cold days....iced lattes

Bonjour and happy Friday! 

it is almost December!  seriously....how did it get to be December?  it is freezing here today...and by freezing...I mean.... -6 (F).   and...snowing...I just got in from shoveling...and before I was done shoveling....I had to shovel again....the snow keeps falling....


and today....I opted for making some hot coffee...but normally I always get an iced latte-no matter the temp outside....weird?  I think more....practical and refreshing....

here I am- usually out....running errands....dropping kids off....in and out of the car...and my caffeine...is perfect...I don't get the disappointment of missing that perfect temperature window....because my drink is cold...it's supposed to be cold.... it is as it should be...and the cold outside...and the cold car inside...

ain't...
no...

thing.  

ahhhhh....yes. I know...it is the simple things...    

an icy cold latte....on a cold winter's day....sounds absolutely refreshing....doesn't it?  some things...just are....

I am actually just brainstorming my next painting....not a clue what I will do...I have several things saved...in a file..in my brain- but I'm just waiting for something to pop out...and I need to start making my Christmas cards soon...


and so.... in the meantime....this....something that was a quick sketch....quick sketches are like stretching.....totally necessary....

peace and love and iced lattes....

#watercolors

love letters....

I just recently submitted some art to an art magazine...and I had to....give some thought about my painting....my direction...and what it all means to me.  I've just been painting....just immersed in the painting...hadn't really....stopped to really contemplate...

so, here....is my artist's statement...and some of the works that I've been really liking lately...so I guess this is a mini- virtual exhibit of 


Love Letters...

I'm moved by the landscape of the human body and explore this landscape through water and color letting the paper take a direction that I follow, that I don't fight, rarely do I argue with the paper.

The body of work I am currently exploring is the relationship between artist and model, but more so than that, it is a celebration of love...whereby the paintings become love letters between artist and model.  Intimacy is shared between the two, strength, beauty, love expressed through color and shape, line and curve, confidence of self appreciation, as artist and model are one.  The exchange of energy  that can often be overlooked or under expressed, a comfort and connect....when so much attention can be placed outward...I direct my gaze and thoughts, inward....feeling intuitively what is needed, discovering and rediscovering the complex relationship that is the one we have with ourself.  

My color choices depend on my mood for that day expressing joy, sadness, power, and strength.  I photograph myself in ways that convey, the dichotomy of powerful softness, a quiet, inner strength and from these photographs, I produce my paintings which take the bones of the digital image and overlay my emotions and love.  Above all, this is a celebration of love and beauty and acceptance.

One thing of the things that 
I attempt to do in my work is the concept of less is more.  I appreciate the message that can be effectively and even more so, concisely delivered with fewer words.  I think a painting that can move someone with suggestions rather than the explicit draws in a viewer, allowing them to bring more of themselves to the interpretation.  I embrace this concept and hope that my art allows the viewer freedom to discover something in my work that is uniquely- theirs.  

What I also hope to do is to inspire, to exhibit a freedom and self appreciation that others can embrace and open themselves up to the experience and journey- however they want to express what they need to....in their way. 

so...here's to peace and love...and love letters...

kelemurphyarts.com 

some days are better than others....

"Bodies have their own light which they consume to live: they burn, they are not lit from the outside." 

Egon Schiele

and....

some days are bouncers and won't let you in...  :) I love that.  today....was better than others...at least for painting...I guess someone told the bouncer to take a hike...and I saw the most amazing light.  

(first...a sketch)

some days are dry some days are leaky
some days come clean, other days are sneaky
some days take less, but most days take more...
some slip through your fingers and onto the floor

Some days you're quick, but most days your speedy
Some days you use more force than is necessary
some days just drop in on us
Some days are better than others....

some days it all adds up
and what you got is enough, 

Some days are better than others....
Some days are slippy, other days are sloppy

Some days you can't stand the sight of a puppy, 
your skin is white but you think you're a brother, 

some days are better than others...

Some days you wake up with her complaining
Some sunny days you wish it was raining...
Some days are sulky, some days have a grin :) 
and some days have bouncers and won't let you in... (U2, you know the song)



The thing is....sometimes....everything clicks and just turns out better than you could have expected.   happy surprises...

peace....love...and here's to days...where the bouncer calls in sick....and the 
door 
is 
wide
open. 


and you can see the light.  

umami....

Umami, is the Japanese word for delicious or yummy....it is one of the 5 basic tastes we recognize....and it is mouth-watering....yummy like a savory meaty or mushroomy broth.....

Green Olives....are also umami....and I love them....I love them....stuffed with stuff....or not....on pizza....or all alone.  

another thing that is supposed to be very umami is breast milk...it is supposed to be our first encounter with this brothy taste...I'm not so sure...I've tried it and it is actually quite sweet.  I suppose it depends on what the mother is eating...but....I'm not convinced the taste is...umami like...

What is the point of this post?  no clue.  But I stumbled on umami as a taste when I was reading an article about how different tones affect our taste....for example, apparently....when you are eating chocolate and hear a low tone....the chocolate will taste more bitter.....a high tone will bring out a sweeter taste.....same goes for coffee...look it up.  

I guess.....taste isn't just....on your tongue....it is smell....and apparently.....sound shapes taste as well....it's all relative.....experience....sights, smells, tastes, sounds...shape experiences.  

but yes...umami....is delicious...and a damn fun word too.  

peace...and love....and umami.   

warm-ups and seeds....

sometimes...I need to just paint something that doesn't really make sense to my brain...but that my heart feels....and it's just for me to warm up.

like a lap around the track....


or running scales before playing a piano piece....or doing some funny gibberish rhyming thing before singing in choir.


so...today...warm ups.

warming up....

and as I've said before....lemons....lemons into lemonade....there's no mistakes here.  creation takes different avenues....something created today....will be used in a different way tomorrow...or next week....just express...and breath.  the painting need not be finished today....and maybe it gets new life later.

and I came across this....which is apparently a Mexican proverb...I thought it...so powerful.


they tried to bury us...but didn't realize we were seeds.  


I kinda love this...the underdog rising up....the power of potential...and the strength of a different perspective....when tenacity rings true and bursts out of the ground like a burning phoenix.

...and here I am...dot connecting...maybe this rings true to you...and you can find some strength in it....rest, grow....and come out kicking ass...and love yourself...because should you ever ever doubt how much like the stars you can shine...just know that....you are shining right now...bright...you might not see it today....but you will....


I am love....and I am strength.....and I am...me....


warming up.

and

peace...love...and seeds....may your seeds burst through the earth and show whoever buried them that....you are triumphantly....alive.  

boots and directions....

I don't know....

I don't know which side I'm on...

i don't know my right from left....or my right from wrong....

I don't know just where I am...

When I'm with you....

they say I'm a fool...they say I'm nothing...but if I'm a fool for 

you...oh...that's something.... (two hearts beat as one, U2) 

sometimes....

I get north and south mixed up.....not that....well....not that I always flip directions...and it's 

not actually just flipping all the directions...it's just...

sometimes,  what I feel is North...just becomes North to me....and then everything else gets 

oriented to that...which is weird...because...I realize...the sun setting in the 

west....yet...somehow....that doesn't matter...and wow...I just thought of something 

deep...like...physical north...and my north...and, I'll save this for another day....another 

post....that has words, words, insert picture, words and more words.  :)  

anyway.....speaking of north....and cold....I've been wearing my boots...everywhere....and so...here....my boot series.  

Just wanted them all to be here...in this space....

and then.....

and finally.....but really...the first of the series. 

and with that.....I have other things....floating in my head and waiting to come out...


have a great Friday!


peace and love....and.....boots and hats.  

the need to express....

and I feel like I'm breathing again.....inhale...exhale. create.  


last night when I was making dinner....I halved a lime...and found....a beautiful juicy green...the finest exemplar of limes.  holy crap.   so I had to take a few pictures of it...and paint it.
 and...you thought I could only paint....ummm.... other fruit.  tsssk...tsssk.

and later on...reading...I found this...something so perfectly expressing something floating around my head like a cumulous cloud...
so....here I offer it...as a dot connector....sharing it in my space....remembering it and cherishing it...

"....the need to express who we are is archetypal; that is both necessary and timeless.  And expressing who we are is less about describing ourselves than it is about letting who we are out in a regular rhythm...that is as imperative as breathing.... "  (amen)

"It is this exchange or flow of who we are- in and out- that keeps us connected to all that is living...

Just as we must inhale and exhale hundreds of times a day, we must feel and express constantly.  When out of balance...we suffer...." 

"Ultimately, expressing who we are has a physics all its own...More than being understood, it is about not hiding our basic nature." 

"Essentially, the life of expression is the ongoing journey of how we heal each other...for by telling our stories and listening to the stories of others, we let out who we are and find ourselves in each other, and find that we are more together than alone."  (Mark Nepo, The Exquisite Risk: Daring to live an Authentic Life) 

Oh...and here is a preview of my palette....which I will post more detail about later....but...here, this is my house....my art house....and it just got stocked....and it's ready to rock.  :)  white is unopened...and shall stay where it is...white and unopened.

and basically a reflection of my house...chaos...but somehow out of it...people get fed...off to school- to start the day....and laugh....and dance to music....and art gets created.  :)

so...peace and love....and breathing....and living.....and creating....and expressing.

#kickass
#limes
#watercolors
#love

atlantis

the lost city of Atlantis...I kinda love songs about Greek and Roman mythology and such....history and whatnot....like, that Pompeii song.....Calypso....and this gem.....

this morning....i was browsing my playlists as I was getting breakfast ready....and one playlist....called Happy, only contained one song....which is just like me....to have something all set up for that type of quick...emergency pill...something upbeat and cheesy....as this usually works the fastest...like an espresso shot.

Looking for Atlantis

it's by an obscure 80's band....Prefab Sprout.  I know....weird...but...this is what is in my internal music database....and I have an almost Rain Man ability to name that tune in 2 seconds of all...any 80's song....and not just the common ones....the weird obscure ones too....
I have to be honest though, my Achilles' heel is...bands like Whitesnake, Whitelion....crap like that..(big hair bands).  I'm more of a new wave 80's...tears for fears....spandau ballet, aztec camera, split enz, style council, scritti politti, thompson twins...oh, and duran duran.....etc.  yeah....that stuff, across the pond....did some great 80's over there...

so anyway...today....I must have been looking for Atlantis.....because it hit the spot....the lyrics totally make me happy and the beat...is....well..upbeat.....anyway...check it out...should you want a multi-media party right now :)

if you're looking for Atlantis....
you should cast your eye on me.

Put your two and two together.
Don't you know who built atlantis, then returned it to the sea...
Don't you know who owns the weather?
(rain or shine)

 

Sure is good to seek a challenge
Sure is fine to set your sights
Sure is foolish to be blinded

There are legions out there churching
Searching for the holy grail
Isn't one of them can find it

You should be loving someone
And you know who it must be
Cause you'll never find Atlantis
Till you make that someone me.


(best part of the song is right here...and oh, how I love bullet lists....concise)

Say you do find your volcano and the darn thing is still hot...
Lesson one:  Child don't waste it
Lesson two: The world's your cherry
(but tomorrow maybe not) 
Lesson three: Come on and taste it. 

You should be loving someone
And you know who it must be
Cause you'll never find Atlantis
Till you make that someone me.





Peace and love...and Atlantis....may you find your lost civilization...you know...the one that kicks ass and should you already be living there.....enjoy the weather

#atlantis
#watercolorsmakemehappy
#80sonehitwonders