This is all about evolution…the personal kind…where life seems to slowly point out a direction for you to follow. In the midst of daily routine there come invitations that can be life changing, even when it doesn’t register all at once.
In 1992 I accepted an invitation to go to the border of El Paso / Juarez to paint a large mural in a hospitality house for refugees. The pulse of life in that place set me into a nine month long sojourn of awakenings on many levels, including the powers of scale and color in paintings. When I returned there was a definite need to continue in that vein and I did a series of large oil paintings on the themes of nature/feminine awareness. The one downside to life in Juarez, at that time, was the ecological devastation. It haunted me. So I decided to paint a prayer for healing of the Earth, and “Gaia” was created. She quickly began to speak to me of the need to continue this prayer in other paintings…in something called “Icons of Nature.”
For years I tried different media to capture the essence of what was calling to me…the term “Icons of Nature” echoed in my head but I couldn’t quite envision them. I realized that traditional Icons had been painted in egg tempera, a medium with a tedious reputation, and I resisted. Finally, in 2007, I relented, signed up for an egg tempera workshop, and knew I’d found what I’d been searching for. I was on my way with a new body of work and a new focus.
It’s funny how ideas and images come to artists and for me it has been a series of personal encounters with these animals. Some come from meetings in the wild but others appear in dreams or shamanic journeys. I try to listen and honor their presence. There’s a certain sense of urgency in this work, both from the rapid extinction of species and also my own aging process. It’s taken me long enough to get started and now it feels like I’ve waited too long! Then it’s time to take a deep breath, relax, and know this isn’t about my efforts at all. Together we’re in the same cycle of transition that is taking place within the entire planet.
All shall be well…all shall be well…all manner of things shall be well,
“All shall be well…all shall be well…all manner of things shall be well,” said Julian of Norwich in the 14th Century, while facing her own world in turmoil. All we have to do is listen and follow our purpose. The animal species are here to teach us their wisdom and inspire us with their incredible beauty.
This past November-December I was gifted with a wonderful show of my work at the Open Space Visitors Center in Albuquerque, NM. As the show came down and I reviewed the responses of the many who had come through the gallery, it became apparent to me that the Icons especially were calling for a new birthing. I called on a circle of friends, who have each inspired me with their contributions to creating a better world, and offered these images for them to interact with, communicate with…muse on…enjoy. This first process has closed after a six month period and a new one will begin in the Spring. This blog is all about being a witness to what is wanting to unfold in the collective consciousness as we share our gifts.
very powerful!!