sanctify the moment

from the Angel's blackboard by fulton sheen. these three words are all that i need... and everything will be alright. Sometimes we worry to much (or should i say I); we are overcome with fear, frustration and anxieties and tend to forget to lift up to God and let Him take charge...

just when everything seems to be going smoothly, some unfortunate situation comes along. i am still on the path of understanding why such events need to take place. maybe God is preparing me for something big..or maybe it is a test...or maybe....i really do not know. i do believe though that everything happens for a reason, be it from our doing or a circumstance that is out of our hands... i do hope the Lord will enlighten me on this one. But it is with these trials that we are reminded that this is our journey with Him and we have Him by our side always.

i am surprised to be sharing some thoughts not related to my work...and i have nothing to show for now still :s i am optimistic though that soon i will be able to paint again. :)

Nice short prayer i heard again from last week's mass,

God, grant me..

the serenity to accept the things i cannot change

the courage to change the things i can

and the WISDOM to know the difference.

blank canvas

i miss painting.

my easel has been sitting quietly in the living room for almost 4 months now. this is also about the same time since i started my new work. every time i come home (even in the dark) i can feel my white canvas staring at me.. blank. i sometimes get the urge to pick up my brush and start a new composition but somehow as soon as i reach home i just plop to bed..

arghh i hate this feeling! it is as if 24hours is not enough for a day anymore. and, no matter how much i want to remain energized, my body is just failing me. i wish i can surpass this adjustment period and embrace my new work-life routine. i am blessed to have what i have now but my brain still continues to battle..... i just hope to find a way to squeeze some brush mileage....soon!

on a brighter note, the past 3 months has been a big leap for me and quite fulfilling in many ways. i am excited as to how things will progress.

i'm sorry i am vague in details..this is just me ranting and raving :p

untitled number 2

contemporary painting #2

oil on canvas 30x30

i found time to paint today and finished this painting that i started last november. also untitled, there isn't much story in this one.. it's simple and feels peaceful (or because i feel that way now) and i love the contrast of blue and red. i'm in need of title suggestions!

untitled number 1

contemporary painting #1

oil on canvas 30x30

it's now 2010 and my progress so far has been slow AND i am fearing it's going to halt soon. this is not because i have lost interest in painting but it's the designer in me calling! i left my company of almost 3 years and took on a new one which requires a great amount of time therefore struggling to find time to paint. this isn't a very bad thing of course because i'm enjoying my new work (so far :p) and best of all, i'm learning! so though i have little brush mileage at this point, at the end of the day, i feel fulfilled. hey we all have to make some sacrifices.

anyway, still on the path of discovering what style to concentrate on, i'm now doing some contemporary works. this is a painting i made last november. it hasn't been signed therefore cannot be called finished. i'm still contemplating on what adjustments can be done.. and i can't think of a title..help!

bluebelles

bluebelles

oil on wood 5x7

i made this small painting as a gift to my friend and number one fan.. happy birthday carla! :)

great masterwort

astrantia major

oil on wood 8x11.5

painting on wood is a new experience and i enjoyed it a lot. the paint moves very smoothly as compared to other surfaces..i kinda missed how the oil stays wet as i've been painting on paper for the past week (the paper isn't actually meant for oil). this is just a thin application done in a few hours and u can still see the grains of the wood if you look closer.

the image is a flower bokeh (blurred background) and i tried to paint it as how it was taken. i finally found the name of this flower thanks to the guys at wetcanvas.

red wine

red wine

oil on paper 5x7

i'm on a roll!! i'm adding up on my brush mileage :) tried my hand on loose painting tonite. it is really fun.. i might do this more often. plus, this is my first painting from life. i have a lot of firsts this week..happy! :)

i wanted to learn how to drink wine because a little bit is good for the health..so i bought a bottle of cheap red wine. it's been sitting here for a while now and still half full. only consumed mostly for my chili garlic shrimp dish, which is delicious by the way :p oh and i can drink red wine when i mix it with grape shake.. i think it's soo good i got tipsy from drinking too fast. anyway, i poured a bit on a glass for tonite's painting and can't manage to drink it afterwards.. 1 glass wasted for art's sake.