Growth in summer’s heat
Are you keeping cool?
These hot, hazy, humid, dog days of summer are not exactly my fav, and I'm grateful my studio is a cool dry space to work in.
Overwhelmed would be an understatement to describe how I've been feeling after revealing my husband Bill's dementia diagnosis to you in May. (In case you missed that email... read about it here).
Your responses confirmed that our family did the right thing by bringing our experience out into the open. We all need something to hold onto, something that brings us light and love, and to feel cared for, cared about. Some of you are on a similar journey, others expressed a different kind of empathy, and it definitely felt like a giving and receiving of big love. Thank you.
Juggling all the things is very real, and I'm committed to getting into the studio daily. It provides joy, peace of mind and helps me be a better caregiver to the man I love.
You being a studio friend helps me stay true to that commitment. I'm grateful you're here and you take an interest in the work I'm sharing.
These daily creative moments include the blessed Gingko tree leaves that I picked up last year, and some new ones that I snatched from a tree at a mall near me. They're leading me to make more "Positivity Panels" with images embedded in encaustic.
And of course, these newest art panels are called the "Abscission Series", because... this:
"The process of (a tree) losing leaves is called abscission. A few years ago I read that this particular tree loses its leaves - goes through the abscission process - all at once, very quickly in comparison to other trees, sometimes even in one day. It's unknown what exact day it will happen because of varying temperatures and weather conditions. If you get to see the bed of leaves it sheds, it’s a gift."
Abscission is where I'm at. I've lost leaves, I'm experiencing growth again, and living so many moments - gifts.
As you ponder your own moments and gifts, I thought you might like to see some of my creative experiments and watch some new growth come to life. Thanks for being in the studio with me!
With gratitude,
PS Know anyone who’d be interested in being a Studio Friend? Please share this with them :-)
(above, left to right) small sample with image and encaustic, gingko leaves treated with gesso,
some of my tools and color tests for borders, pressing fresh leaves
snatching a few gingko leaves from a local tree…
(photo cred Lena Cummings)
“You need to remove all doubt, because a mind of doubt will make you stand still,
but a mind of faith will move you to the next dimension”
~Tina Pitamber