The (Right) Way

"Grace, or Tao, surrounds us always.
Whenever we are open to it for a moment,
it enters into us."
~ Herman Hesse



Tao |dou; tou| - noun
(in Chinese philosophy) the absolute principle underlying the universe, combining within itself the principles of yin and yang and signifying the way, or code of behavior, that is in harmony with the natural order. ORIGIN Chinese, literally ‘(right) way.’

We get caught up in living, "our" way of doing things and sometimes forget
to slow down and ask ourselves what is the "right"way for us.

Are we thinking or doing things in an automatic, rushed, habitual way
instead of savoring our moments by looking inward for joy, meaning and love?

When we are kind to ourselves,
it has a ripple effect and spills out into the lives of others.
While the precepts listed here may seem too idealistic,
perhaps you can find a few concepts that resonate
and inspire you to find more harmony and light in your life.

Miyamoto Musashi describes 21 principles (to strive for) of Tao:
"1. Accept everything just the way it is.
2. Do not seek pleasure for its own sake.
3. Do not, under any circumstances, depend on a partial feeling.
4. Think lightly of yourself and deeply of the world.
5. Be detached from desire your whole life long.
6. Do not regret what you have done.
7. Never be jealous.
8. Never let yourself be saddened by a separation.
9. Resentment and complaint are appropriate neither for oneself nor others.
10. Do not let yourself be guided by the feeling of lust or love.
11. In all things have no preferences.
12. Be indifferent to where you live.
13. Do not pursue the taste of good food.
14. Do not hold on to possessions you no longer need.
15. Do not act following customary beliefs.
16. Do not collect weapons or practice with weapons beyond what is useful.
17. Do not fear death.
18. Do not seek to possess either goods or fiefs for your old age.
19. Respect Buddha and the gods without counting on their help.
20. You may abandon your own body but you must preserve your honor.
21. Never stray from the Way.”

Modern science has recently confirmed that our thoughts
actually change the pathways of neurons in our brain.
Habitual reactions to situations shorten those nerve cell connections,
which in turn physically alters and triggers our own unique conception of reality.



Wishing You Much Joy and Many Blessings!
With Love,

Evaluating Yupo Paper Vs. PI-180

"What works for one artist doesn't necessarily work for another - try anything and everything and go with what works for you."

~ Paul Dixon

Yupo paper Vs. PI-180 Comparison Test

A few months back, Rocheux International in Sommerset, NJ contacted me about trying out their synthetic paper. Chris wrote to me that his company supplies a similar product to Yupo and asked if I'd be interested in evaluating their product. I agreed to let them know how their paper compares.

Provided with some of their PI-180 grade, which was closest to the 74# white Yupo., I immediately noticed that it was not quite as heavy as the 74# and had a slicker surface.

Yesterday, after a little prodding from Chris, some tests were conducted. using alcohol inks - the same colors and process on each set, (Yupo on the left and PI-180 on the right). Each set was painted simultaneously and the sequence and timing were relatively the same for both.

Out of all the tests, I liked the Yupo the best for the ability to lift the pigment from the paper. The surface of the PI-180, although slicker, seemed to drag more as if working on a paper with more tooth. Notice how the middle paintings differ. Once set, the ink hardly moved with the splattering of alcohol on the PI-180. That being said, I really love the colors on the PI-180 in the bottom set.

Playing around a little with watercolor on them and yeilded similar results. The pigment on the PI-180 surface seemed to drag and not lift as easily as on the Yupo.

Bottom line - These experiments are only the tip of the iceberg. Many more would have to be done, using more techniques and mediums to come to more firm conclusions. The PI-180 may be a viable alternative when using some techniques. Price comparison, where it is made, if and when this paper will be available to the public is unknown to me. If you wish to find out more and possibly get some samples to test for yourself, you can contact Chris at: ykao@rocheux.com

"All life is an experiment.

The more experiments you make the better."

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Happy Creating!!

X ♥  O

 

Vincent van Gogh ~ 1853-1890

On May 4, 2012, my family and I went to the Philadelphia Museum of Art to see the special exhibit, Van Gogh, Up Close. 

Self Portrait ~ 1889

One of the most famous and prolific artists of all time, post-impressionist,  Vincent van Gogh painted over 900 pieces in a period of less than ten years. He only sold one painting in his lifetime and was continually tormented by mental and physical illnesses. At the age of 37, he shot himself in the chest and died two days later. His younger brother and best friend, Theo, who supported him financially and spiritually over the years, died six months after Vincent and is buried next to him in Auvers, France. Theo's widow, Johanna, left all alone with a young child to raise, dedicated herself to promoting and selling Vincent's artwork. She is the main reason Vincent's work finally got the recognition it so rightly deserved.

"It was he [Vincent] who helped me to accommodate my life in such a way that I can be at peace with myself. Serenity - this was the favorite word of both of them [Vincent and Theo], the something they considered the highest. Serenity - I have found it." ~ Johanna van Gogh

Iris, The ~ 1889

The show focused mainly on the work produced in the last four years of Vincent's life. Many of the pieces in the exhibit were florals and landscapes. Featured here are some of the paintings present in the show, many of which, were unknown to me.

"What am I in most people's eyes? A nonentity or an eccentric and disagreeable man... I should want my work to show what is in the heart of such an eccentric, of such a nobody." ~ Vincent van Gogh

Although the perspective seems a bit off in this piece, the power of the gigantic, gnarled trees and the soft, warm, muted color palette really draws you in.

"Do not quench your inspiration and your imagination; do not become the slave of your model." ~ Vincent van Gogh

During the period when Vincent was staying in an asylum in Saint-Remy-de-Provence, France, he painted many close-up, still life, nature pieces.

"I want to touch people with my art. I want them to say, 'He feels deeply, he feels tenderly." ~ Vincent van Gogh

This joyful little painting (about 8" x 12") of a back lit tree in a field of cheerful yellows, red and green, made me feel that Vincent must have had some really satisfying, blissful days. One could sense his delight while painting this one.

"How lovely yellow is! It stands for the sun." ~ Vincent van Gogh

Rain ~ 1889

On the other side of the coin, this one actually brought tears to my eyes. Painted from his asylum window, Vincent's deep feelings of pain, anguish and desperation are evident.

"As a suffering creature, I cannot do without something greater than I – something that is my life – the power to create." ~ Vincent van Gogh

There were few portraits among the many pieces in the exhibit, but I like this painting of him next to this photograph.

"It isn't an easy job to paint oneself – at any rate if it is to be different from a photograph. And you see – this, in my opinion, is the advantage that impressionism possesses over all the other things; it is not banal, and one seeks after a deeper resemblance than the photograph." ~ Vincent van Gogh

Blossoming Almond Tree ~ 1890

"What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything?" ~ Vincent van Gogh

The last painting, one of the best-loved in the exhibit, was this Blossoming tree with a turquoise background. It was painted as a gift to Theo's newborn son, Vincent. He was born three months prior to his namesake and famous uncle's suicide.

All these images are in the public domain and are copyright free in the United States.

See photos taken at the Philadelphia Museum of Art here.

Although Vincent never experienced the validation and fame he deserved, his mission in life certainly has been accomplished; probably more than almost any other artist that has ever lived.

"I want to touch people with my art. I want them to say, 'He feels deeply, he feels tenderly." ~ Vincent van Gogh

X ♥  O

Fill Your Life With Love

"If you don't fill your days with love,

you are wasting your life."

~ James Broughton

 

Learn • Love • Create
FUNdamentals of Alcohol Ink
Online Workshop Starts September 2016
(Registration Opens in August)

We all come from different places and have unique experiences in life.
That's what makes you - you and me - me, and I think that our art should reflect that.

It's not just about techniques . . .
By sharing my journey, my way and my inspiration, I encourage you to
explore your passions more fully and find your own "love driven" way of creating.

 

Make a written list of everything you love, then let your art express that list.

Sign up for my email list 

and receive FUNdamentals of Alcohol Ink ECourse Updates.

Thanks for your friendship.
Happy Spring and Happy Creating!!

X ♥  O

 

Drawing is FUN!

“Drawing is a frame of mind,

a loving embrace, if you will."

~ Susan Avishai

Do 8 Drawings in 15 minutes!
Discover how you can drastically increase your drawing skills,
when you sketch for just 15 minutes a day!
 

Models at Sandarosa Studio

Everything has a gesture!

Although often used as warm up for a life drawing session,

gesture drawing is an important exercise in developing skill in drawing.

Drawing from life uses different "muscles" than drawing from a photo does.

The brain processes 3D objects differently than when viewing flat, 2D reference. 

See more about gesture drawing  here:

Models. Timer and 2 Minute Sketches

I downloaded a Simple Interval Timer for my iPad and

set up 16) sets of 2 min. each with 10 sec. in-between.

8 Drawings in 15 Minutes

Start the session and sketch for 2 minutes,

then turn (the model) 1/4 turn every 2 minutes.

For 16 sessions, I can draw 4 views each

of four different models in just 33 minutes.

If you only have 15 minutes to spare, just do 8!

A Quick Watercolor Wash is Added

"Draw, as much and as often as you can.

When drawing lies fallow,

the skill diminishes."

~ Gene Black

Gesture drawing is not just for figure drawing anymore!!

See more about 6 step sketching here.

Thanks for your friendship.
Happy Spring and Happy Creating!!

X ♥  O

 

Celebrating 1,000 Blog Posts with a Painting Giveaway!

“A purposeful act or extension of kindness

to another is never wasted,

for it always resides in the hearts of all

involved in a chain of love.”
~ Molly Friedenfeld

I wanted to do something special to commemorate my 1,000th blog post here. Since I started blogging over eight years ago, the online landscape has really changed. My SandySandyArt.com art blog has grown and evolved along the way. To celebrate, I would like to "pay it forward" and offer a giveaway of an original painting. Pictured below is a selection of some recent black, ceramic tiles, hand painted with alcohol inks by yours truly. Some are done with stencils, some using canned air and some are a combination of both. They come ready to exhibit, with hooks on the back for hanging and an acrylic easel for table top display.

Alcohol Inks on Black Ceramic Tiles by Sandy Sandy

Today's winner is a caring, positive, generous lady who has paid it forward, many times over, to others in the community. The first person I would like to nominate is Molly Gummerson.  She's a busy mom and artist who always finds time to help out at the local art center in Medford, NJ, MAC. Molly is unselfish with her time and her talents. Thank you Molly for your kindness, recent referral and your altruistic spirit. Congratulations! Please be the first to pick out the tile you would like to own, then email me at: sandy@sandysandy.com with the tile letter and description along with your mailing address or to make pick up arrangements.

Here is a photo of our inking group that was here over the weekend for the St. Paddy's Day Workshop. You can see that we were all having a grand ole time!

Sandy Sandy's 2016 St Paddy's Day Alcohol Ink Workshop

Below is the work produced by students here on Sunday. I am impressed with such a high caliber of results even though three of the participants were complete newbies! Everyone was helpful and encouraging to each other and so much fun and progress was experienced by all.

Alcohol Ink on Black Tiles - Student Creations - 3-13-16

 Thanks for stopping by and for commenting if you did.

If you'd like to nominate someone deserving of my 1K blog post "pay it forward" award,

please leave a comment with a link to where we can see more about their good deeds.

Thanks again, please pay it forward and Happy Creating!!

X ♥  O

 

What is in a Name?

"Manipulative people do not understand
the concept of boundaries.
They are relentless in their pursuit of what they want
and they have no regard for who gets hurt along the way."
~ Lifehack

A couple of days ago, I got a message from Facebook that I had to confirm my name.

They required that I upload various documents to confirm my ID. Although they say; "The name you use on Facebook doesn't have to be the name on your government-issued IDs.", they seem to have an issue (after eight years) with my name, Sandy Sandy. They also state; "We understand that the name you use in everyday life might be different from your legal name. We want you to be able to use the name you most identify with on your Facebook profile." So far I have sent them a copy of my driver's license with my legal name, Sandra Sandy, and 6 other scans of documents with my "everyday" name SANDY SANDY. They are supposedly reviewing my documents and all my facebook accounts are still locked - my art page, my studio page and groups I administer. I am unable to get onto facebook at all and I really feel like I am being harassed. 

The information I found on the web states that "As it stands, the authentic name policy too often is used as a tool of harassment, and Facebook continues allowing that to happen.
The fake name reporting process is opaque and imperfect. Facebook has said it does not use algorithms to crawl through usernames and instead relies on snitches. When an account is flagged, the company says a real person with two thumbs looks into the report and decides whether to lock the account and request documents. Unfortunately, this means a lot of legitimate, legal names often end up flagged. What Facebook has done is create a system that forces compliance or isolation. And worst of all, it places the power with harassers—as if the Internet needed more of that." ~ Nadia Drake

I can only hope the issue will be resolved soon. It is a shock to be the victim of such a malicious act where over eight years of building online friendships and relationships can be destroyed overnight. I don't know if this was just a random act of cruelty or some kind of "throw a major roadblock up to my art career" kind of jealousy. I'm hoping it was random.

So beware, because just about anybody is at risk! Any enemies known or otherwise could change your Facebook presence overnight. Although Facebook is "free" I may now be paying for using it, big time.

A Rainbow of Love • Sold

Thanks so much for your friendship and please wish me luck.

X ♥  O

Joy Is The Feeling

“Happiness is part of who we are. 

Joy is the feeling.”
~ Tony DeLiso

~~~~~~~ 

 

 

"When you are joyful, when you say yes to life 

and have fun and project positivity all around you, 

you become a sun in the center of every constellation, 

and people want to be near you.”

~ Shannon L. Alder 

Hummingbird Happiness • Sold

Joy is in the Air • Sold

King of the Yard • Sold

“Life is full of beauty. Notice it.

Notice the bumble bee, the small child,

and the smiling faces.

Smell the rain, and feel the wind.

Live your life to the fullest potential,

and fight for your dreams.”
~ Ashley Smith

Thanks so much for your friendship. Have a joy filled day!

X ♥  O