.
It has been many years since I’ve worked on this painting.
Maybe even a decade.
Yet, here at my easel..
it could have been yesterday.
I remember everything.
I dive in without hesitation..
effortlessly matching the subtle shades
of complex color
perfectly.
Seems I have never left you.
Trust the gift.
I arrived early for my teeth-cleaning appointment
to visit my favorite seedpod tree.
I was disappointed to see it had been trimmed recently..
with all its magnificent treasures far out of reach.
Nevertheless, I was determined.
Finding a long, sturdy stick
I jumped up..
whacking at the branches above my head
until I was able to finally knock one loose.
You’ll find a lot of these seedpods
in my paintings..
It’s where I keep all the things I love.
.
I love painting small.
It is an remarkable experience..
wondrous and intimate.
Leaning in close
with tiny brushes..
I can unleash my soul
onto a canvas
that can fit
in the palm of my hand.
.
God speaks to me all the time..
But when I’m painting,
I listen.
.
Sitting at my easel painting,
everything is moving along as expected..
then suddenly I’m using the wrong color
the wrong brush.
I am adding strange objects..
lines twisting across my canvas
in bold, strong strokes..
I have lost control.
I never fight these impulses..
this is what happens
when God steps in.
.
Sometimes, I like to make things out of Sculpey..
No surprise these little 3 dimensional doodles
look a lot like my paintings..
As my husband and I often say,
the way you do something
is the way you do everything.
My favorite old scrubby brush
was getting too splintery to hold..
so I wrapped it in painter’s tape
and went back to work.
.
My husband Richard and I have been fortunate to have our paintings exhibited
in many wonderful galleries, museums and art-spaces
throughout the years..
but there is something really special about a library.
I was honored to have my paintings displayed
in such a beautiful environment,
surrounded by books
quiet, cool and welcoming..
like an oasis in the desert.
.
In public
I wear long sleeves
(often black)
even in the summer.
All you can see of me
is my head
and my hands.
I like it that way.
My current painting agrees.
.
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I don’t fundraise off my blog, use Patreon or ask for donations. If you would like to help support The Secret Kingdom, and brighten my day – please buy a book.
Thank you!
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I spend a lot of time on my paintings.
The days and hours
slip seamlessly into
weeks, months
and years.
Time ceases to exist
as I linger over every inch of the canvas
retracing lines
adding layer after layer
of color…
lovingly,
in my state of bliss.
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I don’t fundraise off my blog, use Patreon or ask for donations. If you would like to help support The Secret Kingdom, and brighten my day – please buy a book.
Thank you!
The Secret Kingdom 