Bird Songs

paintings

Bird Songs (Inspired by Swanson’s Thrush) watercolor on paper, 6 by 9 in. Emilia Kallock, 2019

Laying in the Driveway: 45 minutes

emilia kallock, happenings, studies

An account of: Laying in the Driveway for 45 minutes.

I did something different today after I dropped off my daughter and her

friend at school.  I pulled into my driveway and decided to lay down. I awoke today with really strong pain in my shoulder sockets and lower neck. It was hard to wash my hair in the morning, and I could feel it when I made breakfast and packed lunch for my daughter.   My friends, who are staying with me for a while took these pictures.  The first ones are of me laying my stomach, holding my glasses so they didn’t break.  The ground felt cool, and I tried to relax my neck.  About 10 minutes went by and I saw no need to get up. I thought about some things that can stress me out- the large trucks that decompress their brakes in front of my house, the bills, my laptop, the garden that needs tending, do I need to get married?, helping my daughter prepare for her end of year school play, fixing the car, the ridiculousness of why I was laying down near the middle of my driveway- and then after a while I let the thoughts pass. I wasn’t angry or sad, I just wanted to participate in all of it differently. I listened to the birds chirping and the wind in the trees.  I turned around to lay on my back and that helped my shoulders relax more against the hard ground.  I know dirt was sticking to my clothes and hair.  The sun was strong and started stinging my face. I flipped my shirt up over my head and let the sun fall on my armpits. I hear animals lay in the sun and use it to heal themselves. Although I’m sure my friends thought it was weird, my cat didn’t, and just walked passed me and laid down.  In total 45 minutes passed.  I slowly got up as one does from savasana practice in yoga, and had a partially smoked cigarette in my studio.

Outdoor Stanwood plein aire

paintings

My Safari easel is a bit cumbersome and heavy but once I set it up it’s sturdy, but it was SO nice to paint outdoors for a change. A friend and I walked to the very end of the Stillaguamish River, through mud puddles and over driftwood (which I painted) and set up a picnic. The wind picked up and it finally got to chilly and we returned shortly after sundown.

Driftwood, Stillaguamish Delta, oil on paper, 20 by 23 in .Emilia Kallock 2019

Driftwood with Picnic Supplies, Stillaguamish Delta, oil on paper, 20 by 23 in .Emilia Kallock 2019

Planet (Dance)

amor, animals, emilia kallock, flowers, landscape, nature, painting, paintings

Painting in progress 4/25/19

paintings

Dedicated to Charles- 1/4 around the globe so far, painting outdoors- something new-

Painting in progress 4/25/19

paintings

Dedicated to Charles- 1/4 around the globe so far, painting outdoors- something new-

Painting Workshop 2019; Versatile Brush Techniques

paintings

Here is a description and photos of the latest workshop I am offering in 2019.

 

Discover a variety of brush handling techniques drawing from Norwegian

Rosemaling, Asian Calligraphy and 20 years of professional artist

experience with Emilia Kallock. In this class we will be

experimenting with exciting ways to handle paint

brushes and water based paint. Emilia will share step by step

examples of these brushwork styles and ways to unlock its infinite artistic and

decorative potential. All skill levels encouraged, no painting or

drawing experience necessary. Materials provided.

Day in Bed

paintings, process, sketches, travel

I’ve spent most of the day in bed today due to a hurt back, so I’ve enjoyed the sketchbook-

Informal Non Structured Joy Painting

paintings

Informal Non Structured Joy Painting, acrylic and chalk pastel on repurposed Starbucks wallpaper, 54 by 55 in. Emilia Kallock, 2018

Some elements in this painting are: Xingfu, or Happiness in Chinese, a twinflower (known for female reproductive health, named after taxonomist Carl Linnaeus), a snail for taking time, Robot DJ for providing good music, the masked apple from Magritte’s painting, and reishii mushrooms for health and longevity. Non Structured in the desire to introduce themes in an unconscious, automatic, free flow way. Starbucks wallpaper purchased from Skagit Salvage, a 2nd use building supply store in Skagit Valley.

Yin

paintings

Initially this painting began with a lot of yin energy intentions, the portrayal of the girl and young woman with flowers and an essentially soft, floral, and peaceful energy, but the bold colors are more yang. I intend these two attributes balance each other. It is also a painting of hopeful regeneration with the planting of a pine tree sapling and the rope delineation from Shinto shrines (marking a sacred space in nature) and the background of prayer and praise emoji hands.

Secret Garden Design

fantasy, flowers, landscape, nature, northwest art, paintings

Even though I created this garden design painting in the states, it’s fitting I post about it now in Chile, initially inspired by the dreamy courtyard gardens at Huilquilemu – a large Spanish era colonial villa southeast of Santiago used for community festivals and currently under restoration by the local university. The garden in Chile was originally planted by a well traveled widow 150 years ago that brought plants from all over the world for her yard. When I visited, the space was a little wild, but that added to the mystery of the place. Araucaria (monkey Puzzle tree, indigenous to Chile) palm and pine shaded the geometric layout of the grounds.

finished Secret Garden Design, 50 by 50 in. watercolor on repurposed wallpaper, Emilia Kallock 2019,. Huilquilemu as well as the two parks in Seattle (Greenlake and Volunteers Park) created by the Olmstead Brothers in the early 1900s inspired greatly my “secret garden” design here. My painting explains the type of trees and plants to comprise the approximately 2 acre garden as well as the surrounding wall plantings and the 4 additional entrances besides the main gate. I chose the trees according to aesthetics and viability in the Pacific Northwest. My grandmothers in Chile and Washington State were both avid gardeners and both planted gardens where they lived, leaving a legacy of a large variety trees, plants and flowers. Many of these are drawn into the secret garden blueprint.