Have you ever made a piece of art that completely baffles you? I made this piece back during the winter, and I just have no idea what to think of it. It's not really like anything else I've ever made, and when I look at it, I could almost believe it was made by someone else. It's a strange feeling. I really can't decide if I even like it or not, and I was very hesitant to show it to anyone. It just kind of sat there; I'd look at it every once in a while and think, "Do I like it now?" A clear answer never came to me. What I needed was to hear what someone else thought - a bit of helpful criticism. So anyway, here it is.
Healing Mandala, version 1
So how it came about is this: I was going through a terrible time, and a dear friend sent me these four flowers that had been used in a Buddhist healing ceremony - they're the large flowers that look almost transparent. I couldn't believe they survived the mail without being broken. I thought for some time about what to do with them, and decided to use them in an artwork that would be dedicated to healing. A mandala seemed like the perfect thing.
I glued the two book pages onto a piece of multi-media board, then cut out a piece of lace to put in the center. I stitched around the center part of the lace, and hated it, but let it be for now. I glued on the ash seeds and the healing flowers. I found a print on fabric I had done in a workshop, and cut parts of it out to glue around the periphery, and put in the maple seeds to connect them to the center part of the piece. I placed the purple flowers in the corners. Then I let it sit around for a while, not knowing what I wanted to do with it.
Finally, since I couldn't remove anything, I started adding more things to it, one at a time. As long as I wasn't satisfied, I thought, well, what have I got to lose? I made sort of a circle of marks with gold crayon, and liked it it, but decided to add stitching. I glued the hydrangea petals over the lace, and painted them with gold ink. Then came the gold crayon over the lace - it was just too white - and the stitches. Finally, the magnolia petals, and the feathers.
Healing Mandala
9.5 x 14 inches
ingredients:
antique book pages, vintage lace, gold metallic crayon, gold ink,
hydrangea petals, ash seeds, magnolia petals, sacred Buddhist healing
flowers (no idea what they're called), maple seeds, purple flowers (no
idea what they are - found them in an old book), relief prints on cloth,
feathers, stitching
So there it is, and I'm still not sure if I like it. Guess I'll put it away again for a while...
The bottom line is: We must be working on arriving at the destination for which we were put on this planet.
Yehuda Berg
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/destination_2.html
collage, 7.5 x 5.5 inches
The bottom line is: We must be working on arriving at the destination for which we were put on this planet.
Yehuda Berg
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/destination_2.html
The bottom line is: We must be working on arriving at the destination for which we were put on this planet.
Yehuda Berg
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/destination_2.html
The bottom line is: We must be working on arriving at the destination for which we were put on this planet.
Yehuda Berg
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/destination_2.html
The bottom line is: We must be working on arriving at the destination for which we were put on this planet.
Yehuda Berg
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/destination_2.html
Follow what you are genuinely passionate about and let that guide you to your destination.
Diane Sawyer
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/destination_2.html
Lately, I started thinking about what it means to be human. It's one of those questions that just seems to bring up more questions than answers. If we look to our DNA to find the answer, we find that it is 98.4% identical to that of a chimpanzee. In fact, some scientists believe that all life originated from the same one-celled organism, based on the fact that, "All species in all three domains share 23
universal proteins, though the proteins' DNA sequences—instructions
written in the As, Cs, Gs, and Ts of DNA bases—differ slightly among the
three domains." (All Species Evolved From Single Cell, Study Finds", by Ker Than, for National Geographic News). It seems clear that we are only one of the many life forms on this planet, and are somehow deeply connected to them all. We are of this Earth.
"Experiencing our full humanity requires us to attenuate our
self-centeredness by enfolding it within a much wider sense of self in
which we experience genuine love and compassion for all beings, both
living and non-living. There are many names for this wider, deeper self,
which is our deepest level of consciousness. My preference is for Arne
Naess’s term ecological self because it suggests that
the wider self is not some insubstantial, ethereal intellectualization,
but rather deeply rooted in the very materiality of our planet—in its
teeming biodiversity, its ancient crumpled continents, its swirling
atmosphere, and the depths and shallows of its lakes, rivers, and
oceans. Thus, the ecological self is not only the human self—it is also
the Self or soul of the world, the anima mundi, that awakens us to our
full humanity when we know, palpably, in our very bones, that there is a
selfhood far vaster than our own in which we live and have our being,
and to which we are ultimately accountable. C.G. Jung succinctly gives
us a taste of this when he says that 'At times I feel as if I am spread
over the landscape and inside things, and am myself living in every
tree, in the splashing of the waves, in the clouds and the animals that
come and go, in the procession of the seasons.'" (What Does it Mean to be Human? by Stephan Harding)
So what makes humans different from our fellow beings? It was once widely accepted that only humans used language, though it now appears that that's not the case. Are we the only animals with self awareness? The only ones with emotions? It seems that's not true either; I'm not going to bore you with more scientific articles, but experiments appear to prove that elephants, dolphins, primates and some birds are self-aware, and many would argue that they indeed experience emotions.
“It still hurts, but life is supposed to hurt. Too many people think
life is supposed to be easy and perfect all the time. But there is
always some hurt. It's part of being alive. You have to accept it's a
piece that every single person carries. It's what makes us human.”
― Katie Kacvinski, Still point
I really didn't know where to begin to answer this question. Obviously, there are many answers, depending on one's focus and point of view. In my research, I found that there really is no one theory that is generally agreed upon; rather, of course, it's more of a philosophical question. Is it spiritual awareness that makes us human? Our ability to use symbols and think abstractly? To be creative? Our capacity to look at the big picture and see beyond ourselves? Or is it the ability to think within the moral framework of "right" and "wrong"?
“Every age has its own way of mythmaking. Ancient Egypt had its myths,
the Sumerians and the Assyrians, the Christians and the Muslims, the
North and the South -- the style of creating myths always varies. What
myths are being created as a shelter even in the chaotic atmosphere of
today! Until doomsday humanity will create these shelters. What else
could people do when they come from one darkness and travel to another?
And with so much deprivation? Man remains man so long as he dreams.”
― Yasar Kamal
This whole exploration has left me with a lot to ponder. For me, I feel I can better express what I feel about being human visually than I can in words, because the whole question goes beyond words into a realm even more symbolic and abstract. I hope my ramblings and collage give you something to think about, or resonate with you in some way.
Best wishes and love to you all, my fellow humans, and to all beings that share this planet with us.
If you happen to follow me on facebook, you'll know that my work appears in Roxanne Evans Stout's new book, Storytelling With Collage: Techniques for Layering, Color and Texture. I'm extremely excited and honored to have my work included in this beautiful book, along with the work of so many talented artists. I haven't yet posted the piece by itself, and I thought now would be a good time to share it.
From A Far Country
mixed media collage, 9.25 x 15.50 inches
To read the story that goes with this piece as well as many others, you can order the book from Amazon here. The book is loaded with great ideas, instruction on various techniques, and truly scrumptious artwork and photographs to look at.
Thanks to Roxanne Evans Stout for her graciousness, and for making the process so easy and enjoyable!
The love of wilderness
is more than a hunger for what is always beyond reach; it is also an expression
of loyalty to the earth, the earth which bore us and sustains us, the only
paradise we shall ever know, the only paradise we ever need, if only we had the
eyes to see ... No, wilderness is not a luxury but a necessity of the
human spirit, as vital to our lives as water and good bread.
~ Edward Abbey, Desert Solitaire
It is only when we are aware
of the earthand of the
earth as poetry that we truly live.
This week's drawing challenge, hosted by Patrice, is COCOON. An fascinating concept to me, since much of my art has transformation, or metamorphosis, as a continuing theme. A cocoon is something that protects and provides safety as that process takes place, until the new, transformed being is ready to emerge.
Chrysalis I
I am currently in a particularly transformative and difficult period of my life. Major change is always a challenge for me; it feels safer to cling to the status quo, to stay where I am rather than venture into new territory. For many of us, change is scary. For me, it is a struggle not to let that fear rule my life.
Chrysalis II
I recently read a truly moving and inspiring post about fear on Crystal Neubaur's wonderful blog. Her writing on the subject is both eloquent and thoughtful; it gave me some important insights and made me feel less alone. I strongly encourage you to read this wonderful piece here.
One of the greatest discoveries a man makes, one of his great surprises, is to find he can do what he was afraid he couldn't do. ~ Henry Ford
There came a time when the risk to remain tight in the bud was more painful
than the risk it took to blossom. ~Anais Nin
"Sixes and sevens" is a phrase I've heard, but never really gave much thought to. When I found out it was this week's drawing challenge, I just had to look it up; inquiring minds like mine want to know. According to Wikipedia, "To be "at sixes and sevens" is a British English idiom used to describe a state of confusion or disarray."
The origin of the phrase seems uncertain, but here are a couple of theories:
"The phrase probably derives from a complicated dice game called 'hazard' ....These [originally five and six] were considered to be the riskiest numbers to shoot for ...., and those who tried for them were considered careless or confused." Wikipedia goes on to say that, "A similar phrase, "to set the world on six and seven", is used by Geoffrey Chaucer in his 'Troilus and Criseyde". It dates from the mid-1380s and seems from its context to mean "to hazard the world" or "to risk one's life". William Shakespeare uses a similar phrase in 'Richard II': "But time will not permit: all is uneven, And every thing is left at six and seven"."
It's Not That Easy
mixed media, 6.25 x 5 inches
I think I understand what it means to be "at sixes and sevens". About a year ago, I was forced to take disability early retirement, due to stress-related health problems that wouldn't resolve. I don't want to get too serious here, but my whole life suddenly seemed upside-down and backwards. Everything was uneven and out of balance. I struggled to find some meaningful shape or form to fit my life into, some way to rise above the 'confusion and disarray', and still do at times. I spent a long time 'at sixes and sevens', but am finally starting to make some sense of it. Making art continues to be one of my saving graces.
" All great changes are preceded by chaos." ~ anonymous
To see more interpretations of the "Sixes and Sevens" theme, visit our hostess Nadine's blog, tinyWOOLF.
Shinrin Yoku is something I do a lot, though I hadn't known those words for it until Veronica named it the theme for her drawing challenge.
Shinrin Yoku is a Japanese phrase that translates as "forest bathing."
" A forest bathing trip involves visiting a forest for relaxation and
recreation while breathing in volatile substances, called phytoncides
(wood essential oils), which are antimicrobial volatile organic
compounds derived from trees... It has now become a recognized
relaxation and/or stress management activity in Japan." (Wikipedia, Forest bathing)
Also called "forest medicine" and "forest therapy", shinrin yoku has
been promoted by the Forest Agency of the Japanese government since
1982.
It turns out that scientific evidence supports the idea that spending time in a forest is good for your health.
"A 2007 study by
researchers at Kyoto University's Graduate School of Medicine found
that 'forest environments are advantageous with respect to acute
emotions, especially among those experiencing chronic stress.
Accordingly, shinrin-yoku may be employed as a stress reduction method,
and forest environments can be viewed as therapeutic landscapes.'" ("Shinrin-yoku:The Japanese Art of Forest Bathing" by Stephen Robert Morse)
Here I am, shinrin yoku beside the Yellowstone River in Yellowstone National Park.
My favorite place for shinrin yoku is at Shabo-Mekaw, our 60-acre tract of gorgeous forest in Lewis County, Kentucky.
It's the perfect place to let go of my stress and just be in the moment, letting the forest 'bathe' me in its peace and beauty.
Being there never fails to calm me and give me a fresh perspective on whatever problems I may be facing. Somehow, spending time with a huge, ancient tree makes my worries seem insignificant.
So thank you, Veronica, for introducing me to the wonderful concept of "forest bathing."
