expression

Keep Searching

/ Jodi / 44 Comments
Snowy Rose of Sharon Seed Pods March 2018 Mars PA

Snowy Rose of Sharon Seed Pods March 2018 Mars PA

Keep Searching.

Some days
we have to

look a lot
harder

to find
the beauty.

But it
is there.

Keep
searching.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

PS.  I watched a documentary yesterday that touched me deeply – Heaven is a Traffic Jam on the 405.  It was recommended by an art blogger friend, Ann Christina, from Germany.  It also won an Academy Award this year for Best Documentary Short Subject.  It is a story of mental illness, depression, love, and the healing power of art.

Mindy Alper is a tortured and brilliant 56 year old artist who is represented by one of Los Angeles’ top galleries. Acute anxiety, mental disorder and devastating depression have caused her to be committed to mental institutions, undergo electro shock therapy, and survive a 10-year period without the ability to speak. Her hyper self-awareness has allowed her to produce a lifelong body of work that expresses her emotional state with powerful psychological precision. Through interviews, reenactments, the building of an eight and a half foot papier-mache’ bust of her beloved psychiatrist, and examining drawings made from the time she was a child, we learn how she has emerged from darkness and isolation to a life that includes love, trust and support.

I watched this on YouTube and originally shared the link, but then found that it was removed from YouTube for a copyright infringement.  I hope you have a chance to find and see this touching film.  If anyone can let us know via comment where it is available to view, I would appreciate.

I Failed!

/ Jodi / 111 Comments

I failed…

I let people down.
I let myself get upset.
I got in over my head.
I took on more than I could handle – bit off more than I could chew.

And now…
I have to eat crow,
because I told everyone about it before I really carefully considered it,
before I really tried it,
before I realized the time and commitment involved.

You may recall I got all excited about some paintings I did for a sweet blogging friend, Carolyn, who is co-authoring a book with Colin.  Carolyn had challenged me to paint some characters in the book they are writing.  I did, with the full intention of gifting them to her, but when she fell in love with them (and Colin liked them too), they asked if I would be interested in illustrating their book.

In my enthusiasm, I eagerly accepted.

Then they sent me the first chapter to illustrate…

After three evenings’ attempts, my “illustration” didn’t even look good enough to turn in for a First Grade art project!

I grew frustrated and began to get nervous at how much time would be involved in creating 30 illustrations – likely through multiple iterations – and the time I had to do it in -considering I work full time (and then some), the time I love spending with my family, the time I enjoy on this blog, and the real creativity I enjoy.

What was I thinking??  I have no education or professional experience in this.  I am NOT an illustrator.  I love loose, expressive watercolor painting – painting flowers and birds and any ole’ thing that strikes my fancy.  I love turning them into cards and prints and sharing and selling them on my Daughter-in-Law’s and my little Etsy Shop.

But drawing and painting pictures and scenes….   Well – not only do I not (currently) have the talent  (I say that because I believe anyone can learn to do almost anything they want to do with enough time, practice, effort, and passion for it), but I honestly don’t have the time or the passion for it.

So I quickly told Carolyn and Colin this just wasn’t going to work for me.

It was HARD!

I do not like to fail…
I do not like to give up…
I do not like to break commitments…
I do not like to let people down.

But they were so understanding, and my four paintings were carefully packaged and mailed to Carolyn for her to always have as a small gift and remembrance from me.

And I have to admit a weight has been lifted from my shoulders,
and my heart is light and carefree again.
I failed, but I failed fast and am not beating myself up about.
I uncommitted quickly and decisively and before I got in too deep.

I painted this big red letter F.
I loosely painted a big red circle around it.

and I feel Free,
and I am Forgiving myself.
I am Focusing on what I love to do,
and I am having Fun…

at Life In Between.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

PS  Thank you Carolyn and Colin for your faith in me, for giving me this experience, for helping me realize where my heart is, and for forgiving me for letting you down.  I wish you the greatest success on your Moonbeam Farm books!  I know I’ll be purchasing and reading them – and admiring someone else’s illustrations! 🙂

 

Watercolor Impressions & Expressions of Friendship in Violet & Crimson & Gold

/ Jodi / 58 Comments
violet-and-gold-muted-abstract-watercolor

Violet & Gold Muted Abstract Watercolor 8 x 10

Watercolor Impressions & Expressions of Friendship in Violet & Crimson & Gold.

I had fun splashing in watercolor a few evenings this week after Couples Camp last weekend when my sweet Bubby told me she wanted my Illusion watercolor painting, but she also wanted a couple more paintings to complement it for a grouping in her dining room.

violet-floral-illusion-watercolor

Violet Floral Illusion Watercolor 8×10

Bubby is not really a floral girl (so she says), but she also has my Very Variegated Violet painting hanging in her home.  😉

violet-crimson-gold-abstract-drips-watercolor

Violet Crimson Gold Abstract Drips Watercolor 8×10

She is obviously a “purple girl!”  She also loves more abstract art.

violet-crimson-gold-abstract-flower-watercolor

Violet Crimson Gold Abstract Pinwheel Flower Watercolor 8×10

So these are some choices I’ve presented to her to choose from – or not…  Either way, I had fun expressing my love of her through impressions in art.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Daniel Smith Quinacridone Purple, Quinacridone Violet, Opera Rose, Quinacridone Gold, Arches 140 lb Cold Press Watercolor Paper

Feel free to check out more at McKinneyX2Designs

Peace in Painting

/ Jodi / 66 Comments

watercolor floral in red - 9x11 300 lb cold press

watercolor floral in red – 9×11 300 lb cold press

Peace in Painting

Splashing water and paint
and creating something loose and lovely
and open to interpretation.

It has been a while since I’ve given myself
the luxury and gift of time to watercolor
with all the busyness of the holidays followed by the loss of my brother.

And what a lovely gift it was for me
to take just 15 or 20 minutes
and lose myself in the process of creativity.

It’s a wonderful thing to take time for yourself
and do something you love, because when you do,
you are a better person to be around.

Thanks to Andrew Geeson for his wonderful
inspiration of loose watercolor painting
that nudged me to do this.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

The eARTh without ART is just…. “eh”

/ Jodi / 46 Comments
Acrylic Abstract Painting 16x20 Jodi McKinney

Acrylic Abstract Painting 16×20 Jodi McKinney

On a recent evening out with friends, we passed a little ‘hole-in-the-wall’ diner in the Bloomfield section of Pittsburgh that had a sign above it saying, “The earth without art is just ‘eh’.”  It caught our attention, and it has been in my mind ever since.

This crazy acrylic painting evolved over the course of several days.  While far from fine art, it was a fun, creative experiment.

It started out being blue and brown and white to match a recent bedroom redo.

The next day it became an ocean and sky scene… then back to an abstract the following day with drips of gold.

Around the fourth day, I decided it needed some red.  The red was too bold, so I added white to tone it down and “pink” it up a bit.

And on and on it went until I splattered white and tar gel with a toothbrush on and decided it was time to quit.

It has all kinds of crazy things going on over many layers, but there is something about it in the end that I kinda like.

Maybe because it reminds me that….
the earth without art is just “eh!”

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

 

Abstract Thoughts in a Concrete World

/ Jodi / 58 Comments

Prussian Blue Permanent Rose Watercolor Abstract

Another shooting…

this time at Inland Regional Center, a conference center in a community facility in San Bernandino, California that serves people with developmental disabilities.

Senseless.

Innocent lives lost to craziness and confusion and ugliness.

As I watched the non-stop coverage on the news –  trying to understand – not allowing myself to become “desensitized” to the madness,  I felt compelled to paint.

I wanted to just express my abstract thoughts and feelings in this concrete world.

Before I ever tried to paint, to watercolor, to create art,

I would look at abstract art and laugh, or dismiss, or discredit.

I thought to myself, and even said out loud, that anyone could “do THAT!”

It’s just paint splattered on paper.

But I’m drawn to abstract art now – like never before.

And I dare you to try it!

It is not as easy as it looks to the inexperienced critic.

It is actually much easier to paint and draw literally and concrete and exact.

But to paint abstract is to let the art speak your feelings, to let the paint “do it’s thing.”

So I brushed my paper with Prussian Blue and Permanent Rose and then a delicate mix of the two of them.

Then I splashed water on it all, expressing my confusion, my angst, my inability to understand our world’s inability for peace, for tolerance, for understanding, for love.

These two colors create such a beautiful tone when mixed together – like all of us.

But we can’t, won’t, don’t let it happen.

We fight it, we try to control it, we try to keep it separate, we try to make the rules, define the lines, keep it simple.

But life is not meant to be separated, defined by lines or be simple.

Life is about freedom… about being connected…

Life is complex.

But it is also loose and expressive and beautiful.

And so I created this abstract watercolor painting

that I have to admit I love,

and I am nervous to share for fear you will not – like – understand – feel – care – accept.

But I am being brave, and I am sharing.

It is my little expression of abstract thoughts in a concrete world.

Cheers & Hugs,

Jodi

PS  Thanks to Deb Riley, an amazing artist I adore and follow and would love to emulate.   You have encouraged, enthused, and inspired me!