"Forest Spirits"
Kindred spirits!... I love you FOREVER Sweet Heart!
I dug deeply into my photo archives in search of a photo which best expressed my feelings and emotions surrounding our celebration of Easter 2017 and an appropriate photo upon which to base my return to posting on this blog site.
We did enjoy our warm winter hiatus in the Barbados with my daughter Lisa in December and a refreshing visit with Deb's family and grand girls Ava and Ella for two weeks in mid February. It was a time for recalibrating... reevaluating and planning our future.
Allison's illness continues to hover even more menacingly as of late and I must admit my creative spirit has struggled to manifest itself. Life has simply become day-to-day and art simply has been a secondary diversion... a necessary one still... but hardly joyous as it usually is for me. My attention has been drawn totally to a role of love and support as it is required by Allison, Joan and Andrew. Deb has had my back wonderfully to allow me to do so.
I did get to read a lot... wonderfully uplifting books that for too many months had laid unnoticed. "My Spiritual Journey" by the Dalai Lama... and Viktor E. Frankl's philosophical masterpiece "Man's Search for Meaning" served to somewhat buoy up my beaten down spirit enough to activate my painting urge in a preparatory way for my return to Canada.
I reached back to where my search for artistic expression began... a series small expressive post card watercolours structured and strengthened by the addition of India ink. Each of these were based upon digital images gathered from this Bajan paradise that I found myself immersed in. Gradually "the flow" returned and with it a renewed spirit.
I even managed to spend an entire day in Anthony Hunte' s floral Eden painting a 30 x 24 inch canvas fully en plein air. Being a guest in this man's Garden of Eden made my spirit soar... so much so... that I resisted finishing the painting so that I might use the experience to transcend my usual painting approach. I just managed the courage to proceed and got back to it just two days ago here in the studio. I like where it is going.... but that is a truly florid and exceptional story for another day...
Stay tuned...
Once again... we struggle to regain positivity on this Good Friday. How could one view it as anything else than the nightmare this dreaded illness has become for Allison and each of us who love her so. Where did goodness and God go???
God has NOT left my heart. I reach our to him in my usual prayers... asking for the strength and courage to remain Hope... full and Faithful. We have been "lifers"... He and I.
I hesitated in posting this... or anything else... lest it offend or seem trivial. But it is my Truth alone and I do not press it upon others... even family members. So I decided to proceed. My writing has always been as important as my painting in reaching out. They have been inseparable really.
My Art and Writing have always been gifts that I have viewed as being something that I was given to be shared with others who shared my journey or thoughts. They record my Gratitude for the many smallish blessings that I continue to enjoy during the life that I have been given.
I choose to humbly share it here as an article of Faith for each of you to enjoy and apply in your own small corner of existence if you so choose to.
Good Painting ... to ALL!!!
Happy Easter... and rich blessings to ALL!!!
