Original Watercolor, 2010

Artist's Notes

If I ever feel like starting a painting and I don't have a clear subject to focus on, I will either use a rose or a tree.  A tree, to me, is a symbol of life -- it is a living, breathing thing that embodies strength and existence on earth.  When I hear trees moving in the wind I always believe they are applauding, and it usually makes me smile.  They live among us and are directly connected to the earth.  They are like guardians.

I am working with two palettes of color, and the colors will be put down similar to pointillism and I will mix them on the surface of the paper like I usually do.  I will just let the colors stain and overlap each other, creating new colors while still maintaining their original integrity.  I am also not painting a sky or ground because I want the image to totally dominate the paper.  Nothing else will be added to distract from the power of the image.

This painting will be the first one to offer a likeness of my body.  I am not interested in painting nudes of others, or myself; but for the first time I am presenting my image as a realistic shape even though it is a stylized tree trunk.  It is a gift to my friends who don't care that my shape is different, and it is for the public to see if they like.  I am trying to embrace the uniqueness of my distorted body by proving that I accept it for how it is, distorted or not.  It is mine and no others, and it is unique because it is so different.

The painting symbolizes that while I am anchored to the earth, I am free from the usual daily entrapment that is my life.  I am happy to be a guardian as long as I can dance.

This painting was finished on February 2, 2010 at 5 a.m.