Saturday, February 25, 2012

I Killed Vincent van Gogh, I Murdered Jackson Pollock, I kissed Pablo Picasso





I lied in bed. 5 o'clock., 6 o'clock, 7:12 am.

Two hours elapsed. I was contemplating what I was going to paint

The blankets blanketed me. The pillows were so soft

Asleep, awake, dream, think, feel, asleep, dream, think

Trying to think

Thinking is over rated

I should not think

I should dream

I should clear my mind. Time to get up, out of bed

Time to Play. Time to Paint

Time to Live Dreams.


The sky was clear blue. An invisible force was holding me up and pushing me around.

Like a kite I was suspended in the open air. The string held me. I danced around the sky.

A spectrum of colours filtered inside my mind.

Without noticing I was free. The string had vanished, all the walls had disappeared.

I embraced and enjoyed the moment. It was so pure.

The painting was painting itself. I was just a kite blowing around in the sky.

All my colours, all my feathers started to fall off my wings.

I was falling, so free, falling, falling into my canvas.

When the painting was finished. I was exhausted. All my feathers were gone.

I was naked, tender, birth, vulnerable, raw, open, a child.

The gentle wind and sunshine warmed my soul.

I sat on the wet grass in the park.


Dreaming in Red




I was compelled to get out of bed. 4:55 am.

Everything was night.

I put my clothes on. Went out into the garage.

Dreams

Dreaming in Red

Red in my blood

Love Blood Dreams

Never Sleep

Live Every Breath

Inhale

Kiss your Soul.

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Getting Ready for the Upcoming Show, I Have Issues

Wow, people are very busy, preoccupied with getting their art ready for the upcoming show, I Have Issues. No one's been posting their thoughts or what they are working on. It's OK, I'll break the ice.

Someone told me they thought about magazines when they saw the ubiquitous poster after the blitz on the weekend. I Have Issues, issues of what? Time? The New Yorker? Maclean's?

When I heard the topic, I thought of birth, of the issue of one's loins, or how a baby issues forth. Are children issues...perhaps. Do they have issues, yes. This may be underlined in the show after this one, the title of which is, My Kid Could Do That. This could be a working title and is subject to change.

Some people see the poster and they think about personal issues, phobias or misgivings, "I have issues with what you're saying about the NDP leadership race." Or maybe that should be, " I take issue...."

Everyone has issues. Should be a revealing show.




My kitten doesn't






Sunday, February 19, 2012

Taking Care of Business


Unlike those cities that never sleep, sleepy Ottawa is known for its provincial tastes and downtown boulevards that roll up into a tight ball come 6:00 o'clock.

Not so for Patrick John Mills, intrepid gallery owner with artists to represent and shows to promote. Working into the wee hours of Friday night, some 400 posters were put up across the downtown ranging from Ottawa South to just this side of the Byward Market and everywhere in between With Bank St., the main thoroughfare traversing the Glebe, torn up the entire summer last and reopening barely a month before Christmas, no traffic meant no posters.

However, the Glebe certainly got remembered this time and they stand fully informed as to what is upcoming at Patrick John Mills Gallery.

Noted on each poster are two special events. One will be an ongoing activity starting on March 8, 2012 and running every second Thursday called Let's Talk Art. Two artists featured at the gallery, painter, Michele LeCourtois http://www.michelelecourtois.com/  and metal sculptor, Tick Tock Tom,  http://www.ticktocktom.com/ will lead the discussion.

On the heels of the ultra-successful Love Art Party held a week ago on Valentine's Day, Fully Committed 101 happens on Saturday, March 10, 2012, bringing another amazing evening of music and dancing, plus live art, poets, dance performance and much more. Two bands, Dynamite Motel and jazz ensemble, Clear, will be the featured entertainment. Admission is $20 at the door and you are welcome to come at 6:00 pm and stay until 1:00 am. 

Please check the gallery website for details and, later this month, a preview of I Have Issues.
www.patrickjohnmills.ca