“Universal Blunder”
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Pen & Watercolour
Copyright © 2009 Jean Burman
If only all the world were artists!
There would be no trouble or strife… no war… no conflict… no politics or global financial crisis… nor even any global warming! No…. the world would sing along happily… with each of us merrily dunking our paintbrushes into our coffee mugs in precise and perfect unison! Ahhh… if only it were so… [grin]
People are funny. But artists are even funnier. We think we’re different. But we’re not. And there’s more than enough good reason why we should be… as many miles and distant oceans stand between us. But in reality we have more in common than we might want to admit!
This idea was the inspiration for my Universal Artist Calendar for 2010. Here are just twelve things we [more than likely] have in common.
Original Postcard Copyright © 2009 Jean Burman
There was trouble in paradise this week with the early onset of the big wet. One thing I now know for sure is that people really hate to travel half way round the world just to sit in their hotel room waiting for the rain to stop.
It’s good for me though… because when people can’t go scuba diving out on the reef… bungy jumping from the trees… fighting off crocs in the Daintree… or leaping out of planes [dangling as they do from a fistful of tightly grasped threads on their way back down to earth]… they take watercolor classes with me. Cool!
I am still meeting lots of interesting people… and despite almost being blown sideways off the verandah on Monday and rained on… I am still enjoying my stint as Artist in Residence at the Reef House.
After my close encounter of the climate change kind [no seriously - denial is a river in Egypt *wink - sorry]… I took a short drive up to Port Douglas for some coffee and carrot cake to console me.
For those who might be interested… here is my coffee and carrot cake… [it was rather yummy]
Tuesday I moved into the Gift Shop out of the elements. That was a relief… although fewer people can now find me. But I have a nice display of my artwork there. Why does life have to always be a tradeoff?
Why can’t we have the people… but without the rain?
Why can’t we simply have it all?
We artists don’t want much… do we?
Just love and respect… acceptance… and to be heard and understood like all the other [normal] people on the planet.
So who… may I ask you… put that absolutely humungous [adventure tour] sign right smack bang in front of my carefully set up display? Man… no wonder Vince Van Gogh felt compelled to cut off an ear…
But I digress… (((chuckles)))
“Universal Poverty”
Cartoon Pen & Watercolor
Copyright © 2009 Jean Burman
Comments welcome. Cheer me up… say hello here! 
Palm Cove looking North to Double Island & Scouts Hat – my birthday 2009
Today was my birthday. Can you even imagine a more perfect day on which to have a birthday? I took this photograph around 10am this morning right after I arrived out at Palm Cove. I couldn’t wait to set up my art stuff and then get down to the shoreline to capture it.
Palm Cove looking south to Taylor Point
The sea was a millpond. So still. So blue. The sky… at last so clear! The fallout from the recent dust storms has finally settled and made way for the return of blue skies and gentle cooling breezes.
It’s been many years since I’ve had such a happy birthday. It contained a little bit of everything wonderful. I started a new painting… taught a watercolour class… and talked with people from pretty much everywhere. Lunch followed with four lovely friends who travelled out to Palm Cove especially.
Then dinner this evening with my family at a beautiful restaurant called Tamarind. The cuisine is modern Asian. Delicious fresh lively flavours which I’m a little ashamed to say I would have enjoyed way more if I had been even the slightest bit hungry after lunch!
I know… I’m spoilt. But it doesn’t happen every day. And only really once a year. On my birthday. Promise. Grin.
Here is Antonia’s Sea Dolphins
A little girl called Antonia generously gave me this picture right out of her holiday sketch book. I was honoured to receive it and promised to put it up here on the Blog. Antonia was a delight to teach and a natural born artist and writer!
“Hi Antonia… hope you are now home safe and sound? I will put up your other special painting here for you after the 29th. I don’t want to spoil your surprise!”
“Duplicity”
1/2 sheet Watercolour Diptych
Copyright 2009 Jean Burman
I am not altogether sure what’s going on with me lately… but recent paintings have a distinct duality to them! I think it all began with the decision to paint diptych’s in vertical format… and from there well… you can see for yourself what’s happening!
I attribute some of the effect also to offshore Double Island… and nearby Scouts Hat (Haycock Island)… which is maybe having some sort of bi-polar effect. [Nothing serious here though folks... and nothing to be unduly worried about! grin]
I swear this place never stops. People come… people go. And I get to meet pretty much all of them. As resident artist I have a little pozzie by the main door and most people stop to talk… the rest simply smile and pass by. Either way… I like it. I enjoy people… well most of them anyway! And here at the Reef House I am getting to meet my fair share. I had an extraordinary thought the other day… perchance I stay long enough I might eventually get to meet everyone on the planet. [Needed an asprin and a good lie down after that one... Grin]
“Double Island Duet”
1/2 Sheet Watercolour Diptych
Copyright 2009 Jean Burman
Earlier in the week I met a lovely couple from Southern Italy. They were on their honeymoon. He spoke English very well… she only a very little. It so often confounds me how much can be said by “not saying anything at all”. How gestures of friendship transcend the language barrier and people go on to become firm friends in spite of not having a clue what the other person just said… whilst instinctively knowing exactly what they meant! How funny is that.
It’s hard to know where exactly this experience is leading me. It’s fun but it’s also tiring. And the money hasn’t quite hit the bank yet. But I am painting like there’s no tomorrow… and let’s face it… if nothing else I shall have a good body of work for my 100 year Retrospective!
I had a phone call from another friend the other day. I met Judith earlier this year at a Freelancing for the Creative Industries Seminar in Brisbane. She rang to tell me she had decided to take up an extraordinary opportunity to live the artist’s life for three glorious weeks in November in the artist’s quarter in Paris. An apartment had serendipitously become available and she had decided to run with it. I spent the following 24 hours online researching artists working in Paris! Oh… *sigh* … if only.
I sit every day on the precipice between doing the sensible [and expected] thing… and jumping right off the creative deep end. Judith has my full creative support as she takes that dive into what can only eventually be a very good thing. Needless to say I will be with her in spirit… and who knows… the body may even get to go too… if only I can manage to squeeeeeze myself into that suitcase! (((chuckles)))
“From This Day Forward”
Watercolour [with saved whites] 1/2 sheet
Copyright 2009 Jean Burman
From this day forward. It’s a lot to promise isn’t it?
That’s… forever…
and how can anyone possibly promise forever?
Forever is a very long time.
But the funny thing is… people do it all the time! Promise… that is.
And that’s a very good thing.
Because the world is blessed a little bit more each time they do.
Last Wednesday a lovely bride passed by me as I painted at the Reef House. A stiff breeze whipped her veil into a frenzy as she strode purposefully toward the beach… her waiting husband… and a brand new life. She looked radiant. So full of joy and optimism!
I caught only a glimpse… but that was enough to inspire this painting. Of course… this is not actually her… for “I did but see her passing by”. But this was the impression left when she had gone. I often paint from memory… or more correctly… from the “feeling” of a memory… assisted of course by 20/20 imaginative insight… and making it up as I go! So this is what I came up with.
My daughter expressed surprise that I was painting brides [at all]. But I was swift to point out that I had no problem with the institution of marriage. Just with people who make promises they can’t keep! [grin]
Love is patient, love is kind.
It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
It is not rude, it is not self-seeking.
It is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails.
I Corinthians 13:4-8
This couple recently married on the Great Barrier Reef!
Click here to read the story
