To everything, TURN, TURN, TURN....

It has officially been 1 month since I started this painting. This Large painting! Although, I am enjoying it tremendously, it has somewhat become my "kitchen remodel". This meaning, that once I paint one detail, I realize that I need to add another one or fix something else to have it look right. It's a necessary cycle. I've taken several "breaks" from this one and have often woken up in the morning to work on it, only to find that I have drank a pot of tea and all I've done is sit and stare at it. I've been stuck. I've made some breakthroughs. I've been utterly annoyed, I've walked away, and yet have completely found joy with it all.
"A time of love, a time of hate
A time of war, a time of peace
A time you may embrace
A time to refrain from embracing"

For the past week I've only been working on this guy (no other littles). I tell you this, because I've had a few people ask when I'm going to post again. And, since I suffer from ADD..(see ADD flare)
I have decided NOT to intermix the little paintings for now, and I'm going to spend this whole next week finishing it!

This painting was the kick off start to me getting back into painting again after 20 years away. I sketched it out 6 months ago, (6 MONTHS AGO!) during the goldfish's nap.....the next thing you know I'm on Craigslist buying an easel and down $200 in art supplies.....(this number might be greatly deflated).

I'm very excited to TURN this thing around soon! Because I do think it's getting close.

In the meantime, here is a couple little snippets off my "kitchen remodel".

It is the season. 

Turn, Turn, Turn. 

-Cheree 

On Wisconsin, On Wisconsin, Plunge right through that line!

Every time I take a trip to see my in-laws, I make the peacock take me to the UW campus and State Street in Madison, WI.
Why you ask?
I like my in-laws, I didn't go to school there.

It's all because it is F ing awesome. I really can't get enough of State street and the qwirky little shops. But, Memorial Terrace (can we go to the place with all the colored chairs) is my favorite. I really can't explain as to why. I just really like the whole atmosphere. I kinda want to go be 22 again and be a UW hipster. (Actually, I really just want to be a hipster).

Oh, and I forgot to mention, The Chairs. The CHAIRS!  The wonderful colored chairs. All the chairs appear to be having the time of their life, conversing, hipstering, living the life of a social butterfly, independently wealthy professional students.

I want to be a UW chair........

"So, I told Sam, I'm totally done just sitting here and listening to bullshit. I mean, it's time for me to move on." -Yellow chair
"Word, I know what you mean, moving on over was the best thing for me. I mean I was somewhat forced to move, like dragged, but still, it was the best move ever." -Orange chair

On the Terrace (2015) Madison, WI

Watercolor Journal 

"Tomorrow, I'm totally gonna do it. I'm totally gonna jump in the lake.....like naked this time. It's gonna be awesome!" -Yellow chair
"You totally should." -Green chair
"I know, it'll be all #cannonball #terracechairstyle #chairsaway #sittindippin......

Overlooking the Lake (2015) Madison, WI

Watercolor Journal 

#chairishthemoment, #chairiobeaches

#cheree

The Queen- A semi self portrait (Ok, self portrait)

Ok, so this just might be a self portrait in a sense of how I act at the ballpark. Not so much at Coors field (Ok, maybe a little at Coors), but mostly at my son's games. I can't really help it though, sometimes baseball requires a royal intervention.

And here's a story as to why.

A few weeks back my son's team, the Stars, had made it into the semi finals for their machine pitch 8 and under league. Not an easy feat. For months I have been taking him to practice & watching, not only him, but the other 6-8year olds working on their game with dreams of making it in the Major leagues one day. Those who shuffle kids to sports know the sacrifice it takes to get them there and ALL the investment.

Now here's where I get pissed...."off with your head pissed!"

My son's team played this team we will call....."Win at all costs" or WAAC for short. (Because that's what it was, WAAC, ass, crazy). WAAC played 2 pitchers, & 3, YES 3 extra outfielders.....now WTF comes to mind, I know, because that's what all of us parents & coaches said. But heaven forbid some kids have to sit on the bench....
WTF are we doing to our children?!?!? I mean really. This is a tournament baseball league! This is baseball! What really are you teaching them? Baseball is F ing hard. It's best to learn that now. Oh, and news flash, Life is hard and, there are people on the bench and people working hard, really F ing hard.

Just writing this makes my blood boil. Our coaches asked the other team to play fair with 9 on 9. They did not. "Off With YOUR HEAD!" So our team played 9 on 13. The peacock, of course,  went ape shit over the fairness of this game (was threatened to be kicked out for questioning the fairness of WAAC) & how can all these adults think this is an okay way to teach children sportsmanship & the game of baseball? How can all these parents watch little kids be treated so unfairly. I mean you're keeping score, counting 3 outs, counting 3 strikes, but play 13 players...that makes no sense. In fact it is nonsense. NONSENSE! Anyway, we were ahead until the last inning. We lost in the last inning by 2 runs. Life isn't fair & sometimes people cheat & win. Sometimes you play against a stacked deck. And you battle hard, only to come up frustrated and short. But eventually....eventually, I know David beats Goliath, it's either that or its off with their heads. Which ever comes first.

Off with their heads (Coors field) (2015)

Acrylic on canvas 6x6

Wonderland Denver 

I'm pretty sure my son is already over this, for me, well........... 
" I warn you, child... if I lose my temper, you lose your head! Understand?" -Queen of Hearts

-Cheree

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