Artist Melinda and the Good Heart, Ancestry and Abstract Play

Abstract Study Oil on Art Panel 18" x 24" © 2012 Melinda S. Esparza A month it has been! Hard to believe. I was not well for a few weeks, and it's been a struggle artistically. But, I can write that I believe I am back and ready to burn more web space. How sick was I? Well, I was so sick that I became worried about my heart, which led me have it checked out. I recommend it. I was able to put my fears to rest as I heard the doctor say, "You've got a really good and healthy heart!" Whew. 

This led me to recall that while I was recuperating from some weird and awful virus/sinus infection, I wandered off into the genealogy world to see how long my ancestors lived. You know, to tally up my odds. A significant number of them lived to be 100 years old, or into their eighties and nineties. See?

Knowledge is comfort as well as power... Remember when those blog questions were going around about your interesting life facts? I wrote that I had known a Russian prince. Well, I found out I was wrong. The truth is, in my opinion, even more interesting. Our family friend was Alexis Badmaeiff. He was the son of Rasputin's friend (?) and colleague, Doctor Badmaev (Russian Physician). This became connected to another interesting thread: NPR's resent segment on "'Rasputin Was My Neighbor' And Other True Tales of Time Travel." Alexis was smuggled out of Russia during the Revolution, and was taken to France. He later immigrated to the US and built a good life here. I remember that he started his day with a raw egg in a glass of vodka. He told me once that he had wanted to be a physician. Hmm. He even operated on my foot after a vacation mishap I had as a child. Anyway, I hope you'll have a look at the NPR article. The comments are quite entertaining too. If you have some connections to the distant past, I would love to have you comment and share them! Abiquiu Ancestors Oil on Canvas 30" x 30" © 2012 Melinda S. Esparza Now, back to thinking about our Abiquiu ancestors, the painting, and a sketch I've wanted to paint for eons. I've wrestled, pleaded, cajoled and harangued this Ancestors painting. It's starting to give me clues. This is not done yet. It demands more diplomacy....or a minor revolution. Maybe it is cooperating a bit more because I turned away and gave some attention to a sketch in my Moleskine, seen at the top of this page. This, too, is not finished. I missed painting so much that smearing anything on canvas/canvas board was a major thrill. 

Don't be afraid to have your heart checked. You might get some really good news. If it's less than stellar though, know that there are great new ways of fixing them. Trust me, Miz Scardeycat, on this. You're young enough to correct almost any problem.