The Year Long Canvas Welcomes August

Posted on by Jo Ann Brown-Scott

YLCAUG1The YLC, still dripping wet with a new cool wash of turquoise. copyright 2014 Jo Ann Brown-Scott – zoom in for greater detail

Today it was time again – my inner art Buddha winked and smiled and indicated he wanted to meet me in the studio this afternoon and see some evolution on his friend the YEAR LONG CANVAS – affectionately known as the YLC. The incessant rains have stopped – it is about 80 degrees and sunny and I have a lovely weekend ahead….so I thought I would honor his pure and simple request and squeeze in some new work on the canvas. Seemed like a good Karma kind of day to me.

Have any of you read the book titled Breakfast With Buddha by Roland Merullo?

A sort of grumpy man finds it necessary to make a road trip due to family concerns, and through an odd set of circumstances he finds that his traveling companion is a Buddhist Monk, the last person in the world he would like to be confined with in a car for several days of driving. The Monk is enigmatic, smiling, fascinating…much like the Dahli Lama…and nearly silent except for asking his driver the question that opened both mind and soul, “Why so angry?” What follows is a long yet simple conversation about the meaning of life, continued over several days of driving.

visit http://www.rolandmerullo.com

I am not an angry person, and that is precisely the point of so many things in my life. I forgave everyone and chose to forget the worst of things over the years. The lack of anger explains the vibrant color in my art, my almost constant smile and tendency to be light-hearted and free-spirited. And it certainly goes a long way toward understanding how in the world I can continue to adhere to this crazy assignment of working on one canvas for a whole year. I guess the secret lies in not taking it all too seriously or too personally. I got far less seriously involved with the YLC when summer came and I could relax more and let go of the simmering urge to hurl it through a window.

This YLC needed cooling off today – she needed a wash of my mother’s favorite color of blue and she needed a lot of wetness – she is still glossy and drying in the photo. I am also inclined now to turn this painting in a vertical direction – just because I am weary of painting it horizontally. So when she dries I will probably proceed to the next step after rotating her so that the large round ball of red-orange is in the bottom left of the canvas. Let’s see what happens then!

12 responses to “The Year Long Canvas Welcomes August”

  1. I love your idea of turning YLC vertically with the red orange ball in bottom left. I really like that. I think forgiving, and lack of anger releases the beauty of your soul, allowing it to flow into your paintings.

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    • Thanks Jann! Mom’s blue was actually ANY shade of turquoise, and my sister and I continue to carry the torch, gifting eachother all kinds of turquoise things. I did not mix it – it’s just Liquitex light blue – perfect right out of the tube.

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  6. This is getting SO exciting!!! I know, just know,that she will be a beautiful individual. She is only an embryo right now. I am so happy you’re relaxing with this and letting her be who she’s gonna be. You’re her mom so she IS gonna be beautiful you know! By the way – this is soooo beautifully written. Inspired!

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    • Thanks so much – I always appreciate your remarks cause you know what art is all about. Not only can you sell it like ice cubes to Eskimos but you understand it and that’s the key….people who don’t understand it or appreciate the complexity of abstract art are often the salespeople in galleries….Hhmmm

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