Swimmer Watercolour by Archan Knotz

Water

As I write the word, water,

 I think of the deeply moving book by Deepa Mehta - Water-.

Water, solid and moving, cleansing, dirty, undrinkable. 

A child said, -can you believe that people pee in clean water and we don't have clean water to drink?-

This is not what I am thinking of when I submerge myself in the Northumberland Strait.

 I think of the salt in the water and how I always believed that it cleanses the aura. How this water can heal me, how it gives me my strength back, or develops new once.

 I bravely have moved away from having been a pool girl all my life to embrace the open see.

The waves sometimes so high that the red bathing cap I am wearing disappeared for some time under the waves. 

Swallowing seawater must be good for you? 

Feeling the motion of the waves through the whole day as I sit still.

I love it, I feel a connection to this precious resource. Feeling braver with every stroke.

Feeling brave in stepping out into a new adventure. 

     

Creative Summer

Art Show at the Humani-T Cafe in Halifax/North End

Vignette of Girl Watercolour monotype print

 

 

This summer has been wonderfully busy with creativity. 

Love, Love it!

I have had time and internal space to produce art.

I allowed myself to make my heart sing.

In May, I had a showing of new work at the ArtLab in Parrsboro.

A new venue and new people came into my life.

In the beginning of June, I was part of the Fraser Cultural Center's member show in Tatamagouche.

Wonderful engaged people.

July had been busy with planing for my first monotype printing workshop. Great turnout and great work produced. 

Further, I have been producing Art Cards. I think they are great! I love art cards produced by local artist. 

Today, after finishing this post. Mary and I will be driving to Halifax to hang a new show of my work at the Humani-T Cafe in Halifax's North End.

A little nervous but also excited, I will be showing mono and monotype prints at the Humani-T Cafe.

If you are in Halifax stop in have a look, the show will be exhibited for the month of August and enjoy their great selection of gelato.

 

 http://humanitea.com/contact/north-end-halifax/

     

Study of Cup monotype print 6" x 14"

Funk Move On

 

Still nursing a sore extraction of a back molar.    

However, I am moving out of my funk.

How hard this is. Music helps, close to my ear, I am wear headphones, blasting it directly into the pleasure center of my brain.

 

Played around with some paint today. I like the result. I used the monotype printing technique with watercolour. I added a little more paint after the printing process was completed. I like the texture, the unpredictability of how the painted surface acts with how long I have allowed the paper to soak.

I feel a little clumsy while applying the paint, however, it is a start.

 

 

Photo of Mom when she was around 22 years of age.

Watercolour monotype print 5"x4" Mom

A Call Home to Sing Happy Birthday!

Today is my mom's birthday! 88 years old, well done mom!

She is looking after my father, who has a diagnosis of dementia. A couple of years ago, we reacted to an incident with my father's health and moved my parents out of their home of over 40 years into assistant living. Not an easy task for them.

My mom, who as always relayed on my dad is choosing to look after my dad on her own. A survivor! Having survived a 3 year labour camp in Russia when she was only 17 years old, burring her father while in the camp, and coming home to Hungary where her mother had been deported to Germany. Fending for herself to follow her mom after the war to Germany. Yes, she is a survivor! 

Today, Mary and I called and we were singing full of joy "Happy Birthday!" to her. She did not know who I was. It didn't click. We were talking, I felt her brain trying to put me somewhere. I asked again, if she knew who I was, "not really", she said. I felt like a stranger invading a private party. So, we said our goodbyes, with the promise that I will call next Saturday again, as usual. 

Let it be a day of  celebration, for the people we have in our lives, so we will not forget them so quickly!

The Positivity on Cold Winter Days

A while back I painted this watercolour. As I am looking at it today, I felt it could have been painted during this cold spell this January. Even though, I used fall like colours. Is it that easy to change perception? A beautiful fall day or a bitter cold January day - just the colour dots will make me feel differently about this moment. 

What is positivity, I ask? Is it an external action? How big or how small does it have to be? Or is it the feeling I am taking away with me? The other day, I was sitting down with Mary http://Marypurdyevolutionary.blogspot.ca/  to ask her, what positivity is? I was to journal according to my therapist about positive moments during my day. I could not think of any, till I started to explore the question, what is positivity? Wow, positive moments are small moments that make me feel good inside. To feel positive moments, I need to slow down to feel them, to make them big, to let this moment grow. It seems like it is like learning how to draw, the eye has to be trained to see. The observer has to be trained to see the positive moments and cherish them. Take time to smell the roses!