Slaying Dragons

This week I decided to paint a piece inspired by an adorable photo of my grandson taken by his dad while out on what he called "An Adventure".  It brings me back to the time when I had 3 little boys of my own and I can say emphatically that I loved being the mother of little boys.  Their energy and their adventure loving spirit would often land them into some sort of trouble.  There were moments that stand out in my memory and are not easily forgotten.  Like the time I came to work to discover that the jar of escaped slugs had all taken residence in my purse or when I found my best cooking pans being used as shovels to haul dirt from their diggings in the empty lot.

Yes, little boys want nothing more than to have a warm sunny day to explore the nature around them.  The protector, hunter and brave warrior characteristics that God instilled in their very DNA comes out in full view just like it did this day with my grandson when presented with only a field of grass and a stick.  

The action in the reference photo was fascinating and I knew I had to try to capture it.  My grandson out with his dad traipsing through a field of tall grass and you can see the spirit of adventure all over his face.   I added the stick into the composition but I'm pretty sure he would pick up one on his own very soon after this photo was snapped.  Its a natural action for 4 year old boys to pick up a stick and turn it into a gun or sword.  

I called this piece "Slaying Dragons" because I could imagine that his look of intent is the result of his mission to seek out some hidden enemy or foe as he carefully parts the grass in advance of his path.  Intently looking for movement or a spark of color that will alert him to the illusive dragon that most likely lies in wait just a few steps further up the path. Sword or dagger in hand ready to battle to prove his braveness, this little boy will grow up to someday be the strong protector of his own family.   

"Slaying Dragons"- 10x10 Original Acrylic on wide gallery wrapped canvas

Lurking Just Around the Corner

Yesterday, rather late in the afternoon, we decided that a walk was in order...Brad and I are the type that appreciate the rugged desert to the urban jungle we call home.  So we grabbed the dog and Laura, a couple bottles of water and headed out just to stretch our legs.  Our favorite quick get away is about a 20 minute drive to a rugged area, towards Lake Mead, that we call Pabco Road.  For years we have run out there to visit Gypsum Cave or explore the Old Spanish Trail area, but this time I simply wanted to look at rocky cliffs and get some exercise.  I have been painting a number of pieces lately that have rocks as a main focal point and felt that what I really needed was to get some first hand inspiration.

The area was more rugged and beautiful than I remembered from my past visits.  I was completely absorbed in the surroundings.  The jagged cliffs, the shadows and caves high above my head, the sounds of the birds that build their nests high in the cliffs, the colorful flowers and the dry desert breeze. A number of ideas for future paintings flooded my thoughts.   Reality was quick to take over, when a strange sound broke the magic of the moment.  This was a sound that I had never heard in the past, but it was a sound I will never forget and I knew instantly what it's source was.  It was the angry sound that a rattlesnake makes to warn you of his close proximity.    This experience has made me mindful all day how we can go along...business as usual..and yet danger lurks just around the corner.

I have no idea how Laura and the dog make it past that spot without running into the danger that waited there.  They were about 100 feet in front of us and yet in her inexperience she didn't know of the creature that lay on the rocks just a few feet away.  Our dog Cookie, with all her energy and reckless playfulness, didn't notice either.  Surely any sound or motion would have drawn her attention.  Yet, they were protected and for that I am thankful.

My lesson here is that you can never take Nevada for granted.  A simple walk can be treacherous and caution needs to be the norm...  Water, a first aid kit, sturdy boots, a gun and the dog leash need to be present at every outing.  I also need to remember who my Protector is and give thanks daily for His mercy...especially to little red headed girls and spotted rat terriers.