Eward Swift - "Daughter of the Doctor and the Saint"

I saw the final design for the book cover this past week.  Zonagraphica (http://www.thegraphicspot.net/), did the book and cover design.  Ernesto took new photos of my paintings and worked his magic.  I tried to recreate it from memory.  It was wonderful and unexpected.  I know that Edward liked it.  Here is what I remember.  The original cover, I am sure, will be much better.....

Edward's Book Cover

I am finally getting around to posting part one of Edward Swift's book cover.  The bird is to be flying through a jungle (photo of the jungle to follow shortly).

"Home" Music / Sandrine Piau - Cum dederit

This is the most exquisite song from the movie, "Home".

Cum dederit dilectis suis somnum
Ecce haereditas Domini
Filii merces
Fructus ventris


When He/She has given sleep to Her/His beloved:
Behold, the inheritance of the Lord is children-
The reward,  the womb's fruit.

The Place Where Diet Meets Spirit

I have had heartburn for most of my adult life.  Even water could give me heartburn.  A few years ago I was diagnosed with gastro-esophageal reflux. That's just a really fancy name for frequent heartburn.  With the stress in my life, at the moment, it has been pretty bad.  I have come to understand that pain is simply a message.  It is a guide, showing us the way to our real issues.   


My diet has been sporadically good but mostly horrible.  I won't go into too many specifics but I found that I would eat whatever was easiest.  I loved French toast with sliced mangoes and sometimes would eat that every day for a week.  There is a Pollo Feliz (the happy chicken) restaurant just down the street and I would often run down and buy a giant cheese quesadilla or a grilled chicken.  The problem isn't necessarily the food itself, it's how I felt about the food.  It took reading John Robbins' new book, The Food Revolution: How Your Diet Can Help Save Your Life and Our World, before I realized that I was holding two opposing beliefs in my mind/heart.

As I practice Buddhism, I am watching my speech and actions.  I am more aware than ever of a gentleness toward all animals.  How can I deeply love a dog and at the same time eat a cow?  How can I love to paint birds and still run down to Pollo Feliz for some chicken?  How many times have I painted chickens and admired their beauty?  I think this was driving me crazy!  No wonder I had heartburn.  


(slightly off the topic but still a funny story) My friend Joyce Peace, and I, were at Virginia Harrison's house for a party/art event and Virginia's chickens were running around the yard looking very shiny and healthy and photogenic.  So, Joyce grabbed her camera and ran out to take some photos.  When she came back in she was rubbing her leg and making a funny face.  I asked her what had happened and she showed me her photos.  We scrolled through the shots...chicken, another chicken, another chicken, then rooster, rooster, and then sky.  I asked her why she took a photo of the sky and she said that that was when the rooster had pecked her in the groin!  


I also just finished reading the book, The China Study: The Most Comprehensive Study of Nutrition Ever Conducted and the Startling Implications for Diet, Weight Loss and Long-term Health,

which was even more startling than John Robbins' book.  It contains proof that diet is linked to several of the worlds major crisis at the moment.  One of my favorite facts from the book is that with the water used to raise just ONE pound of beef, you could take a 7 minutes shower every day for 6 months!  Astounding!  The amount of water used by cows was provided by the California Cattle Association (to the best of my memory).  You know what?  I am thinking that the above fact might have come from John Robbins' book.  Hey, I read them both last week and they are very similar in some ways.  Maybe some kind person that has read them will straighted me out?


So, no more meat (no chicken or pork or cows or fish...nothing that had parents).  No more dairy (I love cows and if you knew how they milk cows and what was in milk you wouldn't drink it either).  No more eggs.  No more sugar.  


I need to add, at this point, that this isn't just about being kind to animals but being kind...to myself!  Being a human is special and I need to love and nurture myself and show myself kindness.  Eating well is self-love.

The Daughter of the Doctor and the Saint

I am starting the cover for Edward Swift's new book, "The Daughter of the Doctor and the Saint".  My proposal was to do it in two parts.  The concept was to paint a hacienda courtyard overgrown with plants and to have grave stones scattered around in the plants.  However, after much thought, we decided that grave stones might jinx the project.  People might think it was a horror novel...which it isn't!  So, we got rid of the grave stones.  We then added a bird because they are prominent in the story.  Actually, I added a macaw.  Edward pointed out that there are NO macaws in the book.  So, being the kind soul that he is, he added one for me!  Hey, I love macaws.


I am painting the macaw separately so that it can be resized in photoshop to fit the cover at a later date.  We think the book will be 5.5" x 8.5" but who knows for sure?  The jungle will just be flipped for the back cover.  This is very exciting!  Here is the drawing of the macaw that I just finished.  Will start the painting tomorrow.

Astrocartography and Traveling With Pomegranates

Earlier this year, I had a great conversation with an astrologer.  The conversation centered around astrocartography, which is the study of the affects of the planets on specific locations on the planet.  I am not really sure how scientific it is but it's cool.  After studying the map for a long time, it became clear that there were several areas on the planet that would be ideal for me to live.  Number one is Havana, Cuba.  Sorry, that's not really an option.  Number two is Athens, Greece.  Now, that is more to my liking.  At this moment, with the economy the way it is, that probably won't happen either.  However, the astrologer pointed out that instead of moving, I might just surround myself with things that were Greek.  I might decorate with some Greek items or explore Greek mythology in my artwork.  Now, that I can definitely do.  


One of the other things I did was to read the fantastic book by Sue Monk Kidd and her daughter about the many trips to Greece that they took together,  Traveling with Pomegranates: A Mother-Daughter Story  What a fantastic book!  Sue would write a chapter and then Ann (her daughter).  You get to see how they uncover and share several meaningful secrets and develop a deeper bond between themselves, and all of this happening at various sites in Greece.  You also get to take part in Sue's writing of her bestseller, "The Secret Life of Bees", from the beginning.  It was so much fun to read about her insecurities and eventual success with the book.  Both books are highly recommended!


   

I can't believe that I finally got these side by side.  I call these "Eyes of God".  I have to take them in to the framer because the frames don't fit so they are going to have to re-do them.  I am getting ready to start the book cover for Edward Swift's new book.  

Cool New Frame

I was walking down Relox (a street here in San Miguel) and found this frame in the new frame shop.  It was so cool that I had to get it.  Now, I have to paint something to fit!

The New Painting, Almost Done

I still need to add some details to both paintings before they are done.  I picked up the finished frames and they are beautiful.  Which reminds me, I really need to order some more of the John Howard Sanden portrait paints.  They are pre-mixed into flesh tones.  They are also very opaque.  Perfect for painting portraits.

New Website

My website has been redesigned and is now up and running.  I have added a photo page (that I am still working on and will add to as I go along).  I have also added an online store for my prints and jewelry and soon...t-shirts!   You can check it out by going to www.kelleyvandiver.com.  


The banner (above) is from my new Etsy store.  My problem with Etsy is how to fulfill the orders from Mexico in a timely manner.  I am still trying to figure that out.  I don't want to have negative feedback because I know that it can take a couple of weeks for mail to arrive from Mexico.  

New Project

Here is one of the two images I am about to start painting. They will be small paintings, only 8"x8"x"8", that's right...triangles. I went to the framer yesterday and ordered the frames and they were very expensive considering the size is so small. I will have to come up with another option for frames!

New Business Card

My new business card. I left the phone number off because I don't know how long I will be in Mexico and using my cell phone.