Hope is difficult for me to draw or paint. It is even more difficult to write about.

Hope is always in me. I take it for granted, usually, unless things get bad. But things have to get really bad before all I have left is hope.

I think this is due to hope being an emotional state rather than an optimistic point of view reached by conscious logical thought. Hope happens when reason is gone. When life feels so overwhelmingly bad, all I have left is hope… for something better.

Although, I can’t deny when life feels positively good, I feel an undercurrent of hope for stability. “I hope that nothing bad happens!” Hope can work against change when things are good and comfortable. Maybe that reflects the arbitrary nature of emotion.

Each of the drawings and paintings below are reflections of hope. The artworks are approximately 9″x12″ on card stock paper, created with markers, pens, watercolors, paint pens, and acrylic paint. The first piece of art is a Face of Hope at its time of overwhelming need. The second artwork is a Ray of Hope, shining through the darkest hour; a time it’s most clearly visible. And the third drawing is a nod to the American Democratic political party which connected popular culture’s idea of hope to a campaign, in the Smiling Eyes of Hope.

Special Thanks to Martha Marshall for contributing the idea for this 4th Art Challenge! And check out Vikki North’s blog (the originator of these art challenges!) to see her interpretation of HOPE!

~Michael

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21st century advances in technology have opened new windows to the world around us that have enabled artists to dive deeper into the heart of matter than ever before. Whether it’s through the use of microscopes to see cells and molecules, or telescopes to see distant planets and galaxies, or in this case, through the use of advanced drilling techniques to reach precious stones, gems, minerals, and core-sample cross sections of Earth, artists are there to explore. And bio artist Sydney Strahan has emerged with fascinating works of art that reflect the nuances and intimate spaces of the layered world that sustains us. Her art is at the same time capable because of this moment of technological advance, yet transcends the millenia of time from whence its inspiration and the art itself was born.

Sydney has created amazingly vibrant paintings from core-sample cross sections of microscopically thin layers of Earth. By working with expert Geologists, a variety of interesting rocks and stones offered a visual point of departure for her art work.

From her artist biography:

Sydney Strahan is a graduate of Texas Christian University with a double major in Painting and Printmaking, as well as a life-long explorer of the arts in creativity, movement, and spirituality.

Coinciding with a current movement in art known as Bio-Art; art inspired by biological mechanisms, Sydney’s work specifically relates to the exploration of life sciences that examine a human connection to living systems.

Additionally, view her beautiful Gemstone Paintings Gallery for more examples of lush art that is reminiscent of worlds within worlds, once hidden deep within the Earth and now available for all too see.

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Vikki North is an amazing artist who’s artwork can be seen in the Red Chair Gallery, and often deals with the ‘human condition’. In July 2008, she visited my art blog, and enthusiastically offered a challenge entitled “Jealousy, The Green Eyed Monster“. The experience was fantastic spontaneous FUN.

A few months later a new challenge was proposed… “The Red Balloon”. The Red Balloon was one of my favorite childhood movies. Minimal dialogue, as it transcends language, and contains visuals that both children and adults can enjoy. And it stars a boy and his big shiny red balloon!

From Inquirer Movie Columnist and Critic Steven Rea:

“”The Red Balloon” is a beautiful little meditation on childhood, on imagination literally taking flight. The story of Pascal and his balloon represents the longings of the young – and the not so young – to escape the mundane business of daily life, and find a way to transcend, transcend.”

My response to the movie and this challenge is a reflection on sharing creativity.

There is a scene in the movie where the little boy, Pascal, and his red balloon stroll by a little girl, who also has a balloon. A bright blue one. The balloons play together briefly, a passing moment, but one that struck me, and seemed to fit this challenge.

It reminded me that when I see someone else with their own ‘balloon’ of imagination, it’s beautiful and wonderful and a joy to share. And in that regard the final scene in the movie becomes particularly overwhelming and memorable.

I think we all have unique creativity. And sharing it and working with others often takes me to new heights. I’m particularly intrigued by the online presentation of this challenge, and the exchange of viewers that are a part of the experience. Vikki and I are posting our finished artworks on the same day, without having seen each others’ work, and I encourage you to visit her Art Blog to see what she has created!

So without further ado, “Blue’n Red” is a 9″x 12″ paint/drawing created with colored pencils, pen, marker, paint pen, and watercolor mediums. The artwork is comprised of two children’s faces in a sea of creativity, surrounded by the balloons of all the people in their world, swirling around, and enjoying the fun. A multitude of colors and affect, coming together to form something bigger than one can do alone.

Thank you Vikki!

These are two 9″x12″ abstract portraits of artist Frank Calloway, drawn and painted with pen, ink, markers, colored pencils, and watercolors. Dina Kerik’s Deepwater Journal alerted me to the story of Frank and the reference image for the artworks.

I was inspired by his passion for drawing, which started when he was 86 years old. Frank Calloway turned 112 years old on July 2, 2008, and art continues to be a part his life. I also like the youthful quality of his drawings, and the consistency hints at a very mature, organized, and creatively patterned style.

High quality giclée prints of each portrait are available at ImageKind.

Some days before I draw, I close my eyes and breathe until I’m close to a kundalini state of mind, and I start to see amazing faces of all kinds. Barely captured in the artwork, the faces are so real, so unlike anything in this world, it feels like more than just imagination. Like my eyes have to close to this world in order to open in another.

There is a gamut of emotions they express, extreme details, and some that seem to embody the very essence of words like “beauty”, “evil”, “fun”, and some… I don’t think there are words to express what they are. I’m not consciously controlling the faces, they move, come, and go on their own, but I’ve never seen them before with my eyes open, and I don’t know where they come from.

I drew a picture that echoes the experience.

~Michael
MDE-Art.com