Sunday, May 24, 2009

Strawberry Banana Acoma


What a glorious time of year it is. Spring time is here and the desert is blooming. We've had the oddest, but, most wondrous rain this past week. The hybrid sunflowers are blooming with rich, intense color. Photos coming soon.

This painting is a 9" x 12," oil on canvas of the northern New Mexico region, Acoma, in the Diné (Navajo) Reservation. It reminds me of an ice cream float. I must be channeling my admiration for Wayne Thiebaud and Fritz Scholder again. I must be ready for a delicious smoothie on a warm Sunday.

Reading Art & Fear (Bayles, Orland) has been good this weekend. As I traveled around looking at other artists' blogs, I was encouraged that our thoughts and feelings are the same. We struggle, triumph, we grow despondent and try again. "Some people who make art are driven by inspiration, others by provocation, still others by desperation."--from the book. Aren't we all, in discrete moments, all of the above?

Yet, I am ever stunned slack-jawed as I contemplate nature....

Or watch the new color rising from the richest ochre soil
like some fancy dancer making her big leap,

Or make the first swish of paint on the fresh ground of canvas
that amazes this maker, nearly freezing in mid stroke, joyful, wholly grateful to be.

What if our paintings make poems of landscapes, songs of flowers that mirror all that we can see?
 
"History doesn't repeat itself - at best it sometimes rhymes”--cousin Mark Twain
Let's rhyme in a good way.

19 comments:

Joan Breckwoldt said...

Hi Melinda,
What a great post! I love your painting, I love the simplicity of it yet you somehow captured the scene and a feeling. I need to get that book out and take a look . . .
Thank you as always, for sharing,
Joan
p.s. looking forward to your photos.

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Melinda,

I love the painting and the post. Mark is your cousin? Also I love the title. This lovely thick oiled piece
says so much in a beautiful abstract way.

You are super.

xoxoxoBarbara

Melinda said...

Hi Joan,
Oh, yes, it's one of those books that really proves handy any day of the week.

Thank you!

daviddrawsandpaints said...

Straight from the heart - luscious brushstrokes of joyous yellow, flirty pink, bruised red, and baby sky blue. What a combo - if I didn't know it was a landscape I would say it was a portrait...of me :o)
(Grateful to you, Melinda, I've bounced back!)
xx

SYLVIANE said...

Melinda,
It is a pleasure to read you blogs, you have such a vivid way to share your feelings, and your talentuous paintings!
Bravo!
And thank you for dropping on my blog, your comment was greatly appreciated.

Melinda said...

Hi Barbara,
Thank you for your comment. In real life it looks like a frosted cake, yum.

Ah, the cousin thing. Yes, he is a first cousin, umpteen times removed. We were trying to calculate how many of us cousins are out here like me, but our boy, the math whiz, isn't home yet! We ran out of fingers and toes and guessed that there are anywhere from 2800 to 50,000 first cousins...See how bad at math we are? Mr. Samuel Clemens and I have a grandmother in common. Although, I can place more 'greats' in front of the word grandmother!

Melinda said...

Thank you so much, David. I always get a chortle when you stop by. Thank you!

So glad to hear you've bounced back. To the moon and over!

Melinda said...

Merci beaucoup, Sylviane!

I hope you'll visit again in the future. I appreciate your kind words.

Votre travail d'art est très bon!

Karen said...

You put it well...the struggle, the triumph, the despondency, the trying again. It's interesting to read it put so succinctly when going through that process is SO MUCH emotion. And think of how many times a day? a painting? a moment? that we do it! phew.
Keep channeling Wayne!

Melinda said...

Oh, I want to write your words on my studio door, Karen! Isn't it funny that when we come out of our art storm, we feel so much better and vow to be more positive in the future...but, the process repeats again?!

Wayne Thiebaud...Wayne Thiebaud. Working on it. Thank you.

Anonymous said...

Ms. Esparza, you changed the name of your blog! Interesting.
Loooove the texture here and the thin crimson streak of a mountain over golden sands. Lovely.

laura said...

Your painting is delicious! The palette is Thiebaudish!
Love the Twain quote too.

Melinda said...

Hello Ms. Silvina!
Yes, the statute of limitations has expired soooo...(just kidding)

Glad you like the painting. It still looks like food to me.

Melinda said...

Hi Laura,
That's a high compliment indeed--Thibaudish! Wow. Now let's see if I can do more like this...or better.

Thank you for visiting!

Pam Holnback said...

This painting does remind me of icecream, but I see NM. I also read, and reread, Art & Fear, it let's us know our thoughts are not so unusual. This painting is a poem. Love your work, glad I discovered your blog.

Melinda said...

Hi Pam,
I'm so glad you stopped by. Thank you for your comment about my painting and about Art & Fear. It is a comfort to know we're not alone.
I love your avatar!

Jala Pfaff said...

How funny, when I saw it I was going to mention Thiebaud...then I read your post. :)

Linny D. Vine said...

Way to swish, Melinda!!! This one has such appeal for me. The thick paint and big loose colors...YUM!!!

Melinda said...

Hi Linny! I'm glad you like this painting. It was fun to work on and it still looks like food...even after a couple of weeks.