A Thicket of Views

Newest painting... "A Thicket of Views" 16x20 oil on canvas. The Buddha described this as asking the BIG, albeit irrelevant questions when pertaining to daily life. Questions that have no answers, yet divide, create judgement, separate, form lines in the sand, even begin wars. It is enough to wake each morning, put one foot in front of the other, and experience this day... although not many of us can do that. We live in the past or we project into the future. Rarely do any of us really exist in the moment. The Buddha advised stepping out of the thicket of views, dropping these ideas and concepts, for there is no happiness to be found there. Happiness is in the now.

Lost Hope

Lost Hope, 8x10 oil on panel... something Im experiencing at the moment...

Exploring the Looking Glass

Exploring the Looking Glass, 30x40 oil on gallery wrapped linen... This painting was done as an expression of my own confusion and lack of understanding about death. With the death of my sister and the myriad of recent deaths around me, I have been contemplating what actually happens after death... is there existence? And if so, what is it? So many views, so many beliefs, none of which can be proven one way or another. Maybe there is no other option but to mindfully abide in the mystery.

Borrowed Strength

Borrowed Strength, oil on linen... this painting was done soon after we learned that my baby sister was suffering with stage 4 lung cancer. It felt as though the family became one unit, sharing each others strength and holding one another up.

A Collective Consciousness

A Collective Consciousness 12x16 oil on canvas

Deconstructing the Puppeteer, 12x23 oil on board... We go through our lives viewing the world through our ego perceptions, perceptions that are nothing more than our preferred views, and we tend to believe that our view or perception is the correct one, so we feel empowered, and in control, we feel safe. In Buddhism we are encouraged to eliminate the power of the ego in our lives.  The concepts of me, I, and mine belong to ego, and are merely an illusion, as there is no me nor I, merely a group of opinions, or views which make up our personality. The personality is not who we are, but simply a display of our ego's needs, wants and desires. Without the influence of our egos, we are able to see the world as it truly is, free of our judgements, views, opinions, likes and dislikes. Without the ego, we are able to see everything in our lives in its ultimate reality, in its simple beauty, and accept it as such. This state of being brings about much happiness, dispels suffering, and is what is called enlightenment. This painting shows someone on the path to deconstructing that ego, and finding Nirvana. She is cutting the ego strings that have kept her imprisoned in a world of illusion.

The Emptiness of Words, 24x30 oil on linen. Words, our form of communication, which when we mindfully speak, we do believe that we are conveying what we intend to. However, words are subject to the perception of others, thereby often changing their intended meaning. Wars have begun over the mis-understanding of words. Friendships have ended, marriages failed... We believe that communication is a simple task, yet....it appears it is not simple at all.

The Three Seekers, 24x36 oil on linen. Inspired by Botticelli.  I actually wanted to name this the Three Realms, as when I completed the painting, what I saw in it, was the past, present and future. They are so interchangeable within the painting, that different sections of the painting would be identified with different time realms by different people. And, all would be correct, as time is nonexistent anyway. There is no time, merely a fabrication of human beings, to help sort out their day.

Gautama Buddha... 14x18 oil on linen

Becoming

Becoming... 12x12 oil on panel... She had washed off all of the dirt from childhood. She had moved forward, leaving everything behind, learning to answer to no one but herself. She found peace within her once battered spirit. She found she was becoming....

Denial

Denial, 24x36 oil on linen. Recently, I discovered something that I should have known. It was right in front of my face. Maybe, I just refused to see it.

Infinite Garden

Infinite Garden... 16x20 oil on linen. Our mind is a garden... an infinite garden. Harvest it!

Ying and Yang

Ying and Yang... 24x24 oil on linen. Ying and Yang.... good and bad..... righteous and unrighteous.... black and white.... virtuous and non-virtuous.... All of life is cyclical, never to be divided into right and wrong... Walk the middle path, and just see that all things just are. This is right view.

Self Imposed Prison

18x24 oil... We all limit ourselves by our own perceptions of what is possible, what we are capable of. Bottom line...expand your perceptions, think positively, put those wings back on and fly!!

The Pretense

The Pretense... 8x10 oil on linen...

pre·tense  

/ˈprēˌtens/

Noun An attempt to make something that is not the case appear true. A false display of feelings, attitudes, or intentions.

Proud as a Peacock

Proud as a Peacock... 24x36 oil... Pride... the arrogance that pride can produce will inevitably build a wall between us and others, leading to a life of loneliness.

The Buddha of Infinite Light

The Buddha of Infinite Light... 20x24 oil on linen. This was my first attempt at a Buddhist thangha. I painted 2 of these at the same time, one for me, one for a gift to the Buddhist Temple I attend. 6 weeks of bending over 2 canvases...and ultimately a damaged back. I was driven beyond belief in these paintings... and continued painting even when I normally would have walked away. I am never really happy with anything I paint, but I am surprised with my dedication and purpose with these. That showed a great change in me, and with that observation, I am most happy.

She was facing her demons

She was facing her demons... 18x24 oil on linen. Oh yes, something most of us run from. I have run from my demons most of my life, however with becoming a Buddhist, I have had to face down my demons... one at a time. It has not been pleasant, but it has been productive. I have learned that to run from suffering, is rediculous... it wont disappear on its own... a few moments of realization is far better than a lifetime of hiding.

The Puzzle

The Puzzle... 16x20 oil on linen. Our life, our decision making, our paths, can all seem at times to be a puzzle.

Playing the Game of Life

Playing the Game of Life... 24x30 oil on linen. Life is music. We can play the game of life with wisdom, or else fall into the trappings of the world.