Roles are something I relish and I deal with situations within those roles as well as I can, each independently of the other. Stewardships, friendships, family relations, volunteer ventures, home owner, maintenance, etc..

But in all things, there is the influence of creative thinking. To the bone, without abandoning other roles, I am artist. In everything, I’m an artist.

It isn’t all joy either, but that’s no complaint. Eggs have shells and thank goodness because they keep things manageable until the rich nutritional treasure with in are needed. Oranges have rinds. Kittens have claws and teeth. Olives, cashews, and raw meats are dangerous until properly processed.

I have to make a living. For me that’s been a serious matter from the beginning and I’ve always held a job except in short times of difficulty during which I went out to find one. That’s a role. Currently I am not earning a paycheck, though I have marketable talents and skill.

I’ve concluded that my best course is to blend the income provider role with my creative nature and make the needed income by somehow monetizing art. Because no other person depends on me for that, I can risk it.

My intention started badly:

“Self, you have to get serious about this. You have a talent and you have a responsibility to turn it to your support. Remember, every mans talent is another person’s blessing awaiting timely and proper delivery. So lets come up with ideas to make paintings or write stories or creative things that might answer a need.”

Silence.

No painting ideas. No stories, carvings, cartoons, or anything. Artistically I was disconnected from the life supporting inspiration.

Prayer. “I’m glad for the talent and I don’t want to show up and report that I didn’t use it right and I need it to eat. So I don’t understand why the inspiration has been taken. What am I doing wrong?”

Answer, “Paint what you love. The rest will take care of itself.”

Me, to myself later, “Wait, it’s that simple? But it makes sense. These are not widgets.” I was not to take my inspiration from money speculation but as I have successfully learned to do – seek exciting, moving, beautiful ideas that I get excited about. Then make them real.

The well meaning have advised me to abandon my favorite subjects and some have gone so far as to recommend style  changes. What they don’t see is that every subject is nothing to some and all to others. So there is nothing gained in the attempt. I can earn money working for other people in a day job, but in this thing I have to do differently.

In a job, someone else has provided the vision. This is on me. It’s like fishing. The ideas are there and I just have to learn how to catch and keep them.

So I decided that I have nothing to lose by trying the counsel that came out of a prayer.

The first composition was of my Land Rover and Kayla. The setting is the lily fields above a local lake whose grounds are open to public hikes and picnics. I love painting landscapes, machines, and people and this painting has all three elements. It’s a perfect embodiment of the counsel for me to create this.

Kayla has exquisite features, made more so by her very likeable personality. So spending a couple of days painting this little image inspired by her was no chore at all even when it required countless revisions.

The Vehicle is a family treasure and I think it’s an eloquent statement of automotive design within the context of it’s time. I love the way it looks.

The setting is dear to me. I grew up with a fondness for Pacific North West Flora and native landscape. The Conifers and rocks and moss and flowers all are pleasing to me.

It’s home.

I think the art, though unfinished, is ready to photograph. Meanwhile here are some phone camera shots of the art.

I have to remind myself that though I have to be a businessman, first and foremost I must be an an artist. It’s a role. Then if it is to find another home, I broker that in the role of businessman.