Image © 2011 Melinda S. Esparza
The Open Studios Tour was so eventful for me that it is challenging to describe it--to detail it in such a way as to paint a proper picture. Maybe I'm better with paint than with words.
There were: Two days of nearly nonstop visiting. Rain. Rain. Rain! Beautiful cloudy skies slung low over the mountains, over trees and homes. Our intrepid art travelers had a midtown cluster of places to visit, including mine, and it was nice to know that we had community for a weekend.
Thank you to everyone who came by. Thank you to my dear fellow artist bloggers. Thank you to the two collectors who bought two of my paintings:
Ghost Ranch Ancestors 2011
Ghost Ranch Ancestors 18" x 18," on cradled oil panel--Image © 2011 Melinda S. Esparza
and
Mostly Harmless 2009
Mostly Harmless 2009 oil on canvas--Image © 2011 Melinda S. Esparza
Thank you to the nationally know visitors, the art savvy visitors, the elegant artists who work in the art world, and thank you to the representative from the Grand Canyon Association.
Because I try to emulate
Cesar Millan's insights, not only with my dogs, but also as a metaphor for my own psychic well being, I am going forward.
A well balanced dog Image © 2011 Melinda S. Esparza
I mean, what's a well balanced dog to do? When I walk with them, I look down at their beautiful heads and can almost hear them say, Go forward, Go forward, Go! And so, I do.
Here is a beginning:
Abiquiu Opening oil on canvas 30" x 30" Image © 2011 Melinda S. Esparza
The walk is the discipline. The journey is calming--even more than any destination. Being present translates excitement into quiet happiness, peace. After all, "excitement is not happiness"--Cesar Millan.
Image © 2011 Melinda S. Esparza
Wishing you all peace. Go forward! The walk will do you good.
Image © 2011 Melinda S. Esparza
The Open Studios Tour was so eventful for me that it is challenging to describe it--to detail it in such a way as to paint a proper picture. Maybe I'm better with paint than with words.
There were: Two days of nearly nonstop visiting. Rain. Rain. Rain! Beautiful cloudy skies slung low over the mountains, over trees and homes. Our intrepid art travelers had a midtown cluster of places to visit, including mine, and it was nice to know that we had community for a weekend.
Thank you to everyone who came by. Thank you to my dear fellow artist bloggers. Thank you to the two collectors who bought two of my paintings:
Ghost Ranch Ancestors 2011
Ghost Ranch Ancestors 18" x 18," on cradled oil panel--Image © 2011 Melinda S. Esparza
and
Mostly Harmless 2009
Mostly Harmless 2009 oil on canvas--Image © 2011 Melinda S. Esparza
Thank you to the nationally know visitors, the art savvy visitors, the elegant artists who work in the art world, and thank you to the representative from the Grand Canyon Association.
Because I try to emulate Cesar Millan's insights, not only with my dogs, but also as a metaphor for my own psychic well being, I am going forward.
A well balanced dog Image © 2011 Melinda S. Esparza
I mean, what's a well balanced dog to do? When I walk with them, I look down at their beautiful heads and can almost hear them say, Go forward, Go forward, Go! And so, I do.
Here is a beginning:
Abiquiu Opening oil on canvas 30" x 30" Image © 2011 Melinda S. Esparza
The walk is the discipline. The journey is calming--even more than any destination. Being present translates excitement into quiet happiness, peace. After all, "excitement is not happiness"--Cesar Millan.
Image © 2011 Melinda S. Esparza
Wishing you all peace. Go forward! The walk will do you good.
19 comments:
I'm glad you enjoyed your experience and sold work. I love your paintings and the gorgeous pictures of you with the dogs. We had the same lovely rain here. A bit colder though.
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoBarbara
Thank you, Barbara!
I'm glad you like these paintings. Ghost Ranch Ancestors provided a painting watershed moment for me. The collector seemed to respond really well to that and sensed it.
Smiling here about the photos and your mention that it is colder where you are. I can't really imagine! We're weather babies here. Well, at least, I am.
Virtual hugs to you and your dear animals.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts and feelings, Melinda. Sounds wonderful, and they bought one of my favorites! That feeling of community is really valuable, and all too rare.
I love the "Go forward!" from the dogs. That is what they do. Live in the present going forward. We need to have them around to remind us.
So happy to see you striding into your landscape! There is so much to learn from a well-balanced dog, yes there is.
oh, how I love the first photo of you and your beloved dogs - it strikes me as an intimate moment, but maybe because I've had the opportunity to see you interact with them - thrilled that you felt the tour was a success on many levels and congrats on the sales, always icing on the cake!! and you echo one of my fav sayings, 'go forward'- it is the way - have a wonderful Thanksgiving and let's skype next week! xo
Hello Don,
You're absolutely correct. These dogs keep me calm and assertive, and going forward. We humans sure can rabbit trail away from such things, can't we?
Thank you so much for your encouraging and supportive words. You are part of a very important community to me--the artist blogger community.
Thank you, Edgar.
These guys really do keep us on track, eh?
And, covered with fur.
Hello Jeane,
Yes! You got to meet the knucko' head and puddin' head! It is a constant balancing act with these guys which keeps me conscious of the really important things in life: exercise, discipline, affection, in that order. They even assist me in the studio.
Thank you so much. Yes, absolutely. The visitors were the cake, and the sales--icing! I am most appreciative.
I would love to chat with you next week. Lemme know with an email. I'll be here!
Melinda,
You are always eloquent with both paint and words!!!
Congratulations on your fruitful, rainy and glorious weekend with sales and a whirl of visitors, fellow artists, and wise collectors!
I love the photographs too - In the first you are proudly going forth with your dogs as you leave and then you are going forward with them as you return - mighty evocative, don't you think, symbolic even - leaving and returning but always going forward!
xo Marcia
Hello Marcia,
Thank you. It would have been even better had you been here.
Ah, you get that about the going forward--both ways! Excellent. I am sincerely impressed. You read my mind.
Virtual hugs!
Congratulations on all of your successes - you're flying forward, Melinda!! Happy Thanksgiving and thank-you for all of your beautiful paintings and words and for being my blog bud, too.
...and, I love the photos of you and your puppers!!
Thank you, dear Linny.
I now refer to Loki and Diego as "puppers" because of your word! They are thankful today after getting to lick the mixer beaters with mashed potatoes.
I am grateful for you. Thank you for being there and for being my blogger bud too. Virtual hugs!
Melinda, congrats on what sounds like a very exciting and successful Studio Tour!
You look beautiful in that super cool velvet coat!! : D
Hello, dear Silvina. Thank you! The coat AND the dogs are great camouflage for an old artist/blogger!
You're very kind. :-)
just discovered your blog and had to stop by to compliment you on your paintings and your gorgeous German Shepherds. That breed is my favorite, likely because I grew up in the 50's (Rin Tin Tin!) All dogs are magnificent..but they are "top dog" in my book. Congratulations on your sales!
Your paintings are wonderful and they are just the kind of painting I would want of Tucson..bright and southwestern colors...so sunshiny.
I like to follow Cesar's way with dogs too...Your Shepherds are majestic looking.
Greetings from Wichita, Kansas!
Welcome, Celeste!
Thank you for stopping by and leaving such a generous comment.
Yes, I just love GSDs. They are big babies, but so wonderful. Do you have a German Shepherd?
Thank you so much! I hope you'll come back again in the future.
Welcome, Lisa!
I really appreciate your visiting and leaving a comment. Tucson really does bring out the brightness and color. There is just something about the desert!
Cesar is fantastic. I wish I could have a session with him. My guys are great, and pretty well behaved, but you know, they can always use some fine tuning.
Thank you for your kind words about my paintings.
Hope you'll get a chance to visit sometime. Wichita isn't that far away, now is it?
Post a Comment