Thursday, November 5, 2015

Deep River of the Soul

Grief is the deep river of the soul.

I float in that river. I yield to the bouyancy of the water, and it supports me.

Where it goes, I go.

I walk into my studio these days with few ideas, no photo references. I float in the river.

Where it goes, I go.

I tape canvas paper to the cafeteria tray I use as support when I work on paper at my easel. My hand reaches for a #12 bright. I dip my brush into one color. Into another. Into another.

The gentle friction of brushing paint onto paper feels just right.

My eyes take in the surprises that emerge.

I grab my hair drier to hasten the drying, then park myself outdoors in the warmth of a sunny November afternoon. With a pen, sitting in a river of light, I trace shapes.

I stop painting.

I keep floating.

buoyancy 1, 11/3/15
work in progress


buoyancy 2, 11/3/15
work in progress


8 comments:

Joany Kendra said...

I'm in that deep river too, floating along with you. I'm grateful you were able to express it in your art.,,

dotty seiter: now playing said...

Maybe we can work out a synchronized swimming routine as long as we're in this river together! I am SO grateful to have art as a new mode of self-expression, especially since what I am experiencing keeps defying my usual ability to use language; the wordlessness of art is a gift in my current emotional wordlessness.

Joany Kendra said...

Let me know when you come up with a synchronized swimming routine. I'm using knitting a project Muth began, to work through my current emotional wordlessness.

dotty seiter: now playing said...

Perfect! What are you knitting?

Joany Kendra said...

It's a sweater for the daughter of their (and our) favorite waitress at the Chinese restaurant. She's now too big for it but I'm giving it to her anyway.

Unknown said...

Lovely ... so abstract and evocative ...

dotty seiter: now playing said...

Thanks, Meg! I worked from inner nudges, had no plan other than to put paint on paper, but in the end there I was with what felt like a flowing river in front of me : )

dotty seiter: now playing said...

So, so sweet!

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