Have you ever put an old CD in, half-remembering what it is, and then a song comes on and you're jolted from your seat to years earlier, the summer sun on your face, in a different city, and different place in your life?
Who is that you that you go to visit? And why do we then play the song over and over again? Is it to create a stronger tether to this earlier time?
Perhaps it's to escape. While we may be in control of our present moments, they can sometimes get away from us. Spiral out. Life becomes so complicated, you no longer have time to repeat mantras or remember all those lessons you've learned from a magical book or person. And then, suddenly, you're somewhere else, remembering the silly commercial this song played on and where you were and wow, have I come far from then.
I love the unexpected connection that is coming from posting every night. I know I'm pushed to sit down and create, if only for an hour, just so I have something new to share. There's something about social accountability that keeps me, most of the time, in line!
For example, Susan Jane commented that I shouldn't ink the entire flower in the painting below because it adds tension. After sitting with it for a few days, I could see her point, and decided it only needed a little bit of gold to finish off the piece. And so, I declare this painting finished.
It's hard for me to let it be simply because I love paintings with central figures; even flowers….ah, I see how that works! Sometimes I just have to write things out to figure out why I feel a certain way!
It is 17.5"x23" mixed media on reclaimed wood and available for purchase. I love it so much, I'll be making prints.
And I played around with a new idea I had the other day, that is, using progress shots of paintings as backgrounds for quotes. Just a little fun to be had! And this quote really spoke to me and what I'm thinking/exploring right now.
I leave you with some pages from my journal. I think I'm finally settling into things and getting on to exploring expression and story. Even hair and details. All three are destined for canvases (two are already half-done!). Never forget the power of paper and pencil…you can literally create worlds.