Inspiration

The idea for this painting came to me

on the road to Phoenix.

A semi-truck passed
and as it did I noticed a big dirty smudge on it's back door.
Reminded me of a circle head on a square chest
with a lamb across the shoulders.
I made a quick sketch-reminder
and took it to canvas a few weeks later.

I never know for sure what's going to happen
as the process of painting occurs.
I have an idea–like a seed.
Sometimes it turns into the plant and flower
you imagined it might be.
Sometimes it’s a surprise—a miracle or challenge.

The title of a painting usually
comes to me as I'm painting and the story is unfolding.
Other times like this one, it waits till the end.

“Return."
30” by 18”
oil on canvas

Meeting on the Path

Meeting on the Path
(Based on a true story by LCH)

It happened at sun set.
Dillon was out taking his usual walk around the yard
looking for interesting things to photograph.
He was on his way up the gravel path toward the garden tables.

~

This time of year it's almost like a jungle path!
Lavender, mint, and red berry bushes are spreading out and over,
Trees dropping all sorts of things to the ground,
and those sword shaped Dutch iris leaves along the edge—
4 foot tall by now-- have already started to turn brown and lay down for winter.

Dillon moseyed on wishing he had a machete to clear this annoying vegetation.

Then he stopped...
looked down,
And there just before him amongst the twigs and chat on the overgrown path
was what looked like a piece of rope?
What!
Rope that m o v e s ?

Snake!
Awakened abruptly from his warm end of day nap--
scared out of his wits!
Reared his venomous little head.

Maybe he thought Dillon was the monster Red Shoulder Hawk.
No matter--he sensed something was not good.
With a tail rattle he said--
"Back I say-- Back!! I'm warning you!"

~

Dillon got the message.
He reported that Snake was only about 14 inches long--
not much more that a baby,
but he also knew that even a small rattlesnake is dangerous.


Dillon scared Little Snake
and Little Snake scared Dillon.

Dillon stepped back, snapped his picture,and Little Snake slipped off into the bushes.

The end

Along the Road--a seed painting

"Along the Road"

Sun shined high on Blue fox

Purely paused at back---

Prayed'n moved with steady breath

N'held there to day's end.

~
I had a thought come to me yesterday that my writing could be called

"figurative abstract verse". I saw those words "figurative, abstract"

I don't remember where right now--and the rest just popped into my head.

It sounded right.

I think this freedom I give myself in writing any way I want--

making my own rules is one of the reasons I paint the way I do.

It's probably true for all self-taught/naive artist.

The child in us doesn't realize there are so many rules in life.

The good side of all those rules being imposed on us is

that it gives our external world order.

The other side of the coin is that it can restrict our self-expression,

if we feel what we have to say doesn't fit the mold.

Funny thing --Linda doesn't feel obligated to restrict the expression

of her internal world through her painting or how she arranges the dishes

on the table or how she designs and plants the garden.......

But when it comes to going against a "Don't Walk on the Grass" sign

--you'll have to drag her across.