An Art Work A Day

Today I have been doing something very necessary but which I tend to postpone and postpone and postpone. I have been sorting through papers and receipts and all kinds of reference materials in short all the papery mess that seem to grow exponentially if you do not keep it down regularly. I am a bit proud of myself because I have even defrosted the freezer. hehehe

Tomorrow I plan on doing a much needed sorting and tidying in the basement. There are boxes and bags and similar all over the place with art or art materials. I really need to get a better system.

The weather is still grey grey grey but I went for a walk nevertheless. Well done me. Been very good with diet too.




Dreams of Spring,
encaustic art
10x14cm
$44
p&p is FREE

It is way past midnight here in Norway and I have been working like mad on a project using photographs I took this summer of tiny insects outdoors.


Muscles,
encaustic art
7x9cm
$12
p&p is FREE

I can't wait for it to becoem the weekend. The colours of nature locally this week has been light grey, foggy kind of light grey, no colours or contrasts and not mystical either - just GREY -

These days I fell kind of numb. there are so many long term ideas and possibilities in my head that I do not really know where it will all lead. I do know however that the future will in some way have me combining text and images, maybe even sound as my expression. Right now I have too many ideas and projects in my head and on my pc to really be able to focus on one path. I do not worry - it will be nice to have excess materials to chose from when the time is right for me to be focused again. This is not only about what to do but also who I am - What is my identity and how will it evolve as I dare to let mroe people read my texts and see my works?

This weekend I have been working on a book idea where I at present consider using non figurative abstracts like this as the illustrations. It is still very much on the layout planning stage.

Today came with the perfect Sunday weather. The sun was shining and the sky was blue when I was out walking. It is beautiful with all the snowcovered trees but I must admit I long for some colour now.

These days I have quite a few things to consider, partly where I want to go with my writing and painting in 2009. This means that I am symbolically

Today in the news here among other things we got the news that Guantanamo Bay will be closed and we also had some discussions on talk shows about what would happen to the prisoners. This prison has had lots of comments from among others Amnesty International.

In all kinds of songs and myths crossing water or rivers has very strong symbolism attached. Feel free to add your favourite or whatever other interpretations youf eel fit.

I chose to call today's painting Waiting for the Return, and not specify what those two are waiting for. There are always so many waiting for news or returns of theirs loved ones in all the conflicts around the globe. But also there are so many who have had to flee and who are waiting to be able to return to their homes.

As always fell free to see whatever you like in my work and interprete it however you like. I love to get comments because people see so many different things in my paintings.




Waiting for the Return,
acrylics on canvas panel
30x40cm
$145
p&p is FREE

Today we have had an enormous amount of snow. What you see in the photo is the first third. I have had to stagger around in the snow hitting my bushes to make them let go of enough so that they could get vertical again. In such weather the wise stay home and leave the roads open for the snow clearing vehicles. I am fortunate in that I have an agreement with a nabour so that he does my driveway with his tractor when it is as much snow as it is now. If not I do not know what I could have done.

Right now I am very unsure about where my focus will be in the coming weeks. Tons of ideas but none is mature enough yet to materialize.

My book arrived at my mum's tonight and this is probably how her face looked opening the parcel. hehehehe

Today I returned from a conference in Stavanger, Norway's oil capital. Unfortunately We did not have any time to see the city itself or thea rea around - all time was spent on lectures and in the hotel. That means of course that I will need to go back another time hehe.

The topic was reading because improving national scores on literacy is a major focus these days here in Norway. From references to American scientists I imagine it is equally a very much debated topic in the States as well - how do we get kids to read more and better? How do we healp those with dyslexia and similar problems. One important topic on one of the lectures was how we ocmmunicate so that is why I chose this painting to represent today. There is such an important difference between talking together with and talking to when we adults either as parents or teachers try to help our struggling young.





The Talking To,
acrylics on paper
24x32cm
$54
p&p is FREE

These days I desper thinking about all the persons suffering in connection with wars and violent conflicts while some of us desper because we are too fat after Christmas excesses.

Today was the day to get Chrismas tidied away.

Next week it is definately time to get started on going to the gym again. Today's painting is one which is made by playing with scrunched up paper dipped in paint.


Fitness Bear,
acrylics on paper

Stunning winter weather lately with beautiuful sunrises and sunsets. Me and my camera is out capturing it every day.

One thing I miss in winter is hiking in nature. Slippery grouds scare me since after I hurt my knee some years ago slipping on ice it took 3 years for it to mend. So I'd better start going to the treadmill at the gym. Not the same though.







Strolling,
acrylics on paper
24x32cm
$34
P&p is FREE

My class of 8B is just amazing. Just looking at the smiling faces and hearing them chirrup like busy happy birds makes my day. Every day I am grateful that I have such a positive bunch of kids.

Many a day I feel like you do just before you dive or dive in in cold water. It is scary but also something you want to do. My feeling about my bookprojects are like being on a roller coaster. Today I fell like hiding it all from any eyes. Selfconfidence in connection with any kind or artistic/creative work seems to have to be won over and over again.

Tomorrow in Daily Painters the challenge is for us to post a self portrait. I chose to post this hoping I will dare to take the plunge and LOL hopefully be able to swim.


Ready to Dive in,
acrylics on paper
24x32cm
$54
p&p is FREE


Today the sky has been very varied and amazing.













This is the view from the classroom I teach this morning.

An hour later it looked like this.

At the end of my workday this is what I saw from the schoolyard.

I went shopping and this is the sunset view from the grocery store.

And a snap shot from the other side of the road. Cold but beautiful

well, the time has now come to start another semester. The last day of a holiday is always kind of bittersweet. One has to mentally shift gears and for me that means that my days and also my evenings are not my own anymore but the school's first. Fortunately I have managed to do lots during the holidays and have tons of ideas for paintings in my head. Only problem will be finding time.

Today I drove down to school and spent most of my day there. Also visited a collegue for tea and cheese and had a lovely time. The countdown for starting work again has began - only one day left now. I hope you like my painted pun on that today.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvjspnhmPWA

As we start a new year there are many thought. Although it is great to get this fresh unused year it is also daunting. It demands something of us. Will I live up to it. Now I can not rest on last years accomplishments but have to make new ones. A bit scary to be honest. Also one realizes that most things are the same as yesterday. Bad habits are there to be conquered and it is far from as easy as making those resolutions was. Maybe that is part of the reason why so many suffers from a kind of new year depression?

My daughter's car is still not starting so tomorrow morning I will have to do somthing I hate to do, I willl have to ask someone to help me get it dragged to the garage. It is not far away, just down the road but a car can not be put in a bag and carried hehehe. Cross your fingers that it is not an expensive reason for its reluctance to start this Christmas.