Labor Day Weekend

So far it has been luxurious feeling.  Well okay not really but relaxing to say the least.  Shane and I hit the Provo Farmer's Market yesterday where we met up with my friends Vikki and Becca and had some delicious waffles in the open air.  They had this amazing family recipe type of syrup that was...just absolutely scrumptious.  Grabbed some cherry and lime flavored honey sticks and bread samples along with yellow feather earrings and a tarot reading and...good to go!  We all plan to meet at an archery place next for a day of bow and arrow target 'shooting'.  Win.


In addition to our outing I have been painting, of course while Shane plays some serious AC (Asheron's Call for the game abbreviation challenged) next to me.  I am working on another autumn tree globe painting (one with yellow trees and a magenta background) in my personal celebration of the season I love most and because I can't seem to get images of floating trees out of my head these days.  Who knows?  After that I am going to paint a red peacock.  Yes.  A red peacock.


So it has been restful and relaxing and we managed to get in some episodes of The Office.  Pam is currently in the hospital attempting to spawn.  Oh yes and we also worked out as we try to do almost every day and usually succeed at.  What a gripping life we do lead :D


Some fabulous quotes I found today:


"Never apologize for showing feeling. When you do so, you apologize for truth."  -Benjamin Disraeli (1804 - 1881)


"In this life we get only those things for which we hunt, for which we strive, and for which we are willing to sacrifice."  -George Matthew Adams


"A classic is something that everybody wants to have read and nobody wants to read."  -Mark Twain (1835 - 1910), Speech in New York, Nov. 20, 1900




And some recent paintings I've completed:

'The Calla Lily Field' original 24 x 36 acrylic on canvas painting. This is a large painting of a field of vibrant blue and white calla lilies against a vivid red sky.

Calla Lilies are symbols of beauty, magnificence, rebirth and faith. Red represents courage, passion, and energy. Blue is symbolic of strength, freedom, protection, and new beginnings.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/80731873/large-original-painting-the-calla-lily

'The Pink Forest' original 24 x 36 acrylic on canvas painting. This is a large painting of a lush pink forest with a gray stone path leading to yet more pink trees.

Pink is considered a color of good health and life and symbolizes pure love. Trees are symbols of strength and antiquity.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/80557577/large-original-painting-the-pink-forest

'Windy Calm' original 18 x 24 acrylic on canvas painting. The tree bends in the approaching storm, its red and white blossoms stirred by the wind. But there is a calm stillness in the two silhouetted butterflies approaching the sun as it peaks out from behind the clouds.

Butterflies symbolize the soul, transformation, and young love. Red represents courage, passion, and energy. Trees are symbols of strength and antiquity.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/80473608/large-original-painting-windy-calm-18-x

'We'll Meet Halfway' original 24 x 36 acrylic on canvas painting by Amber Elizabeth Graff. This is a large painting two detailed white trees reaching across and blue and purple sky toward each other. Two hummingbirds touch in the center light.

Hummingbirds are considered messengers that are able to stop time. They are also symbols of love, joy, and beauty. Trees symbolize strength and antiquity.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/81018854/large-original-painting-well-meet

Red Tree Globes 16" x 20" original acrylic painting by Amber Elizabeth Graff. Painting of little Autumn world globes floating in an aqua sky. Red leaves fall from each tree inside its globe as Autumn takes hold.

Trees are symbols of strength and antiquity aqua blue is a universal symbol of youth, fidelity, hope and health. Red symbolizes courage and passion.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/81116353/original-large-red-tree-globes-16-x-20

Quotes for Wednesday and Thoughts on Oslo

I'll start with some quotes for today.  It is one of my favorite things to do to go to the quote randomizer and see what pops up for the day.  I can almost always find something that relates to my life currently.  The quotes that stood out to me today:

"What you are is a question only you can answer."

Lois McMaster Bujold, The Warrior's Apprentice, 1986

"A person who trusts no one can't be trusted." -Jerome Blattner

"It is one of the beautiful compensations of life that no man can sincerely try to be kind to another, without helping himself." -Bailey

"I am not a star. A star is nothing more than a ball of gas." -Elijah Wood

"It is right to be contented with what we have, never with what we are." -Sir James MacKintosh

"If you can't appreciate what you've got, then you had better get what you can appreciate." -George Bernard Shaw (1856 - 1950), Pygmalion

What I get when I put all these quotes together is the message, be happy with what I have, trust more, and even though I'm happy with what I have...strive to become a better person each day.

We are all asking ourselves...how could someone do what they did in Oslo?  Oslo, like so many sad events before has made our jaws drop.  Our hearts sink.  I could focus on the unspeakable horror but that has already been done.  And honestly how can we not focus on something like that.  We will never understand the reasons behind acts like that...we never can understand it.  And that is a good thing because what would it say of us if something like that made sense.  

But I read an article yesterday that inspired me.  The people of Oslo and Norway in general, instead of dwelling on anger and revenge in the face of tragedy...held large peace rallies instead.  Large majorities of the population in different cities showed up.  They chose to move forward with their lives and honor the victims and loved ones with a message of peace.  

Surely this would diminish the satisfaction a perpetrator of such carnage could achieve watching these people moving forward, honoring peace.  And what can be said of someone who targets people in a country where the maximum sentence one can get in prison is...20 years?  21 years?  They were even his own people.  

I can choose to rage at this person for what he has done, this villain.  But what I should take issue with instead is extremism.  The ability to rationalize killing in the name of religion.  What I do take issue with is hate.  No one can claim to be part of any religion (for the most part) and practice hate.  I may never understand how this person's choice of victims and way of hurting them makes any sense with the religious ideals he claimed to be a part of.  But dwelling on pain seldom helped anyone.  Instead I commend Oslo for showing their true spirit with the peace gatherings and wish them great comfort.  And I thank them for inspiring us all to be better.

Completely unrelated, but here are a few new paintings I just finished since I like to include them in my blog postings as I complete them.  Since I eat, sleep, and breathe painting: