I see Beauty on the Floor

 I was going to my acupuncture and cupping session on Sunday morning when I observed that the shadows cast from the gates I pass are kind of nice. I've always found reflections and shadows more interesting than the object itself as shadows, imperfect reflections leave you some room for interpretation. So, I wrote a poem that goes:-

I see beauty on the floor

I see beauty in everyday things;

look no further, shadows giving hints. 

I see passerby trotting down the street, 

missing intricate designs under their feet. 

Hey, wait up! Don't walk too fast, 

look at what the gates have cast. 

Check it out, look on the floor, 

patterns next door, look! There's more. 

I see beauty on the floor. 

Now that my tummy fat is loose, the cupping did not hurt as much as the first two times. 

Also, the dark, violet marks have lightened and I experience less "bloated" feelings at the stomach these days. I guess maintaining good health is a lifelong project.

Portrait

If I tell you that it was easy for me to paint this portrait, I would be bullshitting you.

The funny thing is that I had completed 95% of the portrait in two sittings of art practice but it took me an astonishing eight months to just do the nose bit. (I don't mean I've painted it over eight months, what happened was that I procrastinated for eight months before I finally continued with it tonight.) The nose is darn tough to paint. I mean, I had been paying attention to all the noses on prints and I study the shades in my head. But when I had to paint it, it took my almost two hours to just do the nose, and I almost threw the canvas away. Persevered, persevered and I pressed on until I've finally got it right. (or so I hope).

I am satisfied with this at last. (by the way, Kiki recognises this portrait, she said "Puppy" when I showed her the picture. *puppy is her term for mommy)

I hope to go on painting portraits because this is what I like.

In the meantime, I've already got a few non-poetrait ideas that I am gonna paint. Stay tuned!

Art Jamming - 25th September 2O1O

Updates on my right-brain-pursuits Soul be It

Soul Be It

some updates on my feeble attempt dabbling with paint. at this moment, this is as good as it gets.
http://soulbeit.blogspot.com

Flower Series 1 - Done

This is the finished piece. I am glad it's not bad. Several people liked this.

It is for sale at $420 SGD.

Snowy Trees- 3rd Draft

We have to paint at least one copy of a Masterpiece and so I chose something that doesn't appeal to me. (So as to push my own boundary).

The above is the third draft and it's still in the making. I hope to complete it soon as the branches and leaves are too intricate and I'm in a state of procrastination when I do everything else but not addressing the most difficult part..... I ought to finish this while it still looks reasonable.

Me painted me painting

Okay, so this is my maiden piece of work.

Unlike most seasoned attendees who have an inkling of what they were gonna paint, I had not a single idea of a theme. I stood staring at a canvas that I've painted blue. And so I thought, what the heck, I've had a great day and I shall commemorate the day. So I painted the shadow of myself holding the paintbrush in its exact location that was casted on the canvas. Then I realised that I've always wore my watch on my right eventhough I am a right-hander, but I drew my watch nevertheless, and since it represents time and I just had my BD, I dotted 36 dots on it, symbolising my age. I joked that I could add a dot on each of my BD. Earlier on that day, my hairdresser informed me that I had more strands of white hair on the right side of my head. The left has fewer whites. And so I drew it too. Then, I accidentally knocked my pallet onto my painting and it created a broken dash. I guess in life sometimes shit happens but you can always utilise the situation. And so I made it a brighter dash of white. Next, I feel that a painting should be something good to look at from afar and should also entertain when viewed near. So I added tiny people jumping freely and happily off the cliff and swam toward freedom. An hour and two glasses of whites later, I finally added the "moon" but to me it was life coming in a full circle. It also symbolises that the future is "paintable". While painting the circle, two drips of paint dripped onto the canvas. It is again a reminder that shit happens and sometimes it's okay to just accept it.

And so it is.

A few girls got so tickled by my concept and they said there's so much thoughts and humour in it. Four of them gave me their votes. Thanks girls!

I was so elated at the fun I'm having that I took a picture of it and MMS to a few people I care about (or whom I think cares about me!) It was only later that I've realised it was past eleven pm... sorry.