Sleeping
I painted this way back in 1994 and had a hard time with perspective, which I still struggle with. However, I've improved a lot when I compare my first paintings with the work I'm producing today. There are all kinds of tales regarding secret gardens. This garden represents the qualities I hid when I was a child being abused by my stepfather. I tucked the more tender aspects of myself away in a safe place. Sadly I forgot where I hid my treasures for a long time, my youngest daughter helped me remember. Through meditation I opened the garden gate, waking her up so she could leave and be free.
The tree represents the mind, the flowers are only here for a moment, the path is old habits, the garden is a place that needs to be cultivated and cared for or it will become full of weeds. The gate represents the veil of conditioning that keeps things from getting in or out, it can protect or become a prison.
I forgot what kind of paper I used, acrylic and water color, 28 x 21 inches.
Puck The Black Cat
I found Puck out in the middle of our front pasture as a kitten. He grew into a tough tom cat, expert at avoiding being eatened by great horned owls and mousing. Every farm needs a barn cat to keep the rat and mouse population down. He also would watch over my youngest daughter Amber when she was sleeping.
Sleeping Child
Amber my youngest is the main subject in this painting representing insight that is still sleeping.
Water
The images reflected in water are like images we see through our conditioning. I learned through meditation I was mistaking the reflection of sensory imput, that is data from my sense organs translated by my brain into images, sounds, smells, feelings, thoughts, into conditioned reaction as the true object. It's really hard to notice bare data from our sense organs without an instant conditioned reaction.
Hidden Animals
Hidden objects like the deer and fox are aspects of my inner world that are hard to see, especially if I try and catch them. I have to be patient and let them come to me.
Chipmunk
As I was taking pictures on subjects I noticed there was a chipmunk sitting on the fence. I forgot I'd painted this subject, I hid the character really well!
