Sunday, January 20, 2008

THE ART OF DREAMING

"Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it: Boldness has genius, power and magic in it." - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

MIDDLE OF THE MONTH OVER Already? It's hard to believe that almost half of the month of January is over. This week I started to prep my canvasses and filed them by sizes. What a great job! Also, I tried to work on many paintings left undone from 2007. If you asked the older people, they reminded me that unfinished jobs from previous years will be added burdens to the next year. The unfinished paintings will accumulate and so forth. So this week, I tried hard to finish all the paintings that I started last year, and the year before. Sounds familiar?
COLORFUL WOMAN PAINTING Here's an oil painting (16 X 20") that I did in 2006. I practiced on this painting. I wanted to try a different style and here's the outcome. This beautiful and colorful woman called "Lazy Daisy" is always dreaming, looking at the yellow moon and hoping for the best. I could relate to her. Sometimes, I am like this colorful woman. Always dreaming of big things, wishing at the full moon, and hoping that the coconut tree will bend to my wishes. Somehow, many of my wishes in life had become realities but my artistic goals have yet to be work-out.
ONE GOAL AT A TIME It's good to have goals and dreams in life. They make life more interesting. I love what Anne Shirley said, "Oh, it's delightful to have ambitions....And there never seems to be any end to them-that's the best of it. Just as soon as you attain to one ambition you see one glittering higher up still. It does make life interesting." How true!

PALMA TAYONA'S FIRST ONE-MAN ART SHOW Who is this young artist? He's one of my blog-mates. He had a dream of having a one-man art show someday. He worked hard and finally his dream became a reality. Last Monday, January 14th, was the opening of Palma Tayona's first one-man show entitled LIVING/Stories. The show features some paintings he had done during that past two years, including those he wrote about in his blog. LIVING/Stories will continue until January 25th. It is held at 1/OF Gallery, end level Shops at Serendra, Global City, Taguig, Metro Manila. How I wish I could be there to see Tayona's first one-man art show.
CONGRATULATIONS to Palma Toyona! I am happy to hear that he had a successful art show. Dreams come true. I discovered this artist when he dropped me a very wonderful, sincere and long comment on my blog. We gradiuated from the same art school (U.P.). I watched his art works as it progress. We clicked too. Later we linked and became blog-mates. His art-blog became one of my favorites. I like his vibrant and modern painting- style. His paintings are very interesting with accompanying stories. I highly recommend his art-blog to you. If you couldn't travel the distance to his one-man show in Manila, checking his blog "Visual Viscera" is the next best thing to do. http://visualviscera.blogspot.com/

21 comments:

Anonymous said...

dear ebb,

i was moved by this gesture of yours in saying those kind words. i don't know what to say except THANK YOU. Thank You So Much.

yes, goethe was indeed right when he said that beginning to dream and doing it has boldness. it has with it the magic to transform lives and the power to change minds and thoughts. when i began what i am doing right now years ago, i went against my own mother's wishes for me. a strong-willed woman whose only mistake in life was she passed on her bull-headedness to us, her sons.

when i took this decision, i have lost friends who thought i was crazy and never believed. i also gained new ones who believed in what i have set to do for myself. along the way, i also found out one reality of living - that successes can never be measured in what one has in his pockets but what one carries in his heart.

it has indeed been a slow, long and hard climb. there were even times i would like to give up, throw in the towel, type again my resume and go back to the life i left behind. countless lonely hours have also been spent trying to answer that perennial question that hammered my mind, "am i doing right?" but at the end of it all, i never regretted any of my decisions.

the journey i have as a painter has only begun. when i had my first exhibit four years ago, it was very sophomoric. i viewed it as "testing the waters". now, with this exhibit, i feel like i just graduated from college. this is my thesis presentation. i have gained more confidence after four years of discernment and study. i am now ready.

Life, indeed has begun.

sincerely,
palma tayona

SandyCarlson said...

This may sound ridiculous, but this woman in this engaging work reminds me of Jonah who delivered his prophecy and then found respite under a tree!

SandyCarlson said...

I've been trying to leave a comment on your blog about how much I admire this work, but it won't go through. This is a test message to see if the problem is resolved and to say I very much enjoyed this post.

Anonymous said...

Visiting again and may God bless your blog. Praying that may your art dreams come true.

Ebb Tide said...

Sandy, I am sorry about that. Lately, I have a new server and my comment box is having a proble. Now I think, it's working.

Ebb Tide said...

Sandy, I think it sounds funny that the woman reminded you of Jonah. Actually this woman reminded me of one of the many Southwest women painted by R.C. Gorman.

Ebb Tide said...

PT, thanks for that wonderful comment. I am honored to have you as one of my art-blog-mates. It's rare to have know an artist who is multi-talented like you. You're not only a good painter but a writer as well. Truly, I am glad that you followed your heart and dream to be an artist.

Ebb Tide said...

Thanks Angel for your prayer. It's priceless.

Ebb Tide said...

PT, here's an additional comment. Sorry to hear that you went against your mother's wishes, but I glad you're also strong willed. I have a different experience. My mother supported my dream and desire to be an artist. In fact she was my greatest cheer leader when still alive. She's always proud of me. I often heard her bragged about having a daughter who is an artist. Of course she's proud of my other sisters accomplishments but cheered for me the loudest. What is your mother's reaction now? I'd like to know.

Anonymous said...

funny you asked that. what my mother's reaction to what i do now? hmmm, frankly, she never talks about what i do BUT...

i just found out a few months ago that she carries around in her bag the magazine where an article was written about me and she shows it to her clients and everyone of her friends. this article was written more than a year ago. she's also hung and framed in her bedroom some of my seminal works back when i was still doing children's book illustrations.

she was also there at my exhibit. an early bird. she looked at them and she said, "maganda. makulay." and she gave me an embarrassing kiss.

so, i guess those small actions of hers already said a million words.

i know she's proud.

Ebb Tide said...

Hi PT! Thanks for thenice feedback and sharing the reaction of your mom. Who wouldn't be proud of having a son who's a successful artist? It's good your mom is still there to see your art show. I wish my mother is still alive when I have my first-woman art-show in the future.I am sur she will be smiling in heaven when that day comes.

Lloyd Irving Bradbury said...

my messages seem to not get thru, So a friend check out router and found an unwanted filter. now computer but me not/ sliped on ice pulled rib now i am a mad painter who is also a wounded angry animal.
It is soo cold here the ducks are not quacking, must be a joke in there some where

Ebb Tide said...

Lloyd, I am sorry about your comment not getting thru. I have a new server which makes me crazy. They told me and others that the comments couldn't be delivered but I was able to published them. Pls. ignore the undeliverable message for now. Will try too work it out. Yes, it's been cold here too for the fast 4 days. Also pouring hard non-stop.We don't have ducks around here. There are birds standing by our bfence but they are not chirping. I couldn't complain about the rain. We needed it so badly here in L.A. after the devastating firstorms we had last year.

Ebb Tide said...

This is a test.

Lloyd Irving Bradbury said...

you are ok iam ok

Ebb Tide said...

Lloyd, it looks like my comment box is working again. Don't hesitate to drop me another
e-mail, if you have problem.

SandyCarlson said...

I'm glad your back in action. For what it's worth, I visit a few other Blogger blogs on a regular basis, and I have had bounces from them even though the comment goes through. Maybe it's a question for Blogger, too.

Will be back!

Thanks for your kind and thoughtful remarks on my blog. I love when you stop by.

Ebb Tide said...

Sandy, thanks for stopping by and keep on notifying me when my comment box doesn't seem to go through. I appreciate that.

Anonymous said...

Hi Ebb,

Kamusta na? Sorry I have't been active in my blog lately because I was so busy preparing my trip back to Costa Rica after a long vacation in New Jersey to share the holidays with my family. I had a great time and I also sold a couple of my paintings and prints over there. Now I am back and preparing for my up-coming art show in Escazu, Costa Rica which will be held this march 5. Hope you can come. I will give the details in my blog soon.

Ebb Tide said...

Hi Jude!Glad to hear from you again. Thanks for getting in touch. Been wondering what happened to you.You're a very busy artist. I am glad you sold many of your paintings and prints. Thanks for inviting me to your art show in Costa Rica. However, I couldn't go. I am not traveling outside the U.S. this year. Maybe next year.

Anonymous said...

a thought just occured to me... i wonder, how many filipinos there in the u.s. (l.a. perhaps as a start) are practicing/professional visual artists? is their a listing or directory of them?

and, well, i wonder too if there are "stars or celebs" ammongst these filipino american visual artists?

just a thought.