The Night Wind

The night wind blows cold to the bone
Scatters all that is light & without weight
Cold to the bone
Howling through the empty streets
Stripping the trees
Cold to the bone
Oblivious relentless
Until there is nothing
Save my heavy heart
Cold to the bone

abstract = spiritual? (add a question mark to cover your a**)

My past 2 endeavours have been at abstract paintings. I'm trying to get a more immediate spiritual impact with my viewers. Also, I feel like abstract paintings (if done successfully) have some kind of fine art legitimacy that my regular illustrative paintings may lack. I used to want to create "abstract representational" paintings. I haven't tried that in a long time and at least the nightscape is an attempt to get back to that feel. they are both just in progress. so I'll let you know how it goes.

The second painting has some subtractive elements, I haven't been able to utilize in watercolors before thanks to a brush called a scrubber. It's very liberating!

Questions. Answers?

In a continuation of yesterdays post, I thought some further explanitory information might be in order. Why am I compelled to start a spiritual project of this nature at this time? What is the ultimate goal of the project? Why do I think anyone would be interested in such a project? What makes me think I'm qualified to dissimanate my thoughts and feelings on this subject?
Why am I compelled to start a spiritual project of this nature at this time?
I am always looking for the next thing that I should put out in the world. I need to: A. make a living, and B. fulfill  my self as a human. Not necisarrily in that order. Ideally, I'd like to be able to do both at the same time, such as with painting whether it's greeting cards, saint's portraits, or story illustrations. This project may never turn into something that could pay the rent, but much of my work is spiritual in nature, and it occurs to me that it's mostly allagorical, and that I might be able to better comunicate a more straightforward message. Plus as I haven't tried this approach, I will hopefully cover some new ground artistically. These reasons are practical but they seem to need to take a backseat to a greater reason in a project in which the primary focus is spirituallity. Spirituallity is of paramount importance to me which is why so much of my work embraces it. I find in life I must devote myself to being a spiritual being, and yet allow myself to live in this material world. This feels like the right next step.
 Let me add something at this point. Recently, while trying to figure out a way to make my prints more special, I decided that if I said a blessing over them, they might bring their receipients more comfort, and, I admit it, they might sell better. It occured to me further that if someone with spriritual credentials were to do the blessing, it might be more legitimate, or seem so to my potential buyers. It was at this point I remembered that some of my friends had become ministers to perform marriages through an online website. I realised at this point that I could go through this procedure, and gain spiritual credentials; thus making my blessings more legitimate. As always, just investigating something online, means actually doing it. So I did, and now I'm a licenced minister. That was a while ago, and I've felt; much like Jonah, that it was now my duty to pursue a more spiritual vocation.
What is the ultimate goal of the project?
As I said I'd like to turn it into a book or some kind of project that could lead to publication. I'm not trying to convert anyone, or become a religeous leader, or get a religious following. I think my spiritual thoughts are possitve and will have a possitive effect on anyone who chooses to expose themselves to them. Spoiler alert: I believe God is Love and that we should act accordingly.
Why do I think anyone would be interested in such a project?
Maybe no one will. This is going to be a long term project that is partly going to be about not trying to get people to like it. I always want people to like my work, but I live with my mom & have a part time job because I can't support myself with my work. I'm sure I need more professional promotion, but I also need to stop trying to do what I think people will like, and do what I think needs to be done. Of course, in a week, I will be saying "maybe this should be more approachable because part of an artists job is to connect with people. This is how it is for now.
What makes me think I'm qualified to dissimanate my thoughts and feelings on this subject?
We are all spiritual beings. My experiences will either show people what works or show people what doesn't work; either way it should help. I hope.

Infinity & Beyond!

Sometimes I come up with ideas too big to finish. I have a lot of projects that I've started that have not gotten very far. The Song of Yendor is a case in point. It is a novel who's idea came to me when I was 15. (Back then the hero's name was Eric.) I've written the 1st chapter many times and now I just write a story from the endless epic whenever it hits me. I call that a chapter & hope that one day there will be a narrative there. (This link contains stories from another book Into the Woods that is being written in a similar fashion, but is not an endless epic.)

Sometimes I don't mention my ideas to anybody because it just adds to the list; which is predictably & ironically, an endless epic. My method of working is usually that when I get on an idea, I work on it, until I'm stuck and then I work on something else; usually returning to an idea that I was previously stuck on, but have now had time to mull over and approach from a different angle. Then, at some future point, I return to the first idea in turn.

Many of my projects are one shot ideas: greeting cards, a self contained painting, etc... They may become part of a larger milieu; such as a series of night landscapes or Madonnas, or other saint's portraits. I try to promote my work regularly and come up with projects along those lines too; i.e., join Zazzle, Greeting Card Universe, Etsy and the like.

Most of my "too big to finish" projects are writing projects. The reason for this post is that I have another one. I have been trying to write & illustrate stories which exhibit analogies of my spiritual thoughts. My new idea is to write & illustrate non-analogous poems, stories & essays about these ideas and their application in the real world. That is to say; instead of how a wizard or 17th century teenager comes to grip with the world around them; write down my own thoughts on the subject. The structure would be to couple a poem with an illustration. This would allow for "doable" pieces to be completed as I continue the kaleidoscope of projects I have already undertaken. Perhaps I will start a new blog, perhaps I will filter it into an existing one. Tumblr would be a perfect venue for this kind of work.