"To hell with circumstances; I create opportunities."
-Bruce Lee
"Dont wait for your ship to come in, swim out to it."
-Anon
"There are some people who live in a dream world, and there are some who face reality; and then there are those who turn one into the other."
-Douglas Everett
So lately I have been seeing sunflowers everywhere. They seem like kind of a life theme right now. Shane and I have a literal 'field' of sunflowers growing right near our place and we pass them every night when we go for a walk. Not only do they grow in the field, they grow through the cracks in the sidewalk. I almost always have to just touch one as we walk by each night. Their beautiful yellow faces turned to face the sun entice me. I had sunflowers on the mind one recent day while going to get the mail and what should be in my mailbox? The Reader's Digest my Grandma sends me...with a huge sunflower on the cover. Lol! So I had to look up the symbolism of these beautiful flowers:
Sunflowers turn to follow the sun. Their open faces symbolize the sun itself, conveying warmth and happiness, adoration and longevity. (www.teleflora.com)
I feel like I am turning to face the sun in two ways in life right now (well okay maybe three): following my heart with painting, learning to love and trust more deeply, and trying new self improvement things like yoga and reading Gabrielle Bernstein's books. And the warmth, happiness, adoration and longevity parts...well you can't beat that!
So I have been busy painting, living the artist's life, living frugally and enjoying every second. Every painting teaches me a new type of technique. I guess I learn best by doing, thus the self taught thing. I have added so many new painting ideas to my handwritten journal lately. It seems I can't paint fast enough to satisfy the pool of images flooding through my mind all the time. Here are a few recent paintings:
'Two Peacocks' original large 24" x 36" acrylic on canvas painting. This is a large painting of two peacocks sharing a tree branch and looking at each other, their feathers entangled and a gentle breeze in the air.
Peacocks are symbols of beauty, prosperity, royalty, love, compassion, soul and peace. They can also be symbols of protection and immortality and are considered sacred in India and China. They are almost like mythical phoenixes as they regrow all new feathers each year. To me, peacocks are so beautiful that they seem to be fantasy creatures not of this world. Perhaps that is why they are my favorite subject to paint.
Peacocks are symbols of beauty, prosperity, royalty, love, compassion, soul and peace. They can also be symbols of protection and immortality and are considered sacred in India and China. They are almost like mythical phoenixes as they regrow all new feathers each year. To me, peacocks are so beautiful that they seem to be fantasy creatures not of this world. Perhaps that is why they are my favorite subject to paint.
'Otherworldly Blue' original acrylic on canvas painting. This is a large painting of a surreal aqua sky and water scene with floating trees.
Trees symbolize strength and antiquity and aqua blue is a universal symbol of youth, fidelity, hope and health.
Trees symbolize strength and antiquity and aqua blue is a universal symbol of youth, fidelity, hope and health.
'Orange Colored Sky' original 16" x 20" acrylic on canvas painting. Named after the jazz song, this is a large painting of a tree silhouette against a vivid orange sky. This painting is inspired by an actual sky and tree I saw one afternoon when I lived in Arizona.
Trees represent strength and rootedness and the color orange is a symbol of love and happiness in Asian culture.
Trees represent strength and rootedness and the color orange is a symbol of love and happiness in Asian culture.
'One Blue Night' original large 24" x 36" acrylic on canvas painting of a white and cobalt blue peacock resting on a branch with a purple moon and cobalt sky and water behind it.
Peacocks are symbols of beauty, prosperity, royalty, love, compassion, soul and peace.
Peacocks are symbols of beauty, prosperity, royalty, love, compassion, soul and peace.
'When Love Takes Flight' original large 24" x 36" acrylic on canvas painting. This is a painting of two large hearts sharing a pair of wings, tied together with a red ribbon and flying together into the sky. Backdrop of a sunset, gilded trees, and other winged hearts flying or dangling from tree branches.
Winged hearts represent love, joy, freedom, and flying up toward the Heavens. They can also represent the soul and spiritual growth.
Winged hearts represent love, joy, freedom, and flying up toward the Heavens. They can also represent the soul and spiritual growth.
'Earl Gray Day' original painting by Amber Elizabeth Graff. Acrylic on 16 x 20 canvas. Painting of a gray day with a woman in a red dress and umbrella dancing in the rain.
Named for my favorite flavor of tea and love of rainy days. Rain is a symbol of nourishment and renewal.
Named for my favorite flavor of tea and love of rainy days. Rain is a symbol of nourishment and renewal.
Wishing everyone a beautiful Friday and hopefully some sunflowers too!
