Sunday, July 6, 2014

Gary

"An Ordinary Day" 6" x 6" acrylic on board

Periodically at this blog, when I comment on where I live I learn that folks have all kinds of fanciful images of Miami.

Here's one you might not have thought of.  I have peacocks strolling about my neighborhood.  One in particular - we call him Gary - hangs around at the end of our block.  He's a repeated source of delight.  No matter what I might be thinking about, when I see Gary I pause in wonder.

Not so this woman.  This painting is from a few photos I have taken, one of a woman at a bus stop, and one, of course, of Gary. I like the dichotomy.  The landscape is completely invented.  I learned a lot about composition with this one.

21 comments:

  1. Maybe she is protecting her lunch! Leave it to you to name the peacock.

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    1. You know, what's funny is that I am no good at naming things but my wife is a master! She named the peacock, and this blog, by the way.

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  2. Peacocks are great watchbirds and will let you know when someone is sneaking about. Nice color and composition. The woman looks very tired.

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    1. Yeah, to my mind there are beautiful things all around us but sometimes (often?) we are just too overwhelmed or tired to see them. Thanks.

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    2. Yeah. I think that there are beautiful things around us but sometimes (often?) we are just too tired or overwhelmed to see them. Thanks.

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  3. Hi, Dan, I like colour use of this work, too. Very interesting subjects and yur human view are so nice!
    Cheers, Sadami

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    1. You certainly share ability to capture the humanness of we humans - always worth exploring. Thanks.

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  4. I think it is a sorry situation that she ignores Gary....but it is a very cool painting. Florida is a fascinating place.

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    1. Yeah, me too. Poor lady. Glad you like it. :)

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  5. Hello Dan.
    I like this one a lot. As others are saying - nice use of colour and composition.
    Not sure if she is aware of Gary or not, although how could she miss him :-)
    Stew.

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  6. You either like them or you don't, I feel sorry for Gary as he just wants to be friends!

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  7. Would that perhaps be a reference to Gary Peacock, the jazz bassist? The painting is intriguing. I like that you post the size, too. Keep on!

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    1. Well this one really threw me - and I'm a jazz fan! So I looked up Gary Peacock as I did not recall the name at all and he was surrounded by names that I recognized. Actually my wife named Gary, and she doesn't know jazz. And it's the perfect name. Gary Peacock's mom must have known it too. The size of this one - so small - and yet I work on it for hours and hours. I am going larger - I actually lost this one for a while, it is so small!

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  8. The woman's shirt tells me she is actually Gary's caretaker and is a bit tired of his ongoing shenanigans. This lady has limits too! Even if Gary is sweet and adorable, isn't she allowed to have an off day? Can't she be tired of always having to watch out and take care and be responsible? Gary has all the fun!

    Lovely painting and it certainly evokes a story. Florida sounds like a wonderful place to live. Our neighbor has a turkey that gobbles. Not quite as cool as a Peacock though. ;-)

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  9. You know, when I finished painting this, I kind of thought that maybe Gary was her pet too! Could be..

    I'm sorry, turkeys are cool! And Tennessee is beautiful! Each place has its charms.

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  10. How can such a magnificient bird have a normal name like Gary? Lovely painting of him.

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    1. Ask my wife - she named him. I think it fits, actually. Don't know why. Thanks!

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  11. You're one lucky man, you have peacocks in your neighbourhood, wish we had something that more colourful and nice sounding around here.
    And you wont believe this, but the very day we got back from our trip and while driving closer to home, we saw not only one but two (in different places) turkey vultures (never seen them except in pictures). Not a pretty bird and didn't exactly give us that warm feeling of "welcome home" ugh.
    Especially as the first one we saw had its wings spread and was digesting a poor roadkill.

    Any how, sorry for the ramble (I just never seen it before), but I really like how the lady is in a different mind and not noticing the majestic bird and his brilliant feathers. Or is she scared of birds and tries to look away so it wont come closer.
    And I like how you made them in to one, you brought two totally different subjects together in a very cool way.

    Great work Dan!! I hope summer is so far good to you and your family and you have more time to paint and draw.

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  12. We have turkey vultures all over here in Miami. They are graceful on the thermals, going up and up in ever widening arcs. What we don't get too many of is the black vulture - they have to flap more than the turkey vulture and so are not as graceful in the skies. You know how a turkey vulture defends himself? If you were to wander in the woods and startle a vulture, and he so know way to retreat? Projectile vomiting! Watch out!!

    I like your analysis of my picture - it is how I see it too. I like the contrast. Thanks!

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