Author Archives: swo8

The Sweat Shop by L. Martel

This is an 8″ x 10″ oil on canvas board that I just started. I saw an image in the newspaper that triggered this painting. We have them here on Canada – sweat shops. They are usually peopled by immigrants or those who qualify for the TFWP – Temporary Foreign Workers Program. The multi-national companies can’t find Canadians to work under these conditions, nor for the wages they want to pay these women. Often housed in crowded conditions and charged exorbitant rents so they spend most of their wages on shelter. Their passports are taken away from them when they arrive, so they are more or less trapped. The rough plan for this painting is there. I will put several washes on to give it more vintage. But don’t kid yourself, this is happening here and now.

SDC18472

The Five Koshas: Focusing on Mano Maya Kosha

Thank you Mountain Energy Yoga. I’m learning a lot from you.
Leslie

Mountain Energy

In Yoga philosophy there are the five koshas. These five koshas are layers or sheaths which make us whole.

The outermost kosha is Anna Maya kosha which is the physical body.

The next kosha or layer is our vital energy. The most obvious part here is breath. This kosha is called Prana Maya kosha.

The next layer is the Mano Maya kosha. This is our mind. It is our thoughts and feelings. During meditation or Yoga Nidra we can speak to this kosha by using opposites. This can help the mind to learn flexibility. The mind works better when it has flexibility because we do not find ourselves getting stuck in unhealthy thoughts or feelings. Instead we can be comfortable knowing that all the thoughts we have are temporary. Thoughts and feelings come and go.

The next layer is Vijnanamaya kosha which relates to a collective consciousness and our wisdom.

View original post 13 more words

Winter Blues by swo8 Blues Jazz & Marilyn Armstrong

I can’t complain too much this year because winter hasn’t been all that bad. One year we had so much snow that when you opened the door there was a wall of snow on the other side. However, this time of year I’m about really ready to lounge on a sunny beach somewhere, unfortunately, that isn’t going to happen.  This video is a collaboration with the great American photographer and author, Marilyn Armstrong. 3:19 min.

The Kill by L. Martel

I started this 5″ x 7″ canvas board about a week ago. Being small it doesn’t take long to reach a certain stage where I consider it almost finished. It requires a touch up on the whiskers of the otter then it needs to be signed, dated, varnished and framed. It will sell for $120.00. If you’re interested you can contact me.

SDC18471

 

The Kill by L. Martel

This is another new project – a 5″ x 7″ oil on canvas board. There is some debate as to the bird. I thought the prey was a seal at first but now I think it is an otter. It needs a lot more work.

SDC18466

Le Deluge by swo8 Blues Jazz

We were suppose to get a heavy amount of rain and of course I was reminded of the Deluge. It turned out to be not so bad but in the morning there was an orange alert about the Pickering Nuclear Station. Later they posted another alert stating the first alert was a mistake. Okay now who should we believe? There’s a credibility issue here. Meanwhile I’m sticking with  Le Deluge. 4:32 min.

Le Deluge by swo8 Blues Jazz

We were suppose to get a heavy amount of rain and of course I was reminded of the Deluge. It turned out to be not so bad but in the morning there was an orange alert about the Pickering Nuclear Station. Later they posted another alert stating the first alert was a mistake. Okay now who should we believe? There’s a credibility issue here. Meanwhile I’m sticking with  Le Deluge. 4:32 min.