24 x 96
4 canvases
each 24 x 24
Teachers are “planners” by nature. I am a teacher as well as an artist. Spending my entire life in one school or another has left an indelible footprint on my daily life. I am a creature of habit. I go to bed at the same time. I wake up at the same time. I eat at the same time. I watch the same TV shows at the same time. I even need to take a break from work at the same time that school used to let out for the day. Living on a rigid schedule for so many years is part of my life. That can be a good thing. My work habits are amazingly disciplined given the fact that I am now the master of my own schedule. I no longer live by a bell schedule or must work on certain days. My summers are no longer “off” and my January is no longer the dreaded long haul of exams and dreary days waiting for spring vacation. Any day can be a snow day and any day can be a day off. However, I still think of my life as a series of short term goals. I plan for art deadlines and shows as if they are assignments and tests that need to be addressed. I’m not sure that’s all bad. I have been told by various gallery owners and curators that I am the most organized artist with whom they have ever dealt. I meet deadlines early and submit lists of my work complete with photos and the proper labels. I dutifully attend openings and wear the appropriate outfit.
Currently I am working on a proposal for a Cancer Care Center. The guidelines request a theme that is uplifting and inspirational for a medical facility that treats cancer patients. I have completed work for Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. My work is described as “uplifting” so, no problem, right? You would think this would not be a huge challenge for me. So, why am I having a hard time coming up with a theme? What message would I like to convey in this art? It came to me in an unexpected way.
My latest project is a series of four canvases that are meant to be viewed together. They can either be a large square or a long rectangle. Each is 24 x 24. Each is a season. Spring, summer, fall and winter. Each has a stylized tree as the main focus and the colors are chosen according to my interpretation of the colors of the season. Yesterday when I was applying the cut paper for the fall canvas, the words on a piece of lovely orange and yellow just screamed at me. The words are: “No day but today.” They literally jumped off the paper at me.There’s your sign, as the comedian Bill Engvall would say. That is the theme. It is also the message that a cancer patient would probably like to convey to anyone willing to listen. Live each day. Don’t go overboard planning because you never know what you will be facing tomorrow. Don’t forget to enjoy the snow today because you yearn for the tulips of spring. Make every day count. We hear that a lot, but, do we really internalize it? I know I don’t. I am so busy planning for the show in a month or a trip in the spring that I forget to enjoy each and every day along the way.
January is my new favorite month. I used to dread it. I don’t like driving in snow. I am not too fond of being cold… but, it’s better than being too hot. I love that the pressure of the holidays is past and the constant holiday shows are over. I like the holidays, don’t get me wrong. But, the quiet of a January day when the snow is falling outside is so calming and wonderful. I love to watch the snow and warm myself by the wood stove and curl up on the couch with a book. My dog Greta is also a fan of January. Her bed is back where it belongs, where the Christmas tree was for three weeks. She likes to run in the snow and roll in it and eat it. I have heard that we would all be better off if we could be like our dogs-delighting in small pleasures and making the most of every day.
So, my resolution this year is to refrain from over-planning. I need to add spontaneity to my life. (I almost said, add spontaneity to my list!) I need to follow Greta’s lead and enjoy the day as if there will be no other. As Carmen Ohio, the alma mater of Ohio State, says, “The seasons pass. The years will roll.” Yes, the seasons will pass. Time moves on and so will we. Just take the time to enjoy every moment, friends. I will try if you will. Now that I have my theme, I will keep you posted on the proposal for the Cancer Care Center. I suspect that even if mine is not their final choice, I will have learned a lot from the application process. It has put me on the right track. Now, I think I will go out and walk the dog. Happy New Year!
Correction to Carmen Ohio lyrics- it’s “Seasons pass, the years will roll.”
Planning to be more spontaneous is something only someone trained by our parents would do.
Your Brother