Jumping in
Sometimes I jump into a painting without having any plans. An automatic response. This painting began with taking a risk with bright bold choices, and then another risk as I covered up my first painted and carved response on the basswood in tones of white. The layers intrigued me. And then I thought that instead of adding layers, I would subtract them! Something my materials allow me to do by sanding the basswood down!
The underlayers reveal themselves and I was really enjoying the process of quickly altering the work.
Some of the ghost images in the final sanding, and past carvings and colors remained.
Gratitude
I didn’t know the direction I wanted to take my unfinished painting until I was eating grilled veggies outside with my parents during a warm summer day. I became aware of the moment. The breeze, the birdsong, the sturdiness of the furniture, and my parents. The humans who know me the best and who have supported me in every direction I’ve taken, the good and the bad. The people who have nurtured me so much to help build my life, and who continue in their steadfastness and love. The Japanese maple next to me, I realized, was glowing red as the sun lit it up. Smart and brilliant.
The renewal
I felt the beauty of that moment. Love and gratitude for my parents and the lightly shining leaves. My spirit was renewed and I knew that my painting would be about renewal. The past lingers in ghost images, but constant is the renewal of spirit in gratitude! I carved and painted.
My brother’s family in Tokyo has Japanese heritage and I asked my brother to help me title the painting. He told me that this beautiful life form, the Japanese maple, is called momiji. So I entitled the painting Momiji Renewal.
Seeing something anew
Making this painting, I played with momiji’s presence, interpreting with the tools in myself. This painting is a choice to keep my gratitude alive and strong, refreshed and new.
May the light in your life also strike you vibrantly so that you too see something anew.
See Spiritual: Nature
At the time this post was created, the painting was so new that it needed to go through some processes before taking its place on my website, becoming available for prints. When that happens, it will fall into the category of Spiritual: Nature. And the physical painting will be framed. If you enjoy my work, please do explore my website, and subscribe if you haven’t already to receive newsletters and more! (There’s a 20% discount if you follow the ad at the top of the screen.)
Click here for Spiritual: Nature