 Some mornings, I wake up inspired, with a solid vision of what i plan on doing with my life. Usually, my motivational dreams have to do with Zanny Art, what I need to work on, how to fix a problem, and also what to do next. But sometimes I get to my studio and feel completely lost.
On Lost Days, I rely on my surroundings, my photos on my phone, and music for inspiration. Both Sides Now is a large, textural, atmoshpheric, oil painting inspired by the drive to my studio in the country surrounded by farmland. It's also inspired by a song by Joni Mitchell that I listened to while painting. I painted it specifically for the upcoming HarvestFest in Lewistown Montana as a homage to our local farmers. This summer has been harsh for our area, and those who make a living in agriculture are more than aware of all of the joy and heartache involved in being a steward of the land. If the drought and grasshoppers didn't getcha, then surely the fires did. Yet, you go on. When I was younger, Joni's song Both Sides now was a mystery to me. I knew it was special, but didnt completely understand why, I didn't feel it in my bones. Now I am moved every time I hear the song. Its a tragic dirge, a confession about our lives, how little we know, even we it seems completely obvious, like ice cream castles in the air, storm clouds that keep us from playing, or storm clouds that will quench the fire and water the animals. But like so many other materpieces of our time, Joni's song still goes on. It's open to interpretation, its open to guessing who or what the singer is remembering, its open to learning more about clouds, love and life. My painting, Both Sides Now, is about the stories of generations of Montanans who met up with adversity, yet still went on. They continued to nurture their families, care for their animals, work their land. Just like the clouds that hold different meanings in different phases of life yet still surprise us with joy, our understanding of life itself continues to go on. If you're interested in purchasing this painting, it is for sale starting this Saturday November 6th to Sunday November 7th at The Lewistown HarvestFest Online Live Auction. https://www.lewistownartcenter.net/harvestfest https://www.facebook.com/events/632072961270461
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Salt and The Sea, Oil on Canvas, 16x12  I am now offering prints of all my current work. click on Print section of dropdown menu.
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AuthorZanny, aka Rosanna Mecklenburg or Rosanna Griffith lives in Lewistown Montana and writes about her life as a self-taught artist, a business owner, a wife, a mom, the adventures of building a permaculture orchard, gardening in Central Montana, learning how to preserve the harvest, and building a home, not necessarily in that order. 
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