A hitch and a plea

Lian, the sad patient awaiting surgery

The boxes are mostly packed and I am getting myself prepared for the next step in my creative life.  I have been reading some mythology books and jotting down ideas and looking forward to getting back to work on my art. I was looking forward to a quieter week where I could tie up some loose ends and collect energy for the move on April 11th.

Then on Friday, Lian and I sat down to clean her teeth, a weekly ritual that she bears quite bravely and offers no resistance.   That's when I noticed that her upper right molar was half gone.  A piece of it was split right past her gum line.  I took her to the vet and after a careful examination the vet gave me a grave look and said Lian would have to have surgery. 

Spring Flowers 2

This is no minor surgery.  Not inherently life-threatening, but potentially problematic. The tooth she broke (and we have yet to figure out how she broke this tooth so badly) is one of her largest teeth with three deep roots.  Several nerves are in the vicinity of this tooth and extracting this large tooth is difficult in such a tiny jaw. Needless to say, I am concerned about lasting effects of this procedure.  But, leaving the tooth in opens her up to dangerous abscesses and infections. Her surgery is scheduled for this Wednesday.

Lian is not only a companion, but a soul-friend, an emotional support and creative inspiration. She has been with me through my efforts to shift my life toward one the fully embraces my creativity.  She has weathered several moves with no complaint. When discouraged, she offers a paw or an enthusiastic lick to lift my spirits. When feeling apprehensive about my creative work, I watched her play with paint and canvas and learned that fear need not interfere with the creative process.  She has taught me that sometimes art can just be plain old fun!

Primrose by Lian Xin

Yes, Lian paints!  While in Cincinnati she was very busy with a whole studio to run around and play in.  After leaving Ohio, her access to paint and canvas was restricted to warm sunny days outdoors. I think she hasn't minded letting me focus more fully on my creative work for a while, as she has been equally content with keeping my lap warm as I work.

When Lian suffers, I suffer.  She is a muse, of sorts, for me.  Like a familiar in ancient traditions, she is a source of power and inspiration.  And this accident comes at a terrible time.  As we make this transition to Vermont, I very much want my loyal friend healthy and happy.  Surgery is a major expense for one who lives on a limited income.  It is my hope that you might consider purchasing some of Lian's paintings or greeting cards, you can help us offset some of these unexpected vet bills.

You can view her artwork on her newly created website: www.faeriedog.com  Links to prints and greeting cards can be found there.  You can also watch a video of her painting.  If I sell each of the paintings listed on the site we will cover the cost of the surgery and medications.  But even one sale will be a big help.  Please share this with anyone you think might enjoy her colorful work.  We really appreciate your consideration to help.

DoAn
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DoAn Art is a sponsored project of Fractured Atlas, a non-profit arts service organization. Contributions for the purposes of DoAn Art must be made payable to Fractured Atlas and are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.  
 
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All artwork, photos and text © Copyright 2005-2011 DoAn Art (Antony Galbraith) unless indicated otherwise. All Rights Reserved. Any downloading, copying or use of images on this website is strictly prohibited without express written consent by Antony Galbraith.

Fiber Fascination: New Adventures in Art

Sometimes an artist is called away from his or her familiar mediums and subjects to something entirely new and seemingly unrelated to his or her previous work. Often the time away from the usual art materials is, ironically, a way of deepening a connection with the original medium. In my case, my foray into acrylics ended up strengthening my connection and love for watercolors and inks. I learned new skills from my exploration in acrylics and if I hadn't tried working with acrylics for three years, I wouldn't have discovered my love for inks on canvas and clayboards.

Sometimes exploring a new medium develops in a whole new kind of creative expression. For over a year now, I have been exploring fiber. In particular wool. It began with knitting, which lead me to spinning yarn, and now to felting. Unlike, acrylics which returned me to where I started, working with wool has lead me to a whole new vision for my art. Painting will always be an important and necessary form of creative expression for me, but working with wool is opening doors and new creative possibilities. At this early stage, I have been exploring needle felting and creating felted wool "paintings".

I believe the physical nature of working with wool appeals to me, as painting, though a physical act in its execution, doesn't require the tactile manipulation like working with fiber does. I have the opportunity to explore sculpture and other three dimensional forms of art, which my painting does not permit. In some ways, working with both art forms balances out my creative expression with the fiber arts tapping into the physical and painting focusing on intellectual expression. Yet, both forms of art require an emotional and spiritual connection, which unites the creative energy in them. I don't believe I could give up one art form for the other, to me, they are a healthy balance for the whole of artistic expression.

Another aspect of working with wool is that it satisfies the eco-conscious side of my artistic goals. The wool requires no harsh chemicals, like varnishes or toxic paint pigments. It is 100% natural, biodegradable, and sustainable. I purchase my wool from a local sheep farmer, a small family practicing hand processed wool, committed to environmentally sound dyeing processes. The wool is also low in carbon output, as it requires little in the use of gasoline for transit. While, I have worked hard to choose products for my painting that are environmentally friendly and purchase only from companies that employ environmentally sustainable practices, there is no way to completely eliminate toxic or questionable materials without sacrificing quality or durability. With the fiber arts, it is very easy to choose safely and in favor of the environment.

I will soon be revising my website to incorporate this new aspect of my creative expression. Until then, I have created an Etsy shop featuring my needle-felted creations. All of the creations there celebrate and are inspired by nature. Please check out what I have been working on. Check back often, as I will continue to add more felted creatures, as well as other felted art works.

In the next post I will describe the needle felting process and give some background on this fascinating and relatively new art form. I am currently doing some research on the history of needle felting and wasn't quite ready to write about it at the time of this post.

DoAn
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DoAn Art is a sponsored project of Fractured Atlas, a non-profit arts service organization. Contributions in behalf of DoAn Art may be made payable to Fractured Atlas and are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.

All artwork and text © Copyright 2005-2009 DoAn Art (Antony Galbraith) unless indicated otherwise. All Rights Reserved. Any downloading, copying or use of images on this website is strictly prohibited without express written consent by Antony Galbraith.