#121- SPRING IN BLOOM

Oh Man, Today I had one of those “Outside Yourself” days.  Where you take in so much beauty you are sort of pushed outside your body and onto a higher plane where you can take in even more beauty… Through observing the children, animals and  landscape, I felt absolute bliss.

What’s that? What you say? You’d like to know where such an amazing place exists?

Ha, it was a kindergarten farm field trip!

It was absolutely splendid.

So let me quickly talk about my art for today.  I knew I had a school field trip, so late last night I started this large abstract painting (around 24×30 inches).  I ruined the painting very early on.  I was trying to stay very abstract and then my neighbor’s weeping cherry tree crept into my consciousness.  All of a sudden I looked down at the paper and I had created this giant pink tree smack dab in the center of the painting!  Instantly I knew, the composition was going to suck.  That is what I get for rushing around and giving absolutely no thought to the composition before painting!  How do you create balance or counterbalance with something smack dab in the center of the painting?  Here, take a look.

Ok. So from there it just got worse!

I wound up sticking this horrible pine tree in front of the smack-dab-in-the-middle cherry tree.  Oh man, how embarrassing. Really, if I didn’t need a post for today, this painting would be in the garbage!

But now it is this morning.  I have a very small window of time to work on this painting, because I have to catch a school bus.

When life gives you lemons, it’s time to make lemonade!

I started, by flipping my painting upside down:

Well, the red started to look like grass which was a little less smack-dab-in-the-middle! But still, that hideous tree was sticking out like a sore thumb. What could I do about it???

Nothing.  It was just plain hideous.

So, when all else fails, crop your painting and look for some sort of saving grace.

These are the two paintings I am considering from this car wreck of a painting:

Because the paper was rather large, both of these smaller paintings will still be a pretty good size.  The pine tree is hitting my recycling bin though!

I haven’t cut the paper yet, so if anyone sees another scenario please let me know! Maybe three narrow panels – a triptych?

  OK. Now let me gush about my beautiful day!

Can I share some photos from my day? 

If you are not related to me, you may not wish to scroll down any further, but for those of you with free time, it was truly a beautiful day today.

We went to the last dairy farm in Westerly, Rhode Island.  It’s called Sea Breeze which is a perfect name for a farm 1 mile from the Atlantic ocean.

The stare-down.

A little farm kitsch.

We left the first farm and bussed over to the beach to collect seaweed for organic fertilizer for the farm.  Really, how lucky are these kids to have the beach as a playground?

Next we rode over to a private family farm.  In fact, one of the families from our school.

I just love the juxtaposition of an old farm and a boat. It’s sooo Rhode Island!

This private homestead grows organic produce for our local restaurants.  The kids harvested spinach and planted potatoes.  I love that our school is truly environmental and are teaching our children to think about what they are eating and where it comes from.

Sorry, I had to stick this one in. That’s a good looking chicken!

Next the kids learned about earthworms and why they are so valuable to gardeners and their plants.

We also got to learn and observe cattle, chickens and goats before we left.

Next we were back at school.  The kids have been cleaning wool before they begin to card and spin it.

The Compass School is set on an old family farm.  It tends to look a bit scrappy at times, but us parents are trying so hard to make the school a beautiful place.  Today was a reminder that there is so much natural beauty already, really we just have to love and take care of it.

I will leave you with this image.  Spring in bloom.

What I witnessed today wasn’t a five-star resort, it was the beauty in our every daily lives.

I saw common yet majestic animals. I saw children sharing, giggling, following directions and so well-mannered.  I saw farmers who love what they do so much, they enthusiastically shared it with us.  I saw beautiful food growing right from our earth. And finally, weather-wise, it was a day plucked from the Gods.  The greenest grass, flowers on every tree and that perfect spring sun illuminating our souls.

It may seem trivial, but I found todays trip quite spiritual.

A spring awakening.

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