Words and Birds

Worded Birds, mixed media collage, 3.5" x 5.5"

"A thousand birds are in my grove,
Melodious from morn to night;
My fruit trees are their treasure trove,
Their happiness is my delight.
And through the sweet and shining days
They know their lover and their friend;
So I will shield in peace and praise
My innocents unto the end. "

- "Bird Sanctuary" by Robert Service

Altering Photographs Workshop This Weekend!

Dad's Return, mixed media altered photograph

I'm so looking forward to facilitating my "Transforming Loss: Altering Photographs" art workshop this Sunday, Nov. 8 (1-4pm).

I do have a few spots open in case you'd like to make last minute plans to join the transformative, creative play!

Jaunt on over to The Healing Nest for more details and to register.

How to Bloom in the Dark Months

Fruits of my Abundance, encaustic, 6" x 6"

Sometimes it's hard to think of ways in which nature might provide abundance as we fall into autumn and winter. I do miss the "fruits" of spring and summer. The blooming and new growth help me feel that I am growing and blooming, too!

The other day when taking a walk with my friends J and her little D, we walked through crunchy leaves and the sun even graced us with its soothing rays. That walk felt fairly fruitful as it so happens. And while the leaves on the sidewalks were in a sense "dead," they represent renewal as they will decay and help the soil for the spring. Fruitfulness to come! After the walk, I began to think of the ways in which I was going to create a sense of abundance even now, in the midst of fall. How can I bloom without a certain amount of sunlight? I'll create inner light, I thought. Hmmm...now how to do that is the next phase of my process.

How do you experience or manifest fruits of abundance during these cooler, soggy days?

Going BIG!

I had an itch today. This itch would not be satisfied without my attempting to create a large art piece. I guess this desire is reflecting a current feeling inside of me. I'm feeling like I want to be a bit larger these days, too. I want to take up more space, feel expansive, reach out in all directions, arms spread wide.

I tend to work small and small-ish. Today, though, I pulled out a large-ish rectangular canvas and painted with arcylic and then coated it in encaustic wax. Here are the results of my BIG efforts (click on each image for a closer view):

Leaves, Booms, and Roots, encaustic painting on canvas, 15" x 30"

Here are some close up shots for more detail:


Be bold, be big, be expansive! See what happens when you take up space in your art and in your life!

Postage and Post Stage

Post Stage Discovery, encaustic, 6" x 6"

The First

It arrives five days early

with a sunflower on the front,

and inside, my name, a comma,

"Happy Birthday" bolded

(with exclamation point),

and just below, in tight cursive letters,

ink thick from pressing hard,

lines slanting up to the right:

I hope you have a wonderful birthday.

I don't know why you had to leave

my grandson

and break his heart,

but I wish you well.

Rose.


12/1/2004