Alter

I stood in a chapel last night for a meeting about my wedding. It's a small, beautiful, old, warm place. As we turned to leave I was struck by the evening's summer light coming in through one of the many stained glass windows. Some chord deep within me was struck.

 I'm finally allowing myself to start a much awaited series conveying hard, sometimes painful but transformative experiences with a concept based on iconic art and church history.  (My reliquaries) it was quite fitting to be so struck in such a place.

Photograph by EBCBrown,LLC '14

In the middle

There can seem to be no cure for the ache

questions

pressure

the desire to do more, better

the hope that maybe someday it won't be so hard...

There is no definite end

Or known exoneration date of the drive

The call...

The only thing seemingly close to a cure is to act

to create

to pray

to give your best

and sometimes just to make due.

To keep going

And choose to enjoy the journey.

Renewal under foot

I get kind of lost when I paint- usually in maddening circles spread over several panels. I build up the paint/wax and scrape down to reveal what is underneath. This is a beautiful aspect of my preferred medium, encaustic. 

A not so nice by product of this process is that my studio floor becomes thick and sticky. Where I do the majority of my work becomes a 6" hill and I am constantly tracking debris into the hallway/common area. 

Tonight I took on the task  prying up half of my small studio's flooring and replacing them with gleaming new rubberized drop cloths. 

It is not easy work, but the end result is reinvigorating! Thank God for my understanding landlord. I'm sure it will be quite an undertaking when I relocate some day.