
My Yesterday in Pictures Format
Iāve simply built my daily walking & painting up to the point where I need the time for these two vital parts of keeping me healthy and/or sane, lol!
My Day Ahead series posts will continue, but on a much more intermittent basis. Already it seems some of that seriesā usefulness is being incorporated into this new seriesā format, me yakking ābout what when on, on the yesterday part of my life anyway, lol! Itās a continuing experiment of course, so weāll see š
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Covering three days, Iāll try to keep it short on talk, lol!
If it helps, and youād like to skip to a section you like right away, they are:
- Monday, Dec 23 – Prep
- Tuesday, Dec 24 – Feast of the Seven Fishes
- Wednesday, Dec 25 – Christmas Day – Perspective, plans and reflections ā¤ļø
Thanks yaāll š
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Monday 12.23.19

Sheila & I knew the next day, with the annual Christmas Eve friends and family dinner, would be a gourmet blowout (in a very good way), so we picked up some crab cakes at Central Market, cut up a ton of veggies, and mini-feasted quietly at home š

I made the decision not to touch the work formerly known as Ridges of Light because I, 1) like it too much as is, 2) couldnāt think of thing to improve it ā¤ļø I did add a faint white sig on the bottom left, which I then enhanced two days later on Christmas. Eventually I still plan to add either a Soft Gel Gloss coat or a varnish to preserve it & keep it from getting gritty or dirty.
Evidently, if left untreated, the Absorbent Ground I placed on the white gesso primer, so as to be able to apply a true acrylic tinted wash of water, would continue to be susceptible to further absorption! Something I definitely donāt want!
It may mean going beyond simple online research and giving the folks at Golden paints a call. They actually do have a phone # for product inquiries – Product Use Support!
If I do, which I probably will, Iāll be sure & write about it š

Evening walk was a beauty! Mondayās evening star shone brightly in the dawn of the cool night sky. It was the last long night walk Iād get a chance to have til Thursday, though I did get plenty of walking in otherwise š
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Christmas Eve 12.24.19
(food, art, and an annual family & friends gathering ā¤ļø )

For our contribution to what is labeled the Feast of the Seven Fishes on Christmas Eve, Sheila & I made a tossed greens salad or organic spinach & arugula tossed with grape tomatoes, grapes, walnuts, plus cucumbers & Spanish olives (the latter both to be added at the dinner). And yes, we made a prior snack lunch of it for us too, lol! š

My one art project for the day was to begin following up my 1st two 6x6s by prepping two new 6×6 gallery wrap canvases, setting up the stage for my next two absorbent ground acrylic wash experimental paintings.
First, as before, I brushed on a vertical sweep then a horizontal sweep of absorbent ground on the acrylic gesso primer, but then followed up with a less smooth diagonal third layer.
Additionally I used a toothpick and carved my signature into the 3rd layer. Each layer was applied only after the previous layer was dry.
I was going to leave the sig then as is on the absorbent ground but decided the next day (Christmas) to add something to (shown further below) one of the two 6x6s. In other words Iāll be working on two experimental ways of using my ācarvedā sig in the new paintings with acrylic washes.
Kinda hedging my bets and kinda being chicken to just go with one carved option (vs the two I eventually decided on the next day) š

As usual Sheila and I were the 1st of the gang of friends and family to arrive at our youngest girlās house. Her husband and his parents from out of town were already there, along with the 6 year old. A lot of workād already been done, including this gorgeous true tulip flanked by a small candle š

Several areas are always used to āhouseā the whole party and celebration, not counting the kitchen / breakfast nook / and back deck āhang-outsā š

Later, almost filled to capacity with great food, the Italian cake (which turned out to finally do me in, lol! š) still to come ā we got a Christmas carols singing treat from several of the children, most of which weāve seen grow since they were babies. Canāt wait till they can start doing trapeze acts! Just kidding š
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Christmas Day 12.25.19
(perspective, plans and reflections…)

Exhausted (and we did was the eating!), and still full, I was glad my Austin pink sunset PhotoPoem went up well for Christmas. I like coming up with a verse, or having one of my images haunt me for one, and joining it to one of my images, painting or photo. Itās a particularly fulfilling creative endeavor ā¤ļø

There were lots of presents to be exchanged, but Lumi the kitty was quite content to observe from outside š

And hereās my āenhancementā to one of my carved signatures on the newly absorbent ground layered 6×6 canvases from the day before (see further up above in this post) – added Soft Gel Gloss to create, as Iāve read recently, resistance to the wash, so that the applied area will remain white.
Somewhat remain? Fully remain white? Weāll see!
Since I resumed painting (vs mostly photography) late last year, it seems Iāve been on an experimental search through my –
- use of oils w/texture, image style (from formerly impressionist to now semi-abstract), paint application (brush/palette knife), and inserting an āobjectā into an abstract
- re-introduction (since the 80s) of acrylic paints, including my discovery of washes and absorbent grounds (for now š)
- my use of marble dust with 1st water soluble oils and now acrylics
And if all goes well, tomorrow afternoon after SilverSneakers Yoga, hope to work on my new small 6×6 canvases. Questionāll be – on one of the new 6×6ās? or the still-in-progress 6×6 from the original two? Hopefully, at least one of those two options!
(reflections)
Yes, Christmas, as a day of peace and new beginnings, is as promised ā¤ļø
Iāve never thought too consciously about my art having a spiritual intent, but Iāve always hoped to project and/or induce a sense of peace or wonderment. To create something uplifting. Did I think of my work as spiritual? Honestly, no. Did I feel I wanted to imbue a sense of connection beyond oneās self? Yes. Consciously? Yes.
All components I believe, of whatever it is that spiritual is.
So, do I claim my work is spiritual? No.
Would I accept my work affects someone spiritually, including myself?
When and if it happens, yes, gladly! š
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My Day Ahead series posts, an intermittent series,Ā elaborates on both my day ahead & the day past, my yesterday š
I try to post My Yesterday in Pictures series daily.
Adan
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Thanks everyone! š
Adan

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Thanks for sharing your Christmas photos, it looks like it was a grand event! I think all art has some kind of spiritual effect, it reaches the heart and makes us feel, so yes!
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I think so too! It does touch us so deeply, which means exactly that! Straight to the heart ā¤ļø āŗļø
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