What Dreams May Come

Today’s blog post is just a simple mix of this and that. Come along and make what you will of it.

---

Although the title of the blog post is the title of an interesting Robin Williams movie I had watched years ago, the title actually came to mind when I thought back to a date I had with my family last Saturday (December 6). Denise had been out to a church function with our daughter Emma, Emma’s husband Adrian, and our three grandchildren – Olivia (11), Madelyn (8), and baby Luke (6 months). I met them afterwards at Denny’s for brunch. Of course there is nothing strange about that, but for me, this was the first time that Olivia chose to sit next to me at any gathering, and we actually had the greatest time visiting each other. For me, this was the loveliest dream come true. I say this, because Olivia has autism, and is typically very shy about participating in anything that involves anyone other than her mom and her sister, and of course Nana (Denise) whom she has always loved to the core. Through early experience I learned to let Olivia choose how she would be when other people were around. It’s not that I didn’t always show love and interest in her, but rather that I just never got in her face, as some people try to do – with the best intentions. I could always see how she would cringe when her condition made her surroundings unbearable. So, when she sat beside me and shared about a new digital drawing program she got, I was very pleased. Drawing is something we have in common, and something she would occasionally take interest in at other times. I asked her a couple questions about the program and she talked about how difficult it was to find something that wasn’t a rip-off, how she finally found one for free. It was an actual conversation, not something she would ask her mother to answer for her while she hid behind her mom. We moved on to another topic, when Olivia asked if I had a Costco membership. I said that I did and had just gone the day before. I said that I bought three chickens and a ham. I said that I named the chickens Mary, Helen, and Kate. Olivia looked at me a bit strange and said, “dead?” I said yes, they were dead and ready for the freezer. Later when brunch arrived, Olivia commented on how good her chicken noodle soup was and offered to share with me. Brunch went on like that until it was time for everyone to go their separate ways. Later, when I got home, I told Denise that I had had the best time ever, that my time with Olivia was, simply, a dream come true. I felt just like the grandpa I have always dreamed of being. My heart glows whenever I think about it. It has been so wonderful to see Olivia and Madelyn grow into the young ladies they are – to see their personalities blossom – and to know that whatever struggles come their way, they will be okay. Both are very smart in their own ways, and even though they both struggle in school, it is not because they are not wise. Both girls are wonderful with their new brother Luke, and I see in him a shining light that brings so much joy to our family. I guess being older and wiser, when the grandchildren come, makes one realize that family is a truly remarkable gift – in so many ways.

---

Below is some recent art. Let’s see what it has to say.

Memory of Color – Created by Don Cheke

As always, this piece came about through experimentation. I first created bunched-together 3D tubes by sweeping circles along paths in my CAD program. I then added a gradient-like flat abstract painting as the material and then used the same material itself to create raised “fuzzy” geometry, the latter done in my render program. I added the spheres for a bit of mystery. The main background looks and feels to me like a soft and folded cloth towel used to clean up art supplies. The spheres too, may have been wiped clean with the same cloth, showing a contrast between two worlds, or something like that.

The title, Memory of Color, came to me when I thought about how art can be created unwittingly, just by wiping off one’s paint brushes, or other art supplies on a tissue, or in this case, on a towel. The cloth towel thus holds the memory of the art experience, if only in the abstract. I have read in art forums how others have noticed this effect, and questioned whether or not it can be considered art. I, for one, think it can be considered art, as I do here.

---

Transitions of the Moon – Created by Don Cheke

When I render-save my 3D artwork from KeyShot, I take advantage of an option that creates a separate image called the clown pass. That is, a type of render pass that generates an image where each individual material or object in the scene is displayed as a single, flat, solid color. This makes it easy to select each part separately if desired for post-processing.

I loved the simplicity of the clown pass for this render, so I brought it into my painting program and added a textured background. There is just something about this piece that sings to me. It has a symbol-like feel to it, and the partially hidden spheres remind me of phases, or transitions of the moon. The yellow moon was a happy mistake, as it is a different color from the others. I must have used a different material on it when I was initially experimenting. There is some symbolic meaning in that, wouldn’t you say?

---

Temple – Created by Don Cheke

While surfing the net one day for inspiration, I ran across a painting of a tunnel-like structure that I liked quite a lot. I decided to mimic what I saw, so I created the structure in my CAD program and applied materials and rendered it in my render program. I tweaked the levels a bit in my photo editing software, and Temple, seen above, is the result. I decided to call this piece Temple because it reminded me a bit like one of the corridors one might see in an Angkor Wat temple, or in the Tibetan Potala Palace. Do you think enlightenment is just around the bend?

---

As you know, Christmas is not too far off. I hope the lead-up has been good for you, and I hope that you get to celebrate with the ones you love. I am fortunate this year as my two brothers will be coming to share a meal with us on the 21^st. We have not been together for Christmas in many years, so this will be very special for us. Doug will bring his partner, Kal. My mom, or as we call her, Doug’s mom, will be there, as will Emma and her family. Cousin Aaron and his girlfriend will be there too, so a very special day. Emma and her family will travel to Moosomin for Christmas Day with Adrian’s family. Denise and I will celebrate Christmas day with Doug’s mother and Denise’s younger brother, Leonard. Good visits, and good food to be served.

Merry Christmas!

Donald B. Cheke – Saskatoon, SK