordered an old Photoshop Elements 6 program and a couple of books on how to operate it. My computer is very old, my camera very cheap. I am not sure if this will work. I want to use some of my photos for paintings. We will see how things progress.
     In another life I would have been an art teacher. Terry Miller, the graphite artist,  has a blog named Pencil Shavings and he is always teaching. Stephen Quiller is one of my favorite artists and he is a great teacher as well. The bird bath photo is symmetrical I think, although I photographed the birdbath to the right  of center Symmetry refers to the idea that things are evenly balanced in a picture. Assymetry is a device in a paintings composition that allows for a more pleasing picture. The two sides are not evenly balanced and therefore create a more pleasing picture.
      .Shades of green are primarily the dominant colors in the photo so it would be a painting with an analogous color scheme. Analogous refers to the fact that three colors are adjacent to one another on the color wheel. Green, yellow green and blue green would be analogous colors. If you understand a little bit about color complements, it means that if you mixed the complement of green you would end up with a grey. The complement of green is red. So mixing green and red together you get grey. This would serve as the color of the birdbath. A complementary color arrangement refers to the fact that two colors are opposite one another on a color wheel. Examples are red-green, yellow-purple and blue-orange. These colors complement one another when they are used in a color scheme. When mixed together a neutral is created like grey.  I hope that others find art as interesting as I do. It has always been a source of pleasure.  I hope that this is not boring; Of my  favorite classes in art school, color theory was by far my favorite. Dale