life death
here and there
protection
shelter. (hälts painting)
grave with shining light
the source of the light
crystal bokeh
turkey
turkey on the move
life and death
art teacher
parking cancelled
the painter man….. hälts minimotion featuring a painting made in the pandemic era.
In the back of my mind, something does not seem right.
This has been life lately, living in a time of perceived crisis, wondering how we fair through this storm. More posts coming, I am still at a loss for words, except take care of your elders, and stay well.
I don’t have a whole lot of words to express. I could on about how I am feeling, or talk about the weather. Or, I might say that winter has been a chore, and most certainly not a bore. I embraced the winter this year, I let old things die, and revived a passion for my painting. I spent time with the elders, made them meals, spent time listening to their stories. It is strange that we write off the elders, and treat them with such little respect. Instead we blame them for this and that, the climate, the state of the environment, and so on. They did the best the could do. There is no reconciliation without first respecting the fact that the new generations will also make mistakes, and that in the future, they will be the ones who bare the weight. I myself, my little self, think as long as the children are laughing and playing, and that the earth provides us with life, that we ought to celebrate this life, and consider how lucky we are to be here. I know I am.
If you so happen to love the art you see here I invite you to please visit my new a revived website halts art online store, click here!
Once they are gone, they are gone, and no amount of money will ever bring them back. We as a specie are fast to throw money after devatstaing events thinking money will fix the crisis, it won’t, it never has, and it never will. We are more dependent on money than we are oxygen it would seem in these crazy times. Look what money has done for us, it has elected terrible leaders and made a few people very rich while the rest of us do their biddings so that they can see their stocks grow. What a conundrum we live in, what false beliefs we have perpetuated throughout the ages that money and wealth is king, Earth is is the real KING, the real QUEEN, Earth is the real deal, the rest is just a belief that has no real value at the end of the day.
fotoMahaloness
All artwork seen here is made by hälts, if anyone is interested in these artworks please do reach out by commenting or by email.
thermal whale featuring critically endangered right whales, a mother and calf, the thermal background is the changing ocean temperature and chemistry due to climate change
Creator mural 2016 with whale gliding through an egg that holds the universe.
Mawyucan (whirlwind place) 40×60 in. acrylic mixed media on canvas with a whale just to the right of the subject
Viking mural 2019 with whales in the lower right, subliminal messages are always evil like advertisement like to use, in this case a subtle hint of whale is done purposefully to suggest they have nearly vanished.
There is no such thing as duality, another made up concept that we fight and kill for, what is the point of this?
I spent my days with a woman unkind, it left me gutted and with a heart unkind. I am going to go to Mexico to start again, going to ride them green waves, drink coconut water and take my chances on the big wet plane. -an anonymous surfer/traveller/artist/maybe writer left written on a roll of toilet paper in a baño in Mexico, 2016
Life shows up when it wants, and how it wants. The chaos gets intense, hold on. If you can ride it out and stay calm in thee fury, you will make it. Be prepared for anything. The mind being a powerful tool, can also fool, and easily throw you onto another path. That’s ok, it happens to everyone, we all have stories to tell. These events shape our lives, however is it not so that shapes are just an illusion. Peel away the layers of perceived self, and there is a fragile thing called life, here one moment gone the next without your knowing, or controlling. To ridicule another by projecting past mistakes onto them is the antithesis to kindness. The only way to forgive is to let those wounds heal in their own time. The path to kindness is right under your feet, but do be aware of smoke and mirrors. For in the shadows are obstacles that have defeated even the best of human.
fotoMahaloness
Old stuff….
a magic bus I painted, here in the halfway mark
cosmic buddha
Mexican Reverie c.2009 In the early days I was drawn to the abstract expressive, it really depends on the environment and is definitely a painting style that requires a proper studio, I left as much paint on the house I rented as I did on canvases
paintings come, paintings go
wearable art I made from back in the day c.2006, it made it as far as New York City where a few lucky souls own a hälts original.
a commercial spray job I did in Mexico c.2017…overdue for a new face
back when, live art, no sleep, grizzly bear, tutus, and unwavering commitment
Presently…
I have been working on new paintings, experiencing personal transformations, while also take care of my elders.
then and now, weird
spiders love the art
emptiness
vastness
the eagle soars
ice lake mountain
No matter what I write here, it will be the truth of that moment, even if I want to hide the things that don’t appear so Mahaloness… everything has its beauty, the good, the bad, the ugly, there is nothing to hide, nothing to feel ashamed of, because at the end of the day I am just like you, human, here to make mistakes, and occasionally miracles. There is an old saying, countless mistakes makes something beautiful.
BC East Koots winter life, I enjoy being present with Nature as much as possible.
Current Art including painting WIP’s and also revamping my website…. relaunch in Spring 2020 ❤️💚💛
The past year has come and gone, here are some remnants in the form of paintings made in the intensity. Perhaps life comes in sets of waves, with small runners, smooth and clean, and fluctuating outside monsters that seemingly come out of no where. Stress was a factor for me, with many life events leaving their mark, still I am here, and can say I overcame much of it, with lingering nuggets that like everything else will eventually return to the sea. I do plan on working on continuing to write as things come to me. For now this post is a visual time capsule, things that inspired me, commissions, and turning life’s lemons into lemonade. For those of you interested, I do have a website online shop that you can check out via the link. haltsart.com (click here)
Also if there is any questions, comments or interest in any of these works, please do leave a message, I am more than happy to be of service.
Behind the work, the paintings, there is a human. Life experience and the universal. Humbled, but not humble. I have been tempted to believe that what I do has no value, somehow unimportant, overlooked, underrated, a luxury item, privy to the few. No mind, let those think what they want to think. One says you should do this, meanwhile never stopping to see the painted canvas right under their nose. I am no lesser than those crowned as important, albeit quiet, one hears more in the silence. I have no regrets for taking this path, and would not trade it in for anything this world has to offer. I am fine with dying with all my artwork, a painting sold does not change a thing. These marks I make come from my heart and soul, an inner spirit unwavering to what life brings. Mind wants to say you’ve had enough, tears that fill an ocean, brought back to life as rain. Those who have witnessed the magic how I do love dear. I don’t believe in hope, I don’t believe in hype. I don’t make art for fun except when it is. I don’t believe in what most people tell me, I do as inner spirit says. I don’t expect you to understand this, I don’t want to explain because you want me too. I trust in art and the I am. There is no planning for the future, no ten year plan. There is no what’s before me, nor the illusion of the past. Look beyond the superficial, and see there is grit, there is sorrow and there is pain, there is love, even when it rains. Lovingly transformed into beautiful art, for a garden grows from the waste of what is left behind. I am who I am, a reislient , heart strong, empathetic, no fool to the game, human being to my last breath.
‘SLO’ painting acrylic on canvas 2018, a 2 year painting project, available
‘Mawyucan’ acrylic and mixed media on canvas, I do actually know the subject in this painting, or at least one time I did, available
I like to go to remote places to paint, somewhere in Oaxaca Mexico.
and connect with beautiful humans
sometimes solitary, sitting quietly with canvas. 
the silent assassin at work. 
here one moment, gone the next. 
ULLR bar mural Invermere BC 2019 Part 1
ULLR bar mural part 2
underrated
full ULLR bar mural 2019 likely will keep adding elements. 
masking a mask 
sometimes I set up lights
Be well a friend said to me
Thank you
You too
My friend.
💛 stay golden
special treat part 3 of the ULLR bar mural mini motion series.
Never give up.
The I am loves you.
Art Announcement…. Solstice Live Art Show! Dec. 21st 🧜♂️
Hälts will be doing a live event in Cranbrook BC at Soulfood on Baker St. The live art performance will include painting, video art, soundscapes and a little Q and A for those interested. It is a free event, however I will be selling merchandise, art prints, and originals will be up for purchase. These are rare gems so you perhaps will not want to miss it. check out Soulfood on Insta @kootenaysoulfood and kootenaysoulfood.com and also you can find me at @mahaloness and haltsart.com
Now back to noir regular broadcast….
I bet you thought I vanished. Well I guess the rabbit is out of the hat. Truth is I have been watching what were once mountains return to Earth. In other words, taking care of my elders. I have chosen this path, or perhaps fate and destiny have their hands in it, it’s hard to say. I am here. I am doing this. Meanwhile around me I am witnessing a a terribly beautiful world spinning its wheels, the old cat chasing its tale. I see world events unfolding, political turmoil, media spun anxiety, sports replays and weather forecasters. I watch out the window as ravens glide effortlessly through the air, a sign that the winds be blowing, Nature’s motion. I recollect life events that led me to this very seat, some with heavy heart. This too shall pass, for a cloud never stays in one spot. I look across the room, to the people whom, brought me into this life. I made them parents, they made me their child, together we circumnavigated the ever changing moods. They watched me grow up, and now I watch them grow old. I get up make coffees, empty the dishwasher, pour my dad a glass of water, give him a banana, and make my mom toast. I swoon over the dreams that have not come true, and stare at a spider wondering silently on the wall. I sit with them in a sunlit room, a squirrel runs the railing outside the window, diligently collecting peanuts left as offerings for his amusement. I watch my dad struggle with eating, hands shaking and yet no complaining. He enjoys his meal, this is what’s real, his spirit unwilling to cooperate with his failing body. I remember times we laughed, and I remember the times he made me so mad, or even sad. He had a vision for me, that never quite formed the way he saw fit. Years of battles and clashes, conditions, and prohibitions that led to no where, and yet who I let rule my existence. Broken dreams, failed romance, and a wavering attitude towards fellow humans led me down a dark path. I am human. So my time here has been a blessing and a lesson in compassion. I never knew what my grandparents thought about their lives in their later stages of life. I Wass too young. Now I experience for the first time what that is and although it does sadden me and also has strengthened my empathic muscle, long overdue.
Isn’t it funny how life will show you exactly what you need to see. 
a little sneak peak of a viking mural project I worked one this past month, I have some catching up, pitter patter lets get atter, no matter.
We all have our stories, contorted as they may be, the beauty is the resilience, the inner spirit reveals. So I am here, amongst a world in and out of chaos, everything as it is supposed to be. I sense the mind echo questions and dialogue, I don’t give it my full attention. Instead I sit quietly in the terrible beauty of it all. Their’s climate deniers, clinging to old beliefs, while young people scream protest about Climate Crisis, without agreement to solutions. Complex is the modern world, has it ever been any different? Modern egomaniacs perhaps no different from those in the past, the story spins more stories, the mice with crowns run but do not move forward. Past rejections, life lessons, an uncertain future, yet Love remains. Where is all this coming from, perhaps at the depth of this human there is a heart that wants out the shell formed over time in order to survive. I used to wonder what Dali’s fascination was with shells until just recently did it make sense while cooking in a geothermal hot pool. I look at my mom, a care giver all her life, came from poverty, a very hard life, to living in her dream home. She truly cares for my dad, sharing her insights into what it’s like to see her lifelong partner not be able to take care of himself. All the while working painstakingly on her mountain scene petit point (if you don’t know what that is, its art, math, stitching. and well it’s complex). It’s pixelating with thread material before pixels were a thing. She works day and night, needle point in hand, colourful string, mapped and coded. She says she is going to give up every ten minutes, yet continues to weave her thread through the fabric. I never thought I would be here, watching over my raging parents, seeing their fragility in the last stages of their lifetime span. It has been difficult, yet again the inner spirit sees me through, and art my faithful companion, this I share with you. Be well
the squirrel
new project
late night owl painting
a terribly beautiful world (hälts hybrid art)
witness to the unfolding (hälts hybridact)
I do look look (echo) back sometimes, not with regret but in awe of the life I have had the great fortune to live.
The whirlwind continues, working diligently as ever on my art life. I had a dream, a van dream, to drive all over and do art shows, murals and maybe even sell my apple butter, and pies with hot coffee. I decided to test out my dream by renting a van, packing it full of art, some apple butter, and the basic necessities for simple van life living. My destination, Soulfood, located in the heart of Cranbrook BC. I have found that my best shows just kind of happen themselves, a room speaks, a wall calls, my intuition gives me a heads up. When I listen, good things usually follow, however one can never expect this will be the case, for expectation can fuzzy the intuition. The trip went really well, lots of mini adventures, and stopping to smell the fall. This is not to say there weren’t a few glitches, there always is, that’s called learning. However the unfathomable did occur, I forgot the device to make the coffee. I had a few moments of fear, such as being woken up at 2 am by outside flashlights and tapping noises on the window. I was able to reign in the fear and opened the door in a very quick move, jumping out and putting the red flashlight to my face. It was an effective move as the party of young folk screamed and then ran into the forest, never to be seen by me again. There was a chance of things backfiring, but wouldn’t you know the universe responded well. Afetrall this story is no CNN report portraying the calamity of modern civilisation, nor is this fake news. My trip was filled with positive experiences, meeting new people along the way, and sharing in the joy of living, and installing an art show. It dawned on me while hanging my art that this was essentially a mini retrospective of sorts. Each painting a chapter in the story. As tired as I was installing and working on labels, and all that tuff that is part of the process, I was quite happy to be present and sharing my life’s work. To be frank, there were a few things weighing on my mind. A soar tooth, the angst of living in a city that doesn’t support the arts, and caring for parents who are in the last years of their story. I was also a little frustrated that I could not get a few more paintings. I was also hanging a painting that I had hidden for a couple years. It was a very personal piece, however I also know that it had a greater message than my own. Everything fell into place and exceptional hospitality made for a very stress free and enjoyable installation. I found being on the road gave name some clarity. Sometimes life is just one big blur, in these moments time slows right down, and humans connect live and direct, no need for interfaces and smart phones. This is something I cherish, and is why this will not be the last. The road back was effortless, albeit a bit tiring. Thankfully there are these places called rest area, I highly recommend taking them in, there’s some real gems out there. It is important to note, I am reminded that life is beautiful, mostly… you just need to tune out and tune in, if you know what I mean. So for now here is some pictures that express ten thousand words, adios!
hälts minimotion
‘roadtrip’
💛🌞👌 Much gratitude to Caitlin at Soulfood @kootenaysoulfood (located in the city of Cranbrook BC) for offering the beautiful space and the warm reception, artshow details will be coming soon…first some much needed sleep.
And now a new minimoiton and some fotos of life recently followed by another new minimotion….
‘wolf feast’ ☕️ hälts minimotion with soundscape ‘strange it is’ featuring a painting sesh on some new WIPs and a proper wolf feast
fotoMahaloness
I came across a wolf feast, on the road, between 2 worlds, a metaphor, or four, I could not believe my own eyes, how strange things happen when you let them, in other words, her far away heart a distant memory devoured by the wolf within.
choose your own star
‘last of the radiant child’ hälts hybrid art
in the painting twilight zone
a pair of WIPs
For the curious a link to my new art shop haltsart.com
