An artist's journal.
Here you'll find my paintings and musings, where the featured subjects could likely cover just about anything.
The last 4+ years I've been caring for my best buddy B during his courageous fight to live through cancer and it's complications. I'm tickled to report, he's getting better and I'm finding small bits of painting time again.

Looking forward to a daily celebration of life's gifts by using the brightest, happiest colors in the box!


Visitors looking for 'B's Journey', click here.

Saturday, September 17, 2011

'Sometimes, you just have to let it slide'


or ...
'No sense fretting about it'
~a-work-in-progress~
6" x 6" acrylic on canvas panel

I haven't decided if this one will be for sale or not.


Morning light filters through our window blinds on a few of Brian's guitar slides. 
(For those of you not familiar with what a guitar slide is,
Placed on your finger, you make notes by sliding it on the guitar neck. They create a very distinctive sound.
Brian's got about a dozen slides, each one unique, and I think they make cool subjects for still life paintings.

I love the reflections in the metal slide.
This painting is almost done. I still need to finish bringing the sunshine in with highlights here and there, as well as a few minor tweaks on the metal slide.
I can work on these small canvases in the house, without being too isolated from Brian while I paint, so you will probably be seeing more of these smaller works from me for a while, although I am still working on the giant canvas 'Matheson Hammock Memories' too.

"Men plan and God laughs." ... old Yiddish proverb

I started this year with a plan. To chronicle, 'A YEAR IN THE LIFE' , a year in my life as an artist, with a focused plan to grow my art business and expand my art endeavors. I looked forward to seeing where that new, more focused approach would take me.

Then, on a dime, in March, the plan changed. Brian's lymphoma returned and I had to put my 'YEAR IN THE LIFE' project, along with a whole lot of painting, on hold.

Being there for, and taking care of this man, my best friend, my husband Brian, is (happily) getting almost every bit of my attention.
So, in the spirit of this painting's title, I'm learning to let (the less important) stuff slide right now. And it's ok. It's been necessary to help me these last 6 months.
My (overgrown!) flower beds are actually pretty, in a wild untamed sort of way, and adjustments with what chores are really necessary everyday, has allowed me to still find small snippets of painting time.
Using these small canvases allows me to paint near Brian, to be close by if he needs me.

This newest Non-Hodgkins lymphoma journey has certainly had it's ups and downs.
The most recent up- the chemo is working! (as per PET scan results).
The most recent down- Brian, weak from chemo treatments, fell and broke his back last Sunday night.
Our whole journey, thus far, is chronicled on my blog page, B's journey.

Thanks for visiting.... and please consider becoming a blog follower while you're here. (Click the blue 'Join This Site' button found in the right margin just above all the little thumbnail images of blog followers so far.)
My (somewhat lofty) goal is to perhaps hit 50 followers by years end.

4 comments:

Shelley Smart said...

I love your work in progress although it looks pretty done to me! I didn't know what a slide was, just thought they were vases/glasses. I do love the reflections.
Broke his back?? OMG, what else? I am glad the chemo is working and hope he is better very soon. Prayers and hugs, Shelley

Jenna said...

Thanks Shelley. Yep, it's been quite a month!
I decided to add a few links on this post to help show what a guitar slide is and how it sounds. Bonnie Raitt (a favorite of Brian's), is a wonderful slide guitar player.
I've decided there's a lot of cool musician stuff laying around that actually look pretty neat starring in still life paintings.
Guitar necks fascinate me too, so I'll probably be painting some of those soon.
Thanks for stopping in and commenting.
Hugs right back at you, Jenna

Angela Sullivan said...

How could I not follow your blog when you ask so nicely. I am glad that you are seeing the forest in spite of your trees. I know that your are strong as I feel it in your writing. Take some time off and do the necessary things you can always finish the fun things later. My thoughts are with you in this journey which will teach you to love deeper and give more than you thought you had........

Jenna said...

Angela...thanks for the kind words and for becoming my newest blog follower.
I hope someday soon to be able to find time to paint again.
Thanks for stopping in and Happy Painting!
Jenna

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...
"There are days when I feel I could've painted the Sistine Chapel and, then, there are the days when I'm not sure I could trace a stick figure.... the only difference between these days is my state of mind"~ Jenna Millward Corkill