Dancing, Fighting , and Forgiving Mathematics

I read on the internet that Alice in Wonderland was originally about the author's field of study, math....Math, really?!  (click this link to see). Math link (This is a great read)
I always thought this book was about drugs or just some really crazy fantasy dream with wild subliminal messages. But math has always been hard for me & has made utter nonsense through most of my schooling, so I guess I can see that.
Sort of?
However, reading it now as an adult, I have come to feel that for me, this book is about struggles of everyday life and how we interpret and make sense of those struggles.....math included!
Let's take a look at the Tweedles. Now they for the most part get along, loving to dance, tell stories, doing the "Math" of life. Contrariwise, they often also battle. They have been battling over the same thing for years! YEARS!!! Dee broke Dum's rattle (a silly rattle!) and he has never forgiven him for this act.....hmmmmm, forgiveness.
Forgiveness.
Now, that is a problem that I'm quite certain even Math cannot solve.
Forgiving your children, your lover, your boss, coworkers, friends, enemies.....
Forgiving yourself.
But also letting these things go. One minute you are dancing, one minute you are fighting. The balance of power, the internal struggle, the restoration and reduction...."The Temper" of life.

I painted the Tweedles with Borofsky's "The Dancers". These too (Two) have also caused some fight with their dance. Dancers Objection/commentary (I personally really like both The Dancers and Borofsky. The sculpture itself looks different every single time I see it).
The Dancers are really much like the Tweedles. Their relationship to each other is different every time you see them. They often appear to make nonsense in their "temper". I hope that one day we all can truly forgive each other, and mostly ourselves to really fully enjoy the dance we are doing... mind our tempers.

The Battle of the Dance (Borofsky's "The Dancers") 2015

Acrylic on canvas panel 6x6

"Let's fight till six, and then have dinner."-Tweedledum
"And if he left off dreaming about you, where do you suppose you'd be?" -Tweedledee

I suppose I should forgive & thank mathematics, for without it, I would have no Wonderland Denver series to paint.
-Cheree

Madly crashing the palace

I have never been to the Brown Palace. I've never stayed there and I've never been there for tea.
I know this is shocking to some, as I drink tea by the pot fulls, and live within walking distance, but I've just never gone. It is on my list of one of the Denver things I need to go do.

Tea at the Brown Palace has been going on for over a century. Now, that's not long by London standards, but by Denver standards, that's MAD!

For the third painting in my Wonderland Denver series, I love the thought of the Mad Hatter and March Hare crashing the Brown Palace for a tea party. This thought brings me endless joy. The Mad Hatter and March Hare themselves, are quite interesting characters, and not too different from patrons of The Brown Palace or your local bar. The March Hare wants time to stand still, living only in the escape....forever....at tea time. He does not move forward or backwards, or even in the moment. He remains still, wanting time to stop. The Mad Hatter seems to be waiting patiently for his friend/partner/loved one to "snap out of it", all the while trying to keep his own sanity, but somewhat already going mad.

Crashing the Palace (Brown Palace) 2015

Acrylic on canvas panel 6x6

"Have I gone mad?" -Mad Hatter
 "I'm afraid so. You're entirely bonkers. -Alice

But I'll tell you a secret. All the best people are.” (Tim Burton add-on from the remake, which is brilliant)

-Cheree

Buying vs. Renting

The White Rabbit. The second in my Wonderland Denver series.
I have to be honest, this painting was difficult for me. The white rabbit stresses me out. All the rushing and anxiety.....it gives me chest pain. He's getting squeezed for time, money, housing, you name it. He's doing his best to keep his job, his house, raise his family all within the shrinking moment of time; that he can't enjoy and that he has no control over. His commute to work is long and stressful. Each day he loses more and more time in his life. He looks at his life and asks: F*@k, where did my 20's go?...."No wonder you're late, you're watch is exactly 2 days slow."(-Mad Hatter) F*@k, now I have to find some time and money to buy a new watch... . He works a job to pay the bills and his student loans, for a crazy nut who at any moment might chop off his head, his feet or his balls....who knows? His boss is crazy. He has no time for ANYONE, let alone himself. He is a very depressing character. At the rate he is going he will most likely become bankrupt from medical bills due to stress related illnesses (especially if the GOP gets into office and begins to screw with Obamacare...yes, I support Obamacare, in fact I think we should have a healthcare system like Europe! Seriously, let's get with it already)
Many of us have played the part of the Rabbit at some point in our lives.

He doesn't own his time......everyone else does. His time is rented.

If only we could buy him some time......
More time for his classes,
More time for his children,
More time for his vacation
More time for his wife's maternity leave,
More time for himself!
More Time...........
But quite possibly maybe it's not about buying time, but slowing down to DEMAND it! Make it! OWN it!

"Mr. Rabbit, WAIT, Please!" (Union Station Denver) (2015) 

Acrylic on canvas panel 6x6

"The hurrier I go, the behinder I get." -Rabbit
-Cheree

"Not blue, not green, not aquamarine."

We are officially into summer! YeeeeHaaaawwww! The last day of first grade was on Wednesday and now it's time to stay up late, sleep in, and watch TV All Day!
Uh no, THAT is not happening! You get 2 vacation TV days, then it's off to camp for you boy!
This year "the boy" is going to attend the YMCA camp and a Lego Jedi engineering camp. I'm going to keep him active and busy. He has a love of the TV (The Simpsons particularly) and I really want him to be outside and also keeping up with his reading.

We are fortunate to be able to walk to the Central Public library, which is the most beautiful building in Denver! We sign up for summer reading every year and they really have a great program.

Now, about painting. Summer reading has excited me to start my first painting series.
"Wonderland Denver" (guess what I'm reading right now)

This painting is the first in this series and I have at least 3 more planned. I'm going to see where it takes me. Isn't that what summer is all about? No rules, being free, trying out new things? I can't promise anything other than I have an idea and I'm going to run with it (or bridge run with it, as I'm not a runner) See Bridge Running and Base Jumping Blog post.

Yipppeeee  Summer!

Painting the Roses (Denver Public Library)

Acrylic on canvas panel 6x6

"What is the use of a book, without pictures or conversations?" (Alice)

-Cheree 

8 year old girls hate Clayton Kershaw

I am truly an 8 year old girl in my heart. This is the age I revert to when I am tired, hungry, sad, angry.....and having an artist block, which is currently occurring. I must be honest, I have not been painting every day. This past week I have only been sleeping in the early mornings. I'm not sure why, but I have been both tired and uninspired (not because there is not inspirational things or moments around, but because that feeling for me has been taken over by other feelings I guess).

But.......a break in the weather & thus my mood last week, I stumbled upon a beautiful scene of the city when looking for a place to get  my kids dinner before our son's baseball practice.

"Mom, what street are we on?"
I don't know, look at the city, I need to pull over and take a picture.
"Mom, I think we are close to a Subway."
Yeah! I eat suway too. (goldfish) I wuv suway! 
No, subway! They put yoga mats in their bread.
yoya mats? 
"No, they don't do that anymore, they said so on the commercial."
No, subway!
I wan suway!!! I wan suway!!!
I can't believe I've never seen this view of the city before.
"Mom, Clayton Kershaw eats subway all the time and he's one of the best pitchers in major league."
Oh My God! you know what else Clayton Kershaw eats?
"What?"
Yoga mats. We're not getting subway.
"Mom! They don't put yoga mats in the bread anymore!!!!"
I wan suway. I!   WAN! SUNWAYYYYY! 
"Okay fine, how about a morning bun from Starbucks?"

I must interject.....please don't judge. My children 90% of the time do eat really good foods, but we also are very active and  sometimes snacks and meals are on the road and done in a hurry. They also know when to catch me at my moment of traffic irritated weakness (this is when Starbucks and Subway first emeged)

No! I'm getting some chicken and veggies from Sprouts.
Uhhhhhhh I wan suway uhhhhhhh

I now revert to my 8 year old self and imagine a time with no Subway, no Starbucks & No Kershaw! Only bright rainbows and lots of glittery clouds above a quiet colorful city. A Quiet, Quiet, city.

Ahhh.........Peaceful thoughts.
Bright rainbows, quiet times.
Lots of glitter!
No Kershaw........

Rainbow Bright (2015)

Acrylic on panel 9x12

Buy Now

"Mom, if you get chicken I will not eat it, I'm just going to starve for my practice!"

uuuuuuhhhhhh, I wan suway uhhhhhhhhhh!!! 

Damn you Clayton Kershaw!

-Cheree 

A Grand Texas, Funk you up, send off.

On my last day in Texas, within the Alamo, we stumbled upon pure Texas magic.

The Mariachi Band. 

These guys.......I have no words. 

Don't believe me? Just watch:

(Video is not the greatest, I'm still figuring that out with the blogging, but just listen!)

Grand Funk Mariachi (2015)

Acrylic on canvas panel 8x6

Thank You Texas, you have funked me up! 

-Cheree