Waiting for Spring
February 27th, 2007
Here's the art I made last night. It's also my "abandoned art" piece for Inspire me Thursday. I started drawing the tree after I did the crow piece last week, but it was late and I abandoned it and then lost interest. It was just a doodle anyways. I picked it up last night because I wanted to just play with no plan and I figured I could paint over the tree if I so chose. Well, this is what came out. It reminds me of the way there's all this potential in the earth, just ready to burst forth with life which seems so implausible when the sky is so gray and the trees so bare. I've got the bird ornaments tied onto the tree, an attempt to bring color to a gray landscape in the meantime, a reminder that color and life will return. It's a good metaphor for my winter blues in general and something I tell myself when I get depressed (doesn't always help, but it's good to remember) which is that "this too shall pass." And although I have trouble trusting this the way I can trust the seasons will change, I've seen that everything moves in cycles, so beneath even the darkest days there is growth and color just waiting patiently to burst forth.
It's ink, acrylic and bits of letter stencils collaged in on watercolor paper.
From today's Daily Om horoscope for Cancer, (it really spoke to me and how all the synchronicities pop up even more when I'm doing my mp's):
The universe speaks to us through many different channels. If we do not pay attention to one method, it will find another and another until we notice. Sometimes we may find that a particular theme seems to appear throughout every area of our lives; other times the faintest thought could take us onto untraveled paths. When we regularly take the time to connect to our center, where the source of our inspiration resides, we can more easily hear the whisperings of the universe. When we can follow our intuition, the universe may not need to employ so many ways to get our attention. Then we can move smoothly with the flow of life, following what seems like confusion to clarity. Confusion doesn’t need to leave you feeling lost. Instead you can let it guide you today to find the messages that can enable you to move more confidently through life.
17 Responses
I really LOVE your art…each piece seems to touch me so deeply, speaking to me words and passion and life! As a poor doc student, I fear it will be many years before I am able to ever purchase an original piece. If you have prints available at any time, please let me know. And most of all, thank you for sharing your words and art for us to admire from afar…you truly are an inspiration to me!
xoxo,
taradawn
Posted by: Tara Dawn | Feb 27, 2007 at 11:31 pm |
Just a quick note! I love your work and am a bit sad that I won’t be around to immerse myself in your little corner until I come back. But before I head off to India for the next two months, I wanted to say hi, and that I can’t wait to spend some time here!
Blessings to you dear one,
Elena
Posted by: Lunarmusings | Feb 28, 2007 at 1:15 am |
A beautiful creation! And yes, This Too Shall Pass (painting on my Artgarden website bears this title … the one in blue with waves in the foreground) is significant in my life as well. I am actually at my best during the Fall, Winter and Spring … it’s Summer that unsettles me. When there’s too much sun and humidity, I start to wilt. Then the answer for me is to not curl up in a ball, but to get into the water. Btw, I’m digging Finding Water! Peace.
Posted by: Eileen Miller | Feb 28, 2007 at 7:56 am |
This is a beautiful piece. The white swirls on the tree really spoke to me. I am so glad you kept working on it. I have spring fever too and this embodies it perfectly.
Hugs,
a.
Posted by: andrea | Feb 28, 2007 at 8:52 am |
Leah, this is really beautiful. I love the constrast of what’s above ground vs. what’s below, the swirls on the trees, and just love the thought of the little bird ornaments on the bare branches. That would sure liven things up a bit, wouldn’t it? What a whimsical idea.
I’m glad you picked up this ‘abandoned’ piece again.
Posted by: maria | Feb 28, 2007 at 8:57 am |
wonderful; I like how the birds are suspended from the tree and the subtle depth of the piece
Posted by: AscenderRisesAbove | Feb 28, 2007 at 9:55 am |
This is lovely – especially the patterns on the tree trunk – and of course the birds!
Posted by: Crafty Green Poet | Feb 28, 2007 at 10:14 am |
I love the dismal landscape on top, and how all the bright, hopeful colors are just a little underneath, waiting to be tapped into!!!
Posted by: Jana | Feb 28, 2007 at 11:35 am |
Love your tree and I’m very amused by the birds being tied on!
Its interesting that what you’ve used to represent potential and food for your, I mean the trees, roots are all symbols…
Posted by: Caroline | Feb 28, 2007 at 12:18 pm |
that is my favorite mantra, ‘this too shall pass’, especially when i’m encompassed in the blues or even the mean reds. i love the tree pattern and the birds.
Posted by: kristen | Feb 28, 2007 at 1:25 pm |
Leah – this is really so rich! I love the cubes of letters, piled up like children’s blocks, as the “soil” in which your lyrical tree has taken root! The birds most certainly call forth spring… it won’t be long! I’m glad you returned to this and finished it. It’s beautiful!
Posted by: carla | Feb 28, 2007 at 7:25 pm |
Beautiful piece! I too find that the promise of spring reminds me that “this too shall pass.” I remember once when I left studying for an exam in grad school too late. It suddenly dawned on me that in grad school you could no longer just pick up your books the night before. I was in a panic, overwhelmed and couldn’t think. I went for a walk and saw crocuses and daffodils starting to peek through the ground. The sun was shining and spring was in the air. And I thought, whatever happens, I’ll have this. It’ll be okay.
And the horoscope reminds me of something Jung said. Now, I’m paraphrasing here but the idea is that the universe will send you a clue and then another and then another and another and if that doesn’t get your attention, it’ll kick you in the ass. hehe. It pays to take note
Posted by: Jamie | Mar 1, 2007 at 8:44 am |
Nice piece! I like the birds suspended from the tree and the swirling bark shows movement.
Posted by: Sydney | Mar 1, 2007 at 10:10 am |
I like the swirls in the tree. I love trees with swirls in them. And the letters underground – reminds me of fighting my whole 2nd semester with my master’s facilitator…me seeing connections in the roots and her looking only at the flowers above – that’s exactly what it made me think about! And valentines – the birds made me think of valentines.
Posted by: tammy vitale | Mar 1, 2007 at 3:30 pm |
Leah! WoW! WoW! WoW!!! This is so full of feeling. It’s really struck a chord in me. You captured the melancholy of winter -including emotional winter when all the birds are merely tied on in expectation that the real birds will return. I adore this piece! You Rock!
Posted by: Literary bohemian | Mar 1, 2007 at 4:25 pm |
beautiful, love the tree
Posted by: Vedrana | Mar 2, 2007 at 3:42 am |
I’m so happy Tammy V. posted a link to your page! I do have blogs I visit every day, and some forums, but lately I had stopped going… they were kinda getting me down! lol I have been hoping to find more inspirational, upbeat sites to visit after I start my day… and yours fits the bill! The tree is just beautiful. Can’t wait to browse around a bit. Thanks for the link to Daily OM, too!:)
Posted by: Caren | Mar 4, 2007 at 5:57 pm |