Here you will find a few words, alongside the works.
The Twelve Days
Last holiday season, I committed to creating something on each of the Twelve Days of Christmas.
I worked in paper collage, which is not my normal. But I loved it.
I cut several old watercolors and rearranged, glued, snipped and glued some more. I felt 7 years old again! It was sheer play. The old was re-purposed into something new, one could say.
On each of the Twelve Days of Christmas, a new collage was created. Each day I reflected on the season at hand.
And how it is symbolically portrayed in culture. . As I put together the traditional nativity scene, I thought much about poverty. And then also about the refugee crisis.
Fleeing and the need for shelter. What is it like to live in a war torn country, while we are surrounded by gifts and comfort? How can I even begin to understand?
The rose is a nod to the German hymn Es ist ein Ros' Entsprungen. On that day I thought of my mother and the fun German Christmas traditions she instilled in our home.
They say a journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step. The collage above had me thinking of first steps on long roads as new year's resolution season was underway. Mine was to increase my time painting. My productivity did increase but not as much as I had hoped. My inventory is still much lower than I'd like for it to be. And the ideas continue to come faster than I have time to execute them...
Anyway, I've been sorting through the collages this week. I'm actually making a postcard set out of them. I used to collect postcards when I was younger. I had shoe boxes full of them. I loved all the travels they depicted. The thoughtfulness of those who took time out of their vacation to send a note home impressed me. I wanted to capture this 12 Day Series in that format.
The printed cards have not yet arrived, but I'll post more about where you can find the sets soon.
Meanwhile, I'm looking forward to creating another Twelve Day Series this year. I have ideas already at work for the theme!
Evelyn Claire
This little one was painted for her mother on her birthday, commissioned by her grandmother. It's a joy to see the treasure she is and the delight she brings to the entire family!
The painting is 4" x 4" and completed in watercolor. Then coated in a wax varnish. It's really difficult to give the smallness of these little miniatures justice in digital images. But this one is so cute!
Happy Birthday Becca! I hope you enjoy the finished piece as much as I enjoyed painting it for you!
Vainglory
It began as I painted the beautiful plumage patterns. The shapes and markings oddly matched the sun spots I have. We women of 40 years old have been taught they are our enemies. And I thought of the money, time and tangle of emotions we western culture ladies spend on battling aging.
Then I went to visit my grandmother in Germany and I saw the pain of arthritis on a daily basis. And it broke my heart.
Pause. Reset.
When in our society did aging lose its beautiful honor & wisdom? Why would we try to hide and fight against that? Perhaps because it frightens us?
So I am trying to live beyond myself. Learning to recognize which things in our lives give and which take.
Vainglory, I believe you are a thief.
watercolor
19" x 24"
(background hand drawn and painted, ... took FOREVER!)
From Across the Pond...And Looking Back
I recently had the privilege of painting a set of grandchildren for a special friend.
Three of the four happened to be British...The morning I went to photograph the three British children, they had arrived the night before from that long flight.
And it made me think of how excited I always was - as I child to go see my family in Germany. And how that was my normal ! Flying to another country to see family.
I now recognize that as an incredible gift and also how very difficult it is to be SO FAR from family.
So for my friend Jennifer, I hope these little paintings make all four of these sweet grands of yours feel close when miles may make it seem and feel otherwise.
All four have such distinct personalities but I can tell each one of these little ones adore you to the moon and back!