 DIRTY ZEN COLLECTION | Capturing the Light. Calming the Chaos. Painting as a Genuine Path to Spiritual Awakening. Zen Buddhist mantras carved into multiple layers of texture made of paint, plaster, newspaper, salt, sand and sawdust to create ethereal, sculptural abstracts.  Beauty. Simplicity. Elegance. The confluence of Design & Function. We just love how this painting adorns the entryway of this stunning Manhattan Beach home. Welcome home!  Minimalist Color + Maximalist Texture = LOVE (and very heavy paintings!) Creativity is messy. Embrace it! Working on my new collection of FALL 2021 paintings today.  4 paintings, 3 ways. I used to think that not assigning a "top" or a "bottom" to my paintings was doing my clients a huge favor. It wasn't. This practice confused a lot more people than it helped. The reply I would get most often was: "Which way do you think is best?". The same goes for framing: Is a painting better with or without a frame? There are no wrong answers, only different results. These days, I typically choose the orientation and don't frame my paintings unless asked. All things considered, I love to imagine the different possibilities.  We did it! We survived the rare Blue Moon. Personally, I haven't slept well in 3 days. How was it for you? The Blue Moon brings strong emotions to the surface, feels otherworldly, and makes us ponder what's important to us in life. During this magical celestial moment, it's a beautiful time to follow your heart and desires.  How do I make paintings that deeply align with my values? How do I express myself at my highest good and for the good of others? How can I go beyond thinking “We are one” to knowing this is true deep down in my soul? The answers to questions like these lie in having awareness. Knowing you have the choice to create a peaceful life for yourself—and the world. Painting As Prayer, Layers of Intention: New work inspired by the pursuit of an evolved self and hopes for a more enlightened humanity.  Regarding her work, daSilva notes: “My sculptural pieces are an ongoing series of artwork inspired by the pursuit of an evolved self and hopes for a more enlightened humanity. Creating multiple layers with paint, paper and plaster is a labor intensive process that resonates deeply with me, creating a near meditative state. I now see each layer as tangible units of my intentions. Each painting is a tactile ‘page’ containing hopes, dreams and aspirations. By ‘writing’ on the canvas - always with my eyes closed, and using my less dominant left hand to release any attachments to perfection - I aim to create a visual language that can be felt as well as seen."  You're beautiful darling, but are we finished? I love the raw and imperfect beauty of this piece. We've had a turbulent relationship. High summits of pleasure, and deep valleys of pain. Never boring. We either allow the process to keep evolving or stand back, observe what we've created together and let each other go. "Darling, I Am Here", acrylic & mixed media on canvas, 40 x 60 in  Follow your own voice. Or in the words of Steve Job's awesome and memorable Stanford speech: "Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary." |
