Lotus Heart
July 10th, 2007
While working on the sketches for this, I wrote in the margins:
She closed her eyes
took a deep breath
and her heart opened like a lotus flower.
Each petal,
one more layer shed
one more veil lifted
one more secret whispered
one more door unlocked
opening, opening
I started the background for this piece before I left for Colorado and finished it today. The image has been in my head for awhile. As I've mentioned before, lotuses have been popping up everywhere for me. As I was working on it today I was thinking about the theme for Inspire Me Thursday which is "seven." The wedding we went to this weekend was on 7/7/07, apparently a very popular day for weddings this year. Seven and Seventeen in various combinations are numbers that I see everywhere. I consider them winks from the Universe, so I was happy to apply the number 7 in some art, but I wasn't sure where. Then working on the "Lotus Heart" I thought about how the initial lotus had actually landed in the throat area and then a second at the heart which called to mind the fourth and fifth chakra centers. The throat chakra happens to be an important one for me. The throat is often where I feel blocked and it also happens to be the chakra of my age group. Coincidentally (or not) there are 7 chakras, so this worked quite well for the IT theme. I included the color green in her dress to match up with the color of the heart chakra and included seven circles on the right side of the painting to further play upon the chakras and the number 7. And speaking of sevens, it happens to be 7 days til my birthday (the 17th). I'll be 31.
The painting itself is 8"x8" on cradled wood with layers of acylic paint, ink and colored pencil. I'll have it up in the store soon.
I had the odd experience this afternoon of doing a marketing survey. I felt so bad for the woman with the clipboard that I agreed to spend 10 minutes and make 10 bucks watching some commercials and sharing my opinion. It was kind of funny to see the ads they had chosen that were aimed directly at my demographic. There was a Nissan ad that had all these different "hip" drivers around the age of 30 who were looking so cool as they put their baby in the car seat in the back or drove to work while age appropriate (but funky) music played. Hehe. It cracked me up. They offered me the opportunity to do another survey that involved bringing oreo cookies home and coming back in four days. I declined. Although those cookies and a nice glass of milk sounds very yummy right about now.
After working away the remaining hours of the day, right now, I'm most excited about a little late night excursion I've got planned. At 12:03 tonight, I'll be seeing Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix! Yay! Call me a dork, but I am in love with this series of books and movies. I've been re-reading the books to prepare for the final book that comes out later this month. Yay! Best to keep some (or a lot) of that childlike joy and love of magic. 
14 Responses
Enjoy the movie and have a fabulous time.
Who knew you were such an excellent poet too!
Posted by: Tori | Jul 10, 2007 at 9:29 pm |
Thanks for visiting my blog today… and congratulations on your upcoming wedding! Very exciting. Perused your latest post and was wondering what “cradled wood” is. I love to paint on wood but am unfamiliar with this term. I know you’re up to your elbows in work and wedding, but if you have a minute, I’d love to know. Beautiful work, by the way. I love the transparent layers that give the piece such depth.
Lea
lantonio35@gmail.com
Posted by: lea antonio | Jul 10, 2007 at 9:35 pm |
Yup, the Harry Potter movie opens here tomorrow afternoon. I have my 11 year old daughter to cover my dork-ness!
Your lotus art is fabulous!
Posted by: Bohemian mom | Jul 11, 2007 at 12:18 am |
Hi Leah,
Your work is incredible,as well as your writing about it…you’re a wonderful word-weaver and toryteller; “you” shine through your work beautifully.
This painting says so very much…it’s a beautiful work of art, and heart. As I read this, and other entries I think about an amazing book I came across today. You can read an excerpt at Amazon, it’s called: “I am Woman Finding My Voice ~ Celebrating the Extraordinary Blessings of Being a Woman”, by Janet Quinn.
Is that a “WOW” or what?
Let me know if you like it/get it, maybe we can share thoughts about it from time to time.
And, thanks for dropping by my blog with your inspiring post. Ye, I do see the mandala in your piece; and I look forward to browsing your blog regularly.
Take good care,
Cheryl
Posted by: Cheryl Finley | Jul 11, 2007 at 2:44 am |
Ooh, I did one of those market research things a little while back, I think the woman was glad to get out of the cold (as was I!) and spent ten minutes looking at cereal boxes. I’m also off to take my kiddiwinks to see Harry Potter on Thursday (when it comes out here in england)straight after school, really looking forward to that! I love the 7 theme of this painting and the lotuses and chakra theme, fabulous!
Posted by: denise | Jul 11, 2007 at 2:56 am |
Leah…
Wonderful piece…and love the poem! Isn’t it an amazing thing when your art speaks to you in such a way that others are touched deeply by it!!!!!!!!!
Thanks for stopping by! I will add you on the thursday list of places to visit!
Posted by: Pattie Mosca | Jul 11, 2007 at 8:40 am |
You’re a good egg and the $10 you received should cover your movie ticket, popcorn excluded of course. xo
Posted by: kristen | Jul 11, 2007 at 1:39 pm |
Thanks all y’alls!
I emailed Lea about what cradled wood means, but I think I’ll write a post about it too, because I realize now that not everyone knows what that means. I know I didn’t know until fairly recently!
Posted by: leah | Jul 11, 2007 at 5:10 pm |
oh way to make me feel old – you will be my daughter’s age. Happy birthday to you!
And enjoy the movie – I want to see it but not bad enough to stay up that late! They’ve been doing all the previous ones on the sci fi channel here and it has been fun to watch the stars grow up right there on the big screen!
Posted by: tammy vitale | Jul 11, 2007 at 7:32 pm |
It does seem like the Universe has been winking at you! Beautiful painting and picture. Thank you for posting your story and how this piece was created/evolved. I, too, have a very strong connection to the lotus and have been using them quite a bit in my work. In some numerological circles, 7 is the number, which represents God/Goddess/Spirit.
I think the beauty of Harry Potter is the fact she brings the magic of childhood back.
Have fun at the movies!
Posted by: Pilar | Jul 11, 2007 at 11:05 pm |
Hi Leah~ Another great piece. I’m glad to know the lotus’ are still showing up for you. My winking comes in the form of elevens or multiple ones. Oh the stories I could tell….
Anyway, I’m meeting with Jes tomorrow. I hope to have a couple of dates for our local retreat/get together. Wish me luck with the jewelery making thing, okay?
Posted by: tammigirl | Jul 12, 2007 at 9:40 am |
This painting is really lovely. What a beautiful way to show chakras! and such wonderful soft colors… You are very prolific, I peeked at your web-sight, how do you do it?
Posted by: Ulla | Jul 12, 2007 at 11:08 am |
I love this piece! Lotus flowers are very special to me. Beautiful work!
Posted by: Karen Beth | Jul 13, 2007 at 2:14 pm |
Leah, I’m in LOVE… Ack.. I think I’d like to wallpaper my house with your art work. Sigh… I’m only a little bit jealous – I swear!
Posted by: Megan Potter | Jul 20, 2007 at 5:49 pm |