Beyond The Chaos

BumberShootStudio Paintings

As I glance down at my watch to estimate how much time I have left before reaching the point of no return and being late for my appointment, it dawns on me that I always do this...wait till the last moment after I had plenty of time to spare but now the pressures on and I need to rush to my destination!

Racing against traffic, annoyed by everything on the road and off (pity those who may have been in the vehicle with me), my blood pressure and anxiety level would always go through the roof.

Pondering this...not wanting to delve to deep into my psyche...I realized that part of me (a very broken part) actually craved and sought out opportunities to invoke surges of emotion. This would unfortunately effect relationships with the people around me as well. My confrontational personality seemed to set fire to everything and was always followed up by feelings of guilt.

Thankfully God has helped me over the years and pandemonium's a thing of the past. I do believe this is a large reason why watercolor originally intrigued me though. The medium is not just pretty but it's unpredictable and challenging. When the paint touches wet paper and explodes across the page, it comes alive and takes you on a journey. This wayfaring can be quite pleasing but it can also leave you with what looks like a muddled up mess!

As intimidating as it may look, be patient, the true potential is what lies beyond the chaos and it's what makes for some of the most beautiful paintings...and radiant lives.

Rain Or Shine

BumberShootStudio Paintings
Copyright 2014
Logo for BumberShootStudio
Drawing of myself

My moms family all live on the East Coast in America and I still have images in my mind of dripping wet umbrellas sitting by the front door in my grandmothers house. They were kept neatly contained in an umbrella stand and when it rained...boy did they sparkle!

The Oxford English Dictionary quotes "bumbershoot" (another name for umbrella) as "originally and chiefly U.S. slang" which is contrary to popular belief that it is British...just saying. Whether you use the term umbrella or bumbershoot it always seems to transport you somewhere rainy and wet. That is mostly why I chose it as my shops logo, wet...water...watercolor and bumbershoot sounds really cool! But did you know the umbrellas design was originally created as a means to shade yourself from the sun...

Dating back over four thousand years, ancient art and artifacts from China and Egypt depict evidence of these umbrellas and parasols first being used to provide shade from the sun...because why would anybody want to go outside when it's raining!

Webster's Dictionary definition of parasol is "a light umbrella that you use to protect yourself from the sun." We have of course waterproofed them over the years...because why would anybody want to be stuck inside just because it's raining!

I recently posted a short video clip on my Instagram showing hundreds of folks walking down the street here in China using umbrellas on a sunny day. At first (to a westerner) it seems ridiculous and somewhat over the top...even vanity!

After living here a while in this sub-tropical heat where the sun is relentless and walking is your main means of transportation, you desperately reach for any type of relief you can.
That's right...

I have an umbrella with me at all times now...in my purse, in my backpack, in Marks backpack, in the outside foyer of my flat (in case one is forgotten). I have many colors and sizes...big, small, pink, aqua, red, plaids even ones with ruffles and lace. I am unashamed to say vanity follows me everywhere, rain or shine!
When in Rome.
(I mean Asia ;)