About Anger

"Anger" Private Collection

"A good anger acted upon is beautiful as lightening and swift as power. A good anger swallowed clots the blood with slime." -Marge Piercy, Author

"...because I don't keep a lot of shit bottled up inside me." - Tina Turner, Entertainer

My painting, "Anger" is a depiction of the many faces of that emotion, and was painted as an expression of one part of the grieving process when my mother passed on several years ago. She died in 2002 and it was 2007 when I painted some of the emotions I felt at that time, including anger.

It is an emotion that I allow myself to feel, but which - depending on the anger - am thoughtful about how I express it. Some anger is hot and fast, rising quickly to the surface before you have time to think about it, sometimes causing you to react in ways you might later regret. This is the type of anger we have to step back and think about. It is good to do so because such anger often leaves as quickly as it comes. This is the type of anger that I'm most likely to feel when I'm driving responsibly in traffic and another driver is aggressively tailgating, or when I'm dealing with rude service people in public.

Another type of anger is the kind that stems from having strong emotions about a particular situation, remaining intense over time. Trying to supress it only makes it worse. In order to best handle it, you must admit that it exists. Anger withheld is anger denied, and anger denied is a form being dishonest with yourself. Anger denied can lead to physical illness or make you mentally become a person with "issues," which are often obvious to those around you, but not always obvious to you.

In my lifetime, I've only heard two people say they have never been angry. I'm still wondering how this is possible - how do they do it? Because we are human, it is normal to occasionally feel anger, regardless of whether we show it or not. Rare is the person who never feels anger about something, be it a job promotion that was given to someone else, betrayal by a friend or a reckless driver who cuts you off in traffic. If someone never feels anger , I would wonder if they were out of touch with their feelings or if they were emotionally numb most of the time. Perhaps such a person thinks it is wrong to feel anger.

How do you handle anger? Do you feel it is unhealthy to express anger?

Note: Although I promised to post "The Pleasure of Paper/ Part II," I am not quite ready to do so because of technical reasons. Please bear with me.

The Black Man Talks of Reaping

This poem by Arna Bontemps is one of my favorites from the Harlem Renaissance Period. It is one I have read many times, enjoying it more each time:

I have sown beside all waters in my day
I planted deep within my heart the fear
That wind or fowl would take the grain away
I planted safe against this lean, stark year

I scattered seed enough to plant the land
In rows from Canada to Mexico
But for my reaping only what the hand
Can hold at once is all that I can show

Yet what I sowed and what the orchard yields
My brother's sons are gathering stalk and root
Small wonder then my children glean in fields
They have not sown, and feed on bitter fruit

Arna Bontemps, 1902-1973

Warrior: Archetype of the Artist

It has been said that the written word is mightier than the sword. I agree. Anything documented, whether imagery or words, has a sense of finality about it. Perhaps etched in stone? Maybe that is why, during previous war times, the artists and intellectuals were the first to be imprisoned or banished.

Written words and imagery often carry a lot of weight, with the ability to influence both consciously and subconsciously. It is for this reason that certain imagery could possibly be considered propaganda.

An artist's imagery is his sword, as is a writer's words. Whether we understand or not the subject matter, looking at a documented work can sometimes seem as powerful as the actual creation of it, particularly if our emotions are engaged. That is how I have sometimes felt when viewing great abstract art, where my connection has often been more on a primal level rather than a cerebral one. The warrior-spirit of such works shine through strident and strong.

The warrior is the archtype of the artist because of his courage in using his sword, among other reasons, I'm sure. He knows that he takes a risk each time he uses it. Rarely does he use it recklessly. It is drawn with forethought and purpose. It may be drawn to document, teach, report, deliver a message or simply to share beauty or impart wisdom.

The warrior is essentially peaceful. He is a leader in the quest for harmony, and rarely seeks out enemies. Most likely, he chooses his battle based on the force of his need to express, as well as the content of the subject matter. In seeking to achieve harmony throught the art principles and values of line, form, color, balance and shape, the artist-warrior makes his mark and hits his target, either multiple times or a few.

Being artist-warriors, even the most passive-appearing artists are vociferious in alternative ways, aware of their freedom to speak through their avenue of choice. Moreover, they are confidently aware of the powerful warrior spirit that dwells within, unleashed time and again with positive purpose, having its say. Making its mark.

Acceptance

Acrylic on paper Private Collection

True Friends

Acrylic on paper Private Collection

Buoyancy by Rumi

*This poem is dedicated to my friend, J. I promised to post a Rumi poem on the sidebar, but the one I chose was quite long, so here it is, presented as a new post.

Love has taken away all my practices

And filled me with poetry.

I tried to keep silently repeating

No strength but yours

But I couldn't.

I had to clap and sing.

I used to be respectable and chaste and stable,

but who can stand in this strong wind

and remember those things?

A mountain keeps an echo deep inside itself.

That's how I hold your voice.

I am scrap wood thrown in your fire

and quickly reduced to smoke.

I saw you and became empty.

This emptiness, more beautiful than existence,

obliterates existence, yet when it comes,

existence thrives and creates more existence.

The sky is blue. The world is a blind man

squatting on the road.

But whoever sees your emptiness

sees beyond blue and beyond the blind man.

A great soul like Mohammed, or Jesus,

moving through a crowd in a city

where no one knows him.

To praise is to praise

how one surrenders

to the emptiness.

To praise the sun is to praise your own eyes

Praise, the ocean. What we say, a little ship.

So, the sea-journey goes on, and who knows where!

Just to be held by the ocean is the best luck

we could have. It's a total waking up!

Why should we grieve that we've been sleeping?

It doesn't matter how long we've been unconcious.

We're groggy, but let the guilt go.

Feel the motions of tenderness

around you, the buoyancy.

Rumi, 1207-1273

The Pleasure of Paper / Part I

"The Night Before Surgery" Acrylic on Saunders Waterford

Canvas or paper? Each time I develop an image, either mentally or through sketching, with the purpose of beginning to paint, that is the question I ask myself.

While canvas is certainly more popular to art buyers than paper, I absolutely adore the absorbency and resiliency of paper. In addition to allowing a larger variety of techniques than canvas, paper is much stronger than it appears. These are just some of the reasons I love working with paper so much.

My love of paper began several years ago when I began experimenting with several different brands and types, finding a few that have become favorites over the years.

For a variety of works, I love Aquarius II paper because of its strength and versatility. I can decorate it, do calligraphy on it or complete paintings on it. It is a soft, strong paper that absorbs multiple layers of color very well. The trick to achieving a substantial-looking matte finish is painting extremely thinned opaque white coats between each layer of color. Contrary to popular belief, this will not dull your colors. They will remain vibrant if the white coats are applied extremely thin. Aquarius II paper gives this technique a strong look on a soft paper. Bear in mind that I'm using acrylics in a manner similiar to watercolor.

Decorated Aquarius II paper is the absolute best for using as covers for handbound books. The entire process is a joyful experience from choosing a decorative technique for the cover to actually putting the measured cover onto the book. The very first handbound book that I presented to the public was a labor of love, selling at auction for a price well beyond my expectations.

For painting, traditional watercolor papers are my first choice, although I sometimes use acid-free boards, as well as canvas (see my painting below, "Within My Heart, I Give Thanks"). These papers include Kilimanjaro, Twinrocker, Arches and Gemini (which never fails to result in a lovely finish). Both Gemini and Saunders Waterford are my favorite papers for painting. The Twinrocker is magnificent, but expensive - and rightly so, as it is in a league by itself.

I also like the Canson MiTentes papers - another work horse, as well as printmaking papers such as BFK Rives and Stonehenge for calligraphy or decorating to use for collage. Because I like to control every aspect of the creative process, all my collage papers are handpainted. Over the years, I have accumulated large boxes of painted papers which I have often shared with other artists. I have also used these papers for paper weaving, collaging boxes and creating colorful paper mobiles. Other papers used include a multitude of rice papers and unsual textured papers.

In future posts, I will talk about some of the techniques I have used for decorating and altering paper. As soon as my photographer friend arrives, I will be posting calligraphic and collage work as well as newer paintings.

"Within My Heart, I Give Thanks" Acrylic on Canvas

My House #3

On a perfect day, the stairs

are easy to climb

My steps softened by
the smell of mint
The sublime comfort
of the living room
Complete in its colors
of invitation.

I need go no further
for love.

Still, into the kitchen

Familiar things
are found brighter
this perfect day
Where polished pots know
what to cook
Where varied vegetables
bake by themselves.

Where the kitchen's warmth

radiates throughout
Where beauty reigns
on this perfect day
Filled with memories of
visits and laughter
Of lovers, friends
and family.

I need go no further

for love

copyright 2009, Georgette Jones