New Beginnings

As the old adage goes,  "Time flies when you're having fun". 

Well, it hasn't all been fun, but retrospect sure does have a way of helping you let go of the not so fun parts.  I have officially moved on from this blog and from my old www.BanayatFineArt.com website. 

Come on over to my new website and blog to find out what the heck I'm up to now. 
MiligirlWellness.com

BTW, My Miligirl.com online store is also back online.

See you over there!
Melanie

New Beginnings

Letting Go and Holding On

"All the art of living lies in a fine mingling of
letting go and holding on".
~Havelock Ellis









Letting Go by Melanie Banayat

Available as:
- Giclee Print
- Notecard


















Holding On by Melanie Banayat

Available as:
Notecard




MiliGirl Note Cards make unique gifts for women. Find and send the perfect "Just Because" greeting card at the MiliGirl Collection online store.

Please share this post with others - Thanks! Melanie Banayat

Letting Go and Holding On

Bed of Flowers

Bed of Flowers is
now available
as a Giclee Print!


















Happy New Year Everyone!

I'm a little slow getting around to updating my blog since entering the new decade. The delay was partially due to my efforts to get this painting made available as a giclee print to start out the New Year on a good note. Many people have requested prints of "Bed of Flowers", so with some fancy negotiating skills I managed to make it happen. Thanks to my good friend, Teri!
THANKS AGAIN TERI!

I also decided to make it available in a new size on heavy duty watercolor paper.
Find out all the details here.

Don't Wait...
If you want a limited edition giclee print of Bed of Flowers I suggest you order quickly, since I also lowered the Limited Edition size to only 30 Prints! That's right...only thirty prints! What?!?!?! :0 Ahhhhh!


MiliGirl Note Cards make unique gifts for women. Find and send the perfect "Just Because" greeting card at the MiliGirl Collection online store.

Please share this post with others - Thanks! Melanie Banayat

Bed of Flowers

Women and Wine

This series is available on customizable party invitations at www.zazzle.com/miligirl

"See, Smell, Swirl, Sip, Savor"

On a lighter side -- I have wanted to do a women and wine series of paintings for quite a while now. However, I just want to make one thing very clear from the get go . . . I'm not a sommelier, wine snob, wine connoisseur or anything even remotely close. In fact, I don't even play one on TV, but I do enjoy having a glass of wine (or two) with friends from time to time.

The five steps of wine tasting: "See, Smell, Swirl, Sip, Savor" seemed a fitting choice for my first women and wine series. Portraying contemporary women dressed in little black dresses and letting their hair down for a carefree evening with good company.

Three of my personal favorite stories of sharing wine with friends include: Ladies night in Ajijic, Mexico (Spring of 2006) with about ten women, which included dancing 'til 4 am at el-Bar-Co, then hitting Jessica's tacos after hours. Then there was the sidewalk cafe' in mid-afternoon with my friend Bill in Patzcuaro, Mexico when we were hunting for a pair of Blue Boots to escape bigger worries in life for a day -- things like recovering from divorce and dying from cancer. And last, there was the "Choosing of a Name" for my newly formed art group in the course of one evening and six dirty-minded creative artists.

This women and wine series is on exhibit (as of today) at the Raven Cafe' in downtown Prescott, AZ as part of the A.C.E. Art Group's group exhibition, which runs from September 20th, through October 31st, 2009.

The Opening Night Artist's Reception is this coming Thursday September 24th. 5 pm - 8 pm. Come join us for wine, appetizers, live music, a ton of new art (at great prices) and an all around good time at the Raven Cafe'.

Here's the Big Question: Guess what A.C.E. stands for.


MiliGirl Note Cards make unique gifts for women. Find and send the perfect "Just Because" greeting card at the MiliGirl Collection online store.

Please share this post with others - Thanks! Melanie Banayat

Women and Wine

Marionette & the Wishing Pot

"Marionette & the Wishing Pot" by Melanie Banayat
Original oil painting on canvas 36" x 36"
*Click on the picture to see larger image

I just finished this painting yesterday.

Who inspired this painting?

A few years ago I joined a woman's business networking group and met a soft spoken woman in her 50s (whom I will call Jane). Jane briefly shared her story of abuse with me after one of our meetings. I was on my way out to my truck when she called out my name. As we stood in the parking lot and I listened to her story, I was deeply touched by the pain that still brought tears to her eyes. She was no longer in her abusive relationship, by that point it had been a number of years since that relationship ended. With support from a transitional help center for abused women she was able to move on with her life, and is now a much happier, stronger person. But her need to share her experience wasn't about her being stuck in that painful place -- it was about reaching out to other women who need to know that they do not need to stay in abusive relationships. It was at that moment that I finally decided it was time to do a painting that addressed the issue of abuse.

It took me quite a while to come up with the idea of how I wanted to do this painting. Probably about a year went by before I even started sketching out my ideas. Maybe because I really didn't want to revisit that place in my own past.

As I was working on the painting in my art studio many thoughts came to me over and over about how many different situations there are where abuse occurs -- in marriages, in the work place, parental abuse, and the list goes on. Then on a larger scale, I thought about how a great number of people in our society feel abused by our country's leaders. Well, that's a whole topic in and of itself, so I'll just leave that one alone. Usually my first thoughts when I think of abuse I think of physical abuse, or sexual abuse, but mental, emotional, and financial abuse can be just as devastating on a persons life. Then there is also another side of abuse -- addiction; some people view drugs as their abuser. It's really all about control. The abuser's need to control the abused, and the abused needing to take back control over their own life. Recovery from abuse is not an easy road, but it's worth every effort it takes to get there. And it all starts with one decision.

The fact that I like to focus on the positive side of life's difficulties, and offer a sense of hope and inspiration in my work -- the topic of abuse posed as a real challenge for me.



Detail of wishing pot

Here's how the story in the painting plays out in my mind:

She felt trapped like a marionette with her life dictated by a puppet master. "Maybe if I try harder, maybe if I learn to do things better, maybe, maybe, maybe . . ." One day she shared her dreams with the puppet master who then turned and wrote them down for her on a piece of parchment and placed it in a wishing pot upon her request. The puppet master closed the wishing pot and adorned it with a pair of scissors as if to tease her, causing her desire for freedom to grow even stronger. Yet the scissors always seemed just outside of her grasp -- where her freedom continued to elude her. But one night she dreamt of a different life; the dream seemed so real. The next morning she decided she was going to do what it took to live that life -- a better life.


The message on the card will read:

Last night . . .

Marionette dreamt of dancing,
Laughing, learning, living.
At sunrise she did the one thing
She never thought she could.
She rose up and . . .

Note: I left the message unfinished so the reader can finish it off with her own story.


Detail of dancer










MiliGirl Note Cards make unique gifts for women. Find and send the perfect "Just Because" greeting card at the MiliGirl Collection online store.

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Marionette & the Wishing Pot

What is the Spirit of Women?

What is the Spirit of Women?

That is the question I continuously explore in my art -- one little piece of the puzzle at a time. I offer my insight, not as a trained psychologist or expert on human behavior, but simply as a women, mother, daughter, sister, wife, two-times ex-wife, artist, and businesswoman.

There isn't a simple answer to the question, "What is the Spirit of Women?" Women are complex and fascinating subjects to paint. Even though there are so many different personality types, so many different beliefs, and so many different core values among women worldwide there is such a powerful connection between women that surpasses these differences. It's a sisterhood of empathy, and the ability to see past the invisible walls and directly into the heart.

Often in the eyes of men, it appears as though women can read each other's minds. What is that? How do they do that?

I hope to inspire women through my work and help open the door for communication. My work is based on real people and real life stories. I'm always searching for ways to spark an emotional connection whether it be on canvas or through my greeting cards.

In large part I also hope to offer men bits of insight into the Spirit of Women. What you do with it from there is up to you of course. As I said before, there are no simple answers. The best advice I can offfer to a man is to understand the value in nurturing a woman's true spirit, and that it's an ongoing effort. The key is knowing what that nurturing looks like, acts like, feels like -- well, you get the picture.

On these pages, and through my art I will continue to explore the Spirit of Women and hope you find my insights at the very least . . . entertaining.


MiliGirl Note Cards make unique gifts for women. Find and send the perfect "Just Because" greeting card at the MiliGirl Collection online store.

Please share this post with others - Thanks! Melanie Banayat

What is the Spirit of Women?

Getting Focused

Today marks a turning point on my blog. I have come to realize that I really want this blog to focus on the spirit of women, which is what my art is all about.

MiliGirl Fan Page on Facebook
I still have a need and desire to stay connected to other artists, and all like-minded creative types, so I have created a new place to do that on my MiliGirl Fan page on Facebook. If you have not already joined my fan page, I invite you to come on over and join me there. That is where I will be talking "All things Creative", and also posting images of my new art.

Click here to join my MiliGirl Fan Page

MiliGirl TV is coming soon!
I've been working on this new project creating a series of videos that I will post on www.MiliGirlTV.com. The series will be ongoing - or at least until I keel over. The site has not officially launched yet, I'm hoping it will launch by the end of this month. I'll keep you posted.



MiliGirl Note Cards make unique gifts for women. Find and send the perfect "Just Because" greeting card at the MiliGirl Collection online store.

Please share this post with others - Thanks! Melanie Banayat

Getting Focused

I'm finally on Facebook

Well, It took me a while to finally get around to starting a facebook page, and I'm so glad I did. Connecting with friends that I haven't seen or heard from in over 25 years is pretty cool.

I also started a Facebook Fan page, which is also pretty cool. Don't have any fans yet. LOL!

I posted my nifty MiliGirl Fan Page widget in the sidebar here on my blog. I love widgets. Widgets are fun little "thingymajigs" aren't they? Oooops, I just deleted it and I can't seem to get it back. Bummer. I'll see if I can figure out the problem.

Well, for now if you'd like to join my facebook fan page it's called: MiliGirl

I'm finally on Facebook

An Artists Year in Retrospect – 2008

I like to do this in December of every year as my way of acknowledging and giving thanks for the blessings that have come my way, and to look forward to a new year of artful adventures.

Working as a professional artist definitely requires a lot of passion, ingenuity, and plenty of endless energy. This career is not for the weak of heart!! And with some luck all that spent energy lends itself to a good night sleep in order to rejuvenate and start all over again.

A.C.E. Art Group
I started out my year in search of other professional artists to join me in forming a new art group – a different kind of art group. This was a real challenge, because I knew that each of the members of this group would need to have similar goals, high standards of professionalism, and each member’s artwork would need to be completely unique from all the other members. I’m happy to say that the group is now six members strong. We will remain a small group (maximum 12 members). Our goal is to exhibit together in various small venues throughout Arizona. We call our exhibitions “intellectual entertainment” where we partner with corporate businesses and/or charitable organizations for their special events. We also exhibit at "invitation only" parties located in the private homes of art collectors.

This is a fun group of artists, and so far the experience has been great! If you know of any business, organization, or art collector that might be interested in such a group for their next event, please have them contact me, or at the very least encourage them to visit our website at www.AceArtGroup.com


The Launch of my MiliGirl Collection Product Line
This was a dream come true! I have dreamt of having my own greeting card line for many, many years, and 2008 was the year this dream came to fruition. I wanted to create a line of cards that were truly inspirational with deep feeling prose. My MiliGirl Collection card line officially launched this past July when my online store went live. www.MiliGirl.com

It took a lot of work to get this project done, but it was worth every frustrated brain cell to make it happen!

I cannot describe in words the feelings I felt when I discovered that people were buying the cards not only to give away, but also to keep for themselves. I was very surprised when people began to open their hearts to me and share their stories about their own journey through recovery - - recovery from divorce, loss of a loved one, cancer, abuse, addiction, and so on. Also, many parents were surprised to find cards that matched up with each of the personalities of their grown children, “Do you know my kids?” they would ask me. One father bought a dozen cards, explaining to me that he had three daughters in their 20's, a girlfriend and an ex-wife, so he was stocking up for those necessary moments when he needed to communicate with them - he felt my cards might help him. All I can say to him is that I really hope they do! LOL!

So many people come into my booth at art festivals and pause in reflection as they look at the paintings on the walls, then they begin to read my cards. They end up reading each and every card on the rack, and when they finish reading them some feel impressed to come give me a hug, while others find themselves in tears, “This was like therapy!” a few have exclaimed. It humbles me in many ways and brings tears to my eyes knowing that the messages are touching people in all the ways I hoped that they would, and even in ways I never imagined.

I am now set up to sell my cards wholesale to businesses. If you have a business or know of someone with a business that might want to carry my card line please contact me and I will send you wholesale information. Any female oriented type business makes a perfect location: Salon, Day Spa, Yoga Center, Florist, Bookstore, Boutique, Hospital Gift Shop, Coffeehouse, etc.

My Fine Art Collectors
One of the best parts of being a professional artist is connecting with the people who experience a heartfelt connection to my art. It gives purpose to what I do. This year was exceptional in terms of all the new people I have met and the people who have supported the arts by investing in Fine Art.

To all of my art collectors I want to say thank you for choosing to surround your life with the beauty of fine art – particularly my art!! IMAGINE ME WEARING A BIG SMILE! LOL!

My Art Giveaway Winner
I held my first Art Giveaway this past October, and gave away a giclee print on canvas of “Mother & Child”. The winner of the print sent me the following response:

I am so excited that I won your wonderful mother and child print. Thank you so much and I want to keep updated with any future art drawings that you may be doing because I adore your work and would love to have a collection hanging in my home. I do not know if you are famaliar with "The Secret". I used the principles of that teaching philosophy of envisioning that you already have what you want and then basically waiting for the universe to bring it to you. I attached one of your notecards which happened to be the mother and child one, to the wall near where I planned on hanging the print once I received it from you. Every time I walked past it I would thank the universe for the painting that was hanging on my wall in a beautiful black or dark wooden frame (had not decided how to frame it yet) and envisioned that I already had it, just a matter of time until the end of the month. I want to thank you again for creating such beautiful work. As a fellow artist and Graduate of The University Of Arizona with a Bachelor of Fine art, I truly admire that you create what inspires you and follow your dream. I hope to do the same once my children are a little older and I can finally have the time. I eagerly await my print and look forward to future drawings and hope to be able to see your work at a show again soon. Thank you, Heather

I will soon have another art giveaway right here on my blog. Join my RSS Feed (which is a free subscription to my blog) so that you don’t miss my next art giveaway! Just look in the sidebar on my blog where it says, "Subscribe to this blog" and join - it's FREE! My next art giveaway is coming soon!


Grayleaf Galleria
What a blessing to be represented at the Grayleaf Galleria in Prescott Arizona; I joined the gallery in September. Katherine Koenig has truly added a top-notch gallery to the Area, and Jerry Von Schott has done a great job managing the gallery. A total of three new galleries have opened their doors here in Prescott this year and the new Arts Center is scheduled to open this coming Spring on Cortez Avenue, making Prescott a real destination hot spot for visual art with Seventeen different locations to find a wealth of Fine Art right in the heart of Prescott!

New Arts & Entertainment Columnist
Wow! I just started doing some freelance work for a local Prescott Publication, 'Read It News'. The editor was looking for someone to write an insider's viewpoint column on 'The Arts' in the Prescott area. How cool that she chose me! What I love about this column is that I get to interview other professional artists, art consultants, and art collectors – I love it! Check it out online at www.ReadItNews.com

New York, Here I come!?!?!
A great opportunity has presented itself to me just a few short days ago. If all works well I may be headed to the National New York Stationary Show this coming May. This could open the doors to National Distribution of my MiliGirl Collection card line.

Articles, Interviews & Press
I want to thank The Courier, The Monsoon, and Pop Rocket Press for writing about my work in their publications this year! All of this free press has been one of the greatest forms of publicity for my work. Those articles can be found on my www.MiliGirl.com website under ‘Media’.

Oh yeah, Jerry Barrett from www.inklessmagazine.com has recently interviewed me for his online magazine. Watch The Video.

Coffee Table Book
I’ve been encouraged time and time again to write a book, and believe me I have wanted to do a book for a long time as well. But first things first – and of course it all takes time. 2009 just might be the year for my first book. I’ve been working on it in between everything else. We shall see . . .

New Original Art Work
As always, I have a stack of ideas waiting to be immortalized onto canvas. I look forward to creating more inspired works in my art studio and exhibiting them as often as I can, and in as many places as possible. I thoroughly enjoy being able to go out and exhibit my work in person at different venues, because it gives me a chance to connect with art enthusiasts and gain more inspiration from the people I meet.
View some of my latest works


Thank You!
I’m grateful for my health and the gift that I have been given, which is a passion to be a life long expressionist of the human spirit through fine art. I’m grateful for all the people who have fallen in love with my work and to those who spend their hard earned money investing in it. I’m grateful for the roof over my head and the people in my life that love me, lift me, and keep me going. And I thank God for this intriguing and challenging life!

Live an Artful Life!
Peace & Love,
Melanie

MiliGirl Note Cards make unique gifts for women. Find and send the perfect "Just Because" greeting card at the MiliGirl Collection online store.

Please share this post with others - Thanks! Melanie Banayat

An Artists Year in Retrospect – 2008

Nursing Mothers

Quiet Time 36" x 36" oil on canvas by Melanie Banayat
Click on image

Recently I’ve received several emails and comments about my ‘nursing mother’ images – all of which were very positive. Hooray!!!!!


When I began painting these images I knew that some people would be uncomfortable with them, but I also knew that there would be a good number of people that would celebrate them (both women & men). I must say that I was a bit surprised that some gallery owners/managers didn’t feel comfortable exhibiting them. Hmmm?


Savoring Life 36" x 36" oil on canvas by Melanie Banayat
click on image

I will continue to paint more of these images in hopes to some day find a gallery (or some venue) that would be willing to exhibit these lovely images together and make them the focus of the exhibition.


Mother & Child 36" x 36"
oil on canvas by Melanie Banayat
click on image

My opinion is that anybody offended by breastfeeding is staring too hard. ~David Allen

Nursing does not diminish the beauty of a woman's breasts; it enhances their charm by making them look lived in and happy. ~Robert A. Heinlein

There are three reasons for breast-feeding: the milk is always at the right temperature; it comes in attractive containers; and the cat can't get it. ~Irena Chalmers

A baby nursing at a mother's breast... is an undeniable affirmation of our rootedness in nature. ~David Suzuki

Breastfeeding is a mother's gift to herself, her baby and the earth. ~Pamela K. Wiggins

Nursing Mothers

Phippen Art Museum Exhibition

I'm tickled pink this morning!

How cool is this . . . I was just contacted yesterday by the Phippen Art Museum and invited to participate in the upcoming exhibit with some of my paintings:


Honor & Prayer 36" x 36" original oil on canvas by Melanie Banayat

Buffalo Soldiers, Vaqueros, and Friends: Cultural Diversity in Building the New Frontier

November 15, 2008, through February 22, 2009

Buffalo soldiers helped the Cavalry and other military groups succeed in their mission to develop the Western frontier. Along with these important guides, scouts and translators, the West also benefited from the contributions of Hispanic cowboys (vaqueros); African American settlers, and Asian-Americans building the railroad and creating new businesses to strengthen new communities in Arizona, California and other parts of the American West. This exhibit will celebrate the cultural diversity of the building of the new frontier. All artists' work for this show will be representational of the historic and modern connotations that this diversity has created in our community.

Phippen Art Museum Website

The Rising 36" x 36" original oil on canvas by Melanie Banayat

The Phippen Art Museum also asked to carry my entire line of MiliGirl Collection note cards in their gift shop -- as my kids would say...SWEEEEET!

We should know that diversity makes for a rich tapesty, and we must understand that all the threads of the tapestry are equal in value no matter what their color. - Maya Angelou

[People] may be said to resemble not the bricks of which a house is built, but the pieces of a picture puzzle, each differing in shape, but matching the rest, and thus bringing out the picture. - Felix Adler

We have become not a melting pot but a beautiful mosaic. Different people, different beliefs, different yearnings, different hopes, different dreams. - Jimmy Carter

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Phippen Art Museum Exhibition

Grounded

Grounded 36" x 36" oil on canvas by Melanie Banayat

Grounded is a very spiritual piece to me. I created ‘Grounded’ when I was at the beginning of a major transition in my life. I was in search of inner peace and a sense of groundedness at a time when everything was so chaotic throughout every part of every day.

I consider myself a spiritual person (not religious). I began to write this post with references to my varied religious experiences, but then I chose to delete all of that, because I choose not to get into religious banter or criticism. Instead I choose peace, understanding, and acceptance.

The following is an excerpt from my journal regarding Grounded:

October 2006 - It’s the morning after the art exhibition in Ajijic. I want to write down my thoughts while the feelings are still fresh in my body. I’ll start out by describing my favorite guest of all – a moth. Yes, a giant moth. I’ll call the moth, Marrón, because she was this beautiful Burnt Umber brown. She was one of the early guests to the show. The front door was wide open during the entire show, so Marrón just flew right in and fluttered around for a few minutes. She caught my eye, and my first thought was I hope that moth doesn’t bother anyone. Then she landed on one of my paintings. The painting she landed on is titled, “Grounded”. The painting is of a woman who is sitting in lotus position with vines growing out of her core, and roots coming out of her feet into the ground. Well, Marrón landed on one of the vines on the painting and remained there for about 15 minutes. I could hear some people commenting wondering if the moth was real or part of the painting, because it was so still. Other people were wondering if it was stuck to the paint because they knew many of the paintings were still wet. The painting was hung high on the wall, so I went to get a broom to shoe it away. Marrón immediately flew off and fluttered around the room again, then promptly returned to the same exact spot on the painting. The comments were in awe….”Wow, did you see that!” people were saying. So again, I shoed her off, and once again she came back to the same place. I then decided to leave her there. I realized she brought positive energy to the painting and for the moment – she was truly apart of the piece. She kept landing on the vine as if it were real. It made the painting feel even more earthy, which is what that painting was all about. I’ll always remember Marrón when I look at that painting. She is now part of the painting’s story.

Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace and gratitude.
- Denis Waitley

The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and all science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead: his eyes are closed.
- Albert Einstein

The especial genius of women I believe to be electrical in movement, intuitive in function, spiritual in tendency.
- Margaret Fuller

The personal life deeply lived always expands into truths beyond itself.
- Anais Nin


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MiliGirl Note Cards make unique gifts for women. Find and send the perfect "Just Because" greeting card at the MiliGirl Collection online store.

Please share this post with others - Thanks! Melanie Banayat

Grounded

Is the glass Half Full or Half Empty?

"Half" 36" x 36" oil on canvas by Melanie Banayat

A few years ago when I was driving in my car listening to a talk radio station there was a story about a church that started a project to put an end to complaining. The idea was to order one of those stretchy bracelets from their church, place it on your wrist and every time you complain about something you were suppose to switch the bracelet to your other wrist. This was meant to bring attention to how often we complain about things throughout each day. The ultimate goal was to see if you could go for 21 days straight without complaining about anything – being that it supposedly takes 21 days to break a bad habit.

The talk radio program received a lot of calls. Some people thought it was a great idea, others felt it was pointless, or they pointed out that complaining was a form of release & relief from stress.

Anyway, it got me thinking about how people view their lives – half full or half empty. I began to wonder how I could create an image on a painting that would pose such a question “How do you view your life – half full or half empty?”

It wasn’t long after that when I came across a beautiful piece of artwork – a clay pot with irregular shaped holes throughout. It was visually intriguing, but I do remember thinking to myself, “this pot is not a very practical vessel now is it?” The vision of that vessel stayed in my mind for a long time for some reason. After a while it dawned on me that this was the answer for my painting. The body is a vessel! Is the glass half full or half empty?!?! That’s it. This is how I will expose what’s inside the vessel.

At my art exhibitions some people look at ‘Half’ and are immediately put off by it. They make comments such as, “Eeeew, that’s creepy!” Or “Oh! I can’t look at that!” It gives them the heebee jeebeez, and they don’t want to know anything about it. While others are drawn to the painting; they seek to learn more about it. I often wonder what’s going on in the minds of the people who are put off by it, but they scurry off so quickly that I never have the chance to ask them.

I enjoy telling people about the meaning behind this painting, because it brings forth a lot of ‘Ahhhhs’. The painting is a good reminder to me to put things into perspective when life becomes overwhelming at times.

“Is the glass half full, or half empty? It depends on whether you're pouring, or drinking.”
- Bill Cosby

Researchers have discovered that pessimistic people are socially rejected because individuals feel that pessimists are hopeless, sad, and depressed - Hewleg-Larson et al., 2002

"Feeling is the language of the soul" — Neale Donald Walsc


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MiliGirl Note Cards make unique gifts for women. Find and send the perfect "Just Because" greeting card at the MiliGirl Collection online store.

Please share this post with others - Thanks! Melanie Banayat

Is the glass Half Full or Half Empty?

Bed of Flowers

NEW. Bed of Flowers 36" x 36" oil on canvas by Melanie Banayat

Giving Yourself What You Did Not Get From Your Parents

‘Bed of Flowers’ is one of my more Ethereal looking pieces.

The inspiration behind Bed of Flowers comes from the many stories I’ve heard from adults who are grown children of parents whose parenting skills fell short of perfect, which pretty much fits most people’s childhood experiences.

I know that sounds pretty deep – like "lying on the sofa talking to a therapist deep".

Fact is children are dependent little buggers, they depend on their parent(s) to feed them, cloth them, and take care of all of their basic needs to sustain their life. But it doesn’t stop there. Children look to their parent(s) for more than just their basic needs. They pine for their approval and acceptance. They watch so closely studying how their parents walk through life until one day they find themselves “all grown up”, but still feeling like that little child “pining”.

A therapist once told me that as an adult ‘I’ can give to myself what my parents weren’t able to give me. That sounded sort of strange and funny. It took experiencing a number of years as a parent myself to understand what she meant.

Thank goodness as a parent I can admit I’m not perfect! I’m so glad I can admit that! Perfection is too high of an expectation for anyone. There is simply no way that I can give my children everything they need and want from me, because I’m still learning “how to be” in this world myself. When they become adults they will continue to grow, change, need and want, and they will have to get much of what they need and want from others, or they too will have to learn how to give themselves what they need and want (emotionally, physically, spiritually, financially, etc.). Hopefully they will seek for mentors that inspire them, and surround themselves with the type of people that feed their spirit, lift their souls, and encourage them in just they right way that helps them become the happiest person they can be. More importantly, I hope they will be willing to surrender any pain that I may have been part of in their life and hand that burden over to their Heavenly Father – as often as necessary.

‘Bed of Flowers’ is a sweet piece that represents the parent child relationship. We know that there is so much life to live ahead of the little baby and already she is looking at her mother, admiring her, watching her so closely. And the mother, so young, still growing and learning along the way.


It's not only children who grow. Parents do too. As much as we watch to see what our children do with their lives, they are watching us to see what we do with ours. I can't tell my children to reach for the sun. All I can do is reach for it, myself.
~Joyce Maynard

You don't really understand human nature unless you know why a child on a merry-go-round will wave at his parents every time around - and why his parents will always wave back.
~William D. Tammeus

Before I got married I had six theories about bringing up children; now I have six children, and no theories.
~John Wilmot

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Bed of Flowers

Western Yoga

New. Western Yoga 36" x 36" Original Oil Painting 2008
by Melanie Banayat

WESTERN YOGA

"Western Yoga" is obviously a bit of a gentle satire; a light parody if you will.

The painting is highly textured, which is hard to tell on the internet. This painting along with other new works will be on exhibit in my booth (#718) at the Sedona Arts Festival next weekend - Saturday & Sunday October 4 & 5th. These paintings are so new that they're still wet!

Along with my original oil paintings I will have Giclee Prints, Art Prints, and my MiliGirl Collection Note Cards.

The Sedona Arts Festival is Sedona's most popular fall showcase of fine art and craft featuring over 100 of the country's finest visual artists and craft persons, entertainment, and food vendors. No pets are allowed at this event. For more information please visit the Sedonal Arts Festival Official website at www.sedonaartsfestival.org.

Hope you can make it to the festival!


MiliGirl Note Cards make unique gifts for women. Find and send the perfect "Just Because" greeting card at the MiliGirl Collection online store.

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Western Yoga

The Road Less Traveled

Pondering

When I reached a major turning point in my life well into adulthood I remember being completely anticipatory about trudging on especially after many years of living under an oppressive thumb -- I felt like a teenager getting a taste of freedom from my parents for the first time. I was cautioned by a number of well meaning people that I need to remember I will also have to face the consequences of my choices, so choose wisely.

Those words began to haunt me over and over again in my mind. I pondered upon these words of caution for many months. I began to worry about making wrong decisions. I was moved to investigate further this “Pondering” process in order rid myself of this growing fear.


That’s when I painted “Pondering.” For me, painting is a form of meditation, yet not always a peaceful one. Often times painting is an intense, and exhausting process. I engage my thoughts – “what am I trying to convey with this image?”, and these thoughts stick with me the entire painting session.

When I finished painting ‘Pondering’ I felt like the process taught me something very valuable. I will never REALLY know what my choice is until I have lived it.

“There are two kinds of teachers: the kind that fill you with so much quail shot that you can’t move, and the kind that just gives you a little prod behind and you jump to the skies.” – Robert Frost

Life is difficult. This is a great truth, one of the greatest truths. It is a great truth because once we truly see this truth, we transcend it. Once we truly know that life is difficult - once we truly understand and accept it - then life is no longer difficult. Because once it is accepted, the fact that life is difficult no longer matters. - M. Scott Peck

The Road Not Taken (The Road Less Traveled)
By Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

The Road Less Traveled

People Who Inspire Artists

Seventy is the New Forty

I’m constantly on the lookout for people with stories that inspire me . . . As I talk with people, just casual everyday conversation, I’ve discovered that most everyone has a very interesting life. Yet most people think their life is boring and uninteresting. Seems that the majority of people believe that the most interesting part of their life was in their youth, their “glory days” back in high school or college. You know, all the crazy shit that we managed to live through and tell about later. The stories that somehow become more and more embellished as the years go on. Those stories are certainly great at parties and help us laugh at ourselves.

I, however, like to look deeper into people’s souls for the stuff that has depth, purpose and real meaning. Things like those so-called “mistakes” that we made that we feel shameful about and tried to sweep under the rug, or the stuff that causes us to pause in silence and stare out the window with a deep, long sigh.

Seventy is the New Forty by Melanie Banayat
Click on image

Two years ago I had the pleasure of meeting a wonderful women, whose name I have changed for this story in the name of respect. At that time Cynthia was 74 years old and I was 41. We became instant friends, and we spent much time together for about six months when I was living in Mexico. Cynthia is like the energizer bunny reincarnated into this lovely woman with long salt & pepper hair, and signs of living a full life strategically sculpted on her beautiful face. She wears her emotions on her sleeve, and holds nothing back. She is magnetic; her six marriages are proof of that.

We shared a common courtyard with a lush garden and a swimming pool that looked out over Lake Chapala. Just three days after we met she was out on the sundeck sunbathing in the nude. No shame, no worries. Of course, her husband felt a bit differently. I thought it was great. I wanted to get to know this person who, at her age, could stand before a complete stranger naked as the day she was born and hold an expression of peace in her funny little grin.

Over the months we spent many hours just talking about our lives and the many stories that helped mold us into the people we had become. We shared a lot of tears and had many good, hard laughs. Through her stories I could see into her heart, and feel the pain that she still carried in her pocket. It was manageable now. She left an impression on me that inspired me to put fear in its place and embrace life in the moment.

The painting I did, Seventy is the New Forty, in honor of her interesting and inspirational life is not a portrait of Cynthia, but it carries a likeness of her spirit.

People Who Inspire Artists

The Unexpected

The unexpected is always upon us.

Jump with your eyes open!
In Life, Love, Art . . .
in everything we do!

Season of
Love I

30" x 30" Oil on canvas by Melanie Banayat

Not knowing what paths our children will take, what’s behind door #3, or how our life will play out tomorrow is so damned scary and exciting at the same time.

I created this “Season of Love” series of paintings about 10 years ago. It was a simple concept – a way for me to illustrate to myself that the season I was in at that point in my life is where is was suppose to be – another opportunity to learn and grow. I did the series as a visual journal for myself.

Before I painted the series I looked at growing older as a disappointment in many ways, because each new year always seemed to play out differently than what I wanted or expected. I always thought youth was where all the excitement was, and in many ways it is so exciting, because everything is so fresh and new. But I do remember feeling anxious, and envious a lot of the time. Always wanting more, or something better, or, or, or, or ,or …..

Season of Love II
30" x 30" Oil on canvas by Melanie Banayat

After I painted this series I could see that the older couple in the forth painting represented peace, acceptance, and comfort. I imagined someday not being so stressed out about my waistline, not caring about what other people thought about me, my possessions, my beliefs, or my social status, and simply being able to breathe in life one day at a time.

Now that my mother is in her 70’s, I can see in her much of what I saw in the painting of the older couple in Season of Love IV. She has not been in a truly intimate relationship with anyone for about 33 years now and I always worried about her growing old without having an intimate bond with someone. She put up walls around her to protect herself from pain - she kept everyone at a "safe distance" (even the man who has loved her through all these years, but she simply would not allow him all the way into her heart). Thank goodness in the last few years she has begun to remove some of the bricks in her wall. When I look at her now I see a woman who has finally learned how to laugh and even poke fun at herself. A nice, unexpected surprise at this stage in her life. She still worries about her health and becoming a burden to others, but I see something much different in her eyes these days. It's more childlike. She has even let her beautiful silver hair grow long like the days of her youth, and she likes it. She's lovely.

Season of Love III
30" x 30" Oil on canvas by Melanie Banayat

Then I did a painting about 8 years ago of three teenage girls singing a farewell song for a young man who was going away on a church mission (Unfortunately, I never took a picture of it). I had sketched the scene from life as the event took place. The sketch held a certain quality to it that captured the emotions of the moment so well. I wanted to turn it into a painting as a gift to the parents of the young man who was leaving. I struggled for over a week to capture that same feeling in the painting that existed in the sketch. I finally decided to set the painting aside in the corner of my studio figuring that in time a solution would come to me on how to fix it. Instead the painting laughed at me as I worked on other pieces. So I eventually ended up turning it around to face the wall. That painting really pissed me off! Hah! A few months later I placed the painting back on the easel and decided the painting was no good, so I was going to paint over it and do something else with it instead. I grabbed a tube of raw umber and covered over the images. Then as I stood back to look at the canvas I noticed the images appeared like ghosts in the background. It sent a chill down my spine, and I got a lump in my throat. That was it! That was the solution. SO UNEXPECTED! So I took a rag and began wiping away some of the paint to reveal more. It was like magic.

Season of Love IV
30" x 30" Oil on canvas by Melanie Banayat

I don’t know what’s in my future, but even if I did know what was in my future I don’t know if any of it would be worth worrying myself sick over. I suppose I just need to jump with my eyes open and make the best of it.

“Be brave. Take risks. Nothing can substitute experience.” - Paulo Coelho

Our brightest blazes of gladness are commonly kindled by unexpected sparks.
- Samuel Johnson

So what happens in your life when the unexpected lands smack dab in your lap?

- Greg Hickman



MiliGirl Note Cards make unique gifts for women. Find and send the perfect "Just Because" greeting card at the MiliGirl Collection online store.

Please share this post with others - Thanks! Melanie Banayat
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The Unexpected

My Favorite Painting

For some reason some people want to know which one of my paintings is my favorite. The answer is all of them, which doesn’t seem to satisfy their curiosity. But the truth is, each painting is my favorite at different times depending on what’s going on in my life at any given time. I know…I know… BORING!

Ok, I’ll give you a little something…

One of the cool things that I love about being an artist is that ideas seem to be developing in my head all the time. I look for most of my ideas as I walk through life and interact with people. Usually the idea for a painting goes through an incubation period, which could be anywhere from a few hours, to a few days, to months or even years. Then all of a sudden I need to put it onto canvas when the time is right. Then again, sometimes I don’t have to look far for an idea, because it comes screaming in my face “PAINT THIS!” Like following two paintings . . .

Holding On 36" x 36" oil on canvas by Melanie Banayat

“Holding on”, and “Letting Go” each have a strong personal significance to me. It’s interesting how the titles of these two paintings present a dichotomy, yet they work well together toward a common goal – a better future. Those two expressions were repeated over and over again to me from many different people. At first I didn’t really understand what they meant. They would say, “Hold on -- things will get better some day!” I didn’t feel like I could hold on, especially when it felt like I was living in an ongoing nightmare! They would also tell me to, “Just let it go, you’ll see, ‘trust me’ -- things will eventually work out for the better!” I didn’t know how to trust them (or anyone else for that matter) when it seemed like everyone and everything was against me, and trying to send me to an early grave.

There are few things in life that feel more vulnerable then to be standing naked before the world for everyone to see your every flaw, every mistake, and every shortcoming. To feel as though you have been stripped of everything that is dignified, and/or important to you in life. To come face to face with a reality that is harder than you have ever endured in your lifetime, and just when you feel you can’t take anymore, things get worse. My question to myself when I was coming up with the idea for this painting was, “how do I paint that image without her looking defeated?” I want the image to represent hope in the midst of chaos, and pain.


The two triangle marks on the woman’s cheekbone represent the Pascua Yaqui Indian symbol for tears (or rain). I remember going on and on for about 8 months where I couldn’t keep myself from being brought to tears. If a cashier at a grocery store asked me how I was, my eyes would well up and I would try to choke back my true feelings and force a smile, because it wasn’t their fault that I was feeling distraught and sorry for myself. But I could tell that some people could see that I was in pain. I could tell that they felt for me. Others were kind enough to ask if there was anything they could do to help. Eventually I began to share my story with people who were willing to let me take up some of their time, and others were willing to share some of their stories with me, which is how I was eventually inspired to do these paintings.

Letting Go 36" x 36" oil on canvas by Melanie Banayat

Simply stated, The Stone & the Vine in “Letting Go” represent the burden and the stronghold.

The fact is ‘WE’ hold all the power over the majority of the strongholds in our life. The power is all in letting go of the burdens, the supposed need, and/or the fears. More often than not the things that keep us from moving on, or from feeling joy can usually be attributed to the idea that we need to have control over the things, situations, and people in our life, “if only they would do as I wish everything would be so much better!” But the truth is, the more we try to control everything, the more people pull away, and things all around us fall apart in direct connection to our life.

The woman in “Letting Go” is dropping the stone from her hand, and the amazing phenomenon that ultimately occurs, which she has to have complete faith in, is that at the very moment she lets it go is the very moment that the vine lets go of her. Fully trusting the process is something that many of us are unwilling risk, but the irony is that even if we don’t surrender to the process – we will still have to face the cause and effect of the strongholds in one way or another. In essence, Letting Go, actually holds more power then trying to force something to happen “Your Way.”

It is empowering; it is freedom!

Link to Pasqua Yaqui symbols


MiliGirl Note Cards make unique gifts for women. Find and send the perfect "Just Because" greeting card at the MiliGirl Collection online store.

Please share this post with others - Thanks! Melanie Banayat
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My Favorite Painting