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The Emotion of Passing
Mono no aware is a Japanese term reflecting the poignant awareness of the impermanence of people, objects and seasons. It is the savoring of cherry blossoms, knowing those delicate blooms will pass in a matter of days. It is the awe and sadness of autumn trees, knowing their leaves will soon to fall to the earth. It is the realization that this might be the last time – The last bowl of soup you share with your aging mother, the last time your baby will suckle at your breast. That emotion inspired my process in a series of paintings. Beauty in Brokenness [tryptich of 3 pots of flowers – 24×24 each]…
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Thinking…
“What no wife of a writer can ever understand is that a writer is working when he’s staring out the window…” Burton Rascoe, Journalist That applies to the life partner of every Creative. Good thing my good man, gets me, because my favorite exercise is to stare out the window and think. Life manifests, in my mind, like a word cloud – sometimes heavy with rain, about to deluge me. Sometimes dry, airy and elusive, baffling me. Every now and then, I just have to sort it all out.
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Children Creating
Experiencing the artistic process, forges the paths that lead to other discoveries in all disciplines. It primes the mind for breakthroughs in science, literature, math, carpentry and cooking… My eldest grandchild, Vivian, 10, was fascinated with creating art. Her interest has morphed into designing and building structures and writing books, for hours on end. Winona, 6, has always been and remains driven to paint and draw. Millie, 4, dabbles, but has a great sensibility and is adept at discerning images in random lines and shapes – pareidolia. Together they run a Wildlife Refuge [Among other things, they compassionately capture and relocate Chipmunks from under our deck to the woods behind the…
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No Regret
“No Regret” is among my first attempts to create meaningful art. I was 55 years old when I began to draw and paint. It was my means of processing the grief and regret I felt at losing my brother, Charles Haines. He was in his prime… a beloved father of 5; an artist, classically trained. When we were but kids, he told me that I had an artist’s eye. I decided to finally believe him. I saw a photograph of an old woman looking out a window. Her spirit reminded me of the scripture-loving women in my life – my mom, Alice, my husband’s grandma, Martha and my own, Alice…
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Fully Present, Women.
I am drawn to painting and photographing those mundane moments fully present, unencumbered. Lost in thought.Savoring Simplicity. Here, Now.
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Cici
Do you have a friend who spurs you on to love, good works and creativity? Cherish them. Cici was mine. She was a gifted photographer. When she visited from Charleston, we would go on, what we called, “extreme posing excursions” We would stage crazy pictures and laugh til we cried. I lost Cici a few years ago. She passed away from a rare and mysterious disease called Progressive supranuclear palsy. PSP is a degenerative disease that kills the brain leading to loss of balance, slowing of movements and difficulty moving the eyes. It came on suddenly. She mentioned having trouble moving her left hand. I noticed her gait was slightly…
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She Noticed.
During a particularly busy season of life my granddaughter, Nona presented me with a portrait of me. It made me think I might need to slow down a bit.
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Millie’s Curiosity
My Millie is a born philosopher. She is only 4, but her reflections on life astound me at times. Pointing to the woods behind her home she calmly told me, “Yaya. I heard a growl in the woods.” I asked, “Did that scare you?” Her calm response, “No. But it made me curious.” My thought… No doubt, the imaginary animals in the woods behind her house would be just as curious about her… That interaction inspired this whimsical diptych.
