After the Storm – 20”x20” Acrylic on Canvas

Thunderstorms have graced our area for about the last week. I find them fascinating, romantic and frustrating all at the same time. I find them fascinating in that they are a wonder of nature, providing the earth with refreshing nourishment and yet they can be amazingly destructive. Romantic, there is nothing better than cuddling with a lover during a storm lights out, appreciating each other and the weather, with the rain tapping on the window panes, the lightening offering a strobe effect to the rhythm and thunder punctuating what lovers do best. Then frustrating, in that I can’t go outside and paint on my porch, the day has been dictated to be indoor activities and I am not quite cured completely from the cabin fever created by the tardiness of the nice weather last season.

On top of that, I struggle with my Fibromyalgia on rainy days. It doesn’t make me bed ridden but after several days of damp weather it takes great physical and mental effort to get things done which normally would be a snap.

Interestingly, my son made the observation that this piece had a different mood than my last few nudes. As I pondered that thought, I believe his view is correct because I am not in the same mood as when I did the last ones. This piece is a direct reflection of the way I feel on the rainy days and have to struggle to do even the simplest things. Today was full of interruptions and fatigue. Yet, immense pleasure can be found in the simplest of accomplishments if you just allow yourself to stop and feel it. The subtle smile of my figure hints at this allowance.

This piece also has a more traditional pose. The uncomfortable perspective that characterizes several of my other nudes is not used in this piece. Maybe it is because I wanted comfort from the promise of a trying day that rain brings.

Blessing and Sprouts – Acrylic on Canvas 12”x12”

My sister-in-law has been on my mind lately; she has three young ones and is a single mom. They came to visit last week and I got a huge dose of young sprouts. I have no idea how she keeps her sanity. For the few days they were with us it almost felt like someone had opened Pandora’s Box right in the middle of our living room and it permeated everything we did or attempted to do. Even the simplest tasks such as cooking would be interrupted by the pandemonium. The boys were ornery, energetic and seemed to literally bounce off the walls. Her littlest of two years, was amazingly curious and she has such a beautiful radiance that you can not really get upset with her. She has a mischievous smile that will make any annoyance evaporate. I had forgotten what it was like with my son, but of course he was the only one. The mix of ages and interests is just astounding to consider taking on. I suppose when you start out with them new and adding them to your life gradually, you figure out how to handle it. I think I was just overwhelmed because it was completely out of my experience. I can honestly say though, I enjoyed having them here but was relieved to get back to my quiet comfort zone.
I do know I was thankful for the tools in my own mental toolbox to cope even for the short time they were here. Yesterday I mentioned Eckhart Tolle’s “A New Earth” this book is such a wonderful resource if you a seeking peace of mind. The day I bought the book I picked it up and read the first chapter and I was hooked. It spoke to me on so many levels and inspired me to further explore my Kansas Wildflower Series and to begin my experimentation of doing them en plain aire.

One passage struck a cord with me, and I’ll share it here:

“Seeing beauty in a flower could awaken humans, however briefly, to the beauty that is an essential part of their own innermost being, their true nature. The first recognition of beauty was one of the most significant events in the evolution of human consciousness. The feelings of joy and love are intrinsically connected to that recognition. Without fully realizing it, flowers would become for us an expression in form of that which is most high, most sacred, and ultimately formless within ourselves. Flowers, more fleeting, more ethereal, and more delicate than the plants out of which they emerged, would become like messengers from another realm, like a bridge between the world of physical forms and the formless. They not only had a scent that was delicate and pleasing to humans, but also brought a fragrance from the realm of spirit. Using the word 'enlightenment' in a wider sense than the conventionally accepted one, we could look upon flowers as the enlightenment of plants.”

There is much more to that chapter and the book in it’s entirety but this is the one paragraph that continues to inspire my current work with my wildflowers and on a deeper level explains human reaction the arts and the intrinsic desire to be creative. It has also dawned on me recently you can find the same joy, love and wonder when observing our own tiny sprouts.

Wednesday Night Discussions – Acrylic on Canvas 12”x12”

Several weeks ago, well maybe it could be classified now as months, my neighbor Barbara and I happened to be outside at the same time and we got to talking. This isn’t a new experience, over the last few years living in our house we often saw Barbara outside working in her lawn and on occasion we would strike up a conversation. But this day, months ago, proved to be significant. For some reason we began to talk about religion and faith, we seemed to be on a similar wavelength. I brought up a new book that I’d started. Currently, it’s a very popular book and was currently being hyped by Oprah. It was Eckhart Tolle’s “A New Earth.” By coincidence she had also been reading the very same book and a good friend of hers, Pat was too. They had wanted to get together and discuss the book but hadn’t gotten around to doing it. I was game if they where game. So, our Wednesday night discussions began.

As our conversations evolve, we frequently get away from the book and discuss the many things that are happening in our lives. Through these experiences we have grown a friendship that I would not have anticipated. I look forward to our weekly get together and each week we struggle to remember which chapter we are on. Over the weeks we have become quite lax in our intended agenda, but as if fate dictated our path, whether starts out pointedly about the book or not, swings to be significant to the chapter we initially intended to discuss. Being that it is the end of the day, we are quite informal and spend most of the time, simply enjoying each other’s company. Oh, it’s so much fun!

This last Wednesday, I shared with both of them several of the pieces I have gotten done in the past few weeks. They expressed an interest and watching how I painted and to see the creative process. So, today I called Barbara and told her I was going to be painting this morning and if it pleased her, she was welcome to come over and see what this painting thing was all about. She sauntered on over and before she knew it, she was getting involved in the painting with ideas, comments and a new perspective. As the piece grew, it started to show an influence of the three of us and our Wednesday evenings. I think just having one of them there and the interactions we’ve had subconsciously dictated the end result. None the less, it was refreshing to have another to get involved with my process. Maybe next time I can put a brush in her hand too.

So to honor our morning today and as a reminder of my new friends and our “Wednesday Night Discussions” I have named this piece to reflect these two important relationships with my neighbors.

Morning Allure – Acrylic on Canvas 36”x36”

Morning is such a peaceful time of the day; it’s the beginning of a whole world of opportunities. Ok, I know how cliché that is, but it is true. If you stop and really take the time to observe the fresh day you can find deep wells of peace and serenity. If you allow it, the chaos and clutter of the previous day can be washed away with the dreams of the night before and a state of clearing of the mind and hope for what the day will bring.

It brought to mind “Morning Has Broken.”

As Sung by Cat Stevens

lyrics by Eleanor Farjeon

Morning has broken, like the first morning

Blackbird has spoken, like the first bird

Praise for the singing, praise for the morning

Praise for the springing fresh from the word

Sweet the rain's new fall, sunlit from heaven

Like the first dewfall, on the first grass

Praise for the sweetness of the wet garden

Sprung in completeness where his feet pass

Mine is the sunlight, mine is the morning

Born of the one light, Eden saw play

Praise with elation, praise every morning

God's recreation of the new day

Last evening I was in a tense mood, I had more on my agenda that didn’t get done and on top of that, my teenager decided to be obstinate. He’s in trouble and for some reason he thinks he can still create his own agenda. Then, after the threat of a local thunderstorm (figuratively and literally) this morning was relatively cool and is promising a mild day.

This piece is painted plein air directly from my new Echinacea plants. It is a little looser then my previous pieces and I am pleased with this new direction. My potted plants are showing the toll of the warm up from the last few days and I am pleased that a few blooms remain. There are also new buds which are persevering to break open and to despite the July heat. Perhaps a lesson can be learned from these blooms to remember that no matter what the weather life goes on and each morning can be an opportunity to start anew.

Susan’s Wind Dance – 20”x20” Acrylic on Canvas

Another piece from the gift of a bunch of potted Black-eyed Susans from a mother of one of my son’s friends, once again painted en plain aire. I was so excited to sit down and create from this lovely gift.

However, it never seems to fail that I have a manic Monday. My day started out very serene and pleasant, I found myself up early and made myself busy immediately with the tasks planned beginning of course with painting. Then as the heat of the day came on, and distractions seemed to have been blown in with the wind and the dance to balance everything began. I know you’ve experienced a day very similar, suddenly pulled away by circumstances beyond your control, then appointments to keep that drag on forever. Now mind you, it wasn’t what I’d classify as a “bad” day, just a variety of unexpected turns and surprises, not all of them pleasant or what I’d jump up and down for joy about.

The first distraction was the discovery that my son had gotten into a fight with a long time friend, (I think if you boiled the issues down and got to the meat of the matter, it concerned testosterone poisoning and alpha male posturing) no one was seriously hurt, but egos were bruised. Several other boys were spectators and instigators so that took the better part of the day to sort out. I was so thankful that I knew the parents well of the boy he actually fought. We all agreed both where in the wrong and that we would punish each appropriately. Needless to say both boys have lost many privileges and are grounded for a while. Oh, the angst of the teenage years!

Then I had a car appointment that was just crazy, I ended up with a phone call that they couldn’t start my VW bug! If you have never owned a VW bug then you might not know that if you put the key in upside down it won’t start the car! LOL. I had to make a special trip back into town to start the car for them so they could pull it in to do the servicing. They did a wonderful job despite not knowing how to start the VW (by the way it was a new windshield they were installing and not any of the mechanical things!!! We can be thankful for the small things.)

Needless to say, as the day waned, I was so pleased to finally wind down my day by getting back to where the day started and to finish what I had begun. The most amazing part is that I was just a little frustrated with this piece in the morning when I believed all was right in the world, then later in the day after the chaos, the piece came together without a hitch. I must have needed to get away from the piece and deal with the issues for the piece to evolve as it did. The creative process, who would’ve thunk it!

Big Sky Beauty - Acrylic on Canvas 48"x36"

You never know what a day will bring to you. I woke up this morning at 4:30 am and couldn’t get back to sleep. So I decided that my day should start so I ate breakfast and waited until 6:30 to take my son to his football weights program. When I got home it was such a beautiful morning I decided to paint. I have been broadcasting when I paint on the web at http://leivan.camstreams.com and decided to broadcast this session. While on a break I viewed the chat room and there was a viewer there “ArtLover” who I found out was in London… simply amazing. We started talking about the piece and invited a critique. Together we discussed many aspects of the piece. What a wonderful experience! Input can be so valuable. Sometimes painting can seem so solitary. Thank you anonymous “ArtLover” for your input and friendly chat. Hope to see you on again.

About the name of the piece, I painted these “en plain aire” direct from potted Echinacea that I purchased a few days ago. These particular flowers are called “Big Sky Sundown” and they are a special hybrid by P.P.A.F Evan Saul. Their color is more of a sunset pinky orange (what I love to call sky blue pink) rather than magenta. They are so lovely and I enjoyed painting them.

Susan Sunshine - 24”x24” Acrylic on Canvas

Today I received a gift of a bunch of potted Black-eyed Susans from a mother of one of my son’s friends. I was so excited that I had to paint one en plain aire. This lovely little lady stood up and away from the bunch, almost with a defiance to get the best light of the day. It has been a long time since I painted from a live subject and it was invigorating. For this summer I planned to go out to the Flint Hills and paint directly from life but haven’t found an afternoon that could be dedicated to the 40 mile trip. What a better way than to bring the native wildflowers directly to my back porch to paint them… an inspiration. Maybe I’ll have to visit the nursery tomorrow and fill my back porch with additional blooms!

Rainy Repose - 20"x20" Acrylic on Canvas

Wouldn’t you know the very day I get back to painting after “Life” getting in the way of painting goals it would rain? This is why the piece is named “Rainy Repose.” Despite this wet obstacle I went ahead and painted. It was a piece I had started at the end of May and hadn’t gotten back to it. It is rare that I start a piece and do not finish it within a sitting or two, in the past, when I have put a piece aside too long it turned out to be a complete flop. I am very pleased with the results and I think the summer shower added to my mood and it reflected nicely on the canvas. The time in between must have been needed to make this piece successful. To me she seems so calm and ok with waiting on the rain. A very comfortable piece says acceptance rather than struggle.

I have been anticipating being able to paint outside since February and I have painted outside this spring, but the last month or so I have unintentionally put off painting. I had a bunch of spring repairs to do (one being a repair from a limb going through our camper trailer roof!) and the back yard to clean up from the winter. I ended up doing so many of these things that I put myself into a Fibromyalgia flare followed by an upper repertory infection that lingered for about three weeks. I do need to feel good to be creative. Whew, maybe all of those delays and frustrations are over.

Although I haven’t been painting it doesn’t mean that I have ignored everything to do with my paintings. I have been doing the other, not so creative stuff. I have two new galleries! I can now be found regularly at The Collective Art Gallery of Topeka and The Topeka Art Guild. As well as couple of other new prospects... to be announced as they come into reality. I have been working on a redesign of my Feminine Desert book to be available like my Kansas Wildflower book. Then I have been doing research for my Five Element Tarot Series and exploring the Flint Hills for my Kansas Wildflower series.

Also, I have once again redesigned my site… it’s almost getting to be a quarterly event. I found a new service that is specifically geared for artists and if all goes well, I believe it will be my final “parking spot.” My main concern is to provide a place for you to keep up with all my stuff and you will always be able to find me at www.leivan.net no matter where I decide to park the site.

Finally, I want to mention in this post, I have added a live webcam of our back porch to my site. It can be found on my front page www.leivan.net or leivan.camstreams.com. The porch is one of my most favorite places to paint. Our life seems to revolve around that space in the summer time. I love to be outdoors as much as possible. You can check it out on occasion to see if you can catch me painting. Camstreams.com also makes chat available on the webcam’s homepage and I have had quite a few hits on it in the short week that I have had it available. I thought it would be a fun addition to the interaction of my website.

I am trying to contain my excitement because this month and continuing my work will now be available in two local galleries.

As an artist it is imperative to get your work seen. So I regularly pursue new venues for my artwork. This month I have acquired two new spaces. The Topeka Art Guild and the prestigious The Collective Art Gallery here in Topeka. Both places will have samples of my current work but they will carry different series.

The Topeka Art Guild will carry several pieces from my "Kansas Wildflower Series" and The Collective will display my newest "Celestial Correspondence" series.

Fresh off the Easel
This Month at The Collective Art Gallery Topeka.
3121 SW Huntoon, Topeka, KS 66604 - 785.234.4254
Hours: Wed-Fri 12-4 p.m. Sat 10-2 p.m and First Fridays 5:30 - 8:30 (July First Friday is on June 27th)

From My Celestial Correspondence Series
Quiet Vigilance 24"x24" Acrylic on Canvas.
Comforing Dreams 24"x24" Acrylic on Canvas.

You can both of these on my most recient posts.


Now Showing!

Kansas Wildflower Series
is at The Topeka Art Guild this month.
5331 SW 22nd Place, Topeka, KS 66614 - 785.273.7646 Hours: 11 AM - 5 PM, Wed - Saturday and First Fridays 5:30 - 8:30 (July First Friday is on June 27th)

Several pieces from my popular series is available this month at the Topeka Art Guild. I believe we can officially say that I have invaded Topeka's art community!