6-6-06 and Bending

***Blogger issues today prevent uploading of image. As soon as able I will add today's picture.***

It's on the news, the big screen and all over the airwaves. Yes, it is the dreaded 6-6-06. This is supposedly the day of doom so close your shutters, lock your doors and go back to bed until tomorrow. Well, I have news for the media, bad crap happens on other days as well and as far as I'm concerned today looks to be pretty good.

I won't go into detail but I've been hit with a string of bad and stressful events all in one ugly dose. Things just couldn't get worse I thought. Example you ask? Well, I stopped running due to an injury to my foot, only to be 2 miles from home when I got a flat on my bike. I limped home with my bike practicing every four-letter word I knew. (I really need to learn how to change those things.) See, I was trying to do good but bad just kept happening. Sadly, most things were less amusing than that. You know it is bad when you step in the only pile of dog poop on an abandoned property and it makes you cry like a baby.

One of the things that I've learned from all of this is represented in this oil sketch for a new painting. We all know what happens to the tree that does not bend. Only death is final and even that has a certain legacy. So, in life if you don't learn to bend or to at least think differently you will certainly break. I must admit I've been darn close recently.

I've had some questions as to the change in my style. The works shown in the last two entries are only under paintings. This means that color will be applied in transparent glazes after all of the values are worked out. My work has taken a more somber tone but will not be all in grey. This is how many of the old masters began their works. However at the moment I may be switching to drawing for a few weeks because the injury to my foot does not allow me to stand in front of the easel for very long. I refuse to stop working so I will find something else to do until it heals. I'm bending not breaking.

I want to thank Jill at Raise Your Dreams Farm for making one of the hardest things I've ever had to do a blessing. I gave my horse, Dandy, to her for use in her therapeutic riding program. At first he struggled with his new job but now he shines and is giving a great gift to so many. Dandy taught me so many things about patience, strength and "bending" and now at 22 he will continue to do it for others. He is in his glory with all the love he receives for his efforts and so am I. Thanks Jill.