Surprise! A few days ago I blocked in this story with the usual black type. When I opened the post today for editing, all the letters had automatically changed to denim blue!
Recently I had some "home alone" time, my Stay-Vacation. The music flowed and canvases came out to play~I let the flow of paintings choose themselves except for one "Sirius" idea. I wanted to paint the Great Dog, Canis Major (CMA) for some time now. At least three years ago, I chose the canvas and pictured how the painting might look. Grabbing a thin brush, I swished in the outline of the "great white wolf" in the sky. I know him well. Sirius star shines like a blue-white diamond in the night.
All these years, Canis Major, stayed and played, an unfinished painting in my art room. What color/colors will he be? Might he have a background of faded denim blue or strong dark French ultramarine purple-blue? Might the star Sirius show and glow with red beacons of light, or ice blue, or neon white, or gold? Might there be pink tinges in the sky? Will there be veils of clouds and light or comets?
On a crisp sunny September morning not knowing "what" would emerge, I opened windows and doors and placed the eager canvas on the table. I got out a small ink sketch of Canis Major and carried in my paint box. Opening the box and up-ending it, out tumbled paints and my stash of Q-tips! I keep Q-tips with the paints in order to touch up small areas, paint in a sun image or add tree leaves. Fun without brushes!
Well! I just went ahead and painted the entire wolf-dog and stars with Q-tips, cobalt blue, titanium white, and imagination! I Q-tipped in a new painted outline over old brush strokes and pulled in the strength of the Great Celestial Wolf. I recalled how legend has him parting the curtain veils between Heaven and Earth.
Soft music played. Aspenglow by John Denver accompanied me as I began the dance of lights and shades, bringing the wolf into three-D effect with soft and gentle strokes. It was fun to see winter stars appear. It was glorious to feel the animal's coat fluff and guard hairs spike, protection from the chill of night.
I stepped back, placing the painting on the mantel for viewing. Paintings must work up close and from a distance. In painting and in life, a balance of emptiness and harmony work together like Yin and Yang. Blank canvas and paint meld into One. The Sirius star dog collar tag had begun to look like a sparkling Christmas Tree ornament with points of light radiating outward. In my imagination, I held the ornament in my hand and felt it's sparkly aluminum foils of silver and blue. Smile, we still had a blue-green round shiny ornament hanging on our fireplace from last Christmas~so long ago yet so near right "now."
I let the painting rest. I rested too. Cats awakened from their naps, and leaped outdoors. I breathed in the fresh clean September air. I felt the "well done" feeling of accomplishment and wonder as another painted surprise takes shapes, in his own "space and timing."
Rob came home in the evening:
"Mom, that's our Christmas Puppy!"
"He's a young animal here. He has a face like Tom!"
Tom is our large grey wolf-like tomcat.
Christmas Memory
I visited a friend and viewed her Christmas Tree decked with heirloom ornaments. I spotted a shiny one radiating silver and blue. It was a hand made foil ornament! I parted the branches. I touched the ornament from long ago, then held it.
"This one belonged to my mother."
Holding memories in our hands and hearts radiates love and joy.
And so he is....Canis Major is keeping company this fall and winter with the painted Angels, beaches, tree leaves and more than meets the eye....
Long Live (Love) Imagination!
Later this Title appeared: This is Sirius!
Related Posts:
A One in a Million Sky Canis Major's Sirius Star shows multicolored light effects (Oct 2010), Escape Artists (Feb 2011), By an Unfaltering Trust and Running Wild in the Universe (July 2011), Starstruck (Sept 2011), Sirius Blue (Apr 2012), Another Time Another Space (July 2012), Off the Grid and Grow With The Flow (Oct 2012)
Resources:
Wiki, Canis Major, Sirius
John Denver, Aspenglow, Take Me Home Country Roads and more songs.
Brian Cox, physicist, On Beams of Light, Children of the Stars and other programs on the Science Channel. Books, Wonders of the Universe and Wonders of the Solar System.
dahlis.roy@gmail.com Visionary Artist, Author, and Tai Chi Instructor
Images:
This is Sirius, oil painting by Dahlis Roy. A beam of sunlight touches the young puppy.
Ink Sketch of Canis Major (CMA) shows the wolf hunter in full power and maturity.
