Absolved!!!

Yesterday was Noelle's court hearing for her harassmsnt charge.  For you friends who didn't know the story, Noelle is my 14 year old daughter, and she was walking along school property to her friend's house after school with a small group of girls (ages 12-14), when a group of older boy high school students starting yelling obscenities at them, including:  "Hey sluts, show us your titties!"  She yelled back, "Shut up, you look like fucking chipmunk!"   She was summarily arrested for yelling an obscenity.  To be more clear, a female teacher overheard her say the dreaded "F" word, didn't ask her why, supposedly didn't hear the curses and slurs the men had shouted at the girls, and told her she was in "big trouble" for cursing.  Noelle apologized, and thought that was that. 

The next day, she was called into the principal's office, who told her she was getting a three day out of school suspension for using a profanity on school property, under their "ZERO TOLERANCE" school military code.  If she showed up on school property for any reason during her 3 day out of school suspension, she would be arrested.  She stayed at home and served her three days, never going near the school during that time.  She returned to school and thought that was that.

Two weeks later, she was called out of class to the principal's office.  There, she was bullied by the principal and police officer, who issued her a citation in lieu of arrest, for the charge of HARASSMENT (against the TEACHER because the teacher overheard the curse, and her pure and moral ears were offended) and was told by the principal and police officer that if she didn't pay the $250 fine and plead guilty, she would be arrested, or I would be arrested in her place because she's a minor and I'm responsible for her.  She was absolutely terrorized by these two bullies and then sent home.

We didn't know what the hell was going on, and the principal, nasty little wanna be Napoleon that he is, wouldn't tell us ANYTHING when Mark called, just that there had been an "incident" (we assumed a new incident since this was two weeks later) and the police had been called.

After sitting down with Noelle, talking to her friends who were present, and grilling that asshole principal again, we found out this was all a terrible abuse of authority on the part of the school and police department, and got the American Civil Liberties Union involved (ACLU).  They looked over the incident, gathered their information, and took the case.  Yesterday, we went to court, and the school looked like a bunch of bullying idiots (which they are) as did the Police Officer, who in all honesty, was just a slow, dimwitted fellow who was doing what he was told to do...pathetic, if it didn't have the potential to have a negative impact on my daughter's future.

So, now we move forward to make sure the school can't bully it's students like this again without recourse.  The public school system has become a Nazi enterprise (at least in our area), where they our allowed to deprive students of their rights to an education on ANY basis they so choose, and feel that the parents and public are "beneath" them, and they can do whatever they want without any consequences.  This includes young male teachers looking underneath 13 year old girls clothing to make sure they are wearing the right colored underwear and bra....which happened to my daughter on several different occasions this year, as to her friends. 

More to come on that subject!!!!

Field's End Art by Hilary J. England: A quick morning "hello"

Field's End Art by Hilary J. England: A quick morning "hello": "Hello Friends! I have updated my 'traditional' website, http://www.fieldsendart.com/ with some new paintings, etc. I kind of debated givi..."

A quick morning "hello"

Hello Friends!

I have updated my "traditional" website, http://www.fieldsendart.com/  with some new paintings, etc.  I kind of debated giving up a "traditional" website, and had it torn down for a while, to see if it was really necessary or not, being I am linked and listed on so many other sites...after the experiment, I deemed it actually still is a necessary site, so back up it went!

I am dragging tail this morning, but some more coffee should fix that.  Mark made a wonderful breakfast of a nice small omelet with chives, fresh mushrooms, fresh tomato, and fresh mozzarella, along with a nice garden fresh fruit cup, and freshly ground coffee...notice the theme here, FRESH.  I've grown cantankerous, and loathe anything "prepackaged" or "quick."  We have taken small steps to homesteading, such as our garden and herbarium, but Mark says NO to the idea of chickens...spoilsport ;-)

I've got alot of work to do today, and I'm starting to stress about tomorrow...projection projection projection...always that negative thought factory processing up bullshit.  I have made a conscious decision to consistently strike down any negative thoughts that come into my head, and I have to say, I am feeling better for it.  Not running through a field of wildflowers on a mountain slope in the Alps happy, but happy and contented enough!

So, that's the little tidbit for today...website is up and running again.

Field's End Art by Hilary J. England: Barcelona exhibition

Field's End Art by Hilary J. England: Barcelona exhibition: "I got word on the Barcelona show I was invited to exhibit with yesterday, so that should be an interesting and exciting trip. The show will..."

Barcelona exhibition

I got word on the Barcelona show I was invited to exhibit with yesterday, so that should be an interesting and exciting trip.  The show will run from November 20th to December 4th, with the opening reception being the night of November 25th, from 7:30 to 10:30 pm (which is Thanksgiving here in the US).  I didn't get the gallery information yet, and I am awaiting that confirmation, but I will be heading to Spain for that opening, and for several days before.  Translation, I will be in Spain for Thanksgiving, but the kids understand, and we plan to have a "belated" dinner when I return. 

As I get more information, I will disperse it.  It will be organized by the A-Forest gallery in Chelsea, NYC, and it will be very close to the Picasso museum in Barcelona is the only heads up I have right now.  I do look forward to meeting some of my European friends when I get there, and I suppose I should brush up on my very rusty Spanish (this is aimed at Mark as well).

Again, more to come in the next few weeks...

Plus, I will be posting my newest creations in the next couple of days, but scratch Tuesday and Wednesday, because I have to go to court on Tuesday (yuck) for N and her cursing offense, and I'll be heading back to the beach on Wednesday, to relax after Tuesday, and to do some more painting.  So, look for the new pictures on Thursday.  How's that for specifics??

Anyway, off to bed.  I feel very tired, but I can't extricate myself from the grips of the computer...I must!  Time to dream about the ocean at night, or a long quiet flight over the Atlantic, with the serene darkness seemingly impenetrable, and the comforting path of the airplane on the GPS overhead...and stepping off into the arid heat of Madrid...or of soaking my toes in the Mediterranean, with the soft breeze against my face. 

Good night all!

New portrait

"For Dawn" by Hilary J. England, 8" x 10" pastel/mixed media on charcoal paper

Here is a new portrait I did for my friend.  I enjoy doing portraits alot, and had forgotten how much I did.  I used to do commissioned work, but I stopped in pursuit of "doing my own thing..." maybe I'll start doing some commissions again...

Beach paintings

beach paintings

New art

impressionism paintings
Here is a link to some really nice paintings, aside from my own.  Enjoy!!

Field's End Art by Hilary J. England: New painting

Field's End Art by Hilary J. England: New painting: "'The Boot' by Hilary J. England 11' x 14' oil on canvas I've been quite busy, so my posting has been slow. I've been enjoying the fine ..."

New painting

"The Boot" by Hilary J. England 11" x 14" oil on canvas

I've been quite busy, so my posting has been slow.  I've been enjoying the fine weather, and putting it to good use both outside and in my studio...I've made the heat in there somewhat bearable by several large fans around me when I work...providing it's not sweltering, it works.

I move along, painting what I love.  I am pondering a few new ideas for a new series, although I will keep painting the Atlantic, and our relationship with it, since I must have saltwater in my veins, and I cannot stay away from the ocean...no matter where I live, I will always migrate back to the ocean.  Maybe I'm part sea turtle.

So, I'm working on putting some things together...I'm always plotting and planning, and sometimes it works out, well, you know the rest...

As for the new series, it is still up in the air...more to come as it comes to me.

Stonehedge

"The wall at Stonehedge"  by Hilary J. England 8" x 11" oil on canvas

It was a lovely day at Stonehedge today, not an ounce of humidity, not a gnat to bother me, a cloud in the sky, or another soul in sight...another words, a pure delight.  I painted this low, weathered, ancient stone wall, and the array of vegetation around it (in case you can't tell what it is).

I should have been happy, I should have been ecstatic, I should have been grateful, but I was on guard against contrite thoughts.  I have been feeling blue...which is hard and seemingly surreal, when the day is blazing in its perfect glory all around me. 

I looked out at the algae filled ponds, at the little family of Canadian geese, and for just an instant, I was catapulted back in time...to Mickley Road, and Gab was a baby...and the world was still beautiful and new, with all of the promises and happiness yet to be.  It was both wonderful and awful all in the same instant, and then almost immediately gone...and I was left hollow, with the sunlight streaming into my eyes, like a visitor on an alien planet.  I packed up and left then...hastily signing the painting, and looking to outrun the melancholy.

I'm home now, obviously.  Tonight is M's birthday, so I will lumber along with him, put my game face on, and just wait for the reprieve of sleep....

New Painting

"The three amigos" oil on canvas 12" by 16" by Hilary J. England

Here is my newest painting...it's more precious to me now, since our oceans are being destroyed by the Gulf oil spill.  How long will our beaches remain beautiful???  It's a sad and scary thought....

Anyway, this will be an ongoing series until the oil washes up on the shores, and then, maybe still. 

This was developed par coer in studio from plein air paintings and studies done at the shore....

Free Speech

I am thankful for the ACLU.  I know they get a bad rap from alot of conservatives, but they are a vital organization for this country.  There are alot of wanna be little Hitlers out there, trying impose their control on anyone they can, or are in a position to, and we definitely need our "watchdog" associations out there to prevent these evil people from trying to inflict their warped and controlling mindset on to the rest of us.

Noelle got a ticket for uttering a curse word in a public argument in which she was being sexually harassed.  Since she is 14 years old, if I don't pay her fine UPFRONT (guilty until proven innocent), *I* stand to go to jail in lieu of her, since she is a minor.  This occured in a school zone.  The schools have gone insane.  The ACLU has stepped in, and will fight to protect her/our rights. 

For that, I am very thankful.  This land that we live in has, unfortunately, become a populace seething with little people trying to Lord over their neighbors....as the old song goes, "Everybody wants to rule the world."  We certainly need our system of checks and balances, which seems to be fading fast in the face of people gleefully giving away our rights in a bid to "own" their fellow mankind.  Remember people, giving away rights and turning people over to the authorities is how every evil civilization came to power...it started with the average man...and spread it's poison from there.  If we reject the ideas of brutality and hatred on a personal level, it can't gain a foothold on us as a community....

Blazing Heat!

"Stonehedge water spout" oil on masonite 8" x 10"

It's been a scorcher these last few days...actually had to turn the A/C on so I didn't turn into a mummy while I was sleeping!  I've been pretty busy through it all, with a local high school student tagging along with me to understand what it would entail to be an artist.  This is some new twist on career counseling/"go to work for a day" that has been developing over the last few years.  This was through Jim Thorpe high school, not my own personal school district, but it was a nice program nonetheless.  She was a very nice girl, but unfortunately, she suffered from seasonal allergies also, so when I took her out into the gardens to paint, we spent the afternoon simultaneously sneezing and getting covered in clouds of pollen...pretty horrible. 

 I went home so covered in the vile stuff, my eyes were nearly swollen shut.  After her teacher picked her up, I jumped into the shower so fast I almost forgot to peel off my coated clothing!  It was a nightmare in that respect (dealing with what Mother Nature chucks at you), but I think that the student enjoyed the relaxing pace of the afternoon, so I suppose it went well in the bigger picture of the day.

I've been preparing for the show I have coming up--framing and registering the paintings, etc.  Even with proper ventilation, my old barn studio gets pretty heated up by midafternoon, so I have to retreat into the cool recesses of either the house or under a tree until the sun goes down...I feel like a vampire!!

Anyway, I've been working alot lately, and feeling pretty good.  I'm looking forward to getting a good deal of work done through the summer, God willing, and just enjoying each lovely season as it comes upon us...

New Painting--

"Sunday afternoon at the tide pool" by Hilary J. England, 24" by 30" oil on canvas

It's been a while since I've posted, and for that, I'm apologize.  I really have suffered over the last weeks with depression, and it's been a hard struggle.  I'm starting to come out of it a bit now...

About this painting:  This was done from several studies at the shore.  I did this in studio, and it was a true battle to get it finished, since I was feeling so poorly, I could barely even pick up my brushes.  I couldn't keep focused on the painting, and wound up smoking a cigarette for every 1/2 hour of time put into it...LOL...not a healthy diversion to say the least.

This painting was done from these studies, but also from a very strong image I had in my mind throughout all of this...this middle aged couple, looking so happy and content, enjoying their Sunday, the rest of the world was away from them...I was an interloper, looking into their bliss...feeling happy for them, feeling content for them...wishing to feel their happiness as well...like looking through the picture window of a storefront.

I hope you enjoy it..I do now that it's done.

New painting

"The Lesser Bridge" by Hilary J England 8" x 10" oil on canvas

Alot has gone on since my last blog--most of it is very personal, so I'll leave it there.  It has affected me very deeply though, and in that respect, it has driven me even further and more frantically to paint, which is actually a pleasant "by product," rather than shrinking into a nonproductive depression and shutting down.

Anyway, the above painting was done at the Hill to Hill bridge in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.  It was a very pleasant day, and I was with my Bethlehem group of artists, so there was a nice little gathering.  I kind of wandered off the path and found this little stone footbridge, bathed in sunlight to the left, yet the murky, muddy little creek was completely in shadow from the large, elegant trees that crowded it's narrow banks.  I found the hollow of the little arch somewhat intriguing, from the vantage point of "looking over the shoulder" of a very large tree...which had a lovely array of ground foliage surrounding it, and ivy creeping up and around it...ivy, which turned out to be POISON IVY, which I had plopped myself down in the middle of!!! 

After this realization, I accepted the fact that the damage had already been done, and to switch locations was futile...so I just shrugged it off and went forward with the painting :-)  

So far, no rash...

Down in a hole

"Stonehedge barn and flowerbeds" by Hilary J England, 9" x 12" oil on canvas

I've been depressed lately, and it's affecting my work...everything is bothersome and irritating, and it's infuriating to me lately to paint outdoors, since the weather has been so uncooperative, it's like a black cloud is following me around, and it makes me really down.  I have alot of bad stuff going on personally, with Nicole now terminal with her brain cancer, and my Dad hanging on with his leukemia, and then throw in your every day annoyances and troubles, and presto!!  Depression.

I have been forcing myself to go out daily to paint, even though everything in my body screams out "NO!!"  I don't know if helps or it hurts...I guess it helps to get out of the house, but it frustrates me with my own lack of focus, and will to do it, and then I get upset with the results...a bad cycle to be caught in.

Still, I will try to push through this roadblock, and try to envision the light at the end of the tunnel.  It's tough right now, but hopefully, it will all dissipate soon...

Painting Series

"The meadows of Winter Mountain" by Hilary J England, 9" x 12" oil on canvas

Today's painting was not too far from home, but I had a bit of difficulty due to two of my brushes falling apart...so I was forced to work with on brush only, which, hey, when you're tossed lemons, make lemonade!   Plus, half way through the painting, I got stung by a bee...

Anyway, these are the obstacles you have to deal with when you paint outside...enjoyable nonetheless.

Beautiful weather and happy little ducks

The weather here has been superb.  I've been getting alot of painting done en plein air, one a day, but actually would like to step it up to two paintings per day...I know it's ambitious, but if I have the time and inclination, why not?

I painted at the canals in Walnutport today, with a little gaggle of ducks hanging around me in curiosity...which was just fine by me, since they are soothing little creatures, with an occasional quack, and mostly just sitting about preening their feathers.  The tone was so high today, it was as if the entire universe was in high key, the sun blinding, the newly budding trees and explosion of yellows, high tone greens and pinks, in contrast to the brown, murky canal...absolutely beautiful.

Alas, I tried to photo the painting when I got home, but the light didn't cooperate.  So, instead, I'll post the Conte drawing I did yesterday in Bethlehem of our lovely older model Grayce.  She was very cordial to sit for us for a while, and being that I forgot my paints, I was forced to retreat into Conte crayons, which I don't really like, but, hey, discomfort is good sometimes. 

"Grayce"  Conte on Ingres paper, 12" x 16"

I realized when I uploaded and cropped this drawing, it put her dead center, which is not how I put her down on paper--she was located to the right of the drawing, with her gazing profile to the left.  So, it's not me being very boring, just my photoshop is completely out of control!!!!

Another day on Hawk Mountain

"Hawk Mountain on an ominous day"  by Hilary J. England  9" x 12" oil on canvas

I spent another day on Hawk Mountain--today it was very rushed, since it was overcast, and the threat of rain was pretty certain.  I enjoyed the time, although it was punctuated by hordes of children--it must have been class trip day!! 

The mountain was very overcast, you couldn't really see very far into the valley, but the gray sky had such a peace about it, although again, no hawks, just a scattering of turkey vultures soaring on the winds fanned upward from the valley floor.

While I was there, my mind was flooded with so many thoughts, I was actually thankful for the repetitive interruptions...the vista inspires my mind to flow, and many times, it seeps into places I'd rather would remain in the recesses of my mind, and makes me feel sad feelings, feelings of regret and loss, of time irretrievable, and I have a struggle on my hands...not with my painting, but to "close" Pandora's box back up again.  The painting actually keeps me in the "here and now," knowing it's something tangible, it's something I'm creating, I'm building, not tearing down, it won't go away unless it's physically destroyed, and it will be "loved."  All very soothing thoughts...

Anyway, I won't post another landscape until Friday, as tomorrow is some figure work....