Are you Blue?

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A "dream portrait" from the Durham Dreams Series
"A Dream Of Freedom" by Eleatta (c) 36 x 48 Acrylic.

Why so blue?
In poking around articles to see what our favorite colors  reveal about our personalities, I have been especially interested to see what I could find concerning those who choose the color blue as their favorite hue. The reason for this curiosity is the fact that in painting a recent series of paintings, "Durham Dreams", almost half of  the individuals chose BLUE as their preferred color.

Durham Dreams

This body of work, "Durham Dreams",  is made up of what I call "dream portraits",  painted renderings of  the dreams, goals and aspirations of various leaders in the community where I live. Participants were selected on the basis of their visionary labor in strengthening the fabric of Durham N.C. Interviewing each candidate revealed not only their dream  for Durham, but also their favorite color palette, and artistic style. Six out of the selected twelve chose blue!

Responsibly blue
A  color-personality quiz on Better Homes and Garden ( BHG.com) , reveals interesting insights. According to studies, those who prefer the color blue generally exhibit certain qualities such as being or exhibiting:
compassion
  caring,
 strong sense of duty
 perseverance,
conscientious
I must say that, in light of the candidates chosen for Durham Dreams, these characteristics are perfectly matched!


Dreaming of Freedom
The painting above represents Bill Shore's "dream" of bringing hope to East Durham schools. The symbolism in this  piece includes open doors and keys that represent opportunity.  A bird in flight and uplifted faces reflect a renewed faith and vision for life. Bill's color choice was, of course, blue. Not only does his selection depict the above  list of attribute, but it also hints of his alma mater, UNC!


What's your favorite color? What do you think it tells about you? Take the color-personality test and find out!

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The Best Life Ever

This is the "dream portrait" depicting Cora Cole McFadden's dream for Durham.
Cora McFadden is Durham,N.C.'s Mayor Pro Tem. When interviewed for this painting, her expressed wish for the children of Durham was that they would "have the opportunity to live the best life ever!"
In the captions of the following images, you may see a bit of my thoughts behind the symbolism of these paintings.

Spherical shapes are used as symbols representing dreams, hopes and aspirations.
Here, a small child is clasping a dream in her hand.

Cora McFadden is a stout hearted woman with a warm smile and robust laughter.
I chose to depict the faces of the children in a three quarter side angle in order to capture the charm of youthful faces.

Depicting Durham's multi ethnic community, I chose a diverse collection of children to be embraced in welcoming arms.

Illustrating Cora's dream of seeing the children of Durham  receiving  opportunities of "living the best lives ever", I chose to position all faces lifted upwards.
This painting has been a crowd favorite thus far. While it has been in my studio, people gravitate to the warm tones and cherub-cheeked children!
Durham Dreams may be viewed in my Durham studio until August. Then is Sept. and Oct. they will be exhibited in downtown Durham N.C.'s  "American Tobacco" complex.

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"A Dream of Hope"

The process of painting a Durham Dreams portrait.

"A Dream of Hope"by Eleatta

(The painting process of creating a "Dream Portrait"in a few quick pics!)

This painting depicts the "dream"of 

Bill Shore, Director of US Community Partnerships for GlaxoSmithKline , has for Durham.

"Light blue" was the color preference for this portrait.

Can you find the difference in this and the final painting  below?

I decided to change the second face to align with the others in order to create a sense of upward movement. 

Here's the finished piece.

It was such an honor to translate Bill's dream for Durham's economically challenged areas.
The Durham Dreams Series will be on exhibit September and October in Durham, N.C.'s American Tobacco. 

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Change Agents!

Durham Dreams honors two future dreamers in Durham.
 Krystin and Joel McCauley were February's featured  participants.

"Change Agents"

Durham Dreams is the body of work  I have been working on for a year. It features  the dreams of some of Durham's finest leaders. It was inspired by this wonderful quote by Header Camera.

"When we are dreaming alone, it is only a dream. When we are dreaming with others, it is the beginning of reality."

"Durham Dreams" is dedicated to the reality of the dreams that have already transformed the city of Durham, as well as to the dreamers yet to come that will take her still farther.

This body of work will be a collection of portraits of key visionaries, “dreamers”,  10 of which have transformed Durham over the last 20 years and 2 featuring dreamers for Durham's future.. The portraits will be unusual, however. They will be what I call "dream portraits”, which are painted interpretations of an individual's visions, hopes and aspirations. Subjects have shared their dream for Durham with me in interviews, and the I am translating their dreams onto canvas.

Krystin and Joel McCauley, a dynamic brother and sister duo, were the delightful subjects of February's portrait. In their interview, the below quote was given as their dream for Durham:

"Change Agents" by Eleatta

Our dream for Durham is to utilize entertainment and service as a vehicle to create positive changes particularly for the youth. We hope to use our artistic talents in music, acting, and television hosting to create global change that we can bring back to Durham to inspire the young people in our city to be change agents.





When I begin one of these "portraits" there are several things I consider:
- the dream
- any desired color palette
- the "feeling" of the dream
- possible symbolic metaphors

Below, I have posted the completed painting along with images depicting portions of the painting with their meanings.

Symbols:
*trench coats - change" agents"
*"seeds" sown from hand - positive changes
*ribbons undone-  wholehearted commitment to vision

Symbols:
*round platform- a stage representing entertainment
also depicting a compass center representing a change of direction for youth

Symbols:
*filigree on "stage" and clothing- integrity on and off stage
* glowing spheres- dreams, aspirations

Symbols:
*tickets- spreading wealth and doing good through their talents

Symbols:
*female figure "flying"- pursuing a vision and seeking to do good lifts and transcends the doer

Symbols:
*faces tilted downward- a posture of humility

Symbolism:
*two similar arm positions of figures - the synchronization between Krystin and Joel's joint efforts

It was such a delight to create this portrait. I hope it will inspire many other "future" dreamers to pursue such noble dreams.

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Veteran's Day!

Prints of We Remember are available at this link.

      Taking Time to Remember
            Freedom is never free.  ~Author Unknown
In honor of remembering Veterans' Day this week I wanted to pause from my usual posts about John Maxwell's book, Put Your Dream to the Test , in order to give honor to our brave Veterans. A couple of years ago I created this relief sculpture of poppies to commemorate their lives. After coming across this beloved poem, In Flanders Fields, I was inspired to make a large monumental piece to represent their bravery.It is crafted from pizza box tops, water bottles and plastic trash cans covered in paper mache.

 At the end of this post I've also posted TWO images from Durham Dreams  that I have been finishing up this past week.

In Flanders Fields By John McCrae - World War I Colonel In Flanders fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row, That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, fly. Scarce heard amid the guns below. We are the dead. Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow Loved, and were loved, and now we lie In Flanders fields. Take up our quarrel with the foe: To you from failing hands we throw The torch; be yours to hold it high. If ye break faith with us who die We shall not sleep, though poppies grow In Flanders fields.

This was the poem written by World War I Colonel John McCrae, a surgeon with Canada's First Brigade Artillery. It expressed McCrae's grief over the "row on row" of graves of soldiers who had died on Flanders' battlefields, located in a region of western Belgium and northern France. The poem presented a striking image of the bright red flowers blooming among the rows of white crosses and became a rallying cry to all who fought in the First World War. The first printed version of it reportedly was in December 1915, in the British magazine Punch. 

McCrae's poem had a huge impact on two women, Anna E. Guerin of France and Georgia native Moina Michael. Both worked hard to initiate the sale of artificial poppies to help orphans and others left destitute by the war. By the time Guerin established the first sale in the U.S., in 1920 with the help of The American Legion, the poppy was well known in the allied countries — America, Britain, France, Canada, Australia and New Zealand — as the "Flower of Remembrance." Proceeds from that first sale went to the American and French Children's League. 

Guerin had difficulty with the distribution of the poppies in early 1922 and sought out Michael for help. Michael had started a smaller-scaled Poppy Day during a YMCA conference she was attending in New York and wanted to use the poppies as a symbol of remembrance of the war. Guerin, called the "Poppy Lady of France" in her homeland, and Michael, later dubbed "The Poppy Princess" by the Georgia legislature, went to the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) for help. Following its first nationwide distribution of poppies in 1922, the VFW adopted the poppy as its official memorial flower. 

However, a shortage of poppies from French manufacturers led to the idea of using unemployed and disabled veterans to produce the artificial flowers. In 1924, a poppy factory was built in Pittsburgh, Pa., providing a reliable source of poppies and a practical means of assistance to veterans. Today, veterans at VA medical facilities and veterans homes help assemble the poppies, which are distributed by veterans service organizations throughout the country. 

This is the Durham Dream portrait for Evelyn Schmidt.

This is the Durham Dreams portrait for Bill Kalkof

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A Whole Lota' Thinkin'!

Today I share an insight I gained while painting this "Dream Portrait."It's actually a continuation of  the last post's topic of clarity ; besides definition, a dream must be pondered. Indeed the bigger the dream, the more pondering is required!  

 Click here, on the link below, to see a little video clip of  the process of making this  month's "Dream  Portrait" for the founder and CEO of the  Lincoln Health Center, Evelyn Schmidt. 

Yes, here is the link!..these little green words that turn red when you touch them! :)                                                                    
Evelyn Schmidt's Dream Portrait

A whole lota' thinkin"

Spending hours swishing my paint brush around on canvas provides me with time to think. Actually, I think I do my best thinking with brush in hand. While working on the most recent addition to the Durham Dreams project, I had a small epiphany: the bigger that a dream is, the more it needs perspective -time to step back and ponder. 

A vantage point

This is how I reached this conclusion. The composition of Evelyn Schmidt’s portrait was extreemly challenging to pull off. The perspective was intentionally unusual and the many figures posed a maze of compositional problem solving! I continually found myself walking back and forth across my studio to view the painting’s progress. It was only from the vantage point from across the room that I was able to figure out the next step to take to develop the piece. 

The correlation to a person’s vision is striking. The more intricate and challenging the dream, goal, desire, the more there is a need to unplug and ponder. 

What do you think?

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The "What" Drives the "How" or How to Avoid a Labyrinth

Working on the Durham Dreams' portrait of Evelyn Schmidt
 has reminded me of  the truth:
Know where you're going before you begin travel.
 It saves a lot of time.

The accomplishment of a dream depends on the clarity of the vision. Clarity converts a nebulous desire into a power packed dream; a crystalized dream becomes a magnetically compelling roadmap. 


Put Your Dream to the Test
This concept, today's thought from John Maxwell's book,"Put Your Dream to the Test", reflects the question, "Is your dream in focus?"


Clear Vision Attracts Strategy
"If you have a clear vision, you will eventually attract the right strategy. If you don't have a clear vision, no strategy will save you.",says Mike Hyatt of Thomas Nelson Inc. He speaks from experience and conviction as he transformed a dying division within the company in 18 months and went on to become division head and later to president and then finally CEO of the entire company.  

Clarity Demands Time
Developing clarity demands time. Focusing on our dream or aspiration is the first and most important thing we can do; the time we give to this is a prerequisite to strategy. 

Vision Illumines "How To"
Sparkling clarity of vision will illumine the path of ‘how to.” Impetuous strategizing has thwarted many dream’s appearing.  What might be born if we indulged ourselves in time to think and ponder rather than headlong hurling into plan building?

The Dream is the Engine
The dream itself (goal, desire, aspiration) is the engine and the strategy follows. The “what” drives the “how. We should be intentional about sliding our dreams into pockets of time. Whether it’s daily, weekly, monthly yearly (or any combination), time to muse and elucidate is the first priority in pursuing our dream.

Compose a Path
I liken this process to painting. To the degree I clearly “see” what the painting is to be, I am able to compose a ready path. When I am ambiguous, floundering ensues. In my most recent Durham Dreams addition, I have been reminded of this truth. I am still wrestling with the composition due to a lack of clarity. It is serving as a needed reminder. Taking time to think on the front end prevents a labyrinth of indecisiveness and waisted time in wandering. Lesson learned!

Strategic planning is worthless--unless there is first a strategic vision.--John Naisbitt (Megatrends)

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Bed Head and A Kick in the Pants

The highlight of last Friday's "Open Studio" was my visit with Kelley Bryant
as he shared about his "sweet wife of 65 years."

I don’t know about you but I sure gravitate towards a tendency to blame others when my goals are not met. I’m not proud of this. It’s just fact.  My only consolation is that I know I am not alone. The problem with blame - shifting is that it never renders any power to alter situations.

"If you could kick the person in the pants responsible for most of your trouble, you wouldn't sit for a month." Annonymous

John Maxwell says,“If you have a dream and are not trying to live it, then the first place you need to look to find out why you’re not is inside yourself.” 

Just as I know the only person who can alter the morning mirrored reflection of a“bed head” and a pale face is ME, so too must I face the fact that the only one who can groom my dream is ME. 

This month’s “Durham Dreams” was not really finished by the “unveiling” date. It was only at about 90% completion. I wanted to point to someone to blame. I could only face the person in the mirror. The truth hurts. Ouch. 

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Dreams: A Compass for the Future

This month’s featured dreamer is Evelyn Schmidt. Her life and dream for Durham sum up an important aspect of embracing a particular vision: your dream acts as a compass. 


<sup>When a particular vision captures your convictions, it has the ability to steer you through turbulant waters of challenge and adversity.


Dr. Evelyn Schmidt left the South after earning her undergraduate and medical degrees at Duke University, convinced that her liberal political views alienated her from a racially and economically polarized region. When she returned in the early 1970s to head the Durham Community Medical Center, she found a city transformed by desegregation, but with a new set of challenges posed by enduring poverty and an influx of new immigration.


 In my interview with Evelyn, she shared her beliefs about the importance of providing access to health care, the need for preventive medicine, her fears about a rising uninsured population, and the challenges of bilingualism. As she discussed these issues she described not only her philosophy but also the needs of a changing community and the connections between race, class, nationality, and health.</sup>

^{Her dream for Durham stems from her passionate involvement with the current rise of globalization  taking place within the borders of Durham. Evelyn describes her dream as a fervent desire to see the next generation prepared for the new challenges of a multi cultural society. She desires to see the rich history of Durham cherished while also embracing the nuances of a new face of Durham.}

  ^{Evelyn’s “dream portrait” is progressing well and will be unveiled Oct. 15th in my studio in Goldenbelt, downtown Durham.}

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I Have a Dream

TS Elliot wrote, “Whatever you think, be sure it is what you think. Whatever you want, be sure that it is what you want. Whatever you feel, be sure it is what you feel.”

To pursue a dream, one must first examine the authenticity of the desire. Only when the dream we are pursuing is a core personal conviction, will we be able to draw on a deep reservoir of courage. To be able to run the necessary marathon of any pursuit, we must be able to strengthen ourselves with the reminder that we are running our own race, and no one else’s.You cannot achieve a dream you do not own.

This truth is why I love painting the “Durham Dreams” series. I have the privilege of interpreting the dreams of individuals who have chartered a course for their lives according to their internal compass of personal convictions. Each month, as I create a new “dream portrait”, honoring the dream of an outstanding leader in the Durham community, my own dream of using my work to inspire becomes clearer. 

This month’s installment in this series depicts the powerful effect of cherishing the next generation. Cora Cole McFadden, Mayor Pro Tem of Durham, dreams of a community that values and cherishes her children and provides the best opportunity for their future.

The smiling woman with strong, large arms symbolizes the accepting embrace of a community for a multi ethnic group of children.Her head, tilting back, smiles with love and warmth. Around the woman’s head is an arch which represents the need for protection and shelter. Radiating from this arch are “rays” depicted by doors. These doors are opportunity for the children’s future. The mosaic background speaks of the collective efforts of an entire city that works together to provide a launching pad for the young. Within the mosaic backdrop, the circles have a dual meaning. They reflect the fact that the community that works together in such a way, has dreams for it’s future embedded within her walls. These circles may also be viewed as windows that provide a glimpse of hope in the face of dark challenges. The children, joyfully receiving the love of the community look upwards in anticipation. One child points to small orbs descending, representing a sense of hope. (Orbs are a symbol I use for dreams.) Another child grasps a “dream’ in her hand.

This painting was a delight to paint. Speaking for myself, as a mother of five children, my conviction is fully aligned with Cora’s. Children are our future.

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Constructive Discontent

Always changing things!

I’m glad my hubby loves me so much. Otherwise I’d drive him crazy. I’m always changing things around our house. I used to secretly wonder why I’d get sudden bursts of inspiration to move a couch across a room or alter the angle of a chair. Along the way, however, I’ve realized it was something called “Constructive Discontent” Somehow it always feels better when there’s a name for our issues, right?.

 The creative brain:

Most people whose brain is more heavily loaded on the right side (creative folks) tend to display this phenomena. It’s a general internal drive that perpetually asks how something good might become even better. 

Let’s talk:

There is a certain “life” that a piece of art possesses. Though this may sound odd, most artists would readily concur. The act of creating is likened to a conversation between artist and art. The artist listens and responds. One of my favorite artists,Simon Bull, likens this process to an ongoing dialogue.

Tweak, tweak:

In creating the ‘dream portraits’ for Durham Dreams I have needed to tame this drive; a limited amount of time to execute each piece demands constraint. Recently, however, I have not been able to deny this urge. I am “tweaking” Bill Kalkoff’s portrait.This painting kept clamoring for more attention. Every time I walked, it grabbed my shoulder and demanded I listen. As I reconsidered it, I freshly saw that the “dream orbs” were too dominant and the color palette too dark in areas. So, once again, I am pulling out my life’s motto: 

 Good, better best, 

 never let it rest,

 till the good is the better

 and the better is the best.

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The Joy of Beginning!

Beginning!

In beginning the next “Dream Portrait” for Durham Dreams, I have been reflecting on the subject of creativity. Pepper Fluke, the gifted potter credited with leading the crusade to refurbish the Carolina Theatre, is the featured participant for August. Her dream is that the arts would be accessible to people of all ages. Her firm belief in the “miracle” power of creating, is the inspiration to my translation of her dream. 

Joy!

Each month as I ponder the “dream” I am going to be painting, and begin sketches, I’m reminded of the “joy of beginning”in any creative endeavor. When an idea squeezes out from it’s birth canal and is embraced as a fully conceived thought, there is such exuberance.The challenge lies in sustaining that joy and not allowing the details of the journey to quench the bliss. 

Remind Me!

As I pondered this truth I realized there were tons of applications of this truth in my life. As an art educator, this time of year if filled with bouncing new glittery ideas pregnant with possibility. By November, however, I must remind myself of the “joy of beginning.” As a mom of five, I have seen this maxim personified. The birth of each bundle of joy grows into countless opportunities to remember the “joy of beginning.” In creating any piece of art, I remind myself that what I am doing is called ‘art WORK’ for a reason. By mentally returning to the point of conception and it’s subsequent joyful euphoria, I am propeled forward.

Pepper’s “magic”!

Pepper’s “Dream Portrait” is going to depict a “magical” vessel spewing forth pure energy depicting Pepper’s belief in the transformative power of creativity. It will be unveiled Aug. 20th 6-9 during the monthly "open studio" at Golden Belt--Downtown Durham.All are welcome! I’m in studio #114.

There will also be a reception from 5:30 -6:30 to honor Pepper for her labor of love for Durham. If you'd like to come meet this amazing woman, please come join us!

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Behind the Easel: The History of A Mission to Help

  


History of the dream:  
This month's "Dream Portrait" of Rev. Ernie Mills and the Durham Rescue Mission is unfolding beautifully. Within one week I was able to open the canvas and reach a 75% mark of completion!
Rev. Mill's dream has been an honor to paint: "to rescue the discarded relics of society, mine the diamonds in the rough and see lives transformed into contributing members of society." In this post I thought I'd include a brief history of the Mission founded by Ernie Mills.                                            




Founded
Founded in 1974 by Rev. and Mrs. Ernie Mills, the Durham Rescue Mission is a  faith-based, non-profit organization whose goal is to mend shattered lives by ministering to the homeless and addicted in central North Carolina.

The Durham Rescue Mission
The Durham Rescue Mission originally began as a safe shelter for 12 men, but in time their men’s ministry grew to provide shelter for over 100 men. As the mission expanded their were able to open up homes for mothers with small children, single women and, eventually, families.

The Mission
The Mission is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. They provide food, clothing, shelter,  vocational training, continuing education, job placement, permanent  supportive housing, and Christian counseling 365 days a year. With the support of individuals, businesses, civic groups, foundations, grants, and churches, they have been helping the needy and homeless for nearly 40 years.


Images
 Here are a few more pics of the imagery I am using to convey Rev. Mills dream to see lives rescued and transformed: 

 This portrait of Rev. Ernie Mill's dream will be unveiled Fri. evening, July 16th at 5:30 in my Goldenbelt studio (#114). It will join the others in the series of the "Dreams of Durham" and remain on display until the spring of 2011. Prints in the "Durham" series are now available for purchase. Reverend Mill's portrait will join the collection next week when it's completed!

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