Are We Having Fun Yet?

 Painting, A Moment in Time, cold wax and oil, by Donna Watson

When I tell a non-artist that I am an artist, the usual response is,  "You must have so much fun!"  This always puzzles me, and usually my response back is, "I wouldn't call what I go through as fun." which puzzles the non-artist.  I have even heard some artists say "I have a lot of fun when I am doing my art."  For which I give the same response back, "I am not having any fun."  So what am I having?

Detail of painting, by Donna Watson

I guess the word 'fun' is subjective and can have different meanings to everyone.  So here is the dictionary meaning:  "enjoyment, amusement, or lighthearted pleasure... playful behavior... an activity that is intended purely for amusement and should not be interpreted as having serious purposes."

Detail of painting, by Donna Watson

So if I am not having fun, how would I describe what I am going through?  It is hard to put into words.  The quote by Martha Graham is always one I use when I try to describe the search and journey I am on as an artist.

"No artist is pleased.  There is no satisfaction whatever at any time.  There is only a queer, divine dissatisfaction; a blessed unrest that keeps us marching and makes us more alive than the others"

Detail of painting, by Donna Watson

Art is longing.  You never arrive, but you keep going in the hope that you will.  Anselm Kiefer

Journey, cold wax and oil painting by Donna Watson

Most people think happiness is about gaining something, but its

not.  It's all about getting rid of the darkness you accumulate.

Carolyn Crane

Spirit, collage using hand painted rice papers by Donna Watson

Things don't really get solved.  They come together and they fall apart.  Then they come together and fall apart again.  Its just like that.  The healing comes from letting there be room for all this to happen:  room for the grief, for relief, for misery, for joy.

Pema Chodron

And this is how I approach my art, as a starting point for discovery, healing, and that divine dissatisfaction with the hope that I will get "it" with the next painting or collage or assemblage.  It is the "it" that is hard to describe.

The Unveiling... And the winner is...

History by Donna Watson,  oil and cold wax, collage and Japanese string

Every seed grows in darkness and silence.

Story by Donna Watson, oil and cold wax, collage and scroll

For the first 6 months of 2013, I faced a serious creative block in my studio.  I wanted some sort of change, but did not know why or what.  I did not know how to move forward, nor what to experiment with or what to try that would result in some sort of change that I would like.

Mapping by Donna Watson, oil and cold wax, collage bundle

I finally decided to try a new medium.  For the past 6 monte or so, I have been experimenting with cold wax and oil paints.  It took me awhile to get used to the slower drying time.  With a lot of experimenting and layering... I ended up with many layers which I scratched, rubbed, pressed, brayered... and I have finally ended with some new finished pieces.

Old Scroll by Donna Watson, oil and cold wax, old collage papers and old scroll

I also decided to change and add to my collage.  Everyone has a story to tell.  Stories become our compass by which we navigate through our memories and discover our core being.  We use stories to build our sanctuaries.  These stories (memories) become our history.

Riverbed by Donna Watson, oil and cold wax, paper bundle, rock, string

Because our memories are intertwined with language, I like to explore the importance of words, phrases, sentences... snatches of memory lingering in and out of consciousness.  My collage became

layers of old letters, book pages, and old maps wrapped into bundles.  Scrolls, which can hide stories and histories, have also been included.  These remains of the past represent our memories in the present.

Every human life has its seeds, whether building a sand castle, cooking, painting a canvas, walking through the woods.

And now, for the drawing for my book:  THE BEAUTY OF NOTHINGNESS.  Thank you to all those who left comments at my blog and those who sent email comments.  There were 65 names.

I wrote down all the names, cut them into pieces that were folded and put into a bowl... and the one name I drew out is.....  Barry!

Thank you again, and if any of you are still interested in my book you can go to Blurb.com

here and take a look at the whole book. 

Stuff... and a Give Away

 REMINDERS,  Donna Watson, acrylic and collage

NOTE:  I will be teaching 2 two day workshops in Portland, Oregon in April.  The first workshop is titled:

Journal to Book:  A Zen approach.  On the first day, artists will explore their interests, passions, heritage, hobbies, or relationships AND create collage papers, either hand painted or found for their journal.  On the second day, artists will take their story or history or interest and use collage papers and/or text to begin their book in a blank journal.  (April 8-9, 2014)

The second workshop is titled:  Boro/Wabi sabi The spirit of collage.   On the first day, artists will hand paint rice papers using paints, stamps, stencils, whatever.  There will be in introduction to Zen tenets, composition, design elements and principles.  On the second day, artists will create their collages using journals, canvas, wood supports.. whatever they want.  (April 10-11, 2014)

For more information on these workshops go to:  www.artandsoulretreat.com   

Zen Nature 2, Donna Watson, collage

NEWS:  My paintings have been included in the book 100 ARTISTS OF THE NORTHWEST.

My painting REMINDERS at the top of this blog is one of the paintings included in the book.

There are 50 artists from Washington and 50 artists from Oregon.  The book is filled with 

contemporary artists of all mediums both 2-D and 3-D, and is available from Amazon.com

There will be a reception and book signing on March 1, at Matzke Fine Art Gallery and Sculpture Park on Camano Island, WA.  I will have 6 painting included in the show and there will  be 25 artists from the book there in the gallery for book signing.  

AND NOW FOR THE GIVEAWAY!  This is my first ever giveaway after - wow, how many years since I started my blog?  4 or 5 years.   Just leave a comment (make sure I know how to contact you) at this blog post and I will have a drawing and send someone a copy of my own hand created book THE BEAUTY OF NOTHINGNESS.  The book is available at Blurb.com  here   but I have one signed copy ready for my first ever give away.

Here are some sample pages from the book.  You can view the whole  

book at the Blurb.com link above.

"Learning to be creative within the confines of our limitations is the best hope we have to transform ourselves..."  Phil Hansen

Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment!

Zen Paths

Zen   collage, 8"x8",  by Donna Watson

Note:  I will be teaching two 2-day workshops in Portland Oregon for Art and Soul.  The first workshop on April 8-9 is Journal to Book:  A Zen Approach.  The second workshop on April 10-11 is

Boro/Wabi Sabi:  The Spirit of Collage.  For more information and to register for one or both go to

the Art and Soul website here.   

"It may be that when we no longer know what to do,

we have come to our real work

and when we no longer know which way to go,

we have begun our real journey."

--- Wendell Berry

Zen Nature 2, 8"x8" collage by Donna Watson

I have been lost for awhile.  I forgot that "art is a journey into the most unknown thing of all -

oneself" (Louis Kahan).  It took me awhile to figure out I was lost.  I thought I had just wandered off of the 'path' and I would easily get back on the right path.  I finally realized that I had fallen so far off of the path that I had to begin a new journey.  I found that reading books on Zen helped me begin to find my way again.

 Zen 4, 8"x8" collage by Donna Watson

As you start to walk out on the way, the way appears. -- Rumi

Zen 3, 8"x8" collage by Donna Watson

The mind that is not baffled is not employed.

The impeded stream is the one that sings.

-- Wendell Berry

Zen 2,  12"x12" collage by Donna Watson

"The path isn't a straight line; it's a spiral.  You continually come back to things you 

thought you understood and see deeper truths."  

---- Unknown

Zen 1, 12"x12" collage by Donna Watson

Your pilgrimage brings you to and from your homes,

here and there, and always inside you ---

will you re-walk that path with the stone lanterns

over and over again in dreams?

and wake to walk

the path you've created in your own temple.

--- Nancy Neva Gagliano

Zen Nature 3,  6"x6" collage by Donna Watson

Note:  Most of these collage are available for purchase at my Etsy account here. 

Peace. Hope. Joy. Love. 2014

paper balls, image by Donna Watson

image by Donna Watson

Mini wrapped boxes under bare branch tree, image by

Donna Watson

Mini wrapped boxes with basket of naturals

by Donna Watson

my 10 foot tree decorated with Santas and naturals

by Donna Watson

 

peace

 

Father Christmas, by Donna Watson

Centerpiece on dining table, by Donna Watson

Father Christmas with reindeer

another centerpiece with small santa

3 small candles decorated with birch and naturals

by Donna Watson

Another Father Christmas, by Donna Watson

(a bit bug eyed I think!)

On my fireplace mantel, by Donna Watson

"May your coming year be filled with magic and dreams and good madness.  I hope you read some good books, and kiss someone who thinks you're wonderful, and don't

forget to make some art---or write or draw or build or sing or live as only you can.

And I hope, somewhere in the next year, you surprise yourself."

 Neil Gaiman

The Fallen Leaf

Water feature near my Zen House (greenhouse)

In English, a haiku is considered to be three-line poems.  In Japan, having exactly 17 syllables and the inclusion of a seasonal word, are strictly adhered to in order for the poem to be considered a haiku.

The gingko bush is turning yellow and the Japanese maple is turning red.

By ensuring the inclusion of the seasonal reference and limiting to the 5-7-5 syllabic format, the final poem becomes a snapshot of nature, void of the poet's own emotions.  Each person reading the poem can draw their own interpretations.

A red cedar 'enso' with bamboo posts, near a small Japanese maple, small garden temple and moss pot.

Zen elements, such as simplicity, minimalism, and nature... are all felt in haiku poems.

The beginning of my new moss garden.

A Zen monk, Ryokan, recited the following haiku on his deathbed.

Showing the back,

Now showing the front

The Japanese maple tree leaves are

falling down

   A new section of my Zen garden with a water feature.

Wind... rustling leaves

the inseparable

oneness 

by John McDonald

 Red Japanese maple, water feature, smiling Buddha and cement lantern.

If the sun were a tree

Its leaves would be this shining color

And they would drop 

Over my boots

Ankle deep.

When I step

There would be the sound

of light breaking.

Tom Hennen, closing lines to "Wild Aspen Leaves, October"

In my back facing the view of the water, my husband built the torii gate.  The Japanese character is the symbol for truth, trust, belief.  It is one of the 5 basic tenets of Confucius.

Rocks from the 'round rock' beach

2 Japanese maples turning with the Autumn air

My new bell.  My husband built a small torii gate.  When I go outside I face the water and ring it 3 times.

The temple bell stops.

But the sound keeps coming 

out of the flowers.

--- Basho