Teen Depression

This piece was done for this week's theme on The Artist's Challenge. The theme, "A Belief that Possesses the Mind", had so very many possibilities, from politics, religion, spirituality, to the superstitious. But for me, near and dear to my heart is the subject of teen depression.

Children are so full of possibilities. We as a culture, tend to find ways to squelch so many of those by our current obsessions with wealth, competitiveness - (sports or academic), fashion, skinniness, drugs and violence, to name a few. Be it male or female, we seem to be able to come up with a myriad of opportunities to give them the wrong things to focus on. Character, values, morals and positive role models are in short order these days. By teenage years they are so confused as to what they should care about, many are giving up or giving in. Too many stories of bullying, anorexia, bulimia, overdosing and binge drinking end in a bad way.

The following is an excerpt from the web site Teen depression.org:

Teen suicide is a major cause of death among teens, though many do not recognize suicide as a serious threat to a teenager’s well being.
Suicide is the third leading cause of death among adolescents and teenagers. According to the National Institute for Mental Health (NIMH), about 8 out of every 100,000 teenagers committed suicide in 2000. For every teen suicide death, experts estimate there are 10 other teen suicide attempts.
In a survey of high school students, the National Youth Violence Prevention Resource Center found that almost 1 in 5 teens had thought about suicide, about 1 in 6 teens had made plans for suicide, and more than 1 in 12 teens had attempted suicide in the last year. As many as 8 out of 10 teens who commit suicide try to ask for help in some way before committing suicide, such as by seeing a doctor shortly before the suicide attempt.
Teen girls and boys are both at risk for suicide. Teen girls are more likely to attempt suicide, but teenage boys are four to five times more likely to die by suicide. Over half of teen suicide deaths are inflicted by guns.

This piece was done regarding a story I recently read about a young girl's depression as the result of a bad home situation. She felt going home to alcoholic parents was like being sent to a jail cell every night...afraid to come out. Her eyes told her story. So with this piece, I enlarged the eyes - on purpose. It is representational of the beauty of a child's innocent eyes, that attracts so many people when they see a young child. What a sad statement on our current culture, that we don't stop to wonder or ask, what has taken the sparkle and glow of a child away from our teens when we notice it. How will we ever accomplish the task of being a compassionate, loving culture when we fail to open our eyes to what is in front of them and help to make a difference in a life?
To see more of my originals go to my web site Gail M. Allen Fine Art

No Empty Chairs - (Porch Rocker Painting)

No Empty Chairs by Gail M. Allen

No Empty Chairs
11" X 8"
Oil on Board
 $275.00

The latest painting added to my oil paintings gallery at Gail M. Allen Fine Art is No Empty Chairs. The idea for the painting came from a thought I had, as I watched our porch rocker emptily rocking in the wind. The afternoon light was streaming through the trees beyond the porch casting a golden glow.

  A friend had once told me that we have no empty chairs in our homes, because they are always filled with the loved ones and dear friends who have passed and watch over us. Apparently, this was something she was told as a child by her parents, and is associated with a  belief of the Latter Day Saints Church members.  Also associated with this phrase, through  a belief of the Mormon faith is that through a "Sealing Ceremony" conducted in the temple, the family unit will survive death. It was believed that the way the family functioned on earth would have a direct impact on how it may survive in Heaven.
Although this is not my particular faith - I found it an interesting concept. During the few hours I painted the wicker rocker on the porch there was a soft, slight wind.  As I cleaned up my brushes and packed up my belongings, the wind dissipated,  the rocking stopped and the golden light faded with the end of the day.


I have been working on doing a smaller, study painting, every two to three days. Parts of these paintings will be included in the larger works,  usually closer to 30" X  40"  or larger in size.

AIR painting- Elemental Series

Shown here is my third painting in the contemporary, symbolic Elemental Series. The painting titled AIR is my submission to this week's "Gone With the Wind" Challenge theme for The Artists Challenge. Again, as with the other two paintings previously shown, (FIRE and WATER), I have researched and woven the symbolic elements together to create this image.
How do you portray air? Space, aura, atmosphere, breathing, feathers of birds, clouds, angels and winged insects like ladybugs all are symbolic of air. Air is indicative of the mental plane; thought, logic, language, communication, the abstract, and the intellect. The keyword associated with air is life. It is principally considered to be masculine, and the angel associated with air is Raphael.
The painting is a complicated composition. With this piece, I needed to create the illusion of space. My intent was to have a mask of sorts, floating in space that you were looking through - at clouds floating by.  The mask is blowing air toward the viewer - so is it really a mask? Superimposed over the larger ladybug "mask", in a very textured layer, is an angel with wings outstretched. These wings are also part of the eyes which are made up of peacock feathers.
All of these layers contribute to relate my interpretation of this element. My reasoning behind this approach, as I have stated before, is to engage people in looking at a deeper level at the images before them - creating questions in their mind.  Which layer do you look at first? Is there still something else that you may not be seeing? It creates a push pull effect, both visually and intellectually. I want to make people question what they see. What is reality and what is illusion?

"Contentment is Golden"- On Finding Your Artistic Voice

A recent post by Artist Robert Genn, of Painter's Keys Newsletter, "On Finding Your Voice" http://www.painterskeys.com  had a comment with a quote by portrait artist Mary Lapos.
There is a simple saying in English, "Contentment is Golden". -Swami Satchidananda

In reading more information on the Swami I found this comment in an interview:
"You don't have to look for a gold rush in the West or East. Be contented, and whatever you touch turns into gold. Contentment means being peaceful. You are happy. You are not greedy. Accept whatever comes. Be contented. So remain, keep the mind in that peaceful state, and whatever you do will find success.
- Swami Satchidananda

My feeling is that "originality of style" comes from what is to be seen by each individual, not necessarily what is seen in front of us. We each have our own personal interpretation of the world, based on our experiences.Trying to "fit in" by strictly following "the rules" or "copying exactly what we see", can be dangerous. This is because it doesn't express our own perceptions, or the passages and processes we are focusing on in our life at the moment. To me, that's what my art is. A higher level of self realization being brought forward. Getting through some of this focused processing can be arduous at times. These are the times I try to be boldly adventurous, dismiss established habitual practices and set aside many of "the rules". Have the confidence to let the subconscious mind have fun and play
Explore with your own selective eye
Paint or create, by letting your own eccentricities evolve
Don't follow a predetermined process
Put away reference early on in the process
Keep a watchful eye and let happenstance develop and transform
Work from a "What If" perspective
Give yourself the gift of time
Don't let criticism limit your creativity (Only you know your path)

"Many of the faults you see in others, dear reader, are your own nature reflected in them." (Rumi)

"This discipline and rough treatment are a furnace to extract the silver from the dross. This testing purifies the gold by boiling the scum away. " (Rumi)

Currently I am working on the painting "Air"- Of Breathing, Openness, Atmosphere, Expression, Aspects, Aura. My elemental series is my most playful work. I usually have six to eight pieces, of different series, going at a time. This enables me to pick and choose what type of work I will work on daily. It also helps to keep the work "fresh" and gives me time away, so I can come back with a discerning eye. Transformation takes time and processing, give yourself the permission and wonderful things will happen.
Be contented with your uniquely authentic process. Explore, have fun, silence the ego critic, let transformation develop within you - the gold will shine through, is my motto.

Gail Allen Fine Art: Email Newsletter Debut

The first monthly email newsletter went out today from my web site Gail Allen Fine Art Paintings. If you are interested in receiving it, please go to the web site and sign up under Email Newsletter in the left hand column on the homepage. I will be sending one per month, featuring news and events, a print or note card set give-a-way, and most importantly new original paintings and prints available.
 For those of you who don't have the time to check the web site regularly, (as few of us do), this will be a great way to find out about shows, updates and new work. With all the emails and newsletters that we get in our Inbox, I intend to keep it short, with quick images of new work that you can view and choose to read more about on my home site or blog. I hope this will be a welcome email and possibly the source of a surprise gift for you!

Eden's Garden-A Garden Landscape Painting (for The Artist Challenge #33)

'Eden's Garden' is a 20" X 24" landscape painting done with oil sticks, of a sort of ethereal garden in my mind. This is a section of the original version which has been sold. Prints of the above 10" X 20" image are available at my Custom Giclee and Print Shop at this link: Gail M. Allen - Custom Giclees and Print Shop

By the Light of the Moon- A Children's Book Illustration

Incorporating Dimension into paintings

One artist friend who is doing very interesting work incorporating three dimensional masks into his paintings is Don Michael Jr. His creations are so engaging, he has developed a technique for creating masks that are then integrated seamlessly into his paintings. His work may be viewed  and read about on his blog site: http://www.donmichaeljr.com/blog/.
His series of paintings can also be seen on a music video called Manic Twilight, which can be viewed on You Tube, which exhibits many of his mask paintings. The link for that is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BR5rI9kgv4 . Take a look at his work!

The Rose Trellis in Saatchi Gallery Showdown

The Rose Trellis is currently in the Saatchi Gallery Showdown...I would truly appreciate it if you would please go to the attached link and vote for it.
http://www.saatchi-gallery.co.uk/showdown/index.php?showpic=268232
The saatchi Gallery has a Showdown of work every month. The number of votes determine whether your piece goes on to the final. Thank you in advance.

A Time to Every Purpose Under Heaven

Many articles are written regarding procrastination and how to find time to work at our artwork. The last two years have been a real test of my commitment to my work. Sometimes I think of it as the universe testing me to see how badly I really want this vocation. What has worked for me through my own personal battle with a health issue, a child recently diagnosed with a serious health condition and just recently,  dealing with an ailing elderly parent is to take ANY free moment to sketch, write notes describing a picture in my mind"s eye, or to actually paint if I'm at home. If I don't have it in me to do that, I at least read a book on an artist or creativity, which inevitably jump starts my inspiration to create. The busier I get, the more adamant I am that I do something creatively related. Sometimes its just to sketch a face or gesture of a person near me, wherever I may be at the time. Twyla Tharp's book, The Creative Habit  has an exercise called "Where's Your Pencil" that taught me to never leave home without a pencil and sketchbook. Sometime its just working outside in the garden, looking at plant colors and textures or sculptural elements.
 The other day, I hung up the phone after speaking with a doctor about a medicine they were giving my Mom, and began to research the drug, Digoxin. To my surprise, the article referred to Van Gogh's Yellow Period and his Starry Night painting. On a number of medical sites they referred to the fact that foxglove has long been known to help cardiac issues. The toxicity of digitalis, (which Van Gogh took for Epilepsy), "may have played a role in Van Gogh's use of swirling greens and yellows" and the "halos" in Starry Night. That lead me to go back and do some research on Van Gogh's work. He also often painted foxgloves in his pictures. Somehow, every aspect of my day, all of it, relates to the whole. If you look hard enough, you will find how easy it is to work at your craft, no matter what else you are involved in. The endpoint being my work in the studio. All it takes is commitment, the rest will follow. What will I be working on next....foxgloves for sure!

The Rose Trellis

 Happy Mother's Day!
My latest painting, The Rose Trellis is a tribute to my mother, and motherhood's lasting impressions on a person's life. As a young child, I was introduced to many cultures by National Geographic and my Mom. We didn't have a lot of money, but there was always a National Geographic on our table in the family room. At my grandmothers, while my parents visited, we played games with a giant floor globe she had, dreaming of where we would go once we grew up and sharing the facts we knew about that country. Travel, museum visits and learning about  the various beautiful cultural lives of the inhabitants of our world was paramount in our house. Its lasting effect has influenced my lifelong research on symbols, cultures and my artwork. My Mom loved all Egyptian and especially Asian artwork. I was introduced to Guanyin at an early age by a small statue in our living room, and also by an Asian grass cloth wallpaper with small vignettes of scenes on it. This love of all cultural aspects, as well as learning to be selfless and have compassion for others, was one of the most important lessons I learned from my early life.
 "Guanyin" is considered a Bodhisattva, who is believed to be an enlightened being who has put off entering paradise in order to help others attain enlightenment. She is the Mother of Compassion. In the Chinese language it literally means "observing the sounds", which means Guanyin would always observe all the sounds from the world and always listen to requests from her worshipers. It is believed that any living being who recites her name during a disaster would be heard and salvaged by her, which can explain why she is the most worshiped figure in Buddhism in China.
   
    * Guanshiyin changed to Guanyin under the naming taboo of Emperor Gaozong of Tang.
    * In Japanese, Guanyin is pronounced Kannon (観音), occasionally Kan'on, or more formally Kanzeon
    * In Korean, the Bodhisattva is called Gwan-eum (관음) or Gwanse-eum (관세음).
    * In Thai, the name is called Kuan Eim (กวนอิม) or Phra Mae Kuan Eim (พระแม่กวนอิม) due in part to the influence of the Chinese Thai population.
    * In Vietnamese, the name is Quan Âm or Quán Thế Âm.
    * In Hong Kong and Guangdong Province the name is pronounced Kwun Yum or Kun Yum in the Cantonese language.
    * In Indonesian, the name is Kwan Im or Dewi Kwan Im referring the word Dewi as Devi or Goddess.
    * In India, the name is Tara.

The painting, The Rose Trellis has the face of Guanyin looking through an arbor, or trellis, covered with roses. The most common interpretation of a rose is that it typically symbolizes immortal love, or undying love, which is why it is one of the most popular flowers sent on Valentine's Day. My memories of my childhood are of running through my Mom's beautiful flower gardens with luscious smelling rose bushes. Years ago, my husband and three sons built me a lovely rose arbor in our garden for my Mother's Day gift. I put a clay version of Guanyin's face hanging inside. This is one of my best loved gifts ever and also my cherished place in our yard. This painting is my interpretation of that spot. To all mother's, especially both of mine and also those who are compassionate spirits, I wish you Love, Life and Light.

More Information on working with Acrylic "Skins" and Substrates

More on the creation of the acrylic "skins" I had mentioned in the last post. I tried making a basic black and white copy of one section, of one of my paintings on regular copy paper, basically making a regular copy. It did not have strong contrast, so it didn't work as well as my second one, which had much stronger contrast. Then, I also did a very strong three color copy, RBG, on Cannon Fine Art Museum Etching paper. I coated all three with Golden's Glass Bead Gel, (which I also used in the painting The Flow of Creativity). To coat them, I used a palette knife to get a smooth surface. They dried overnight, then were soaked in water for a few minutes. This loosens the paper backing and helps to make it peel off, much like wallpaper. Using a sponge, I gently rubbed off the layers of paper, until what was left was a thick skin that had lifted the image from the paper.These skins are time consuming for sure, but I find them also quite engaging. I then apply the skin to my painting, with Gel medium and texture and paint over it, leaving parts exposed. These "skins" can be cut, ripped,or even put on three dimensional pieces because they are flexible.
 For more information on how to create and work with substrates and acrylic gels, Golden Paints has an excellent site : Golden Paints/ Mix More Media/Acrylic substrates
 Recently, Robert Genn of Painter's Keys fame wrote about "The Next Big Thing" in the art world.  My feeling is that for me as an artist, I keep evolving using new styles and techniques until I find one that inspires me so much, I will want to continue to work in that technique. Being trained as a commercial artist and illustrator, as well as doing graphic design, I have learned to use many mediums to solve a particular need for getting my point across, in the best way I know how. Now that I paint larger paintings, I am trying to develop a style that leaves the viewer wanting to look at all the layers again and again, and seeing something slightly different each time it is viewed. The push - pull of which layer to look at first is what I feel engages the viewer. I would appreciate hearing your thoughts.

Acrylic Skins for an upcoming Painting

Yesterday and today I have been working on a new technique that I have been trying in my latest paintings using acrylic "skins".  I would like to achieve a more dimensional aspect to my work as I go forward with pieces for commercial locations and general public viewing. The heavy bodied acrylics, texture gels  and gel mediums have been increasingly making their way into my work. Right now, I am trying to take some of my own original drawings and paintings and manipulate them using the "skins", which are thin acrylic "layerings" of printed giclees that give a bit of a holographic look when applied to a painting. I am able to paint right over them so these in turn can be manipulated and changed. I'll be applying this to the floral I am working on.
In my recent Finding the Key painting, I used a bit of this technique especially seen in the "relic" looking labyrinth the fish are swimming around and through, as well as the heavy texture gels which create an embossed look. I love to play with these new techniques, but they are also time consuming. Its a great day to be working outdoors on these!

Finding the Key....(The Artist Challenge)

This is one of two of my latest submissions to the group: The Artist Challenge. See more insightful and intriguing artists works at the website: The Artist Challenge

Finding the Key  - 2010
24" X 20" (61cm X 50.8 cm)
Acrylic and Mixed Media on Canvas

Finding the Key is a symbolic painting relating to our search to find emotional balance, by letting go of the "relics" we all collect in our lives. It is representational of our journey,  going busily through life, passing each other by, as we all swim circles around the key that is dangling precariously right in front of our eyes. I believe this is the time to bring forth all of our highest vibrational teachings, experiences and aspects to integrate them into the moment that is now. So may are experiencing extreme emotional imbalance that is both challenging and beautiful - as the transition creates new opportunities for the future.

Water 2010

From the Elemental Series

30" X40" ( 76.2 cm X 101.60 cm)
Acrylic and Mixed Media on Canvas

The second submission to this challenge is one version which was recently created of the elemental "Water". This piece is the second of five paintings, in the Elemental Portrait Series,  (Earth, Water, Fire, Air and Spirit).  Water's symbolism is characteristic of the creative, emotional, astral and psychic planes. This element is known as the ambassador of "Love" . The sense represented by this feminine principal, who is related to the Fall or the Autumn season and cool, moistness,  is Taste. The emotions "Water" governs and is evocative of are general feelings, empathy, intuition, healing, the unconscious, endings and the astral aspects of consciousness. All of these aspects are combined in the creation of this piece, as well as the relation to Neptune/Poseidon, and the angel Gabriel. As a viewer commented to me - it is a timely piece for our current circumstances indeed. I wanted to give the effect of the portrait rising through the waters of time.

The Artist Challenge:Seasons in the Sun Where Artistic Passions Flourish

Today's note is about how a group of diverse artists have gone beyond tradition, to establish a place where their individual passions for creating could flourish, as they sow the seeds of their own personalized, artistic development. Let me start by saying, I wholeheartedly recommend that any artist who wants to plow the fields and find their true creativity should join The Artist Challenge. (I have mentioned this site before, but wanted to express my thoughts on it after being a participant for awhile.)
After joining a number of artist websites in the past few years, I am starting to sort out the "lilies" in what can only be described as a forest of weeds. Just like weeding through a garden, this is time consuming and seems never ending. In the gardening world, (my "other" true love), time spent blazing a trail is precious, as there never seems to be enough daylight for all the work to be done- and so it also is in the artist's world. As I revise my time spent in online efforts, here are some thoughts.
To me, the true genius of artistic vision in any form is to create your own unique version of how you perceive a subject at any given moment. Here, artists of all kinds, (including writers), challenge each other to interpret a concept, formed by a work of art -using lively color and texture while combining impressions and aspects relating somehow to that idea. It is like an artistic brain teaser, which every two weeks produces awe inspiring results, in all types of artistic interpretation. Take a look at the sites, a close look. This is not an artist's vanity site, or a site where you will find pages and pages of similar styles and images....instead it promotes the development of each artist's singular vision, its mission is to bring that aspect to the public's attention. In a time when the internet is overrun with sites for artists to promote their work, we must use our best judgment on how to fertilize, nurture and bring to the market our seedling talents. (Every flower starts the new season as a seedling, regardless of how long it has been established in a place.) This means bringing to the forefront what has formed in our subconscious over the many years of learning, until the form of art we cultivate and want to exhibit to the public, reaches a crescendo and our own, individual lotus flower unfolds upon which we happily publish the bouquet. This is a site for those who delight in artists who are adventuresome, I can not recommend it enough! You won't find pages of comparatively similar work, instead, colorful individual vignettes of creativity.
http://www.theartistchallenge.com

My Spirit Rising painting has been put in the Saatchi Gallery Showdown at the following link. Please go to it and vote for me! http://www.saatchi-gallery.co.uk/showdown/index.php?showpic=257544

The Artist Challenge 26: "CBS Sunday Morning - Sun Mandala"

This is my latest painting "hot" off the easel. It is a 30" X 30" mixed media, mandala painting on canvas, that symbolizes the sun and fire. The symbols are all researched based on their significance to the sun deity and each has a significant meaning. This was in response to the latest Artist Challenge #26 from The Artist Challenge Website - (http://www.theartistchallenge.com) which was to create a sun for the CBS Sunday Morning television show archives. 

The entire design is based on the principles used in the making of Tibetan mandalas. There is a lot of detail that this photo of the painting has not been able to pick up, but I basically wanted to represent the fact that all things on this earth are inherently affected by the sun's gifts. As we see a move to greener energy usage, we are reminded of the importance of every element that we have taken for granted for years in our daily lives. Where would we be without the sun? More explanation of the elements used in creating a mandala will be given in future posts.