Pastel 115 - Summer Storm

This one gave me particular joy when I did it two weekends ago.  I've always been enchanted by light through tree trunks, the light beyond, the dark of summer storms, the small local rain shower.  I love this time of year (though there isn't a time of year I don't love).  Again, it's feelings that are on display here.

More play.  That's what I'm going for.

Pastel 113 - Koi

I love watching koi in ponds, like Maymont in Richmond or Duke Gardens in Durham.  I'm not excited about this pastel, but it was what showed up and I followed through.  I'm more excited about the next one, about weather.

Pastel 114

About two weeks ago I posted Dreaming of Dragons (Pastel 109).  This is Nightmare of Cats.  I was surprised to have it show up so soon after the other.

I put Dreaming of Dragons in my office at work this week, along with Pastel 106 (Landscape).

I went to Jerry's Artarama this afternoon on the way home from work and went a little crazy...  I am going to see how this process translates to acrylic on linen paper (in the air conditioning - the pastels are banished to the garage because they are amazingly messy - and when the last hour of the sun is shining full into the garage door it turns my "studio" into a solar cooker).  I'm curious what happens when I handle a brush again after the pastel detour.  None of my acrylic brushes have names (yet).  The watercolor brushes (Abner, Louise, Frondine, Tildie) will never be used with any other paint... acrylic, in particular, would destroy their ability to carry and smoothly release water.

Pastel 110 - The Biker

I really like the irrational perspective in sections of this.  It was freeing.

Pastel 107 - Lions and Tigers and Bears

While drawing this (over a month ago) I thought of it as Bears vs Tigers.  While some of these are starting to take on some serious dimensions, I enjoy that some are still on the silly side.

Pastel 109 - Dreaming of Dragons

This was done a few weeks ago, right after the first Women and Girls piece.  Yesterday I did a pastel that was just koi.  So it's definitely not all disturbing.

I like the way the left cat is adrift.

Women and Girls 2 - Pastel 112 - The Ventriloquist

This began to emerge one evening earlier this week.  Then I had a business trip, got home around 1:30 AM last night, only slept about 3 hours, and when I went out to the garage to continue this, before anyone else woke up, this was the result.

These images are not driven from my conscious mind - they come from deeper and murkier places.  I'm learning to listen and provide expression, but I don't always understand the results in ways I can explain.  In the case of this image, I feel unease, anger, and guilt around who's telling whom.  Who is the ventriloquist?  Where are the words coming from?  What is that snake?  Why only a spine and bust?  Is the ring significant?  Is that snake his other arm?  Some of these things might seem to have simple answers, but I'm not sure at all.  I feel like I've been all three of these figures, but mostly the guy in the middle.  I'm not happy about that.  I try not be be any of this, but I doubt my ability to detect when I am.

I feel like the inner artist is sending me disturbing messages.  If they resonate with you, please let me know.

Just for the record, I believe social pressures do all sorts of good and bad to nearly everyone.  At the moment I am having a lot of emotion around what happens to women and girls in our society and other cultures around the world.

Ball point, Sharpie, and pastels on brown kraft paper - 24 x 18 inches