A Thing of Beauty, This World

Yesterday was Thanksgiving.  First on my "to do!" list was a trip with dogs out to The Lake.  Rain-sign everywhere, from the gray sky to rivulet-trails down the road and beach.  Emerson has mentioned recently that he'd be happy if we were to move out there, so he could swim all day, every day.  Luna says yeah, she'd go for that too.  The Lake is full of coots, those little black water fowl with white frontal shields on their heads.  They swim together, looking ahead or to the side in unison, so it looks as though the water is sparkling as they move en masse away from the black Labrador head slicing a V through the deep turquoise water.  Someday(!) I will get a photo!  When Coots have had enough of this entertainment, they take off, and run on the surface of the water, just out of reach where they settle down again.

Currently I am in love with Spanish Moss and the Oaks.  Together they define aesthetic for me, with hue, value, composition, and beauty in perfect balance.  Spanish Moss is not one plant or animal.  It is a lichen.  Hehehee!  And now that I look it up, I find that this is not Spanish Moss at all, but Usnea!  Well, hay; live and learn is one of my many mottoes.  Usnea is very strong medicine.  Should you find yourself out there, with a surface wound, wad up a handful of this and put it over the problem.  It helps it to heal and sterilizes the area.

I love how it comes alive when the rain soaks it through.  Its color enlivens and it seems to grow longer.    Just read that the longer length it grows indicates less pollution in the air!

Ok.  Enough of the book-learnin'.  I just love the stuff.  It is appearing in my paintings, both in the ground gesso, and the composition.  I am inspired by its color, the way it hangs or drapes over branches.  How when the trees lose their leaves the usnea glows.  I love the Life of it.  It feels as though it loves me, too.

I am Gallery sitting this morning.  Spending time with incredible art is healing and inspirational.  Hopefully patrons will flood the premises!  Yes.  Good.

This amazing ceramic piece is one of our guest artists, Jane Gardner's, work.  Jane's ceramics reflect her deep connection with the earth and sea.  She has developed her glazes to high art: using them as painterly, as surface treatment and as an extension of the clay body.

Kayla Esmond and Michael Smirnov create amazing birdhouse-sculptures from every imaginable found-object, plus a few that are constructed from antique wire, insulators, light bulbs.  This is just a small detail of the top of one, but I love it so much in front of my painting.  "Something magical is happening in this corner," one visitor told me.  Yes.

This morning, on FB, I listed the names of my 7 children.  What a beautiful experience!  For me, writing, printing, typing, drawing, even painting the letters, is such a heart-connection.  Kids may not fully realize until they have their own, of course, just how much they are revered, how they are studied, memorized, adored, petted, yes and worried-over.  Of course I am grateful for them in my life, but it is so much more.  I do not think that grateful is a big enough word!  Now, they have spouses and children, and are each involved in their own full lives.  My memories and love continue as my experience.

These are the layers of Life.  These are the layers of my art.

Thank you for reading/listening.  I love you!  xoxoLPC