I originally started sharing encouragement through writing and art online in memory of my mom, Paulette, to honor and pass on her love for nature and life. It feels fitting to remember as I celebrate Mother’s Day this month… which is bittersweet since her death in 2010, when I was 34. I had to learn to mother myself in many ways. Yet, I know how fortunate I am to have had such unconditional love in my life that continues to fill my heart!
Now, my twin boys are my top priority so my prayers during the ritual this week included the words, “May I feed my family by feeding others. May I serve my family by serving others.” It is always my hope that the wisdom, wonder, beauty, joy, reverence, magic and medicine that I find in the creative process while making art or writing can touch others in a healthy way when I share it. It’s also my goal this year to replenish the money that I used for printing the card decks and online school from my children’s graduation funds. I’m so grateful for every single soul who has chosen to purchase a book, card deck, art print, original painting, or online course. Thank YOU! I hope that you find it even more valuable than the financial exchange.
Thinking of hopes for my children, I’m reminded of the following painting that flowed forth with such ease recently. Before reading about my experience with the painting below, I encourage you to have your own conversation with it. Click the image to enlarge and explore if you like. Do you find any messages or magic amidst what may seem at first to be a mess?
This painting is an invitation to pause and sit in nature with no agenda… to let the wind blow through your hair. I live in Cherokee territory near the Smoky Mountains and Wayah Bald. When I took the painting outside to work on it, I could feel (even if it was my imagination) the energy of seven generations gathering and blowing through the wind… bending time like a tree and singing through the branches. The words for a title started to form: 7 Generations, Wayah River, Wayah Wind? Both River and Wind represent the flow of life to me… the water and breath that we share across generations. Wayah means wolf in Cherokee (if I’ve learned correctly) so it also reminds me of the book Women Who Run With The Wolves and a new vision of sisterhood that I’ve been having… one in which women gather to share and celebrate each other’s natural beauty and presence, curiosity and creativity, wisdom and wonder. That is what I hope to nurture with my online courses and groups.
Here is a fast video of the sweet slow time spent painting outside for the last layer of the painting. Serendipity led me to choose the song based on the title from a favorite artist and blew me away with the synchronicity when the lyrics played after I added it to the video! I’m grateful to Yaima for giving me permission to use their music in videos like this. Enjoy.
