A Moment In Time

The newish Hayward City Hall is a beautiful venue and my Watercolor Connection group of ten is mobilizing for a group show there Dec.2-Feb. 11. When I suggested our theme be A Moment In Time it never occurred to me how hard it would be to pick which five paintings I should personally include. Since my drawers are overflowing with paintings, I began to look with a more critical eye as to which ones best depicted the theme. Hard! None of my florals fill the bill, that's for sure, even though some of them are dramatic. Likewise, nix on grapes and persimmons. Too static. What seems to be needed is some kind of drama, happening in the now.

I thought about this yesterday as four of us trekked to Pleasanton for lunch and to visit the National Watercolor Society Traveling Exhibit at the Harrington Gallery. It was desert for the eyes and I plan to send for the catalog today (too bad they don't sell it with the show).

Last night the rich seafood risotto and coldstone ice cream caught up with my 81 year old innards and I spent a lot of awake time regretting my over-indulgence and reflecting on what quality best depicts a moment in time. I decided it was some kind of drama, not just an emotional quality but something happening around that emotion. Moreover I decided I'm going to try to bring this to consciousness from now on as I choose subjects to write about, photograph, or paint. Meanwhile, friends Mollie, Jan, and Beth will help me go through stacks and choose the best five to enter in the show.

The painting above is one Mollie is drawn to, though I think I messed up on the face.

I may try to fix it. The reclining woman above was sleeping soundly on a high stone bench in the Zocolo in Guadalajara oblivious to the the market activities swirling below her.

Some time around five am this morning I moved my still queasy tummy to my recliner in the living room, big white comforter hanging over my knees. Since he has been sick Kodi makes a cave on the floor under my knees where he would sleep for hours if I didn't move.

I awoke with a jolt at six. In the nightmare I was looking out the window and saw Lee coming home for dinner, only to furtively jump in the back seat of a strange car. It looked like she was being kidnapped. I tried to call 911 but in typical nightmare script, had no voice. Soon she returned waving $40 and explaining she had lost it and these nice folk found it and returned it. The drama was ended. The therapist in my believes all dreams are a gift, even the nightmares. I've been missing Lee a lot the last week and it was a gift to see her in my dreams, drama or not.