Still life sounds a bit like an oxy moron doesn’t it?
For someone who struggles to colour in the lines a little contained floral action can’t help but to be big on personality.
What was once a ‘false start’ is now a studio companion with a cheeky personality despite her bland title, “Active Still : Purple”

The meditation in this episode also pairs action with stillness and takes us on a contemplative journey. Join me for 14 minutes of self care as we navigate a snow covered labyrinth and learn the paths we take might not always be clear but a thoughtful walk can bring with it, a little clarity.
Tune in to your own intentions at 7:00 in the recording and allow this virtual journey to lead the way forward where the universe will help us to know and understand what we need to know and understand.

“ACTIUVE STILL: PURPLE” Acrylic on Panel 30’ x 40” , 2010

“ACTIVE STILL: PURPLE”

To end off our second season I am keeping with my intention to share the backstories of works that are available and for this episode for a change of pace, we will be chatting about a still life. I don’t paint a lot of still life’s but I thought a still life painting, particularly one called an active still might help to reinforce the idea of presence that has followed us through the first two seasons of the podcast.

Today’s feature is 30” x 40”’s of a painting called, imaginatively. “ACTIVE STILL: PURPLE”. I don’t know where such a bland title came from? I was clearly lacking in energy when it came time to labelling this one? It’s hard to accept that I couldn’t find at least one synonym for purple: amethyst, periwinkle, mauve, to jazz it up a purple but here it is?

The name might lack some lustre but the composition makes up for that lack with its cheery disposition.

STILL LIFE: ALPHA, Acrylic on Panel 11” x 14”, 2022

The still life genre, by definition describes a work of art that depicts mostly inanimate subject matter. This style of painting flourished in the Netherlands during the early 1600’s, though was not limited to that period.

When we generally think of a still life painting descriptors such as inert gentle and quiet come to mind.

“PAINTED LADIES” from Episode 3 Season 1. Acrylic on P{panel, 24” x 24”, 2020

I’m not known for colouring in the lines or for creating inert and still arrangements. My still life paintings tend to have some personality in keeping with the difficulty I have colouring in the lines. They are an arrangement of shapes and lines contained in an interior but I called it an active still for a reason. The marks that describe the subject are energetic and loose and keep the eye travelling. The composition unlike many works of the genre is not imbued with a subtext of symbolism; it was simply an exercise in composition.

The bunkhouse at the cottage doubles as overflow accommodation but I like it best when its my studio and it is strewn with the tools of the creative trade.

Adding energy to a still life to create an “active still” is the result of a few little tricks coming into play.

Colour for one is important. In any composition I tend to use a colour in multiple areas across the surface. This helps to encourage the viewers eye to travel as it picks up the colour cues.. The composition or structure of a painting follows some prescribed formal patterns. I tend to use those as suggestions rather than rules and encourage compositional features to be a little off to encourage visual energy on the surface. I also employ devices such as angular motifs or pathways between elements that move with a diagonal emphasis. All of these tactics combine to add personality to what is considered to be a still life painting of a group of inanimate objects.

“JAZZ: LA DANSE LA MUSIQUE” Acrylic on Canvas, 18” x 36” x 2 panels, 2020. This pair walked off to their forever home one lovely September WAVE weekend.

The painting ACTIVE STILL: PURPLE is 30” x 40” of acrylic on panel which means she is no shrinking violet. This piece began with a sketch that didn’t make it completely off the paint wall. At the time I may have considered it a false start that was relegated to the back of the bus until it ended up where it is today.

To refer to a particular painting as a false start I should clarify is not always a negative label. Sometimes I am not satisfied where a particular piece is going and I do abandon it. Sometimes something might be left unfinished when a painting period ends or I take a break around my families schedule or school holidays. Sometimes its intentional and sometimes Then its not so much that I didn’t like what was happening instead it might just mean time away from the paint wall has led me down a different path and I want to start off with a fresh vision. Sometimes abandoning a work is intentional and sometimes a painting start just gets lost in the studio shuffle or calls for more rest than the average bear.

Active Still:Mini Alpha the big question is always to frame or not to frame. This little treasure was recently framed in a hand made and hand leafed wood frame. Like pearl and a little black dress we can’t go wrong with a gold leaf frame. Like putting your earrings or mascara on, framed this little piece is ready fro anything.

Still life as a subject is not something I general lean towards though during this past summer I painted a few still life’s in the Sweet Suite 11’ x 14” series.

“Mini Still: Alpha” was one of that group. This little guy was a favourite that I had intended to find a place for in my personal collection. Instead she found herself a new home in quick time. Unlike the bigger ACTIVE STILL IN PURPLE, the sweet suite example was begun and completed at the end of a painting period when my painting muscle was flexed and in a comfortable rhythm. She flowed on the substrate in soft and easy marks, built in some energy with diagonal elements in the composition and settled with a reduced colour palette. She has travelled a long way from the shores of Lake Winnipeg to her new adoptive home. I hope the energy of the prairie and my purple lilacs from the side yard at the cottage breathe freshness and lighter into her new surroundings year round.

I’ll admit I am too self conscious to paint in front of anyone or to dive in to a facebook live. For now this is me at work in the early layers

Active Still in Purple unlike “Mini Still: Alpha”, is hanging close to home. I’ve found her a spot in my tiny studio and enjoy her enthusiasm each day when I walk into my “office”.

She witnesses both action and stillness throughout my day and is a reminder that colour can bloom in all seasons on the Canadian Prairies and our summer contained and captured in this way can keep blooming with energy and enthusiasm forever.

If you are local and find yourself in my neighbourhood and want to stop in to meet my Active Still: Purple by all means bring your cup of joe and settle in with me for a moment in her presence.

I’ll have a Tall Decaf Americano with Oat milk if you are offering.

Active Still inn the Studio with actively blooming studio friends

My studio has beautiful light that encourages me and my orchid friends to bloom. This pic was taken from my meditation chair which also doubles as the lunchroom.

Before we get started on the Labyrinth walk meditation that I have paired with today’s theme of “active Stillness”, take a quick minute to acquaint yourself with the diagram of the Carol Shields Memorial Labyrinth in Winnipeg. It didn’t quite look like this during my inaugural visit, snow covered.

Diagram of The Carol Shields’ Labyrinth in Kings park, Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Given that the constant in this world is change I thought it would be nice to spend a little time being present together in the meditation.

Join me 7 minutes into the recording only. Press the arrow in the player at the top of this blog to listen in. The meditation this episode is 14 minutes of self care.

Walk to the labyrinth alongside the Red River in Winnipeg.

LISTEN HERE

It seems we have reached the end of todays backstory. Thanks for tuning in to this episode. I really appreciate you spending some of your valuable time with me. I hope the images are helpful and that you are finding something of your story within mine by listening in to the podcast, or catching up through this blog.

If my work or words inspire you please consider sharing the podcast with a friend or writing a review on Apple Podcasts. You can listen to the full episode on apple or anywhere you get your podcasts or press the arrow in the embedded player at the beginning of this blog.

Thanks for joining me. Hope to see you next Tuesday.

All best,

Amanda

Apple Trailer - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wisdom-at-the-crossroads-trailer/id1609992256?i=1000551067035