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.

Not an Illustrator, Not a traditionalist, All about Listening to the Paint

Now, don't get me wrong, I admire the traditionalists, and after working on an illustration for a family friend for two weeks, I have enormous admiration for the work of illustrators. It's just not for me. I learned that illustration is remarkably demanding. And, while the recipient of the work was quite pleased with the outcome, I kept looking for C O L O R!! Once again I realized how very invested I am with color and paint. Duh, eh? Bet you could have helped me out with this. There was also a local call for artists on the subject of red at a respected gallery here. I am not one to submit work to galleries very often, but this one intrigued me. The gallery wants to exhibit work that will augment an upcoming performance of the play, Red, by John Logan, about the life and work of Mark Rothko. Of course, I had to start painting with a lot of green....More about that next week. I've also submitted another painting to the call, and another work for a show in New Mexico. Whew! Abiquiu Ancestors: Opening Sanctuary 30" x 30," oil on canvas Image © 2012 Melinda S. Esparza This painting is getting some attention today as it waits patiently to be finished soon. Abiquiu Ancestors: Opening Sanctuary (detail) 30" x 30," oil on canvas Image © 2012 Melinda S. Esparza Not quite done, but getting closer: Abiquiu Ancestors: Opening Sanctuary 30" x 30," oil on canvas Image © 2012 Melinda S. Esparza Do you have some thoughts on Rothko to share? I watched a documentary last night about Henry Geldzahler. Have you ever wondered why certain artists were heralded more than others, and women artists were virtually left out of the heralding in the 1960s. Well, wonder no more. Henry Geldzahler wrote about his artist friends, and the work he enjoyed most. Simple. There you have it. And because of his position as Curator for American Art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, he was able to push the careers of his artist friends. Who Gets to Call It Art?, by Peter Rosen, is the name of the documentary. See for yourself. I'm not specifically against this sort of thing. It seems to be a natural enough behavior. The problem I have is its exclusivity and exclusion of a wider range of artists--in any era. Just got the link to the National Park Service's page on Artists-in-Residence at the Grand Canyon last week. Yep, I'm there and feeling pretty excited about the whole thing. My hiking boots are broken in and my packing skills are honed... It's been a busy time offline. I've missed you all. Are you doing what you want to do in your studios? Oh, I really hope so! I'll be back--soon.