First....my friend, Louise, who sometimes commented here, passed into her next Great Adventure not too long ago. But before she left us, she blessed me in a mighty way...and continues to do so.
On Monday, July 26th, 2010, she wrote this in my comments:
"This is the dawning of your life..You're ready to start the heart & soul mosaic of "Dances with Brush".... I hear Pianos, guitars,castinets....they're playing your song..its the never-ending story of the brush that could bring so much joy ."
'...ready to start the heart & soul mosaic....'
When I read those words, they indeed felt like a blessing and somehow, I recognized that she spoke a truth.
A few weeks later, her many facebook friends gathered in our special cyber-space around her and her family and held vigil for her as she passed.
During the several days this took, I joyfully...and often tearfully....worked on a special painting. One that I hoped she could feel in her soul as she made her transition. I certainly felt her Spirit with me as I painted. I kept hearing her repeat my own words back to me, which I had written in my blog of August 27, 2010....TAKE MORE CHANCES!!!!.....I did and this is the result.
ASCENSION
36 X 48
Still, I knew that I wasn't going the distance. I knew I was holding back.....staying safe.
Fast forward to yesterday.
But first, I have to lay some groundwork.
A week or so ago, I happened to catch a PBS program about painters of New Mexico. One of them was of special interest to me. I was in awe of her freedom of expression! She literally dances with her brush and canvas...only she doesn't use a brush...she uses knives and trowels! I mean the kind of trowels used by plasterers!
So....yesterday, I took myself to a high-end gallery here in Tucson. I haven't been there in over ten years. Guess who's paintings were being shown????
If you guessed the lady from the PBS program, you're a winner!
Often, I come home from visiting art galleries wondering why I don't just give all my art supplies to someone more worthy of using them. LOL Yesterday, I came home inspired by that one artist, to actually paint like no one would ever see it and to TAKE MORE CHANCES.
I have occasionally painted with a palette knife....but almost always with fear and trepidation. Yesterday, I threw all caution to the four winds and let my soul soar!
As I danced with my canvas and knife, I could almost hear Louise laughing with joy and cheering me on.
When I was finished...which didn't take very long.....I felt like I'd just been set free. And I felt full of joy! I loved the painting!
FREEDOM
24 X 36
I wondered, as I went to sleep last night, if I could possibly repeat that same freedom of expression again.
So, first thing this morning, I tried again.
FREEDOM #2
16 X 20
What you can't see in these photos is the very thick, textured paint which seems to just breathe life into them!
I am smiling in my soul.
I am grateful beyond belief.
Guess the name of the painter lady whose work inspired me?
It's Louisa.
Do you find that interesting?
I do.
Here's a link so you can see Louisa's work.
http://www.marksublettemodern.com/content/McElwainbiography.lasso
http://skayspeak.blogspot.com/
